Always FREE
april/may/june 2017
1101 2ⁿd St. • Coralville, IA 52241 (319) 358-5513 open daily 7am–10pm 3338 Center Point Rd. NE • Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 (319) 365-2632 open daily 8am–9pm STORE SUPPORT OFFICES 22 S. Linn St., Unit 2A • Iowa City, IA 52240 (319) 248-6400 open Mon.–Fri. 8am–5pm
IN THIS ISSUE Beating Big Box Store Prices p. 5 Behind the Scenes: New Pi's HUB Bakery p. 6 Recipes for a Mid-day Spring Meal p. 12 Women-Led Local Businesses p. 14 A handful of the many Catalyst covers, including the first (we know of) from 1971 in the bottom right corner.
www.newpi.coop EDITOR Allison Gnade MANAGING EDITOR Jenifer Angerer DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY Mel Roling, JoJo Baccam CONTRIBUTORS Jody M. Caldwell, Genie Maybanks PRINTER Royle Printing, Sun Prairie, WI
Board of Directors Meetings All Co-op owners are welcome! Wed., Apr. 26 Wed., May. 24 Wed., Jun. 28 6:30pm, All meetings at
New Pi Store Support Offices 22 S. Linn St. (Tower Place, West End, 3rd Floor), Iowa City, IA 52240
Co-op owners are welcome to share their views with the New Pi Board:
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
(year indicates when term expires)
Earth Day 2017
President CAITLIN SLESSOR (2019) (319) 389-6431, caitlin.slessor@gmail.com
Vice President JON FOGARTY (2020) (319) 400-4911, jon@jonfogarty.com
Treasurer CALVIN NORRIS (2017)
Help hardworking pollinators by picking up a free packet of Bee Food at New Pi on Earth Day, 4/22/17! This easy-to-sow blend of wildflowers from Seed Savers produces nectar and pollen for bees and their friends for the whole season.
published by: NEW PIONEER FOOD CO-OP 22 S. Van Buren St. • Iowa City, IA 52240 (319) 338-9441 open daily 7am–10pm
(319) 355-2603, cal_norris@msn.com
Secretary ZARA WANLASS (2019) (319) 800-9046, zwanlass@yahoo.com
PATRICK BRICKEL (2020) brickel.newpiboard@gmail.com
KELLI KENNON-LANE (2020) (319) 361-2843, kelli.kennon@gmail.com
JANET RAZBADOUSKI (2017) (312) 476-0943, jraznpboard@gmail.com
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new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter
NEW PIONEER FOOD CO-OP MISSION STATEMENT New Pioneer is a cooperatively owned business, fully serving the needs of the natural products consumer. We emphasize high quality, fair prices, and product information. We are an environmentally and socially responsible member of the community we serve. New Pioneer’s mission is to serve the needs of its members and to stimulate the local agricultural production of natural and organic
foods by providing a market for such foods. The Cooperative fully recognizes the value and dignity of work and shall place a high priority on the health, welfare, and happiness of all its employees. The Cooperative shall strive to set a community standard for the best possible working conditions, training, wages, benefits, and opportunities for advancement for its employees.
Over the last several years, New Pioneer Co-op has been on a roller coaster of change. We launched the Co-op Hub Bakery & Kitchen in North Liberty and we opened the new Cedar Rapids store. We face the challenges of fierce retail competition in our area (some of which has already closed and some of which has yet to open). As we move forward, one thing is certain: there will be more change! Our Board of Directors has also made a few changes. We welcome Zara Wanlass as our new Board Secretary and Caitlin Slessor as our new Board President. It’s been a pleasure to work with Caitlin over the last few months as she dived into this new role. It is truly great to see our newer Board members taking on leadership roles. The strength of the Co-op is in our people – in how we strengthen our connections with our owners, shoppers, employees, suppliers, farmers, and the broader community. And with that, I turn it over to Caitlin.
Janet Razbadouski New Pi Board Member, Former President
It is with all of this in mind that I wistfully announce a big change: this issue of Catalyst will be our last. Catalyst has long been a great medium for connecting with our owners, but as even more people turn to the internet for faster information and communication, New Pi needs to put staff time and efforts into other platforms. Please stay in touch with your Co-op (and learn about great things like flash sales, events, and cooking classes, and receive our monthly Slice of the Pi e-newsletter) by signing up for our emails at www.newpi. coop/newsletter-signup and following us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. We will continue to mail Co-op owners a paper copy of our Annual Report once each year. Change happens whether we embrace it or lament it. Now, more than ever, is the time to turn our attention to our local community. Let’s shape our corner of the world to fit our vision, even if we can’t change the whole world. Let’s model an inclusive community that reflects our values. New Pioneer Co-op is a vital part of this vision. We are a business that provides our community with one of our most important supplies: healthy food. New Pi is changing. The world is changing. Our ownership has grown leaps and bounds (with more than 35,000 of you awesome people now!), and has diverse needs. You also have diverse talents. Think about running for the Board. Apply for a job. Make suggestions for improvements. Support us in the community at the planning and policy level. If New Pioneer Coop is a part of the future you want to see in our community, demonstrate that by shopping at the store and inviting a friend to try it out. You have the power to make the Co-op an anchor of our community now and into the future.
Slessor Caitlin oard B New Pi t n e Presid
april/may/june 2017 • www.newpi.coop
A Note from the Editor
Dear New Pi Friends,
As Janet mentioned, we face the challenges of fierce retail competition in our area. Co-ops like us have built a market for local and organic around the country, and it's finally catching on with our big box competitors. As competition has now saturated our market, New Pi’s sales have dropped. Operating with fewer resources has required us to analyze our operational practices and make decisions on how we can be most efficient while still servicing our owners and shoppers to the best of our ability.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A Catalyst for Change
I’m excited to be part of the future of the Co-op and I am humbled by the opportunity to serve the Board and Co-op owners as President. I’ve always felt that change is good. It can provide room for growth, it can spur new ideas, and it can pave the way for a future previously unmapped. It can bring out the best in us. Still, not everyone is energized by change. Change can certainly be scary.
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It's been a pleasure to serve as the Catalyst editor for the past 6½ years. I'm proud to have been part of its 46-year history, alongside all its previous writers, editors, and designers. Onward in co-operation! -Allison Gnade, Editor
Board Letter
Owner Beat
Q: A
Allison Gnade, New Pi Editor
"What are your favorite house-made items at the Co-op?" Genie Maybanks, New Pi Marketing Coordinator
“I love the Cashew on a Hot Tin Roof Sandwich and the Clam Chowder – and that I don’t need to get the encyclopedia out every time to know what I’m eating – you guys use real ingredients! I like the grassfed hamburger and house-smoked chicken and turkey too. And my dog Sunny (a Welsh Corgi) really appreciates the Co-op’s grass-fed house-smoked marrow bones, too!” – Jason Kwader at New Pi Coralville
“New Pi Cedar Rapids' Teriyaki Meatballs (in the deli) – they're delicious... I like everything here. I’m ecstatic we built here. I love this place so much, I could live here!” – Nicole Brathwaite at New Pi Cedar Rapids
so m akes Te ri ya ki Ou r m eat de pt . al s- fe d top si rloi n Skew ers, us in g gras ke n! and ca ge -fre e ch ic
“All of the breads are awesome, and when I need a treat I end up at your bakery case for a cinnamon roll. It’s not overly sweet and I can Yo u ’d n ev er tell that the quality of the gu es s th ey ’re ingredients is high. I also actu ally ve ga n ! really enjoy the scones.” – Jaeda Harmon with baby Marco at New Pi Iowa City
or ga nic Ba ke d w ith loca l, w hole w he at flou r! “The Co-op’s Whole Wheat Rolls. I’m originally from Ecuador and we struggle to find bread that tastes good, that’s whole wheat and all natural – without preservatives. They are why I come here on Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays, they're always fresh in store. I actually have a Co-op bread schedule on my fridge!” – Maria Aviles at New Pi Cedar Rapids
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new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter
Price Comparison
op: Meeting & Be o C r ating Big Box Prices You
Y
our Co-op has been busy searching out clean, lowerpriced alternatives on hundreds of items throughout our stores. We worked with over 100 Co-ops across the country to create the Co-op Basics program, which gives us buying power, to offer oodles of grocery staples at prices that meet or beat the prices of big box stores’ organic items! New Pi has an advantage over big box stores in that our profit structure is completely different, all profits stay local. Instead of maximizing profits for corporate shareholders in far-flung places, we
do best when we make you happy, and we only answer to you. At big box warehouse stores, you have to buy giant packages of food. At the Co-op, you can buy many items in our bulk bins. That means that you can buy just a few mushrooms, a smaller wedge of cheese, or four buns instead of eight. This cuts down on food waste and saves you time and money. You can count on your Co-op for fair prices on all of your grocery needs. – Genie Maybanks, New Pi Marketing Coordinator
Compare a Gourmet Burger on a Budget BIG BOX STORE’S RUDI'S FROZEN ORGANIC BUNS $ 5.79/8 buns
NEW PI’S HOUSEMADE ORGANIC BUNS $ 4.29/8 buns
BIG BOX STORE’S ORGANIC BABY LETTUCE $ 3.99/5 oz.
NEW PI'S ORGANIC BABY LETTUCE $3.99/6 oz.
BIG BOX STORE’S GOURMET GRUYÈRE CHEESE $ 20/lb.
NEW PI’S GOURMET GRUYÈRE CHEESE $ 17.49/lb.
BIG BOX STORE’S GRASS-FED BEEF $ 8.99/lb.
NEW PI'S LOCAL, GRASS-FED BEEF $ 6.49/lb.
72/bun
54/bun
80/oz.
67/oz.
1.25/oz.
1.09/oz.
$
$
2.25 per ¼ lb.
$
1.62 per ¼ lb.
$
burger
burger
BIG BOX STORE’S GOURMET BURGER ON A BUDGET:
NEW PI'S GOURMET BURGER ON A BUDGET:
5.02
3.92
$
$ You win when you shop at the Co-op!
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behind the scenes at the
Co-op Bakery Welcome to The Hub, New Pi’s very own kitchen and bakery in
North Liberty! It's where we create all our house-made breads, pastries, soups, deli salads, dips, and you name it from scratch every day! Our hard-working cooks and bakers work all hours – The Hub runs 20 hours a day. Every day: 1am-9pm, 7 days a week (someone even comes in on holidays to feed our sourdough culture!).
Why is our food so good? Because of the hard work of these great people – they’re real cooks and bakers, baking real food with real ingredients, from scratch!
Our recipes come from everywhere – from books, like this one by famous baker and cookbook author Peter Reinhart; from conversations; from recipes invented or shared by staff and customers. “Anyone is free to come up with a recipe for us to make,” Rob invites.
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new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter
Lorena likes making our quiches: “I like the texture of the dough – it’s like playdough. We roll it by hand and press it into the quiche molds by hand. It’s just flour, butter, and buttermilk with a little salt. That’s all it takes. Our dough always takes a lot of flour and butter!” “I started in 2006 – working most of those 8 - 9 years in pastry, also in the kitchen,” Lorena explains. “I like to make the Mexican Wedding Cookies. The cookies are about all I did yesterday! You scoop them; roll them by hand; then roll them in organic powdered sugar; bake them; then roll them in sugar again.” The recipe came from late staff member Elizabeth Weinberg, who talked about her grandmother in Mexico making them.
Behind the Scenes
Rob, Amy, & Alex hand-shape our hot dog buns. A baguette moulding machine gets the job started, but they finish each one by hand to seal the seam on the bottom so the buns don’t pop open in the oven. We make ours with organic unbleached flour, organic non-GMO canola, and sea salt – just like our white sandwich bread, cottage rolls, and hamburger buns. After working at the famous Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, MI, Rob came to work at the Co-op 6 years ago, when his wife, Charity Nebble started at Iowa Public Radio. The Co-op’s “the only place that does the kind of baking I do – crusty hearth breads, long fermentations, lots of hand work. The long fermentation time means more flavor is generated. Just like beer or cheese or wine, the flavor is a product of the fermentation process. Our sourdough takes 47 hours from start to finish! And our Prairie Seeded Sourdough takes 12-14 hours. “Bread takes time,” Joe chimes in. “Time equals flavor – bread is not an immediate thing.”
Rob and Joe name our Prairie Seeded Sourdough as their favorite bread for its nutty, toasty, and original flavor combination from sesame and sunflower seeds, plus pumpkin seeds and flax. Rob created the recipe, and it goes well with any kind of cheese, or simply a smear of butter (we love the flavor of local Hansen’s butter) and maybe a little salt.
april/may/june 2017 • www.newpi.coop
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Behind the Scenes Lisa has baked for the Co-op for 2 ½ years: “It’s really nice working here, with such nice people. I like making the caramel – experimenting with it, trying to make it perfect. We just changed the recipe and everyone says they like it better now. We put a lot of work and care into everything – like our pies, and we make all the pie fillings [from scratch]. I really like our vegan apple pie.”
Alex used to come in at 4am to bake pastries at our Cedar Rapids store. Our scratch-made muffins, scones, cookies, and pastries are baked off at each store early in the morning. He says our blueberry muffins smell the nicest coming out of the oven because they remind him of his grandma. After taking time off to live in India for a few months, he’s back at the Co-op, learning to bake bread at the Hub.
Joe has baked bread at the Co-op since 2004, beginning work each day at 1am or 4am to start our bread. Let’s all send a huge thank you to Joe for 13 years of incredible bread! What keeps him coming to work every day? “The mission of the Co-op. [Read it inside the front cover.] The commitment to quality ingredients, all the people working here – I’ve made great friends, and I like making quality products. And you all have been treating me well for 13 years.”
Maggie pipes our chocolate ganache onto New Pi’s famous Chocolate Mousse Cake at New Pi Iowa City. We bake the cake layers at our Hub bakery, then send them to our stores for our decorating pros to finish – and add special embellishments to order! 8
new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter
april/may/june 2017 • www.newpi.coop
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New Pi Timeline
Growing Together 1982
1977 1970-1980 1969 Bulk food buying club begins in Iowa City community center.
Co-op fledges Stone Soup Restaurant, Morning Glory Bakery in the basement of a former Catholic grade school, offering healthy foods for a minimal charge. Co-op establishes The Blue Parrot restaurant in the front of the Van Buren store.
1971
1974 Co-op members number 300.
New Pi founds Earth Source Gardens at Harvest Farm and Preserve to introduce community gardens to our area.
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60 lifetime Co-op memberowner share program introduced and keeps the Co-op alive. [Co-op ownership price remains the same to this day!] Product assortment expands to meat, beer, coffee, and sugar in spite of divided membership and complaints that the Co-op is losing its “hippie-ness.”
1991 Membership tops 4,300.
Membership rises to 900.
1973
1981
New Pi moves to the 2nd floor of the Vine building on the corner of Gilbert & Prentiss. Organic produce becomes occasionally available at the Co-op.
The idealism and activism that launched many “new wave” co-ops around the country – like New Pi – falters. National economic downturn affects sales, closing co-ops around the country. New Pi nearly folds; staff take turns cashing their paychecks.
Newly-founded New Pioneer Food Co-op files legal papers and transitions to a one-room co-op store at 518 Bowery St. in Iowa City. Features an extensive bulk section of grains, beans, peanut butter, honey, granola, and cheese. Working members help run the business. The cash drawer is a cigar box.
2009-2014
New Pi relocates to a portion of a former supermarket at the corner of Washington and Van Buren. A modest produce dept. is developed by staffer Steve Moen. [Steve still leads our wonderful nearly-all organic produce dept. at New Pi Iowa City!]
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2011-2016
New Pi Soilmates Organic Garden Education starts local school gardens and compost projects and teaches organic garden classes to thousands of local kids, free to schools.
new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter
2012
The beginning of a surge of competition moves in: Costco opens in Coralville. “Local” has become a buzzword. New Pi attempts to relocate Iowa City to the NE corner of Gilbert & College in Iowa City, supported by 93% of Co-op owners. The proposal was not selected by the city council.
1988-1991 Failing Cedar Rapids Co-op approaches New Pi for help. New Pi establishes a sister Co-op near Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids.
1995 New Pi opens the Co-op Bakehouse at the corner of 1st & 5th in Coralville to produce breads from scratch in the tradition of Rock Hill bakers. The hearth oven – and its builder – come in from France.
2013 New Pi owners vote to open a 3rd store, Board pursues location in Cedar Rapids. In a 3rd owner vote (within 2 years), owners also authorize relocating the Iowa City store or adding another Iowa City store within 3 years. Despite the Co-op's efforts this doesn’t come to fruition within the timeframe.
New Pi Timeline
2001
New Pi Coralville opens (in spite of a divided Board and membership), featuring wider aisles, deli seating, and a cooking class facility to better serve the growing community, but struggles financially.
1996-present New Pi helps found Table to Table to help serve the hungry and reduce food waste in Iowa City. Over 12 million pounds of food rescued to date.
2007
Iowa City store remodeled, equipment upgraded. New Pi’s purchases from local producers hit $1 million annually.
New Pi helps found Field to Family to connect farmers with families and schools and grow our local & regional food system.
2005
New Pi is free of debt.
2000
mid-90s Due to space constraints, New Pi attempts to relocate to the SW corner of College & Gilbert, supported by 87% of members. Negotiations for the site fail to yield results.
2014
Bakehouse closes to move the hearth oven and all food production into the soon-to-open Coralville Co-op.
1998
2001present
Coralville store nearly New Pi bands together matches – and later with co-ops across the exceeds – Iowa City nation to negotiate store in sales. better prices by pooling orders – ‘Cooperation Among Co-ops’ in action!
New Pi has offered nearly 1,000 cooking & educational classes
New Pi’s kitchen begins baking pastries.
New Pi’s Hub Kitchen & Bakery (non-retail facility) opens in North Liberty with a new hearth bread oven from Italy. Most of the Co-op’s food production moves to the Hub. Fresh Market opens in Cedar Rapids in October. New Pi Cedar Rapids opens in December.
2006
2004
2015 New competition substantially impacts New Pi’s sales: new Lucky’s Market and Aldi; Hy-Vee upgrades local stores. New Pi introduces Co-op Basics program, offering expanded selection of grocery staples at everyday low prices.
2008
National recession and local flooding result in negative sales growth. New Pi improves systems and recovers. “Organic” starts to become mainstream and Hy-Vee introduces “Health Market” sections around this time.
2017 & beyond 2016 Sales at New Pi Iowa City and Coralville stores decline about 13.7% (fiscal year 2015-2016). New Pi Cedar Rapids experiences strong sales growth over the previous year and beats planned operations goals in the spring. Fresh Market closes, but Natural Grocers opens in Cedar Rapids in November.
Wave of competition continues: Natural Grocers will open in Iowa City and Trader Joe’s will open in Coralville. New Pi will evolve with new offererings and persevere with the help of our loyal owner/ members.
april/may/june 2017 • www.newpi.coop
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Recipes for a Mid-day Spring Meal
Welsh Rare...what? Celebrate spring with this rabbit-free midday meal.
Welsh Rabbit/Rarebit with Asparagus Suggested by New Pi Hub Staffer Elaine Mahler, Recipe by Allison Gnade Curiously enough, there’s no rabbit in this popular dish from the British Isles! (For a bit of history on its intriguing name, which can be 'rabbit' or 'rarebit', visit s.coop/25tj7.) There are many ways to make it, but one thing is certain: if you love grilled cheese, you’ll love Welsh rarebit. Elaine gives her version a spring touch by adding fresh asparagus. 1 large bunch fresh asparagus 1 T. butter 2 T. all-purpose flour ½ c. porter or ale ¼ c. whole milk ½ t. dry mustard ⅛ t. black pepper 6 oz. (3/4 c.) extra sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated (such as the divine local Milton’s Prairie Breeze, or budget-friendly Dairy Vale Cheddar – both available at all Co-op locations) 1 egg yolk salt to taste New Pi Swirled or Light Rye, or bread of your choice, toasted (Elaine suggests New Pi’s 7-Grain Sandwich or Multigrain Carrot Bread) optional: hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce
Cut roughly 1" off bottom of asparagus. Steam asparagus until al dente, making sure not to overcook. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add flour, whisking constantly to avoid browning. Cook for 1 minute. Whisk in beer and milk, and then whisk in mustard, pepper, and cheese. Continue whisking as you bring to a simmer over moderately low heat.
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new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter
Recipes for a Mid-day Spring Meal
Continued... Simmer, still whisking, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in yolk and, if desired, hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce. Salt to taste.
S
To serve, place toast in a low bowl, add asparagus, and top with cheese sauce. Present with fork and knife.
no
oo Pac F ds
Minted Pea Puree Adapted from Tender: A Cook & His Vegetable Patch by Nigel Slater The Co-op carries delicious local, organic frozen peas from Sno Pac in Caledonia, MN. Brothers Pete and Nick Gengler are the 4th generation of their family to run the business. Their organic peas are grown less than 40 miles from where they’re frozen in MN, so theirs have ultra-fresh Midwestern flavor. – A.G. 3 c. frozen or fresh (shelled) peas 4 sprigs fresh mint 3 T. olive oil salt, to taste optional: a few drops lemon juice, to taste
Boil peas with mint sprigs in lightly salted water for a few minutes, until tender (peas should still be bright green). Drain. Combine peas and mint sprigs with olive oil in a food processor or blender. Season to taste with salt and lemon juice. Serve hot.
Fresh Strawberry Pavlova
It's gluten-free and scrumptious for everyone!
Adapted from How to Eat: The Pleasures and Principles of Good Food by Nigella Lawson In a pavlova, layered textures, crunchy meringue exterior, gooey meringue interior, soft clouds of whipped cream, and fresh, juicy fruit – combine for an absolutely irresistible dessert. Luckily, pavlovas don’t “keep” well – a sufficient excuse to eat the whole confection in one glorious sitting. Meringue is adversely affected by humidity, which can make it difficult to achieve a showy, crunchy exterior. A dry day is an ideal meringue day, but know that whether it turns out crunchy, soft, gooey, sticky, or light and pillowy: humidity be damned, it always goes down well. – A.G. Makes 4 generous portions, or 8 moderate portions 4 egg whites, room temp pinch salt 1 ¼ c. sugar 2 t. cornstarch (non-GMO from the Co-op) 1 t. white wine vinegar a few drops of vanilla extract 1 ¼ c. heavy cream
fresh strawberries, sliced or fruit of your preference (such as raspberries, blackberries, or passion fruit) – keep it simple equipment needed: electric mixer
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw an 8 – 9" circle on the paper. Flip parchment over so the mark is on the bottom. In an extremely clean bowl (oil residue can prevent the egg whites from forming the right structure), beat the egg whites with the salt until satiny peaks form. Beat in the sugar, ⅓ at a time, until meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle the cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla over the meringue, then fold in lightly with a spatula. Mound the meringue onto the parchment on the baking sheet within the circle, more or less, flattening the top. Place in the oven. Immediately reduce the heat to 300°F and bake for one hour; the pavlova should color slightly. Turn off the oven and leave the pavlova in it to cool completely. Whip the cream to soft peaks and pile it on the pavlova. Top with strawberries. Enjoy! Optional: Invert the pavlova onto a big, flat plate or cake stand – this inversion makes the marshmallowy middle meld with whipped cream, and lets the side and the base stay crisp.
april/may/june 2017 • www.newpi.coop
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Local Goods at your Co-op from
Women-led
L ocal
Businesses
Decorah, Iowa
Diane Ott Whealy and Kent Whealy founded Seed Savers in 1975 with 2 sets of family heirloom seeds from the 1870s. Today the organization promotes biodiversity by preserving heirlooms and sharing seeds from more than 20,000 plant varieties.
Leaf Kitchen
Reichert's Dairy Air
Agri-Cultured
Harriet Woodford and Masae Judge have grown their business from the farmer’s market to their lovely café. We enjoy their famous butter cookies yearround at New Pi!
Lois Reichert makes her always fresh, never frozen goat cheeses at her micro-dairy, using milk from Nubian and La Mancha goats. In 2016, she won two 1st place prizes for her work from the American Cheese Society.
Sarah Underberg and her husband Eric started making fermented foods to address health problems like joint pain. Today they make raw sauerkrauts, pickles, and kimchi. “We’re changing lives one gut at a time,” Sarah says.
Breads from Anna
Dirty Face Creek Farm
Triple Creek Dairy
Jessica Stutsman uses her background in watershed restoration to care for the organic farm she began with her late husband, Mike. She grows organic herbs and vegetables with her young daughter, Sophie.
Brendia Kempf makes award-winning cheeses (in an array of flavors) from the milk of her award-winning goats. Triple Creek takes pride in creating products that can be enjoyed by people who can’t have cow’s milk - and everyone else, too!
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
As a Celiac with Type 2 Diabetes, Anna Sobaski is passionate about making tasty, non-GMO, gluten-free mixes for bread and baked goods. Voted Best Gluten-Free Bread in America!
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Seed Savers Exchange
new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter
Knoxville, Iowa
Hills, Iowa
Dallas Center, Iowa
Long Grove, Iowa
Dumpling Darling
Shaktea Kombucha
Galassi Pasta Sauces
Lesley Triplett fell in love with the steamed dumplings sold on her street when she lived in South Korea – so she brought them home to Iowa. Look for her homemade, hand-rolled dumplings at New Pi and, soon, at her Iowa City restaurant.
Debbie Dowd and her children Meghan and Jack started their organic kombucha business in 2011. Made in small batches with the highest quality ingredients, they call their kombucha “Nature’s Healthy Soda Alternative.”
Lisa and Anne Galassi started bottling their Italian grandmother’s recipe to “make the taste of homemade a reality for busy families.” Galassi partners with Bring Change 2 Mind to fight the stigma of mental illness.
Sweet Raw Joy
La Casa
Rare Bird Soap Shop
Laurie Moritz makes raw, vegan, wheat-free desserts (delicious even for those not following those diets!) from scratch in New Pi’s kitchen with organic, plant-based ingredients like nuts, dates, cacao powder, and fresh fruits.
Growing up in Texas, Mercy Sueppel learned to cook at a young age. Now Mercy works with her children Laurie and Bart to make preservative-free, authentic Mexican sauces and spices with fresh ingredients.
Wende Fugate hand-makes her small-batch vegan soaps, skincare, and home products with organic and local ingredients. They’re free from sulfates, parabens, and preservatives, and made with pure essential oils.
Patti Z. Cardz
Mount Vernon Confections
Zaza's Pasta
Iowa City, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
New Pi staffer patti zwick (known for her beautiful quiltz) makes one-of-akind watercolor and quiltz-inspired cards by hand. Patti’s eye pillows, filled with organic flax and organic lavender, are also available at the Co-op, where she has worked for 32 years. (Wow!)
Fairfield, Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Mount Vernon, Iowa
Mickey Miller parlayed her “obsession with chocolate” into a career. Today, she is a professional chocolatier known for making a variety of rich, high-quality artisanal chocolates.
Coralville, Iowa
Kalona, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa Julie Parisi learned to make pasta for her family at her Italian grandmother’s side as a child. Now she handcrafts excellent pastas in small batches for all of us, using local, organic flour. april/may/june 2017 • www.newpi.coop
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Housemade Feature
in em ated h t Findrefriger . n our sectio
IT'S A PERFECT MARINADE! Made entirely of REAL ingredients.
No artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, or sweeteners.
You'll never buy the national brand again!
Willful Wine Owner Pam Walden and Caroline Jackson
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(a unique wine bar/restaurant and urban winery specializing in commercial custom crush). Her wines continue to rack up le Coula m l l d a y oschett L e a e W n n t y M l nice numbers from wine critics, as well as i ol ris la am industry awards. Cristelle Coulange is a young winegrower with deep roots in the Rhône Valley: her ancestors began making W IN wine on their picturesque Bourg-Saint-Andéol estate W ER G G EA IN WI EL E , DO WI EM 'S L NE M IN L AN HA NE M A U C M I O W A A A K E R , F RO G C I E N M , L KER , WI LLF U KE R nearly 300 years ago! Domaine Coulange’s Syrah-dominated emale vintners have always played an integral part Rochellette reflects the wines of the North, while the in the winemaking industry, from Europe’s ancient vineyards Grenache-heavy Mistral dazzles with Southern Rhône charm. to America’s (relatively) brief few hundred years of grapeThe Côtes du Rhône Blanc opens up with a heady perfume that stomping history. New Pi is proud to offer exceptional wines from promises elegant flavor, meant to compliment poultry and many superbly talented women, and those numbers are growing vegetable dishes. Cristelle Coulange has won numerous awards every year. for her value-driven wines, and we are very fortunate to be able Frog’s Leap produces two top-shelf wines we eagerly await each to offer them to you. vintage: their Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet. Paula Moschetti does Next time you’re in search of a great bottle, look for a wine an amazing job crafting the sustainably-raised fruit into awardmade by a female winemaker. You’ll be giving a nod to these winning wines. The Sauvignon Blanc sings with bright flavors and talented vintners and their predecessors. the Cab is an absolute luxury that makes a romantic dinner for two Ciao! all the more memorable. These Napa wines remind us of why we do Miss Nik, New Pi's Mistress of Wine & Cheese what we do here. OW
Pau
Celebrating Women Winemakers
Women Owned Wineries
F
One of our (our wine buyer Tom’s) newest gems is the Michael Pozzan Winery. Their Consulting Winemaker, Molly Lyman, honed her skills alongside a who’s who of California winemakers and she has worked with the likes of Duckhorn Vineyards, Relic Wine Cellars, and Talisman. Her focus on detail and finesse make the Michael Pozzan fleet of wines (including the Matthew Joseph Cab featured in the New Pi’s March/April Top 10 Wines) pitch-perfect examples of their respective varietals. Willful Wine Company is another newcomer to our Top 10 program. Pam Walden is the proud owner and winemaker of two lovely labels (Willful and Jezebel), and an even prouder single parent of two sons (Samson and Cato). She makes the age-worthy Willful Wines and the fruit-forward Jezebel Wines from the thoughtfully sourced grapes at Southeast Wine Collective in Portland, Oregon
Frog's Leap, bottling line.
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Cooking Co-op Basics Classes
rd! a e h n e e b e v a Your voices h
, n i p Sto , p u stock . e v a s &
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ou asked us for high-quality groceries at lower prices, and your voices have been heard! New Pi is expanding Co-op Basics, our popular line of clean and organic foods and products at very economical prices, first introduced in winter 2016. Just follow the distinctive purple Co-op Basics tags to everyday deals throughout all our stores. The Co-op Basics line includes everything from organic peanut butter, olive oil, and cereal bars to eco-friendly paper towels, dish liquid, and laundry detergent. Many of these affordable options come from Field Day, a company whose goal is to provide a large variety of value-priced, non-GMO, natural, and organic products, with a focus on simplicity in both packaging and ingredients. New Pi Marketing Coordinator Genie Maybanks is a big fan of our soft, sustainably sourced Field Day 2-Ply Facial Tissues: “The Co-op sells Field Day tissues at a great price. A Coralville big box store’s everyday price on tissues works out to 3¢ per tissue. The Co-op’s tissues are just 2¢ each – and they’re more environmentally friendly!”
Craving more savings at New Pi?
Luky you!
Your Co-op offers a variety of ways to cut down your grocery bill while shopping for the foods you adore at the store you love. Follow along! Flash Sales! Sign up for our emails and follow New Pi on social media to learn when you can catch the next flash sale: crazy good deals and huge limited-time discounts. 18
new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter
Jody Caldwell, Catalyst Contributor We are constantly growing our Co-op Basics program to meet your needs, introducing new, low priced options throughout our stores, in every department. One newcomer is Thousand Hills Cattle Company 100% Grass Fed 80% Lean Beef. Over in the Baby section, our Field Day Face, Hand, & Baby Wipes are super soft and soothing for only $ 3.69/72-count. Best of all, we offer Seventh Generation diapers (soft on your baby and the environment, too) at the lowest price in town: $ 9.99/36-pack! We believe that everyone deserves access to clean, organic groceries, no matter your financial situation. Whether you’re feeding a family, stretching a fixed income, or simply trying to squeeze the most out of your grocery budget, clean and organic products shouldn’t be out of your reach. Here at New Pi, we’re working to make healthful food accessible and affordable to everyone. Stop in and discover our diverse, delicious, everyday-affordable Co-op Basics!
Sales Flyers! Shop the flyer (again, through our emails at www.newpi.coop/newsletter-signup and by following us on social media) to save on items throughout the store. Our sales are not just cents off the dollar – they're whole dollars off! Stock up on your favorites. Co-op Basics! Don’t forget to follow the purple tags for serious savings on essentials every single day. And remember: Everyone can shop and save at New Pi! You don’t have to be an owner to take advantage of these awesome prices.
Get Cookin'!
Cooking Classes
C L A S S E S AT N E W P I C O R A LV I L L E unless other wise noted
Pollinator’s Paradise: Establishing a Pollinator Garden with Master Naturalist Eric Miller Earth Day, Sat., April 22, 10am-noon 15/person
$
Join Master Naturalist and New Pi staffer Eric Miller in learning how to establish your own pollinator garden at home.
Coffee Lovers’ Delight with Jed Vander Zanden of Sidecar Coffee Roasters Sat., June 10, 10:00-11:30am 15/per person New Pi Cedar Rapids
$
Jed will lead us through a coffee tasting experience known in the industry as a coffee “cupping.” Jed will demonstrate the roasting process with his sample roaster, then discuss proper tasting etiquette and cupping techniques (what Jed calls “the art of slurping”).
The Wahls Protocol: Cooking for Life with Dr. Terry Wahls
Paleo for Optimal Health with Health Coach Laura Koelblinger
Tues., May 2, 6:00-7:30pm $ 15/person New Pi Cedar Rapids
Thurs., June 15, 6:00-8:00pm $ 20/person
Dr. Wahls will discuss how cooking at home is the single most powerful strategy for reducing pain, increasing energy and joy, and reducing our need for prescription medication.
Fabulous Fish Feast with Chef Ben Halperin Weds., May 10, 6:00-8:00pm $ 30/person
Excited by the Co-op’s divine selection of sustainable seafood, Chef Ben Halperin will share insider tips on preparing the Co-op’s high-quality fish to showcase its clean flavors with simple recipes anyone can make at home.
First Foods with Chef Becky Schmooke Tues., May 16, 6:00-8:00pm $ 15/per person Chef Becky will explore first foods, from making homemade baby food to first finger foods and toddler favorites. In this class, she’ll share the process of creating clean, organic treats for little ones.
Join EPIC Functional Medicine Center Health Coach Laura Koelblinger to learn how you can use a food matrix and paleo principles to simplify cooking, build muscle tone, slim your waist, and boost your health!
Fresh Italian Pasta 101 with Chef Gianluca Baroncini Tues., June 20, 6:00-8:00pm $ 30/per person
Chef Gianluca (of Baroncini Ristorante) will share the secrets of preparing fresh pasta dishes from dough to sauce. Gianluca will mix and roll two types of pasta: fettuccini and spaghetti alla chitarra.
Plant Party with Chef Katy Meyers Thurs., June 29, 6:00-8:00pm $ 25/per person
Trumpet Blossom's Chef Katy Meyers will demonstrate the preparation of Avocado & Berry Galette, Creamy Lemon Basil Dip with Roasted & Fresh Veggies, Ginger Carrot Beet Soup with Greens, and Chocolate Almond Fig Bites for dessert.
Cheese for Friends with Laura Shorey Thur., May 25, 6:00-8:00pm $ 15/per person
Join New Pi staffer Laura Shorey as she takes us for a dip into some of her favorite cheeses, as she demonstrates the process of turning cow’s milk into ricotta, quark, and paneer. Laura will also show us how to transform goat milk yogurt into a spreadable, delectable homemade goat cheese called labneh.
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED
Visit our Classes & Events Calendar to register at www.newpi.coop, or contact Maggie Wacker at (319) 248-6420 if you need assistance. Classes feature sample-size portions and are held at New Pi Coralville unless otherwise noted. Full classes do not appear in this listing.
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