Shop and Get Healthy!

Strawberries are here! You could drive all the way to Watsonville and not get any, or you could walk to your local, independent grocer (us!) and find these beauties. Heck, just come by and smell them! It'll lift you out of the last of your rainy-day blues, if the sunshine hasn't already made you soar.

So much rain

The recent very rainy season is hitting the local farmers very hard. "We try to source as much of our produce as we can from local farmers," says Donna Layburn. "But this season has been just devastating. As much as we want to support independent, local growers, we are finding we have to bring in some produce from Chile, just so we can stock our shelves."

The rains have played havoc with the growing season. "I was speaking with one of our farmers, and he told me that the wet weather forced him to miss the window for planting corn. He also doesn't know what his cherry trees are going to do; he has both blossoms and fruit starts on the same trees, something he's never seen before."

"Our commitment to the local community extends beyond selling organic produce and trans-fat and hydrogenated oil free groceries to our customers. It extends to our local farmers as well. If you really want to see shiny, blemish free fruit, you'll have to go to a supermarket. Our produce usually isn't 'pretty,' like a plastic-looking orange from a supermarket is - but it is beautiful. It is going to look and taste naturally delicious. Our produce is always going to be from the closest supplier we can get it from, which means it's going to have spent less time travelling and be richer in flavor and more wholesome than what you can get elsewhere."

We're entering the age of re-localization. Become a locavore, and together we can support our local foodshed. Ask any of our staff in the produce department how you can start.

We are very pleased to note the arrival and immediate success of Ching Hua on Park Street! The inside is gorgeous and the food is incredible! Have you been as curious as we have been, waiting for the paper to come down from the windows? Now you can come get a look and sit down, have a taste, and discover the wait was well worth it.

With the Alameda Marketplace now 100% occupied with amazing shops and the restaurant Ching Hua, you really have got to come and check us out!

Is our record-setting rainfall getting tiresome? Our smiling faces will cheer you up! Next time you come by the store, take a moment over in the supplements section. We are very knowledgable about our health and beauty aids, and are always glad to answer your questions. If you are feeling blue, let us know! Maybe you just need a friendly face, to chase away your rainy day.

Starting April 4, Laurie Zerga's Kitchen Primer Series will introduce you to kitchen ettiquette, teach cooking skills and review meal nutrition. Weekly topics include pasta, roasts, soups and lunchbox meals. Plus, we'll be baking cookies!

Stop wondering about great cooking. Get the confidence you need to prepare great meals for you and your family! Just $45 per session, or save some dollars and sign up for all four classes for 10% off. Class size is limited, so don't miss out! Classes are held in an offsite commercial kitchen. Come to the Alameda Natural Grocery for sign-ups, and click on Laurie's Culinary Camp for even more details.

Fill your kitchen with great food, and fill your home with love.

Yes, we are all very excited about the Spring produce that is about to arrive. But don't wait! Right now, you can get these amazing, delicious organic Pink Lady Apples for only $1.39 a pound! From your very first bite, you'll feel the health and vitality of these apples flowing into you. Yummm... pectin-y!

Of course, we also have lots of winter citrus, from navel oranges to tangerines to kumquats. Get your vitamin C direct from the source, in concert with all the other bio-active 'ingredients' Nature supplies in each juicy slice!

We're pleased to announce a series of cooking classes developed by Laurie Zerga's Culinary Education for Alameda Natural Grocery. All classes will be held at 2480 Monarch St. in Alameda with an Introductory Class to be held on Tuesday March 28, 2006 from 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm. Participants will taste the food and bring home a menu, recipes and shopping list. One Introductory Class, taught by Laurie Zerga, will cover an introduction to roasting techniques using chicken and vegetables. This Introductory Class is $45 and includes a meal, menu plan and recipes.

Two additional four week programs are scheduled during April and May for 2 1/2-hour sessions. These demonstration/hands-on classes provide practical cooking experience and can accommodate from 10 to 20 participants. The courses are great support for busy people who want to learn new skills. Each course follows a theme. Each class includes a meal and lesson handouts for future reference. Sign up for a single class at $45 or the series at $162 saving 10%.

Kitchen Primer
Tuesdays April 4-25, 2006
Laurie Zerga

This four week program will provide cooking basics taught by Laurie Zerga. Participants will learn fundamental information on nutrition, food safety and table etiquette, along with cooking skills. Each class will provide information on different techniques needed to put a meal together. A new meal will be prepared weekly with a focus on different skills. Participants will learn basic food preparation, reading recipes, and cooking. Laurie Ongaro Zerga is a mother of two teens and has an extensive business background as a former officer of a Fortune-500 company. In summer 2002 she began to combine her business knowledge with her passion for family issues such as nutrition and culinary arts.

Vegetarian Gourmet
Tuesdays May 2-23, 2006
Jeanne Brodie

This series will focus on healthy and creative vegetarian dishes that are easy to prepare at home. Participants will learn cooking techniques and recipe interpretation, all aimed at developing their palates and skill set. Each class will cover 3-4 vegetarian recipes, as well as one fundamental cooking basic. Jeanne is a personal chef and caterer. She is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy and worked at Greens in San Francisco. Find out more by stopping by Alameda Natural Grocery or read about it here.

You can sign up by calling us here at the store: 510-865-1500.

We've re-designed the layout for produce in our refrigerated case. It's so much better! With these extra shelves, we can serve you with even more amazing organic produce than before. Randall drove this change through, and once you see (and taste!) how beautiful and wholesome this fresh, fresh food is, you'll agree it was worth his effort.

No, there is no paid model in this picture, it's just one of our wonderful, playful customers hamming it up while I took the shot.