A Message from the Manager
Summer is finally here! And what better way to kick off the new season than with hot pizza by the slice! We’re excited to now be featuring pizza on our daily menu. It’s the perfect lunch or midday snack to enjoy with some seasonal stone fruit or greens from the salad bar, especially on those days when it’s just too hot to cook at home. Some of our toppings include Hawaiian, mixed veggie, pesto with tomato and fresh mozzarella, and more, including vegan and gluten-free options.
When we’re not in the kitchen making pizzas we’re planning our Independence Day booth for the fireworks celebration at the cove on Saturday, July 6. We’re excited to take part in the festivities for the second year in a row. We’ve been putting together healthy, whole food for feel-good snacks. We’ll have organic goodies that will please even the pickiest taste buds, from dried mango to savory seasoned nuts, sweet and juicy ready-to-eat watermelon, cold drinks, ice cream bars, popsicles, and frozen chocolate-covered bananas! So make sure to stop by, say hi, and ask us what we’re planning for parade day on Sunday, July 7. Hope to see you all celebrating this weekend. Happy Fourth!
Natalie Cortese
General Manager
Co-op Principle #5: Education, Training, and Information
When our co-op started 10 years ago, a common desire was to educate members about sustainable and healthy food choices.
Living on the coast means that transportation can be at risk, and this limitation to food security prompted a flurry of concern about local suppliers. Co-op members were also quite active in promoting non-GMO issues. Over time, this emphasis has expanded to include various food alternatives for gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan diets. The co-op strives to be a consistent supplier for members wanting these specialty ingredients in our market and prepared foods in our deli department. The board and staff want to expand our offerings of food samples, recipes, and demonstrations in the future.
A new issue related to self-sufficiency along the coast comes from recent alerts from our electricity supplier, PG&E, to prepare for power outages. While we are familiar with outages during winter storms, now they anticipate summer outages to avoid sparking a wildfire by selectively turning off power lines subject to wind damage.
The co-op has a backup plan for power outages so that the market and cafe can remain open for our community. The cash registers and member database can continue to operate during an outage, and the store can process electronic payments even if we are cut off from the Internet. The amount of refrigeration is limited by our generator capacity, but the staff is experimenting with running the kitchen as well as providing hot water for coffee and tea even if PG&E turns off the power.
Again, cooperatives serve members with education, training, and information about things that affect our lives. We welcome help with these efforts. If you are interested in these food security issues, please contact Natalie, our GM, and offer to help expand our information and education efforts.
Cheers
RIck, Treasurer
Coastal Organics Cooperative, Inc.
dba Arena Market and Cafe
Supplier Spotlight: Lisa's Luscious Kitchen
By Rhonda Rumrey
Arena Market and Cafe offers a great selection of jams, chutneys, and oils from Lisa’s Luscious Kitchen, which we have carried since the store opened. Owner Lisa Joakimides runs her shop right down the street from the co-op. During harvest season, Lisa visits her farmer friends to buy ripe, flavorful fruit, which she gets at its peak to make her delicious jams and other goods, adding little sugar so the fruit is what one tastes. She buys from small farmers who care for the earth and use organic and/or sustainable methods so that her products nourish people while the farmers feed the earth.
And feeding people is what Lisa is all about. She wanted a profession that enabled her to be of service and worth to humanity, and as she loves food, it is no surprise that she started Lisa’s Luscious Kitchen. A chef for 40 years, Lisa was trained at the California Culinary Academy and worked in San Francisco restaurants. Her early experience taught her to work with impeccable, fresh produce and without mass production. While she has been urged to expand her business, Lisa prefers working on her own, maintaining the quality of her products and ensuring there is little or no waste. She does, however, offer gift boxes, and the holiday season is a busy time when she ships them to places as far away as Canada, England, France, and Afghanistan.
Lisa moved here in 2007 because she wanted “a real community and a natural setting surrounded by beauty.” She gets great satisfaction from making “real food,” cooking for people, and supporting small family farms through her personal relationship with her suppliers. She also volunteers many hours in the community as a member of the Arena Theater board, working tirelessly for the Point Arena Merchants Association, and promoting local businesses and services.
The co-op is proud to carry these delicious products from such a unique, local, and sustainable supplier.
New Products
El Burrito Soy Chorizo ~ 12 OZ. $4.79
Sam Mills Gluten-Free Corn Spaghetti ~ 16 OZ. $1.99
Sweet Earth Breakfast Sandwich ~ $5.89 2 PK
Hillary’s Hemp & Greens Veggie Burger, $3.59 2 PK
Yumearth Sour Twist ~ 2 OZ. $2.49
Boochcraft High Alcohol Kombucha Lemon Maple Thyme ~ $3.89 12 OZ. single $14.99 4/12 OZ
Sale Items
Garden Of Eatin’ Grain-Free Cassava Chips ~ $3.69 5 OZ. ($1.20 off)
Organic Watermelon ~ $69/LB
Miyoko’s Plant Based Double Cream Chive ~ $8.49 6.5 OZ ($2.00 off)
Kevita Probiotic Drinks ~ $2.79 15.2 OZ ($.90 off)
On Thursday, July 18, at 7:30pm the Third Thursday Poetry & Jazz Reading Series will feature Mendocino poet Micah Sanger. The reading will take place at the Arena Market and with live improv jazz and an open mic.
