People never get what they want by sitting on the sidelines.
Right now, South County is on bench, waiting to be put onto Whole
Foods’
”
stores in development
”
list. If local residents want Whole Foods, the time to strike is
now.
People never get what they want by sitting on the sidelines. Right now, South County is on bench, waiting to be put onto Whole Foods’ “stores in development” list. If local residents want Whole Foods, the time to strike is now.
Whole Foods was founded in 1980 as a single, small natural grocer in Austin, Texas. It was an immediate success and its 19 employees began planning for the future. The company grew largely through mergers, buying out such stores as Bread of Life, Amrion, Fresh Fields, Wellspring and The Whole Food Company. Now, there are 143 Whole Foods Markets in the United States, with 23,000 employees. The company’s goal – clearly stated on its Web site – is to triple the number of stores by the year 2010.
If you haven’t been to Whole Foods, you haven’t experienced the “I have to have this” feeling while standing in front of a beautiful wall of cheese. You haven’t gazed through the glass at the fresh seafood, or marveled at the 25 different kinds of sausages.
This is to say nothing of the vitamin and cosmetics aisles, where you can get everything from beeswax ear candles to organic plant-based vitamins and Zia cosmetics. You can get stone-ground wheat flour and 10 varieties of granola – in bulk.
Obviously, I’m a fan. Besides the consumer standpoint of wanting more choice, I like the fact that Whole Foods supports small, local farmers whenever possible. Often, detailed cards explain who grew the produce and where. Wine rack cards contain notes from staff members who’ve actually tasted the wine. The staff and management really appreciate what goes into the growing and harvesting of truly good food. This is an interesting place to shop and browse.
It also might be a good place to work: Fortune magazine named Whole Foods number 32 on its January list of “Best Companies to Work For” – and this is the sixth consecutive year. The most common hourly job is in sales, with a base salary of $21,235, health and vacation benefits, and 35 hours of training per year. More than half of management positions are filled from within the company’s sales ranks.
I’d like to see a Whole Foods in South County, and so would a lot of other folks. Gilroy Mayor Tom Springer and Economic Development Director Bill Lindsteadt have had many conversations with Whole Foods. According to Springer, Whole Foods’ last response was that they didn’t think Gilroy was “ready.” Morgan Hill wants Whole Foods, too. I saw a flyer last week at Jamba Juice asking residents to write soon and often so that the company will look toward Morgan Hill.
Whole Foods’ store development division confirmed last week that they would like to locate a store somewhere between Los Gatos and Monterey, the two closest stores to South County. The team has assembled all of the demographics and has casually investigated possible sites. What they’re waiting for is consumer demand. And lots of it.
With stores in development in Long Beach, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Santa Rosa and Valencia, the development team is busy, but that doesn’t mean they’re not looking ahead. I was told I could not quote the team member by name, but this is what he said: “We hear from developers all the time – that’s not who we listen to. If people in South County or anywhere want a Whole Foods, we need to hear from the customers … What do they want? What products are they looking for? Where do they like to shop? These are the kinds of things that turn our heads to one location or another.”
He added: “Does the area fit our mission? And are there enough people who would shop our store? This is what we need to know.”
So get off the sidelines, South County. If you haven’t seen a Whole Foods, visit one: In Monterey at 800 Del Monte Center or in Los Gatos at 15980 Los Gatos Blvd. If you like the store, act now. E-mail comments to: rs*****@wh********.com. Or, send your letter to: Ron Megahan, Northern California Regional President, Whole Foods Market, 5980 Horton St., Suite 200, Emeryville, CA 94608.
• A cookbook, too: Whole Foods also has its own cookbook. This recipe uses fresh and jarred vegetables – great for a hot summer afternoon or early dinner. Feel free to substitute spinach for the arugula.
Portobello Mushroom Club
2 large portobello mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed
1/4 cup Italian Herb Vinaigrette, or your favorite herb dressing
(plus more for serving, if desired)
3 slices provolone cheese
1 (6 x 6-inch) piece focaccia bread or 1 kaiser roll
3 jarred roasted red peppers, drained well
Handful of arugula leaves, washed
Italian Herb Vinaigrette
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tsp. dried Italian herbs
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red chili flakes
2 sprigs parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
Dressing: Place the olive oil, vinegar, rosemary leaves, Italian herbs, pepper, red chili flakes, parsley and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process for about 30 seconds, or until well blended. Or mix the ingredients in a large bowl with a handheld mixer or by hand with a wire whisk.
Sandwich: Marinate the portobello mushrooms at room temperature in the vinaigrette for 20 minutes. Grill the mushrooms over coals or on a gas grill over medium heat for 5 minutes per side, until nicely browned. This may be done 1 day prior to making the sandwiches. You may also broil the mushrooms 3 inches from the broiling element of your oven for 6 to 7 minutes per side, until lightly browned.
Halve the focaccia or roll horizontally, and place the cheese on one piece of the bread. Cut the grilled mushrooms into l-inch-thick slices diagonally, and arrange them over the cheese. Place the peppers over the mushrooms, and top with the arugula. If you like, sprinkle a little vinaigrette over the arugula, and close up the sandwich.
• Icy fruit salad: Jane Montgomery’s aunt used to make a salad with maraschino cherries, coconut and marshmallows. She had lost the recipe and wanted to make it for a family reunion this summer. I looked through epicurious.com and came up with the following recipe. If it’s not exact, it sure looks close.
Icy Fruit Salad
2 small cans of mandarin oranges, drained
1 16-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 small jar maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup shredded coconut (optional)
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 container of Cool Whip
1/3 cup of mayonnaise
1 large package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
Combine Cool Whip, mayonnaise, cream cheese, and sugar in a large bowl. Beat until thoroughly blended. Stir in other ingredients. Chill at least two hours before serving. Serve on a bed of lettuce with tea biscuits (or some other salty cookie). Or pack in Tupperware for a summer picnic. Serves 8.
• Smooth avocado: I love this simple recipe for avocado dressing. Truth is, you could use this dressing over vegetables or other lettuce, also. If you’d like to lighten up, use half-and-half or whole milk instead of heavy cream.
Mushroom, Avocado and Bibb Salad
Avocado dressing:
1 ripe California avocado
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
2 T. heavy cream
Salad:
1/4 cup packed fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
4 heads Bibb lettuce
6 oz. mushrooms
1 cup radishes
1/4 cup packed fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves
Make dressing: Pit and peel avocado and mash enough to measure 1/4 cup. In a blender purée mashed avocado with remaining dressing ingredients until
smooth. Discard any discolored lettuce leaves. Separately cut mushrooms and radishes into thin slices. In a small bowl combine mushrooms and 2 tablespoons dressing and toss to coat. Divide lettuce among 6 salad bowls or plates and top with mushrooms, radishes, and parsley. Drizzle salads with some remaining dressing.
Serves 6.
Tip of the Week:
Before you consign a ketchup bottle or mustard jar to the recycling bin, pour in a little vinegar and shake vigorously. Use the mix in salad dressings.
Notes from Jenny’s Kitchen
• On Saturday, June 7, at 2 p.m., Executive Chef Timothy Ralphs from Station 55 will prepare recipes from the cookbook, “Everything Tastes Better with Bacon.” The demonstration will be held at the Wize Owl Bookstore, 8060 Santa Teresa Blvd. in Gilroy. Details: 848-9090.
• Locals and visitors to Boston’s North End would often end up at Salumeria Italiana for the best cheeses, pastas and other Italian delicacies. Now, the shop has opened an online store. Though it’s new, it is already selling about 400 pounds of Parmigian cheese a week. Check out their incredible selection of handmade pastas at www.salumeriaitaliana.com. The website is an education as well as a super Italian market.
End note: “I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” ~ Stephen Leacock
