Saturday, August 28, 2010

Summer twilight...

Isn't it hard to see this summer go?  Such an amazing season this has been!

We've had some deliveries this week - some new stuff you should know about! - and we need feedback on a few things.  Plus, there are some sales and events coming up this fall that you shouldn't miss...

We are completely restocked with Boar's Head, including a tortellini salad, for $5.99 a pound.  I'm planning on making a batch of potato salad and bean salad when we get there today, too!  We have been frantically perfecting our newest sandwiches, too - several new warm ones, just in time for cool evenings.  We've got some classic melts that are evolving, as well as a Medusa Ham and Cheese, topped with sliced Indian Ladder apples and honey mustard dressing.  We've also posted our version of a Philly cheesesteak, and a Medusa BLT featuring Wild Thymes moroccan mayonnaise!

United Natural Foods shipped in a ton of sale items this week, from a new Choice Tea - Green Gunpowder (and at a sale price of $3.82!), to all those gluten free pastas we've been discussing over at Facebook!  We got the Conte's Spinach and Cheese Ravioli (retailing for about $7.99 per bag) , as well as the Tinkyada pastas - Fusilli and Spaghetti, both with a sale price of $3.82 per pack.

We have a ton of Kettle chips in - including Sweet Onion in the 5 oz bag, for all those who've gotten hooked on those - as well as the Miquel's.  I was able to get Jim's coffee on sale, too - so if you come in for the Blend X (Witch's Brew) or the Sweet Love, the prices dropped.  There was also a request for Ian's Panko breadcrumbs - so that is on our shelves now, too.  (We are gonna need more shelf space very soon!)

And in honor of that sweet guy who dropped in last week and said I made his day by having Sonoma wraps (which I fell in love with, too - we're using them on the deli now!), I brought in multigrain and gluten free versions as well.  We also have a few extra cases of the Pirate brand stuff I have on the endcap as a back to school special - and I ordered some more essential oils, too...

Speaking of which...

If you are into essential oils, please give ours a try and leave me some feedback - I have been impressed with not only the quality assurance and testing of Aura Cacia's essential oils, but also that I was able to get us a nice selection for affordable prices.  There are cheaper ways of getting them, for sure, but I was trying to balance quality and affordability - so help me out here.

Similar to this dilemma is the ongoing Meadowbrook milk controversy.  Folks, they still refuse to deliver. This means that one of us has to ship milk over from Berne.  Not only is there the constant concern related to shipping milk in a warm car, but we cannot always guarentee we'll get it to the store in a timely manner, which has annoyed at least a few of you.  We are also quickly running out of room in our home refrigerator, as we're ordering upwards of 6 cases of milk a week.  Our solution?  We would like to try the Byrne Dairy in the glass bottles - Byrne will deliver and we are confident that they are supplying us with quality milk.  I need to know if this is going to be a deal breaker for many of you...

Lastly, I am trying to get deals on everything from meats and cheeses to dry grocery items - the economic news has been sobering lately, and I know a lot of folks are struggling.  As always, let me know if you've been looking for something and not located it, or if you just need it cheaper - I'll give it a try.  We'd like to do some special things around the upcoming holidays, so stay tuned!


My little ones are waking up, so this is the blog for the week, folks - stop in and chat with us - make suggestions, give feedback, we love to hear from you!  (Oh, and send some good wishes, would you? - I have 8 days to submit a final draft of my dissertation!)

Friday, August 20, 2010

Essential oils, herbs and seaweed!

And so much more!  I skipped a blog last week - so a belated thank you for an amazing last weekend - the Medusa Yard Sale Day was history making!

We've got amazing things planned for this weekend - Boar's Head is restocking us today (they've lived up to their promise of every week deliveries!), and just in time for several new warm sandwiches and wraps to be unveiled, including a BLT with a special Wild Thymes mayonnaise, and a grilled pressed ham and cheese.  We are rapidly working on getting an acceptable oven in here as well - I have been handing out samples of my pumpernickel bread this week, which I'd like to perfect for a Medusa Rueben.  Drop in - I think I'll have some other bread samples this weekend!

UNFI and the amazing Chris from Albert's Organics have sent us some incredible stuff this week!  In, by popular demand, is a wide selection of essential oils.  I have the foggiest idea where I am going to put them, since space has become so limited (but plans in the works there, too - maybe in the next blog!).  I chose Aura Cacia, mostly because they had a great selection, and the prices were reasonable - you'll have to try them and inform me of the quality.  I also picked up a few nasal posts and salts, just in case any of you have been struggling with lingering colds like we have - also at a really good price.

I have Kinnikinnick gluten free hot dog and hamburger buns in this week, plus more of the gluten free Udi's breads that you all have been raving about.  We've been using the Udi's bread on the deli, too - so if you are gluten-free, just ask us to make you a sandwich on the Udi's.  I have Sonoma wraps in as well - which are an incredible brand - been using them on the deli and have them as part of our new warm melt wraps.  A lovely guy was in last night and declared they were his all-time favorite wrap - imagine finding them in Medusa, of all places!!  I'm still searching for a delicious gluten-free one, though - if you've got one in mind, let me know!

We have coconut water back in, as well as Annie Chun's seaweed snacks!  Oh, and we have an order in for more Freebird chicken - breasts and drumsticks.  Carol Clemens from Heather Ridge has also offered her chicken, which I'd like to start this fall.  We also have fresh iceberg lettuce, avocados and lovely valencia oranges in today - and don't forget the huge selection of fresh produce already here - from tomatoes (lots of tomatoes) to fresh herbs from Full Moon Farm in Medusa.  Of course there are more dumplings in this weekend from MacroVegetarian and fresh artisan tofu in from Vermont.

What else?  Oh, and come an taste a new cool beverage - Thai Coffee, from Taste Nirvana.  And I want some feedback on fish - I'd like to offer some salmon, which I can get from Albert's - it'll come frozen, and I think I'll keep it that way, and it won't be cheap, though I think I'll ask them to keep us alerted of sales.  I think I'd need to take pre-orders, so drop in an let me know if you're interested.

Lastly - soups!!  I can't wait to start soups - we can get soups from a huge variety of places - I can get Kettle Cuisine or Moosewood, and Jason has another supplies with a huge selection.  We think we'll do some taste testing, to see which works for everyone.  The variety is mind-boggling, though - so drop in and let us know your favorites!

Oh, and one more thing - we do computer repair!  Upgrades, new set-ups and repairs - and Jason specializes in transforming old machines by giving them a new Linus face!  More details to come!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Good morning, Medusa!!

Supposed to be a gorgeous August weekend!!  Whether you're planning for a lovely, lazy weekend in the hammock, or have 100 relatives over for a visit, we've got the goods!

First, because it's early August, we've got a ton of produce - especially tomatoes!  (Yes, I'm begging - come buy tomatoes!)  I am hoping to have local apples in soon - we had local peaches, but they sold out really fast.  I'm going to try to pick some strawberries tomorrow, too.  Maybe some blueberries, too.

Our UNFI delivery was in yesterday - lots of iced Tazo teas back in stock, as well as the Macro Vegetarian dishes, even the sorely missed Shanghai dumplings!   Tofu, and - new this week - tempeh.  I tried it last night - it's a teriyaki flavored one - tossed with some grilled eggplant a steamed chard.  Quite tasty!  I've got some new Newman's cookies this week - chocolate chocolate sandwich cookies, and a few others.  Oh, and rice vinegar - how could we have survived for 3 months without rice vinegar?!  The one think I'm still having a hard time getting are capers - they are either wildly expensive or come in enormous cases.

Lots of Julie's ice cream back in stock, too - pints are $4.49, which makes it cheaper than Ben & Jerry's and Haagen Daaz, and - in my opinion - tastier.  Oh, and those really amazing chocolate chocolate bars are back in, too.  Speaking of which, I have two varieties of Larabars in, too.  They look delicious!  No Cliff Bar display yet...still.  (Hint, hint, UNFI!)  Kettle chips are all restocked...

(Speaking of which, I have been politely stalking several Frito-Lay drivers, both of whom claim to want to deliver here.  Neither have made it to Medusa yet, but they don't know how persistent I am, either.)
 
Back to school soon, unless you're unschoolers like us.  We'd like to help, though - I have a flyer in the works - there are lots of case order deals through UNFI, for brands such as Ians, Cascadian Farms, Back to Nature and Envirokids.  I can get you really great prices, so if you are looking for good stuff for lunch boxes, at competitive prices, stop and see me before you schlep up to BJ's.

Boar's head was here on Thursday, and will now be coming weekly.  Quite a relief, considering we've been out of most of our cold cuts for almost a week!  It did give us the opportunity to try local Morning Fog Farm roast beef on the deli, which was fabulous.  And, for all of you Facebook followers, we've gotten a ton of valuable feedback about which new sandwiches to add - we'll have to have some sort of special unveiling ceremony next week!  Oh, and the survey's done!!  

Charlene Hull made us pies yesterday!  Woohoo - apple and blueberry.  Blueberry because it's seasonal - apple because it's almost seasonal and because it comes home with me if you don't eat it!


If you've been in since yesterday, you've noticed the lovely gladiolas by our front door, provided by Roswell Eldridge, in Rensselaerville.  $1.00 a piece and he says they'll last for weeks!

Last, but nearly most important, we have a lovely young woman - Diedre - who is helping Jason for a few hours in the morning, so there'll be less of a wait for breakfast sandwiches.  Make sure you drop in and say hi - and be patient with her while she learns our computer system!

All for now - go enjoy this late afternoon of summer - leaves will be changing before you know it!