It's local season and the eatin' is easy! Swing by your Co-op for cool drinks, maybe a rotisserie chicken or (staff favorite) curried local tofu salad, pack them into your picnic basket, and find a nice patch of shade.
Peaches & Cream "Sangria"... Floats!
(Float optional, But Why the Heck Not?)
While this might sound like an all-but-the-kitchen-sink moment, our pairing pro Miss Nik knows what she's talking about.
Snag our amazing Missouri peachesright now while they're at the top of their game and slice 4 into a pitcher with a bottle of our super affordable Cautivo Chardonnay ($2.99/bottle!!!) to blend flavors for an hour. Pour in 2 cans of Blue Sky Cream Soda (yes, really!), 2 oz. of brandy if you like, muddle or mush the peaches a bit and pour into glasses, adding a few frozen raspberries or strawberries and a sprig of mint if you please! Step by easy step photos in our blog post here >
To take it a step further, make it a float with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Ta-da!
Tuesday, Aug. 1, for ALL Co-op Owners:
Every first Tuesday of the month (that'd be Aug. 1):
All Co-op owners get 10% off all supplements and body care!
Monday, Aug. 7, is Senior Monday:
The first Monday of the month: Co-op owners age 60+ get 10% off store-wide, excluding alcohol & milk! Stock up!
Eclipse Celebration
+ What To Serve at an Eclipse Party!
You may have heard: North America will experience a total eclipse this August 21! While Eastern Iowa isn't in the direct path of complete darkness, we will still have a terrific opportunity to view this natural spectacle.
Join us at New Pi Iowa City & Cedar Rapids from noon-2PM on Monday, Aug. 21, for free fortune telling by psychic Sai Havock at New Pi Cedar Rapids, and 'Psychic Readings By Stephanie' at New Pi Iowa City, plus we'll make pin-hole eclipse viewers at both stores too!
But what do you serve at an eclipse party? We think blacked-out treats like dark roast coffee, dark beer, dark chocolate dipped ice cream bars, and – a never-before-seen treat: our bakers are dipping our sunny house-made Bumble Baby energy bars (energy of the sun?) in dark chocolate in honor of the eclipse! Stay tuned to our Instagram and Facebook for their arrival!
"My all-time favorite summer meal is so beautifully simple and complete – I eagerly await the season. I’m talking about local sweet corn and tomato season. It blows me away every time. I shamelessly indulge in BLTs made with crisp, smoky bacon (pork, turkey, or smartbacon), flavorful Iowa tomatoes, lettuce, Co-op Bakehouse bread, Marvin Hotz’s sweet corn, and a perfectly chilled, dry rosé. Their flavors are fantastic separately, but in combination they become so much more.
I love our delicate pale Provençal rosés like Les Grès or Commanderie de la Bargemone, our zippy Vinho Verde rosés like Broadbent or Gazela, and for a crowd, our box (yes, I said box) of Arrumaco Garnacha from Spain. I could go on and on – we’re fortunate to have so many affordable rosés to choose from at the Co-op!
Please, please try this unearthly, delicious combination of summer flavors. It’s that good, I promise! – Miss Nik, New Pi Mistress of Wine & Cheese
New House-made Wheat Free Cookies!
New Pi's pastry pros set out on a quest to unlock the secret of the wheat-free chocolate chip cookie. Per our baker Elizabeth, they sought: "real structure, as close to the real [wheaty] thing as possible. I think we were successful on all accounts! They're made with our proprietary wheat-free flour mix, Plugra butter, and local cage-free Farmer's Hen House eggs."
Try 'em – they'll be on sale Aug. 2 - 16!
Our story needs to be heard!
We hear a lot from corporate grocery retailers marketing local and organic these days – things that your Co-op has been pioneering for over 45 years. We're excited to share the news of an important effort to support the future of community-owned grocery stores – Learn about it here >
“Food Co-ops are change generators.
They're an economic development strategy,
they're a stimulator of food education & skills,
they incubate small scale food-based businesses
looking to get their foot in the door,
they employ more people
& pay higher wages than chain stores do,
& they're a hub of community activity & connection.”
Did you know that when you shop the Co-op, you support many local activities – even youth sports!? Read this article about the Iowa City Youth Off-Road Racing team and how they got going here> Thank you for the good you do simply by buying groceries!
Want to see the Youth Off-Road Team race? Catch them at: Sugar Bottom Scramble Cross Country Mountain Bike Race, Aug. 20, North Liberty (sponsored by your Co-op!)
Stop by for lots of new goods including the first organic multivitamin gummies available!
Want to hear about health & wellness tips & new items?
Adjust your email preferences with the link at the bottom of this email, and check out last week's round here >
"Good Neighbor" Chemical Free Yard Signs Available at Your Co-op!
We know that lawn chemicals are toxic to humans, animals, and our waterways. Join Good Neighbor Iowa by pledging not to use pesticides (common lawn weedkillers, insecticides, and fungicides) to protect our children, ecosystems, and community. Show your commitment by stopping by your Co-op for a Good Neighbor yard sign, available for $2 (the cost of printing)! They're only available at your Co-op and at Backyard Abundance events.
Check out this resource from our partners at Backyard Abundance for planning edible gardens, monarch habitat, and school gardens!
A New Superfood with a Super Impact!
A Peace Corps volunteer had a dream to use the nutritious leaves of the moringa tree to improve the lives of women in West Africa. Out of that dream, Kuli Kuli was born.Looking to add more greens to your diet? Meet Moringa: a super green more nutritious than kale!
Kuli Kuli's hand-harvested moringa leaf powder is rich in iron, calcium, vitamins, and antioxidants, and it's a complete plant protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids. Known as the miracle tree in the Ayurvedic system of medicine, moringa is said to cure or prevent around 300 diseases (from diabetes to heart health to increasing lactation). A tablespoon is an entire serving of vegetables, so blend it into a smoothie (swap it in place of kale or spinach leaves in a smoothie) or use it in these great recipes here >
‘Microbiome’ Means Digestive Health! with Dr. Terry Wahls at New Pi Cedar Rapids
Thurs., Aug. 17, 6 - 7:30PM
at New Pioneer Co-op Cedar Rapids
$15/person
Did you know that weight, mood, immunity, and even heart health may depend on cultivating helpful microorganisms in your gut? Join Paleo pioneer Dr. Terry Wahls as she offers insights into how your ‘dark places’ can host helpful bacteria that influence every aspect of your health. Learn how to choose foods that introduce and support friendly microorganisms, as well as how you may inadvertently be sabotaging efforts to build your microbiome. Tickets >
Pickles Gone Wild: Homemade Probiotics with Chef Katy Meyer
Thurs., Aug. 24, 6 - 8PM
at New Pi Coralville
$15/person
Freshly pickled veggies are tasty, easy to make, and are healthful, probiotic-rich foods! Live culture enthusiast Katy Meyer, chef and owner of Trumpet Blossom Café in Iowa City, will demonstrate various pickled vegetables and offer samples of her favorite ferments. We'll also sample featured cultured foods from the Co-op shelves. Tickets >
Come to Our Welcome Back Street Party!
Sunday, Aug. 27, 5-9PM, New Pi Iowa City – We're blocking off the street!
Please join us for food, drinks, live music, street food, and fun at New Pi Iowa City! Everyone is welcome!
Interested in Helping with Co-op Events?
New Pi seeks Co-op owners to serve as Working Members to assist at New Pi's cooking classes and other public events, in exchange for gift cards to the Co-op! Interested? Contact Genie at gmaybanks@newpi.coop or (319) 248-6408. Thanks!
Local, Local, Local
We're already lovin' the Iowa sweet corn, now get ready for heirloom tomatoes coming in from Friendly Farm (Iowa City, IA) , organic seedless watermelons are on the way soon from Flint Ridge (Kalona, Iowa), and Colorado organic peaches will arrive mid-August!
Sponsoring PBS
Your Co-op is a proud supporter of PBS! We're sponsoring their shows on Terry – The Terry Brands Story (legendary Iowa wrestler) at 9PM on 8/9, FarmHer the Documentary at 1PM on 8/20 (the documentarian, Marji, will be at the Iowa State Fair Aug. 10-20!), and Jackson Pollock's Mural: The Story of a Modern Masterpiece at 9PM on 8/21. Tune in!
Named after an internal staff newsletter started in the mid-'80s by New Pi anchor Patti Zwick, today The Slice serves up all the delicious New Pi happenings packaged in a monthly newsletter conveniently delivered to your inbox.