Have you tried ... ? April/May, 2008

-by Katharine Holden

Hampden Park co-op is full of products you may not have tried yet. Here’s the sweet talk on a few:

Shady Maple Farm Clearly Maple

“You Spread It” Based in Canada, Shady Maple Farm makes all sorts of maple syrup products, organic and regular. Clearly Maple is an organic spreadable maple syrup that is tasty on toast or bagels. It would make an excellent pastry filling or cake layer. You’ll find Clearly Maple on the baking supplies shelves opposite the bulk coffee and tea. For maple syrup recipes, visit www.shadymaple.ca.

Perky’s Nutty Flax Whole Grain Crunchy Cereal

Despite the name, Perky’s Nutty Flax is nut-free. It’s also gluten-free. The ingredients are simple: whole sorghum flour, ground flax seed, honey, raisin juice concentrate, and salt. I think Perky’s tastes best with some fresh fruit added for a little texture change. For variety on a rainy and cold morning, zap your bowl of cereal in the microwave for a minute or two and top with some flavored syrup. For recipes, visit the manufacturer's web site.

Meat

On any given day, in the meat and fish freezer, you may find free-range chicken, conventional chicken, elk, bison, beef, sausage, ham, turkey, lamb, and good old cold cuts. Selection varies. Don’t be afraid to put your basket down and rummage around in the freezer case; the packages can get a little jumbled in there.

Frontier Bulk Spices—Marjoram

Marjoram, cousin to oregano, is an aromatic herb used in many cuisines. Traditionally, marjoram has been used in tonics as a stimulant and in first-aid tinctures for its supposed anti-fungal qualities. The plant itself is ornamental in a garden or window box. You’ll find dried marjoram in the bulk spice area.

JÂSÖN Temptations

Moisturizing Lip Tint Over in the health and beauty corner, you will find tubes of JÂSÖN lip tints. They come in several fashionable colors and contain no mineral oil or petrolatum. 100% vegetarian.

Nature’s Gate Toothpaste

Also in the health and beauty corner is Nature’s Gate toothpaste. It contains no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners and is preservative-free. Nature’s Gate makes both fluoride and fluoride-free formulas and comes in a variety of flavors such as anise oil, cherry, and mint.

Queen Helene Moisturizer

Another beauty item is Queen Helene’s 100% cocoa butter moisturizer. It comes in a small roll-on tube that’s handy for those times when you’re out and about and suddenly notice that your elbows are like the Gobi Desert in August.

Renaissance Farms Sweet Basil Pesto

Produced in Spring Green, Wisconsin, this sweet basil pesto is dairy-free. There are no strange fillers in this product—just basil, olive oil, organic miso, pine nuts, garlic, and spices. These tiny jars are meant to be kept frozen and then warmed to room temperature in a saucepan of hot water. Pesto is wonderful over pasta and on buttered French bread. Check the freezer cases near the frozen fruit for this delicious item. For recipes, visit Renaissance Farm's web site.

[Katharine Holden is an HPC member. She’s still looking for that person who will say, “Yes, you are our new marketing communications manager!” Katharine can be reached at holdenltd@msn.com.]