Natural Grocery

Independently owned, organic grocery store. Our Annex serves prepared foods and offers a selection of wine and beer. Our florists are here to help you with fresh local cuts and dried bouquets.

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10367 San Pablo Ave.
(510) 526-1155
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PREPARED FOOD ANNEX
10387 San Pablo Ave.
(510) 526-5150
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1336 Gilman St.
(510) 526-2456
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Home / Archives for The Natural Grocery Company

Organic Strawberries

May 19, 2022 by The Natural Grocery Company

Season: March through November in Northern California

History: There are native varieties of wild strawberries in both the Old and New Worlds, ranging from South America to Europe to Asia. A member of the Rosaceae family (along with roses, apples and blackberries), they have been cultivated in Europe since the 14th century, though there is some evidence that Native Americans may have gardened the North American wild variety even earlier (and created one of the first versions of strawberry shortcake, made by mixing them with cornmeal). The varieties of the berry commonly grown in the United States today were developed in 19th century England — until hybridization with larger, juicier varieties, earlier cultivated strawberries were tiny, much like wild strawberries and the highly prized fraises des bois variety available today.

Flavor: Sweet and juicy with a touch of acidity. When shopping, look for glossy, red fruit without visible bruised, mushy or moldy spots.

Storage: Fresh strawberries deteriorate quickly after purchase — the culprit primarily being mold. You can keep the fruit fresher by waiting to wash them until just before eating, and by storing them in the refrigerator in a paper-towel lined basket or bowl.

How to use: Strawberries are a versatile fruit. They can be roasted, stewed, baked into a pie, made into jam, pickled, churned into ice cream or frozen into an icy sorbet.

But strawberries really shine when eaten raw, either completely unadorned, or sliced and tossed with a bit of sugar, orange juice, red wine or balsamic vinegar. Tossing a fruit with sugar and a bit of acidic liquid (“macerating” the fruit) draws out the delicious juices, enhances the flavor and makes a natural “sauce” for topping shortcakes or ice cream.

Nutrition: Strawberries are high in Vitamin C, fiber and manganese. The berries are also a fairly good source of folate and potassium, and are low in calories.

Filed Under: Blog, Organic foods, Produce Notes, Stores_both

Neighborhood World Music Sessions at The Annex

May 16, 2022 by The Natural Grocery Company

Neighborhood World Music Sessions at The Annex

10387 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito

 

Session #4

May 18, 2022 at 5-7:30pm

 

Bob Crawford Latin Jazz Quartet:

Bob Crawford- keys

David Pinto- bass

Colin Douglas- drums

Javier Navarrette , percussion

Weaving between Cuban, Brazilian, Peruvian and Jazz, virtuosity and creativity.

Presented by

Modupue Productions ( Javier Navarrette Music)

Music at Sunjams ( Amer Budayr)

The Annex (The Natural Grocery Company )

Filed Under: Annex, Blog, Events, Special Events

Spring Wine Price Crush Sale is May 22-30, 2022

May 15, 2022 by The Natural Grocery Company

Summer is rapidly approaching and that means it is time for our May Wine Price Crush Sale!

May 22-30, 2022 is the perfect opportunity to stock up on your favorite wines and maybe try out a few new ones.

The Annex, 10387 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, CA 94530

Filed Under: Annex, Events, Wine Spotlight, Wine Words and Beer Notes

Organic Cilantro

May 12, 2022 by The Natural Grocery Company

Season: Cilantro is grown year-round in Northern California.

History: It’s not an exaggeration to say that cilantro is an oldie but goodie. The wispy green-leafed herb known to much of the English-speaking world as coriander is thought to be among the first group of domesticated plants, dating to the 6th millennium. Beloved worldwide, both cilantro and its dried coriander seed are seasoning staples of countless cuisines and historically revered for their medicinal properties.

Flavor: As anyone who’s ever tasted cilantro will tell you, the flavor (and often the aroma) of fresh cilantro is unforgettable and unlike anything else — where musky meets citrus — a flavor profile that you either love or hate. When shopping, look for leaves that are dry and free of dark green goop, which tends to accumulate around the stems when cilantro is ready for the compost bin. No yellowing or wilted leaves, which are signs of decay. Fresh bunches should smell bright and citrusy, not moldy or dusty.

Storage: Keep fresh cilantro refrigerated, standing upright in a tall glass, like a bouquet of flowers, and loosely cover with a plastic bag. Cilantro is perishable and will quickly break down. Storing it in the crisper in a plastic bag will show just how fast it can turn to mush.

How to use: You can stir cilantro into a pot of black beans, garnish a veggie stir-fry, or to give a Thai edge to cut-up pineapple, mango or even cucumber. For even more kicks, throw in a handful of chopped peanuts, a splash of soy sauce and some fresh minced chile pepper.

You can use a food processor to grind cilantro leaves, after they’ve been washed and squeezed dry, to add to soups or as a garnish. If you prep a large bunch of cilantro this way, you can then freeze it in an ice cube tray and save for later use.

Nutrition: Cilantro covers the bases for several nutrients, including calcium, potassium, iron, Vitamins A, E and K and folate.

Filed Under: Blog

May 2022 Sales Flyer

May 2, 2022 by The Natural Grocery Company

2022 05 May Sales Flyer

Filed Under: Blog

Live Music at The Annex – Rebecca Kleinmann May 4, 2022

April 29, 2022 by The Natural Grocery Company

On Wednesday, May 4, 2022 we will be welcoming the Rebecca Kleinman Trio to The Annex from 5-7:30pm
The Rebecca Kleinmann Brazilian Trio consists of:
Rebecca Kleinmann , flutes and vocals
Brian Moran , guitar
Will Martins , percussion
Weaving between Brazilian Jazz, Choro, Baião and Originals, Rebecca’s Brazilian trio delights audiences with their playful virtuosity and creativity.
https://rebeccakleinmann.com
Presented in partnership with
Modupue Productions ( Javier Navarrette)
Music at Sunjams ( Amer Budayr)
#Nieghborhoodworldmusicsesdions #bayarea #brazil #bayarea #samba #choro #ELCERRITO #theannex

Filed Under: Blog

Organic Sugar Snap Peas

April 21, 2022 by The Natural Grocery Company

Season: Snow peas are cooler climate vegetables and are often planted in early spring. Snow peas can be found most easily throughout the spring, summer and even into fall in California.

Flavor: Snap peas are also known as sugar snap peas and are a cross between snow peas and garden peas. The whole pod is eaten and has a crunchy texture and very sweet flavor.

Storage: Sugar snaps should be plump and crisp (they should “snap” when you break one in half); floppy sugar snaps are a no-go. Store peas in cold refrigeration in a bag in the crisper drawer with other vegetables. Snow peas should be kept at 32-36 degrees Fahrenheit, and usually last for 1 week.

How to use: Snow peas can be eaten raw or enjoyed cooked atop rice, salads, or just as a side. Natural partners with garden peas and sugar snaps include mint, butter, cream, bacon and prosciutto, lettuce, onions (especially spring onions) and mushrooms. Snow peas and sugar snaps are at home in stir-fries, pairing beautifully with garlic, sesame oil and soy sauce; sugar snaps are also pretty excellent raw.

Nutrition: Every variety of pea is really good for you. They sort of combine the nutritional benefits of veggies with the good stuff in legumes. Garden peas are higher in calories than most other veggies and are rich in fiber and protein. They also have huge amounts of Vitamins C, A, K and folate, and are high in manganese, iron, zinc and magnesium. They even contain a little bit of calcium. Snow peas and sugar snaps have a crazy amount of Vitamin C — just one cup provides you with 128 percent of your daily Vitamin C needs. They’re also super high in Vitamins A and K and are good sources of iron and Vitamin B6.

Filed Under: Blog, Eating Well, Organic foods, Produce Notes, Stores_both

Baby Spinach

April 18, 2022 by The Natural Grocery Company

Season: Although available year-round in California, it is naturally a cool-weather crop, which means that fall and spring are its peak seasons. It cannot tolerate extreme cold or heat.

Flavor: Raw spinach has a slightly sweet, mild, herb-like, grassy flavor that blends well into any salad or sandwich. Cooked spinach becomes tangy and slightly acidic in flavor, which most people try to mask with garlic.

Storage: Those tender leaves are vulnerable to decay. Unlike chard, kale and other green leafy friends, baby spinach will keep, at the most, for a few days in the refrigerator crisper. Moisture is a villain, so dump accumulating water from produce bags and keep it unwashed until ready to use. Pre-washed spinach in bags and containers will keep for up to a week, but that’s no reason to get complacent, check often for moisture build-up.

How to use: For salads and other raw preparations, flat-leaf spinach, or young “baby” spinach, is the perfect base.

When cooking, do you boil, or not? There are varying schools of thought on the matter.  Many cookbook authors recommend transferring just-washed spinach to a saucepan, using just the residual water that clings to the spinach leaves for a quick wilt. The argument is that fewer soluble vitamins are lost compared to spinach cooked in rapidly boiling water. But others argue that boiling helps reduce the amount of oxalic acid, which can interfere with calcium and iron absorption. After you’ve cooked it, drain the spinach, then place in a skillet with a smidge of your favorite fat — anchovies, bacon, coconut oil, chopped walnuts — for an instant layer of flavor.

But remember, spinach is more than 90 percent water and shrinks like crazy when you cook it!

Nutrition: In the nutrient department, spinach has got it all. One cup of cooked spinach contains four grams of fiber and more than five grams of protein, all clocking in at 41 calories. It is exceptionally rich in Vitamins A and K, and delivers big time in calcium, potassium, Vitamins B-2 and B-6, Vitamin C and iron. It even has those heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, plus a respectable serving of choline, a B vitamin that supports the nervous system and snuffs out inflammation. It’s also loaded with disease-fighting phytonutrients called carotenoids that are being studied for their links to cancer prevention.

The caveats: Oxalates, which may be an issue for people with kidney or gall bladder conditions; and purines, which can contribute to excess buildup of uric acid, a potential issue with anyone suffering from gout. In addition, the amount of oxalic acid in spinach is enough to interfere with the calcium benefits from spinach. Consult your medical provider for further details.

Filed Under: Blog, Eating Well, Organic foods, Produce Notes, Stores_both

Neighborhood World Music Sessions at The Annex 4/20/2022

April 15, 2022 by The Natural Grocery Company

This Is Not to be Missed!
‘Neighborhood World Music Sessions at The Annex’ Presents

Afro Peruvian Jazz with The David Pinto Trio!


David Pinto – bass
Juan Medrano Cotito  – cajon, vocal
Jonathan Alford – keys
5-7:30pm

Filed Under: Blog

Organic Pineapple

April 11, 2022 by The Natural Grocery Company

Season: Although available year-round, pineapples from the Western Hemisphere are at their peak from March through June. Our pineapples are coming from Costa Rica

Flavor: Pineapple is one of those fruits that just reminds you of all things tropical. Really ripe pineapple is incredibly sweet and fruity, tasting something like a marriage of citrus and apple. There’s a tang to pineapple that may be relatively absent from the ripest fruit and bolder in less ripe pineapples. It’s like the tang of an orange, zesty and bright.

Storage: Many pineapple lovers prefer to keep it at room temperature until ready to carve, but there’s no harm in keeping it chilled, either. On the one hand, a pineapple on the kitchen counter will perfume the room; on the other hand, it will decompose much more quickly than if stored in the refrigerator.

Once peeled and trimmed, fresh pineapple must be stored in the refrigerator where it will keep for three to five days in an airtight container.

How to use: Raw pineapple isn’t just for brunch buffet fruit salad anymore; it loves to play with savory ingredients, including herbs, chiles, garlic, fish sauce and lime.

Cooked pineapple delivers a very different flavor profile. Its acidity mellows significantly, and the natural sugars really get a chance to shine.

Don’t throw out the skins: Underneath the scratchy surface, there’s enough pineapple-y goodness to make juice, vinegar or a fermented beer-like brew. In Mexico, that brew is called tepache.

Nutrition: One cup of raw pineapple offers more than the daily recommended amount of Vitamin C (105 percent). It’s also rich in manganese and Vitamin B1, all of which offer antioxidant protection and immune support. A good source of fiber and folate, pineapple is also a unique source of bromelain, a protein-digesting (and tenderizing) enzyme with potential anti-inflammatory benefits.

Filed Under: Antioxidants, Blog, Eating Well, Organic foods, Produce Notes, Stores_both

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EL CERRITO STORE
10367 San Pablo Ave.
(510) 526-1155
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10367 San Pablo Ave.
(510) 526-5150
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1336 Gilman St.
(510) 526-2456
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