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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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10387 San Pablo Ave.
(510) 526-5150
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1336 Gilman St.
(510) 526-2456
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Home / Archives for Holiday Tips

May 2025 Sales Flyer A (4/30-5/13)

April 30, 2025 by The Natural Grocery Company

May Sales Flyer A 2025 (4/30-5/13) (Larger Print)

Filed Under: Annex, Blog, Holiday Tips, Non-GMO, Organic foods, Stores_both

Natural Dyed Eggs Recipe

April 11, 2025 by The Natural Grocery Company

Natural Dyed Eggs Recipe

1-2 hr

 

Ingredients

1 quart water

2 tablespoons white vinegar

Hard boiled eggs

For pink eggs: 2 medium beets, shredded or 2 tablespoons beet powder

For blue eggs: ¼ small red cabbage

For orange eggs: 4 yellow onion skins

For yellow eggs: 2 tablespoons ground turmeric

 

Directions

  • Place water and one natural coloring agent into a 2-quart pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-30 minutes. Cool mixture and strain each mixture into a separate bowl using a fine sieve. Stir in vinegar.
  • Place hard boiled eggs into respective dyes for 20 minutes, longer for deeper color.

Filed Under: Blog, Holiday Tips, Recipe Ideas, Stores_both

The Annex Sessions: Modupue Wednesday with Dave Flores’ Latin Jazz Quintet – Wednesday, January 29, 2025

January 22, 2025 by The Natural Grocery Company

“The Annex Sessions” will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex) on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 6-8:30pm with

 

Javier Navarrette’s ”Modupue Wednesday” featuring :

 

Dave Flores’ Latin Jazz Quintet

Sam Bevan- bass

Bob Crawford- piano

Dave Flores – drums

Javier Navarrette – percussion

Raul Navarrette – trombone

And Special Guests

 

Natural Grocery Company is proud to present this series in partnership with SunJams and Javier Navarrette Music Productions.

SunJams is committed to funding children’s music education in underserved public elementary schools. Your donation will help support this ongoing program.

All of the proceeds will go directly to our network of local musicians, each of whom have been severely impacted by the lack of events during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Whether you donate $10, $100, or $1000 – any amount helps and will allow us to keep bringing music to our community! As always, your donation to SunJams 501(c)3 may qualify as tax exempt.

Javier Navarrette Music Productions continues to bring live music to several venues around the Bay Area. Javier has been a professional musician and music educator in the Oakland Unified School District for the past 20 years. Over the past few years Navarrette has produced outdoors events that have proven instrumental in enabling musicians to deal with some of the fallout of the pandemic and shutdown that followed.

COVID RELATED SAFETY MEASURES

Please be safe. Feel free to wear a mask if you prefer.

TICKETS

Tickets are NOT required for this venue, you can simply come in, order food and beverages at the Annex counter and pay at the register.

Filed Under: Annex, Blog, Events, Holiday Tips, Special Events, The Annex Sessions

Pre-Order Your Christmas Turkeys, Hams or Roasts In Store or By Calling

December 10, 2024 by The Natural Grocery Company

Don’t procrastinate on securing the main attraction of your Christmas feast!

Pre-order your turkey, ham or roast ASAP!

How? Call or come in! Order from the location you want to pick up from!

 

Turkeys, Hams & Roasts Available for Pre-Order at Berkeley

 

Berkeley 510-526-2456

 

Turkeys, Hams & Roasts Available for Pre-Order at El Cerrito

 

El Cerrito 510-526-1155

 

Turkeys arrive the Friday before Christmas (12/20/24) and will be ready for pick-up beginning Saturday, December 21, 2024.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from The Natural Grocery Company!

 

Filed Under: Blog, Business Practices, Eating Well, Holiday Tips, Non-GMO, Orders, Organic foods, Pasture Raised, Stores_both

Holiday Hours

December 6, 2024 by The Natural Grocery Company

Filed Under: Annex, Blog, Business Practices, Farm Visits, Holiday Tips, Know Your Farmer, Non-GMO, Pasture Raised, Stores_both

Acorn Squash filled with Wild Rice Stuffing with Dried Apricots and Pecans

November 4, 2024 by The Natural Grocery Company

Acorn Squash filled with Wild Rice Stuffing with Dried Apricots and Pecans

Makes enough for 2 entrée portions or 4 side dishes depending on the size of the acorn squash

  • 1-2 Acorn Squash
  • 2 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Miyoko’s Vegan Butter
  • 1 cup Lundberg Wild Rice Blend
  • 1 cup vegetable broth stock
  • 1⁄4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1⁄4 cup chopped dried Turkish apricot
  • 1 stalks celery, chopped well
  • ½ yellow onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon date molasses
  • salt
  • pepper

Directions

Roasting the acorn squash

  • Carefully cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
  • Lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place on a baking sheet, cut side down and bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, until tender.
  • Remove from oven and flip to cut side up. Put ½ tablespoon of vegan butter in each and allow it to melt before stuffing.

To prepare the filling

  • In a medium saucepan over medium high heat combine the rice and vegetable stock.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, until rice is tender, about 30 minutes.
  • If all the liquid isn’t absorbed don’t worry about it, as long as the rice is done. Drain if needed.
  • In a saute pan heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add the onion and cook until lightly caramelized. Then add 1 tablespoon vegan butter, nuts, apricots and celery and cook until heated through. To finish, add the chopped sage and thyme.
  • Add the apricots, celery, onions and nuts to the rice. Add the chopped parsley and date molasses, mix thoroughly.
  • Taste and salt if you want and pepper to taste.
  • Stuff baked halves of acorn squash and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Filed Under: Blog, Eating Well, Holiday Menus, Holiday Tips, Organic foods, Recipe Ideas, Stores_both, Thanksgiving

The Bubble Sale

December 3, 2020 by The Natural Grocery Company

The Bubble Sale

Friday through Sunday

December 11-13, 2020

10% off any bottle of bubbly

20% off mixed cases of bubbly

 

The El Cerrito Prepared Food Annex

10387 San Pablo Avenue

El Cerrito, CA 94530

(510) 526-5150

Filed Under: Annex, Events, Holiday Tips, Special Events, Wine Spotlight

Gifts that Give

December 19, 2017 by WineAndBeer

Love Bottle Water Bottle – 25% off through the end of December

Made from recycled glass (and absolutely no plastic), these BPA-free water bottles from Love Bottle are designed by glass experts and feature uplifting messages and fun artwork. Not only are they environmentally friendly, but 5 percent of each purchase goes towards Global Water to help deliver clean water to those in need.


All bottles are made in the USA, supporting small family businesses, and the company works with design artists from around the country.

Ghana Bolgatanga Baskets – 15% off through the end of December

For the women of Bolgatanga, basket-weaving groups have become a way to earn money in community with others. Local women supplement the family income by hand-weaving baskets using locally-grown straw, known as “elephant grass.”

The importer of these baskets follows the fair trade standards and the company gives back. Founder and CEO, Steve Karowe formed Every Basket Helps™, a non-profit organization created to help manage humanitarian
projects in the villages of Ghana. In addition to paying fair prices to the weavers, 10% of the proceeds from each basket sale goes back to the villagers.

The funds support these projects:
• Providing basic school supplies for the weavers’ children annually
• Organizing and funding health care for the weavers and their families annually
• Funding and building a community weaving center that serves two villages and over 400 weavers (2009)

Maggie’s Socks – 15% off all crew socks through the end of December

Maggie’s receives an A+, the highest rating of 300 apparel brands, in an independent study funded by the Department of State which ranks labor
conditions.

Here is a list of what Maggie’s does to achieve Fair Trade.
• Dedication to the supply chains developed over many years.
• Working with suppliers to constantly improve quality without raising prices.
• Listening and learning from suppliers as well as customers.
• Seeking out producers as close to home as possible, and working with them to develop lower impact input processes.
• Responding to what farmers say they need, instead of purchasing what will look good in PR photos.
• Working with supply chains on continuous improvement in quality, environmental improvement, and living conditions.

Andes Gifts
As first world consumers living in a global economy, our choices impact people living in developing countries. Much of the apparel industry is fueled by labor in third world countries, resulting in clothing produced with very high human costs to health, and economic security. Many pieces of clothing are still made in sweatshops with dangerous conditions and a pay scale that resembles indentured servitude.

Andes Gifts items are hand-crafted year round in the highlands of both Peru and Bolivia. The artists are then paid a fair price for their products. Through their efforts, Andes Gifts enables a growing number of third world artisans to knit, stitch, and weave their way to a better quality of life for themselves and their families. Thanks to the loyal support of our customers, our knitters have projects year round.

“My 5 kids and I live in the altiplano of southern Peru. Women have very few work opportunities here. Knitting is one of our best options to improve our quality of life. The 35 women in our knitting cooperative work for Andes Gifts because they pay us well and we have work year round.”

“Knitting is one of our best options quality of life”

-Eleuteria

Filed Under: Blog, El Cerrito Store, Holiday Tips Tagged With: Fair Trade, Gift Giving, Giving Back

Cheese, Please

November 23, 2016 by The Natural Grocery Company

Looking to make your holiday spread memorable? When setting your holiday table don’t forget the cheese! 

We may not have a artisanal cheese case, but that doesn’t mean your monger has forgotten about you, he’s selected something for everyone’s taste and budget.

 

Petit Vaccarinus, Switzerland, thermised, cow – 24.99 each.

This is the centerpiece for your cheese board, on so many levels, so don’t let the price tag scare you. This sought after cheese is really a not miss. Once made raw, it’s currently made using thermised milk and under strict control of the AOC (Appélation d’origine controlee) It’s versatile, decadent, woody with barnyardy tannin. This will pair well with just about any beefy brew (stouts, porters and dessert wines) you love on hand.  Keep in mind It’s runny, which is why the fir band is kept around it throughout serving. It’s capable of serving up to 7-10 people who like to share, but why would we? This is a seasonal and limited release item so get them while their still in stock!

 

Harbison, Jasper Hill Creamery, Vermont, pasteurized, cow – 28.99/lb.

In my opinion a cheese board isn’t complete without a cheese from Jasper Hill Farm present. Harbison’ s rustic, vegetal, fruity and earthy notes really speak to the quality of milk used in its production and affinage.  Pair this beautiful work of art with oaked whites and Belgian ales. It’s wonderful smeared on your turkey or a dollop on your mashed potatoes.  These are ready to eat, so you will be cutting the tops off and dipping that crusty bread. Harbison also makes a wonderful mac & cheese for the fancy pants in us all!

 

Green Hill Camembert, Georgia, pasteurized, cow – 18.99/lb.

As a staunch camembert lover, I was pleasantly surprised in the delicate and subtle interpretation of a “camembert” Sweet Grass Dairy has attempted. Delicate in the fact that the pate is very creamy, almost double cream like, spreading easily. Subtle in that the vegetal notes are on the back end and there is definitely a sweet aftertaste that lets you know this was made from grass fed jersey milk. This cheese is a constant companion to sparklers, acidic whites and floral pinks. Try this with a scratch cranberry sauce and some turkey, nom nom nom!

 

Looking for that cheese to take to a party? Would really like to set it and forget it as you make your way to the food? These host gift worthy items will sure get you invited to the next feast!

 

St. Albans, Vermont, pasteurized, cow – $7.99 ea. Verified Non GMO!!

Allison has done it again, her interpretation of  the classic French St. Marcellin. St. Albans is lactic,  bready and gooey. It even comes in a lovely crock, so no cheese is left behind on the board!  Goes great with a light bodied white, Belgian / Flemish whites.

 

St. Andre, France, pasteurized, cow – $7.99

Delightful triple cream, it’s perfect with fruit, pie or just on a nice crusty bread.

 

Le Pommier Camembert, France, pasteurized, cow- $8.99

Classic camembert, it’s not raw but boy does it eat as if it was! The traditional vegetal, woodsy, sweet cream, toast are all present in this cheese. This is ready to eat the moment you select it from the shelf. Do not miss out on this cheese.  It’s my all-time favorite camembert.  The left overs are great on the after turkey day quiche or sandwich. Gobble, gobble, gobble!

cheese

Filed Under: Blog, Cheese Notes, El Cerrito Store, Events, Holiday Tips, Thanksgiving Tagged With: Cheese, Holidays

Yams or Sweet Potatoes?

November 16, 2016 by The Natural Grocery Company

purple-yam

Purple Yam

330px-5aday_sweet_potato

Orange Sweet Potato

Yams or Sweet Potatoes?
We all love to make yams for Thanksgiving, but did you know that you are actually eating sweet potatoes? In the United States we refer to an orange fleshed sweet potato as a yam, but they are really two completely different species. The true yam does not grow in the northern hemisphere. They are only grown in the Caribbean, Africa and parts of Asia. The Yam can grown up to 150lbs and 4.5′ in length. Their flesh ranges in color from white to yellow to pink and they have a very thick, scaly, alligator like skin.

Their flesh is also very starchy and dry. Yams are more closely related to lilies and grasses than they are to sweet potatoes, which are in the morning glory family.

Sweet potatoes are native to tropical regions of South America. Peruvian sweet potato remnants dating as far back as 8000 BC have been found. You can eat them raw, baked, boiled, steamed, roasted, broiled, grilled, fried and just about any other way you can think of!
At The Natural Grocery Company, we have a variety of different sweet potatoes to
choose from year round. The orange flesh varieties are known as “moist fleshed” and the white
fleshed varieties are known as “dry fleshed.” Here are the types we carry at both our stores:
Garnet-An orange fleshed variety that is the most popular. This is the traditional “yam” we eat at
Thanksgiving. With a dark red skin and bright pumpkin colored flesh, this sweet potato is great
prepared almost any way. It is very sweet and has a nice creamy, velvety texture when cooked.
Jewel and Beauregard-Both types have an orange flesh. These varieties have tan skin and tend
to be a little sweeter than the Garnet. I like to use the Beauregard in my sweet potato pie recipe.
It is very moist when cooked and has a texture that is not as velvety as the Garnet. Great for
making sweet potato fries or chips!
Hannah– This variety has a light tan, almost white skin with white flesh. The white flesh is
crumbly and has the texture of a russet potato when cooked. This year, I will be making a
Hannah sweet potato pie with cardamom and vanilla.
Japanese– Also a white fleshed variety, this sweet potato has a very dark purple skin. Because of
its drier texture, I like to slice these, drizzle with olive oil, cinnamon and cayenne and bake at
350 degrees until they soften and turn a golden brown color. They are also nice in soups.
Purple Stokes/ Okinawa sweet potato- This super food variety is my favorite! With a bluish
purple skin and deep royal purple flesh, this sweet potato has a texture very similar to the Garnet
but has an extra sweet earthiness to the taste. Originally from the Americas, this variety was
introduced to Japan in the 14th century and has become a staple on the Island of Okinawa where
it is eaten almost every day. This is believed to be the reason why Okinawa has the largest
percentage of people living over the age of 100 (more than any other country). This variety has
150% more antioxidants than blueberries and is wonderful prepared almost any way. Try using
these in a pie (beautiful) or mashed instead of regular potatoes. Add some extra antioxidants to
your Thanksgiving table!
By Casey Goode, Produce Manger at ECNG

Filed Under: Blog, Eating Well, Holiday Menus, Holiday Tips, Organic foods, Produce Notes, Recipe Ideas, Superfoods, Wonder Foods Tagged With: Antioxidants, Food History, Organic Produce, Organic Vegetables, Recipe Ideas, Superfoods, Sweet Potatoes, Thanksgiving, Yams

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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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