Healthy and Organic Grocery Store in Bryan

OK, so many of you have probably already seen this, but the Appletree on Briarcrest is now a Village Foods.

We found out because we received a Wednesday “Weekly” flyer in the mail advertising healthy food products. Coming from San Antonio, we miss going to Whole Foods, Central Market and even Sun Harvest. Here in College Station and Bryan, there are only a few places to go for healthy food, organic stuff and herbs and vitamins.

Brazos Natural Foods over on Texas and Rosemary is the obvious place, then there’s the HEB on Texas and Holloman…they have a natural foods section, so does the Kroger on Boonville and HWY 6.

So, we were excited that someone brought a natural foods place the likes of Whole Foods or Sun Harvest..

Well, we were a little bit disappointed. OK, only because our expectation was so high, but it’s a great store. Here is an exceprt from their website:

Village Foods is locally owned.  We live right here in Brazos County with you.  (Did you know that for every $1 you spend locally, 45 cents stays in the community?  If you shop at a chain, the community only keeps 14 cents.*)

If you have been shopping at AppleTree on Briarcrest Drive for the last 20 years (or any portion of that), then you may be worried about what we are going to do with your store.  Well, we hope to continue to provide all the things you wanted before – and to provide great options in case you would like to eat a little (or a lot) better.

Most of the merchandise we offer will be the very same as you have been buying.  We have consolidated space (and eliminated low-demand items) so we could add more than 7,000 new natural, organic, or better-for-you items.

Our intent is for this assortment to save you time by allowing you to get everything you need in one trip, to one store.  (We believe it will improve and extend your life too, but you may not be ready to hear about that yet.) (read more here)

OK, it’s definitely a bigger section than the other stores in town. I am really impressed by their standards and how much they are doing to trying to be a really great store. Go to the website and read their “About Us”. Very cool.

What they do have is a Gluten Free Section. It’s at least one whole aisle (maybe two) with Gluten free stuff. That’s pretty cool, Expecially if you are one of those people with wheat allergies or are just trying to cut out wheat from your diet. It is a pretty good selection.

They also have Xylitol products, which are good for your teeth. They have gum and toothpaste. We like this stuff. See, cavities are caused by bacteria, not by sugar. Bactiria grows where there’s sugar, but the sugar itself is not the culprit. Xylitol kills the bacteria in your mouth, so it’s actually doing good in your mouth. I would say better than flouride, but that’s another story.

Another thing they have is local honey. And by local I mean from College Station…not Snook or Spring or somewhere in the vicinity…actually local. That’s a good thing. We look for local honey wherever we live. It’s good for helping your body become accustom to the pollens and stuff in the area…which could help alleviate allergies from the stuff that’s around here…which is quite a bit.

Oh, they also have a large selection of healthy frozen and dairy stuff, including Water Oak Farms Goat products. Try the Brazos Supreme Goat Milk Ice Cream…it’s really tasty. Those guys know what they are doing when it comes to making sure their goat milk doesn’t taste too goaty.

Build-Your-Own Six Pack

So, here’s my opinion about beer…it does not taste good. Now, I’ve drank quite a bit of beer in my past having lived in Spain for a few years where there is no age limit for buying alcohol.

My general theory back then was to drink enough that when you threw it up, you still had enough in you to get a buzz. OK, so there was no need to “like” the taste of beer.

I haven’t tasted a beer in forever…maybe because I ruined my taste for beer by drinking really bad beer…whatever the case may be, I just never wanted it.

Now, the commercials sure make it look refreshing and tasty and wonderful with the little crushed ice clinging to the chilled bottle and the sound of the can or bottle opening and the little smokey fumes trickling out of it. The yellow color…it all looks good, then you taste it and…bitter. (remember Keystone commercials about “Bitter Beer Face“?

OK, so I felt like I had to do some soul searching here. Are the millions of people that say they actually like beer not being honest? Am I not manly enough to “like” the taste of beer? Is it actually not that beer tastes good, but that the addictive qualities of alcohol overshadow the taste of beer? Why do I want to like beer?

Well, so I thought I would start trying beers and asking opinions from people who have strong opinions on beer. I’ve asked quite a few people, and around here, it seems that Shiner Bock is almost always suggested, and for that matter, Ziegen Boch (since they are both Ambers, right?)

Well, for the record, Shiner and Ziegen are not tasty. They are as bitter as any other beer I’ve tasted.

I went to The Republic and had a Bud Light, having been told that I would probably like a “Light” beer. This one was on tap, and it was OK. I would say this and the Lone Star I got at the Stafford on Main Street were probably my favorite, but I use that term loosely. It still tasted like bitter carbonated water. Mybe it was the people I was with, maybe it was the situation. I was playing in the band Elmo Weedon at the Stafford and the owner bought me a beer.

So, what am I looking for in a beer? I don’t know…I know what I don’t want…bitter. YOU know, that aftertaste that happens once you swallow? The truth is, beer tastes fine while I’m drinking it, it’s when I stop drinking that it tastes bad. An old friend of mine explained to me that the way to taste beer is to drink almost half of it in one knock back to get the real taste of it. THat’s what I’ve been doing. My first drink of a beer is a three gulp minimum. Again, for the most part, it’s fine while I’m drinking it.

Even in the case of a bottled Guinness Draught, which afterwards I was told is pretty much the worst way to drink Guinness. Knocking that thing back took me off balance for about a half an hour. Plus, half way through, I tried to pawn it off on someone, but no one wanted it. I couldn’t be rude to the owner of the house by throwing it out after accepting it, so I finished it off in the way I knew I could, one fell swoop. Wow, I held it in, but it was tough.

So, a friend of mine, wanting to find me a beer that I actually like, went to Kroger on Boonville and got me a “build-your-own” six pack. I didn’t know there was something like this, and maybe there is another place in town you can do this, but this is a cool idea. There’s a wall of beers, you just grab your six pack holder and fill up.

Well, the idea might be cool, but honestly, it’s still beer. Michelob Honey Lager is not good. Wailua Wheat with Passion Fruit is lame. Hops Hound was so terrible. There’s a Pacifico and a Bach Bum still waiting in the frig, but I’m not looking forward to them.

Actually, among that whole group, there was one that was actually not so bad, at first anyway. It was Michelob Ultra Tangerine Pineapple. A little sweet, slight fruit taste, very light. Still a little bitter, but it was fine. The problem here is I can’t imagine asking for this at a bar. Sounds like a beer most places won’t have anyway.

So, back to the rant…all these beers I’m tasting still taste like beer. And the truth is, it’s really just a soda, right? Let’s be honest…it’s carbonated…so it’s like a man’s soda or something. But look at soda’s, and there are tons of very distinctive flavors…Coke, Sprite, Dr. Pepper, Fanta Orange, Root Beer, Pepsi, etc. So why isn’t there a “beer” that still has the hops, but is also distinctively “orange” or “chocolate” or “coffee” or I don’t know, “BBQ”. What the heck? Honestly, I would have more fun trying those beers.

“Yeah, Let me have the Peanut Butter Banana.”

So, I tried Coors, Guinness on tap, Dos Equis Lager on tap, Budweiser, and even Busch, and it’s all the same.

Maybe it’s not so much that I don’t like the flavor…which I don’t, It’s that there isn’t a variety of choice. Beer is beer…and apparently, I don’t like beer…yet.

So, I know you are going to say, “Dude, just drink Wine Coolers.” I know those things are out tere, but that’s not the point. For some reason, it’s beer that is facinating me.

My question again is: D you really like the taste of beer?

Did you have to get used to it? What beer do you suggest I try?

jorge

“Extended” Target Store Hwy 6 & Briarcrest

Mid July, 2008 is when the new Target is going to open. Now, I thought for sure it was going to be a Super Target, but it’s not. Apparently, it’s going to be an “Extended” Target. I don’t wuite know what that means, but I was told by the Info Person at the Target on Texas Avenue that the new Target would have more dry goods that a regular store, but not as much as a Super Target.

I’m wondering if that means no produce, meats and bakery. Well, I know my wife was hoping for a Super Target so she could have another store to use her coupons in, but no. She’ll be OK.

I guess with the Kroger right down the street and the “Plethora” of grocery stores in town (Albertson’s (2), Kroger’s (3), Super Wal-Mart, HEB (2), Apple Tree(2), plus the Asian Market and the Mexican Michoacana), maybe Target thought they couldn’t make the money back.

They’ve put up a Traffic light on Briarcrest, and it looks like it’s going to be quite a big shopping center. Here’s a quote from the Eagle in June of 2007:

The retail center will be anchored by the 127,000-square-foot Target store, and will feature five junior anchor spaces, eight free-standing shops and 100,000-square-foot of shop space.

This means more restaurants and the potential for maybe…just maybe, another Freebirds.

—

Well, no Freebirds is planned. Here is a list of planned stores to occupy the retail spaces (the list is from Chris Tesch’s Real Estate blog):

Shipley’s Doughnuts
Baskin Robbins
Eyemart Express
Citifinancial
E-Nail Topia
Dollar Tree
rue21
Rack Room Shoes
Maurices
Logan ’s Steakhouse
Anytime Fitness
Salt Grass Steakhouse
IHOP
Burlington Coat Factory

Help in the Kitchen

We have a prayer meeting at our house on Monday nights where around 5 families get together, each bringing some dish or side or dessert. We eat, then hang out, then pray and sing songs. It’s a perfect way to start the week. We all look forward to getting together.

Well, this last week, we were blessed to have our desert supplied by Delicious Moments, and Husband and Wife team who caters small parties in the College Station and Bryan area.

They brought us a whole bunch of really yummy mini cheesecakes. They were so good. Everyone commented on them and wanted to know where they came from. I was happy to tell them that Zack and Lauren from Delicious Moments brought them over.

Being the first time we used a catering service, I was not sure what to expect, but let me assure you, Delicious Moments has set the bar pretty high, at least in our eyes.

They emailed me in the morning asking me what time would be good for them to drop off the food, then in the afternoon (way before people started to arrive), I got a call from them telling me they were on their way.

They brought the cheesecakes in cute little pink boxes, and they looked just perfect. They brought us original and peanut butter cheesecakes. Wow, they were good. In fact, there were way more than we needed, and were looking forward to having some the next day, but at the end of the night, while my wife and I were cleaning up after everyone left, we looked in the boxes and they were all gone. Bummer. They were obviously very good, maybe even the best in town!

We were all very impressed with these guys, and will definitely be the first company we call.

They also offer a personal chef service and in home cooking classes.

They even offer to go to the grocery store for you. Here a quote from the Delicious Moments website:

How many people hate grocery shopping? Either it takes too long, you have little kids who seem to always throw a tantrum once you get to the store or who just want to load the cart up on candy and cookies, you’re too busy to find time to grocery shop, you hate waiting in long lines, crowded aisles, finding a close parking spot, etc. Well, if you just want someone to do your grocery shopping for you, call us up and let us know! We would be happy to be of assistance! Just send us your list and we’ll do the grocery shopping for you! Simple as that.

Call these guys soon, even if your event is later this year. Visit their website for more catering, personal chef and cooking class information.

jorge

Best Burger in (another) Town

I met some friends way out in the middle of nowhere (actually about an hour North of Bryan – Hwy 6 to Hearne, then Hwy 79 through Franklin), and there, was a little store, right on the corner, called New Baden General Store. We went inside, through the “country store” area, and to my surprise, there were tables, the smell of grilling burgers, and the place was packed with people.

They had daily specials, but my friends said I needed to get the burger.

Here’s what the Historic New Baden Website has to say about the place:

Opened in 1884 and operating out of this building since 1906, the New Baden General Store Store is still operating in 2003 as a grocery store (selling locally grown fresh produce), meat market, deli counter, hamburger and short-order grill (with several tables for seating), feed store, hardware store, & gas station. Operated for years as “Mrs. E. Schultz & Son”, the store was run by the Schultz family for many, many years. The original building is a one-story structure with rolled tin canopy and brick parapet.

What a cool place. Finding the bathroom was interesting. Go back into the warehouse and look around, you’ll find it. Well, I actually kinda got lost back there. Turns out it was more obvious than I thought. I get distracted easily.

The burger was fantastic. As you’d expect, greasy and yummy. Service was super friendly. Just a bunch of country folk having a relaxed lunch.

The whole place was cool. We looked around in the store and if you haven’t been in a general store, it’s basically just a really, really small grocery store. Postcards, some local handicrafts, bread, peanut butter and the like.

This place reminded me of a similar place in Percilla, Texas (in East Texas) where I ate lunch with my pastor friend. He made sure to sit so he could see the door, and he knew just about everyone who walked in the door. Most of them came and sat down at the table with us. How friendly.

This is the same feeling I got at the New Baden General Store. Just friendly.

We’re planning on going to the New Baden Jamboree this month (every 1st Saturday of the month at the New Baden Community Center), and I believe the General Store supplies the burgers. I’ll let you know in another post.

Enjoy

jorge