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Archives for February 2016

Aromatic Wines at your local supermarket

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Aromatics-at-SuoermarketThis week’s article comes from Neil Hodgson, guest blogger at  your local supermarket. Neil’s talking Aromatics.

When people talk to me about aromatic style wines we are referring to wines like Pinot Gris, Riesling, Albarino, Gruner, Veltliner, Gewurtztraminer and even Sauvignon Blanc, although the last variety is so popular it deserves its own classification.

Some of these varieties may seem a little unusual, but almost everyone who enjoys wine will recognise the names Pinot Gris and Riesling, they have been produced in New Zealand and Nelson for many years. The oldest Riesling vines in the South Island are planted at Kahurangi Estate and Pinot Gris seems to be most people’s go-to wine when they want something easy to drink, not too complex and with plenty of flavour.

Unfortunately Pinot Gris can be a bit bland if it is cropped too heavily, however when it is made well it can be quite remarkable. Check out the Brightwater Vineyards Pinot Gris, a wine packed with flavour and nicely balanced acidity, it just also happens to have a Gold Medal and is on special at your local supermarket for just $16.99 a bottle, (saving $8).

Riesling has an undeserved reputation as only being a sweet wine, true it can be made in a sweet style but it is also made in medium and dry styles too. The versatility of the grape makes it difficult for casual wine buyers to wrap their minds around but it is a favourite with winemakers and enthusiasts.

Be tempted and try a medium style Riesling, it should be quite fruity with some background acidity. Dry versions can be quite steely and austere but when the fruit/acid balance is right they are fantastic. I think you should give the Spinyback Riesling from Waimea Estates, medium in style and just $12.99 on special.

Your local Fresh Choice Nelson supermarket has a range of aromatics on the shelves, and there are always a few promotions on!

Fresh Choice Nelson supports the Big Bang!

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Fresh Choice Nelson Big BangAt Fresh Choice Nelson we’re known for our in store sounds, which is just one of the reasons we’re pleased to be on board with the team bringing you the “Big Bang”!

The Big Bang, an event organised by Fair Trade Nelson Tasman, is a regional day of drumming being held on 5th March 2016. It’ll take place at the 1903 stage, and upper Trafalgar St will be resounding with the beating of drums and performance to capture the attention of the region. The atmosphere will be rocking and we’ll be there to lend our support.

For more information visit the Fair Trade Nelson website.

The very real message behind the Big Bang is one that Fresh Choice Nelson is proud to support… The promotion of fair trade products to ensure growers and producers in developing countries get paid a fair price for the goods we (and you) buy… It’s just the right thing to do!

Fair Trade products go beyond the humble banana, and at Fresh Choice Nelson you’ll find heaps of Fair Trade products…

Coffee: Trade Aid, Café l’affaire, Zumo, Avalanche, Gravity, Scarborough Fair, Hummingbird

Tea: Trade Aid, Scarborough Fair

Chocolate: Trade Aid, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, Whittakers’ Dark Ghana and Creamy Milk

Drinking chocolate: Green and Black, Trade Aid

Groceries: Trade Aid rice, Trade Aid sugar, Trade Aid spices and dried fruits (almonds, mango, papaya and dates), Trade Aid Olive oil, Trade Aid cocoa, Trade Aid couscous, Wholesome molasses and Agave sweetener, Da’ Maha Coconut Water drink

Fresh produce: Bananas

We can’t wait to see you at the Big Bang, where the beats you’ll enjoy won’t just be the beat of a drum… You’ll also help…

  • Beat Climate Change; and
  • Beat Poverty

Check out the Fresh Choice Nelson in store displays of Fair Trade products, in the lead up to the Big Bang!

 

Back to school with your local supermarket

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Local-supermarket-back-to-schoolThis week’s article comes from Maddy Bellcroft, guest blogger at  your local supermarket. Maddy’s talking back to school!

I remember the trepidation and excitement of starting a new year of school. I had the joy of making my own school lunches from a young age, which meant I got to help my parents shop at my local supermarket, Fresh Choice to find delicious and healthy snacks.

Sometimes it can be hard to come up with new ideas to keep fussy eaters fuelled during the day. Here are a few good ones to help inspire.

  • Make hummus and freeze into small portions, pop into lunch box in morning along with veggie sticks and crackers, the hummus will defrost slowly keeping the lunch box cool at the same time.
  • Use lettuce or cabbage leaves to roll up thinly cut veggies, (or left over salad), chopped nuts and cooked tofu, top with a little salad dressing.
  • Drain a can of chickpeas, place on a baking tray and top with a sprinkle salt, apple cider vinegar and smoked paprika. Roast in the oven at 180c for 15 minutes or until dry and crunchy. Cool and then place
    in small pottles.
  • Roast Veggie Stacks; cut 1 cm thick rounds of your favourite veg (kumara, eggplant, zucchini, pepper) and roast in the oven with a little salt and pepper until soft. Stack in layers spreading each layer with pesto or hummus before sticking the stack with a skewer.
  • Mix ½ cup of buckwheat flour with a little water so it forms a thick batter. Cook into pikelets and top with nut butter.
  • Quesadilla sandwich, place a tortilla in a pan then cover with your favourite fillings such as baked beans, veggies, sprouts, and a little grated cheese, place another tortilla on top and press it down firmly, cook on medium heat until the tortillas are crispy (turning carefully if possible) and inside is cooked. Remove from heat and allow to cool before slicing into pieces.

There are plenty more ready-to-go lunch ideas instore at your local supermarket Fresh Choice Nelson, check out my wholefood fact panels instore for more information on exciting products.

Your local supermarket shares 5 reasons to love coffee.

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local-supermarket-love-coffeeAt Fresh Choice Nelson, your local supermarket, we’re counting down to the worldwide celebration of big LOVE, Valentine’s Day, February 14th! It’s just around the corner…

If your great love is coffee we want you to raise a cup of the good stuff to that most romantic of days and celebrate the bean!

Here are 5 reasons to ❤️ coffee at your local supermarket!

  1. Coffee is chock-a-block full of disease fighting antioxidants.
  2. Coffee makes you feel real good! We’re not pulling the wool over your eyes… It’s proven man! A study found that drinking coffee is linked to positive emotions, including pleasure, kindness, affection, satisfaction, friendship, calm, and happiness.
  3. Coffee can fuel your workout… A Spanish study, published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that trained athletes who took in caffeine pre-exercise burned about 15 percent more calories for three hours post-exercise, compared to those who ingested a placebo. Read more HERE.
  4. At your local supermarket we serve Atomic Coffee… Those guys are the real deal! They source beans straight from origin in small, freshly harvested lots. That way, they focus on making sure each bean is given the due respect it deserves and is nurtured every step of the way from plant to cup. By dealing with the same farmer co-ops each year, and attempting to increase the number of beans they buy from them, they help build trading relationships that the producers, their families and local communities can rely on.
  5. This week spend $40 in store and you can buy a coffee for just $2! For the week beginning Monday 15th February we’ll be offering free upgrades on your caffeine fix (from small to large). Only at your truly local supermarket – Fresh Choice Nelson.

 

Fresh Choice Nelson for Rosé

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Fresh-Choice-Nelson-Rosé-WineThe Fresh Choice Nelson Guest Bloggers are back! First article for 2016 from our “A” team comes from Neil Hodgson, and he’s talking Rosé.

When it comes to popularity rosé wines have been one of the fastest growing wine styles in recent years. Rosés are such a versatile wine style they suit almost any occasion; from pink sparkling wines to dry wines that need to be served with food to really come alive, or just a delicious wine to enjoy with lunch or pre-dinner, there is always a rosé to suit, and many can be found at Fresh Choice Nelson.

If we start at the fun end of the spectrum there are plenty of sweeter rosés packed with strawberries and cream characters; normally made from Pinot Noir grapes that have been very lightly pressed so there is minimal colour extracted from the skins of the grapes, these are delightful when served chilled and enjoyed over lunch. You can buy these from as little as $15 a bottle, but the better ones have a recommended retail price of around $22, just look for them on special at the moment at Fresh Choice Nelson.

Rosé sparkling wines and Champagne still fit the fun category but are a little bit more serious and tend to be slightly drier in style than the strawberries and cream style versions. Sparkling rosés are perfect for summer celebrations like weddings and birthday parties.

If you want something to enjoy with a meal then look for a drier style rosé, maybe something made using Merlot grapes or from Pinot Noir using a little more skin contact so they will be darker in colour, and skin tannins are extracted too making the wine drier in style and perfect with food.

One I have been enjoying this summer is the 2015 Invivo Sophie’s Rosé that Fresh Choice Nelson has on promotion for $15.99, (a saving of $5). It is dark red plum in colour and packed with rich, spiced strawberry flavours, dry in style it is wonderful with anything cooked on the barbecue but especially good quality beef sausages or lamb chops, which by the way you’ll also find at Fresh Choice Nelson!

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