Grocery

Lunchbox Hero: Easy Kid-Friendly Meals

March 12, 2020 Desserts, Food, Grocery, Ice Cream

If there’s a chance you’re stuck at home with kids this week, you may be running low on easy meals and snacks to get through the next few days. We’ve got your survival guide right here!

Transform boredom snacking into healthy snacking with these Greene Grape picks. Matt’s Munchies and Effie’s Homemade Oat Cakes are better-for-you snacks that’ll satisfy the whole family. These whole grain peanut butter pretzels from Good Health will keep midday munchies on the healthier side, too.

A favorite of Greene Grape owner Amy Bennett, our macaroni & cheese is made fresh in our kitchens with four cheeses, making it flavorful and rich. Pair it with our turkey meatballs or fried chicken for a big thumbs up at the dinner table! (Getting them to eat vegetables is on you, though.)

For something hands-on to get everyone involved—and make dinner even easier—go old school and make homemade French bread pizza. All it takes is a baguette, your favorite tomato sauce, our house made mozzarella, and sliced molinari pepperoni (or steamed broccoli), combined into bubbling goodness. If time is so scarce you might owe Father Time a few minutes, pop some frozen Roberta’s pizza into the oven instead.

No one wants to get sent to bed without dessert! Treat the kids—and yourself—with a bite-size take on ice cream with Bubbie’s Mochi, in four yummy flavors. For the family members less inclined toward dairy, Goodpop’s organic freezer pops will indulge any sweet tooth with all-natural fruit flavors.

She Can Do It: Food by Women

February 28, 2020 Food, Fort Greene, Grocery, Local

It’s no secret that Greene Grape Provisions is a woman-forward company. We’re woman-owned, and we employ women every level throughout the store from General Manager to cashier. This week, as we enter Women’s History Month and approach International Women’s Day, we’d like to celebrate not only the women inside our company, but also the woman-made products we carry.

Annie’s Ginger Elixir has been on our shelves for just a few years now, but we feel like we can’t remember a time without them! This spicy drink is a go-to whenever sniffles and aches arise, but it’s not just for special occasions, either. The perfect blend of ginger, honey, lemon, hibiscus and berries, its sweet kick is refreshing in any season. Annie herself is a Fort Greene resident, and a Greene Grape customer herself!

No yogurt has ever been as rich and decadent as White Moustache, in our humble opinion. Homa Dashtaki brings old world Persian flavors and techniques to our modern world, packaged up in iconic glass jars in Red Hook. (We’ve even reused those jars for our house made candles in the past!) Using milk from a Hudson Valley co-op of family farms, these yogurts—and labneh, and whey—are an everyday delicacy we reach for again and again.

MOMO dressing is a staple of the produce department, despite being in a bottle. That’s because it’s as fresh as the fruits and veggies that surround it! Made by Masaki and Yukimi Momose, MOMO is made with fresh local produce whenever possible, by a small team that still sells weekly at Brooklyn farmers markets. You may even recognize Yukimi from her tastings at our store!

The early bird might get the worm, but Early Bird Granola gets one better, and that’s being a Greene Grape favorite year after year. Nekisia Davis keeps her Brooklyn roots by operating out of a Red Hook kitchen, but her ambitions aren’t limited to just one borough. She took her small-batch granola from being a side hustle for her day job managing a famous Brooklyn pizzeria to being an international sensation. Her flavors speak for themselves—simple but well-developed, with only a handful of ingredients.

SD Sauce brings the heat and flavor, earning its reputation as one of the best hot sauces in our store. Sutta Saraphum grew up in Thailand, learning to cook both at her mother’s side and in some of Thailand’s most popular restaurants. When she came to the US, however, she couldn’t find her favorite Nam Jim dipping sauce. Frustrated by “ethnic aisle” sauces full of vinegar and preservatives, Sutta began making her own from scratch with straightforward, fresh ingredients. This made for such bold flavors that in 2015 Sutta began bottling her “spicy delicious” (SD!) sauce, and it’s been a hit ever since.

We’ve only just scratched the surface of the woman-made products Provisions carries, but we hope you love them as much as we do!

Nom Nom Nomz: Soup Anytime, Almost Anywhere

February 20, 2020 Food, Grocery, Local

While we’ve hyped up our house made soups in the past, as well as West African Egunsi soups, there’s a third option to warm you up without having to have the stock pot simmering all day. Nomz soups, in four delicious pan-Asian varieties, have all the flavor you’re looking for, with none of the work.

Founders Tony and Cat wanted to hark back to their parents’ savory Asian soups, often made in large, family-size batches with leftovers frozen for later. They also wanted a healthier option for fellow busy New Yorkers than greasy fast food or watching produce wilt in the back of the fridge. So they launched Nomz, crafted from traditional Asian recipes, with authentic flavors including Chinese chicken shiitake and Korean brisket radish, using clean ingredients like organic chicken and local mushrooms, and no preservatives ever.

Stock up on Nomz at home for those nights when stepping in front of the stove is just a little more than you can handle, or stash some in the freezer at work; just make sure they’re clearly labeled, because everyone will want some!

Follow Nomz on Instagram: @eatnomz

Who Doesn’t Love a Cheesy Romance?

February 13, 2020 Cheese, Food, Grocery, Holiday, Wine

Romeo and Juliet, Bert and Ernie, wine and cheese — true love cannot be denied. Some pairings are just meant to be. This Valentine’s Day, whether you’re spending time with a special someone, painting the town red with the squad, or fabulously flying solo, we’ve got some ideas for wine and cheese pairings that anyone can fall in love with. Check ‘em out:

Cheese: Manchego (Sheep) & Vermont Creamery Cremont (Cow, Goat)
Red: Chateau Cambon Beaujolais 2018
White: O.P.P. Pinot Gris 2018

Why It Works: Buttery, sweet, and nutty Manchego meshes just as seamlessly seamlessly with the ripe red and black fruit flavors of this biodynamic Beaujolais from one of the region’s finest producers as it does with this pear, apple, and almond notes of the Pinot Gris.

Cheese: Drunken Goat (Goat) & L’Amuse Gouda (Cow)
Red: De Forville Barbera d’Asti “Cascina Buc” 2017
White: Aubuisieres Vouvray Cuvée de Silex 2018

Why It Works: Wine and cheese pairings are often about contrast, and the mild sweetness of the Drunken Goat contrasts with the savory flavor and the supple tannins of the Barbera d’Asti while the Gouda’s notes of burnt caramel and nuttiness snap and crackle against the red and black fruit. The Vouvray’s crisp acidity and mineral core adds lift to the creamy Drunken Goat cheese, while the tart and ripe orchard fruit adds zip to the Gouda.

Cheese: Plymouth Black Truffle Cheese (Cow)
Red: Mas Menut Priorat 2016
Sparkling: Baron Albert Champagne NV

Why It Works: The Plymouth Black Truffle cheese is luscious and mellow, yet earthy and powerful — it’s a flavor that just cries out for something bold or bubbly. The Priorat is bold, full of wild strawberries and rich soil, and the classic Champagne is vibrant and textured, the perfect match for this richly flavored cheeses.

Looking to make these cheesy dreams a romantic reality? Visit our cheese counter for a custom cheese board, or check out our easy guide and build your own with local delivery!

Celebrating Black Tastemakers

February 6, 2020 Desserts, Food, Fruit, Grocery, Spotlight

We’re pleased to give a shout-out to some of our favorite vendors and tastemakers during Black history month—and all year round.

It’s Poppin’

We wrote about Smooth Pops when they debuted in our store this past summer, and they’ve been a hit ever since, selling daily even now in winter. Movitza Simmons is a New York mom who wanted wholesome summer snacks for her then-infant son. Disappointed by the preservative-loaded selection available to her, she set out to make her own. Now they make a delicious, whole-fruit treat for all ages! Just ask her son—he’s still Smooth Pops’ official taster.

Follow Smooth Pops on Instagram: @iluvsmoothpops

Vegan Vibes

If you’re a little too chilly to have a frozen treat right now, no worries. West African soups are an easy grab at Provisions! Egunsi’s vegan soups are a modern take on classic West African flavors. Founder ‘Yemisi Awosan’s hope is that not only will these soups bring her West African heritage the visibility it deserves, they’ll also inspire people to try their own hand at West African recipes.

Follow Egunsi Foods on Instagram: @egunsifoods

As for other producers in our store, we’d like to highlight Spicegrove’s spicy hibiscus drink, a mainstay in our beverage case. Its blend of spices and fruit make it as perfect for cooling off as it is for warming up, and it makes a great mixer too! As for Miss Marjorie’s plaintain chips, well, there’s never enough that can be said. Miss Marjorie’s plaintain chips—long-cut, steel drum plaintain chips—are a signature snack from the Seattle restaurant, and certainly a favorite amongst Provisions staff. We also stock fresh pecans, grown in Georgia by a grassroots organization, New Communities, that works to empower Black farmers and bring justice to the growing community.

Follow Spicegrove on Instagram: @spicegroveroselle
Follow Miss Marjorie’s on Instagram: @marjorieseattle
Read about New Communities here

To discover even more inspiring Black food personalities and emerging brands, follow @blackfoodfolks, a groundbreaking new organization founded by Colleen Vincent,
Director, Culinary Community Initiatives The James Beard Foundation @ms_collycol and noted photographer Clay Williams @ultraclay.

Chill Vibes Only: Frozen Treats with a Twist

August 8, 2019 Desserts, Food, Grocery, Ice Cream, Local, Uncategorized

While the record-breaking heatwave has abated, it’s still hot enough out to drive New Yorkers outside. Plenty of folks will be reveling in this weekend’s round of Summer Streets in Manhattan, or taking a good stretch with yoga in Fort Greene Park. Others might be looking to take it easier with a refreshing class at the Annex. Whether you need to cool off after a good workout or looking to chill out in the heat, we’ve got some fresh takes on classic frozen treats you’ll want to check out!

There’s no doubt that freezer pops are a summer staple, with their brightly-colored tubes cooling off kids and adults alike for generations. Those same bright colors, however, usually come from being loaded with artificial colors and stabilizers. Founded by a New York mom who wanted simple, wholesome summer treats for her six month old son, Smooth Pops bring all the nostalgia of freezer pops without all the baggage. Each small-batch variety blends whole fruit into delicious combinations full of bright flavor, and ingredients are seasonally sourced from local farmers whenever possible.

While Smooth Pops are brand new to our freezer, we’d like to shine the spotlight on another frozen treat that has been a Greene Grape mainstay since the brand’s debut in 2016. Noona’s ice cream is a uniquely Asian-American indulgence, with flavors ranging ranging from traditional black sesame to new twists like toasted rice and turmeric honeycomb. With local milk and organic ingredients, as well as non-dairy versions of some of their most popular flavors, Noona’s is truly a cut above!

Game Day Grub: Don’t Fumble That Feast!

January 30, 2020 Butcher, Cheese, Food, Grocery, Local, Plant Based

From the most faithful sports fiend to the folks throwing together snacks with friends, it’s hard not to get swept up in the fanfare of the biggest game day in American sports. There’s something electric in the air, and there’s something on the table, too! You’ll want an epic spread to match an epic game, and our Game Day collection will make sure no one goes hungry.

Every party needs chips and dip; be the MVP when you bring Xochitl Tortilla Chips and our neighborhood-famous guacamole. Of course, this feast won’t be complete without sandwiches, and our signature sandwiches will feed both the most ravenous meat-lover and the strictest vegan. Load up on sides like pulled chicken or farro salad, too, to keep from making mid-game snack runs.

If you’re looking to bring a centerpiece to the party, swing by our cheese counter, where our expert cheesemongers will help you perfect your snacking strategy. Put together a winning cheese and charcuterie platter with their help (and don’t forget any of the accompaniments!), or order ahead and let us take care of the details.

For those doing most of their hosting from the kitchen, our whole animal butcher counter’s housemade sausages and short rib burgers will make cooking for the whole team a snap. (Don’t worry, we didn’t leave out plant-based partiers.)

We’re placing our bets, though, that party prepping might be overwhelming some folks. Local delivery is always an easy option! But our head chef, Andrew Werblin, has put together a game day catering menu guaranteed to kick things up a notch. Classics like loaded potato skins are real crowd-pleasers, and so is our elevated take on seven layer dip. Our catering team delivers beyond our local zone, so you’ll never have to worry about being too far from the end zone.

Where’s the Citrus?

January 16, 2020 Food, Fruit, Grocery

Citrus season is here at last! You might want to citrus self down for this one, because despite some delays, we’ve got more citrus varietals than ever this year. They’re coming in so quickly and so fresh you won’t be able to find them on our website just yet, but they’ll be easy to spot in our store. Thanks to our rockstar Produce Buyer, Laura Rose Dailey, even the basics have a little something extra!

Basics like heirloom navel oranges from Rising Ranches in California, a small fruit operation that only picks tree-ripened fruit for the highest quality harvest. They’re bringing us other citrus, too, like iconic blood oranges, candy-sweet Cara Cara oranges, and lesser-known sour Sevilles. Sevilles aren’t your everyday snacking orange, known for their deep, bitter flavor traditionally used in marmalades. They bring real complexity, too, to classic citrus treats like key lime pie—use these in your custard instead for a fresh twist!

Rising Ranches isn’t the only farm supplying our produce department with uncommon citrus. Buck Brand Citrus, operating from Deer Creek Heights Ranch—also from California—is responsible for the massive pomelos you won’t be able to help but notice on your next visit. Not just any pomelos, either—these are African Shaddock pomelos, a strain of pomelos with all the bright flavor you expect, but noticeably lower acidity and sourness. Other easily noshable varieties lining our shelves include satsumas and staff favorite Sumo mandarins. Both feature a handle for easy peeling, whether the satsuma’s long shiny leaves or the Sumo’s hefty nub that matches its considerable size. Don’t count out limequats, either! A cross between limes and kumquats, limequats are a perfect balance of sweetness and mouth-puckering sourness you won’t want to put down.

Chefs and aspiring cooks alike won’t just want to try the Seville, either. Sorrento lemons (also known as Santa Teresa lemons), easily identified by their knobbly peel, are the lemon of choice for making limoncello liqueur, and Wine & Spirits is stocked up with all the clear spirits you’ll need for that project. Meyer lemons have earned their notoriety for being the perfect baking lemon, of course. You don’t have to make your own Earl Grey with Bergamot lemons, whose floral sweetness gives the tea its signature aroma, but we won’t stop you, either.

Reading through this, you might wonder: Why is it all coming from faraway California? Doesn’t citrus come from Florida? The answer is that a tough few growing seasons, coupled with Florida harvesting laws, means very little citrus is coming from Florida right now. Growers are hard at work recovering their groves, and some experts say that work is already starting to pay off. In the meantime, we’ll be supporting small ranches and farms where we can to bring you the zest of the season.

Making the Case for Leftovers

November 29, 2019 Food, Grocery, Recipes, Thanksgiving, Uncategorized

Ah, leftovers. Thanksgiving may have come, but it’s certainly not gone. A couple good heaps of mashed potatoes, part of a dish of stuffing, and a select few slices of pie are likely haunting your fridge, even if you plied your guests with takeout containers of food at the door. Most likely of all, there’s something like half a bird in your kitchen, earmarked for a week of turkey sandwiches and other quick lunch items. Before you hit that turkey event horizon, we’ve got a recipe—that you can double or even triple—from our very own Social Media maverick, Erin!

Leftover Turkey Curry

1 lb turkey, cubed
1 tablespoon ghee or butter
1.5 tablespoons Reluctant Trading Tikka Masala Spice Blend
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 finely minced or grated garlic
1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
1 cup turkey or chicken broth
1 13 ounce can of coconut milk or 1 1/2 cups cashew cream*
Optional: sliced scallions, chopped cilantro

Melt butter or ghee in a large, heavy skillet on medium-high.
Add onion, Tikka Masala spice blend, tomato paste, garlic, and ginger. Stirring constantly, cook until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Toss in cubed turkey, letting flavors combine, at least another minute.
Pour in broth and bring to a simmer. Add coconut milk or cashew cream and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in scallions and cilantro; salt to taste. Serve over rice or m’smen.

*Cashew Cream

3/4 cups of cashews
Water
Salt

Submerge cashews in cold water and soak for 4 to 8 hours or soak in boiling water for 30 minutes
Drain and place cashews in a high-powered blender. Add enough water to just cover the cashews with a pinch of salt. Blend until creamy, at least 1 minute.

Made a beautiful turkey leftovers curry dish? Tag us @greenegrape and show us!

All Soup-ed Up

September 19, 2019 Food, Grocery, Local

A brisk day, a sweater and a big scarf, and a bowl of hot, delicious soup—just some of ingredients for a perfect fall day. While we may not be able to control the weather, we’ve got the most important part: Soup! Our neighborhood-famous soup is finally back, and our new Head Chef, Andrew Werblin, is excited to bring his recipes to your table. Look forward to classics like chicken noodle and French onion to ward off the cold. You’re sure to add some new favorites to your list, though, like spicy and sour chicken tom kha gai, or a hearty West African peanut stew!

Don’t forget to keep your soup card handy, of course—ten stamps will earn you a free soup, which could be just the pick-me-up you need as the days get longer. Ask your cashier for a card today!

It’s Poppin’

Vegan Vibes

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