Staff picks

This article was originally published in January 2016

Blood orange

In season: organic produce

  • Blood oranges
  • Autumn Glory apples
  • Murcott tangerines
  • Cara Cara navel oranges
  • Seville oranges (for cooking)
Lucini Rustic Tomato Basil sauce

GROCERY

Jacobs Creamery Bloomy cheese

A local, oh-so-delicious and creamy brie, it will knock your socks off!

— Diana L., cheese specialist, Greenlake

Lucini Rustic Tomato Basil sauce

The perfect sauce, not too sweet and good with any pasta dish.

— Lorraine S., office

Ginger People Ginger enerGizer juice

Sweet apple balances out spicy ginger to create a zesty beverage that perks you up with every sip.

— Chloe C., Greenlake Aurora

Smoked Mozzarella Pasta

DELI

Mashed Yams and Goat Cheese

Because they’re #1, goat cheese, and #2, yams. You don’t even have to chew them, just savor, savor, savor.

— Elizabeth P., office

Sesame, Edamame and Quinoa salad

Very nourishing and satisfying, like you’re giving your body what it needs.

— Suzanne P., Redmond

Smoked Mozzarella Pasta

My reason for living!

— Matthew M., office

Alaffia Africa's Secret Lotion

HEALTH & BEAUTY CARE

Alaffia Africa’s Secret Lotion

This time of year it’s amazing for keeping my hands from getting chapped. It keeps my cuticles healthy and the propolis is a nice antibacterial boost.

— Jamie W., Issaquah

Gaia Herbs Quick Defense

Every time I feel a cold coming on, I use this and my symptoms are gone in two days.

— Mackenzie P., Kirkland

Umcka Cold Care

The Soothing Hot Drink and Throat Spray keep me up and running in winter!

— Robin B., View Ridge

Also in this issue

What's in your beer?

Alcoholic beverages are not required by the government to be labeled. They can contain a range of ingredients including high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and colors, preservatives, thickeners and emulsifiers.

Britt's Live Cultured foods

Britt's makes pickles and other fermented vegetables the old-fashioned way: in oak barrels. They're available in bulk now at some PCC stores!

"A quiet crisis": The rise of acidic soil in Washington

Wheat farmers across the inland Pacific Northwest say their soil is acidic. The culprit appears to be the abundant use of synthetic nitrogen to increase crop yields. Now farmers and researchers are looking for innovative solutions.