What’s in store for November

This article was originally published in November 2013

In the Mercantile Department

Sweetness & Light

From sleek modernism to goofy collage art, our holiday cards offer stylish options to offer up your season’s greetings. Two Wallingford-area companies — Ganapati Studios and Positively Green — are made on paper sourced either from managed forests or post-consumer waste, and use plant-based inks. Ganapati goes the extra mile by donating 10 percent of its profits to charities focused on the arts, social justice and alleviating hunger.

Big Dipper Wax Works is based in Georgetown and creates natural beeswax candles with 100 percent cotton, lead-free wicks. When lit, they scent the air with a subtle honey fragrance. Big Dipper donates 10 percent of their profits to education and sustainability programs devoted to bees and beekeeping.

 

In Health and Body Care

Belly Up

Overindulging around the holidays is by no means rare — and neither is the discomfort that can be the result of those indulgences. If your belly is suffering (in silence, or otherwise) it might benefit from Axia3 ProDigestive Antacid, which offers a blend of antacids and enzymes that can assist with both immediate heartburn relief and longer term digestive assistance. Once the urgent problems have been solved, supplements could reduce the likelihood that indigestion will return by improving functionality of your digestive system. American Health’s Original Papaya Enzyme is a chewable tablet that contains papain, amylase and protease. Natural Factors Bromelain is sourced from pineapple plants and can help efficiently process proteins.

 

In the wine department

Seasonal Wines

Feeling festive? We have a terrific Prosecco-like wine from Slovenia that we’re delighted to offer as a PCC exclusive. It’s the “Peneca” Rebula Brut from the Vinska Klet winery in the Goriška Brda region, where warm Mediterranean breezes meet the chilly air blowing down from the Alps. Think bright, citrusy and ever-so-slightly yeasty with plenty of tiny bubbles. We’ve also got two nice table wines — one red, one white — from the Macedonian winemaker Jordanov. The Vranec Veritas is a rich, dark red wine that pairs nicely with rich cheese or prosciutto, while the Rkatsiteli is a spicy, floral varietal that features an ancient and beloved grape of southeastern Europe.

 

In the grocery department

Cozy up with a cup of local tea

Choice Organic Teas and Bastyr University have joined forces to create a line of flavorful, certified organic, wellness teas. As the first organic, fair trade and non-GMO tea company in the U.S., Choice — located in Seattle — long has led the way in producing high-quality tea. They’ve developed eight different flavors for their wellness line, each formulated by a master herbalist at Bastyr. The teas are designed to support healthy body functions and overall well-being. Featuring 30 different active botanical herbs, they taste good too! Try Easy Digest, Breathing Space, Simply Detox, Energy Boost, Regularity, Throat Cozy, Mental Focus and Rest Assured, now available at PCC. A portion of the proceeds from each box of wellness tea will benefit the Bastyr University Student Scholarship Fund.

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