More Staff Picks
Amanda
Pinn Oaks Lamb Shanks
This cut of meat is best for slow cooking and makes the most flavorful dish. I love to braise this with onions, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, wine, chicken and beef broth and top with some fresh rosemary and thyme. Wish I had some right now.
Mourning Dove
Maple Valley Organic Dark Robust Maple Syrup
This maple syrup is awesome because it’s local, tastes better than sugar in everything, and you can use a mason jar to save on wasteful packaging. Try mixing with some tahini for a nut-free apple dip!
Jonathan
Ember Foods Moong Masala Meatballs
This is one of our newest products from Ember Foods and it’s delicious! Locally made beef meatballs cooked in a masala sauce, and it’s as good as something you’d find in a restaurant! I like to pair it with some of the other Ember Foods items like the Chicken Tandoori Salad or some rice and naan. You can even wrap it in some naan with some paneer cheese and it’s like an Indian meatball sandwich! I hope everyone who likes Indian food gives these a shot!
Amy
Vitruvian Farm Sunflower Shoots
These have such a pleasant flavor, whether on their own or atop a salad or a grilled chicken sandwich or an omelet. I also like to eat them one at a time. They have a nice shelf-life. At restaurants they will put on, like, five sprouts. At home, I like a big pile because I’m worth it! You’re worth it too.
Angelic Bakehouse Beet Wraps
All their wraps taste great, actually. A nice alternative to tortillas or bread. I enjoy them as a sandwich wrap but also warmed up to scoop my scramble. I especially like the texture, which is whole-sprouted-grain-hearty. They last a good time in the fridge too!
Colin
Pretzilla Pretzel Bun
Hands down the best pretzel bun I’ve had. Use this on burgers, bison burgers, turkey sandwiches, really anything that could benefit from a savory and salty bun, this is the choice. My favorite sandwich on this bun is a bison burger with muenster cheese.
Forrest
Willy Street Co-op Pizza Dough with Willy Street Co-op Pizza Sauce
Almost every week I find and easy, affordable meal to make using these locally produced products. I’ve found that size of packaged dough and sauce makes two or more pizzas for a lot less than delivery. Best yet, you can clear out the leftovers in your fridge on top of a pizza! (Cooks well on a cookie sheet with oil. Put the cheese on last after 5-8 minutes of cooking time for best results.)
Liz
El Rey Lemon Tortilla Chips
These chips are dangerous. Perfectly crisp and lemony. They don’t stay in my house for long.
Willy Street Co-op Zucchini Bread
Perfectly moist and not too sweet. Delicious quick snack or breakfast.
Thayer
Cress Spring Body Care Pearl Rose Daily Cleanser and Mask
This locally made product has become my go-to product, especially after wearing a mask for the day. I mostly use it as a cleanser and then treat myself to a mask from time-to-time. A little bit goes a long way; cleans really well without drying out my skin or causing any irritation.
Angelica
EcoCandles
Eco Candles use “phthalate-free fragrance and essential oil blends,” so you can trust what you are smelling. After being scarred from the unnatural scents of mid-2000s high school body sprays, these candles have renewed my relationship with Warm Vanilla. Other scents I love are Honey Mango, Citrus Squeeze, and (to my surprise) Spa Day. Made from Midwest-grown soy, these lead-free candles come from Appleton, Wisconsin!
Mel
Upton’s Naturals Seitan
I love seitan, so I love all of Upton’s Naturals seitan products, but my favorite is their Chorizo-Style Seitan. Upton’s seitan is low-fat, low in carbs, dairy-free, vegan, and high in protein. I use it in wraps, in sandwiches, on salads, in chili, as a breakfast side, and in stir-fry (but I could really just sit and eat an entire chunk of it, out of the package). What is seitan, you ask? According to the Upton’s Naturals website, “Seitan is a traditional Japanese food made by rinsing the starch away from wheat and retaining the protein.” It is very hearty and has a real “meatiness” to it. So, if you like seitan for seitan’s sake or, if you are looking for a great alternative to meat, give Upton’s Naturals seitan a try!
Meghan
Wonderstate Coffee Driftless Blend
The Wonderstate Driftless Blend is so smooth, and is the perfect blend for any time of the year. It makes a great hot coffee for cold mornings, or a refreshing iced coffee or cold brew for hot summer days. When you open the bag, make sure to take a deep breath and smell the comforting aroma. It comes in bulk or in two bag sizes.
LuSa Organics Garden Shampoo Bar
The LuSa Organics Shampoo Bars can be found in a box by the shampoo or on the shelf of soap without extra packaging. I personally love the garden scent. I have been using this shampoo bar for 4+ years and love it. My hair smells good, feels good, and my hair stylist tells me my hair feels so healthy. It is easy to use, made from organic ingredients, and helps eliminate plastic waste. LuSa Organics is based out of Viroqua, Wisconsin, making it a very local company, too!
Lacey
Pasture Patterns Eggs
There are so many eggs to pick from, but this farm is an easy choice! Hens are moved through organic pasture in Mount Horeb, and are out in sunshine and fresh air (check out their website for a really nice video showing the process.) I also love that they are small-scale and committed to sustainability, and all eggs are delivered within 30 miles of the farm.
Dreamfarm Cracked Pepper Chevre
Dreamfarm is a small and sustainable organic farm in Cross Plains, Wisconsin. Their fresh-style goat cheese is made from milk sourced only from their farm in small batches with many of the steps done by hand. Willy Street Co-op is extremely lucky in that we are the only retail market that offers this amazing cheese! Highly recommended with Potter’s Crackers Caramelized Onion Crackers.
Philip
Atoms to Apples Liberty Apples
Sounds like an heirloom variety, but it is actually a modern American apple variety developed specifically for disease resistance. Makes beautiful pink applesauce because of the skin and flesh color if you include the skin.
Atoms to Apples Crimson Crisps
Extremely crisp. Very good, rich flavor. Sweet/sharp and spicy. It has such a complex, rich flavor and is very, very crisp. Beats Honeycrisp hands down. Locally grown from Atoms to Apples
Hallie
Mango Man Salsa
I LOVE THIS SALSA! I have yet to find something I don’t like it with. I use it as marinade for chicken, shrimp, or pork. Especially great when making pulled pork! I use it for sauce over everything even rice and beans. I have even used it over greens as a salad dressing! Spicy, tangy, slightly sweet, and full of flavor.
Caitlyn
Stoney River Soap Bars
Stoney River’s Soap Bars are handmade in small batches with ingredients like non-GMO olive oil and honey. They all have a natural, subtle scent, and look pretty in a soap dish. Stoney River is also woman-owned and locally made in Oxford, Wisconsin.
Origin Breads Sourdough Sandwich Loaf
Any loaf from Origin Breads is amazing. The sourdough is made with wild yeast, and they source their grains from Meadowlark Organics in Ridgeway, Wisconsin and Meadow Lark Community Mill in Lone Rock, Wisconsin, grinds the flour using an old-world stone-milling technique. Then it is hand-formed and baked just down the street from Willy East on East Washington Ave.
Matt
Organic Red Beets from Crossroads Community Farm and New Traditions Homestead
It’s a well-known fact in the food world that beets are delicious, but some of you still choose not to eat them. Come on…..they’re good for you. No? If you’re a card-carrying beet hater, please try the beet/tahini/goat cheese axis. I’ve actually converted several stubborn anti-beet types into shameless beet lovers by adding some nice goat cheese and a savory lemon tahini dressing to the roasted red roots they refuse to touch, usually with some quinoa or in a wrap. You’d be amazed at how they sniff skeptically and try a bite, then thank me and apologize for being so pigheaded.
Carley
Vitruvian Farm Pea Shoot Microgreens
I love a good pea shoot. They add a really great crunchy element to a salad and have a subtle sweetness that I really enjoy. They’re also packed with nutrients, which is a nice bonus. I have yet to have a product from Vitruvian that I didn’t enjoy.
Simple Soyman Firm Tofu
Best tofu ever. I always have a few blocks of this prepped in my freezer and one in my fridge for a quick summer dinner. It has such a good texture and takes on flavor so well (spicy peanut tofu spring rolls, always and forever). I also love that it’s made in Milwaukee. Wisconsin-made is the best.
