Main Menu

Staff Picks for Valentine's Day

Amanda 

pine riverPine River Port Wine Cheese Spread 

This locally made cheese spread is a perfect snack. All you need are crackers and a butter knife and you are golden. MMMMM! Available at East and West only.

Milton Creamery Prairie Breeze Cheese

This might be one of my favorite cheeses of all time. This is the perfect addition to your cheese platter and will wow your guests! It is crumby, yet creamy and has crunchy crystals. This small family farm really nailed this award-winning cheese! 

Tey-Art Alpaca Socks

These are the softest socks! So comfy your feet will thank you. They make great gifts or pamper yourself. 

Fix Tart Cherry Grenadine

All of their syrups are great and will up your cocktail/mocktail game. But the cherry one is my favorite. Add it to your Old Fashioned, you will thank me. 

Angelica

Montebello Organic Farfalle

Do you enjoy feeling fancy while munching on comfort food? This simple organic bowtie pasta comes from northern Italy and has a delightful firm texture. I enjoy it with a light marinara, sautéed garlic, and Sartori shredded Parmesan. Sausage and peppers would be a great addition if you are looking for additional protein and fiber in your meal! 

Willy Street Co-op Hot Bar Hot Dish

Beefy, cheesy, potatoey, hot... what more could a Wisconsinite want on a cold Saturday afternoon?

Kristi Jo

honey mamasHoney Mama's Lavender & Rose Cocoa Truffle Bar

I feel like a queen bee when I treat myself to one of these beautiful chocolate bars. They are made in Portland, Oregon with seven simple ingredients: raw honey, cocoa powder, coconut meat, unrefined coconut oil, salt, lavender oil, and dried red rose petals. If you're like me and need to work on prioritizing your pleasures, you should start here. They make a great gift as well (just remember to keep refrigerated)!

Joel

Jeni's Ice Cream. Any and all flavors

This is simply the best ice cream ever in every respect, in every flavor, in every spoonful. Sorry Babcock Hall, but Jenni's is my favorite. 

Sarah 

Paqui Jalapeño Tropicale Tortilla Chips 

The flavor combo of these chips is AMAZING. 

Shelley

Nutkrack Candied Pecans

I absolutely love pecans, and these are by far the best candied pecans I have ever tried! Plus, they have a lot less added sugar than the bigger national brands. 

RP's Pasta Frozen Portabello & Parmesan Ravioli

It tastes like restaurant-quality at home. Fast and easy to cook and feeds a family. You will be full and happy after eating this!

Mel

Tony’s Chocolonely Almond Sea Salt Chocolate Bar 

With dark chocolate (but not too dark), crunchy almonds, and just the right amount of sea salt, Tony’s has achieved the trifecta of chocolate bar flavor combos. This chocolate bar is basically the only chocolate I regularly buy now. It not only tastes amazing, but Tony’s chocolate is 100% slave-free, and their mission is to make all chocolate slave-free. I always keep a couple of these bars stashed away at home and at work. 

Kelly

chatham village croutonsChatham Village Homestyle Caesar Croutons

I enjoy a crunch to my salad and don't always have time to make my own croutons; these are a good alternative. Tasty and consistent in quality.

Joe

Lily's Sweets Dark Chocolate Bars

They're sweetened with stevia and erythritol, not sugar. The one with almonds is my favorite.

Caulipower Pizza Crust

We have several awesome gluten-free pizza crusts. Made largely of cauliflower, this one has a traditional texture, and tastes great (like    pizza crust, not cauliflower).

Evan

Field Roast Mini Corn Dogs

Super easy to make and great for school lunches. It uses Field Roast's very good Frankfurter hot dog that is very good on its own also.

Caitlyn

donkeyDonkey Salted Tortilla Chips

These local tortilla chips stand up to any dip—salsa, guacamole, bean dip, hummus, you name it. A perfect chip. 

Grant

Spry Chewing Gum

This gum just hits all the marks. Sure to snuff out even the strongest dragon breath.

Amy

Bill Doran Flower Bouquets

A serious cliché, but with good reason! Make an every day an amazing day. Have you ever treated yourself? How about your crossing guard? How about your kid? How about your dad's caregiver? Don't be creepy about it. Just let someone know you appreciate them. That you are grateful. I'm not crying, you're crying.

Sam

Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum

I tried this out when I was first creating my skin care routine and immediately fell in love with how easy it was to use and the AMAZING citrus smell! It's helped improve the shine and health of my skin as well as add moisture! Sometimes I use this instead of my moisturizer and I never regret it!

Kalamazoo Candles

So many incredible scents, you can't go wrong with any of them! They do have a strong enough scent that it fills the room but it doesn't overpower the senses. They have a softer, natural scent compared to other candles. My favorites are the sandalwood, campfire and the lavender. They're a great substitute for when you can't open your window and smell them fresh!

Sara

Pacha Froth Bombs

Relax and unwind with a Froth Bomb from Pacha. There are several scents to choose from all of which are crafted with essential oils and ingredients that will leave your skin feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Take some time for yourself, soak your loins, and escape from reality for a little bit. You deserve it!

Jon

Moon Valley Herbal Shampoo

Very simple ingredients, rinses clean with no residue. Creates a rich lather that is perfect for short hair and even shaving. The Siberian Fir leaves my scalp feeling fresh and smelling woodsy. Sweet Carrot formulation available for dry hair, Lemongrass for oily. 

Abigail

Evan Healy French Rose ClayEvanHealy

This is my go-to "treat yo self" Wellness Wednesday item! Very luxurious and helps my skin look its best. Instead of using regular water when mixing the clay, I recommend using Heritage Store Rosewater for a divinely     rose-scented experience. 

Colin

Fox Heritage Beer & Cheddar Bratwurst

Nothing is more Wisconsin than a beer brat. These are wonderfully made with real tasty cheese and high quality meat. Beer flavor is great but if you pan-fry in a skillet and deglaze with a nice lager (I recommend New Glarus Two Women)   you really get a mind-blowing brat. Pair with a pretzel bun and   mustard.

Barbara

Willy Street Co-op Gluten-Free Meatballs

These are the best meatballs hands down! Even better than I can make and that says a lot. Try them; I guarantee you will be buying these time and time again. I know I am.

Piper

Willy Street Co-op Fudgy Flourless Brownies

Crisp, crunchy top, rich fudgy chocolate middle. They are my favorite brownies in town! And they are gluten-free! Available at East and West only.

Carolyn Reyes

Willy Street Co-op Hot Bar Vegetable Fried Rice

Just a bit of shiitake mushroom and soy sauce give this vegan rice an incredibly satisfying "meaty" umami flavor. Great on its own or with a stew or extra veggies, it's my healthy meets comfort food favorite. 

Benjamin

Ember Foods Samosa 2-Pack with Chutney

This is such a delicious and comforting dish. When you heat them up, they smell amazing and taste even better! The combination of cumin, potatoes, and green chiles makes for a satisfying meal. 

Micky

Beauregard Sweet Potatoes

This variety makes the best sweet potato fries! I like to toss the fries with coconut oil, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. I roast in the oven at 400ºF for 45 min to 1 hr, turning them once half way through. So good!

Justin

cara caraCara Cara Oranges

I have loved navels my whole life. They are rich, juicy, and the perfect balance of sweet and sour. Cara Cara navels take all of that and add the additional complexity of the best pink grapefruit you've ever had without the bitterness. It's no wonder that   someday soon they might be our best-selling citrus. 

Mourning Dove

Organic Leeks

These anti-inflammatory suckers add a delicate onion flavor and make food look so pretty. Thinly slice and sprinkle over whatever dish you're cooking, and you'll look like a fancy pants chef.


Reader Archives