If you're a vegetarian, are vegetarian friendly/curious, or are just looking for something to do this Friday (November 6, from 5-7 pm), you should check out this week's 5X7 at the University Heights Whole Foods. It will feature 5 different food and wine pairings - vegetarian food and wine pairings - for only $5! (If you've attended a 5X7 in the past and already have a Whole Foods wine glass, it's only $4 - such a deal!) This event is always vegetarian friendly (typically one of the 5 food stations has meatless grub), but this is the first all vegetarian 5X7 event I've seen.
If for some crazy reason you can't make it to this 5X7, be sure to check out the line-up of upcoming events. There are going to be quite a few holiday themed events including wine tastings. (great for non-beer drinkers like me! not so great for beer drinkers :/) Click here to view the entire store event calendar.
Vegetarian and vegan living, dining, and drinking in greater Cleveland, OH.
Showing posts with label 5 by 7. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 5 by 7. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Waiter, I think there's a caterpillar in my salad
I had a horrifying experience at Whole Foods over the weekend. I headed there this past Friday for the "Organic Spring" 5X7 for sample-palooza and some grocery shopping. I was happy to see that there were multiple vegetarian samples (but sadly, lots of beer and champagne samples - two things I don't drink). I started out with an "ok" vegetable pasta salad. I'm not generally a fan of pasta salad, and I think it can be challenging to make a noodley salad that will wow me using a handful of ingredients. Another vegetarian friendly station was goat cheese and honey on a mini-toast. I'd never thought to pair honey and goat cheese together, but the flavor was great. (just not so great an hour later on my 5 mile run) The station that looked like it had the best option was the salad station, made out of mixed greens, walnuts, 365 balsamic vinaigrette dressing, apples, and apparently, caterpillars.
That's right. I said caterpillars. After I'd taken a few bites of my salad, I noticed something that didn't look like it belonged in my salad. Upon closer inspection, I realized that it was a caterpillar, and after the wave of nausea passed, I walked back over to the sample station to let the sample hander-outer know. Guess what his response was?
"That sucks. At least you didn't eat it. This stuff comes pre-washed so that shouldn't have happened."
As he was telling me this, he continued to hand out salad samples. Ick ick ick. I thought he would have least feigned some concern or would have pretended like he was going to throw away the salad.
So gross. Maybe it's a good thing that I'll be out of town this weekend and won't be able to go to the 5X7. I think my stomach needs a break.
That's right. I said caterpillars. After I'd taken a few bites of my salad, I noticed something that didn't look like it belonged in my salad. Upon closer inspection, I realized that it was a caterpillar, and after the wave of nausea passed, I walked back over to the sample station to let the sample hander-outer know. Guess what his response was?
"That sucks. At least you didn't eat it. This stuff comes pre-washed so that shouldn't have happened."
As he was telling me this, he continued to hand out salad samples. Ick ick ick. I thought he would have least feigned some concern or would have pretended like he was going to throw away the salad.
So gross. Maybe it's a good thing that I'll be out of town this weekend and won't be able to go to the 5X7. I think my stomach needs a break.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Whole Foods 5x7 Update
I had the opportunity to celebrate Uno De Mayo this past Friday with a few friends at Whole Foods in University Heights. As I mentioned on Friday, 5X7 is a promotion Whole Foods runs every Friday from 5:00 - 7:00 pm, where for $5, you can get 5 food and wine (or beer) pairings that fit into a certain theme.
I honestly didn't know what to expect. I've been to plenty of wine tastings where you get one tiny ounce and move onto the next sampling station feeling unfulfilled. As I circled the parking lot, I saw many people with wine glasses in tow (Once you pay the $5 admission for 5x7, you get to keep a really nice wine glass with the Whole Foods logo and information about the 5x7 events printed on it. If you go back to a future event and bring your glass, admission is only $4.). I figured that was a good sign. After parking as far away as possible, I trudged my way to the store and was greeted with a line of people waiting to pay $5 to get into the event. Another good sign. I paid the cashier my $5 and was presented with a punch card and a menu for the evening's pairings.
My friends arrived a few minutes later and we hit the first stop on the 5X7 tour - a table with salsa and chips and sangria. Although I expected it to be the other way around, I got a tiny sample of salsa, and nearly half a glass of 365 (Whole Food's brand) sangria. And really good sangria, at that. I'm typically not a fan of anything made with red wine, but this stuff was great - very fruity and sweet.
Next, we hit the salmon burger station. (After we passed by some salsa dancers and a live band.) I obviously skipped the burgers (another comically small sample), but my friends said they were good, mainly because of the chipotle mayo they were being served with. I did sample the Rosemount Pino Grigio served at the station. It had a nice dry, fruity flavor. It wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't horrible. And again, it was nearly half a glass sample.
After that we went to the black bean quesadilla station with Tiamo Sangiovese. Maybe it's because I'm a vegetarian and so few red wines go with non-meat dishes, but I just can't get into red wine. I had a sip and had to dump the rest. The quesadilla was really good, though, and is sold in the prepared foods section.
Then we hit the Toasted Head Viognier and jalapeno wings stand. I couldn't tell you how the wings were, but the wine was just ok. I drank the huge sample, but I can't say I'd ever buy the wine.
Out last stop was the Great Lakes Grassroots Ale and Spicy Feta salsa stand. I skipped the beer - because I don't drink beer - but I did partake in the salsa. (Which was a good thing, apparently. It seemed like people really weren't fans of the beer.) It was the best food I had all night - including the meal I made for myself once I got home. It was a mixture of feta cheese, sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and olive oil. It's prepared foods item that's sold in the cheese section. I liked it so much that I used one of my unused punches from the meat table to go back and get seconds. And the booze in me told me to lick my little sample cup but I refrained from doing that. I would have brought some home but they only had huge portions. Little old me can't (and shouldn't) eat all that much cheese by myself. But the next time I need an appetizer for a party, that's what I'm going to pick up.
Between my great company and the free flowing booze, I had a great time at the 5x7 event and hope to go back. The line up for the rest of this month's 5x7 events includes:
I honestly didn't know what to expect. I've been to plenty of wine tastings where you get one tiny ounce and move onto the next sampling station feeling unfulfilled. As I circled the parking lot, I saw many people with wine glasses in tow (Once you pay the $5 admission for 5x7, you get to keep a really nice wine glass with the Whole Foods logo and information about the 5x7 events printed on it. If you go back to a future event and bring your glass, admission is only $4.). I figured that was a good sign. After parking as far away as possible, I trudged my way to the store and was greeted with a line of people waiting to pay $5 to get into the event. Another good sign. I paid the cashier my $5 and was presented with a punch card and a menu for the evening's pairings.
My friends arrived a few minutes later and we hit the first stop on the 5X7 tour - a table with salsa and chips and sangria. Although I expected it to be the other way around, I got a tiny sample of salsa, and nearly half a glass of 365 (Whole Food's brand) sangria. And really good sangria, at that. I'm typically not a fan of anything made with red wine, but this stuff was great - very fruity and sweet.
Next, we hit the salmon burger station. (After we passed by some salsa dancers and a live band.) I obviously skipped the burgers (another comically small sample), but my friends said they were good, mainly because of the chipotle mayo they were being served with. I did sample the Rosemount Pino Grigio served at the station. It had a nice dry, fruity flavor. It wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't horrible. And again, it was nearly half a glass sample.
After that we went to the black bean quesadilla station with Tiamo Sangiovese. Maybe it's because I'm a vegetarian and so few red wines go with non-meat dishes, but I just can't get into red wine. I had a sip and had to dump the rest. The quesadilla was really good, though, and is sold in the prepared foods section.
Then we hit the Toasted Head Viognier and jalapeno wings stand. I couldn't tell you how the wings were, but the wine was just ok. I drank the huge sample, but I can't say I'd ever buy the wine.
Out last stop was the Great Lakes Grassroots Ale and Spicy Feta salsa stand. I skipped the beer - because I don't drink beer - but I did partake in the salsa. (Which was a good thing, apparently. It seemed like people really weren't fans of the beer.) It was the best food I had all night - including the meal I made for myself once I got home. It was a mixture of feta cheese, sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and olive oil. It's prepared foods item that's sold in the cheese section. I liked it so much that I used one of my unused punches from the meat table to go back and get seconds. And the booze in me told me to lick my little sample cup but I refrained from doing that. I would have brought some home but they only had huge portions. Little old me can't (and shouldn't) eat all that much cheese by myself. But the next time I need an appetizer for a party, that's what I'm going to pick up.
Between my great company and the free flowing booze, I had a great time at the 5x7 event and hope to go back. The line up for the rest of this month's 5x7 events includes:
- May 8: "Finger Foods," easy to handle, even easier to enjoy! Music by Ariel Clayton (violin).
- May 15: "Organics: Spring," check out what spring and summer bring with organic highlights from throughout the store! Music by Randy Martin (guitar/accordion).
- May 22: "Local: Spring," the change of seasons brings fresh new products from local farmers and producers to our shelves - check out five of the tastiest Local pairings now available! Music by Madeline Lucas (flute).
- May 29: "All-American," a Memorial Day celebration of popular and traditional American fare! Music by Roots of American Music (acoustic).
I can guarantee that I'll be back. I normally shop at Whole Foods once a week anyway, and why not experience some new products and live entertainment in the process.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Uno de Mayo
How are you celebrating Uno de Mayo? That's right. Uno de Mayo. I'll be celebrating Cinco de Mayo at Lopez, but I'm headed to Whole Foods tonight for some Friday 5x7/Uno de Mayo action.
5X7 is a promotion that Whole Foods runs on Fridays where from 5:00 - 7:00 pm, for $5, you can get 5 food and wine (or beer) pairings that fit into a certain theme. Tonight's theme is obviously "Uno de Mayo" and is supposed to feature a "festive Mexican spread." According to the Whole Foods - University Heights calendar/website, the $5 cover grants you an all-access punch card listing the evening's pairings and you get a a free reusable wine glass which you can bring back for a $1 discount off admission on a later date. They claim they have vegetarian "options" at each 5X7 event. I messaged the store through Twitter to see if that means one or many but haven't heard anything back just yet. Even if there's just one little niblet for me, it's worth it. I like trying new wines, and this seems like a fun random thing to do on a Friday night. And afterwards, I can get my grocery shopping done!
5X7 is a promotion that Whole Foods runs on Fridays where from 5:00 - 7:00 pm, for $5, you can get 5 food and wine (or beer) pairings that fit into a certain theme. Tonight's theme is obviously "Uno de Mayo" and is supposed to feature a "festive Mexican spread." According to the Whole Foods - University Heights calendar/website, the $5 cover grants you an all-access punch card listing the evening's pairings and you get a a free reusable wine glass which you can bring back for a $1 discount off admission on a later date. They claim they have vegetarian "options" at each 5X7 event. I messaged the store through Twitter to see if that means one or many but haven't heard anything back just yet. Even if there's just one little niblet for me, it's worth it. I like trying new wines, and this seems like a fun random thing to do on a Friday night. And afterwards, I can get my grocery shopping done!
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