Good morning! Before we get into the newsletter we'd like to let you know that effective Tuesday, September 8th, customers will be required to wear a mask in order to enter the store. The vast majority of our customers already wear one when they're inside. We get it, nobody wants to wear a mask. It's a drag. But so is getting sick. And with pandemic case numbers exploding in this province, we all need to do everything that we can to protect each other from this nasty virus. So please remember your mask when you leave home to come to the store.
Ok, so now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's get busy learning about all sorts of things. For instance, on today's date in 1985, a French-US expedition led by American oceanographer Dr. Robert Ballard discovered the final resting place of the luxury liner RMS Titanic, having sunk 600 kms off the coast of Newfoundland on April 15, 1912. It had been 73 years since anyone had laid eyes on the doomed liner which was deemed "unsinkable" by it's builder. Ironically (and tragically), it slipped beneath the frigid waves of the Atlantic Ocean after it struck an iceburg on it's very first voyage. 1500 souls were lost. Alas, none of this is new. Everyone knows this story. But what you might not know is that the ship's chief baker, Charles Joughin, went into the water that night having drunk a vast quantity of whiskey and was recued come daylight when the RMS Carpathia arrived. Remember that scene in Titanic when Jack and Rose were on the outside of the railing and there's a baker beside them with a mickey of booze? They then ride the ship as it sinks into the water. Well, that was based on testimony by Joughin who claimed that he rode the ship down "like an elevator" not even dunking his head under when it finally submerged. It officially made him the last person to exit RMS Titanic. He was pulled from the water with little more than swollen feet.
This newsletter is all about the meat. Well, not all about it. It's about half the meat. Let's just say there are several meat products to describe. So if eating meat isn't your thing, skip ahead a little bit. For the rest of you, read on.
Our Deli Department has been working feverishly to bring in the items that our customers want and the Saanich Peninsula's Berryman Brothers Ready-to-Eat Charcuterie Sausage is one that is getting everyone excited about! Each package contains four varieties of smoked sausage: Swiss Farmer, Polish Kielbasa, Spanish Chorizo and Honey Garlic. Simply remove them from the package, cut up and enjoy!
Next there's Berryman Brothers Smoked Garlic Ham Ring which you can either boil first or cut up and serve like the other sausages. All are free from gluten, dairy and antibiotics and all of them are extremely tasty!
The other thing that our Deli wants you to know about is that they have back in stock the moist and exceptionally flavoured Preferisco Prosciutto D'Italia! It's sliced to order for your convenience. This all-natural prosciutto is made in Italy of the finest pigs. If you think that everything's better with bacon (which it is) then you're sure to find that the same holds true for this exquisite dry-cured ham!
It's still summer and that means BBQ season is still in full swing. And it's a good thing, too, because our Meat Department has added two new family favourites of hot dogs! Maple Leaf Natural Top Dogs are all-natural wieners with zero fillers made with premium meats and natural ingredients. Choose from the Original Size or the BBQ Format (same package weight but just larger wieners). Real. Simple. Maple Leaf.
As long as you've got the grill fired up for some hot dogs, why not throw on some burgers while you're at it? But not just any burgers, mind you. Not even beef burgers. Belmont Meats Turkey Burgers are a healthier alternative to beef without sacrificing any flavour or satisfaction! These extra lean patties are juicy and flavourful and are a great source of protein and iron. Plus they're free of any trans fats. Change it up and gobble down something different and delicious!
Since Yeshi Dressing hit the shelves a while back, their popularity has grown exponentially! This Mill Bay business makes one of the tastiest dressings around incorporating nutritional yeast into a varied selection of flavours such as Original, Mild Chili, Smoky Chipotle and Ginger Sesame. But just when you thought it couldn't get any better, they went ahead and created a new flavour that's sure to make you ask, "Et tu, Bruce?" when you find out that your neighbour Bruce has also purchased it. New Yeshi Dressing Caesar has "subtle flavours of garlic, anchovy, mustard and lemon...everything you would want in a traditonal Caesar dressing but with a decidedly Yeshi twist!" It's free of eggs, gluten, nuts and dairy and it's going to be your next favcourite dressing. All hail Caesar and say yes to Yeshi!
These next guys are trying to take a page out of the Kombucha Lovers Handbook by offering an alternative to said beverage and maybe pull a few of the soda and juice drinkers away, too. Tribe ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) is a Sparkling Apple Cider Vinegar Drink that's lightly flavoured with Tropical Blend, Turmeric Ginger Peach and Blackberry Sage. But wait, why would anyone want to drink apple cider vinegar? Actually, there are numerous studies that show it to reduce harmful gut bacteria, aids digestion, improves metabolism and helps lower blood pressure. These refreshingly different drinks are 75% organic, low in sugar and calories, are gluten-free and caffeine-free and will make you feel good from the inside out!
The Fine Cheese Company of Bath England cordially invites you to purchase and enjoy their Fine English Gluten-Free Water Crackers. Made with maize flour, soya bran and tapioca but not with wheat or dairy, these gluten-free crackers have, according to the company website, "a toasty flavour and is thin and crunchy and a great addition to the range." Indeed.
If you drink coffee then you know that almost nothing beats a good cuppa. It's a blissful activity. But if you choose to add non-dairy creamer but haven't found one that suits your taste then Coffee-Mate Bliss Oat Plain Coffee Creamer will make every cup of your plant-based coffee creamer experience a blissful one. With only 1 gram of sugar per serving, you can ditch the curdle and embrace the creamy because there's no separation going in in your mug. Just shake first, pour, stir and enjoy!
That's all there is for this week, people. Thank you so much for continuing to support us during this pandemic. Our customers are the greatest and you are the reason why we succeed. There's no Pepper's without our amazing customers! So please continue to social distance. Please continue to follow the arrows. And please continue to be kind and patient with each other!
Until next week, take good care!
Pepper's Foods