The Vegan Variant: Willy Street Co-Op

August 17, 2006

Submitted by Nicole on Wed, 2006-08-16 14:12. Food | Market | Vegan Variant I have at least a handful of friends who seem to be afraid of the Willy St. Co-op... they either think it will be so obvious they are non-members, and then "all the diehard hippies" will notice them as if they had red flags

sticking up all over the place, or they think all the food is weird and they wouldn't be able to find anything they would like. I have told them both thoughts are ridiculous, but I will say it again now - in writing - that it is just absurd to be wary of a co-op, and especially for those reasons. The Co-op isn't just a grocery store, they also have a juice bar and bakery, deli, and salad bar. I have not tried anything from the juice bar or bakery, but the deli and salad bars always have a great selection (with many vegan options). Some things offered can be a little pricey, but you can usually find something tasty in a reasonable price range. The salad bar has offered... A really great three-bean salad, with a tangy vinaigrette covering kidney, garbanzo, and green beans. Roasted potatoes, sometimes a tiny bit bland, but still good. A quinoa and vegetable medley in another type of salad vinaigrette, similar

to the three-bean dressing. Mexican corn, beans, and rice, this was highly over-spiced and the flavor was too strong to handle. The baked tofu served cold has a firm texture with an earthy flavor with just the right amount of seasoning. The sesame broccoli with peppers and kale is satisfying since the vegetables hold strongly in the sesame/soy sauce. There has been more offered of course, but these are the ones I have seen more regularly.Soups are offered as well, and there are usually two choices, at least one being vegan. And of course since it is a salad bar, there are also standard salad options, such as spinach, broccoli flourettes, roasted red pepper, baby corn, tofu, onions, mushrooms, peas, corn, beets, beans, nuts, dried fruits, sprouts, sesame sticks, and a selection of salad dressings. All of these are organic, and some are also local. The salad bar offerings always taste whole and fresh, and

makes for a great stop for lunch or dinner, or a snack. The only gripe I've had is that on occasion, some specific dishes can be a little too bland, or even rarer, a little over seasoned. Overall, the Co-op salad bar is one of my top choices for a cheap, good meal. It is priced by weight, so it can be as cheap or expensive as you make it. What's more is you can choose what size you want, as well as if you want to eat it there at the Co-op or take it to go. This not only is convenience, but cuts down on trash too since if you eat it there, you use a dish or bowl instead of disposable material. As for the deli, the BBQ and baked tofu and seitan are fantastic, there are sandwiches (mostly of the vegetable variety for the vegans), noodle and rice dishes, and many other options as well (which change regularly). Not only this, but the bakery has pre-packed, cold dessert items between the vegetables and the bakery-area consisting of vegan cake slices, as well as a

slew of other animal-free sweets. There are a large number of soy/rice/tofu ice creams located in the frozen section from novelty "ice-cream" bars to pints and larger of many vegan "ice-cream" brands (as far as I'm concerned, it's hard to resist Tofutti Cuties, vegan and omnivore alike... mint-chocolate chip is my favorite). The rest of the store has a ton of organic fruits and vegetables (honestly, organic usually tastes better, albeit more expensive), a lot of which are also local to support Madison and surrounding-area farmers; however, there is also a small area reserved for conventional items so if anyone needs to save some money, they have the choice within the store. Willy Street also has a ton of soy products, such as soy dairy (and the rice, etc. varieties as well, of milks, yogurts, cheeses, ice creams, and butter/margarine) and fake meat products (luncheon meats--Tofurkey is my absolute favorite--seitan, tofu, tempeh, brats--again

Tofurkey is amazing... try Spicy Italian--, soy hotdogs, veggie burgers, and vegan "chicken"... and more). The bulk section is a good size with many options, such as TVP, nutritional yeast, pastas, rice, nuts, chocolate, flours, and a lot more. There are sea vegetables and ethnic food choices, a ton of vegan snacks (especially chips), soups, baking needs, frozen items, breads, and organic (and non-organic) canned-goods. There is also a healthcare and beauty section for toiletries, vitamins, and supplements. They have books and magazines as well. The Willy St. Co-op has a great selection, just about everyone who I have come in contact with who works there seems to be friendly, and although it can be a little more pricey than cheap, pre-packaged goods, the quality is worth the extra money. It's very easy to be vegan when there is a place like this in town! 1221 Williamson St.Madison, WI 53703Open 8am - 9pm daily(608)

251-6776http://www.willystreet.coop/ Trackback URL for this post: http://www.dane101.com/trackback/1363Peter H

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