Ever wonder if Rising Tide’s other customers love the same products you do? Well, here’s your answer. We’ve got our First Annual Top Products of 2023. Do you see your favorites?
TOP GROCERY ITEMS
Mountain Valley Water
You’ve been staying hydrated with Mountain Valley Water. Collected from a spring in the Ouachitas, this thirst-quencher is sodium-free and has calcium, magnesium, potassium, and a naturally detoxifying pH.
Bread Alone Bread
Bread Alone Bakery opened their doors in 1983 with a mission to make delicious bread from organic grains—all while they pay mind to the planet by supporting regenerative farming. Let’s toast to them!
ROAR Beverages
With electrolytes, vitamins, and antioxidants, it’s no wonder this is at the top of the list of your favorite beverages.
Vital Farms Organic Eggs
When it comes to your morning scramble, you’ve chosen Vital Farms Organic Eggs as your fave. Vital Farms is made up of over 300 small farms who all share the same ethical standards – like allowing their chickens to have access to the pasture all year long.
Organic Valley Whole Milk
In 2023, your cookies were getting dunked into a tall glass of Organic Valley Whole Milk. Organic Valley’s milk has more omega-3s and CLAs than conventional alternatives because their cows spend their time grazing on pastures.
Harmless Harvest Coconut Water
Coconut water was a popular pick this year, especially Harmless Harvest Coconut Water. Sourced from a variety of coconut from Thailand called the Nam Hom coconut, it’s a rehydration powerhouse.
RT Fresh Ground Peanut Butter
Organic and ground right here in the store, it’s no surprise that this is a community favorite. Fresh, crunchy, and stick-to-your-mouth delicious!
Seventh Generation Free and Clear Dish Soap
When it comes to doing your dishes, Seventh Gen’s soap is your top pick, and the New York Times agrees: it was awarded best dish soap by Wirecutter.
RT Reusable Bags
We know we’re biased, but we love them too. Thanks for your commitment to reducing single-use bags!
TOP FROZEN ITEM
Piñon’s Pizza
We weren’t surprised to see this on our list, but we were no less thrilled because RT loves to champion local products whenever possible. Piñon’s Pizza Company is located in nearby Locust Valley and makes pizzas that make your mouth water just by thinking about them.
TOP DELI ITEMS
Chicken Salad
You’ll get no argument from us about this one! Whether it’s the plain, curried, or walnut, our chicken salads are one of our deli faves as well.
Spring Rolls
We weren’t too surprised to find out you’ve been eating these up since they fly out of the case. A great snack or side dish, our deli’s spring rolls are super satisfying.
Chicken Quesadilla
Jack cheese, antibiotic-free chicken, garlic and more has made our deli’s cheese quesadilla a top choice. It’s a great option for an easy meal.
Crab Cakes
Chef John’s crab cakes are a tasty choice when you’re craving this seafood favorite. No fuss, no mess, just absolutely delicious.
TOP MEAT ITEMS
D’Artagnan Organic Whole Chicken & Organic Chicken Breast
From day one of D’Artagnan opening their doors in 1985, they understood sustainable and humane practices would make a better product. Their spot on this list proves that they’re correct!
Vermont Organic Ground Beef
You’ve been ordering up your ground beef from this family whose lineage has over three generations of butchers.
TOP JUICE & SMOOTHIE ITEMS
RT Grateful Greens
You sure have been drinking your greens this year! With few ingredients and a whole lot of nutrients, this is evidence that the RT community has been keeping things healthy.
RT Wellness Shot
With the perfect mix of orange juice, turmeric, black pepper, and ginger, RT’s Wellness Shots have been your choice for a quick hit of nutrient power.
The Boss Smoothie
We know what dominates your smoothie game. The Boss Smoothie has been leading the charge when it comes to these creamy selections.
Ginge Lemonade
You’ve been sipping away at this delightfully tart blend of ginger, lemon, agave, and alkaline water.
TOP BAKERY ITEMS
Rose’s Loaves
Our resident Bake Master Rose, sure knows how to sweeten our lives. Whether it’s her carrot cake, a slice of pumpkin spice, or a different specialty loaf, Rose’s Loaves have been a hit throughout 2023.
Rose’s Carrot Cake
2023 was the year of saying YES to dessert—especially when it came to Rose’s Carrot Cake. With the perfect blend of moisture and spice, her cake makes every bite worth it.
TOP WELLNESS ITEMS
Truvani Protein Powder
With clean, real ingredients, plant-based protein, and a great flavor, Truvani has been hitting it out of the park in 2023.
Friendly Force Probiotic
For the good of your gut, you’ve been making this probiotic a popular pick. With 13 strains of bacteria and whole foods, it’s no wonder this has been flying off of the shelves.
Natural Factors Multi Collagen
This has been your top collagen supplement and Steve agrees! He loves it for its help with inflammation, joint pain, and aging.
So Fresh Flossing Toothbrush
We are all smiles over this Flossing Toothbrush making it into our top picks of 2023. Great health includes great oral care!
Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Soap Bar
You love the zing of peppermint—especially when it’s packaged in a Dr. Bonner’s soap bar. Peppermint oil is added to all of those skin-nourishing ingredients to wake you up as it cleans you off!
We’re happy to report that, due to customer demand, in-store shopping has returned to Rising Tide. This is what it looks like:
- In-store shopping hours are 8am – 4pm (we’re closed Wednesdays)
- A maximum of 8 customers are permitted in the store at one time
- Masks are required by ALL, and we encourage every customer to put on a pair of fresh gloves that we supply at the start of every shop
- Social distancing inside the store is STRONGLY ENCOURAGED through the use of floor decals and other signage
- Transactions are credit card only, and refunds are suspended until further notice
Don’t want to shop in-store? Enjoy our Curbside Pick-up service!
Rising Tide Owes Staff and Customers a Debt of Gratitude
We can honestly say without the tiniest bit of hesitation that we would not be able to carry on serving our community in the way we are without our caring, generous, hardworking, dedicated team of employees. Each time we thought we might not be able to meet customer demand, one of our amazing staff members would step up and overdeliver with high energy, teamwork, and can-do-attitudes that more than once brought tears to our eyes. We are indebted to you— the superstar Rising Tide team—and we feel so very lucky to have you.
And then there are our loyal, inspiring customers. From Mark, who donated and erected our tent to keep your groceries out of the rain, to the schoolchildren, showering us with thank you cards, to the hundreds of texts and social media posts we’ve received from customers expressing their gratitude, our daily efforts are fueled by the compassion and generosity of spirit of those that call this amazing community home. We can’t express enough how much those little gestures mean to us, and how they’ve gotten us through tough spots and down days. We are humbled by your generosity and your gratitude.
In order to service as many customers as possible in a way everyone feels good about, we plan to maintain our convenient curbside service for the foreseeable future. Curbside orders can be texted to 516-400-4360. Once you text, we’ll let you know which day we will shop your order (average wait time is 1 day). Let us know when you want your order shopped and we will do our best to oblige. Current pick-up hours are 4pm-8pm (we’re closed on Wednesdays to allow our staff to regroup and recharge).
Need eight items or less? Just come to the RT parking lot with your list and we will shop it on the spot. If you are elderly or for some other reason cannot text in your order, please bring it to us at the store—we will find a way to make it happen! No one who needs good healthy food will be left out in the cold.
So many in our community are hurting at this time. Many have lost jobs; many struggle to provide for basic needs for themselves and their families. For these reasons and more, it is our honor to be working with the Glen Cove High School Food Pantry to provide a weekly delivery of fresh fruit and other essential items which are distributed to some 150 Glen Cove families. We will continue this weekly dropoff as long as there is the need.
If you’d like to donate to the food pantry, bring your groceries to the back of the high school on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Drop-off is at the garage door next to the cafeteria. The food pantry has access to refrigerators, so eggs and dairy are okay in addition to non-perishables.
Our Our Charity of the Month Program just keeps getting better and better!
We’re excited to report that in 2019, thanks to our amazing customers, we collected close to $9,000 for some of our favorite local charities! As a result of our continued support to these and other groups, we were recognized with a Community Service Award by the Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce in November at their 16th Annual Gala—an honor we accepted with great pride.
In addition, we’re happy to report that our second annual year-end Round Up for the Holidays allowed us to contribute $2,760 ($1,380 from our customers and a $1,380 match made by Rising Tide Natural Market), split evenly between two local charities that help fight hunger in the Glen Cove area: the Finley Middle School Food Pantry, located right across the street from Rising Tide, and the North Shore Soup Kitchen (formerly the North Shore INN), housed in the First Baptist Church in Glen Cove. Both groups support a cause that’s near and dear to our hearts…we’ll always step up to help others get the food they need to thrive.
These are some of the local organizations that we’ve had the pleasure of getting to know since our Charity of the Month program launched nearly three years ago. We hope by focusing on a different charity each month that some of you will get to know these amazing groups, too. They are some of the finest examples of the wonderful spirit of this community that we’ve come across.
Volunteers for Wildlife
Healing Headbands
Living Water for Women
All Our Energy
Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor
Cove Animal Rescue
Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club
Girls Rising
Glen Cove Youth Bureau
Finley Food Pantry
Orkestai Farm
North Shore Sheltering Program
North Shore Soup Kitchen
As we dive into a new year, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who made it possible for Rising Tide to make these donations, each of which helps a stellar organization continue to do great, compassionate work in this community.
As we prepare for one of Rising Tide’s most exciting years on record (of course we’re talking about our beautiful, new 11,000 square foot store opening across from our current location later this year!) we’re looking forward to more giving, more volunteering, and more community engagement than ever before. If you have an idea for a local nonprofit organization that you think would make a good Rising Tide Charity of the Month, please reach out to us via our website. And thank you, as always, for your support.
We’re excited to revisit the Finley Middle School Food Pantry as our Charity of the Month for September.
Located just across the street from the store, the food pantry at Finley Middle School provides fresh and shelf-stable food items to residents of Glen Cove every Friday from 3-5 p.m.
Staffed by student and teacher volunteers, the pantry goes above and beyond to serve from 10-60 families each week—taking special orders, sending food home with students, and making deliveries for families lacking transportation.
We’re proud to be donating to this amazing program (for the second year in a row!) making such a difference in the lives of our Glen Cove neighbors.
We’re excited to introduce our August Charity of the Month: the Fill-a-Bookbag Drive sponsored by the Glen Cove Youth Bureau. This is the second time we’re supporting this bookbag and school supplies drive, a critical effort for this local nonprofit.
The Fill-a-Bookbag Drive brings individual donors and businesses together to provide needed school supplies to some 300 Glen Cove students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford them. Making the GCYB our Charity of the Month for August allows us to do our part to make sure lack of school supplies is not a deterrent to academic success for any child in the Glen Cove School District.
***Rising Tide is a collection point for the Fill-a-Bookbag Drive. Simply leave supplies in the box outside the store. Ask cashiers for a complete list of needed items***
In addition to the Fill-a-Bookbag Drive, other GCYB programs intended to close educational and recreational gaps for Glen Cove students include Glen Cove After 3, after-school and summer enrichment opportunities for students grades K-8; and the Drop-in Center, open for homework help and after-school fun for students grades 1-5, and to teens looking to socialize in a safe, drug- and alcohol-free environment in the evenings. The Summer Youth Employment Program teaches 16-18 year olds skills for entering the workforce including how to prepare a resume and cover letter, and how to dress for success, interview for a job, and more.
Thank you for supporting this amazing local charity through our Charity of the Month program…we’re so grateful we can always count on our customers!
We are excited to announce our July Charity of the Month: Girls Rising.
This nonprofit organization was created by the Sea Cliff-based all-female rock band, Antigone Rising, to empower and inspire girls and LGBTQ kids to pursue careers in STEAM fields.
Girls Rising uplifts kids and build self-esteem by sharing personal stories at outreach workshops and live performances. Included at their workshops are inspirational special guests from other STEAM fields to create a panel of diversity. Girls Rising awards grants and scholarships to students in underserved school districts, and provides kids with opportunities through their Girls Rising Music Festival (the 2019 festival took place just two weeks ago in Glen Cove’s own Morgan Park).
We agree with Girls Rising: girls and LGBTQ youth need to see strong role models they can emulate and identify with in positions of leadership. Girls Rising’s outreach workshops aim to do just that by bringing successful women and queer people of all ethnic backgrounds to their attention.
Thank you for supporting Girls Rising!
We are so excited to announce our June Charity of the Month: The Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club. We’ve chosen to support this organization multiple times because we have so much respect for their commitment to the children in this community.
The Club serves nearly 600 youth (ages 6 -18) annually in the Glen Cove community with after-school programs in education, sports, recreation, dance, technology and art—all designed to enrich and enhance learning and build self-esteem. And in a few weeks when school’s out, the Club will be providing a fun, affordable summer program with creative and imaginative activities designed to keep kids interested in learning while having fun with their friends.
Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club’s mission: To provide a safe and caring environment that will inspire and enable all young people to realize their full potential as productive and responsible citizens.
Rising Tide is proud to support this mission and this wonderful local organization.
The Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor (CSHH) is a volunteer, nonprofit organization, founded in 1986. CSHH is dedicated to identifying and eliminating environmental threats to Hempstead Harbor and surrounding communities. Our objective is to advance the public interest in protecting and restoring our local environment to its full ecological and economic potential. Currently, CSHH has been involved in a year-long Habitat Restoration project in Glenwood Landing and also organizes several “cleanups” throughout the year. Most recently, CSHH sponsored an Earth Day press conference and rally to oppose offshore seismic blasting and oil and gas drilling.
The fundamental force behind CSHH’s efforts is the belief that concerned and informed citizens can make a difference in events that shape the future. They seek to increase awareness of environmental issues and promote greater appreciation of the local environment. Most importantly, the public is encouraged to participate in local conservation issues.
As with most holidays in the U.S., the original meaning tends to fade, replaced by a more modern interpretation. Mother’s Day is no different. In the years before the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis started “Mother’s Day Work Clubs” to teach women how to care for their children. Following Ann’s death in 1905, her daughter, Anna Jarvis, conceived of “Mother’s Day” to honor the myriad sacrifices mothers made for their children. She wanted it to be an intimate day of celebration between mothers and families; she envisioned children wearing white carnations and visiting their mothers or going to church with them in honor of the special day.
Anna successfully campaigned to make Mother’s Day a national holiday but once she saw the commercialization of the holiday, she grew to regret it. She later spent much of her time and resources actively lobbying the government to get it removed from the U.S. calendar.
Quite a sordid past for what should be a lovely holiday! Let’s take Mother’s Day back, making it a day to share with the moms in your life in the way that will mean the most to them. Check out these options, something for every kind of mom:
1. Be of service. What can you do to help? Clean for mom, or help her with some techy project she can’t get a handle on—or hire a professional to do either one. Fix something that needs mending, or bring along a handyman to do the job. Wash and fold her laundry. Cook her a meal, or better yet, come stocked with multiple meals that she can freeze and parse out over time.
2. Quality time with mom. Schedule brunch or High Tea with mom. Take a walk in a beautiful place, or enjoy a little pampering together at a local spa. Visit the Nassau County Museum of Art, home to indoor art exhibits and interesting outdoor installations.
3. Alone time. Maybe Mom would love a little time to herself to do whatever it is she likes to do best. Let her off the hook for the traditional Mother’s Day meal, and let her do her thing. Spend the time without her to tackle a project she doesn’t have time to get to, shop for a little something you know she’ll love, create a piece of art in her honor, or make a simple but thoughtful dinner for her return.
4. Plant a garden. Due to the good weather and generally warm temps, Mother’s Day is the unofficial start of planting season. Take mom to pick out some veggie, fruit or flower seeds, then break ground on her 2019 garden. In addition to the beautiful organic plants from Long Island’s own Marion Gardens, Rising Tide also carries dozens of organic seeds from High Mowing Seeds, including handy collections of seeds like “Summer of Sunflowers”, a “Bee’s Garden”, “Three Sisters”, “Easy Salad Greens”, and “Kid’s Garden” (a fun collection of “easy to succeed” seeds!). If a full-scale garden is too ambitious, purchase a beautiful pot and help her plant some lavender, rosemary, mint or other herbs she can use all summer long.
5. Eat (or drink) outdoors. Nothing cues the shift in seasons like a picnic. Head to the beach, or the park, or lay out a blanket in your backyard. Source some healthy, delicious salads and sandwiches from Rising Tide or another favorite spot. Or how about a sunset cocktail on the water? This area offers many opportunities for sipping something tasty alfresco. Take it one step further and take a bottle of rosé in a water taxi for a cruise around Hempstead Harbor.
6. Buy a green gift. You want Mom to be healthy and to make choices that lead to a long, happy life; this year, choose a gift that reflects that desire. We’ve got something for every kind of mama.
- HydroFlasks: Hydration is so important, especially as we head into summer. We’ve got stainless steel HydroFlask water/coffee bottles in all shapes and sizes, and in beautiful spring colors.
- Women’s Supplements: No matter what Mom’s age, there are hormones to contend with; Womensense supplements are there for every stage of a woman’s life, and can help her through things like adrenal fatigue, menopause, thyroid issues, and balancing estrogen.
- Organic & Fair Trade Sweets: If she’s going to indulge on Mother’s Day, it might has well be with the good stuff! (Plus…so many studies lately point to the merits of having dark chocolate in your life. If chocolate equals health, we are ON BOARD.) Choose from an array of healthier alternatives, including Chocolove Chocolate Bars, Bark Thins snacking chocolate, Skinny Dipped Almonds, Alter Eco Chocolates and Dark-Chocolate Covered nuts & fruits from Tierra Farm.
- Mama Care: We’ve got all kinds of clean, toxin- and cruelty-free goodies to make Mama feel good and look her best. (Check out the Mother’s Day display at the front of the store..there is something for every mom!) Among our favorites are the CBD Bath Bombs by CBD Living. Aromatic and healing and made with 60mg of nano-CBD, these make bath time oh so special. Available in Lavender, Eucalyptus, and Coconut Lime. And for clean facial care for mom, there’s the Sweet Treats git set from one of our favorite natural skin care co.’s, MyChelle Dermaceuticals. This lovely little gift set contains the Refining Sugar Cleanser and the Lip Hints™ Conditioning Lip Balm.
7. Give the Gift of Charity. You and Mom will both feel good when you donate to a great cause in her name. The International Rescue Committee offers many ways to do this, including helping to pay for health pregnancies for woman in Kenya ($52); funding emergency food for malnourished children in places like Nigeria and Yemen ($68 gives three meals each to 50 children), and providing a year of school for children in crisis in war-torn countries like Syria ($58). If there is a local nonprofit that means a great deal to your mom, make your donation there instead.
Of course this is just a quick guide; only you know your favorite moms and what would mean the most to them on Mother’s Day. Reflect on this, and it will be a holiday to remember for all!
Just in time for Earth Day, we’re excited to announce that our April Charity of the Month—All Our Energy—is all about protecting our local environment.
With its focus on advocacy, education, and empowering people to support renewable energy development and act on environmental protection, All Our Energy is near and dear to our hearts. They educate the public and empower local volunteers to raise awareness, advocate for change, and take action in local beach, waterway, and open space clean-ups.
Some of All Our Energy’s recent successes include the Long Beach and Sea Cliff reusable bag initiatives, which keep millions of needless bags—most of which are made of fossil fuels—from becoming pollution every year.
By contributing to All Our Energy through our Charity of the Month program, we’re all taking a step toward a brighter future for the planet. Thank you, as always, for your support!
We are pleased to introduce you to our March Charity of the Month: Living Water for Women.
The hundreds of women released each year from Nassau County Jail are giving little more than a week’s worth of psych meds, if applicable, and a Metrocard. Their chances of making a fresh start under these circumstances are severely compromised by their lack of resources. What’s the solution?
In 2014, Living Water for Women established a structured transitional home for women who are struggling with addictions, some of whom may also have been incarcerated. These women are already living in the midst of our communities; Living Water provides them with adequate housing along with counseling and job training to keep them off the streets.
While the program provides basic needs such as food, clothing and toiletries, it relies on outside support to enable them to provide life skills, job training, spiritual guidance, counseling and mentoring. Consider volunteering if you have a skill that would benefit these women.
Living Water’s mission is one that stands to benefit every last one of us: to help disenfranchised and formerly incarcerated women, struggling with addictions, to overcome their weaknesses and nurture their strengths so that they may become vital members of the community.
For the second year in row, we are pleased to be supporting our February Charity of the Month: Healing Headbands.
Harnessing the healing power of art and laughter, Sea Cliff-based Healing Headbands works with people with serious illnesses (children and adults) to create joy. Run by certified laughter leaders and co-founders Barbara Grapstein and Joanie Accolla, Healing Headbands has worked with more than 1,000 children, conducting workshops in hospitals, schools, with Girl Scout troops, corporations and everywhere healing is needed.
The workshops begin with 20 minutes of simple improv-style laughter exercises, scientifically proven to shift brain chemistry and get participants ready to “paint their joy”. The colorful art created is then printed on ultra-soft micro fiber with UV protection up to 50 percent. Headbands are made from the art and can be custom-sized for special purposes (i.e. casts or bandages). Now the children can “Wear their Happiness”.
Since its founding in 2013, Grapstein and Accolla have integrated healing workshops in 12 major hospitals in the United States with plans to duplicate and expand the program nationally. Contact Barbara and Joanie at info@healingheadbands.com to bring the project to your community.
Volunteers for Wildlife is a nonprofit wildlife hospital and education center located on the grounds of Bailey Arboretum in Locust Valley. It’s mission: to rescue, rehabilitate, and release wild animals who have been injured, sick, or orphaned, and to educate the public about the importance of wildlife and ecological conservation. Each year, VFW accepts nearly 2,000 patients (mainly songbirds, waterfowl, and small mammals), all native to Long Island.
Children (3+) and adults can learn about our local furry friends through educational programming created by the VFW. Scout groups, library programs, guided nature hikes, night walks—there is something for everyone. To coordinate a program for your group, reach out to the Education Coordinator at info@volunteersforwildlife.org.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Here at Rising Tide we’re excited for another year of giving to the amazing charities right here in our own neighborhood.
Year Two of our Charity of the Month program gave us the chance to meet a whole bunch of new people doing heroic work in this community. As the first full year of the program (we launched in April 2017 to honor Earth Day), we were able to donate almost $8,000 to 12 charities. This includes our Holiday Roundup, which benefited two of our favorite local hunger relief organizations: Island Harvest and the North Shore Soup Kitchen (formerly the North Shore INN).
As always, we could not have done this without YOU! The monies for the Charity of the Month originate from our Bring Your Own Bag program, also launched in 2017. The objective: to encourage our customers to bring their reusable bags, lightening our carbon footprint by significantly reducing our use of paper bags. Each time a paper bag is given out, 10 cents is charged to the customer, then donated to our Charity of the Month. Reusable bags are the same—bring in your own bag and 10 cents will be donated to the charity, as well. So…eco-healthy habits are built while our neediest charities are funded. We love this program!
Wanted: New Local Charities
We’re always looking for new local nonprofits to add to our program. If you’re involved with a local charity that you feel would fit within our mission (we prioritize groups that fall into the following categories: children’s health and education, hunger relief, environmental awareness and education, organic and sustainable farming, and animal welfare), please fill out and submit a Request a Donation form on the Rising Tide website.
Thanks again for all you do to help us give so much too so many!
It’s the giving season, and this year we’re asking our customers to support the neediest in our community by helping provide for basic needs such as food and hygiene.
For every purchase you make, we will give you the option of rounding up to the nearest dollar. All “round up” proceeds will be sent to two charities that target hunger on Long Island: Island Harvest and The INN. The two charities will use the donated monies to purchase their most-needed items at their optimum cost. (Island Harvest is also our December Charity of the Month for the second year running…we choose them for the relentless energy they devote to making the holiday season bearable for so many! Read here about their Kids Weekend Backpack Feeding Program, ensuring kids don’t go hungry when they are out on school vacations.)
*Rising Tide will MATCH all Round Up monies collected between December 10 and December 31, 2018*
Thank you as always for your generosity!
Note: if you’re planning holiday donations outside of your rounding up at Rising Tide, do your due diligence first by vetting your favorite cause through this Charity Navigator. In addition to Island Harvest and the INN, some of our favorites are our former Charity of the Month recipients:
The Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club
Harbor Child Care
Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor
Community Solidarity
Glen Cove Youth Bureau
Cove Animal Rescue
Orkestai Farm
Healing Headbands
S.A.F.E.
All Our Energy
The North Shore Sheltering Program (Tax-deductible donations can be mailed to: NSSP, P.O. Box 415,
Glen Cove, NY 11542
The Finley Middle School Food Pantry (email Kirsten Kenney at kkenney@glencove.k12.ny.us to make a donation)
Founded in 1992, Island Harvest is Long Island’s largest hunger-relief organization, and plays a vital role in countering the sharply rising problem of hunger right here on the Island. Through its Kids Weekend Backpack Feeding Program, founded in 2006, Island Harvest provides 62,500+ packs of nutritious food to schoolchildren who may not otherwise receive solid meals on weekends.
With all its hunger-related efforts combined, Island Harvest provides food and non-food items to 316,000 Long Islanders living with food insecurity and in need, giving them a voice to help them transition from uncertainty to stability. And they’re always looking for volunteers! Check out their volunteer page to find out how you and your friends and family can make a difference during the holidays and throughout the year.
The holiday season is a time of sharing and gathering and giving thanks for all of our blessings. It is also the perfect time for us to support the amazing efforts of the North Shore Sheltering Program (for the second year in a row!) as our November Charity of the Month.
Twenty-three years ago, two homeless men—in separate incidents—froze to death in Glen Cove. It was this double tragedy that brought religious and community leaders together to found the North Shore Sheltering Program, housed every year since in the First Presbyterian Church of Glen Cove.
A Hot Meal and a Safe Place to Stay
The volunteer-based North Shore Sheltering Program provides homeless men with food and shelter in the winter months (from late November through March). Every evening from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., the program accepts up to 25 men a night (they have had 30 on some bitter cold winter nights), and allows them to see a nurse, have a hot, nutritious supper, sleep in new sleeping bags, watch television, read, talk with counselors, and have access to a shower. Hot meals and supplies are all donated by local organizations.
The mission of the program is simple and one we are very proud to support: No man will ever freeze to death again on the streets of Glen Cove.
As always, we are so very grateful for your participation in the BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) program that funds our Charity of the Month. If you want to contribute to the Shelter independently of our fundraising at Rising Tide, tax-deductible donations can be mailed to NSSP, P.O. Box 415, Glen Cove, NY 11542. Visit the North Shore Sheltering Project on Facebook or Instagram.
Our neighbor across the street (soon to be our adjacent neighbor when the exciting new location of Rising Tide is opened), Harbor Child Care serves children ages 12 weeks-12 years in a nurturing, safe, stimulating environment. Every child in their early childhood and school-age programs receives the highest quality instruction, education and care.
Glen Cove is a unique community with broad-based cultural, ethnic, religious and socio-economic diversity among its residents. People choose to live, work and attend school in Glen Cove intentionally because of this special quality. The nonprofit Harbor Child Care at Glen Cove applauds Glen Cove’s character as they seek to provide an early childhood experience that reflects the entirety of the Glen Cove community. Tuition scholarships and social services assistance are available to families in need.
Playtime Counts
This month, we’re happy to be donating our Charity of the Month monies to Harbor Day Care’s new playground fund. As part of Harbor’s new Creative Curriculum, physical movement and exercise will be taught using 21st century state-of-the-art playground equipment. This new playground will help the children play more freely, improve their motor skills, enhance their social skills, and explore new possibilities for fun, games and imagination. Your Bring Your Own Bag/Charity of the Month donations will allow every child at Harbor Day Care to have access to outdoor experiences that promote and enhance their curiosity and interest in the world around them—a great cause for our great neighbors.
Located across the street from Rising Tide, the food pantry at Finley Middle School provides fresh and shelf-stable food items to residents of Glen Cove every Friday from 3-5 p.m. Staffed and maintained by student and teacher volunteers since its inception in 2016, the pantry goes above and beyond to serve from 10-60 families each week—taking special orders, sending food home with students, and making deliveries for families lacking transportation. In addition to the dry goods and personal care items donated through the pantry, fresh fruits and vegetables are available to pantry participants thanks to regular deliveries from a previous Charity of the Month recipient, Island Harvest.
To learn more about the food pantry, contact Finley Middle School at 516-801-7510.
We’re proud to be donating to this amazing program making such a difference in the lives of our Glen Cove neighbors!
It’s still summer, but we’ve got Back to School on the brain! We’re specifically thinking about our own local schools, and how we can help them be all they can be for the children of our community. Enter Box Tops. Since 1996, Box Tops—featured on some of your favorite natural and organic brands—has helped schools just like the ones in our neighborhood earn over $868 million for things like building playgrounds, installing computer labs, and funding for other school enrichment programs.
This month, help us help our own local schools earn cash by clipping Box Tops. Throughout August, visit Rising Tide to purchase Annie’s and Cascadian Farm products on display at the front of the store and ON SALE for 2 for $6. Clip the Box Tops and either bring them to your local school or back to the store, where they can be placed in the available collection boxes. Save money, clip Box Tops, and help our schools thrive!
To learn more, visit http://www.boxtops4education.com.
We’re so excited to be able to support one of our favorite local charities, the Glen Cove Youth Bureau, at one of the most critical times of the year for the nonprofit. Each August, the Bureau conducts a Fill-a-Bookbag Drive, which brings individual donors and businesses together to provide needed school supplies to some 300 Glen Cove students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford them. Making the GCYB our Charity of the Month for August allows us to do our part to make sure lack of school supplies is not a deterrent to academic success for any child in the Glen Cove School District.
We’ll also be collecting school supplies in the store. Ask cashiers for a complete list of needed items.
In addition to the Fill-a-Bookbag Drive, other GCYB programs intended to close educational and recreational gaps for Glen Cove students include Glen Cove After 3, after-school and summer enrichment opportunities for students grades K-8; and the Drop-in Center, open for homework help and after-school fun for students grades 1-5, and to teens looking to socialize in a safe, drug- and alcohol-free environment in the evenings. The Summer Youth Employment Program, which Rising Tide became involved with for the first time this summer (with great success!), teaches 16-18 year olds skills for entering the workforce including how to prepare a resume and cover letter, and how to dress for success, interview for a job, and more.
Thank you for supporting this amazing local charity through our Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB) program…we’re so grateful we can always count on our customers!
We’re so excited to have made Cove Animal Rescue our Charity of the Month for a second time! The first time—last summer—was also our first occasion to visit the shelter to see firsthand all the great work being done there. One look at their cat wing (all those climbing, playing, happy cats!) and we were sold! This is a shelter created and staffed by true animal lovers.
Cove Animal Rescue, located right here in Glen Cove, strives to help eliminate the fear and stress that make an animal difficult to present for adoption. They do so by providing cage-free environments such as the cat wing mentioned above, and the recently completed outdoor dog runs and play areas.
Stop in to visit, choose a wonderful animal to adopt, or become a volunteer; Cove Animal Rescue is always looking for loving volunteers to give the animals affection and attention to prepare them for when they go home with their own human. Volunteers must be 16 and older, or 14-16 with an adult. And while the nonprofit shelter is partially subsidized by the City of Glen Cove, they also accept volunteer fundraisers to help raise money to pay for food, medical care and staffing.
Thank you for helping to raise money for this amazing charity throughout July through our Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB) program! As always, we’re so grateful for our wonderful customers.
Honey in its raw, unadulterated state is a healthy sweetener revered for centuries for its amazing antibacterial properties, abundance of trace minerals (iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and more), immune-boosting and digestive properties and other health benefits. Truth is, we can’t get enough of the stuff, and love it the most when it’s local. We sat down with the president of Southampton-based Hamptons Honey Company, Gabriel Alfaya, to learn the inspiration for this sweet Long Island biz, and what makes it stand out from the many other (lesser) honeys on the average grocery store shelf.
RT: Who are the people behind The Hamptons Honey Company?
GA: The Hamptons Honey Company was conceived almost 17 years ago when my partners, Frederic Rambaud and Alan Ceppos, purchased their home in Water Mill and were looking for a pursuit that would allow them to “give back” with all the land they had acquired. After reviewing several other options, including starting a small farm or vineyard, Frederic’s background in beekeeping lit a spark. I came aboard in 2008 and Hamptons Honey grew to the next level.
RT: How would you describe the role honey plays for those pursuing a clean, healthy lifestyle?
GA: Honey is considered a superfood, and is integral to a healthy lifestyle…especially local honey, which has many health properties and never spoils. It’s good for fighting allergies, soothing burns (honey is a natural antibiotic), and is a healthier alternative to sugar for cooking and baking.
RT: What makes The Hamptons Honey Company different from other honey?
GA: At Hamptons Honey we strive to ensure that all of our honey is local and never overly heated or treated. Honey should always be warmed gradually and never made too hot (overheating it can rob it of many of its healthy qualities). Our emphasis on quality is second to none. We know our customers love our products and we try never to forget that.
RT: How important is it for you to source honey locally, from local beekeepers?
GA: We believe that honey is always best when local. For example, if you suffer from allergies here in the Northeast, using an Orange Blossom honey—though delicious—will not help your body combat those allergies. Local beekeepers are a vital component of our food system and we try to make sure to keep the cycle going.
RT: What’s one fun thing most people don’t know about Hamptons Honey?
GA: EVERYTHING is fun – If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, what’s the point in doing it? I enjoy meeting with our stores, setting up our displays, thinking up new products and labels. It’s all a lot of fun.
RT: What’s the latest from Hamptons Honey? Anything new in the pipeline?
GA: We’re always trying to think outside the box. Right now, we’re toying with the idea of two new creamed honeys: a blueberry and an apricot. We’re also considering a hot chili-infused honey…or even a honey-infused BBQ sauce or salad dressing…stay tuned.
RT: When you’re not noshing on honey… what are you loving to eat right now? What are your top go-to’s (snacks, drinks, wellness products or other)?
GA: Too many times I’m guilty of not eating as well as I should (just ask my wife!). But anything caught in the ocean is good for me… and a nice bottle of wine!
RT: What are the best ways to use Hamptons Honey?
GA: Honey is so versatile and can be used so many different ways. You can bake with it, put it on your fruit or oatmeal, enjoy it right out of the jar on a spoon, mix it with other spices and develop your own BBQ rub, etc. And, of course, use it in your tea!
RT: What’s your favorite recipe to make using Hamptons Honey?
GA: My buddy Sam has come up with the best BBQ rub using our honey…amazing!
RT: What’s the strangest way you’ve heard someone use your honey?
GA: A woman once called to tell me that her dog was suffering from a persistent cough and her vet wanted to operate on the dog. She started feeding the dog a little honey and the cough eventually went away. Yes, apparently dogs can get allergies, too!
RT: So many in this community dream of starting their own business. What’s your best piece of advice for launching a successful local biz?
GA: Great question. First, never lose sight of the fact that you and your customers are basically a partnership. They want to provide the best products for THEIR customers so you in turn need to make sure you’re giving the best products that you can to your stores. Also, never grow faster than you’re prepared for. That growth will be short lived. If you can’t continue providing the service that people have come to expect, you’ll eventually lose those customers. That means you must be willing to invest in personnel and infrastructure to ensure that your customer service is always on point. And lastly, your employees are ambassadors of your brand…treat them like family!
Local Farm Welcomes Volunteers of All Abilities
Alethea Vasilis graduated from college, then took her backgrounds in dance and cultural anthropology and embarked on a life-changing adventure to Northern Mali. Here she saw firsthand two agricultural communities coming together through dance, drumming, and food. She was hooked.
When she returned to the U.S., she worked as a support person for Rachel, a young woman with autism. She brought Rachel to her father’s farm (her dad is Peter Vasilis of Long Island’s Orient Organics), and Rachel fell in love with the calming rhythm of farming work. This led to the start of the one-acre SustainAbility Farm at Oyster Bay’s Plantingfields Arboretum in 2011, which Alathea worked at and then managed in 2013. In 2014, when SustainAbility moved to Upstate, New York, Orkestai Farm was born.
Orkestai—derived from the Ancient Greek for collaborative movement, or the part in a theater piece when dancers move together to interpret nonverbal parts of the play—provides an opportunity for Alathea and her staff to bring together farming and the arts through a program she calls a CCA: Cultivated Community Agriculture. A CCA share at Orkestai consists of a weekly CSA share filled with local and sustainable produce, free access to Expressive Agriculture events (like a one-of-a-kind performance by theLong Island Vegetable Orchestra), yoga on the the farm, and, perhaps most importantly, thrice-weekly experiential farm learning, when people of all abilities come together to build community, learn about farming, and develop confidence in areas previously unexplored. New for 2018: a Kids’ Program for ages 2-10, featuring experiential learning once a week and one Sunday a month (no CSA share included).
According to Vasilis, the diversity among the volunteers and staff at Orkestai mirrors that of the crops themselves. “Orkestai Farm facilitates person-centered expressive and educational support for people of all abilities as they learn to grow food, participate in an inclusive community, and care for the land, ” she says. “We echo the notion of environmental biodiversity with a call for the acceptance of human neuro-diversity, a philosophy which honors the inherent worth of everyone in our community.”
To tour Orkestai, or inquire about the CCA program or about your group volunteering at the farm, visit http://www.orkestaifarm.org. And thank you for contributing to this wonderful program for the month of June through our Bring Your Own Bag program!
We are pleased to introduce you to our March Charity of the Month:
Community Solidarity.
Community Solidarity is America’s largest all-vegetarian hunger relief food program. Each week, Community Solidarity assists thousands of families by sharing free nutritious vegetarian groceries and hot gourmet vegan meals at food shares in four locations: Hempstead, Farmingville, Huntington, Wyandanch and Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. The plant-based foods they offer these families are not only healthier than most foods offered by mainstream food banks; they’re also compassionate and sustainable.
Community Solidarity’s mission is simple: By promoting a vegan diet, and sharing vegetarian groceries, they save animals. By empowering communities, and ending hunger, they help people. In 2017 Community Solidarity provided over $13,155,297.38 of assistance including over 5,257,857 pounds of vegetarian groceries! Every $1 donated to Community Solidarity allows them to rescue 328 pounds of vegetarian groceries—that’s a week’s worth of groceries for 11 people. We’re thrilled to be able to contribute to their efforts through Rising Tide’s BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag)/Charity of the Month program.
Wanted: Volunteers!
Community Solidarity is always looking for volunteers to distribute groceries at their food shares, to organize clothing drives, or to offer talents in other areas. Get in touch with them and see how you can make a difference.
We are pleased to introduce you to our March Charity of the Month:
Glen Cove Youth Bureau.
Since 1981, the Bureau has been dedicated to providing a safe and welcoming environment to allow all youth, all families, and the entire community to achieve its potential. Each year, approximately 1,800 young people in grades K-12 participate in the year-round activities and services offered by the City of Glen Cove Youth Bureau, among them: Glen Cove After 3, an after-school and summer enrichment program for grades K–8; a Drop In Center, open to grades 1–5 every day after school and on Saturdays, and to teens in the evenings; a full-day, six-week Summer Camp; a robust Youth Employment Program and more.
There is also a Family Services Program, which provides nutritional assistance and more to 4,426 Glen Cove residents. and a Youth Council, which gives voice to the middle and high school students in the area. So much amazing programming under one roof! We are so grateful to have learned of them and to be able to bring them to you through our Charity of the Month program.
Following is a recipe from the Glen Cove Youth Bureau’s Chef’s Corner cookbook, a compilation of recipes prepared in the last year by students in the Glen Cove After 3 program:
Easy Paleo Shepard’s Pie
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4, www.paleogrubs.com
For the Bottom Layer
1 TBS coconut oil
½ large onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 TBS tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground clove
For the Top Layer
1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 TBS ghee, melted
1 tsp spicy Paleo mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, to garnish
- Place a couple inches of water in a large pot. Once the water is boiling, place steamer insert and then cauliflower florets into the pot and cover. Steam for 12-14 minutes, until tender. Drain and return cauliflower to the pot.
- Add the ghee, mustard, salt and pepper to the cauliflower. Using an immersion blender or food processor, combine the ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Add in the ground beef and cook until browned.
- Stir in the tomato paste, chicken broth and remaining spices into the meat mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Distribute the meat mixture evenly among four ramekins and spread the pureed cauliflower on top. Use a fork to create texture in the cauliflower and drizzle with olive oil. Place under the broiler for 5-7 minutes until the top turns golden. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.
As we dive into a new year, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who made it possible for Rising Tide to donate more than $7,000 to local charities in 2017.
–The launch of our Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB)/Charity of the Month program was an unmitigated SUCCESS! Since the program began on Earth Day 2017, we’ve raised more than $4,000 for amazing charities in our local area, at the same time raising awareness about the use (overuse!) of paper bags. Thanks to YOU all, we were able to reduce our paper bag usage by ***23%***, and we are well on our way to meeting our goal of cutting our bag use in HALF in one year’s time.
The BYOB donations not only help local Charities of the Month to continue to thrive and meet their own goals—they also allow us to meet the people behind the charities, and to learn more about the wonderful and exciting work going on in our own backyard. So…a great big thank you as well to all those folks that work to serve the neediest members of our community!
–Our first-ever Round Up for the Holidays allowed us to reach our goal of $3,000 ($1,500 from our customers matched by Rising Tide Natural Market). This money will be evenly split between two local charities that help fight hunger in Glen Cove and beyond:
the North Shore INN and Island Harvest. This cause is near and dear to our hearts…we’re always ready and willing to help others get the food they need to thrive.
Looking forward to more giving this year! Thanks, as always, for your support…
We are pleased to introduce you to our January Charity of the Month: All Our Energy.
All Our Energy advocates, educates, involves and empowers the public to support renewable energy and act on environmental issues. Their core missions: renewable energy advocacy and awareness, environmental stewardship, and public education and involvement through events and outreach opportunities that lead to action from participants.
In keeping with these missions, one of All Our Energy’s main efforts has been to reduce the proliferation of single-use bags on Long Island. In 2016, the group was instrumental in getting a $.05 bag tax passed in their hometown of Long Beach, and is currently working to see the same law established in Rockville Centre, Sea Cliff and other Long Island towns. As many of you know, this is also a cause we are passionate about…in fact, our Charity of the Month program is funded by our very own Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB) initiative—a policy that charges customers $.10 for every paper bag we give out at checkout, then donates those monies to a different local charity each month.
Upcoming Film About Plastic Bag Pollution
On January 25 at 7 p.m., All Our Energy in conjunction with Sea Cliff Village Environmental Conservation Commission and the Sea Cliff Village Library will present a free screening of the award-winning film “Bag It” at the Sea Cliff Village Library. Don’t miss a chance to learn more about how plastics are affecting our lives…and what we can do about it.
In the past, we have devoted this space to a local food vendor, but this month we decided to broaden our definition of Local Flavor to include successful local businesses that help make our ‘hood such a great place to run ours. First on our list was our neighbor across the street, Strong Island Styles. Since Brian Basile opened his barbershop in 2006, he has had a few very notable experiences; among them, he entered a reality show hosted by Cedric the Entertainer in 2015 (and won 1st place!), and last summer was given the honor of cutting MMA fighter Conor McGregor’s hair prior to his press conference with Floyd Mayweather. Brian is a self-taught barber, and uses a combo of old-fashioned straight razors and “new school” techniques to create the kind of shave designs and patterns he is known for. (He also created his own hair product, which is said to ward off evil spirits.) His shop, now home to 10 barbers, is always buzzing, and while it can’t be judged on flavor, it’ s a great example of local color.
RT: Why did you open Strong Island Styles?
BB: As a young man I was into fashion, which led me to cutting hair for fun. Once I started getting very good, my customers were lining up around the block. I absolutely love giving people makeovers. It’s something that makes me happy to go to work every day. Getting a haircut is one of the cheapest ways to change your mood and feel good.
RT: Who is your ideal customer?
BB: Contrary to all these very expensive salons and corporate-style men’s grooming parlors, I wanted to take the most talented barbers and cater to the customer that cares solely about quality.
RT: What should people know before they come to your shop?
A few of our barbers cut women’s hair. Being that we are a barbershop and we cut hair kind of fast, we give haircuts to women who don’t want to go to the salon and spend $100 when they can spend $20 on a haircut from us.
RT: What is one thing about Strong Island that most people don’t know?
One thing people don’t know about me is that I enjoy speaking to very old customers and hearing about when they were young and how different our generations are.
RT: In what ways does Strong Island give back to the Glen Cove community?
Once a year during the St. Patty’s Day Parade in Glen Cove, we do a fundraiser for St. Baldrick’s. We shave heads to raise money for childhood cancer. This will be our ninth year doing this.
RT: Of course we’re always interested in what people like to eat. What’s your favorite product from Rising Tide Market?
My favorite food is the salmon burger. I also love the coconuts that the friendly staff cuts a hole in so I can drink right out of it with a straw.
With New Year’s Eve parties (and all of 2017!) behind you, it’s time to take your first healthy steps into 2018.
Spend the first day of the new year with your friends at your favorite natural food grocer. The Rising Tide New Year’s Day bash is the place to spend Jan. 1, 2018:
- SHOP for healthy, organic, GMO-free groceries, supplements and produce…20% off the entire store!*
- Enter to WIN dozens of awesome raffles from many of our best-selling vendors…a raffle is awarded every hour!
- SAMPLE our health-boosting RT Bone Broth, along with loads of other tasty items.
- CHILL to the laid-back musical stylings of our very own Josh and Steve.
- TOAST your friends and neighbors—with FREE Rising Tide greens drinks!—for a beautiful, healthy, prosperous, and peaceful year to come.
- GRAND PRIZE...everyone who shops on Jan. 1 is entered to win a brand new Apple Watch! We look forward to seeing you there!
* Customers will receive 20% off everything in the store EXCEPT Every Day Low Prices.
We are pleased to introduce you to our December Charity of the Month: Island Harvest’s Weekend Backpack Program.
Founded in 1992, Island Harvest is Long Island’s largest hunger relief organization. Its volunteers and staff deliver millions of pounds of good, surplus food to a network of 570 food pantries, soup kitchens and other non-profits that provide feeding services to those in need. Island Harvest plays a vital role in countering the sharply rising problem of hunger here on Long Island.
Support for Hungry Kids
With Rising Tide’s BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) monies for December, we will contribute to Island Harvest’s Weekend Backpack Feeding Program, designed to supplement meals on the weekends for children who depend on school breakfasts and lunches during the week. The Kids Weekend Backpack Feeding Program provides packs of nutritious, shelf-stable food in 28 schools to 1,729 children on a weekly basis. These children rely on school lunches and breakfasts, but may not have solid meals on weekends and holidays, when school is out. Each packs contain four nutritious and ready-to-eat meals, two snacks and two servings of milk and juice—and double that amount for holiday breaks. The food packs are distributed with newsletters that include age-appropriate, multilingual games and puzzles encouraging healthy eating, plus information for parents about local food resources.
This supplemental weekend food lets children return to school nourished and better equipped to learn, socialize and excel. During the 2017/2018 school year, approximately 62,500 packs of food will be distributed—bringing thousands of weekend/holiday meals to children who otherwise would go without. Rising Tide is so excited to be able to contribute to their amazing efforts!
We are pleased to introduce you to our November Charity of the Month: North Shore Sheltering Program.
Twenty-two years ago, two homeless men—in separate incidents—froze to death in Glen Cove. It was this double tragedy that brought religious and community leaders together to found the North Shore Sheltering Program, housed every year since in the First Presbyterian Church of Glen Cove.
A Hot Meal and a Safe Place to Stay
The volunteer-based North Shore Sheltering Program provides homeless men with food and shelter in the winter months (from late November through March). Every evening from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., the program accepts up to 25 men a night (they have had 30 on some bitter cold winter nights), and allows them to see a nurse, have a hot, nutritious supper, sleep in new sleeping bags, watch television, read, talk with counselors, and have access to a shower. Hot meals and supplies are all donated by local organizations.
The mission of the program is simple and one we are very proud to support: No man will ever freeze to death again on the streets of Glen Cove.
Sea Cliff resident David Shalam left a career in consumer electronics to pursue a dream…and Glen Cove is the luckier for it. Armed with six months of intensive bread and pastry training from NYC’s International Culinary Institute (formerly the French Culinary Institute), and a love for baking homemade popovers that dates back to childhood Thanksgivings, Shalam founded Heritage Bakers in 2014 . He began baking the flaky, buttery rolls—a cross between challah and brioche—out of a kitchen in Eastern Long Island, doing the Farmer’s Market circuit and soon selling to local businesses like Rising Tide Market (we’ve been carrying their Popovers for years and our customers love them). In March 2017, he started a wholesale business, and just this August, opened his welcoming café/bakery down in Garvies Point.
Between the bakery and his wholesale business, Shalam can make up to 1,000 popovers a day on the weekends. They come in three sizes (mini, medium and large) and two flavors: Original and Cinnamon Sugar. In addition to the popovers, Shalam makes a range of cookies, scones (including the DIVINE bacon and cheddar), pastries and breads. As of now, the café—featuring reclaimed wood for a modern feel and complete with a separate area for kids to play—is open Friday-Sunday from 8 am-4 pm, but Shalam has plans to expand to seven days a week.
We sat down with the man behind the popovers, to learn more about the bakery and what it means to be part of the local Glen Cove business community.
RT: What makes Heritage Bakers different than other bakeries?
DS: We use a heritage whole wheat flour, primarily grown in the 1700s-1950s, before they started making more hybridized wheat for greater gains. Modern wheat is filled with stabilizers, enhancers and additives that were not part of the heritage wheat.
After much trial and error, the heritage wheat I use, grown in Western Canada and milled in North Carolina, has great flavor, great nutrition, wonderful taste and is super fresh. I use it in everything we make, in varying degrees, and use organic wheat flour to fill in here and there.
RT: What is your favorite way to eat a popover?
DS: I tell people that it all depends on what you’re into. Eating with honey butter [made in-house] is a classic. For savory, we make a Parmesan popover with meatballs and mozzarella. They’re also good with a nice chicken salad or lobster salad. For breakfast, we do scrambled eggs and cheese with crumbled bacon. For a sweet popover, you can fill with pastry cream or ice cream. Drizzle caramel or chocolate on top.
RT: What’s next for Heritage Bakers? What’s coming around the bend that we can look forward to?
DS: I’d like to do more breads, more pastries, more danish. I want to get the café open every day, selling breakfast and lunch—soup or salad and a popover. I’d love to talk to Jerry [Farrell, owner of Rising Tide Market] about bringing in some of the Rising Tide salads to pair with my popovers, because they’re THAT GOOD.
RT: When you’re not noshing on your own breads and treats… What are you loving to eat right now?
DS: When I get home the last thing I want to do is cook, but I do love to grill. So anything off the grill. I like a good burger or some nice sausage.
RT: So many in our community dream of starting their own local business. What is your one piece of advice for launching a successful local biz?
DS: You need a lot of patience, and support from your family. And a positive attitude. Every day is a new day. Look at the big picture and realize that its one day at a time, and don’t get ahead of yourself.
RT: How has it been to open your business in Glen Cove? Have you felt welcomed by this community?
DS: Overwhelmingly welcomed! Everyone is so friendly and nice and are telling their friends about us. Having the guys next door at Wilson’s Martial Arts and the Garvies Point Craft Brewery has also been great. The Brewery customers love their IPAs, and they’re into ingredients, so we share a similar vibe. We make French Bread pizzas to sell to their customers.
I’m not super religious but I believe in good energy. So a lot of what I do here is take all that energy and focus on the positive. Everyone in Glen Cove has been so positive. And we feed off that energy.
