The Daily Deli

Celebrate healthfully with Sosi’s yogurt dips. And seasonal cheese spreads from Nettle Meadow.

Overindulgence is everywhere this time of year. But you can celebrate wisely, thanks in part to Sosi’s Armenian yogurt dips, in Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill. They are lower in saturated fat and higher in protein than the usual crudité fare, and contain six live strains of probiotics. The delis have them in two flavors.

Meanwhile in the Hill, Cheesemonger Rose has been talking up Nettle Meadow fromage frais, a cow and goats’ milk spread from the Adirondacks. It’s available in seasonal flavors like pumpkin chèvre (also stocked in MA) and apple-cider syrup.

Goings-On in Grocery

A hot cocoa mix worth tarrying over, a local super coffee and a run of organic juices from Blueprint.

After a day of holiday scurrying, a steaming cup of cocoa could be just the thing. In that spirit, Mt. Airy is bringing in Lake Champlain hot-cocoa mixes from Burlington, VT. They’re made from cocoa and sugar — both fair trade, both organic — and nothing else. Carpenter Lane carries the winter (original) and peppermint varieties.

In chilled drink news, Chestnut Hill has added Sunniva super coffee, a lower-sugar cold brew that is the brainchild of three brothers, one of whom is a student athlete at Thomas Jefferson University. It’s lactose free, employs organic coconut oil and organic maple syrup, and contains 10 grams of protein.

Meanwhile in Ambler, Blueprint organic juices occupy five facings in their jaw-dropping cold drink case. The company, based in Lake Success, NY, specializes in products for juice cleanses, but they also produce juices, kombuchas and teas in such flavors as Grass Monkey (greens, apple and banana), Beet Goes On and Lemon Yay, all of which you can find on Butler Avenue.

Bulk & Beyond

Tierra Farm dollops for holiday baking. A sale on nut butters in Ambler. And a little buzz for the co-op movement.

Our pals at Tierra Farm in Valatie, NY, are the sweet spot for dried fruits, snack mixes and other treats any time of year. But those chocolatey baked gems you’re planning to make this year will get an upgrade from their 70% cacao, organic fair trade chocolate dollops, available in bulk in Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill. 

Let’s stay on Chocolate Boulevard and turn to nut butters, which are available pre-ground in bulk in Ambler. Tierra’s organic chocolate salted hazelnut butter (a/k/a their version of Nutella) is on sale for $17.95 a pound through December. If cashew butter is your passion, it’s discounted to $6.95 a pound through the end of the year. Any of the varieties would make a great little gift, scooped into one of our jars and festively adorned.

And just in time for foodie gifts with-a-message, Philly Co-op Coffee, from our friends at Philly Fair Trade Roasters, has arrived. It’s $11.99 a pound, and a dollar of that goes to the Philadelphia Area Co-op Alliance, our local cooperative network. Members get the 5 percent discount for Co-op-branded items!

‘Tis also the season for mulled wine and cider, and we’ve got your covered there as well. Mt. Airy and Ambler have organic mulling spices from Frontier in bulk and right-size packaged. Have some on hand for your shindig, or bring some with — in case your host or hostess drops the ball.