Mother's Day

Mother's Day is right around the corner. Here are some last minute gift ideas:

1. Recycled Glass Filigree Twigs Hummingbird Feeder:
Hummingbirds perch in silhouette on this cylindrical hummingbird feeder. The Recycled Glass Filigree Twigs is a non-acid etched hummingbird feeder. It features an attached glass loop and a dripless basin-style gondola...

2. Suki Nourishing Mini Skin Care Kit: This complete skin starter set has everything you need to try 8 of Suki's 100% natural, holistic skin care products or give as a sensual, healthful gift! This mini kit is an antioxidant blend...


3. EarthLust Stainless Steel Water Bottles: The founder of EarthLust was inspired to start the company when her baby was first born. Protecting his health, as well as the environment became a top priority. They love their stainless steel water bottles because they know that the water is safe...

4. Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History Ring: This ring is engraved with the fun statement, "well behaved women rarely make history." Made from .925 sterling silver. The vendor that Wedge Worldwide purchases these products from aspires to create inspiring jewelry, which is rich with culture and craft, while using conscientious business practices and Fair Trade principles...

5. Weleda Lavender Relaxing Body Oil: Calming and harmonizing skin care. The Weleda Lavender Relaxing Body Oil soothes the senses and the skin, and helps unwind tension. Extracts of transitional organic Lavender...

6. Canary Poppies Organic O.N.E. Reusable Bag: Made from 100 percent organic cotton, the Canary Poppies O.N.E. Reusable Bag breathes new life into reusable shopping and tote bags. Influenced by the natural landscapes of the Mediterranean and exotic cultures, these luscious prints make a splash- capturing the essence of simplicity, beauty and sophistication...

Wedge Worldwide's products will show your mom your commitment to the support of her well-being, her health and the health of our planet.

Clean and sensuous

Sensuous Beauty's mission is to craft sensual botanical formulations that inspire people to nurture themselves each day. Their name reflects their belief that beauty arises through sensuality - an engagement of the senses. Sensuous Beauty creates products that are recognized as food or plant derivatives by the skin to work in harmony with the body's natural processes and that are as vital and vibrant as if they'd been made in your own kitchen. As a result, their formulations are sophisticated and effective, while remaining truly natural. You will instantly notice the difference in the smell, feel and effectiveness of their products.

Chemical, synthetic and paraben-free, Sensuous Beauty's products are made entirely from fresh food and plant-based ingredients; many have been used in beauty and healing remedies throughout the centuries. They formulate everything "from scratch," blending all of their ingredients by hand in small batches to maintain product integrity and freshness. Sensuous Beauty also uses only the finest wild-crafted or certified organic herbs and grains along with high quality carrier oils and steam-distilled or organic, pure essential oils in their products. These essential oils, along with other naturally occurring preservatives and antioxidants and amber glass bottling, help assist with product longevity. Absolutely no chemical or synthetic oils, fragrances or preservatives are ever used. Your skin will thank you! To achieve maximum benefits, Sensuous Beauty recommends that you treat their body and skin care products no differently than your fresh food items, using them regularly and within a reasonable amount of time from their purchase.

After years of using her concoctions on family and friends and finding the results more beneficial than any professional products available, Dae Williams, the company's original founder and a licensed esthetician, created Sensuous Beauty's skin care line in 1994. Sensuous Beauty tests their products on willing people.

A desire to provide additional products of the same caliber as the original skin care line led to a collaboration with local herbalists and the innovative creation of body, pleasure and men's care products. By the way, word is that their line of pleasure products are a great option for a Valentine's Day gift for your sweetie!

View Sensuous Beauty Products on Wedge Worldwide

Brewing the Perfect Cup of Tea

Autumn is officially here, and soon to be on its way out. Along with the equinox, cooler temperatures sweep in and fall breezes begin to blow. As you spend your days out in the fresh air watching the leaves change hue, there's nothing that satisfies more than a hot cup of tea to warm your body up from the inside out. It's the wool sweater of the beverage world in the fall.

However, making this cup of tea isn't as simple as pouring hot water in a cup. To truly enjoy and savor your tea drinking experience let me offer you a few basic guidelines that will make each cup a memorable one. Our bulk herb department has a wide variety of loose teas and herbs to help get you started.

Common Mistakes in the World of Tea Brewing
Several common mistakes can have a drastic effect on the flavor of your tea and can even end up costing you more money. Pay attention to these little details next time you brew up a pot and see if you can tell the difference.

Correct Measurement
When brewing a pot of tea using bulk tea leaves most people just dump in the leaves until there's a nice pile at the bottom of the pot. That looks like a good amount, right? Wrong! Did you know you only need about one measuring teaspoon full of tea leaves per 8 oz cup? Measure it out next time and you'll see that you can have just as much flavor using far fewer leaves. Brewing the proper amount can make your tea drinking a much more affordable habit.

Full Leaf Expansion
Now that you have the proper amount of tea measured out, it's important to make sure the leaves have enough room to fully expand so that all of the flavors can be released. Your strainer should be large enough to let the leaves expand to 3-5 times their original size. Basket infusers work very well for providing ample expansion room. You can also brew the leaves right in the pot and strain them out afterwards.

Tea Particulars
Different types of tea require different steeping temperatures and times. Many teas will become bitter if steeped too long or develop an unpleasant flavor if the water is the wrong temperature. Follow these guidelines to bring out the full flavor in each variety.

Black Tea
Black teas can be steeped for approximately 4-6 minutes when the water is at a full, rolling boil.

Green Tea
Green tea leaves are more delicate than black and require a lower steeping temperature and shorter time. The water is the right temperature just before it begins to boil, when steam is swirling out of the kettle. Steep the leaves for only 2-3 minutes.

Herbal Tea
Herbal teas can be made with boiling water and generally steep for about 6 minutes. When making a medicinal herbal tea however, steeping times of 10-15 minutes will brew a stronger cup and can be more effective.

Next time you get out the teapot, follow these basic guidelines and see if you can taste the difference. Happy steeping!

Check out the teas currently available on Wedge Worldwide!

written by Katie Frerker

Hot Off the Presses: Cookbook That Supports Flood Relief for Local Organic Farmers

Wedge Worldwide has recently added to its selection an excellent new cookbook that was put out by one of our favorite local organic farms. Tastes from Valley to Bluff: The Featherstone Valley Cookbook by Mi Ae Lipe, offers a collection of recipes that beautifully captures the flavors of Featherstone Farm while offering practical info on storing and preparing fresh organic vegetables.

Arranged by season, Tastes contains nearly 300 delicious ethnic and traditional recipes, two-thirds of which are vegetarian or vegan. Far more than just a cookbook, Tastes also features fun trivia, witty quotations, beautiful illustrations and many informative, thought-provoking articles about farm life, crop-specific topics and the environmental and nutritional advantages of growing and eating organically. Whether you are a CSA (community supported agriculture) subscriber, a farmers market denizen or simply a home cook curious about what to do with fresh produce, you will truly enjoy and constantly use this book.

Part of a good cause, a portion of the cookbook's proceeds will go toward the Sow the Seeds Fund. In August 2007, many farms in southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin, including Featherstone, were in ruins after storms and heavy flooding devestated the area. Shortly thereafter, a relief fund was started to help natural foods farmers rebuild. The Sow the Seeds Fund was able to raise and distribute over $385,000 for flood relief, providing assistance to more than 30 farms that applied to the fund. Further, your purchase will do even more to help organic farmers because the Wedge will also donate all profits from the cookbook.

Check out a review of the book on our brick and mortar store's website: www.wedge.coop

Celebrate the Holidays With Eco-Friendly Gifts

The final countdown towards the holidays has begun! Are you still looking for a huge variety of beautiful eco-friendly gifts to choose from? Then surf on in; Wedge Worldwide has some truly wonderful ideas for you!

Organic gourmet food treats make a great gift option for anyone. Try our brand new Fair Trade chocolate bars and tea in pretty tea tins from Equal Exchange. We brought in the their yummy hot chocolate too!

Sure to please a variety of folks on your list are the gorgeously scented Juniper Ridge Wild Herb Sachets made from ethically wild-harvested plant trimmings. The wonderful Christmas-tree-smell of the Christmas Fir Sachet is perfect for the holidays. We also highly recommend Juniper Ridge's amazing smelling soap and delicious wild-harvested teas.

In search of just the right thing for the ultra-cool hipster in your life? Check out our new Urban Messenger Bag made from organic cotton and hemp. A chic and eco-conscious choice for stylish women is our Street Purse, available in an assortment of vibrant colors and of course, black. By the way, we think the Anthology Cardigan, made from organic cotton and bamboo, looks great with the Street Purse.

Not sure what to get for Mom? How about a fun Fair Trade ring like the one that states, “If you can dream it you can do it!” Or take a peak at our entire Fair Trade jewelry selection for other fabulous options. Mom might also like something from our natural body care section like the refreshing Lemon Body Wash by Dr. Hauschka, or perhaps something from our popular kitchen and dining area like the colorful, extra large salad bowls made from organic bamboo. These bowls are great for serving large tossed salads, and you can even get a sleek pair of bamboo salad servers to go with it.

Or how about some fantastic organic bulk tea? It's the gift that keeps on giving, by providing the recipient with warming, fragrant cups of tea long after the holidays are over. Wedge Worldwide also carries a expansive assortment of teaware and tea accessories. We have everything from the perfect brew baskets for loose-leaf tea to imaginative tea cups and tea pots. A few favorites are our Green Leaf Tea Cups and the Calligraphy Tea Pot Set.

Happy Holidays!

New E-Gift Certificates Available at Wedge Worldwide

We are so excited to announce that Wedge Worldwide now offers e-gift certificates! Would you love to give gifts this holiday season that support Fair Trade and tread lightly on the earth but aren't quite sure what to get for that special someone? Now it's possible to complete your holiday shopping in minutes while getting everyone on your list the perfect gift.

Visit us at wedgeworldwide.coop and click the e-gift certificate link on our front page. Here you can view the few easy steps you can take to quickly and easily buy a Wedge Worldwide e-gift certificate for your friends and loved ones. With just a couple clicks of the mouse a colorful gift certificate email will be sent to the lucky recipient.

E-gift certificates are available in amounts from ten to two hundred dollars so you can select an amount that supports any level of shopping; from a gourmet treat to natural body care products to the luxurious experience of selecting a variety of products.

At Wedge Wordlwide, we have carefully selected only the finest eco-friendly and Fair Trade products available. We also support businesses that are socially responsible. Many of the companies and artists we work with share a portion of their profits with their communities and give aid to worthy causes such as the environment. Anyone on your list is sure to be delighted by shopping our diverse, fun and visually appealing web site where they can feel good about the causes their purchases support. Socially conscious holiday shopping has never been easier this year on Wedge Worldwide!

Fair Trade Holiday Gift Ideas

What better way is there to share the good will of the holiday season than by giving a Fair Trade gift? Here at Wedge Worldwide we make a concerted effort to locate and offer a wide variety of high quality Fair Trade items. Two important aspects of Fair Trade are that workers and artisans who make a product are paid a living wage for their craft and work under safe conditions. So this year you can enjoy gift giving even more knowing that your purchase is supporting and helping the workers who made it.

Allow us to offer a few fun Fair Trade holiday gift suggestions!

We love these colorful and highly durable Messenger Bags made from recycled rice and feed bags. Each hand-crafted piece is unique! These bags provide a sustainable living to Cambodian weavers and producers, many of whom are female heads of households, disabled due to polio or landmine injury or young women pulled from brothels and taught a trade.

Or peruse our all time customer favorite products from Wedge Worldwide, our extensive Fair Trade Jewelry collection. We offer a variety of gorgeous and unique jewelry from across the globe, and also stunning hand-made pieces by local artist, Robin Rifé.

Our Fair Trade Silk and Velvet Scarves are great items for moms and the women in your life. Wedge Worldwide also offers a variety of lovely products made with pure silk like scarves, sumptuous silk throws and velvet jackets.

We have a variety of lead-free, safe and ecologically sound toys for kids. Take a gander at some of our newer Fair Trade Wooden Play Sets and Puzzles made from reclaimed rubber wood.


A few distinctive items that would fit perfectly in any natural home setting are our Fair Trade Salt Crystal Lamps that give off a soothing warm glow while releasing healthy negative ions. Our Salt Lamps are available in a variety of sizes. We also carry the Planet Lamp, a polished, symmetrical salt crystal.

These are just a few of the Fair Trade items that we carry. Stop by and start planning for your holiday shopping today. Let us wrap your presents with pretty, recycled materials and ship them directly to that special person on your list. And another exciting option is coming soon, look for Wedge Worldwide egift certificates this November!

Delicious Fair Trade Organic Chocolate

A great new set of products that we have just brought in at Wedge Worldwide are a variety of super yummy chocolate bars from Theo Chocolates. Theo produces premium, organic, Fair Trade and specialty chocolate. Their founder, Joseph Whinney, pioneered the manufacture and supply of organic chocolate products as the first importer of organic cocoa beans into North America in 1994. Over a decade later, Theo is proud to be the only roaster of organic cocoa beans and the first roaster of Fair Trade certified cocoa beans in the United States. All of their ingredients are carefully selected to ensure they meet their standards for social and environmental responsibility. There's a photo of some of the swell folks from Theo pictured in their Seattle based factory above.

We love the ultra cute illustrations that are different for each flavor! But even more important is how they taste. Theo was generous enough to send us a gigantic box of chocolate samples so everyone here in our office has had the luxury of fully acquainting themselves with all the flavors and deciding on our own personal favorites. Here is a brief run down of the Phinney bar varieties based on our taste tests:

•Nib Brittle and Dark Chocolate Bar- Those who love cocoa nibs will really like this bar. It has a satisfying crunch to it and a pleasant dark, mildly bitter taste. The 65% cacao content packs an enjoyable, but not over powering, punch. It makes my heart beat a little faster with dark chocolate joy.

•Chai Tea Chocolate Bar- Normally I'm much more of a dark chocolate fan, but the milk chocolate Phinney bars really won me over! This unusual and delightful milk chocolate bar is highly enjoyable. Who knew that chai tea and chocolate went so well together? I love the strong hints of cinnamon and milder notes of ginger.

•Bread and Chocolate Bar- This bar is a true work of art! A creative pairing of dark chocolate, buttery bread crumbs and a pinch of sea salt. I was skeptical at first but was pleasantly surprised. It's delicious! Many of my co-workers were a fan of this flavor.

•Coconut Curry and Milk Chocolate Bar- It's hard to choose but I think that this flavor is my absolute favorite. I thought it might be kind of funny to put chocolate and curry together but the magical people at Theo have married a perfect blend of delectable tastes in this bar. The spicy curry provides a lovely, gentle background for the delicious toasted coconut that can sometimes be found throughout the bar in tiny little chewy slivers. Yum, yum, yum.

•Vanilla and Milk Chocolate Bar- A friendly, smooth, melt-in-your-mouth bar with satisfying over tones of real Madagascar organic vanilla beans.

I'm already planning on including Theo chocolate bars in my own holiday gift packages that I'll be sending out through Wedge Worldwide this season. Your friends and relatives are sure to enjoy these chocolates but don't forget to treat yourself too!