Ellensburg Lamb from the Martinez Ranch
Each September we are very pleased to offer our customers fresh Ellensburg Lamb raised by the Martinez family in the Yakima Valley. With nearly 100 years experience across three generations, the Martinez family knows how to produce naturally raised lamb of excellent quality.

It all began when brothers Simon and Julian Martinez emigrated from Spain in 1917. They went to work as sheepherders and were eventually able to purchase their own herd. One summer, while grazing their sheep in Montana, Simon met and later married Kathleen, an Irish farm girl. They started a family and over the years their four sons were active in the farm operations. Now, Simon and Kathleen’s grandsons run the ranch.

Beginning in mid-January each year, the Martinez family’s lambs are born at their ranch in Mabton, WA. The mother ewes and lambs are sheltered while they bond, assuring that the lambs get used to finding and staying with their mothers. When the lambs are old enough, they and the ewes are trucked to the spring range to graze on new grasses under the watchful care of a sheepherder and dogs.

In early summer, the sheep are taken to the National Forest to graze the lush mountain meadows. The grazing program is beneficial to the forest in that it reduces fuel for wildfires and helps with weed control. At the end of summer, the lambs are transported to a feedlot where they are finished on a combination of hay and grain. The lambs are never given additives, hormones or growth stimulants.

If you have any questions about preparing lamb, our Meat Market staff will be happy to help.

Rhone Wines
The wines from the Rhône region in southeastern France are some of the most diverse and interesting wines around. In the north, following the Rhône River, the narrow valley is planted with Syrah for the red wines and Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne for the white wines. In the south, the valley opens up and is dominated by rolling hills. There are more varieties grown in the south, but Grenache is the predominant red wine grape.

Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône
Chateau Saint Cosme is an estate in the southern Rhône valley near the village of Gigondas, and may be one of the oldest wineries in the Rhône. This Côtes du Rhône is sourced from vineyards that Louis Barruol, the owner/winemaker, has carefully selected to ensure the highest quality fruit. Displaying ripe blackberry fruit with flavors of black pepper and earth notes, this wine is polished and smooth on the finish. With its medium to full body, this wine will pair perfectly with roasted lamb.

We are featuring this wine for $12.99 through September.

Omega-3 Eggs and Milk
Here are a couple excellent ways to get more brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids into your family’s regular diet. Organic Valley is offering eggs and milk that are especially high in omega-3s.

The egg farmers feed their hens an all-vegetarian organic diet rich in flax seed. Each Omega-3 Organic Egg provides an impressive 225 mg of omega-3. Since eggs also are the richest source of choline – another nutrient vitally important to brain function – these are a great addition to anyone’s diet.

Organic Valley also is providing Omega-3 Milk, which is a complete source of DHA, EPA and ALA (click here for more info about these specific omega-3s). The milk is supplemented with kosher fish oil sustainably produced in Peru. If your kids won’t take fish oil, this is a great way to slip it into their daily diet. And because the Omega-3 Milk is as delicious as any milk, they’ll never know!

Smart Snacks for Smart Kids
Here are some ideas to incorporate those foods mentioned in “Feed Your Student’s Brain” (click here) into breakfasts, lunches and snacks.

o Flax seed oil in a blueberry smoothie
o Hummus made with flax oil, served with carrot sticks
o Walnuts and raisins in oatmeal for breakfast
o Albacore tuna sandwich on whole grain bread
o Scrambled omega-3 eggs, whole grain toast and fruit
o Whole grain cereal with Omega-3 Milk (click here)
o Apple slices with almond butter
o Whole grain crackers and salmon spread
o Yogurt, granola and fruit with ground flax seeds

If you’re concerned that your kids don’t get enough omega-3 through diet alone, we have several fish oil and flax seed oil supplements in our Health & Body Care section (click here for an explanation of the difference between fish and flax seed oils).

Fish Really is Brain Food
Many of us were told as children that eating fish would make us smarter, and most of us probably didn’t know whether it was fact or just folklore. But now research abounds suggesting that the omega-3 oils in found fish are essential to brain performance.

Studies show that the babies of mothers who ate fish regularly during pregnancy score better on tests, children who receive omega-3 supplements show improved performance in school and elderly people who eat fish at least once per week have better mental performance and less mental decline than those who do not.

Our brains are made up of about 60% fat, and including fat in our diet is important to keep brains healthy. But it needs to be the right kind of fat – the omega-3 DHA, which is where fish come in. Many fish are excellent or good sources of DHA, which they get from algae. Among those that offer the most are salmon, mackerel, herring, black cod (sablefish), albacore tuna, halibut, cod, oysters, mussels and shrimp. Most of these fish can be found year-round in our Seafood Market (fish also is rich in the heart-healthy omega-3 EPA).

Many varieties of canned fish are excellent sources of DHA, including albacore tuna, herring and sardines. When choosing canned albacore, it may be best to look for specialty brands – these companies tend to fish for smaller tunas so the mercury content is likely to be lower than in some national brands.

Flax Oil or Fish Oil?
We all need omega-3 fatty acids, yet many people do not get enough through diet alone. Flax seed oil and fish oil are the most common omega-3 supplements. What’s the difference, and which should you choose?

The three most important omega-3s are ALA, EPA and DHA.

• ALA is converted by the body to EPA and DHA.
• EPA is important for cardiovascular health.
• DHA is necessary for optimal brain health.

Flax seed oil is rich in ALA, which a healthy body will convert to EPA and DHA. But this conversion may be inefficient for some people. Flax oil does have added benefits: it may reduce inflammation, help to maintain healthy skin and joints, and aid hormone balance. It also is a great omega-3 supplement for vegetarians.

Fish oil is a rich source of heart-healthy EPA and brain-boosting DHA. Possible mercury content in fish oils is a common concern – however, reports by ConsumerLab.com and Consumer Reports found no significant levels in the many supplements they tested. This seems to be due to the fact that mercury is stored in the meat of fish rather than the fat.

Because both flax seed oil and fish oil have unique benefits, many experts recommend some of both. Or you may choose to only supplement one, depending on your diet. For example, if you eat fatty fish at least twice per week you may not need to supplement fish oil but might want to add flax seed oil your daily diet.