Lemon Tree Grocer's Anniversary Fun!!

Happy 1st Anniversary to us...and most importantly; thanks to all of you who have contributed to this moment's existence! We have some pretty amazing contests, giveaways, and more starting August 13th at Lemon Tree Grocer and Zest!

Here go's: Starting August 13th, make sure your are checking Lemon Tree's Facebook & following us on Twitter to win the fabulous gifts we're going to give away..trust us; this is one anniversary you don't want to forget ;)

Would you like a sneak peak into our 1st Anniversary- how about the Kid's Drawing Contest where your children can win a GROCERY BAG filled with Lemon Tree treats!! Also, we're having a Scavenger Hunt throughout the store , and that is all we can say..(well besides the prizes are far from Lemons..haha)

So, make sure you have our Facebook & Twitter pages bookmarked starting August 13th...you won't regret it!

Lemon Tree Grocer's Next Contest!!

Have you ever considered how many grocery items may have the word "Lemon" in them? If you haven't then you should be ashamed of yourself...just kidding, but there's no better time to know than this upcoming week!

Ready for Lemon Tree Grocer's next contest everyone? Here goes: Starting this coming Monday (7/25) until Friday (7/29)- when you come into Lemon Tree Grocer you must find at least 4 items that have the word "Lemon" in them. (Clue: there are 11) When you do that, let Brittany or Rae know, and you will receive 10% off your entire grocery purchase...and....wait for it: a lemon ;)

There's 11 products with the word "Lemon" in them, and we only want you to find 4 of them to get 10% off your entire grocery purchase. So, give yourself a bit of extra time to have a glass of wine or a beer, bring a friend, and start hunting for the "Lemon" products! How many winners do you think we'll have? Only time will tell....See you next week!

Lemon Tree Grocer has your Independence Day Weekend Needs!

It's here, and we're ready: 4th of July Weekend people! We have so many of your favorite items on sale so you can have the perfect party, BBQ, or outing!

Niman Ranch strip steaks & boneless pork chops to satisfy the carniverous taste buds, along with Boars Head hot dogs & ham...booyah!

What about for you non-meat eaters: how about some Atlantic Salmon Fillets for ya? Also, we have a major produce sale in the house right now: pineapple, tomatoes, potatoes, seedless watermelon, strawberries! If you're curious of the pricing for animal or non-animal eaters: click here!

With all the samples & new products we have right now at Lemon Tree Grocer & Zest: you're sure to find some stand-out items for your party weekend!

On behalf of Lemon Tree Grocer & Zest- we want to wish you a happy & safe 4th of July Weekend! Please, don't forget Zest will be closed on Monday, the 4th & we will shut Lemon Tree's doors promptly at 3pm!

Valentine's Day Special...

Who's ready for Valentine's Day this year? If you haven't a clue, and you have someone special in your life: you better get on it! If you answered yes to having the perfect Valentine's Day planned- do tell: heart-shaped chocolates (old news), cute Teddy Bears (maybe for your infant), or even a heart-shaped balloon? (I think I just gagged a bit)

Valentine's Day is all about what you make of it; so be creative. Now, what's more inventive than some heart-shaped meat? Not just any meat: Lamb Loin Chops!!! Not from just any grocer either: Lemon Tree baby. Oh, and how can I even forget that it's not just any meatress that will prepare you and your snookums for a day filled with juicy meat, and some even juicier...well you fill in the blanks there: MEAT MOLLY ya'll!

So, if you want to really WOW you're sweetie: get off your tush, and do something that takes a little thought, and of course- a lot of HEART;)

Here's Molly....Love is in the air (for some of us at least). I’ll try to keep my Valentine’s Day bitterness at bay. For those of you who are feeling the love this weekend- I have good news. I rustled up a sweet deal on some lamb loin chops for your sweetheart meal. Normally these lil lovelies go for around $14.99 lb. here at Lemon Tree. I’m chopping off a few bucks to help you out with your Valentine’s gift purchases. I’ll have them on sale at $11.99 lb. This gives you a few more dollars to spend on that diamond you’ve been eying for your snookie! (not the one on Jersey Shore of course)

Lamb loin chops are super easy to prepare. I made it for a date too with huge success! Hey, I’m the Meatress, I’m here to help so, here’s a link to a recipe I tried and loved:

http://bbq.about.com/od/lambrecipes/r/bl10310b.htm

So, here's where I get corny- The shapes of the chops lend themselves well to looking like a heart shape, if you place them with the fat sides facing the outside. Since Valentine's Day is all about being a romantic cheese ball; this should help in accomplishing this goal. Feel free to use these tactics, yet remember where you learned them- and please let me know how the night turned out (at least the part about the lamb chops: the rest you can keep to yourself because you shouldn't kiss & tell)

MEAT MOLLY...The New Face of Lemon Tree!

Who's stopped into Lemon Tree lately? If you have; maybe you've seen a new face lurking behind the deli counter? (Sorry if she scared you, yet she really does mean well) This fresh face would be Meat Manager Molly!

Ladies and Gentlemen; this is your neighborhood's savior when it comes to knowledge about ANYTHING dealing with meat. She won't just throw your pound of bologna at you, and give you the evil eye because you won't get out of her sight fast enough.. Molly wants to get to know you, answer any particular questions you have (does that woman ordering honey turkey have a crush on you...ok maybe not that question), and be the person you can come to when you need specific recipe or cooking tips.

Either way, let Molly show you the meaty way! She wants to know your name, (yes like Cheers) hold your hand, ok let's not get ahead of ourselves..Anyway, enough blabbering from me..Let's MEAT MOLLY ( get it MEAT MOLLY hahha..)

So it's a new year and a new job for me. Hi folks, Molly here, your new meat manager at Lemon Tree Grocer. Sometimes, you gotta hit the road to find home again, and for the last ten years, that's been my story. My journey took me as far away as Alaska and as close as Indiana, with a lot of points in between. During the last decade, I picked up quite a few stories, and a plethora of skills; one being meat-cutting. Now, I'm back in sweet home Chicago, and I'm looking to share what I've learned with you.

I started out cutting meat in Anchorage, Alaska and have worked as a butcher in Wyoming and Illinois as well. All this traveling exposed me to many different types of people, all of which enjoy varying cuts of meat. As a result, I've seen multiple ways of cutting and naming steaks, chops, and sausage.

The Lemon Tree offers a unique opportunity for me to blend other skills I attained as well. I have a degree in Journalism from Columbia College where I also studied photography. After talking to Lemon Tree Grocer owners Tim and Shaun (we all agreed), the Lemon Tree is where I need to be. Look to me in the future for any and all of your meaty needs. In the coming weeks and months ahead, remember to check back here for any updates or meat specials at the Lemon Tree. I also hope to share cooking methods and tips for buying the perfect cut. I look forward to meeting each and every one of you!

Winner..Winner...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS from the Lemon Tree! We want to stop and thank every amazing customer that has walked through Lemon Tree's door's this past year! We would not be here without every single one of you, and we are so excited for what's to come in 2011!

This being said, we would like to showcase the winner's of Lemon Tree's contests in 2010: Jim Beyer is the most recent with his lovely photo of his Xmas Tree and his daughter Jamie! We loved that all the ornaments were her height or below! We hope you enjoyed your Holiday Gift Basket Jim, and hopefully 'tis the season to share:)

The next was from our Ugly Sweater Contest: Kethy Hebert! Thanks for your bravery in coming into the Lemon Tree with that eyesore of a sweater! We absolutely loved it, and hope you loved your Holiday Gift Basket as well.

We can't forget our Free XMas Tree winner either: Jean-Overstreet Schaefer! There were so many participants in our Xmas Carol Contest, and the winning carol was: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing! So where did the Xmas Tree go Jean: home or store?

Then we have Wendy Carter who won a $20 Lemon Tree Gift Card for being such a great Facebook fan! Thank you Wendy, and we hope you used your gift card to get whatever your heart desired!

Also, we have the Weekend Ribeye Dinner giveaways: Peter Haber knew that Memorial Day is the single largest beef consumption day of the year, and Michelle Lansky: you knew that Venezuela eats the 2nd largest amount of pasta a year! (First being Italy with 61.7 lbs of course) Hope you both enjoyed those Ribeyes!

We can't forget the winners who have previously been mentioned in other blogs either: Kelly Kelly Henrikson won a Thanksgiving Turkey! (Thanks so much for blogging about us Kelly. We hope you win more items, and then you can post another lovely blog). We also hope you enjoyed your favorite: Green Bean Caserole on the Thanksgiving Table this year.

Finally, we have our first winner ever of any Facebook Contest: Joy Ruzic Meyers! Thanks for entering your lovely children in the Halloween Costume Contest. Just for that you received Dinner For Two on Lemon Tree! (Thanks for your kind words on Facebook as well)

Well, Lemon Tree sure did give some great things away this year! Think about this: Everything given away was in the past 3 months!!! Can you imagine what is coming next year? Well, you better stay tuned to find out! (Hint: Lemon Tree will be having a contest for our biggest fans starting in January)

If you weren't a winner then, or even if you were: you always have the chance to WIN a great prize from Lemon Tree in the future!

Happy New Year!

The BEST Things Come in 3's...

Who attended the SOLD OUT event between Dream Interiors, Ballydoyle Irish Pub, and Lemon Tree Grocer? If you did; you know it was a magical snowy evening with these three Downers Grove hot spots aligned together?

First, we had to have Dream Interiors' Marta Cullen give us some tips on how to make your holiday table just a bit more festive (and less of a hassle, as table setting is normally saved until the last minute). What did we learn: well, setting the table early is a great idea, and there are easy ways to brighten up the table with simple decorations, centerpieces, and beautiful candles! Thanks Marta; now everyone in attendance should have the ability to throw a wonderful holiday party (which they must invite us to;)!

Next stop, was to see the Irish side of town at Ballydoyle! Here is where some amazingly great food and beverages started flowing! It was time to hit the buffet, and grab a pint of Guinness or an Irish coffee (whatever your poison of choice is). Just take a look at some of the pictures: it makes our mouth water! Phil Cullen was also an amazing story-teller; explaining where EVERYTHING in the pub came from, and his entire family history! (We're just kidding Phil, now we know how every item on your menu tastes just like Ireland)!

Final destination; for some more liquor, a bit of shopping, and of course dessert, was to the baby of the bunch: Lemon Tree! We welcomed Tony Alvarez back for some live entertainment, and saw that many people were really enjoying themselves as they swayed to the music! (The wine we donated throughout the event may have helped loosen people up a bit..just saying). It was a pleasure to have people shopping around to see what Lemon Tree is really made of. We had samples for guests to try, our lovely staff on hand to answer any questions, and of course: a plethora of wine and beer!

The moral of the blog is: this event was a really great time, and we hope for even more! So, stay tuned! (Also, thank you to everyone who came; there wouldn't have been an event without you all)!

P.S. Make sure you are checking out our and page for all of our contests! You will be sad if you miss them; we are giving away everything from Ribeye's to Holiday Gift Baskets! You could be the lucky Winner!

Don't forget either! We are basically handing out free bottles of wine right now, but only when you check-in to Lemon Tree!

Happy Holidays!!

Happy TURKEY day!!!

And the winner is: KELLY KELLY HENRIKSON!! Her choice to go with Green Bean Casserole as her favorite dish won the hearts (and "likes") of 21 people! Give a nice round of applause to the new home for a 10 lb Turkey from Lemon Tree! Kelly we are so excited to make your Thanksgiving just a little bit easier this year!

Lemon Tree will not forget, and does want to thank all of our participants: Emily Szopa with Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies drizzled with chocolate!! Can you say a tasty alternative to the lovely Pumpkin Pie.. which was actually entered into the contest by Danny Gray! Hey Danny have you tried the alcoholic whip cream yet? It's pretty yummy if you'd like to know!

Next up, we have Erika Wolgammot. She entered in Cheese and Mushroom Stuffed Burgers!!! Whether you use colby, jack, or blue cheese it's a phenomenal idea Erika that we just might have to steal:)

Then, we have the 2nd person who chose Green Been Casserole as her favorite dish: Deborah Stanciu! This shows it's a definite must have at Thanksgiving this year everyone, so make sure you've got the casserole covered!

Last but not least; Jennifer Spencer Segrest needs to let us feature this dish at the Lemon Tree! Blue Cheesecake on top of mixed greens with apples and walnuts...wait there's more: topped off with a blue cheese drizzle!!! Please, let us know when you are going to come by the store and make it for us Jennifer! We're always here!

Thanks again to all of our Turkey contest participants! Don't forget Lemon Tree is here to make your holidays easier on you! So, take a look at our Gourmet Catering Menu and let us know what we can help you with! Stay tuned for our giveaway in December....and

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!!

Fall Festival of Flavors...

Let's begin by....... Thanking Ballydoyle for the hospitality, and plethora of alcohol! Overall good times were had by all last night at the Fall Festival of Flavors! There were just so many great people along with great food, and of course some amazing Irish coffee to be had by all!

We started off the night with Scott Raiman of Ballydoyle to show us his preparation of: Roasted Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette, and Seared Scallops with Roasted Red Pepper Coulis and a micro green salad! I'm not sure about you, but my mouth was watering in wondering when I was going to get to eat those scallops!

Next stop Mr. Tim Canning himself of, yes you guessed it: Lemon Tree! He brought: BBQ Braised Lamb Shank with Lentils and Fall Vegetables to the table. Wow.. was that a succulent lamb! From the sound of things, it was enjoyed by everyone! Thanks Tim!!

Then of course we had a coffee demonstration from our man Marco Torcasio of Intelligentsia coffee! This really gets even better when the IRISH is added :)

We then bring in one of the favorites of the evening: Lemon Tree's own So Young Shin to make you weak at the knees with his Warm Apple Crisp with Homeade Vanilla Ice Cream. Pretty sure the guests were telling the person next to them to look the other way, so they could steal the rest of their dessert!

Our final destination: IRISH COFFEE by Phil Cullen of Ballydoyle! This was definitely a great night cap, or night starter for some of the guests! It seemed to bring warmth and smiles to all the guests!

Between the great food, amazing demonstrations, prizes, and shots of Jameson; this event was really a success! Let me tell you this is only the beginning of events to come from Ballydoyle and Lemon Tree! Stay tuned for when we add Dream Interiors to the list for our Progressive Dinner in December! This one you will NOT want to miss!

Check out these videos from Fall Festival of Flavors: