Shop local 'til the Super Bowl
The RAAS Local Market at the Mall of America stands for Retail As A Service. Since Thanksgiving, it has featured two dozen local producers of foods and other crafted goods. Located on the second floor next to Nordstrom, the market will remain in place through the Super Bowl on Feb. 4 during regular mall hours.
The food artisans represented are Isadore Nut Co., with a couple of limited edition pecan flavors (Chocolate Mint Crunch and Chai Spice) and a special Super Bowl edition called Nuts from the North flavored with turmeric. Shoppers also can purchase foods from Thumbs Cookies, Pearson's Candy, Spinning Wylde Cotton Candy and Original Hockey Mom Brownies.
Other shops feature products ranging from beer and ceramics to canoe paddles and watercolor paintings.
Say cheese for a year
To celebrate National Cheese Lover's Day on Jan. 20, the Emmi Roth cheese company of southern Wisconsin and Switzerland is giving away a year of free cheese from each of its brands — Emmi USA and Roth Cheese. On Jan. 22, one winner will receive a year's worth of Roth cheeses, and one winner will receive a year's worth of Emmi USA cheeses. Each winner will receive one shipment of cheese (approximately 5 to 6 pounds) every three months for one year, totaling 23 pounds of cheese — the average amount of cheese consumed by Americans each year. Through Jan. 21, visit rothcheese.com and emmiusa.com to enter. Winners will be announced on each brand's Facebook and Instagram accounts.
KIM ODE
