Allison's Gourmet Blog » Monthly Clubs http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com Allison's Gourmet: Organic & Vegan Bakery, Confectionary, & Gift Shop Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:45:55 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Last Chance for Holiday Orders http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/12/14/last-chance-for-holiday-orders/ http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/12/14/last-chance-for-holiday-orders/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:30:21 +0000 Tessa http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/?p=7915 I know that shopping for the holidays is not always easy. It’s hard to find time amidst all the other holiday business, plus, there are always those people who are especially difficult to buy for. But, if you’ve been holding off on your holiday shopping, maybe hoping for a time when you’re less busy, or waiting for inspiration on that perfect gift, the moment to stop procrastinating is now. It’s time to make those last-minute holiday purchases and then breathe a sigh of relief that your gift list is finished for one more year. And, here’s the good news: you don’t have to brave crowded stores and hoards of wild-eyed shoppers to complete your final purchases; in fact, you don’t even have to get up! Since you’re already here, all you have to do is click over to our vegan bakery and confectionary to find all the compassionate, decadent, fair-trade gifts you’re looking for in just a few clicks. With only a handful of days to spare, there’s no time like the present. ;)

Whether you choose one of our elegant chocolate gifts, a gourmet coffee gift basket, or a cookie of the month club, we guarantee that everyone on your list will love your gift.
Did you remember a sweet something for your Host or Hostess, Dog Sitter, Nanny, Driver, or Doorman? There are so many people in our lives who deserve our appreciation during the holidays and chocolate is a great way to show it. If you’re not sure which types of goodies a specific person prefers, choose one our instant gift certificates and allow them to enjoy their own dessert shopping. Whatever you decide, order now so you can get on with the rest of your festive plans like awesome vegan baking and giant family meals!

Happy Holidays from all of us at Allison’s Gourmet.

P.S. Join Allison (@AllisonsGourmet) tonight at 6pm PT for the @VegNews Twitter chat: http://veg.gy/3E5CM. She’ll be answering your vegan baking questions along with two other extraordinary women, Hannah Kaminsky @BitterSweet_ and Beverly Lynn Bennet (@veganchefbev)!

 

]]> http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/12/14/last-chance-for-holiday-orders/feed/ 0 Happy Thanksgiving! http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/11/23/happy-thanksgiving/ http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/11/23/happy-thanksgiving/#comments Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:30:17 +0000 Allison http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/?p=7856 It’s Thanksgiving tomorrow, and with the holiday busyness paused until Monday, I’m finally taking some time to pause myself. It’s like the last deep breath before the long sprint that will be the next five weeks until New Year’s. In this rare moment of stillness, I’d like to express my gratitude to you, our readers, clients and loyal fans and followers. You are the reason we are here, making all these compassionately decadent desserts, and why I get to live my passion every single day. Thank you for seeking excellence beyond the mainstream, for demanding superb, cruelty-free sweets, and for savoring every exquisite bite. It is our pleasure to serve such discerning clientele.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, in case all the Black Friday hype has you thinking about buying all your holiday gifts online instead of braving the horrors of holiday mall shopping, consider the added bonus of being able to order all your compassionate fair-trade gifts right now from the comfort of your computer, and being able to decide exactly when you want them delivered! That is exactly the scenario we offer with our easy delayed delivery date option. You can even shop in your coziest bath robe and fuzzy slippers; we won’t mind!

I would also like to extend an extra-special thank you to all of our monthly clubs members. We love being able to share our unique and exciting brownie, fudge and cookie of the month flavors with you each month and we so appreciate those of you who give monthly clubs as gifts for your friends and loved ones. You live by the golden rule of gift-giving: Give to other what you would like others to give to you! If you are considering becoming a monthly club member or are new to the whole monthly club membership thing, remember that you can enjoy your 15% membership discount on ALL order, including gifts!

Happy Vegan Thanksgiving!

]]> http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/11/23/happy-thanksgiving/feed/ 0 Exciting New Improvements http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/08/31/exciting-new-improvements/ http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/08/31/exciting-new-improvements/#comments Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:30:30 +0000 Tessa http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/?p=6790 Every spring I get this mental image of summer in my mind: the long, lazy days, swimming and tanning and backyard barbecues… Truth be told, I haven’t had one of those stereotypical summers since junior high, ah nostalgia. But, here at Allison’s, I’ve been enjoying my busier-than-planned summer none the less. The deadline for submissions to our Tee and Tote Design Contest is drawing near and it’s fascinating to watch all the wonderful designs rolling in! Meanwhile, in the kitchen, we’ve acquired some new equipment, we’re testing some new recipes, and, believe it or not, we’re already gearing up for the holidays!

In case you’re wondering where most of our vegan chocolates have disappeared to this summer, we took a break from some of our chocolate production (while it’s really too hot to ship chocolate gifts safely anyway) and we’ve been using the time to test a few new chocolate recipes. We recently acquired a new tempering machine for our chocolate production that has helped to stoke Allison’s creative fire. Last week we even did a test of something very special, which isn’t quite right yet so I can’t say much, but was pretty exhilarating anyway.

Our vegan fudge has been the “hot” seller for the last couple of weeks, especially in the form of Fudge of the Month Clubs. Our clubs keep your sweets pantry stocked, make gift-giving easy, plus they have the added bonus of giving you a discount on everything you order as long as your membership is active. With amazing flavors like Apple Pie and Peppermint Velvet, what’s not to love?

While doing some “summer cleaning” we also discovered that we had a backlog of your love letters that we’re finally getting around to publishing in the form of product reviews on our website. Have you tried our goodies recently? You, too, could be among our famous fans. Tell us what you think below, or on our Contact Us, Facebook or Twitter pages. We’d love to hear from you (and if you include a picture of yourself, we’ll be especially grateful)! :)

]]> http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/08/31/exciting-new-improvements/feed/ 0 Weekly Wrap-up: Decadently Delicious, VegNews Nominations and Your Designs! http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/08/05/weekly-wrap-up-decadently-delicious-vegnews-nominations-and-your-designs/ http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/08/05/weekly-wrap-up-decadently-delicious-vegnews-nominations-and-your-designs/#comments Fri, 05 Aug 2011 20:54:42 +0000 Jill http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/?p=6845 What a way to kick-off August! Our decadently delicious flavors of the month shipped, which means our lucky club members this month are receiving gorgeous tropical Toasted Coconut Brownies, classically rich and decadent Original Fudge, and ultra-elegant Cinnamon Snickerdoodle organic cookies. Yumm.

We had great news from VegNews—Allison’s has been nominated for 3 VegNews awards!

Favorite Bakery (Online) – Allison’s Gourmet
Favorite Vegan Candy – Chocolate Almond Toffee
Favorite Column – Veganize It! Allison Rivers Samson

What a great treat that is! If you’d like to vote (and we hope you do!), click here. You’ll even be entered to win some fabulous prizes!

Speaking of prizes, submissions to our Tee and Tote design contest have started coming in, and we’re enjoying seeing your creations! Make sure you spread the word. We’re sharing on Facebook and Twitter, and you can follow us there if you’re not already. Public voting on the contest designs begins after the last day for submissions, which is September 15—so there’s still plenty of time to get yours in. Good luck!

]]> http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/08/05/weekly-wrap-up-decadently-delicious-vegnews-nominations-and-your-designs/feed/ 0 August’s Decadently Delicious Flavors Shipped http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/08/03/augusts-audaciously-delicious-flavors-shipped/ http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/08/03/augusts-audaciously-delicious-flavors-shipped/#comments Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:30:49 +0000 Tessa http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/?p=6767 After expounding on the amazing perks of monthly club membership last week, I’m happy to announce that another delicious shipment of new monthly flavors went out on Monday. Our lucky club members this month are receiving gorgeous tropical Toasted Coconut Brownies, classically rich and decadent Original Fudge and ultra-elegant Cinnamon Snickerdoodle organic cookies. Hungry yet? You too can enjoy August’s distinctively delicious array of out-of-this-world compassionate baked goods. Order them individually or become a monthly club member today to receive a 15% discount along with your awesome sweet treats.

Already a monthly club member? Looking for ways to put that discount to work? Our gourmet Gift Samplers and Gift Sets make perfect presents for August birthdays and vacation treats. Since the warm weather this time of year makes shipping vegan chocolates risky, we recommend non-chocolate goodies for those summertime special occasions. Save yourself the time in the kitchen by serving our organic cookies and brownies for dessert at your next picnic or barbecue and wow both your family and guests by filling your candy bowl with all our outstanding assorted flavors of our individually wrapped caramels.

What are your favorite vegan hot dogs or other favorite vegan barbecue fare? We’re always looking for new and exciting grill items, and we love Allison’s All-American Potato Salad to round out a perfect summertime meal.

]]> http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/08/03/augusts-audaciously-delicious-flavors-shipped/feed/ 0 Weekly Wrap-up: Contests Make for a Sweet (and Nerve-Wracking!) Week http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/07/29/weekly-wrap-up-contests-make-for-a-sweet-and-nerve-wracking-week/ http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/07/29/weekly-wrap-up-contests-make-for-a-sweet-and-nerve-wracking-week/#comments Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:30:19 +0000 Jill http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/?p=6753 Our week has been somewhat single-focused on our first ever Tee and Tote Design contest—can you blame us? Not only are we super excited about seeing all of your great designs, but we’re a little nervous too! The anticipation (deadline is September 15) is enough to make us brew up a nice cup of fair-trade tea and nibble on our favorite vegan cookies to calm the nerves. That always works…

Tessa broke down the benefits of our monthly clubs on Wednesday (they’re also one of the prizes in our design contest!). It’s a good read to understand the programs and why your sweet tooth can have its cake (or vegan brownie, as it were) and eat it too—without the guilt. Organic and vegan treats are so much healthier than the conventional, GMO, high fructose corn syrup stuff out there, and it’s nice to have a steady supply to treat yourself, or others, throughout the month.

So hopefully you’ll tell all your artist-minded friends and co-workers about our design contest, and maybe if they win the $500 and monthly membership, they’ll share some of their sweet treats with you!

]]> http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/07/29/weekly-wrap-up-contests-make-for-a-sweet-and-nerve-wracking-week/feed/ 0 Monthly Clubs Offer Discounts and So Much More… http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/07/27/monthly-clubs-offer-discounts-and-so-much-more/ http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/07/27/monthly-clubs-offer-discounts-and-so-much-more/#comments Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:30:13 +0000 Tessa http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/?p=6590 We often receive calls and emails asking about discounts on our products. Since we’re a gourmet company offering only the very best premium-quality products, we don’t normally offer discounts. But, there is one sure way to get a deal on our sweets: join one of our easy and delicious monthly clubs. As our most loyal customers, monthly club members automatically receive 15% off of everything they order from us, including their monthly club itself. This discount applies whether the club ordered is for personal enjoyment or a gift for someone else, and it continues to apply to all orders placed with us as long as the monthly club membership is active. So, whether it’s a brownie of the month for your boss, cookie of the month for your sister, fudge of the month for your best friend, or a combination of two or three for your office or team, our monthly clubs are a great value and provided easy and enjoyable gifts that arrive automatically each month. Eternal gratitude and a continued discount at Allison’s Gourmet, what could be better?

Want to try one of our monthly club memberships for free? Enter our Tee and Tote Design Contest by September 15th and you could win a 3- or 6-month club of your choice plus other awesome vegan and cash prizes.

]]> http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/07/27/monthly-clubs-offer-discounts-and-so-much-more/feed/ 0 Allison’s Gourmet Tee and Tote Design Contest! http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/07/21/allisons-gourmet-tee-and-tote-design-contest/ http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/07/21/allisons-gourmet-tee-and-tote-design-contest/#comments Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:30:16 +0000 Tessa http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/?p=6647 Hi, I’m Allison. 15 years ago, in Seattle, WA, I founded this premier online vegan bakery and confectionary, Allison’s Gourmet. We’ve grown and changed a lot since then, including moving to Northern California and greatly expanding our product line, but one of the dreams I’ve held on to is to someday offer Allison’s Gourmet branded t-shirts and tote bags to our devoted fans. That someday has finally come, and since my talents live more in the kitchen, than in the design studio, I thought it would be fun to enlist your help! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be accepting submissions in our first ever design contest.

Here’s what you do: Create a design that includes a graphic, slogan/catchphrase and optional logo re-design for Allison’s Gourmet to be used on t-shirts, tote bags, etc. and you could win one of these delectable prizes:

Grand prize: $500 cash, plus one 3-month Allison’s Gourmet membership ($596 total value)
2nd prize: One 6-month Allison’s Gourmet membership, plus 6 containers of your choice of So Delicious Dairy Free Ice Cream, and an autographed copy of Veganist by Kathy Freston ($247 value)
3rd prize: One 3-month Allison’s Gourmet membership, plus a 1-year subscription to VegNews Magazine ($117 value)

Who we are: Allison’s Gourmet is an upscale, premium brand of pure, handcrafted, artisan baked goods and confections. With our unadulterated sweets we celebrate the joys of being vegan and we hope your design(s) will help communicate our message of compassionate indulgence!

How it works: If you live in the U.S. and are 18 or older, we welcome you to submit up to three designs by September 15th. After we receive all the designs, invite your friends and family to join the fun for the first round of voting September 16th – 30th. This will help us select the top 10 finalists, after which our all-star judges and the AG Team will choose the winners!

Click here to submit your artwork. Good luck!

]]> http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/07/21/allisons-gourmet-tee-and-tote-design-contest/feed/ 1 Favorite Summer Flavors http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/07/06/favorite-summer-flavors/ http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/07/06/favorite-summer-flavors/#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:30:36 +0000 Tessa http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/?p=6466 I hope everyone had a happy and safe July 4th weekend. Now that summer is really here I can tell you that I’ve been looking forward to some of this summer’s flavors for months, and I’m super excited now that they’re finally here! July’s cookie of the month flavor is soft peanut butter cookies, and, not surprisingly, they’re one of our most popular cookie flavor all year. Try them warmed in a toaster oven for a little piece of heaven. (In fact, I’ll be right back so I can go try one right now. For quality control, of course…)

In other news, Apple Pie fudge is here this month, too, just in time to share at summer potlucks. I have been getting the feeling lately that maybe people aren’t quite sure if our white fudge flavors are as awesome as our chocolate fudge flavors, and I can see why someone might think that. After all, it’s pretty hard to improve on chocolate. But, that being said, you must try Allison’s white fudge to truly understand how amazing it is. The Apple Pie flavor is sweet, creamy and perfectly spiced, with luscious chunks of tart granny smith apple. It’s like having a summer picnic in your mouth! I won’t say it’s better than chocolate fudge, but it’s certainly every bite as good.

And, the summer thrills don’t end with July. August’s brownie of the month flavor will be Toasted Coconut, and I can’t even tell you how fantastically tropical these brownies are, not to mention gorgeous! So, if you’re a monthly club member this summer, consider yourself lucky, and maybe send another thank you to whoever gave you such a great gift. If you’re pouting right now because you’re not a monthly club member yet, it’s not too late to join for July! As always, monthly clubs ordered before July 22nd will have the option of receiving July’s flavors as their first month’s shipment. Plus, all club members receive 15% off all orders, including gifts!

Happy Summer!

]]> http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/07/06/favorite-summer-flavors/feed/ 0 Eco-Friendly Gifts for Grads http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/06/03/eco-friendly-gifts-for-grads/ http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/2011/06/03/eco-friendly-gifts-for-grads/#comments Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:30:58 +0000 Tessa http://blog.allisonsgourmet.com/?p=6026 It’s spring again, and all over the country students of many academic levels are taking finals, matriculating and making plans for next year. It’s a time of celebration, and it’s especially exciting for me to note that more and more of today’s young people are seeing the benefits of a healthy, green, and compassionate lifestyle. As you celebrate the accomplishments of the eco-conscious, animal-loving young people in your life, consider giving them vegan, fair-trade gifts they will love that will also align with their values as responsible global citizens. Get your soon-to-be graduate a hot cocoa sampler to keep him or her going through the final weeks of school, or give cookie of the month clubs to graduates going off to college in the fall to sustain them through late nights and all those college exams. Monthly clubs can be ordered now to begin shipping in August, September or any other month you specify.

Gentle on the earth, and kind to animals and people alike, our organic, vegan and fair-trade treats will be enjoyed immensely by students of any age. Conscientious young people are sure to appreciate a deliciously decadent fair-trade gift that they can feel great about enjoying and won’t take up closet space.

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