The smell of homemade dinner dishes, the clamor of live musicians, and holiday recipe ideas offer visitors a chance to escape the stress of the holidays at the Moscow Food Co-op.

Throughout the season the Moscow Co-op will host an event each Thursday, aptly called Tasteful Thursdays. The event features different samples of food, wine, and beer each week. Among the offerings also include free shoulder massages, the Co-op’s hot cocoa mixtures and henna tattoos.

Co-op Outreach and Education Coordinator Misty Amarena said the Co-op staff has seen a number of people at the vendor tables throughout the previous Tasteful Thursday event, which told her everyone was doing something right.

“I think the variety and mixture of store department samples and local vendors talking about their products really helps with the success of the event,” Amarena said. “Together these elements often lend themselves to a nice holiday vibe.”

Various tables are set up around the store, each offering a different free sample for customers. Last Thursday, the co-op featured a quinoa cranberry bake, fresh bread, peppermint meringues, and beer samples from the Elysian Brewing Company.

“The Co-op chefs make all the food in-house,” Cooperative Advancement Manager Tiffany Harms said. “We offer more seasonal dishes on Tasteful Thursdays.”

Harms said she aims to bring in local vendors for sampling at the Co-op. The beer and wine distributors are local and give customers the chance to become familiar with companies in the area. For example, the Elysian Brewing Company is based out of Seattle, Washington.

Junior UI student Brandon Miller sipped beer and chatted with the Elysian Brewing Company representative who was tabling at the Co-op.

“Joe (the representative) told me all about this specific beer and how its hoppy – ness makes it unique,” Miller said. “I had no idea this company was in Seattle, either.”

Amarena said the live music has been a hit each week and the massages and henna art seem to be an added bonus as well. Harms said the Co-op has a core group of musicians they refer to when planning Tasteful Thursdays, but they like to give local bands the chance to play.

Harms said the Co-op chefs created baked cheese plates and other holiday dish ideas for their customers to try at home. The Co-op also posts its recipes to its company blog or recipes cards are available in the store.

“We want to give people ideas when planning their own holiday festivities,” Harms said.

Two Tasteful Thursdays remain for this year, and the Co-op has a several more tables planned. The Co-op will feature four different breweries, a balsamic line for sampling, and demos of board games for all ages, Amarena said.

The Co-op will host the final two Thursday events tomorrow and Dec. 18, which run from 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

“We aim to create a great community gathering with seasonal cheer and the opportunity to try a variety of items that are perfect for entertaining during the holiday season,” Amarena said. “It will be a wonderful celebration of the seasons, and we hope to see everyone there.”