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The Weekly Newsletter |
Menus and Stories for October 17 - 22, 2005
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| Karen primps |
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As I write this newsletter (Saturday in the afternoon) we are still in the middle of a big weekend's worth of events. I managed to sneak away for a bit yesterday to visit the big party as the crew was finishing setting it up.
Here Karen adds her finishing touches to the buffets arranged in the middle of this gigantic tent that had been erected on the side of a mountain near here. Our part of this weekend started on Wednesday when we made 250 individual bags of cookies for the out of town guests. Each bag had 4 cookies in it. That, by the way, is a LOT of cookies. Melissa, on her very first day as the baker, made batch after batch after batch. A bunch of us packed and tied and arranged the bags, a little cookie bag assembly line.
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Waiting for the guests |
We expected 475 for the Friday evening cocktail party. It was a nicely organized party, to tell you the truth. Buses brought guests from hotels all over the area. Richard, our chef, did a masterful job of making sure that the necessary foodstuffs were here when they needed to be. The cooks all stepped up and the shopsters here pulled out all the stops too, cutting and chopping and slicing and prepping - and still doing their daily duties. This party was one of 7 big events for this one group so our walk-in was packed full! Oh, and our new baker had already scheduled herself for some shop shifts and some party shifts, since our recent baker was not supposed to go on baby leave until NEXT week... SO you know who became the baker babe for the week. Apple Crisp for 475 anyone?
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| Filling the Shrimp display |
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Here Adam and Patti arrange shrimp in the ice bowl (real ice, that is.) There was also a bar made completely out of ice with wine carafes made of ice too. Lights hidden at the base made the whole thing sparkle like crazy. And the tent designer (I told you this party was a big deal) had tucked little sparkles underneath the shear ceiling so that the whole thing looked like a starry night by the time the guests arrived, just as the sun set.
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Dinners to go (Free dinner drawing*) |
Dinners come with a freshly-made green salad, salad dressing of the day, and made-right-here bread of the day. We take reservations until noon or so. Please order by phone (252-1500), by FAX (252-02002) or stop in to speak to one of us in person.
* starting this month we are innaugurating a free dinner-to-go once a month drawing, thought up by Emily, our office wizard (thanks for the great idea, Em!). Here's how it works:
Every time you order a dinner to go you are eligible to enter our drawing. Just drop a card in our drawing jar (a business card works or fill out one of the cards that we have right here) and, at the end of the month, we'll pull one card which will be good for two free dinners-to-go.
Order a lot? Enter a lot!
Good luck!!
Here's this week's menu:
Monday October 17 Honey Chardonnay Chicken 9.75
Tuesday October 18 Corn Crepes with Scallops Niçoise 12.75
Wednesday October 19 Flank Steak and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes 10.75
Thursday October 20 Stuffed Pork Chops Au Poivre 10.50
Friday October 21 Lemon Basil Salmon Filet 12.75
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Our website |
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| Casserole of the Week |
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We make a special casserole each week on Wednesday. Please give us a call by the end of the day on Tuesday and we’ll fix yours for you. Come by between 4:30 and 6:00. Get a half (for 4 appetites) or a full sized pan (for 9 or so.)
Wednesday, October 19
Beef Bourguignon (French Beef Stew)
Full 37.25
Half 18.65
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"Live from Laurey's" |
And then, right in the middle of the week, we had an hour-long radio show. "Lifestyles Food and Wine" a local radio show, came to do their broadcast from the shop. I took off my "baker babe" duds, brushed off the flour from my shoes (at least I think I did) and sat down to talk with April Adams about life in my little world.
April and her show attract a touring gang called the "Culinary Caravan' who oohed and aahed and clapped with appreciation at random moments. I thought the whole thing was very fun - especially since the show was live and all April brought was a little black box into which she plugged two microphones. Quite a bit different from the days when my mother did radio shows from Blueberry Hill. She'd tape them on her reel-to-reel Wollensack and send the tapes off to Schnectady or some such place. Ah me.
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| Roasted Carrots |
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My new camera has a "Digital macro" setting which means I can get VERY close to things. Nice.
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Setting the bar |
Here Collier and Katherine and Melissa line up glasses, open up wine, and arrange one of the two bars.
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| A Note from Laurey |
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Still at my desk in the middle of this gorgeuos Saturday afternoon but I'm waiting for the last pan of foccacia to come out of the oven before I head off to become grill babe for a nice wedding that will happen in a few hours. I like keeping my hands in, and what a beautiful night for grilling!
I think I'll have more time to write next week.
Enjoy yourselves this week. Get out. Take the dog if you have one. Read a good book. Eat some good food. Heck, have a glass of wine if you feel like it. It's fall. It's beautiful (at least here it is.) Oh, if you are somewhere else, and it is NOT beautiful, maybe you might like to come here for the weekend. I would, um, except that I'm already here.
Okay - my timer just rang so I'm off.
I'll be in touch next week.
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Ready! |
Here's the team for one of the big parties. Karen, tucked into the middle, and her crew of sweet, smart, talented folks, had a moment to pose for me before everyone arrived. They really are quite a team - a big part of what makes people happy to have us be a part of parties.
Thanks to the 50 or so folks who worked so hard this weekend to make it all go so smoothly. Office, kitchen, delivery, shop, and service staff all did amazing work.
Thanks. Thanks. Thanks to all.
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Contact Info: |
Laurey's "Gourmet Comfort Food" Eat In - Take Out - Catering 67 Biltmore Avenue Asheville, NC 28801 828-252-1500 Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 - 6:00 pm Saturday 8:00 - 4:00 pm |
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