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The Weekly Newsletter |
Menus and Stories for November 6 - 10, 2006
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| The littlest baker |
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This is Jackie, a tiny pipsqueak of a thing who was part of a "cooking class" the other day here in our shop. On the night before Halloween a troop of mothers and a mass of children filed in, quiet and shy. Together we made apple turnovers and then pizzas and, finally, sugar cookies with candies; M+Ms and Candy Corn, and Candy Pumpkins, in them. Cate helped me get the baking sheets into our ovens while the older kids, inhibitions gone, heartily assisted the tiny ones with their decorating..
By the way - do NOT try to bake those candy pumpkins. They melt all over the place.
"We have major land masses forming," Cate reported on one of her trips from the ovens. Fortunately the kids did not mind. (Nor did I. Land masses or not, they all tasted good and looked fun.)
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Thanksgiving Dinner to Go |
It really is almost Thanksgiving.
As we do every year, we are making the entire Thanksgiving meal. Everything is cooked and made ready for you to pick up on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. (Don’t worry, we’ll give you re-heating instructions.)
It’s all very easy.
This year’s menu features our versions of all the classics. It will be a homey, traditional comfort-filled meal. If you just want parts of the meal, let us know when you place your order.
Please call 252-1500 to place your order by the end of the day on Friday, November 17
Orders will be ready to pick up between 2 and 4 on Wednesday, November 22
Here's the menu:
At the start: Elsie’s Pickled Shrimp Cocktail with John’s Dunk Sauce
A presentation of Locally-made Artisanal Cheese
The Dinner: Oven-Roasted Turkey with Fresh Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme Sourdough Stuffing with Herbs and Fall Apples
Mushroom Gravy
Kris’s Soft Vermont Cheddar Cheese Yeast Rolls
Richard’s Sweet Potatoes au Gratin
Sautéed Kale and Italian “Cippole” Onions
Jubilee Chutney
Classic Pies: Pecan and Pumpkin
The cost for the entire meal is 28.50 per person |
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| North Carolina's 40 Favorites!!! |
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Gee whiz - we made it into another magazine!
The November issue of Southern Living has a story about their 40 favorite things about North Carolina. They list Krispy Kreme donuts (I didn't even know they were from here) and the Outer Banks and the fact that North Carolina has produced a huge number of American Idol contestants.
They list The Biltmore Estate, of course, and the Bonsai Collection at the North Carolina Arboretum.
AND, they list us! We're #27. That, to my way of thinking, is a very nice place to be.
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Dinners to go |
Dinners, as you know, 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.
Here is the menu for this coming week:
Monday November 6 Garlic and Herb Chicken with Polenta Cakes 9.95
Tuesday November 7 Pan-fried Red Snapper with Pecan Rice Pilaf 12.25
Wednesday November 8 Braised Chipotle Beef Tips with Corn Salsa 11.75
Thursday November 9 Turkey Meatloaf with Potato Pancakes 11.25
Friday November 10 Shrimp + Scallops in Creamy Wild Mushroom Sauce 13.25
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.
Maybe you'll win next month.
Order a lot? Enter a lot!
Good luck!! |
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Our website |
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| Special casserole of the week |
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It is time to start stocking up. If you know you're having company for the holidays, go ahead and buy these as we make them. Stick them in your freezer, and then, when they all show up and you don't want to cook, you'll be all set.
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, November 8
Beef Bourguignon
Full: 35.75
Half: 18
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Cute gum |
Check 'em out. (In the "Happy Center")
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| It'll be party time soon |
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When you think about having a holiday gathering, do keep us in mind. Our Garden Room is the lovliest space at night, cozy and warm and nice. We can open it up and you can spread out too if you want to invite more people. Bring in a band or plug in your ipod. We'll do the rest. Give us a call to find out the details. (Not every night is open anymore, but we'll try to fit you in.)
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And gift baskets too |
As you have probably noticed in this newsletter or in your visits to our shop, we're stocking up for the holidays. In the next week or so we'll have samples of our gift baskets on display for your viewing pleasure. We've moved "Basket World" back downstairs, which means that we won't be making them in front of you anymore, but this new arrangement makes much more sense.
Keep us in mind for your gift list. We're great at making, packing, shipping, or delivering a whole bunch of these festive babies. People are starting to ask for them, which is music to our ears. We search for and fill up with our favorite award-winning gourmet products, all made from small producers like us.
Or fill up a red tin with YOUR favorites and we'll make it look spectacular in the time it takes for you to eat a caramel apple. (This tiny one might suit you as a gift for a tiny person, or an office mate.)
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| A Note From Laurey |
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I think you know that I am working on my first book. It’s quite a captivating project, with all sorts of random bits that one would never think of needing rising up and presenting themselves as one more “must do.”
I’ve been collecting “permissions,” contacting folks who I’ve quoted or whose recipes I’ve included. I’m doing well with it. My folder of approvals is getting thick, my list of “not-yet-complete” is growing smaller.
The introduction to the book is a story about Garrison Keillor, specifically referring to the time he came here a few years ago with his “Rhubarb Tour” the traveling version of his radio show: A Prairie Home Companion. He played at The Thomas Wolfe Auditorium and we, much to my delight, got to cater dinner for him. The evening turned out to be a hugely fun night and I ended up writing about it for my newsletter. The folks at the local newspaper WNC Woman asked if they could reprint it, which, of course, I thought just fine. And then it seemed like a good idea to start my book with this story which, thinking of permissions, made me think that I’d better find out if it was okay to use it and write about Garrison, you know.
So a few weeks ago I sat down at my computer and zipped off a quick note of explanation and a question to Mr. Keillor, asking, essentially, if he would give me the permission I was requesting and if so, noting that I’d be happy to send him a copy of the story and, well, that sort of thing. I sent my note off to the show’s website and went on with my day, figuring that some low-level person in some dark office somewhere MIGHT read my note in a few days and MIGHT decide to pass it along to the host – but probably not.
About ten minutes after sending my note, however, I rechecked my e-mail and was SHOCKED to find a note from Garrison himself! Here’s what he said:
“Dear Laurey,
Nice to hear from you and congratulations on finishing the book. You shouldn’t show me the prologue though it’s kind of you to offer. You have the right to write about your own life as you see it and remember it and if a tall man with glasses walks in for a moment, you’re entitled to write about him, and he really has no say in the matter. It’s the risk you take when you leave home and walk out in public, that somebody may write about you.
Garrison Keillor”
Now, isn’t that just the coolest?
(The book should be ready by February. Keep your fingers crossed.)
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The gang with their creations |
"Point," I said, "to the one YOU made."
And so they did.
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