The Weekly Newsletter
Menus and Stories for November 5 - 9, 2007
A new special in today's deli case

Richard, our chef, has his eyes open for interesting ingredients. Today's case has Green-shelled mussels from South Carolina (not New Zealand), and Fresh Squid, pictured here.

You really never know what is going to appear, which makes it so much fun for you, and for us, and, most especially, for our cooks. Come see. I think you'll be happy with what you find. (These were made by Matthew - a wonderful cook newly here and recently from Vermont.)

And, another local creation

Hickory Nut Gap sells us beef (our roast beef sandwiches are all made with local beef) but also lamb. This Strudel is filled with it. Lovely.

November 10th in Sylva

Do you know about The Great Smokey Mountain Book Fair? Have you ever been to Sylva - the cutest town around? Put November 10th on your calendar and come on over for a sweet day. I'll be on a panel, speaking about food and memory and story and then will be around, signing books and saying hello.

Sylva has some cute stores, some really good restaurants (one was just featured in Gourmet magazine, I think) and all sorts of things to do on a crisp fall day. See you there, I hope.

Great Smokey Mountain Book Fair
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.

As a reminder, 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!!

Here is this week's menu:

Monday November 5 Chicken Boursin Wellington 13.25
Tuesday November 6 Mustard-glazed Lamb Chops 11.75
Wednesday November 7 Elsie’s Chicken Baked in Wine 9.95
Thursday November 8 Blackened Beef Tips with Creamy Gorgonzola 16.50
Friday November 9 Orange Ginger and Soy Roasted Salmon 13.50

Our website
Special casserole of the week

We make a special casserole each week. Order before noon on Wednesday and we'll have yours ready to pick up between 4:30 and 6:00 that very afternoon. (Yes, you can order in advance too.) Order a full for 9 portions or, if your gang is smaller, opt for the half-sized one, which serves 4 or so.

Say, we'll happily make a salad and provide bread for you if you like, just let us know when you call and we'll get you all set up.

This week's special casserole is:


Wednesday, November 7
Shepherd’s Pie
With Beef, Carrots, Peas and Potatoes
Full: 36.50
Half: 18.25

It might be time to start stockpiling casseroles for the upcoming holidays. Just give us the word and we'll make 'em. (252-1500)

Thanksgiving Dinners to Go - 2007

We make the complete Thanksgiving meal each year and this year is no different. The dinners are made on Wednesday in the morning and are ready to pick up that day, between 2 and 4 (when we close.)

Our meals are packed in reheatable containers and simple reheating instructions are included. Sound good?

Give us a call to place your order. 252-1500. Or if you prefer the personal approach, just stop by and one of us can take your order. We'd like to have the orders in by the end of the day on Friday, November 16.


Thanksgiving 2007 "A Taste of the South"

Starters: Cheddar Cheese Sausage Balls (with Hickory Nut Gap Sausage)
The Dinner: Sorghum-glazed Turkey with Apple Chestnut Stuffing
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Classic Gravy
“Green Bean Casserole” Haricots Verts with Crunchy Onions And Roasted Mushrooms (a fancy version of the traditional one)
Southern Corn Pudding
Cranberry Orange “Jubilee” Chutney
Clover Leaf Rolls
Traditional Pumpkin Pie
Apple Crumb Pie
$29.95 per person

New chocolates from Vermont

You know I was just in Vermont, right? Well everywhere I looked I saw Lake Champlain chocolates. Emily, our office guru, orders our retail products and sure enough, when I came back, I saw them, displayed as you see in this picture, right underneath the cookies. Wish and it shall appear (as long as you are me and you have Emily in charge of doing the ordering.)

Hot chocolate season

And speaking of Vermont chocolates - how 'bout some hot chocolate? I'm a big hot chocolate fan and theirs is my favorite (unless I'm in Mexico and some of those hot chocolate ladies are whipping me up a cup of fresh-shaved elixir, that is.)

We have a range of flavors, organic, spicy, and simple. Yum!

A Note From Laurey
 
November 3, 3007

Today is one of those days that has stood out in my mind for months. Monroe, one of my very best friends, is getting married today. Many members of his family, his partner’s family and, for that matter, my family, are gathered for the festivities. The two of them have three little children and of course they are all here too. It’s a big day.

I’ve known Monroe since 1991 or so, ever since he and I showed up next to each other at a Bridal Fair (hideous event!) and proceeded to become friends. We had both ended up at the event and, realizing that neither of us really belonged at such a thing (he was representing another company, I was trying my best to drum up some work for mine) we spent the time talking to each other and trying to avoid the mothers and anxious brides who swirled around. A few months later Monroe joined me at my place of work and that, really, is when things became fun for me.

Mon and I worked together for 11 years until he started his own business, a special event catering location. We continued, and continue still, to take small groups to interesting places to explore culinary worlds beyond here. Delicious Expeditions is our creation and, though it is on hold for the moment (three children is more than a handful) we’ll get back to it at some point.

You know, I think, that my sister Heather has just moved to Asheville. She is living in a sweet little apartment at Monroe and Lupe’s house. Though I see Monroe a lot, I now hear even more about their whole family because Heather sees all of them every day. Their children are fond of Heather’s cats. Heather is fond of the children. Suddenly they are all much more present in my life.

Last night all of these folks gathered to salute this beautiful family. Today, in a few hours, more people will come, watch, listen, sing, praise, and, probably cry. Lupe and Mon have known each other for 17 years and have gathered quite a lot of friends. All of us have watched this family become a family. All of us have learned so much about love and what life really means. I know I have.

Last year I was a part of a photographic exhibit that came here. Called “Love Makes a Family” it celebrated all sorts of odd assortments of people, none in traditional family groups. But, in all the pictures, love had brought them together and love was what mattered most of all. I joined in that project, becoming one of three co-chairs, because of Monroe and Lupe and their children. It was a very thought provoking time for me, meeting so many local people who have created families in many different ways.

I am a bit nervous too, because this evening everyone will come here, to my shop, to have a fancy dinner. I want everything to be perfect. This family, these families, matter very much to me. They fill me with love and I want them to feel comfortable, happy, loved. At the moment, all I can do is think about them and write a few words. The cooks are cooking and doing what they need to do. I must trust that it will all be fine.

I asked Lupe last night what this morning would look like to him.

“Well, we’ll probably get up, have breakfast, watch cartoons.”

The children need to feel like it’s a regular day in some ways. Pretty soon they’ll all get dressed and have the ceremony and the first reception (the one for the children) and then, later, they’ll come here (just the adults).

This weekend is the weekend that each of their children, over the past five years, has had their Christening. This is a big weekend for them. For love. For family. A lovely thing.

More about Lyne's honey

Did you happen to see the two TV shows last week about honey and bees? It's pretty frightening, the loss of hives, the death of bees. When I talked to Lyne about them, she said that un-stressed bees do not die. Lyne is one of the gentlest people I know and her bees seem to be doing just fine. Her honey, which won best of the fair at our local fair, just won a blue ribbon at our state fair. Co-OOL!

All of us are planning to keep bees and have signed up for bee school so in the future you might see OUR honey. For now, I recommend Lyne's and Dave's. Both local. Both gathered by friends of ours. Nice.

The Honeybee Project
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