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The Weekly Newsletter |
Menus and Stories for December 8 - 12, 2008
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| Chris can do it! Hot breakfast!!!!!!* |
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Our new chef, Chris Higgins, is an experienced, energetic, sweetly friendly fellow. And can he cook! In the midst of all his work he often comes into the office, offering to make us whatever we like. It's as if we had, well, a RESTAURANT here! (wild!)
This morning he made me some french toast. Just like that. After I mopped up the butter and syrup (hey, I'm in training for my cross-country bike ride, you know), it occurred to me that he could, um, cook YOU breakfast too.
So - starting right away know that you can now come in, order french toast or an omelet or eggs any way you like 'em. We'll also have a hot breakfast special when the mood strikes. All this will be in addition to the muffins, scones, quiches and breakfast burritos. Bring your friends or read the paper on your own. We're ready at 8.
We'll keep our easy service style. No messing with waiters and long waits for more coffee. You help yourself, just like always. But hot and cooked just for you! Yu - UM!!!
*Chris said to put in a lot of !!!!!!!! marks, so here you go, Chef!!!!!!!!!
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Come meet the honeymakers |
Jaime and I started keeping bees this year. We're hoping we did our first few months well. We'll know for sure in the spring. For now, keep these little gals in your prayers.
Our mentor, Lyne Vendely, is the Blue Ribbon winner from our local and also the State fair. Actually, it's her bees who do such lovely work, but she provides them with all they need. She's coming here next Saturday, December 13. AND she's bringing her bees! Don't worry, they will be contained in a demonstration hive, easy to look into and impossible to get out of.
Do come, meet Lyne, learn about bees and honey, and maybe even think about signing up for bee school next February. The bees, as you know, are in danger and this is one thing we can all do to help. Raise bees or buy honey from someone who does.
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Sweet Betty Bees' honey |
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| Zouga Nougat |
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Kether, our recent sous chef (remember, she left because she had twins?) is off and running with a new venture: handmade nougat candy. She and a friend, another new mother, have a new candy-making company. The candy is made in our local "value added" facility (not in their home kitchen).
I tried their nougat at a party and REALLY liked it! These little square puffs melt away like soft a wisp of a cloud. Take a bite. Drift. Float. Dream.
You COULD go to France to try the candy made in Provence. Or, if you don't feel like traveling right now, just come here. Zouga Nougat. Cool.
(Oh sure, we'd be happy to tuck some into a gift basket for you. Check out the shop for some basket thoughts or, if you prefer, visit our website - the link is right below these words.)
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Gift Baskets |
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Dinners to go for this week |
| 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 (252-0200)or stop in to speak to one of us in person.
Dinners are ready at 4:30 and can be picked up until we close at 6:00 pm.
Monday December 8 Brie and Almond-stuffed Chicken 10.25
Tuesday December 9 Rainbow Trout Veracruz 12.75
Wednesday December 10 Pork Tenderloin with Baked Pumpkin and Cranberry 11.25
Thursday December 11 Mandarin Chicken with Peanut Noodles 9.95
Friday December 12 Roasted Salmon with Curry Dill Sauce 13.75
Say - we're making a Special Christmas Dinner to Go again this year. Christmas Eve. Stay tuned.
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Our website |
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| Special casserole of the week |
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| We make a special casserole each week, usually on Wednesday.
Order before noon 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.
Here's this week's offering.
Wednesday, December 10
Old-Fashioned Beef Stew with Yukon Gold Potatoes
Full: 38.75
Half: 19.50
(Did I mention that all our casseroles freeze beautifully [can a
casserole REALLY do that?] Feel free to stock up for unexpected
company.)
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Marty the baker man |
I turn around and look what I find? BEAUTIFUL homemade challah braids. Marty is such a meticulous baker and I feel very lucky to have him here. Look what he made yesterday!!
Most Fridays he bakes challah. If you'd like a braid or two, or a wreath or two, give us a call. For Friday orders we'll take orders up until the end of the day on Thursday. You can pick the bread up after 2 on Friday, well in time for a Shabbat candle lighting. In these dark days I think all prayers are good, especially when you can send thoughts out over this kind of loveliness.
(Marty tells me that he can bake this bread on any day of the week and can shape it into a loaf or a wreath or a braid. Just give us a call and we'll get 'em going.)
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| A new find from us to you |
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Okay, we've KNOWN about these but we've never before carried them. We figured it was about time.
Nunes Farms almonds are grown and farmed in the center of California and have been around so long they say "for generations" not even bothering to say how MANY generations they've been at it. A LOT, I'd guess.
If you take a look at their website you'll see all sorts of interesting information about how good almonds are for you. If you're trying to eat better, snack better, give a more useful gift, here's an answer. Very nice. And very good too. (Oh, and delicious!)
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Nunes Farms Almonds |
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A cuddley thing for you |
No, the baby is not for sale, but I figured if he is going to be here I'd put him to work. Here, in his first modeling job, Henry proudly shows off his new Don't Postpone Joy blanket. Our friend Lacy brought these to us as a donation for my big bike ride. We'll be selling them and putting the proceeds toward my fundraising efforts (which recently passed $21,000.00!!) I'm helping the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance spread the word about the importance of early detection.
Henry, as you can see, was thrilled to be on his first modeling job. (Would that all our work was this relaxing!)
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Laurey Bikes |
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| A Note from Laurey |
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| December 6, 2008
When I got to work this morning everything was sunny. The shop glistened. The café, filled with the morning's light, filled me with joy. I get to come here every day. I get to sneak in early. I get to surround myself with the warmth and the comfort of this place, this food, these people.
Things have been feeling pretty tight. I have gotten so that I don't even want to look at the newspaper. I don't want to listen to the news. I long ago stopped watching tv. I just want everything to get better. I know we all do. I can hardly wait for things to open up again. I am trying to fill my heart with light and love and I'm trying to keep out the dark and the fear and all of that.
I've noticed a turn, a shift, an attempt, at the very least, to change the overwhelming pressure I know we've all been feeling. This morning I got a note from a friend talking about not letting all that outside turmoil get the best of us. And yesterday I saw a story in a local newspaper ( a private one, not the scary public one) that was filled with words about how to live in the open, to not be cowed, crushed.
A friend told me that astrologically things are quirky right now too and that is contributing to the general squirrelly feeling. But she said it's almost over and, if we all know that, we'll start feeling better.
I've wanted to hole up in my little home these days. I have kept my wood stove stoked and am thankful that I have a new woodworker friend who is keeping my wood box filled with kindling. That's a nice feeling. The dog and cat have found their new favorite spots, as have I. We snuggle in, closer and closer and closer, sharing the fire's warmth.
I'm going to be on the radio soon, Wednesday, December 17th. 6pm. David Hurand's show on WCQS. I think I'm going to just suggest we talk about comfort food. Comfort. Joy. Filling ourselves with this as much as we possibly can. I have a new recipe (new to me) for an easy cake. I'll give it out on the show so be sure to tune in - with paper and pencil. My neighbor, Eb, will talk about wine. I'll probably talk about hot chocolate. That, to me, is the epitome of comfort. Comfort is the epitome of joy.
One thing that brings me joy is sitting here in my office listening to the hum of people sitting in the café, right outside my office door. Forks clink. Conversations float in the air. Lives are shared. Right here, over a bowl of chowder or a plate of macaroni and cheese.
We're going to have a Comfort and Joy dinner, complete with Christmas Carol singing, on December 20th. If you're feeling dark, come be with us. Bring a friend or come here and meet some new ones. Together we will get through this dark time. Together.
I'll be in touch next week.
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The joy of a sister |
I'm pretty sure I told you that Heather lives here now, at least when she is not in Kentucky with our other sister. She showed up dressed as my complement the other day (or maybe I was dressed as hers.)
By the way, she is pouring herself into her eBay business these days and I thought you might like to know about it. She helps you go through your attic and cellar - you know those boxes of things your grandmother gave you - and helps you decide what to do with it all: give it away, send it to an auction, or sell it on eBay. She helps you evaluate and then helps you sell your things. She'll tell you the details of how it all works. Snazzy! Right now she's all caught up with a glass bottle that she is selling for a client. It is mold-blown and comes, it seems, from a Spanish Galleon - isn't that exotic?.
If you have things you want to sell, get in touch with me and I'll get you in touch with her. She's a smart sister (and she dresses well too.)
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