The first attempt at this party got snowed out. 

 

But THIS Wednesday is the night to come.

Learn about the North Carolina Outward Bound Schools'

youth (14-18) courses and Parent/Child courses.

 

I am a graduate of NCOBS and also a former instructor. 

I'll be joined by other alumni and instructors also by

Whitney Montgomery, the Executive Director of NCOBS.

 

Come at 6:30

 

And, if you are here you can enter to win a free youth course.

(yes, you must be present to win.)

 

We'll do another event in May for adults.

Okay - we're going to try AGAIN.

 

Mark Friday, March 26th on your calendar for our

"Taste of Tuscany dinner and conversation."

 

A reminder of the details:

 

We’ll have hors d’oeuvres (“Antipasti”), a Pasta Course (“Primi”), A Main Course (“Secondi”), and a traditional Tuscan finish too (“Dolce”). The cost will be $55.00 (+ tax) per person which will include recipes, the demonstration, all the food (of course!) Tuscan wines too.

 

I'll demonstrate a thing or two and will tell you a little bit about our "Delicious Expeditions" to Tuscany.  Looks like the next one will be next Spring.  Want to come with us?

 

As they say, “Buon divertimento” (“have fun!”)

 

Have you stopped by our "Happy Center" recently?  Take a spin through the silly gums, magnets, and coin purses.

 

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. Orders are ready by 3.

 

Feel free to stay here with us, listening to music and visiting with your friends. I can't think of a nicer place to linger and we're now open until 8, you know.

 

Please order by phone (252-1500) or stop in to speak to one of us in person.

 

Dinners for this week are:

 

Monday, March 15

Swedish Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy 11

 

Tuesday, March 16

*Scallops with Spinach and Polenta 12.75

 

 

Thursday, March 18

Braised Chicken and Radicchio with Sherry 11.25

 

Friday, March 19

Old-fashioned Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes 11

 

We make a special casserole each week.

 

Order by noon or so. Order a half if you have around 4 folks. If you have a bigger group, or you just like leftovers, order a full-sized one.

 

Then come pick up between 3:00 and 8:00. (Or bring a gang and enjoy your dinner right here. We do have beer and wine by the glass, you know.)

 

Please order by phone (252-1500) or stop in to speak to one of us in person.

 

This week's casserole is:

Wednesday, March 17

Shepherd’s Pie with Local Lamb

Full: 65  Half: 32.50

 

Friday, March 19 – Portabella Mushroom

Full: 38  Half: 19

 

Come for simple supper and sweet music this Thursday.

 

Jenna Lindbo returns to our Thursday Comfort Tunes this week and boy does that make ME happy!  She has THE sweetest voice,

the loveliest songs, the most upbeat messages. 

Please come see what I mean.

 

Fun!

6-8 is the time.

No charge (but we'll have a tip jar.)

I just came back from a few days in the city of craziness.  I gave a presentation at a big catering convention about Social Marketing (Facebook, twitter, blogging and - yes - this newsletter.)

 

A few days later I did a cooking demonstration using honey and fresh fruits.  We cooked in a mobile kitchen that had just come from the Olympics!  It was really a lot of fun, whirling around in a gigantic convention center, goofing off with Monroe, who leads the Tuscany trips with me. 

 

As the days get warmer I feel a stirring in my heart and my body and, well, in everything.  The farmers have planted and in a very short time we'll start to have fresh, local produce again.

 

We do have fresh eggs every single day.  Our breakfast burritos, our quiches, and our devilled eggs are all made with The Egg Lady's eggs.  Look in our deli case for the Appalachian Grown signs.

 

March 13, 2010

 

Hey there,

 

It is SUCH a beautiful day here today. The forecast was for 40% rain but, as I’ve noted before, that really means 60% sun. And it is fully sunny today. Gorgeous in fact. Hooray, I say. It’s about time!

 

Yesterday afternoon we had a gigantic downpour, rain gushing off the roof, down the streets, filling gutters and curbs and anything at the bottom of any slope. I was about to go home but the skies opened up and I, along, with the folks here in the café for a late lunch, just stopped, watched, waited, and felt grateful for the roof and the camaraderie.

 

It has been a full time. A week ago today I spent the day in an Outward Bound Board meeting and, as soon as it was done, I hopped in my car, drove to the airport, and flew to Las Vegas. And, though it was late by the time we arrived and though I was presenting first thing the next day, Monroe and I wandered around the city, surrounded by noise and light and goofy people.

 

We were there for four days. Plenty of time. Not too much.

 

This week I am flying to be part of a video shoot for the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. A one-day whirlwind of a trip, this will be. Up EARLY, flying to NJ, filming, back to the airport and back here. One day. Really!? Yup. The thing that makes me most nervous is that I go right to “make-up”. I do not wear make-up. Yikes! Mascara? Really!? Oh dear. But I’m honored to have been asked to be a part of this survivor’s video. There aren’t enough of us. Maybe this will help.

 

I also found out this week that I passed the written test to be a Certified Beekeeper. The practical portion will happen a bit later, once it really warms up around here. In Las Vegas my cooking demonstration was for The National Honey Board and I got to talk about the bee situation. This is such an important thing. And, these days, it is so hard to do. I feel tremendous determination. This is the year. My bees arrive soon and I’m getting their home all set up.

 

In the meantime, I have two meetings with brides and grooms today. Wedding times are almost upon us. The consensus at the catering conference was that things are really looking up. That is a fine message to hear. As the sun returns and the light returns and the spring comes, I feel happy to shed the winter in so many ways.

 

Come say hello if you’re in town. I’d love to see you.

 

I’ll be in touch next week.

Little Henry's second bone marrow transplant went smoothly this past Tuesday.  His parents, for those of you who do not know, both work here, though they are on leave right now, taking care of their son.