Okay - mark this date on your calendar and give us a call to save your spots.  (It will sell out and so an early reservation will be your guarantee.)

 

Nora Pouillon, founder of Restaurant Nora in Washington, will be in town for a couple of days.  She'll be speaking at The French Broad Garden Club on Friday (give them a shout if you'd like to hear her there.)  And she'll be here on Thursday for a very special dinner.

 

Nora's was the very first 100% certified Organic restaurant in the United States and Nora has been a major proponent of safe, local, DELICIOUS food for years.  She's also my mentor and my inspiration.

 

The menu will be an all-local one, and will feature her type of food (which is like ours, but fancier.)  The cost will be $55.00 per person (+tax).  Add $12.00 if you'd like wine.  dinner will start at 7. 

 

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Projects is our local group that promotes things that grow.  They feature a local growing thing each month.  May's cover girl is Local Strawberries.  We've got 'em in our fruit salads, or course, but look for other inventive offerings.  Oh - and Strawberry Shortcake will make frequent appearances.

 

The shopsters have been requesting, cajoling, pestering me to get a vacuum-sealer for them.  Now that it is time for a lot of local, spring cheeses i finally got myself to the store and picked one up. 

 

Here are our dinners for the week. Order by noon and we'll have your dinner ready to pick up by 3. We are open until 8 now which makes it easy for you to dawdle if you like. Feel free to stay right here with us if you like. We'll reheat your meal and stay out of your way.

 

 

Monday May 3

* French Bistro Chicken with Chive White Wine Sauce 11.25

 

Tuesday May 4

Shrimp Quesadillas with Charred Tomato Salsa 12.25

 

Wednesday May 5

Chicken and Green Chili Enchiladas 11.00

 

Thursday May 6

* Panned Trout with Creamy Polenta and Spring Greens 12.75

 

Friday May 7

Swedish Meatballs with Red Potato Hash 11.00

 

* these are gluten free

 

(though it is important to know that

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, May 5

Beef and Roasted Vegetable Tortilla Pie

Full: 55.00

Half: 27.50

 

We're now making Lasagna every Friday. Here's this Friday's offering:

 

Friday, May 7

Bacon, Butternut squash, and Basil

Full: 45.00

Half: 22.50

 

Yup - I'm showing you a picture of our "snap boys" our boxed lunches.  The plastic is the good kind, the kind that breaks down if you toss it into a well-functioning compost pile.  I'm happy to say that all the compostables from here (including this kind of plastic) goes into our compost and is carted to a commercial compost facility.

 

Oh sweet Jenna returns this week for another evening of soulful singing.  She has a new CD which I THINK will be ready for this evening.  You'll certainly get a preview of the material she's recorded for it.

 

6-8.

 

Andy is the fellow who joins us for a couple of hours each day.  he keeps up with the tables, the chairs, the floors, and the folks in the cafe.  She's kind of shy, but if you greet him on a regular enough basis, he'll add you to his growing list of friends.

 

Hiya,

 

I write this note on Thursday this week, as I am leaving in a couple of hours to go spend the weekend with my big sister. We’re going to the Crawfish Festival in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. We’re going to dance, listen to music, and, oh yeah, eat crawfish. Can you think of anything more fun?

 

After this trip I stay put for a while, until mid-June, I think. Then I am going to Des Moines to do some cooking. Then I’m going to New Jersey to do some bike riding. And then, in September, my sisters and I are all going to Tuscany. The big sister turns 60 this year so it’s time to celebrate!

 

Things are good these days. My garden is a thing of beauty, chaotic as it may be. At the moment it is VERY green. Soon the iris will pop out. Last week the lilacs held sway for a couple of days. The bright red tulips that my friend Annie gave me are holding on, but are on their way out. I’ve planted geraniums, though, knowing that seeing red flowers is a good thing for me. If I can see something red growing somewhere in my yard, I know that things are good.

 

I hope you’re not sick of hearing about my bees. They seem to be flourishing too. I am expecting another hive full soon, maybe in the next week or so. And the two that are already installed are doing well – I think. It’s bee a little chilly for open hive inspections, but I plan to look in on a warm day next week. Gosh I feel energized by these lovelies. I am no longer scared of them but feel intrigued and inspired to be a part of their long term picture.

 

The trip to Des Moines is a cooking event for The National Honey Board. I think it’s terrific to get to help spread the word about bees and honey and the good reasons to help them – and the best way, even without being a beekeeper. I’ve got a few other seminars and events about bees and honey in my brain. Later in the summer I’ll do a Dinner and Conversation about bees and honey. Stay tuned.

 

Here's a peek at another new color that I'm adding to my list of favorites.  I've been in the hot shop most Mondays, getting gradually (I'll say!) better and better.  This is a very challenging, and very satisfying hobby.