My very best, oldest friend visited me this week.  We've known each other since high school.  Her son is my godson.  We go way, way, way back.  I took an in-town vacation and shared some of what we have with her.

 

I told you last week that I passed my test.  I'm now certified as a beekeeper (or, as I prefer to say, certifiable.)

 

Our August Dinner and Conversation is all about bees and honey.  I'll be bringing the very first crop of honey from Stoney Knob Apiaries (um, my house) for you to sample.

 

This dinner will feature local foods, cooked with honey from all over the United States.  Avocado.  Eucalyptus.  Tupelo.  Raspberry.  And more. I'll be making some of the recipes I created for The National Honey Board.  Oh, and 5% of the proceeds of this dinner will benefit Gulf Coast Restoration thanks to the efforts of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs.  

 

Please consider joining.  It'll be fun.  Delicious.  Informative.  And fun (oops - I already said that.)

 

Wednesday, August 25.  7pm.  $50 per person + tax + $12 if you'd like wine.

 

'Tis the season for garden bounty around here.  The farmers are pouring in.  We're cooking up their offerings, filling our deli case, trying to keep up.

 

Here are our dinners for this coming 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 August 9

Tandoori Chicken with Tomato Chutney 11.50

 

Tuesday August 10

Pan-seared Wild Salmon Niçoise 14.25

 

Wednesday August 11

* Grilled Flank Steak with Apples and Sage Cream 12.25

 

Thursday August 12

Golden Brown Catfish w/ Okra Tomato Spoonbread 12.00

 

Friday August 13

Elsie’s Chicken Baked in Wine

 

* 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.

 

The casserole for the next week is:

 

Wednesday, August 11

 

Italian Sausage, Eggplant and Basmati Rice Gratin

Full: 46 Half: 23

 

We make Lasagna every Friday. Here is the next offering.

 

Friday, August 13

Roasted Vegetable Pesto

Full: 34 Half: 17

 

If you come here in the next little bit you'll get Brendan's just-fried Okra. I love the way he makes fun piles of food.  I have blocks on my desk that I stack, but, as you see, Okra stacks much better!

 

He's a wonderful cook and if you see a stack of really delicious-looking something or other in our case, you'll know Brendan had his hand in making it.

 

They grow wonderful heirloom cherry tomatoes.  We buy them and put them in all kinds of salads.  Here are some in a pasta salad.  Hurry up!  Who knows how long this will last!

 

Summertime is certainly Squash Casserole time around here.

 

 

Back in the office saddle again. It has been quite the run of visitors for me. Starting two weeks ago, when my sister and niece came, my home has been filled with friends and business associates, meetings, tour guiding, fun and intensity.

 

Barbara, aka Honeybee is the person who I have known longer than anyone I’m still friends with, other than my sisters. There really is nothing like that length of time, nothing like the collection of experiences we have shared, nothing like it at all.

 

She teaches in Phoenix and was looking for a vacation. We saved the time but did not pick a rendezvous spot. I thought about meeting in Colorado or Mexico or someplace urban or someplace with waves but kept ending up thinking it would be fun for her just to come…

 

Here!

 

And so she did.

 

We picked up right where we left off, no gap, no re acquaintance time needed. Truth is, she arrived tired and I, fresh from a weekend-long board meeting, was too. Activity # 1: go home, snack, and take a nap! A perfect start, it was.

 

In the days following we had many homemade smoothies, dinners with friends at home and out, foot massages, walks with my pup, visits to the bees. She watched me blow glass one day and one day we sat for a long time on the deck, scooching the chairs into the shade as the sun climbed higher and higher. When we butted into the house, we got dressed and moved on to lunch.

 

We flew in the trees, rolled along sidewalks through neighborhoods and told long, detailed stories of ourselves to each other.

 

And, oh yes, we both got tattoos. Heh heh. After both vowing NEVER to do that – way back in high school, we, having changed our minds, made appointments and, braving the sting, did it! We tried to imagine it was as relaxing as the foot massage, which was not exactly how it was, but it was a big adventure and now we are linked with bees (she has a big bee, I, a small one) forever. We were already linked, that’s how it goes with your oldest best friend. This just makes it a bit more visible.

 

My friend Wes runs Moving Sidewalk Tours here.  We love him because, well, he's quite lovable, but also because if you go on a tour, he'll bring you here for a cookie break.