We've started buying produce from another local farm.  Gladheart Farms is an urban farm, located within the Asheville City limits.  This farm is a moving success story, having saved a farm from being developed into yet another development.  Best of all, they are Certified Organic, are VERY close to us, and grow fabulous produce.

 

Brendan and I visited last Tuesday.  On Wednesday the owners called me, saying they had a couple of random cases of just-picked squash and greens available (they sell pallets to Whole Foods but sometimes don't know what to do with a case or two of something.)  We told them to bring it over and in a matter of hours we had butternut squash sauteed with mustard greens for sale in our deli case. 

 

We serve Counter Culture Coffee here.  The owners of the company know each coffee grower in each farm they buy coffee beans from - wherever in the world those farms are.  This coffee is sustainably grown, meaning it enhances the land, preserves songbird habitats, does not use pesticides, and that sort of thing.

 

My friend Kimberly is a bike guide part time and makes soaps and special skin products part time.  Last week she invited some of her biking friends to be models for a photo shoot and then to go on a bike ride.

 

I got to pose with the lip lube and, as a result, I got some samples.  Yay!

 

It is certainly chapped lip season.  last night I was driving to visit a friend and got attacked by chapped lips.  I had left my new Lube for the Lips in another jacket and had to stop and buy some of that, um, regular chaped lip stuff.  Woe was me!  My lips felt better but smelled of petroleum, not peppermint or vanilla. 

 

Here are our dinners for this coming week. You might enjoy taking dinner home or to your favorite picnic spot or, heck, just to one of our tables. We'll reheat it for you even!

 

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.

 

Monday, October 18

Elsie’s Chicken Baked in Wine 11.50

 

Tuesday, October 19

Local lamb Burger with Fried Green Tomatoes 11.75

 

Wednesday, October 20

Duck and Spinach Crepes with Brussels Sprouts 13.25

 

Thursday, October 21

*Wild Salmon Gremolata with Grilled Vegetables 12.75

 

Friday, October 22

*French Lentils with Butternut Squash and Zucchini Fritters 13.50

 

 * 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 next week is:

 

Wednesday, October 20

Beef Stroganoff with Parslied Noodles

Full: 55 Half: 27.50

 

We make Lasagna every Friday. Here is this week's offering.

 

Friday, October 22

Spinach Pesto and Chevre Lasagna

Full: 38 Half: 19

 

If it's fall around here it must be time for our FAVORITE toffee candy.  Margy makes her candy in Chicago, by hand, in small batches.  She sends us samples and boy oh boy do we ever love that!

 

Come and get it while you can, friends.

 

Aaron Lee wrote to me recently with an intriguing request.  He'd like, he said, to come here to offer a ukulele concert.  The catchy part is that he is getting here on his bike. From Washington, DC!

 

He's a New Hampshire fellow who is doing this unique tour to highlight good things that are happening in good places.  He chose us for his Asheville stop!

 

This gorgeous creature was in residence on my screen the other day.  At first I thought it might have been stuck but no, as I gently touched each leg, one at a time, I realized it was just hanging out. 

 

 

October 16, 2010

 

Part 1

Another perfectly crisp fall day has graced us here in Asheville. Fall is in full swing. Our café is full of folks planning their day’s activities. As I write we have a very famous author and her friends enjoying omelets, a beloved local politician and her supporters planning their day’s campaigning strategies, and some random, yet no-doubt special tourists stocking up for picnics.

 

I’m tidying up my office, getting ready for a meeting with a bride and groom, working on new signs for the café, working on my fundraising and sponsorship letters for my bike ride, and generally getting things in order. This afternoon I get to be delivery babe for the day’s big event and then I get to go home to have the early evening with my pup. We’re going to go to a friend’s house later on.

 

It’s looking like a good day, all in all.

 

Hmmm….Part 2

Just finished meeting with the bride and her mother. The wedding is in late May next year which meant putting my head into the early summer time of year. Let’s see, strawberries and baby carrots and spring things.

 

Part 3

Sometimes it is hard to sit still here in my office, trying to write and get things done when I can look up and see how sunny and nice it is outside. Sigh. But still, it is nice to know I’ll get to go play in the sun soon.

 

Part 4

I’ve been thinking about how we do what we do. You know, everyone talks about buying local. Buying things in season. Buying organic. La la la. Are we the same as everyone? Are we different? If so, how?

 

The thing is, we try to establish relationships with the people we buy from. We try to buy from people who are our friends and to become friends with the people we buy from. And then we try to tell you about those people. These relationships matter a lot to me. I come from a very small town in Vermont and everyone we did business with was a neighbor and a friend. You, you see, are also our friends. I love seeing you here, day after day. I figure you come here that often because we offer you such good food, different every day, bought from our friends and then transformed by us for you and for your friends. This cycle of friendship matters to me. Perhaps it is one of the reasons you come here to support us.

 

I just found out we were voted best caterer again. To me this is primarily an expression of confidence that what we are doing matters to you. So thank you. Thank you for being our friend and for caring about where you spend your time and your lunch money.

 

Part 5

Just had a visit from my pastels teacher (from the recent trip to Italy.) Whee! And I got a call saying that another friend is on the way – I’d better send this out before I’m up to Part 14.

 

I’ll be in touch next week. Now get out and enjoy some sun. I’ll be doing just that soon.

 

 

Cheers,