Come celebrate our first OktoberFest Dinner, this month's Dinner and Conversation. Bring old friends, meet new people, and enjoy our made- right-here dinner RIGHT HERE! Brendan is in the kitchen as I write this note, putting the finishing touches on his Bratwurst. As he says, "buying pre-made is cheating!"

 

If you'd rather take yours home, we're offering a slightly less involved dinner - to go (see below.)

 

Here's the menu for the Oktoberfest HERE. We'll have platters filled with all of these fall favorites:

 

Potato Pancakes with Sour Cream and Applesauce

 

Grilled Homemade Bratwurst

 

Sauerbraten

 

German-style Roasted Chicken

 

Warm Potato Salad

 

Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

 

Sauerkraut

 

Black Forest Cake

 

The price is $50 per person (+ tax) which will give you very plentiful portions of all of these traditional foods.  Of course you get our service, and time in our sweet cafe.  We'll find some October Fest-y tunes to back it all up too.

 

Add a plentiful assortment of Local Beers From “Beer City USA” (that’s our very own Asheville, by the way)

for an additional $12

 

If you prefer yours to go, you'll get everything on the menu except for the Sauerbraten and the chicken. The price in that case is 24.50 per person.

 

I'm SO excited!!!  Aaron Lee is going to be here this coming Saturday, arriving by bike from Washington DC, playing his ukulele and singing.  Not only that - he's asked me if he could donate half of his tips to the cause of my choice!

 

SO - get this!  he'll be giving half of his tips to Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Projects in support of their assistance in getting Chefs Move to Schools going in our area.

 

Aaron (who I have not yet met) says kids enjoy his music.  And what a great message to send, right?  Traveling and playing and doing it all with ZERO carbon footprint.  Zounds! 

 

These beauties are made by hand using all natural ingredients.  A favorite in New York City, a place that knows about these sorts of things, we're delighted to have some of our very favorites back on our shelves. 

 

Come and get 'em!

 

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 25

Chicken Parmesan 11.50

 

Tuesday October 26

Braised Pork with Olives and Tomatoes 11.75

 

Wednesday October 27

Hickory Nut Gap Swedish Meatballs 11.50

 

Thursday October 28

Lito’s Fish and Chips 11.50

 

Friday October 29

Herbed Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Vegetable Ragout 11.25

 

* 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 29

Chicken Country Captain

Full: 46 Half: 23

 

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

 

Friday, October 29

Roasted pepper and Kalamata Olive Lasagna

Full: 38 Half: 19

 

This sweet gent brought our order from Gladheart Farms yesterday.  He opened each box of produce, picked up a sample, handed it to me, and chirped with delight as if each piece were his favorite child.

 

"I get to PICK these, wash them, pack them, and then DELIVER them too!" he exclaimed.  "What a beautiful day it is, and how lucky I am!"

 

When people ask, I generally say yes - at least if it involves cooking and teaching.  I got to visit the high schoolers at Odyssey Community school yesterday.  We made a fresh butternut squash soup garnished with baby butternut squash "croutons" and also a wheatberry salad.

 

Come on Thursday night to hear this local duo.  They play Old-time, Tin Pan Alley, and original music too.

 

Hilary Dirlam, a favorite around here since before I arrived (that's almost ancient history by now) and her music buddy, Mary Gordon will entertain you.

 

We'll have simple supper, chilly beer, and nice wine.

 

October 23, 2010

 

Good morning to you all. Are you out at the market? Are you raking leaves? Are you cleaning out your gutters? Are you planning to come here for lunch? These are all in MY thoughts…perhaps they are in yours too.

 

Last night was the full moon. The Harvest Moon. A number of years ago I was in Yosemite on a camping trip. On a particular morning my girlfriend and I got up early and hiked up to the top of Half Dome. It’s quite a hike and on that day, the valley was full of camp smoke from campfires. As we hiked we emerged into a perfectly clear day. After an hour or so we cleared the tree line and, the further up we went, the farther we could see, especially the magnificent dome of granite above us. When we got to the base of the dome we continued, assisted by a rope to grab. And finally at the top, surrounded by the unimaginably beautiful Yosemite Valley with El Cap on one side and domes and rock as far as we could see, we ran into a group of hikers who, against the rules, was planning to spend the night up on top.

 

“It’s the night of the Harvest Moon,” one guy told us, “we do it every year.”

 

I’ve felt particularly susceptible to the waxing of the moon this month. Sometimes the cycle of the moon overtakes me. I wonder what is happening as I feel a tightness in my chest, tense as an unresolved chord. Things have not felt quite right to me for a week or so. I have felt worried about things, though nothing is really different and there really is no sense in worrying. I have felt edgy, cranky, near or in tears. I have needed comfort, counsel. I have leaned on friends, calling and asking for help, asking for them to tell me that everything is really fine and that everything will really be alright.

 

And then, the other night, as I stepped out onto my deck, I realized, looking into the sky, that it was almost time for the full moon. And I realized that, though I had been feeling like I was locked into the front car of a huge wooden roller coaster, clicking up and up and up and UP, I had almost reached the top and it was almost time to crest and slip down the other side which, though scary, was a reminder that it was just another bit in the big cycle of life. Just another ride. Nothing to flip out about.

 

This cycle continues. Ebb and flow. In. Breathe. Out. Breathe. Yin. Breathe. Yang. Breathe. We’re talking about it at Jubilee, the place I go for contemplation. Balance. Busy times. Slow times. Up. Down. Now. Not now.

 

Enjoy these days of chill.  Rich foliage, crisp air, wood smoke in the fireplace - all fall gifts that are now part of our days.  And please keep us in mind as your thoughts move to the holidays.  I'll be telling you about some new things we have to offer next week: special menus for our Garden Room Holiday parties; Thanksgiving Dinner to Go (this year featuring favorites from our staff) and many other things.