Check this out!  After a lot of back and forthing here and there, we finally decided on the artwork for this sign, finally found someone to install it, and finally found the time to have it done.

 

Voila!

 

My visit to the market yesterday revealed so much beauty and color.  These Zinnias were grown by Anne at Gaining Ground.  Aaron was tending the market yesterday.  I love the simplicity of this, though I know that making a real living selling bouquets of flowers and tomatoes one pound at a time is hard.

 

I'm PRETTY sure that these folks will be our farmers at the Dinner and Conversations with our farmers on Wednesday, August 22.  Since Anne was out of town, Aaron could not confirm but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. 

 

Monday, August 6

Grilled Chicken with Roasted Local Vegetables 8.25

 

Tuesday, August 7

Wild Rice and Chickpea-stuffed Squash 7.95 (GF)

 

Wednesday, August 8 Yankee Pot Roast 8.95

 

Thursday, August 9

Lamb Kebabs and Summer Tomato Tabouli 9.25

 

Friday, August 10

Atlantic Salmon with Leeks, Carrots, and Spicy Noodles 9.50

 

Casserole to go:

 

Wednesday, August 8

Whole: 32 Half: 16

 

Lasagna to go:

 

Friday, August 10

Whole: 38 Half: 19

 

I don't know about you, but nothing makes me happier than this sort of display - piles and piles of fresh tomatoes.  I have some at home and must say that they have yet to make it indoors, falling prey to my snacking tendencies. 

 

I must say, I stood in front of their display for some time, musing and dreaming about the dinner I would like to make for you.  I've spent a good deal of time in Tuscany and Provence and these beauties all whooshed me back there in a flash.

 

This dinner will be my menu from those travels. 

Can you come?  I hope so!

 

 

August 5, 2012

 

Good morning to you on a Sunday morning. I was overtaken by the sleep monster yesterday and just was not able to conquer it enough to write. SO you get me on a Sunday. Hmm – maybe you won’t know the difference.

 

Things happen quickly sometimes and sometimes they poke along. This past week, after MUCH contemplation and polling of the audience, we welcomed the new sign to the wall of the front of the café. Michael from Speed Graphics, after displaying an inordinate amount of patience, quietly came and installed the thing we’d been envisioning for the past few months. It already seems like it has been here forever. Now we move to redoing the signs for the sandwiches and daily specials. They wait for my art, having been through the gauntlet of the shopsters, the office folks, and the kitchen gang. Don’t hold your breath, but they’ll be here soon (ish.)

 

I got a note from the editor of my book telling me that they have renamed it. After my initial WHAT!@!!!???, I calmed down and gave it some thought before I said anything to anyone. I had been pretty attached to my title, but theirs, to be truthful, is better, will last longer, and will make it easier for them to promote.

 

It WAS: Every Third Bite: cooking with honey and other things that would not exist without honeybees. It is now going to be: The Fresh Honey Cookbook: 84 recipes from a beekeeper’s kitchen.

 

One good thing about the change is that “every third bite” is now gaining traction as something that more and more people know. And by the time my book is out, it may be that many people know that bees are responsible for pollinating a third of everything we eat. I’d hate to have a book title that elicits, “duh!” from readers.

 

The editor and the art director will be here this month some time to shoot the cover and to take some pictures of my bees, my home kitchen, my work kitchen, and some recipes. Fun!!!! The majority of the food pictures will be done in the publisher’s studio in Massachusetts but we’ll do three here just to give them the idea of my style.

 

Well, as you know, I did not ride across Iowa.  I did, however, raise a bunch of money for Livestrong - thanks to you.  I went away for a few days last week and found a box from Livestrong waiting for me when I returned.  In it I found 2 new bike jerseys, a pair of really snazzy bike sunglasses, a new water bottle, and this magnificent helmet.