My book, The Fresh Honey Cookbook, is coming right along.  At our last photo shoot we captured 8 recipes.  In cookbook photography world, that is an enormous amount of recipes to shoot in one day.  But the crackerjack team who is doing this with me quietly goes about their business and I am getting the hang of working with them and on we go.

 

I found these gorgeous beets at the market on Saturday.  Mmmm!

 

Jenna "sparkle babe" Lindbo is on the East Coast and more specifically, in Asheville for the next couple of weeks.  And - tra la! - she's going to come do a house concert here on Thursday, October 18th at 7 pm.

 

She has a new CD and, since she had her first CD release party here, it seems fitting that her second will be here too. 

 

If you have not heard her voice, visit her website (follow the link right below these words) and DO plan to change whatever plans you may have for that night to come here for this very special evening.

 

Monday, October 8

Chicken Marsala 8.25

 

Tuesday, October 9

Eggplant and Roasted Pepper Parmesan 8.25

 

Wednesday, October 10

Grilled Flank Steak and French-style Red Potato Salad 8.95 (GF)

 

Thursday, October 11

NG Meatloaf with Cheddar Mashed Potatoes 7.95

 

Friday, October 12

Salmon Teriyaki with Lemony Rice 9.50

 

Casserole to go:

Wednesday, October 10

Whole: 37 Half: 18.50

 

Lasagna to go:

Friday, October 12

Whole: 45 Half: 22.50

 

 Okay - we're doing some market research.  Folks tell us they like the idea of an early dinner here with their children.  We're thinking of adding this to our regular line-up and this is a thought one customer had: a tasting plate.  She said she liked to encourage her children to try different things.  (I had said we were thinking about a special child's plate, which prompted her suggestion.)

 

This is my idea of a tasting plate for kids.  They get to pick 5 different things, with about 1 or 2 bites per item.  We'll also offer a special plate (probably with kid-friendly things like crispy chicken bites and carrots and celery sticks with dip and fruit salad - though the plate will change each week.)  And yes, we'll have our usual simple supper bounty available too - for you or for them.

 

Tuesdays are music nights here so your kids might like to listen to some old-time music or some ukulele music - these are not performances, just folks playing together.

 

We make a LOT of tuna fish salad - we call is "picnic Tuna" just, well, because.  I had thought we were getting a sustainably fished version but it turns out that was not the case.  This, however, IS.  It's line-caught which means that no turtles (heaven forbid) or other fish that should not be caught, are inadvertently netted. 

 

We try very hard to have good ingredients.  This one is now better than what we had.  And that, in my opinion, is a good thing.

 

October 6, 2012

 

What a difference a week makes! This one was great. I need to remember, when I am in the gutter, that the following week will probably be better. So it was this week. This was a “week 2” meaning a smaller, less challenging treatment and I bounced back by Wednesday. Phew!

 

I feel almost normal right now, as long as I don’t frighten myself by forgetting, when I brush my teeth, that I have a shaved head. That still is surprising. But I’m finding creative things to do to keep my head warm and to keep it covered while I adjust. At some point, I’ll remove the decorations, but for now, having a hat or a scarf on feels better to me.

 

My publishers are delighted with the photographs that we are doing (well, I cook and the photography team does the rest.) So even though it is still a year away, I find myself giddy with the excitement of seeing my recipes and bee tales in print and available for us all to see.

 

Today I feel well enough to go for the first ride on my new bike. I hope to ride tomorrow too and then, on Monday, I will pack up my bike and ship it to Austin. In case you don’t know (is it possible?) I am getting to ride with Lance Armstrong soon. I am beyond excited about this. In my slumping times I feel like just being in Austin, with a whole lot of people whose lives have been affected by cancer, will be very uplifting for me. I AM lucky to have such a resilient body and I’m sure this will become very clear to me once I am there with other folks who are going through, or have gone through, what I am now experiencing, or worse. Our group of top fundraisers gets to ride with Lance and we get to have dinner at his house (!) and a number of other things. This means so much to me. It is a huge carrot to dangle in front of myself as I continue to count down the remaining treatments.

 

I’m thrilled to have Jenna come back to Asheville. She is a very special friend and a very energizing presence. My friend Annie told me about Jenna by saying, “this girl has some SERIOUS sparkle.” True words. Do come and join me and my friends as we hear music from Jenna’s new CD. I have it in my car cd player now and am currently listening to nothing else.

 

I also have a secret that is very fine news for us. I am sworn to secrecy until next Wednesday (when the Mountain Xpress comes out) but if you pick up a copy of that newspaper, you’ll know what I’m excited about. And if you can’t get the newspaper in person, you can check it out on-line, I’m sure. At any rate, I’ll tell you in next week’s newsletter.

 

And, even though it is early October, we DO now know our Thanksgiving menu. I will post it in next week’s newsletter, but do know that our meal will be available for you again this year.

 

Hmm. My bees are hanging in. There is now the distinctive aroma of Goldenrod honey emanating from the hives. It is redolent of, um, musty old gym socks. Not something that appeals to me, but it is honey that the bees make at this time of year. It will help them make it through the winter so I am happy that there ARE goldenrod flowers around in plentiful patches. Honey as food for the bees, no matter what kind it is, is a good thing.

 

I love this pup so much.  We have quite the time together, she following me from room to room, watching stupid tv, folding the laundry, keeping watch for squirrels and roaring out the door to catch them if she can (I do not participate in this activity.)

 

When I brought her home for the first time, a fellow working at my house looked at her and said, "Now you will learn about unconditional love."