Brendan made this salad yesterday with local greens and beautiful, local radishes ("watermelon" radishes!)  What a delight to have this beautiful salad.  Hard to believe it's January, with all the beautiful foods, many local, in and on and around our deli case.

 

Andrew, our shop manager, is much more tech-savvy than I am.  I created a page a few years ago, but I couldn't remember the password so Andrew started from scratch.  (Another good thing!)

 

Follow the link to get to the new page.  You can also go to our website and click on the Facebook icon on our home page and you can read about today's daily specials, dally deals ("Mention this post and get a free cookie"), and newsy things.  Andrew is interested in linking with our neighbors, promoting the community of Independent businesses in Asheville, and, well, in just keeping us up to date.

 

Do visit and "like" our page, okay?  Thank you!

 

Monday, January 7

Lemon Chive Chicken with Parslied Potatoes 8.25 (GF)

 

Tuesday, January 8

Marinated Tempeh with Spinach Sauté and Brown Rice 7.95

 

Wednesday, January 9

Brandy-glazed Pork Loin and Red Cabbage 8.25

 

Thursday, January 10

Lamb Tikka Masala 10.25

 

Friday, January 11

Herb-roasted Atlantic Salmon with White Bean Ragout 9.95

 

Casserole to go:

Wednesday, January 9

Whole: 60 Half: 30

 

Lasagna to go:

Friday, January 11

Whole: 38 Half: 19

 

Want to spend an evening with me playing at the stove?

How about an evening cooking soups?

 

I invite you to join me for a “Celebration of Soups”

on Thursday, January 31.

 

The class will start at 6:30pm and will end around 8:00.

 

This will be a demonstration class (I cook, you take notes). At the end of the night you’ll get to taste all four soups that I cook, soups inspired by the season and featuring local ingredients when I can. My hope is that you will feel inspired and un-intimidated at the idea of making easy, delicious soups.

 

The cost for the class is $25 per person. We’ll have wine available for purchase. And if you’d like dinner, come early and sample our Simple Supper options in our deli case.

 

Call us to save your spots. 

 

(THIS is a picture of my family's New Year's Day brunch buffet...)

Oh I love these pickles!  (I love almost ALL pickles, truth be told.)  But Adam and I must share some ancient pickle-making/loving heritage, because each kind he makes cause me to smile with unabashed glee.  MORE PICKLES!!!

 

Not only does he make the half-sours that grace our sandwiches, but he is constantly playing with recipes and creating more and more.  These, for instance, are crispy, a bit spicy, and, in short, highly satisfying.

 

January 5, 2013

 

What a fun and interesting week I’ve had! I have been editing the “first pages” of my honey cookbook. It is quite an intoxicating experience, seeing my words typeset and presented on pages; my illustrations; the gorgeous photographs of my food. It is like giving birth, I imagine, being thrilled with how spectacular this child is. Of course I can take some credit, but the photographs and food styling are the creation of Johnny and Charlotte Autry. The layout is the creation of the fine talents at Storey Publishing. The biggest inspiration, indeed, are the bees, fragile and lovely creatures who work so hard to give us so much. I’ll send my comments back to Storey on Monday and then will wait to see the next round in a month or so. It’ll all be done in August, I think. What a party we’ll have!!!

 

I had a fine Christmas with my family. I cooked some, visited a lot, saw a ton of movies, and even did some gentle hiking. My poor body has been under siege for months, so it was especially good to get out. My pup was thrilled too, having spent these months right alongside me, napping or stumbling around my house. A real walk made her flip for joy. (Me too.)

 

We’re planning this JOYride for Livestrong at the YMCAs of WNC. I had a seed of an idea which is really taking shape, thanks to a growing team of dedicated folks here. We have a date (May 18), we are almost ready to solidify the route (we’ll have three riding levels: “fun”, 20+ miles, and 63 miles), we have a great logo and are planning for t-shirts and bike jerseys and all sorts of fun things. I’m delighted that this little storm in my brain is in the hands of such an amazing team of folks. There is still room to help if you’re interested. Come this Friday morning, January 11, at 8:30, here in the café, if you’d like to do more than just ride.

 

I’m thrilled to have been chosen as a Livestrong Leader. It was about a year ago when I went to Austin for the first time and learned about the program. I left that meeting saying that I wanted to become a Livestrong Leader and now – tra la! – I am going to be one. Hooray! I have also signed up to ride across Iowa again. Hope I can actually ride this summer. Last summer’s treatments really interfered with my riding but I expect I’ll be done with all that very soon. Fingers crossed, okay?

 

Our Day of Playing with Color, coming up on January 13th with my friend Alicia Keshishian, is full. But she has many ideas and many talents to share so we’re thinking of offering a day of hand-making cards. Just in time for Valentine’s day. Fun, yes? Stay tuned for details.

 

I have two more weeks of my treatment hiatus. It has been quite a lovely time, remembering that I AM a person capable of remembering – my thoughts have been very foggy in treatment times. My body has recovered so much from the onslaught. I have put on a bit of weight which has been good, but now I need to temper my enthusiastic appetite to avoid overdoing it. I am feeling energetic and happy, “with it” again. Oof! What a scene. I was talking this morning to a friend whose sister-in-law has been though all of this. She had to go back into treatment too and named it “Extra Credit.” Cute. I like it. Extra credit. Soon. Soon it will be time to finish with this all. Just a little bit more. Fingers crossed, remember?

 

Life is full. Life is rich. Life is good.

Whoo wee!

 

I found out recently that i have been selected to be a Livestrong Leader for 2013.  I will go to a training next month to learn more, but basically, as I understand it, my role is to know as much as possible about Livestrong, the organization which exists to help cancer survivors.  Livestrong, as you know, has helped me immensely and I am honored to get to help in this way.