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The Weekly Newsletter |
Menus and Stories for January 8 - 15, 2005
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| Holy Granola! |
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Seems like there are a lot of granolas around these days. And, while they are okay, for the most part the kinds I have tried are not de-LI-cious, know what I mean?
I asked Kris if she could make some. Just like that, she did! We all tasted it and put in our two cents and our opinions. Karen came up with the winning addition of Orange Zest. Now we can say WOW!
If it ever gets cold around here, this would be the perfect breakfast with some hot milk added to it. In the meantime, try sprinkling some over your fruit or yogurt (by the way, my favorite breakfast when I am at a hotel somewhere, is a Granola Parfait - layers of granola, fresh fruit, and yogurt. I don't know why I never do this for myself at home. Hmmm, I just might, now that there is this delicious addition available right here.!)
Enjoy. |
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What shall we have? |
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| "Flick Chicks" |
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More and more gatherings are happening in our dining area at lunchtime. This impromptu group showed up the other day, moving the chairs around and making themselves right at home.
"Is it okay if we, um, do this?" they asked.
"Sure thing!" I encouraged.
"We're the Flick Chicks," they explained. "We meet once a month for lunch and then go to a movie."
Seems like a nice idea, don't you think? They were having trouble deciding whether they should see "Kinsey" or "Beyond the Sea" (the Bobby Darin movie), but they DID seem to be enjoying their conversations in the meantime.
We have an Italian-speaking gang who comes in once a month, chattering away in my favorite second language. Then there is the group of women architects who show up with their children in tow (we now have a couple of high chairs for them - or for your children), and the afternoons offer a long, quiet span of time which, increasingly, is filled with small meetings and encounters. Hot tea and a brownie are perfect for then, I think.
Oh, and Kris is making coffee cakes and muffins and lovely, warm breakfast things every day now. Come in early (we say we're not open until 10 but the coffee is on and the muffins are just out of the oven by 8:30 most days so give us a try) and enjoy some with your paper and a cup of our "Sanctuary" (free trade, migratory bird-protecting, etc.) coffee.
All in all, I'm always delighted to see our sunny, airy room filled with happy eaters and talkers. |
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The nightly dinners for the week (Call 252-1500 to order) |
Dinners-to-go are available Monday through Friday.
Here's how it works:
Just call us in the morning and we'll take your order for that night's meal. Then come back between 4:30 and 6:00 to pick up your dinner - all ready in a heatable container. Simple, yes?
Monday January 10 Grilled Chicken and Winter Vegetables 9.50
Tuesday January 11 Dijon Roast Pork, Apples, and Sauerkraut 10.25
Wednesday January 12 Braised Beef, Prosciutto, and Angel Hair Pasta 10.50
Thursday Janaury 13 Turkey Meatballs and Cranberry Dressing 9.75
Friday January 14 Shrimp Puttanesca 12.25
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| The Casserole of the Week |
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Casseroles are made each Wednesday.
Call to order on Tuesday if you can.
Orders will be ready on Wednesday between 4:30 and 6:00.
Order a full pan for 9 (or so) or a half pan for 4 or 5.
January 12
Old-fashioned Shepherd�s Pie with Beef and Vegetables
half pan 17.50
full pan 35.00
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Basketball Season is upon us! |
They TOLD me when I moved here that I would have to become a basketball fan. It hasn't completely been the case, but I DO know a little bit more than I once did.
And NOW, Adam (one of our shop managers - the tall one) is so enthusiastic that I am finding myself getting caught up. He's a Wake graduate. Then Jon, our delivery guy, is a Maryland fellow so the conversation gets lively around the table.
Wake was #1 for a while there. I think they're in 5th place at the moment, but I must admit that I can't quite keep track.
ANYWAY - my point here is that these chips (Xochitl is pronounced "so-cheel") are STILL unbelievably great, as are the accompanying salsas and dips. They are perfect for a quick snack in front of the game. If you are a basketball fan, pick up a couple of bags the next time you're in the "gourmet-to-go" area of our shop. |
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| A Note from Laurey |
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January 8, 2005
Happy New Year. (Okay, I might be late in offering you this wish, but this is our first Saturday back at work since our vacation, so please forgive me.)
It is hard to believe, sitting here at my desk in a short-sleeved shirt, that it is winter. Just one week ago I was at Yellowstone National Park in the upper north west corner of Wyoming. It was COLD! And it had been snowing for four straight days. Chris and I went up there to ski and hike and be in a different place. She�d been once before in the winter. I�d been once before in the summer. It was great!
It is not an easy place to get to, mind you. We drove for a long time � starting in Denver and continuing all the way across the windy plains of Wyoming. It is such a beautiful landscape. I�d done two National Outdoor Leadership School courses in that area a number of years ago so it was fun for me to remind myself of the places I�d been.
�I think I climbed those rocks once. And that�s where our course started � I think,� I�d say as we drove along. �I got lost THERE once time. And THAT is the place that once served amazing buffalo burgers.� (It was closed, sadly.)
We made it to Flag Ranch with just 15 minutes to spare before our snow coach caravan left with its bevy of guests. That was a bit too close for comfort, but we did not know we�d have to drive over the Togwatee Pass (pronounced �Tog�-a-dee�) and that it�d be filled with glistening snow and daring snow-mobile drivers whooping up steep hillsides � distracting us from our destination. Nevertheless, we DID make it on time and piled into our coach with our driver, Billy, who kept up an entertaining commentary for the three-hour drive into the Old Faithful Snow Lodge.
At �West Thumb� we wandered through the geyser basin, learning about how hot the water really is (the boiling point is 193 degrees at that altitude so those bubblers were HOT!) I was freezing by the time we got to the lodge but a hot bath helped.
For the next four days we wandered around the grounds, skiing or just walking. We were two minutes from Old Faithful. A sign at the front desk listed the expected time of the next eruption. Ten minutes before the prediction, bundled groups could be seen scurrying over the snow to watch the spectacle. Actually, it was so cold that, once the water started, the only thing to see was a big cloud of steam. Still, it was a moving sight.
One day we skied to Lone Star geyser. It erupts every three hours, and spouts for some 30 minutes. We did not pay too much attention to all the notices of which one was going to blow, but, wandering around, we did manage to see many eruptions. The Lone Star trail followed the Firehole River through the woods on a sparkling day. It was not an easy route, since the trail began only AFTER a significant climb out of the lodge basin, but we were rewarded with the Lone Star geyser�s eruption just as we rounded the final curve. Glory!
All in all, it was a beautiful place to be for our first New Year celebration. If you look closely in the picture, you can see some grazing Bison in the background! Imagine that, skiing with these giants!
Hope your New Year is already bringing you every good thing you can envision. It is on a grand path for me. (I�m going to glassblowing school next week, as I think I mentioned � but I�ll tell you more about that when I get back.)
Cheers,
Laurey
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Our words - altered |
Well...
If you can't stop 'em,
Might as well laugh with them! |
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Contact Info: |
Laurey's (yum!) Catering
Gourmet-to-Go (and to stay!)
67 Biltmore Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
828-252-1500
Hours:
Monday - Friday 10:00 - 6:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 - 4:00 pm |
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