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The Weekly Newsletter |
Menus and Stories for August 3 - 7, 2009
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| Meet Wayne and his chickens |
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Wayne is one of three farmers who will be here on August 13th for our Dinner with Our Farmers. Gosh I hope you come. These are REALLY nice events. The folks who grow (or, in the case of this dinner, bake) our food will be here to dine with you and then, after we all eat, to share some stories about themselves.
The other farmers/producers this time are Paul Litman, who grows vegetables on a small farm near here, and the bakers from Wake Robin Bakery - a wood-fired bakery.
The dinner starts at 7 on the 13th. Call us at 252-1500 to save your seats. The cost for this one is 37.00 + tax. Add 10.00 if you'd like wine or beer.
(If you'd like to read more about why we do these dinners, pick up a copy of this month's WNC Woman. I wrote a story for them...)
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WNC Woman |
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Heirlooms abound |
I've mentioned that, in Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Projects' lingo, August is Tomato Month. Hooray for that, I say.
Here's an heirloom tomato salad in the making. This particular one is going to a wedding this afternoon but check the deli case. We'll be making it on a regular basis all month.
We do a lot with these folks. They do a lot for all of us. Pretty good, if you ask me.
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ASAP |
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| A special cheese tasting |
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Adam, as I told you last week, is our cheese-finder. This is his latest find - award-winning cheeses from the great dairy state of - um - Georgia.
The folks from Flat creek Lodge will be here this coming Friday, the 7th of August with samples of all of their favorites. Come by and taste (um, and buy,some.)
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Flat Creek Lodge |
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Dinners to go (or to stay!) |
Dinners come with a freshly-made green salad, salad dressing of the day, and made-right here bread (or rice cakes) of the day. We take reservations until noon or so. Please order by phone (252-1500), by fax (252-0200) or stop in to speak to one of us in person.
New pickup hours!!! Dinners are now ready to pick up at 3:00. You can come as late as 8. And if you prefer, stay right here with us. (We'll be happy to heat your meal if you like.)
Monday August 3 *Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Tomato Caprese 10.25
Tuesday August 4 *Tennessee Barbecued Shrimp and Grits 13.25
Wednesday August 5 *Marinated London Broil with Squash Casserole 12.75
Thursday August 6 Elsie’s Swedish Meatballs with Egg Noodles 10.75
Friday August 7 Our favorite Crabcakes with Dilled Caper Sauce 13.25
* Gluten Free!!
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Our website |
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| Special casserole of the week |
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We make a special casserole each Wednesday.
Order by noon or so. Order a half if you have around 4 folks. If you have a bigger group,
or 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.)
This week we are making:
Wednesday, August 5
(Back by POPULAR demand!!!)
Chicken Pot Pie with
a Fried Green Tomato Crust
Full 35
Half 17.50
Call 252 1500 to reserve yours.
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Yippee - they're back! |
I keep one of these on my desk. One in my car. One at home.
These're great for a hike, a picnic, or just as a simple daily reminder to keep, well, remembering about this "Don't Postpone Joy" (tm) stuff.
(Hmm. Maybe that's why I surround myself with these lovely words.)
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| The our favorite olive oil is too |
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Our sweet Asheville friend is back from Greece. You may remember him from last year. This olive oil comes from his family's olive groves. He lives here. Um, this makes it local olive oil, yes?
Trust me on this one.
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Yum! |
I got to cook today. I like cooking. Good thing.
My favorite thing to do, cooking-wise, is to fix up things for the deli case. Here's one of my assemblages, pulling a little of this and a little of that. Everyone who had it liked it very much.
Nice!
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| A Note from Laurey |
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It is the eve of August as I write. The tailgate market is in full swing across the street from here. Tables are loaded with beautiful purple eggplants, gorgeous thin green beans, brilliantly wild-colored tomatoes of all kinds (including Mr. Stripey!!) and a whole lot more. I love Wednesday afternoons here, as I can leave my office, stroll across the street, browse through the tents and tables and bins of this and that. I feel filled with the bounty these farmers bring every week.
A long time ago I was given a very special gift of two weeks in Provence. I got to pick where we went, and I got to pick what we did. My pick for the entire time was to follow the markets. In Provence there is a market almost every day. We drove to tomorrow’s market town in the afternoon, found a place to stay and scoped out the lay of the land. Then, first thing the next morning we were up and at the market in time to stroll and watch the vendors as they set up. We’d buy a pastry, some fruit, a cafe au lait, and we’d find a place to sit – on a stone wall, perhaps.
After coffee we’d stroll more, taste cheeses, buy things for an afternoon snack, find a place for a nap, and then we’d wander back to our car. We might then stay the night or we might drive to the next town on my list. I loved those markets, that produce, that bounty.
It was a wonderful trip, quite a gift, indeed.
I loved being in France. Don’t get me wrong. But it fills me with delight these days to do a local version of those days. I get up early on Saturdays, visit one or two markets. On Wednesdays I visit the one across the street. I find myself standing, musing, imagining, dreaming. The market swirls around me. And then someone might say my name and I pop out – here in Asheville, not in Nyons or Gordes or St. Remy.
The market scene here is pretty good around here. For a town of this size, there are a lot of options. Last week, for grins, I went to three brand new markets. Imagine!
I’ll be cooking at the market across the street from here on August 5th. I’ll be at the North Asheville one in September. And I’m committed to the dinners with the farmers, as you see (the August one is on the 13th, the September one is on the 17th.)
After work I go home and stroll through my tomatoes which are bountiful right now. I have not planted anything else edible but I cannot live without a handful of cherry tomatoes – as often as possible. These days there are plenty for me to have.
August is tomato month. Asheville is a market town. Life is full and good. Hooray!
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No place like it. |
The tomatoes at my house are OUT OF CONTROL. Fortunately for me, I love tomatoes. My new evening routine is to go home, pick up my pup, take her for a walk, go home again, get the mail, feed her and the cat, and then go out and fill a cereal bowl with today's ripe tomatoes. Then I get to take them inside and make something.
Dessert, these days, is a handful of graham crackers (low-fat, cinnamon-dusted) and a big glass of milk.
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