It is almost time for the release date.  In Asheville, the book will be released on September 19th with a reading and book signing at Malaprops Bookstore (see link below).  After the reading you are invited to join me and everyone else at my shop where we will raise a toast to health and honey.

 

You can also place advance orders here in the shop.  Step to the back of our cafe, stick your head in the office, fill out an advance order form, tell us if you want me to sign your books, and give us your completed order form.  We'll call you when the books are in. 

This is a picture of my honey harvest from this year.  (Gorgeous. yes?)

 

I am thrilled to announce a Honey-themed dinner at The Blue Heron Restaurant in Sunderland, Massachusetts.  My Literary agent lives near there and Storey Publishing is near there too so we're doing the out-of-state book release party there.  DO join me if you live in New England.  The menu looks fabulous. 

 

Here are dinners to go for this week. This, if you do not know, is a fabulous way to have dinner. It's easy - just call us by noon and your dinner will be ready for you to pick up by 3 that very day.

You can stop by to pick yours up until we close at 8.

Add Salad (3.25) or bread (1.25) if you like.

Monday August 19 Bone-in Fried Chicken with Syrian Salad 8.95

Tuesday August 20 White Wine Shrimp with Spinach and Mushrooms 9.95

Wednesday August 21 Steak and Cremini Mushroom Calzones 9.25

Thursday August 22 Meatloaf with Cheddar Mashed Potatoes 10.95

The Casserole of the week:

Wednesday, August 21

Local Beef Shepherd’s Pie

Whole: 55 Half: 27.50

 

The Lasagna of the week:

Friday, August 16

Eggplant, Roasted pepper and Olive Lasagna

Whole: 54.95 Half: 27

What a whirlwind of a week!  After cooking and serving almost 1000 people at The Penland Auction last weekend we were graced by a visit from Cooking Channel  (They do not say the "The"...)

 

What a BLAST! 

 

They spent Monday afternoon here in the cafe shooting "B" roll (background shots of the cafe and of the kitchen.)  The gang here had scrubbed everything until it glistened.  The cafe filled with our regulars and curious others.  Fun, fun, fun.

 

Early on Tuesday they showed up at my house to film me extracting honey from the frames.  The sun emerged just in time to shine in through the door and catch the honey pouring into the jars. 

 

Then the host, Chuck, showed up and I introduced him to my bees.  He's a goofy fellow but he stood in awe while he held a frame filled with honey and covered with worker bees.  At my invitation he stuck his finger right into the frame and tasted the elixir, warm and sweet and fragrant.

 

Then we came back to the kitchen here with a jar of Stoney Knob Gold and cooked a Honey-glazed Pork Tenderloin with a Fresh Peach Salsa and Frizzled Shallots. 

 

Join design professional Alicia Keshishian (www.adkcarpets.com) for a day of hands-on playing with color and design.

 

Sunday, September 22. 10 am - 4pm.

 

In the morning we will focus on mixing color and on the fundamentals of color. In the afternoon we will explore basic design and will then apply the color knowledge from the morning, playing and combining color and design.

 

This class is appropriate for all levels of experience. Mature young adults are welcome to attend. The color mixing will use your favorite media: watercolors, pastels, and paint. You may bring your own or use the colors that will be provided. All materials needed for the design section will be provided, though you are invited to bring additional materials that you're comfortable using.

 

Cost is $125 per person. Lunch is included.

 

I collected honey from just eight shallow frames and filled all of these jars and more.  That is not enough for me to sell but I am very impressed with these bees. 

 

After harvesting the honey from my bees I had a wad of sticky waxy bits.  I smeared it onto the inside of one of my beehive covers and stuck it outside for the bees.  In no time they had found it and had told their friends about this treat.  Here they are re-harvesting the honey and taking it all back to their hives. 

 

August 17, 2013

 

Hi everybody,

 

It IS Saturday and I AM actually writing this note today. As some of you may have noticed, I did not write a note last week, nor did I send out a newsletter. I was full up and busy and, well, a little off my game so no note was written nor newsletter sent.

 

To give you an idea of the week:

On Friday we catered the Penland Auction. 425 dinners served at The Penland School. Adam skillfully directed the kitchen team here who made a LOT of really nice food and packed it all up. Leslie headed the service team who tucked everything safely into the van and drove it to the school, an hour from here. Once there, our beloved stalwart volunteer, Michael, met us and orchestrated the van unloading. Jaime and Kate set up the buffet tables with assistance from Emma Lee. I stayed in the Penland kitchen and helped display eight platters of each of the five menu items, two for each of the four buffets.

 

I met with the volunteer service staff at 6:15 to describe the menu and serving strategy. Most of these people had not served 425 people before but were quick studies. We uncovered the food at 6:30 and at 6:45 the guests arrived. By 7:30 the diners were enjoying dessert (plated and served and directed by Michael.)

I was home by 8:30.

 

The next day was the Penland Auction lunch for 525. I met our crew here at the shop but Adam had everything cooked and Leslie had everything under control and loaded by 8:30. By 10:00 all the food was at Penland, unloaded and organized. Jaime arranged the buffets with Kate and Leslie. Michael and I took over the kitchen again. I met with the volunteers at 11:15. Foods were all uncovered by 11:30 and guests arrived at 11:45. By 12:30 the auction had started and the buffets were all dismantled.

 

I was home by 1:15 and napping by 1:30.

 

The next day I woke up early, aware that the cooking Channel shoot was coming up and that I still had not vacuumed my house. The Honey room was in shape but my inside rugs still were covered with Tye fur…

 

I got up, got dressed, fed Tye, and vacuumed while it was still dark. I loaded all my cooking gear into the car, sped off to work and arrived to a VERY dark shop. It was 8:30! What was going on? I let myself in and, seeing no one, checked the work schedule. Ben was due at 7 but was nowhere to be seen. I listened to the phone for messages but heard none. Weird.

 

I went to the office, still trying to understand why no one was there.

 

And then

 

I realized that

it

was

Sunday.

Cooking Channel was coming on MONDAY.

If it was Sunday that meant I had the day off to goof around.

Which is what I did.

 

Tye was happy to see me. And I was happy to vacuum AGAIN – now that I could see the parts of my house I had missed in the dark. And then I dawdled for the remainder of the day, taking a walk, napping some more, and taking my time to really get ready for the tv shoot – which happened right on time - the next day.

 

Ah me!

Can’t wait to see what happens THIS week!!!

Henry came to watch the fun after his Tae Kwan Do class this past week.  He and Chuck made faces at each other in between takes, adding a healthy serving of levity to the filming.