the Friday Feeding; VOL.15

It’s been a busy week at the store; January – the “slow month” – has still kept us hopping.  Happy to report that.  We had a swarm of hungry visitors on voting day followed by a snow day so we could cook a lot and refill the cases. All the while our newest staff members, along with Sue and Emily, have ‘owned’ this place making more special touches and taking care of you.  WE LOVE THIS. 

It is all about love right now, isn’t it?  At least that is what Hallmark would say.  But we have always liked the idea of finding moments of celebration in our calendar to mark the seasons and, right now, to help winter ease along.  Yes, we have Heart-Day specific goods and will have many freshly house-made chocolates starting February 1; brownie assortment boxes including gluten-free and our own hand-poured chocolate bars. And watch the menu all February for chocolate centric foods too!

And because we love our staff we are planning a party in their honor.  To do so we will be closing the store 1 hour early Sunday February 4.  Open 9-3 (rather than 9-4)

We all heard that Marshall’s Flowers in Boscawen shut their doors after 80 years BUT they are continuing to bring us flowers! More love.

Soup; the original winter Smoothie

Smoothies, as we know them, were originated on the West coast in the early 1970’s as a health food in a region where it never really gets cold.  And while drinking smoothies have their health benefits gained from concentrated nutrients, so does soup if made properly.  And here on the East coast during winter, nothing nourishes quite like a mug of steaming soup.

According to old Farmers Wisdom and even eastern medicine, we should heat our body when it is cold to ward off illness, and likewise cool it down in the heat.  Asking our chilly self to digest a cold slurry of food lowers our natural resistance for a moment while taking in cooked warmth when it is cold outside raises our immunity.  Makes sense.

Soup is good food.

We are trying something new for the remainder of our cold months.  To be served on Mondays and Tuesdays we will be making big batches of a vegetable-forward brothy soup condensing their nutrients and lacing in ginger, extracts and spices that will warm and rev up our bodies.  In each cup rice noodles are added along with a clump of micro greens. This allows us pure in-the-moment cooking creativity but also allows us to stick with our commitment to a no-waste kitchen by using up any left over bits from the week-end and rotating through produce from our cases.   

A new spin; the Canterbury Country Store Pho.    ish

For those of you that missed our Meet the Artist’s reception with beer tasting and platter snacks last Sunday, here is one of the recipes we featured.  Sounds weird but it is crazy good with a mixture of savory and sweet/tart that we could eat by the bowl-full.   

Baked-Apple Chunky Dip

Peel 5-6 medium sized apples.  Soft older apples are best.

Core them and cut into 1/2” chunks to equal 4 cups.  Place in a medium sized bowl.

Grate 1 cup mild cheddar or other soft cheese and toss into apples.

Mix the following together and toss into the apples and cheese:

• 1/4 cup boiled cider
• 1 T sweet/hot mustard
• 1/8 tsp Harissa hot pepper paste (optional)

Place mixture into an oiled heavy shallow baking dish.  Top the mixture with 1 cup of crushed Honey Bar B Que potato chips.  Bake 375º for 40 minutes until liquid is bubbling and chips are very browned.  Serve with potato chips for dipping.

Its Friday night pizza again….

Friday night pizza, January . Order ahead 12” organic sour dough pizzas to take out or sit down and eat here.  $15.95. Call ahead to order and choose a pick-up time slot. 603-783-9933 

Choose:

1. Pepperoni on red sauce.
2. Vegetable choice of mushrooms, green peppers, onions and pepperoncini on red sauce
3. Fig with gorgonzola and a honey drizzle over olive oil (no garlic)
4. Cheese only on red sauce always by request
5. SPECIAL Cheese Burger Pizza with ground beef, American cheese and onions (upon request.

CLICK HERE to see our weekly menu including gluten-free choices.

Have a good week, your storekeepers,

Jane and Dave