the Friday Feeding; VOL. 55

Cue the cozy; temperatures dropping, twinkly lights, seasonal food flavors…we got it all here. Stop in the store to experience small town holidays at it’s best. See a new recipe at the bottom of this post.

It’s been a busy week for us here prepping for the holidays.  LOTS of new special foods have arrived that we needed to find space for, Lori of L&S Made in the USA has dropped off more wooden gift boxes for us, artisans are bringing in their wares, new decorations are being hung and more work was added to the Coming Home art show.  

As an example, our shelves have been graced with the craft wares of Dan Dustin.  If you know hand-crafted wooden spoons or watch New Hampshire Chronicle or visit the Craftmen’s Faire at Mt Sunapee every summer, you will know Dan.  Come see some of his spoons intended for everyday cooking, carved from Mt. Laurel, Apricot and Apple and Lilac woods.  Dave and I have been collecting AND COOKING WITH his spoons for years.

Dan Dustin, a fifty-year veteran of the League of NH Craftsmen, has exhibited at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum and Elements Gallery in New York City. He has been featured in Fine Woodworking Magazine, as well as numerous other publications. His spoons have been purchased by the Currier Museum in Manchester, NH and are in the permanent collection of the Hopkinton (NH) Historical Society and the Peabody Essex Museum. After graduating from Bates College, Dan studied art with George Osborne and folk craft with Norris Patch. His roots in the New Hampshire family farm are reflected in both his work and his teaching style.

Click here to see this coming week’s food specials…

Don’t forget that we are doing pizza live every Wednesday night. Wednesday worked out so well with the Farmer’s Market that we have continued it on the same night. Dave’s helper from the Market is now on staff here for pizza night helping Dave prep. Meet Josh, Emily’s brother, having his first job! It’s a family affair!

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 20,  4-7pm  $15.95

• PIZZA IN THE STORE! Order ahead to pick up or eat at the store; Dave’s famous artisanal pizzas. 603-783-9933 Choose:
  • THE Veg Lovers – mild peppers, mushrooms, olives, onions with a cherry tomato sauce.
  • THE Meat Lovers – Meatballs and prosciutto on red sauce.
  • THE BBQ Picnic – chicken with caramelized sweet corn and onion on a red bean chili barbeque sauce

Appetizers; to tease the appetite

Appetizers before any festive meal is a great way to go because a true appetizer does just that; it teases your appetite so when the meal comes it tastes so much better. Why is that?

Indulging in little tasty bites before eating a larger meal not only stretches the celebration but also ‘Primes the Pump’ as Dave likes to say.  Lighter, savory bites stimulate the digestive juices in your stomach so that when the meal comes you actually feel hungry and you will digest your meal more easily.

A common mistake that many restaurants push is the heavy cheese laden pre-dinner snacks that quell the appetite and coat the stomach.  You know we love cheese and carry a lot of it in the store, but it is best served as part of a meal (click here to read about our raclette cheese event in December) or at the end of a meal like a desert.  

In my mothers and grandmothers house, pickles and olives were part of the Thanksgiving appetizer platter.  Tiny tart bites that got our tummies rumbling but, as a kid, the best part was that olives slipped over every fingertip like clumpy nail polish was a good laugh!

Here is a simple way to make to take in those tummy rumbling flavors with a flare.

Celebration Tapenade by our daughter Whitney

Warm a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan on medium/low heat.  Add the following and sauté for 7 minutes reducing the heat to low:

• 1 cup of sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped into 3/8” chunks
• 1T capers [our salt cured Wild Mountain capers are great.  Rinse them first to remove excess salt]
• 3/4 cup pitted olives, chopped as above. [traditionally Kalamata olives are used in a tapenade but we have tried this with many types for interesting flavor variations.  We have a big selection to choose from at the store]
• 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano leaves (not ground or powdered)
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped as above
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar

Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature on crackers or toasted bread.

We hope you have a great week and that we will see you face to face real soon,

Jane and Dave