the Friday Feeding; VOL. 86

Posted byJane BalshawPosted inFood stories, Let's be local, Menus, RecipesTags:, , , , , , , ,

Happy Independence Day!! WE ARE OPEN! 7am-6pm! And don’t miss the town fireworks parade and party outside our doors tomorrow Saturday the 5th starting at 5pm. Free hot dogs, watermelon and ice cream sandwiches. Dave will also be making pizza 6-8pm followed by the town fireworks.

Made in the USA…

Display of patriotic-themed marshmallows and a watermelon candy in a basket, labeled 'Made in the USA since 1978'.
Display of snack bags including 'Golden Potato Original' chips and 'Cheez Doodles' with a sign stating 'Made in the USA since 1921' on a wooden shelf.
A display of bags of popcorn in a store, featuring a sign that says 'Made in the USA since 2008'. The popcorn is a mix of yellow and blue flavors, with an assortment of containers visible in the background.
A basket filled with wrapped candies, prominently displaying a sign that reads 'Made in the USA since 1978.'
A jar of spun honey cotton candy with a label stating 'Made in the USA since 2010' placed among other jars on a wooden display.
Two boxes of chocolate-covered snacks on a wooden display. The left box is labeled 'Bog Beans Dark Chocolate Covered Cranberries' and the right box is labeled 'Bangor Blues Milk Chocolate Covered Blueberries.' A sign above reads 'Made in the USA since 1700's.'
A vibrant salad made with pasta, carrots, and basil, topped with pine nuts, served in a clear container on a dark surface.
A mixed grain salad featuring black beans, edamame, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and onions in a clear container.
Close-up of a bowl containing quinoa topped with crunchy cheese and green chives, showcasing a healthy and colorful dish.
Package of marinated steak tips labeled 'Canterbury Country Store' with ingredients listed including NH sirloin beef and spices.
A clear plastic container filled with creamy potato salad garnished with dill, placed on a wooden surface.
A plastic container filled with rice noodles topped with shredded carrots, sesame seeds, and green asparagus.

What about honey?

Honey is a quite incredible food.  Many of you know this.  It has anti-microbial properties and, because of that, can last years and years.  In fact, honey is routinely found in Egyptian tombs 1000s of years old, preserved and still edible.

The reasons for this are because honey in its natural state is very low moisture and has a low acidic pH of 3-4.5 which kills most micro-organisms.  In addition, some remarkable chemistry happens when the bees regurgitate the floral nectar to make the honey…an enzyme in their stomach reacts with the floral nectar to create glyconic acid and hydrogen peroxide, both known as extreme anti-bacterial agents.  

So when the pollen from your locale is taken in by the bees and turned into honey, the substance becomes a natural health aid creating allergy immunities and gut health when eaten.  Like many folks know, honey applied to a wound works much like an anti-biotic salve, because honey is a humectant, it draws the moisture/infection out of the wound and kills germs.  Incredible.

Here is a fun salad recipe to celebrate Independence Day using honey to dress it. The natural sweetness of the fruit is complimented by the basil and honey dressing and the bit of heat surprises the tongue in the very best way! Fruit salad with a twist!

Red, White(ish) and Blue Fruit Salad

A bowl of red, white, and blue fruit salad featuring diced stone fruit, blueberries, and chopped celery, garnished with a fresh basil leaf, on a wooden surface alongside a small American flag.

Begin by making your own basil infused hot-honey. Spicy “Hot” honey is quite trendy right now but the marketing emphasis is on the hot part rather than the honey part.  Making your own is easy and then you can get the health benefits of using your own local honey.  We sell it.

Mix together in a small dish:

  • 2T honey
  • 2T basil (I used 1T purple basil for color and 1T green basil)
  • 1 pinch or good shake from the jar of cayenne/red pepper

Cover the dish with cheese cloth and set out in the sun for 1-4 hours to allow the basil to infuse with the honey. Remember that honey is anti-bacterial so there are no worries about the basil sitting out.

A jar of wild raw honey from Main Street Maple & Honey Farm sitting on a wooden table with a blurred background.
A small glass bowl filled with a mixture of honey and finely chopped basil leaves, surrounded by additional basil leaves on a textured surface.
A glass dish containing a mixture of basil leaves and a honey dressing, with a knife and fresh basil visible in the background.
A bowl with a cheesecloth covering containing basil and honey, set on a textured surface.

Meanwhile, prepare your fruit and place in your bowl then refrigerate.

  • 1 1/2 cup stone fruit, cubed. I used yellow nectarines here but if you used white nectarines or white peaches you would get more of the red, white and blue effect.
  • 1 1/2 cups blueberries, rinsed and dried
  • 1 cup chopped celery
Bowl filled with cubed yellow nectarines, chopped celery, and blueberries, arranged for a fruit salad.

When honey mixture is infused, toss it into the fruit and serve. Happy Independence Day!

A bowl of colorful fruit salad featuring cubed stone fruit, blueberries, and chopped celery, garnished with a basil leaf, placed on a background of an American flag.

We’re open today the 4th of July regular hours and open till 8:00pm tomorrow Saturday for the Independence Day festivities just outside our doors.

A view of the Canterbury Country Store with a sign, surrounded by colorful fireworks in the sky, and an American flag waving nearby.

Have a great week-end,

Jane and Dave

Promotional flyer for an event titled 'thought for food' featuring a typewriter, inviting participants to a poetic experience to support the Friendly Kitchen.

Published by Jane Balshaw

Food writer, artist and co-owner of the Canterbury Country Store

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