the Friday Feeding; VOL. 93

Made by hand. Made from scratch. Made by nature.  This is local.

When we originate food from local sources it IS made by hand usually in small batches or crops or butchering.  When we order our meat from Robie Farm, we order the week before then the animal is harvested for us.  Fresh.  When we order freeze-dried apples from Harry in Canterbury, Dustin makes them just then. Fresh.  When we order jam from Laurel Hill in Bedford it is made just for us.  Fresh.  When we order Glines corn is it picked that morning.  Fresh.

Eating local and buying local is just not kitsch.  It is about freshness and good taste AND about keeping the traditions of farming and making alive.  It is easy when our budgets are tight to get stuck in looking-for-the-best-price rut—we get it; us too—but if we only get one thing a week that is truly local we can keep our regional economy going. 

Inspite of politics.  Inspite of hoopla.  Inspite of too much rain or hot weather or tariffs.

Back for the fall

A jar of Blake Hill Pumpkin Maple Butter, featuring a label adorned with pumpkins and classifying it as a limited specialty preserve.
A jar of Blake Hill Heirloom Apple with Maple Syrup, part of The Cheese Pairing Collection, featuring illustrations of apples and a label indicating its weight.
Six cans of Contoocook cider, displayed on a wooden table, labeled 'Tree to Glass' and 'Cranberry'.
Four cans of ConToocook cider company blueberry cider displayed on a wooden table.
Four cans of ConToocook cider blend placed on a wooden table, with a blurred background.
A bowl of fresh salad with lettuce, sliced apples, diced cheese, red bell peppers, and pumpkin seeds, topped with a container of dressing.
Cider dressed local apples and greens salad
A close-up view of a mixed pasta dish featuring spiral pasta, ground beef, diced bell peppers, and chopped tomatoes, all intertwined in a savory sauce.
Chop suey! Like a deconstructed lasagna. In the freezer
A close-up of a tin candle labeled 'Harvest Moon' with a green top, sitting on a wooden surface. Other similar candles are partially visible in the background.
A bag of maple kettle corn made with real maple syrup, showcasing light, sweet, and salty popcorn.
A container of Ben's Sugar Shack maple cotton candy, featuring a bright orange and white label with the product name and branding.
A clear bag filled with maple caramel corn, featuring a label that reads 'Ben's Sugar Shack Maple Caramel Corn, made with real maple syrup'.
A display of handcrafted artisan products, including pottery, woodwork, and paintings on shelves, highlighting local craftsmanship and artistry.

News from our artisans…

The elephant in the room.

If we follow the news even a tiny bit we will hear the word Tariffs quite a lot. And while most of us don’t feel the effects of it, our artists do.  Jim tells us that the price of wood he uses in his beautiful rolling pins and bowls has sky rocketed due to tariffs.  Nathan tells us that the cost of his blown glass pigments has sky rocked due to tariffs. Andy, David, Steve and Sue tell us that the cost of clay for their pottery has sky rocketed due to tariffs. Vicki tells us that the cost of the plant extracts she uses in her soaps has sky rocketed. And Fred tells us that the cost of framing his artwork has sky rocked due to tariffs.  

Supporting work made by hand from real artisans may cost us more going forward but it stands to reason that the imported fake art will cost more too.  We support our local artists by absorbing some of their cost, unlike most galleries, and we will continue to do so.  And we hope that in the coming months that you will also help support them with your gift giving or beautifying your home.

A display of handcrafted pottery and wooden bowls on a wooden shelf, featuring various shapes and sizes, alongside jars and packaged items.
A wooden shelf displaying various handcrafted items, including decorative boxes, ceramics, and art. There are two vases with dried flowers and a framed painting of a rural landscape in the background.
A wooden shelf displaying various handcrafted items including a sunflower painting, kitchen knives, wooden utensils, framed artwork, and a collection of books.
Meet our artists

ONE WEEK ONLY!

You can’t get more local than this… for ONE WEEEK ONLY come look at some of the wonderful quilt work from your neighbors and read the stories of the stitching.

Monday the 8th through Sunday the 14th the Feed Loft will be filled with small quilts.  Saturday the 13th the gazebo will be hung with larger quilts.

A cozy dining area featuring several colorful quilts displayed on the walls, with wooden tables and chairs in a warm, inviting setting.
A gazebo displaying colorful quilts in various patterns, surrounded by trees and a grassy area.

Let’s cook.

A colorful salad featuring a mix of fresh greens, heirloom beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, and slices of cucumber, topped with a creamy aioli dressing.

Warm heirloom bean salad with sweet onion aioli

A tasty twist on eating beans, this heirloom variety cooked with fresh corn and spices takes on a sweet fresh taste that compliments fresh vegetables from the garden and caramelized onions. Makes enough for 4 generous portions.

  • Rinse one cup of our heirloom beans Bert Goodwin variety.
  • Cut the corn off two cobs of fresh corn (Canterbury’s Glines Farm corn is used here)
  • Chop onion to equal 1/2 cup

Place all ingredients in a heavy pot and add:

  • 6 cups of water
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin

Bring the water to a boil then reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook for 1-2 hours until tender. NOTE: by not sautéing the onions and corn first they retain their natural sweetness which releases into the dish.

While the beans are cooking prepare your salad and make the dressing. See below.

Remove the beans from any left over water and toss them with kosher salt to taste. NOTE: if you wait to add the salt after beans have cooked they will be more tender. Keep the beans warm while you assemble your salad.

Chopped ingredients for a salad, including kidney beans, sweet corn, and diced onions, arranged on a dark cutting board.
A plate filled with a warm heirloom bean salad, featuring red kidney beans and fresh corn, garnished with diced onions.

Make a bed of lettuce; crisp lettuce holds up best in this recipe. Place the warm beans on the greens then scatter with cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers and top with the aioli dressing. If you are a carnivore, this is also very good topped with fried bacon bits. Serve at once.

Onion Aioli Dressing

Mix equal parts of mayonnaise and Divina’s Caramelized Onion Jam. That’s it. Easy.

A package of Bert Goodwin heirloom dry beans from Canterbury Country Store, featuring a transparent window showcasing the beans inside. The label describes the beans as locally sourced, with no soaking required.
Jar of Divina Caramelized Onion Jam with a black lid and label.
A colorful salad featuring mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, kidney beans, and sweet corn, topped with a creamy onion aioli dressing.

Have a great week-end,

Jane and Dave

Click here to see our September menu of prepared foods

Event poster inviting attendees to meet the 'Geezers' from Canterbury featured in New Hampshire magazine, with details about music and storytelling on September 6.

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 92

Wind down, gear up and prep for fall.  We’re getting our cues from nature and from you; you’ve been asking for soup again!  The chill in the morning air and the fading annual plant life are signaling us but we could still be in for warm autumn. We’ll see.

None-the-less, we are still prepping.

A close-up of a basil plant with purple flowers and yellowing leaves, growing in a garden bed.
front porch
A close-up view of flowering vines with delicate pink buds and thin, winding stems growing around a wooden log and a white wooden fence.
front porch

We have added something new to our offerings…

…our own bulk-packed items for your pantry.  A better deal for your pocket book and a way in which we can offer some harder-to-find grocery items.

For your soups and stewing needs, a selection of Baer’s Maine grown beans. They are history-keepers preserving heirloom beans.

Three bags of bulk-packed dry beans on a wooden counter. The bags are labeled with names such as Baers Best, Heirloom, and describe the types of beans inside, including Vermont Cranberry, Bert Goodwin, and Peregion. Each bag has a clear window showing the beans.
A variety of heirloom beans displayed on a wooden surface, showcasing different colors and patterns.

Our own kitchen-made organic granolas; first one up is Autumn flavors with Sunfox Farm sunflower oil from Concord, NH and Hackleboro Orchard apples right here in Canterbury! And moms, dye-free sprinkles for all your festive baking needs at a great price.

Display of packages containing Autumn granola with labels indicating their ingredients and origin from Canterbury, NH.
Close-up of homemade organic granola, featuring oats, nuts, and a golden brown color with visible texture.
Various bags of dye-free natural baking sprinkles in different colors and shapes on a wooden surface.

More flavors of freeze-dried fruits from Hackleboro Orchard are here. Harry is a history-keeper by continuing to nurture the old orchards and the land. And gruyere cheese from Robie Farm, NH & real maple caramel corn (no corn syrup) from Ben’s Sugar Shack, NH..all history-keepers preserving traditional recipes and traditional ways.

Packaging of freeze-dried peaches from Hackleboro Harry's, displayed on a wooden table with a rustic background.
A wedge of gruyere cheese with a few pieces broken off, on a white background.
A transparent bag filled with maple caramel corn, featuring a label that reads 'Ben's Sugar Shack Maple Caramel Corn' with details about its ingredients and sourcing.

In keeping with our history-keeping we hope you will come out next Saturday Sept. 6 from 1-3pm to help us celebrate our own Geezers whose music and story telling keeps the history of our state alive. Dudley, Frank and Stephanie are so treasured that author Marshall Hudson wrote a story about them that is featured in the September issue of NH Magazine. Marshall will be there with them talking about his inspiration.

Let’s celebrate our own.

Three older adults sitting together on a bench, smiling and enjoying each other's company.
A black and white drawing of three musicians performing in front of a post office sign. One musician plays a flute, while the others hold an accordion and maracas. A cat is seen in the foreground, and there is a background depicting a house and an event titled 'The Geezzers.'
Three elderly individuals sitting together on a porch, each holding a musical instrument. A sign above them reads 'The Geezers.'
Two elderly musicians playing instruments on a porch. One man is playing a melodeon while the other plays a small keyboard recorder. They are sitting next to each other, engaged in their performance.
A painted sign featuring the Canterbury Country Store and the word 'Geezers,' depicting several characters sitting in front of the store with an American flag and decorative elements.

And as Frank said, “We, the Store Porch Geezers, accept your generous invitation to perform on Sept 6th from 1-3PM.
Thank you for letting us ply our wares and greet our fellow Townsfolk on sunny Saturdays….at your Store.
For us it is pure geezer delight to make music, sing songs of another era, and in general make elder mischief.
We are blessed in many ways, and love to express our joy of living to others.   Thanks to you and Dave for extending your graciousness in our direction…..Love in the key of L
Frank”

read the article here..

Poster announcing 'Meet the Geezers' event featuring Canterbury's front-porch musicians on September 6, with details on music, storytelling, and the article's author.

Cooking?

While your gardens are full and the store is stocked with local corn, try another salsa recipe. I named this years ago Canterbury Sweet Corn Summer Salsa.

Mix together and chill.  Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.

  • 2 ears of fresh, uncooked Sweet corn; cut from the cob
  • ¾ cup diced tomatoes – ¼” to ½” pieces (this is about 1 large tomato or 1 cup cherry tomatoes or 4 roma tomatoes)
  • ½ cup chopped and loosely packed cilantro
  • ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
  • ½ to 1 small hot pepper finely diced (choose the variety of pepper to create the amount of heat you want in your salsa. We have some interesting varieties at the store)*  
  • ¼ to ½ tsp. kosher salt to taste.  Or try one of our flavored varieties.
A basket containing various types of organic peppers, including mild and hot varieties, with a sign that reads 'CCS GROWN organic mild peppers $4.50'.
A glass jar of Sriracha finishing salt from Canterbury Country Store, placed on a wooden surface with soft lighting in the background.
Glass jar of Applewood smoked finishing salt labeled 'Canterbury Country Store', placed on a wooden surface with soft lighting.
Fresh corn on the cob displayed in a grocery setting, surrounded by ripe tomatoes and garlic in wooden boxes.

* When working with hot peppers the following should be noted.  The oils from the pepper are extremely caustic and a skin irritant so most people wear gloves while dicing them.  If you choose to not wear gloves (like I do) be prepared to have your fingers tingle for several days afterwards when they get wet.  Also, do not put fingers in mouth or eyes lest burning will happen.  Thoroughly wash your cutting board or cut on parchment paper.  To considering the amount of heat you want in your recipe, know that the white membrane that holds the seeds carries the most heat, the seeds contain the second most heat, while the outer flesh is the most mild.

Have a great week-end,

Jane and Dave

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 91

This last dash of summer before school starts has the store in ramping-up mode.  We are filling the freezers with quick family meals, trying out new recipes and bringing in all the pumpkiny flavors and Autumny merchandise to put out in September.

We love this time of year for planning.

This is also the time of year when farmers are bringing us things.  Harry got someone to pick for him so his blueberries are back, the Glines family corn will be here and soon Ben will be bringing squash and pumpkins if the season was good to him.  Farming is at the mercy of nature after all.  We have our own organic peppers that we have grown and they  are coming in waves to the store now too.

grateful garlic – sloping acres farm – hackleboro orchard – apple hill farm – grand view farm – lesser view farm – robie farm

A container filled with fresh blueberries on a dark surface.
A variety of organic mild peppers in paper containers, with a chalkboard sign indicating the price of $4.50.
Fresh yellow corn on the cob, partially peeled with green leaves.
A basket of organic beets with visible greens, labeled with the name and location of Grateful Garlic Farm from Canterbury, N.H.
A wooden box filled with organic garlic bulbs labeled 'Grateful Garlic Farm' with a price tag of $2.35, featuring an illustrated garlic plant on the sign.
Grilled kielbasa sausages cooking on a barbecue grill.

Robie Farm has done a new twist on their kielbasa sausage; it is still uncured free of nitrates but now it is smoked.  It’s here; YUM.  And, their gruyere cheese coming today is promising to be a new staple for us.  Quiche and fondue season is approaching! Or gruyere on a cheese board with pumpkin jam, or a grilled gruyere sandwich stuffed with slices of Harry’s or Chuck’s apples or gruyere bites with a Cabernet.

We are proud that the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation featured our business in the summer issue of their newspaper, The Communicator.  There are copies at the store if you want to read it.

A smiling couple, Jane and Dave Balshaw, standing behind the counter of the Canterbury Country Store, surrounded by shelves filled with various local food products.

And our artisans are bringing in LOTs for your home and gift giving.  Eric and Rachael brought in many new Shaker boxes in woods we haven’t had before. Steve and Sue brought in new pottery with b-e-a-u-t-f-u-l dispensers for soap or lotions.  Jim dropped off more exotic wood rolling pins.  And we met new artisans at the League of NH Craftsmen Fair and with fingers crossed we hope to receive more goodies in the next couple weeks.

It’s a party.

A collection of beautifully crafted wooden Shaker boxes in various sizes and finishes, displayed on a wooden shelf, with a tag stating 'Kind Finds'.
A display of handcrafted rolling pins made from various types of wood, showcasing their unique colors and textures, with labels and price tags visible.
Three ceramic soap dispensers with varying designs and colors, displayed on a wooden shelf.
A stack of green ceramic plates with a package of Italian spaghetti resting on top, displayed on wooden shelves.

Saturday morning donuts are just a hop, skip and a jump from the apartment next door. Our standard greeting to each other is “Howdy Neighba”!

A young girl with freckles and a joyful expression sits in a store, holding her hands to her face and licking her lips, suggesting she has just enjoyed a donut. In front of her, there are two donuts on a plate, one with a caramel-like icing.
Two children in a store, excitedly looking at donuts placed on a counter, with a pink frosted donut with sprinkles and a chocolate-covered donut in the foreground.
Three children excitedly gaze at a variety of donuts displayed in front of them, highlighting a colorful donut with sprinkles and a glazed donut.

Let’s bake with local berries while they are here.

Blueberry Crunch Coffee Cake

Moist blueberry crunch coffee cake with almond topping, served on a decorative plate beside fresh blueberries.

A true cakey recipe. Unlike many quick breads that can slice up and toast, this is moist and delicate and not bready.

Sift together:

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 T baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Add and cut into flour mixture with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse corn meal OR put in your food processor and pulse 40 times:

  • 5 T cold butter cut into small pieces (NOTE: be careful that butter does not melt or soften or make a paste)

Mix together in a small bowl:

  • 1/2 cup whole milk or 1/2 & 1/2 (NOTE: you can use any milk or milk substitute but the higher the fat content, the more tender the cake will be)
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Fold the wet mixture into the dry until the dry is about 2/3 incorporated.  Then fold in and completely mix:

  • 1 cup fresh blueberries

Scoop into a buttered and floured [or well buttered non-stick] standard 8 1/2” x 4” sized bread loaf pan. Sprinkle on the top a mixture of:

  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
A close-up view of a mixing bowl containing a dough mixture, with flour and wet ingredients combined together, showing a texture resembling coarse cornmeal.
A clear mixing bowl containing a mixture of flour, sugar, and butter, with fresh blueberries on top.
A close-up view of a loaf pan filled with blueberry coffee cake batter, topped with slivered almonds and brown sugar.
A freshly baked blueberry crunch coffee cake topped with slivered almonds and brown sugar, displayed in a metal loaf pan on a cooling rack, surrounded by colorful fabric pot holders.

BAKE 350’ 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for at least 10 minutes then carefully turn out onto a rack to finish cooling.  Slice when completely cooled otherwise it’s very crumbly.

From us here, bye bye to Bob and Carla; we hope your new life is wonderful. And happy landing to Silvia and Kal…we love you all.

Happy week-end and last blasts,

Jane and David

Promotional poster for a live music event featuring The Honey Bees Band, scheduled for August 28th, highlighting various music genres from jazz to rock.

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 90

We’re still cookin’ with gas!  Local produce is here and lots is happening around the store! 

What’s new…

Fresh organic garlic displayed in a wooden crate with a handwritten sign indicating 'Grateful Garlic Farm' and the price.
A display of local native blueberries in baskets, with a price tag of $8.50, placed next to strawberries and other produce.
A collection of organic mild peppers displayed in paper containers, featuring various colors and shapes, alongside a small chalkboard sign indicating the price.
Freshly harvested ears of yellow corn with green husks.
Container of Von Trapp Farmstead organic whole milk plain yogurt, displayed on a checkered cloth.
Bar of White Mountains Chocolates labeled 'Mount Moosilauke', featuring a scenic illustration of mountains and the text detailing the product as milk chocolate with cinnamon and pecans.

We’ve loading up our calendar for the end of summer and into Fall. Check it out by clicking here…

Fire roasting.

t’s still hot so most of us are continuing our real cooking outside.  Not a bother for many of us and, in fact, is a culinary opportunity to experiment with new flavors.  Cooking on fire produces an unmistakeable flavor profile that you just can’t get in the oven or in a frying pan.

Flame licking at food condenses its natural sugars and acids deepening the food’s inherent flavor while adding that hint of savory smoke.  Boil an ear of corn or put it on the grill…one sweet/buttery and one syrupy/savory.  Steam bell peppers or put them on the grill…they’re like a completely different vegetable.  Chop up fresh tomatoes for your salsa or char them first…the flame helps bring out the glutamate and amino acids in them to produce that Umami* taste sensation when salt is added to your dish.  And charring meat?  The same thing goes.

This time of year I am consistently fire roasting.  The Street Corn Salad I make for the store features blackened kernels and fire roasted peppers; I think this is why it tastes so good.  At home we are fire roasting corn and charring tomatoes for our salsas and we love grilled vegetables along with our grilled meats.

Here is a great salsa recipe for you to try at home.  I use my old metal steamer basket for roasting with.  It goes on my stove top open flame or the grill outside.  It has had a good life but it might be time to replace it.  When I do I will unscrew the legs that it comes with so it sits flat…you can do the same.

Fire Roasted Summer Salsa

A bowl of fire-roasted salsa featuring a mix of green and yellow ingredients, served with tortilla chips on a decorative plate.

Place your metal “basket” on an open flame; either stove top or a bar-b-que. (Gas grills don’t get the flame close enough to the food).

Into the basked add a portion at a time:

  • approximately 1 lb. of either cherry or roma tomatoes. (NOTE: large tomatoes can be used too but there will not be as much smoky flavor because of less surface area touching the flame).

Toss/flip the tomatoes until all sides are slightly blackened, scooping each batch into a bowl then cooking more until the full pound is charred.

A metal steamer basket filled with charred yellow and orange tomatoes, resting over an open flame.
A close-up view of charred and slightly blackened cherry tomatoes, including various colors like yellow, orange, and red, in a shiny metal bowl.

Do the same for:

  • approximately 1/4 lb. of peppers either mild or spicy to your liking. Any grocery store long pepper can be used or try something different from the store’s gardens.

When peppers are charred, place them in a covered bowl or pot to steam for 10 minutes. Remove them and rinse off the loosened skins, leaving some of the charred bits for flavor. Remove stem and seeds. NOTE: if you are roasting hot peppers be sure to wear gloves to avoid burning your fingers. Work with a window open too; believe it or not, when rinsing them, fumes arise toward you face. I always cough and sneeze while rinsing hot peppers!

Fire-roasted green peppers showing char marks on a metal steamer basket over an open flame.
A hand holding a pair of fire-roasted green peppers with charred skin, resting on a dark countertop.

Meanwhile sauté until soft:

  • 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 2 large cloves of fresh garlic, minced
  • 2T extra virgin olive oil

______________________________

Toss the tomatoes and peppers, that you have broken into pieces, into a food processor along with the cooked onion/garlic. Chop 5 to 10 times until the mixture is broken up but still a bit chunky. If you don’t have a food processor, you can chop this mixture by hand saving all the juices.

Chopped onions sautéing in a silver frying pan with olive oil.
A close-up of blended fire-roasted vegetables, including yellow and red cherry tomatoes, green peppers, and chopped onions in a mixing container.

Put the finished slurry into a bowl and add:

  • 1T wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp white sugar

Mix this all together and chill. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping or serve along side any grilled food to dip in. Really good!

A decorative green plate with a painted bird design holds a smaller bowl featuring similar green motifs, accompanied by several tortilla chips.
A bowl of fire roasted summer salsa with colorful vegetables, served on a decorative green and white plate, accompanied by tortilla chips.
  • Umami is the 5th flavor profile that our senses recognize. Known as the “savory” component, it is said that we cannot satisfy our cravings unless this is present in our food.

Our final outdoor concert of the season is in two weeks. Thanks to the Friends of Canterbury Center group and local businesses like ours who sponsored this really fun, heels-kicking’ event! Dave will be making pizza again..

Promotional poster for 'Summer Sessions in the Center' featuring The Honey Bees Band, detailing the event date and time.

Have a good week-end,

Jane and Dave

the Friday Feeding; VOL.89

Summer celebrations need food to go with them and we are happy to be the culinary hub for you!  At the Canterbury Fair last week-end we cranked out 100s of sandwiches, salads, pizza & baked treats, and kept you hydrated with our huge selection of liquid refreshment.  Did you know we had this much?  Or that we could do this much?!!!!  Neither did we.

Tried and now proven.

A close-up of a salad featuring pasta, green sauce, carrots, and pine nuts, garnished with fresh basil leaves in a clear container.
A delicious sandwich filled with slices of salami and ham, topped with yellow peppers, olives, and red bell peppers, presented in a cardboard container.
A fresh salad in a bowl featuring mixed greens, blueberries, sliced bell peppers, diced red onions, sunflower seeds, and a small container of dressing.
A close-up view of a container filled with couscous salad, featuring yellow apricot slices, cucumber pieces, a lemon wedge, and a sprig of basil.
A freshly baked pizza topped with sliced tomatoes and green peppers, presented on a wooden surface.
A man sitting under a tent with a sign for Canterbury Country Store, holding a bottle of water, at a summer fair with colorful tents in the background.
Can of Aura Bora herbal sparkling water in grapefruit and elderflower flavor, featuring vibrant and colorful floral and fruit illustrations.
Bottles of Luluna Kombucha in various flavors, including Hibiscus Lemonade and Blue Ginger, displayed in a visually appealing arrangement.
A bottle of Maine Root root beer with a brown glass body and a yellow label featuring the brand name and ingredients.
A smiling elderly woman in a yellow shirt stands beside an older man sitting in a chair under a canopy, with outdoor furniture and a shed in the background.
An elderly man in a plaid shirt and cap sits on a blue bench next to an elderly woman wearing a blue shirt and sun hat, both relaxed outside a store.
A smiling man sitting in a vehicle, wearing a safety vest with 'Canterbury' displayed on the side.
Exterior view of the Canterbury Country Store, showcasing white siding, a sloped roof, and festive decorations including bunting in red, white, and blue. The store features a front porch with plants and an open sign, set against a backdrop of green trees.

Summer garden bounty is creeping upon us now.  Our store’s organic gardens are really starting to burst forth.  The first green bean salad came out this week and the herbs continue to proliferate so we can keep making our fresh-herb salad dressings. And our neighbors gardens here in town are producing plus our New Hampshire produce supplier is bringing us some pretty good looking (and you tell us “the best!”) berries. 

A wooden basket filled with fresh, plump blueberries set against a dark background.
A close-up view of fresh strawberries displayed in a container with a sign indicating the price of $10.95 per quart.
A colorful bowl of green bean salad featuring green beans, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and white beans, garnished in a clear container.
A basket of organic beets with green leaves, accompanied by a sign that reads 'Organic Beets' from Grateful Garlic Farm, Canterbury, N.H.

Too hot to cook. And eat.

Yep, with this last week of heat none of us were doing much cooking (except Dave in the air conditioned store kitchen. Thanks again to our landlords for installing it!!)  It’s cooled a bit, but summer isn’t over yet.

When it gets that hot our appetite diminishes.  There is a reason for that.  Our body produces heat through the process of digestion so we are wired to lose our desire for food in an effort to cool our bodies.  Because body heat can lead to dehydration and the dangerous loss of electrolytes, that added heat from digestion can push us over the edge. Getting too hot?  Appetite goes away.  Our miraculous body is full of checks and balances.

Short of those who have the lifestyle to sit in the river when its hot or spend the bucks on turning down the air conditioners, the intake of cool liquids helps us stay healthy in the heat. But a word of caution; drinking liquids that are diuretics will worsen the problem because they take out more liquid than they add in.  Coffee, black teas and alcohol are all diuretics. 

When we need to eat in the heat, I tend to think of liquid nutrients as a way to sustain us.  Back to our baby food origins and back to the garden analogy, food in liquid already-broken-down form reduces the digestion process and therefore the heat. And if coupled with cool temperatures, you are actually cooling the body when you eat by this simplification.

Here is a recipe for a summer soup that serves as a delicious meal instead of a salad. A bit like gazpacho, it incorporates all the ingredients of a salad but in liquid form for extra hydration and as a way to tickle the tongue with an unexpected slurp.

Summer Green Soup

A refreshing summer green soup garnished with fresh mint leaves and diced peaches, served in a clear glass bowl.

Cube up and chop the following ingredients:

  • 4 cups mixed sturdy greens such as kale or boy chow. Here I used kale and sorrel because that is what is in my garden.
  • 1 cup sour dough bread. This is a good way to use left overs. Bread soup is a very European tradition.
  • 1 cup thin skinned or peeled cucumbers
  • 1 cup tomatoes. I used yellow here to keep the soup bright green. If you use red tomatoes the soup will be dull in color. Red and green are complimentary colors so neutralize each other when blended.
  • several leaves of mint to equal about 1 tsp minced. Mint cools the body. We have some free of charge at the store if you need some.
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled
  • 1 tsp or more kosher salt to taste
  • 1T sherry wine vinegar; we sell this. Vinegar contains electrolytes so helps with hydration. The drink Hay Makers Switchel is famous for this.
  • 2T extra virgin olive oil. This helps satisfy hunger and also keeps the soup green.
  • 3/4 cup water
A wooden platter filled with chopped fresh ingredients for a summer soup, including kale, spinach, diced sourdough bread, sliced cucumbers, yellow tomatoes, mint leaves, and a clove of garlic.

Put all these ingredients into a blender and whirl it until it is smooth. Chill. Serve topped with sprigs of mint, more chopped tomatoes and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. The freshest taste of summer you can get!

A bottle of sherry vinegar labeled 'Capirete' next to a glass of green soup garnished with mint and a slice of apricot, resting on a windowsill with a scenic background.

I published another recipe for chilled asparagus soup. Find that recipe by clicking here for that post.

More summer happenings around the store…see you next week. The store is open till 8pm these nights.

Promotional banner for Summer Sessions in the Center, featuring dates, sponsors, and live music offerings.
A promotional image for 'Pizza on the Green' featuring a close-up of a pizza topped with vegetables and cheese on the left, and a man in a hat holding pizza dough on the right. Text highlights summer pizza ordering details.

Have a great week-end,

Jane and Dave

A jar of freshly squeezed lemonade with a label indicating it contains purified water, lemon juice, and cane sugar, placed on a wooden table in a store.
A jar of organic herbal iced tea from Canterbury Country Store, displayed on a wooden table.

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 88

It’s all about community, this store venture is. We gather, we eat and through osmosis the store maintains itself as a business.  To quote the article that will be soon coming out in the NH Farm Bureau newsletter about the store, “Canterbury is a place where people find their calling” and for your storekeepers, feeding you is ours.

A group of people sitting together in a gazebo surrounded by greenery, enjoying a community gathering.
the monthly friends morning gathering eating outside this beautiful day
A smiling woman in a red shirt and cap stands in a store, giving a thumbs up, with a display of produce and items behind her.
Natalie Rose Canterbury all the way from NY because our town is her name!
A woman sitting at a table with a typewriter, colorful shirt, and a decorative store background, promoting intuitive poetry services.
Heidi Pauer was here writing her intuitive poems. We raised $$ for food pantries and kitchens.
A poem titled 'Community' by Heidi Pauer, printed on textured paper with a vintage typewriter illustration and a heart.
Heidi’s poem for your storekeeper Jane

Community PLUS!

Next week-end we will be providing loads of food for the Canterbury Fair, the ULTIMATE community gathering. Come in through the front or back door and grab some food all prepared, including special meals for kids, OR have Dave make you a pizza. He will be in the kitchen cookin’ away all day.

A freshly baked pizza topped with colorful vegetables, including bell peppers, olives, and herbs, presented in a cardboard box.
A close-up of a salad containing pasta, carrots, and basil leaves, garnished with pine nuts, served in a clear container on a dark surface.
A sandwich with layers of deli meats, including salami and turkey, topped with yellow peppers, black olives, and red peppers, served in a cardboard container.

What’s new…

…very sweet with just-picked flavor! Get ’em quick.

A variety of heirloom tomatoes with a sign indicating their price of $5 each, displayed in a wooden crate filled with shredded paper.
Fresh cherry vine tomatoes displayed in blue cartons with a price tag of $4.25 per bundle.
A display of vine cluster tomatoes with a price tag reading $1.25 each.
A hand holding a container filled with fresh strawberries, with a sign displaying the price of $10.95 per quart.

Baking in humidity

A close-up of a scone with cranberries, featuring a slightly crumbly texture and a sparkling sugar topping, placed on a dark surface.
Three whoopie pies with chocolate and pumpkin flavors, filled with creamy white frosting, arranged on a light brown surface.
Top view of a blueberry muffin sprinkled with sugar on a parchment wrapper.

Baking is something that does-not-like to be done in humid weather. Humidity in your kitchen effects the batter and dough so things don’t rise as well but worse than that, it can leave your cooling cookies soft rather than crisp, cakes a bit soggy and bread mushy.

Yuk.

I lived in a vintage house once that had a wet basement (sound familiar) so the kitchen above was always slightly, shall we say, as though the shower had just been running. Moist. I learned a few tricks there and they continue to work in any humid environment.

  1. If it is humid outside, close all the windows in your kitchen and keep them closed.
  2. Preheat your oven as long as you can stand; at least 30 minutes. The heat will evaporate some of the moisture in the air.
  3. Mix your dough/batter under the exhaust hood if you can or at least with a fan running near by to redirect the moisture in the air.
  4. You can also try bumping up the oven temperature a bit on your recipe. I have been baking my muffins 10 degrees hotter in this weather to produce the same effect that dry winter weather creates for me.
  5. Lastly, cool your baked goods under the exhaust hood if you can or with a fan blowing on them. As soon as they are cool, immediately seal them up in a container or with plastic wrap. Paper bag enclosures work for somethings by absorbing the moisture in the air so it doesn’t penetrate your baking but beware; it can have the opposite effect if your room is too moist…it wicks the moisture into your baked goods.

Happy baking! Or, buy what I make or at the fair next week and save your kitchen. 🙂

Have a great week-end and see you at the fair,

Jane and Dave

Map providing directions to the 67th Annual Canterbury Fair, including parking information and event details.

Visit our friends up the road…

Promotional poster for 'Gallery in the Garden', featuring colorful floral artwork on an easel, with event details including dates and location.

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 87

Summer is in full swing with ‘celebrations galore around the store’. Canterbury stocked up on our salads for the 4th and the fireworks celebration outside our door the next day proves that everyone really likes our ice cream! Read on for a great salad recipe YOU can make at home… but you can still finish with some ice cream. It is summer after all, as if we need any excuse.

Two women holding small American flags and smiling together at a store counter.
Myself and Sue
A young boy dressed in a colonial costume with a tricorn hat and American flag motifs stands in a store, smiling warmly. The background features shelves stocked with various products and a bouquet of flowers.
Peter styling for the 4th
Exterior view of Canterbury Country Store with people outside enjoying a summer day.
Kids on bikes for the parade. Perfect hometown.
A woman leaning against a vintage green Chevrolet truck in front of the Canterbury Country Store, surrounded by greenery and a clear blue sky.
Jayne and her ALWAYS AWESOME vintage truck
A person stands next to a flower cart filled with various potted plants and flowers, set against a grassy background on a sunny day.
Kevin and his plant stand

Yes this is new, Canterbury Plantation plants will now always be available at the store changing with the seasons. More selection everyday it seems. Aren’t we lucky.

Mirepoix?

Those of you who cook recognize this term, a beautiful French word (meer-PWAH) that describes a mixture of chopped vegetables that are slowly cooked in a fat—olive oil, butter, bacon grease etc—then cooked until the natural sugars and savory essences have weeped out and melded to produce a slurry of concentrated flavor to add to any dish.

It’s a classic cooking technique for a reason.  

Adding layers of this deepened flavor to your dish takes it from flat, watery simplicity to a richer more tasty place with Mirepoix’s counter-notes of aromatic sweetness.  It’s that hidden something that makes your tongue question what your mouth is eating and want to eat more.

I am unabashedly writing now about one the mixes that we make for you to take home and use.  We call it a “hearty” mix because it already contains a dried version of mirepoix plus nutritional yeast to create super-savory meals fast and easy.  A blend of grains and legumes, this mix can make salads, stews and soups.

Following is a recipe for a hearty salad that is extremely delicious made from this mix.  And if you want to make your own mirepoix for other dishes, read after that for a how-to lesson.

A colorful bacon walnut grain salad served on a decorative plate, featuring grains, chopped vegetables, and walnuts with a fork resting beside it.

Bacon Walnut grain salad

Cook 1/2 cup of the Heart Stew package mix according to the instructions and chill.  When chilled, prepare the rest of the salad.

Fry and set aside:

  • 4-6 slices of bacon.  Crumble or slice.

To echo the mirepoix in the mix, chop into 1/2” chunks:

  • red onion to make 1/4 cup
  • peeled carrot or red sweet pepper to make 1/2 cup
  • celery to make 4 cups

Toss into the chilled cooked mix:

  • the bacon
  • the chopped vegetables above
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2T dry white wine.  My favorite summer time wine right now is Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier. We carry it.
  • 2T olive oil
A close-up of a mixture of grains and legumes, including lentils and wheat, in a pot.
A package of Hearty Stew mix from Canterbury Country Store, featuring a window showing colorful grains and lentils.
A bottle of Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier white wine, standing upright on a textured surface.
A glass container filled with a mixture of cooked grains, chopped red bell peppers, and diced celery.
A glass bowl filled with a colorful mixture of diced red bell peppers, chopped celery, red onions, crumbled bacon, and walnuts, set atop a layer of grains.
A glass bowl filled with a colorful grain salad, featuring chopped vegetables like celery, red onion, and red sweet pepper, mixed with grains and a creamy dressing.
A colorful bacon walnut grain salad served on a decorative plate, featuring chunks of vegetables like red onion, celery, and bell pepper, mixed with grains and topped with walnuts.

Can’t tell you how good this is…drooling right now.

Making mirepoix

Dice up the following into 1/4” pieces…

  • onion to equal 2 cups
  • peeled carrots to equal 1 cup
  • celery to equal 1 cup

Heat a pan on medium heat.  Add:

  • 2T unsalted butter. The Italians make this too but substitute olive oil for the butter.  This is what I did.

When butter is melted and sizzling or olive oil is shimmering, add the vegetables and cook for 1 minute stirring.  

Reduce heat to low.

Sprinkle with:

  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Stirring frequently, cook on low for 20 to 30 minutes until veggies are soft and onion is translucent.

Use immediately or freeze in an ice cube tray for later use. Each ice cube yields 2T.

Chopped celery, carrots, and onions arranged on a wooden cutting board next to a measuring cup.
A sauté pan filled with a colorful mixture of chopped vegetables, including carrots, celery, and onions, being stirred with a wooden spoon.
Sautéed mirepoix mixture of chopped carrots, celery, and onions in a black skillet with a wooden spoon.
A tray filled with diced cooked mirepoix, consisting of carrots, celery, and onions, displayed in separate compartments.
A green plate with pieces of vegetable mixture, including carrots, celery, and peppers, arranged in an artistic manner.

Please stop by the store on Saturday between 12-2. We are having a massive celebration of food and the arts.

  • Come have Heidi Pauer type-write you an intuitive poem by donation. Those donations will go to the Friendly Kitchen in Concord.
  • For every dollar you donate to Heidi, the store will match to donate to the Loudon Food Pantry.
  • Our artists will be here for you to meet and greet and find out more about their work that is hanging in our latest art show in the Feed Loft.
  • We will be sampling loads of food that we make and sell to give you some ideas for your pantry. And we will be sampling some wonderful beverages too!
Promotional flyer for an event at Canterbury featuring food, local artists, and a typewriting poetry donation for charity.

We hope you have a great week-end and that we are a part of it,

Jane and Dave

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 86

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.

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 85

It’s nice to be known I think you will agree. Comfort and familiarity, plus things you really need, are what you and so many from out of town come to the store for.  And because of that, we are known and were featured in a magazine article!  Click here to read the whole story.

Two people stand in front of the Canterbury Country Store, smiling and engaging with each other.
Thank you for your continued support!

There is a lot happening at the store…

The concert last night…

A live music performance featuring four musicians on stage, with a guitar, drums, and vocals, in a cozy venue.
Rain didn’t stop Old Tom and the Lookouts,,,they played in the town hall!
A smiling man wearing gloves stands under a tent at the Canterbury Country Store, holding a take-out box. The table is covered with a checkered cloth and has various food items and containers.
Dave still made pizza

Independence Day celebration next week-end…

Saturday July 5

Live music at the gazebo and pizza outside the store

6-8pm followed by fireworks!

New…

Close-up of packaged Giant Mallow treat pops, chocolate-dipped marshmallows coated in graham cracker crumbs, displayed on a shelf.
Close-up of a green trucker cap featuring a leather patch with 'Canterbury Country Store' and a tag showing 'Richardson Original 112 Trucker'.
Store hats made by John and Joanna
A green trucker hat with a brown leather patch labeled 'Canterbury Country Store' on the front, displayed alongside a small American flag and various rustic items in a store setting.
A box of colorful macarons in various flavors, neatly arranged and tied with a red ribbon.
4th of July macaroons!
A wooden basket filled with individually wrapped watermelon-shaped candy, showcasing vibrant red and green colors.
New England Mellville candy since 1978
Packaging of giant patriotic marshmallows decorated with red, white, and blue star-shaped confetti, displayed on a store shelf.
Close-up of various packages of freeze-dried fruit displayed in a wooden store shelf, including Honey Crisp Apples, Maine Blueberries, and Strawberries, all labeled with branding.
Canterbury Hackeboro Orchard’s new dried fruits!
A bag of Wise Dipsy Doodles Original Wavy Corn Chips, displayed on a store shelf.
Since 1921
A close-up of a bag of Wise Cheez Doodles, featuring the flavor 'Cheddar' with a label that states 'Extra Crunchy'.
A close-up of a colorful pasta salad featuring green pesto, shredded carrots, leeks, and pine nuts, garnished with fresh basil leaves, served in a transparent container against a dark countertop.
Artisan cavatelli pasta, basil-pickled veggies, pesto.
A bowl of couscous topped with a soft cheese ball and garnished with sun-dried tomatoes and olives.
Couscous with sundried tomatoes, olives & burrata cheese.

Let’s cook.

As I write, our heat wave has subsided…but it will come again. It is always good to have a few nice meal recipes on hand to try outside on your grill. Simple burgers are always a hit but if you want to try something a little more creative try these rolled and tarragon-mustard stuffed chicken breasts with a tarragon strawberry-watermelon salsa.

A plate featuring sliced rolled chicken breasts stuffed with spinach and cheese, accompanied by a fresh strawberry-watermelon salsa and a dollop of guacamole, set against a blue and white patterned plate with a checkered napkin.

Begin by selecting good quality chicken breasts. Open them onto a cutting board that can be cleaned and sanitized with the smooth, uncut side upwards. Cover the breasts with plastic wrap and pound them with a kitchen mallet or rolling pin until they are flattened to around 1/4″ thick and enlarged. We have some great all natural local chicken in our freezer for you.

Raw chicken breast covered with plastic wrap on a cutting board, alongside a meat mallet and a rolling pin.
Raw chicken breast being spread with tarragon mustard on a cutting board.

Flip the breast over and spread with:

  • 1T Edmond Fallot tarragon dijon mustard
  • Top with slices of a Brie cheese. Here I used our Quinby goat brie…delicious.
  • Sprinkle over those, 1/3 cup chopped fresh spinach
Raw chicken breast spread with tarragon mustard and slices of Brie cheese, with additional cheese pieces on the side.
A cutting board with a flattened chicken breast topped with fresh chopped spinach and cheese, along with a knife resting beside it.
A jar of Edmond Fallot tarragon Dijon mustard with a green label and gold lid, showcasing its unique color and design.
A package of Quinby brie-style goat cheese from Barn First Creamery, showcasing the label with product details and informational text.

Firmly, squish and roll up the breast tucking in the edges, then pin it together with a bamboo skewer. This is a messy job and know that they will not be perfect. We have all of this in the store for you…

Flattened chicken breast with Dijon mustard and fresh spinach filling on a cutting board.
Raw chicken breasts stuffed with spinach and mustard, secured with bamboo skewers, in a round metal dish.

Brush them with the following mixture then refrigerate until ready to cook.

  • 1T olive oil
  • 1T melted butter
  • 1tsp Tarragon Mustard as above
  • 1tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Heat your grill to high. When fully hot, place a cast iron skillet onto the grill. Reduce the heat to medium.

When the skillet is hot, place the breasts onto it open side down first. When browned, flip to brown the other side. Continued flipping and browning and basting with more of the mixture until all sides are browned the chicken is fully cooked, 30-40 minutes.

A close-up view of a measuring cup containing olive oil, mustard, and seasoning with a sprig of tarragon.
Three rolled chicken breasts cooking in a cast iron skillet on a grill, garnished with herbs.
Three rolled and stuffed chicken breasts on a white plate, garnished with herbs.

Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes then remove the skewers and slice into rounds.

While chicken is resting, prepare your fresh salsa.

 “Salsa” is chunky sauce developed in Mexican American restaurants to serve cold to accompany Tex-Mex food or as a dip for tortilla chips.  This salsa is the tomato-based style with chili, some sort of acid like lemon or lime plus onion and garlic.

But since that Spanish word translates to mean sauce, any type of chunky sauce could be considered “salsa”.  Indian chutneys would fall into this category as would Middle Eastern Baba Ghanoush. The common denominator in all of them would be some sort of  acid (vinegar or citrus), onion and/or garlic, salt, chunky vegetables and/or fruit.

Understanding that, what an incredible jumping off point for playing in the kitchen to make your own salsas. This salsa is my garden twist utilizing fresh seasonal ingredients available right now and instead of cilantro or basil, I used fresh tarragon to compliment the mustard in the meat. I am bringing some fresh tarragon into the store free for the taking so you can try this.

Strawberry-Watermelon tarragon salsa

Toss together in a bowl:

  • 1 1/2 cup small cubes of watermelon
  • 1 1/2 cups small pieces strawberries
  • 2T minced red onion
  • 1T sliced tarragon leaves
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1T Leonardi Rosé Balsamic vinegar. This vinegar is so tasty; a bit sweet, not too tangy and compliments the strawberries so well.

NOTE: don’t make your salsa too far in advance because it can get watery as the salt pulls the moisture from the fruit.

Serve your sliced meat with the salsa and another blob of mustard for dipping. Enjoy!

A bowl filled with diced watermelon and strawberries, minced red onion, chopped herbs, and seasoning, ready for salsa preparation.
Bottle of Leonardi Rose Balsamic Condiment with a red wax seal on the cap and a decorative label featuring a portrait.
Plate featuring rolled and sliced chicken breast stuffed with spinach and cheese, accompanied by a fresh strawberry-watermelon salsa and a serving of guacamole.

Have a great week-end,

Jane and Dave

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 84

It’s official. Summer is here. And nature has proven its attention to calendar detail…the heat is here too. Shop at the store to keep yourself cooled down and experience the flavors of summer..

Staples to keep your kitchen cool…new salads every week.

A close-up of a salad in a round container featuring fresh spinach, strawberries, sliced red onions, and almonds, topped with a small container of dressing.
A colorful salad in a clear plastic container, featuring black beans, edamame, red bell peppers, green peppers, and wheat grains.
A close-up view of a bowl containing a mix of quinoa, topped with crispy cheese, fresh herbs, and colorful vegetables.
A package of marinated steak tips labeled 'Canterbury Country Store' with details about the contents, including local NH sirloin beef and marinade ingredients.
A package containing two hand-rolled all-natural beef patties labeled 'Dave Burgers' from Canterbury Country Store, featuring a spice blend from Dave and NH Robie Farm ground beef.
Grilled skewers of meat and vegetables, including red onion and bell peppers, arranged on a black cutting board.
Package of bone-in pork chops, labeled with weight and farm information.
Package of Vermont Poultry boneless chicken breast with nutritional information and price label.
A refrigerator display showcasing various packaged meats and soups, including pork chops, sausage, and soups labeled 'Broccoli Cheddar' and 'Chunky Tomato Cheddar'.

You may have noticed that we have replaced our weekly specials in favor of stocking your favorite take-out meals at an elevated pace so they are always there for you. You can expect things out everyday rather than just once a week, and we are always bringing out new things. Keep stopping by and watch Facebook or Instagram.

Beverages to wet your summer thirst…

A variety of beer cans displayed on a store shelf, showcasing brands like Coors Light, Corona, Samuel Adams, and more, highlighting a selection of craft and traditional beers.
A variety of bottled beverages including kombucha, flavored sodas, and sparkling drinks displayed on a shelf in a store.
A variety of canned and bottled beverages displayed on a shelf, featuring different brands and flavors of beer, including IPAs and other ales.
A pack of non-alcoholic G&T mocktails featuring cans with a modern, wavy design. The packaging includes images of lime and mint leaves, highlighting the refreshing nature of the drink.
A GT Mocktail infused with botanicals and real quinine
A red cooler with a sign advertising freshly squeezed homemade lemonade priced at $3.95 and Maine Root soft drinks at $2.50.

Summer has brought the tour buses again…last week…

A woman standing in a cozy cafe with a large sunflower decoration and colorful artwork on the walls, surrounded by numerous take-out bags on a table.
A group of people enjoying meals together at a casual dining setting, seated around wooden tables in a well-lit space with artwork and decorations visible on the walls.
A group of women sitting at tables in a bright, modern café, some enjoying food and drinks, while others are engaged in conversation.
A tour bus with a maroon and white design parked on a grassy area in front of a church and residential buildings.
All the way from Ohio to visit the sights in New Hampshire!

Let’s cook.

Restaurant-style burgers

The hallmark of a good restaurant burger is that it is topped with out-of-the-ordinary pile-ons that usually take a long time to make. With a little ingenuity, though, you can mimic these with a few jars of slurpy goodness dialed in to match your flavor craving. This is why we stock what we stock in the store…to help you cook at home with great results.

Here are a couple combinations…

The lazy-man’s Black and Blue – char your burger on high heat then top with a pile of caramelized onion jam and a slice of Barn First blue cheese. Put a lid over your burger once topped to allow the cheese to melt. New to the store…

The Greek, New England style – once your burger is cooked, spread with a bit of mint jelly rather than ketchup, some chopped olives and some cheese curds. Put a lid over your burger once topped to melt the cheese. This is surprisingly good! New to the store…

A jar of Blake Hill Fresh Mint Jelly with a label featuring green mint leaves and the text 'Small Batch' and 'Specialty Preserve Makers'.
A pile of cheese curds, showcasing a variety of irregular shapes and textures.

Cauliflower burgers

A golden-brown cauliflower burger patty on a white plate, served with a lime wedge.

If you are not a meat eater, try these. Even if you are a meat eater they are so good even just as a side dish with toppings and spreads…

Steam until tender:

  • 1 1/2 lbs cauliflower (2lbs with leaves and stem) broken into florets

In a food processor or masher, puree the cauliflower then blend in:

  • 1/2 tsp kosher slat
  • a few grinds of black pepper
  • 1 T minced onions
  • 1/4 cup chick pea (garbonza bean) flour. Do not substitute; this is the stickiness that holds the burgers together
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 1T olive oil

Form this mixture into patties. NOTE: they will seem a bit crumbly until the flour sets up.

Dredge and press firmly each patty into the following mixture:

  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour or a mixture of almond flour and panko bread crumbs.

Place the patties on a wire rack to rest for 30 minutes. After this time they will no longer be crumbly.

Baked cauliflower burger patties resting on a wire rack, ready for cooking.

To finish, heat a frying pan on medium-low heat that is brushed with canola or olive oil and cook, flipping once, until both sides are golden brown. These can also be grilled but take caution to place them carefully on the grill and only flip once.

Golden-brown cauliflower patties cooking in a skillet.

We hope you have a good week-end,

Jane and Dave

A summer promotional flyer for 'Pizza on the Green' featuring a pizza with various toppings and a person in a hat holding pizza dough, with event details listed.