Canterbury Country Store

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 64

Yes, it’s been that cold! But one of the things we love most about the store is how cozy and warm it is, with plenty of light to lift one’s spirits even on the darkest of days. We love coming to work. We hope you will come to warm up and simply hang out too and be a part of us.

About those lights…

…we planned them specifically. No florescent over-heads because they do not allow natural shadowing and brightening like daylight does. And they have a microscopic flicker that over-stimulates oneself [in fact, epileptic folks have to be careful] so it negates any reason to linger and be cozy.

We chose drop down lights to mimic a barn, focussing light downward while we painted the ceiling an ever-so-slight metal gray to capture the shadows to contrast that warm downward light. And strategically placed can lighting that dims to match the mood of the day or season. Cozy.

And we chose spot lighting to showcase the artisan’s work and our specialty products at just the right angle so that the artwork sparkles and color is enhanced so that food looks as delicious as it is. So important as this is, we actually had the original installation removed to replace the lighting at a better angle.

And we measured the temperature of the LED bulbs to make sure they cast the correct color. Sounds fussy maybe but these are some of the things that stores think of to make it be as inviting as possible. For you and for us who work there.

We thought you might find this interesting.

Remember back to summer of 2023 when we were setting up?

What’s new? It’s never to cold for brew…

Cooking with beans.

“Beans, beans, the musical fruit. The more you eat the more you toot”! It’s true that beans can give digestion problems for some of us, building up gas in the gut then exploding outward. Whooshed odiferous puffery.

But beans have a bad rap as being the primary gas producing food. It’s not actually because it is beans but because they are an ultra dehydrated food with no moisture to aid in digestion. Dried fruit, for example, can create the same problem.

There are various methods for cooking beans to reduce this gas problem. Some swear by adding baking soda while cooking in same way that drinking some alkaline baking soda will neutralize the acid in the stomach to immediately alleviate gas. We discussed last week how some add herbs to cooking beans to help them break down and digest better. For me, I have found that the only way to have fool proof, gas-less beans is by soaking them a l o n g time. I soak beans a minimum of 24 hours up to 3 days refrigerated. The longer they soak, the more the beans break down to sort of pre-digest themselves.

But if you are in a hurry, making dishes with a smaller bean can have excellent results. If cooked long enough, there will be no toot problem. Here is a baked “bean” recipe to make with tiny beans or brown lentils.

Baked beans

In the bottom of an oven casserole with lid place the following

1 cup frozen pearl onions. thawed
1 bay leaf
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
2T olive oil

Rinse for one full minute under HOT tap water. Add on top of the previous.

1 cup mung or moth beans or brown lentils OR a mixture

Add on top in this order:

1/2 cup boiled apple cider (we sell this)
1T applewood smoked sea salt, sprinkled evenly around (we sell this)
optional: up to 2 cups protein; cooked chicken, cooked bacon, tofu etc
3 1/2 cup boiling water

Place lid on casserole dish and place in a preheated 300° oven. Bake for 2 hours. Remove lid to inspect. If beans are completely soft remove from oven or replace for another 15 minutes if they are too firm.

Want some Brown Bread with that?

For a speedy and VERY delicious Brown Bread, assemble our Classic Maple Corn Bread mix per instructions then also add 1/2 cup molasses. Pour into a buttered dutch oven covering with it’s lid or 8″x 8″ pan covered with foil and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Easy.

Click here for next week’s Plan Ahead Specials menu..

Have a great week-end,

Jane and Dave

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 63

Be still. It’s that wonderful time of year when we can pull in, silence ourselves and take stock of our lives.

And stock our pantries!

Cooking from scratch is a tradition that nourishes not only the body but the soul. Cooking for ourselves and putting-away, cooking for others as an expression of love or simply cooking as a craft to add to our bank of skills, it’s cozy winter entertainment with delicious results!

While many of you rely on our prepared meals—and we wouldn’t want to discourage it—the store stocks many pantry items that can allow you gorgeous meals prepared at home. In fact, we carry many pantry items that you would not be able to find in local grocery stores. Here are a few and how to use them:

Sherry Wine Vinegar

Unlike red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar, this is less acidic and aged for 20 years like a cellared wine resulting in a mellowed earthy flavor. Use in a salad dressing or splash a couple tablespoons into a finished stew or soup of any kind to brighten its flavors.

Dehydrated garlic

This is the partnership of two women who grow their own garlic, one partner here in New Hampshire and the other in Kittery, Maine. This tastes just like fresh garlic! Grind a bit to add flavor to sandwiches or salads OR use it by the teaspoon instead of fresh garlic cloves to cook with. Easy and versatile.

Smoked Sea Salt

Smoked over apple wood, this chunky salt is a nice way to finish a dish adding little smoke and crunch. It also enhances your stews and soups plus makes an excellent crusty rub over any grilled or roasted meat/veggie.

Sriracha Sea Salt

Infused with dehydrated Sriracha chili, this chunky salt adds some heat sprinkled over any dish and also makes an authentic addition to guacamole. Use it also as a crunchy rub over veggies and meats before grilling. Try adding a 1/4 tsp or so to your homemade margarita mix; its fantastic!

Creamed honey

Just like Maple Cream, this is honey that is concentrated and whipped for a creamy texture. Yes, you can use it in your tea or coffee, yes you can use it spread on toast instead of jam but it is also a versatile condiment. Try it as a healthful frosting on cookies or cakes, over ice cream, blended with softened cheese for a cracker spread or use as a fruit dip.

Sunflower oil

Cold pressed without the use of chemicals, this locally grown oil is superb for cooking and dressing with. It sustains high temperature cooking so you can sauté and fry with it. It is grown right here in Concord, maintains all the organic specifications and is heart healthy full of anti-oxidants. And it is delicious!

Click here for next week’s plan-ahead specials menu.

TONIGHT! Meet the artist’s and sample pizza!

It’s our normal pizza night tonight–order ahead and take away 4-6pm–but we are also hosting our artist’s from our latest art show FACES. From 5-6pm we are sampling Dave’s pizza creations and some really great new beers.

Have a great week-end,

Jane and Dave

We will be closed 4 Sundays this winter so that we can reorganize and rest a bit.

CLOSED SUNDAYS JAN. 19 & 26 and FEB. 2 & 9

OPEN Monday – Saturday 7am-6pm

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 62

Brrr! It’s cold out there! Come in for some warm food and remember that we will be closed for 4 Sundays in a row starting January 19.

It seems that you have enjoyed having fresh prepared food in our country store especially now in this chilly weather. Soups, chilis, baked beans, pot pies, pizzas, mac n cheese…warmth and comfort. Some say the fact that it is available is innovative, and a new approach, to offer in a local store setting.

But not really. We think of it as a return to an original concept.

Previous stores in this same building have had food offerings prepared in the simple kitchen adjacent and very early “taverns” scattered about town also have had food offerings. But from a birds eye view, if one thinks of all of Canterbury as once places of commerce, I always think back to the Shakers at the furthest side of town.

The Shakers were gracious meal servers for travels and visitors and they were early adopters of the Food Truck concept, selling baked beans off a “wagon” in downtown Concord. Later in contemporary times I have heard stories of sandwiches being prepared there for sale by volunteer hands and big community hearts. Food and commerce.

Our Shaker connection runs deep whether we realize it or not, our neighbors and friends in the past have affected our ways and our doings even to this day. As a young cook who studied culinary herbs, the lore of the Shakers as one of America’s first herbalists interested me greatly. It was the Shakers who introduced and advocated for more plant material in our stodgy English diets with herbs to accent flavor and health benefits.

What you see as Canterbury Country Store’s branding—our brown craft food containers and bordered labels—are actually Shaker inspired. In fact, the border on our labels IS actually Shaker artwork lifted from a candy box as public domaine and scanned to create our own labels.

So as we continue to cook and make meals for you we are conscious of the Shaker connection…with the herbs we grow, the recipes we develop and the fact that during the season, Shaker Village sends their visitors here to eat.

Food for the skin

Some of you may know that I spent the majority of my career working in the skincare business formulating products and procedures. [Funny how making recipes is the continuum]! So you may have noticed some skincare products on our shelves with the same labeling and the same Shaker connection.

These are recipes I developed years ago using Shaker knowledge to cure little skin ailments. Joyce said that the Cure Cream was the only thing she ever found that worked on her diabetic feet. Last week, her doctor was very pleased with their health.

Food

Eldress Bertha felt that adding the herb thyme to any dish aided in digestion. It is true that thyme and other sharp herbs, like rosemary, contain phenols that breakdown protein & fat thus helping the food digest. Old wisdom, modern vibe.

Click here for next weeks specials menu.

Click here for January’s general menu. Dave is making meat loaf sandwiches every Saturday now with local meat. Man, they are good!

Art

Our latest art show opened this week, “About Faces”. It is stunning and creative. Come out Friday January 17, 5-6pm to celebrate the artists with a little beverage and food sampling. Its also pizza night so pre-order a pizza if you wish.

We will be closed 4 Sundays this winter so that we can reorganize and rest a bit.

CLOSED SUNDAYS JAN. 19 & 26 and FEB. 2 & 9

OPEN Monday – Saturday 7am-6pm

Have a great week-end,

Jane and Dave

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 61

Delicious New Year to you! Please read on for the scrumptious recap of your store this last year and for some new winter updates.

Delicious! Last year was tasty but the turning of the calendar brings the opportunity for renewal and, as a food business, can whet our culinary appetite for new adventures in taste and explorations in new cuisines. To the kitchen we merrily go!

The part of business in general that Dave and I find so interesting is this need for reinvention to keep up with ‘the times’ and/or to satisfy our customer’s needs. Done right, it is a highly creative process and we are excited to be embarking upon this as I write. But business does not operate in a creative vacuum; it is about you who we serve and we want to hear what you think. We would appreciate you taking a few moments to do our questionnaire at the end of this post.

We will be closed 4 Sundays this winter so that we can reorganize and rest a bit.

CLOSED SUNDAYS JAN. 19 & 26 and FEB. 2 & 9

OPEN Monday – Saturday 7am-6pm

Here is why we need a bit of time to regather our thoughts…

We were busy!! Last year you purchased:

6,701 sandwiches
952 bowls of soup
1,349 pizzas
733 meals
4,514 scones
4,166 muffins
6,070 cookies
3,863 bars

While you still purchased 41,773 grocery items it is clear that you like the prepared food part of the store as much as anything else. We do too.

This is a good time to remind or clarify that the store is an independently owned and operated business. The building only is owned by the Canterbury Community Market LLC with the mission to keep the property always as a store for the community. Dave and I have tried to design and run the store with our own model that preserved the intended mission of the LLC, as a place for community to gather, and offer goods and services unique to our place and these times. We appreciate you supporting us which in turn keeps supporting the mission!

It has also been our mission to support the people of our community.

In addition to purchasing goods from local farmers and food producers to make available to you, we also sold 2,688 consigned art items for local artisans.
We are also proud that the store can support our staff with a living wage.

Back to food.

Click here for our updated January menu with new variations on Sandwiches and baked goods..

Click here for next week’s special menu. NOTE: Pizza is back to Friday nights!

And if you still have a refrigerator full of left-overs, here is a soup recipe that is my go-to for using all that up. And since I am a quilter, I call it a a Scrap Quilt Soup. 🙂

Scrap Quilt Soup

Any decent soup starts with a good broth and multiple flavors. Place in your pot any or all of these:

32. oz broth; chicken, beef, vegetable or V8 Juice
Any left over poured-off pan drippings from roasting/sautéing vegetables or meat OR a couple tablespoons of miso
Fruit juice

Add to the broth any or all of the following up to 4 cups:

Any left over steamed or roasted vegetables
Any left over salad (YES, lettuce is good in a soup!)
Any frozen vegetables
Any left over meat (chopped) or beans or rice or pasta
Any can of tomatoes; pureed, stewed, sauce or paste
The rind of any hard cheese
Fresh garlic and/or onion
Dried or fresh herbs

Cook all over low heat covered for 30 minutes or longer. Adjust flavoring at the end by adding any of the following for flavor:

Salt and pepper
Wine or liqueur

Cook until heated through and up to 1 hour on low.

If you feel at a loss on what to combine or not, just try. You would be surprised at how the unlikely becomes wonderful when stewed slowly and augmented by layers of flavors.

Give us your feedback.

To help us plan the new year, we would love to get your feedback. Would you mind answering the following questions then emailing your answers to: kitchen@CanterburyCountryStore.com. ? It would be so helpful. Thank you!

What is your main reason for visiting the store?
What is your most favorite item purchased in the store?
What is your least favorite item in the store?
What items, if any, would you like to see in the store that we don’t currently carry?

Thank you and have a great week-end,

Jane and Dave

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 60

Is it Christmas yet? Not actually but we keep celebrating here like it is. Small moments of cheer carry us through the season, it makes our steps light; and its contagious!

This week Mrs. Claus and her head Elf brought out the kids and the kid in us and we celebrated over cheese with Christian. Parties were held in the Feed Loft and we baked ourselves silly.

Still time to shop…support our local artists or treat someone’s taste buds!

The store team celebrated with a holiday dinner party last Sunday that honored everyone’s extraordinary efforts during the business’s changes and growth this year. Sue Williams, our manager, displayed her culinary prowess with a special meal, then demonstrated her warm heart & leadership by presenting gifts and awards to everyone, acknowledging each person’s unique talents. Gosh, even Dave and I each got one. Thanks for appreciating us Sue!

Caramel sauce

A fool proof real caramel sauce that tastes divine. Pour this over cakes like we did at our party or, as Dave and I like it, over ice cream. It keeps well in the refrigerator for several weeks. And when chilled, a sneaky spoonful is as good a caramel candy as you can get.

In a small sauce pan place:

1 cup white sugar

Carefully pour over this without stirring:

1/4 cup water

Place on a burner on medium heat. Grabbing the pan by the handle gently swirl the mixture until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is clear.. Still do not stir.

Turn up the heat to high and bring to a boil. Place the lid on the pan and cook for 2 minutes then remove the lid and continue cooking until the syrup gets dark around the edges and when swirled again the syrup becomes amber colored. Remove from heat.

Add to this darkened syrup stirring gently with a whisk and/or heat proof spatula until incorporated:

1 stick unsalted butter previously cut into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla
a pinch of kosher salt

Serve immediately or store for later use in a canning jar. Keep refrigerated. To rewarm, microwave for 30 seconds or so OR set the jar in another container of hot water till warmed. Change water if necessary.

Perhaps the primary reason…

…I became interested in food as a young adult is because of the cultural traditions that surround the preparing of it. Whether it was a special dish made only when an ingredient was in season or that the same recipe varied north to south according to indigenous supplies. Learning this was like taking a tour of the world.

But the main attraction for me has always been the celebration evoked through family recipes handed down through the generations, so that each bite was a remembrance of someone or some event long ago.

Taste and smell stimulates us to remember. We are wired that way, to feel joy (or seriousness) through these senses, which is why food means so much to many of us. And is probably why tasteless food can cause us to over eat while we try to stimulate these senses and feelings.

This is why we love what we are doing for you. To stimulate your senses and hopefully create some new joyful memories of your time here in Canterbury.

Click here to read Christmas week’s Specials Menu

Let’s start a dialog here. Please leave a comment at the end about what your favorite family holiday food is, then we will all keep checking back to read them. Fun!

Have a merry Christmas and Hanukkah,

Dave and Jane

Like last year, as our holiday gift to you, free Brothers Donuts Saturday 12/21 with Santa 9-11am. One per person please.

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 59

What does this Saturday at the store and the north of us have in common? Christian, cheese from Quebec and Mrs Claus!!

Kids, come by this Saturday from 9-11 to grab your donut & visit with Mrs Claus and her head elf. Then at 1:00 kids of all ages are invited to come by to mind-travel to medieval Alpine Christmases and taste some traditional melted cheese served over sausage and potatoes and grilled veggies. We might even have an appearance from the Geezers—Dudley, Frank and Rivkah—playing traditional Quebecois fiddling music.

And as Dudley asked, “This food is for free?!” You bet. We want you to try our cheese.

Say cheese.

Melted cheese? Yes, please. Most of us know about the Alpine dish, fondue; a firm “Swiss” cheese cooked with a little white wine, perhaps thickened a bit, that bread is sopped into. Raclette, like we are featuring this week-end, is another type of melted cheese dish made with another type of “Swiss” cheese aged softer, thus meltier, so as to readily pour over cooked foods.

These melted cheese dishes originated centuries ago in the Alpine regions of Europe where it gets very chilly in the winter and cozy warm food that sticks to the ribs is mandatory. A traditional post-skiing meal or post-sheep-tending meal or post-anything-outside meal, it was a way to use up that preserved milk [in the form of cheese] while nourishing the body. And today it serves up as a Sunday type supper or celebratory meal.

So we offer you this idea for Christmas and the means to taste it this Saturday. Our raw milk organic Raclette cheese comes from a family farm in Quebec, Canada in a region that is famous for its cheese. You cannot find this cheese in grocery stores.

Saturday, December 14 from 1-3pm

Say cheese.

The big tree in the green was photographed a few hundred times last Friday night as the holiday lights burst on. Like a well poised celebrity it just smiled and swayed and said “cheese”. As did so many of you who stopped in the store afterwards to have a cup of hot cocoa with us. We LOVED this evening…we LOVED you coming in.

The board of the newly formed Friends of Canterbury Center responsible for lighting the tree this year. We can’t wait to see what else they come up with for all of us next year around the green! Want to volunteer with them? Ask us.

Say cheese. In baking?

We think of cheese as a flavoring in baking—like cheddar scones or cream cheese filled pastry—but it also can serve as the “butter” in your holiday baking. Cheese is fat [the technical bakers term for the “short” part of a recipe required for tenderness] so in certain instances you can substitute the butter, margarine or solid shortening with cheese in a recipe to create a new taste. Cream cheese and jack cheese are great substitutes for butter.

But try these no bake balls for an easy-cheesy treat. Protein forward and less sugar, you could serve these as an accompaniment to a crisp greens and fruit salad OR just as a holiday candy.

Lemon Pistachio Date Balls

Combine in a food processor until combined but still a bit chunky:

one 8oz package of whole pitted dates. (Don’t use the pre chopped ones; they are coated with an anti-caking powder that does not let them break down).
2/3 cup shredded grocery store Mexican cheese mix (cheddar and jack)
1 tsp orange blossom water – we have this at the store
1/4 tsp essential oil of lemon – we have this at the store

Add to the processor and chop until nut pieces are broken up in medium/small pieces:

1/3 cup shelled pistachios, raw or roasted/salted.

Turn out the mix and roll into 16 one inch-ish balls. For a sweet candy type confection, roll in powdered sugar. To serve with a meal or on a salad, roll in flaky sea salt – we have this at the store. Very yum.

Click here for next weeks Plan-Ahead menu

Like last year, we are offering our own steamed Figgy Pudding by special order. Complete with a butter rum sauce, you can easily reheat it or freeze both for later use. $24.50 Available from the 21st onward. Call to reserve your set, 603-783-9933

See you soon,

Jane and Dave

Calling all artists of any age and any skill leve1. Our next art show in the Feed Loft opens January 6. Enter Deadline is the 29th of this month. Click here to read about it and download an entry form.

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 58

Canterbury knows how to party! And this week-end is one long holiday celebration starting tonight with the tree lighting. Read on…

The C in Canterbury stands for Community. We work together and play together—and even disagree together—but in the end we always pull off something magical.

The magic of PTO Christmas trees being delivered to the green then the stringing up the lights on the BIG tree and donning the gazebo.

The Lighting of the tree happens at 5:00 tonight Friday complete with live instrumental music followed by hot cocoa and tastings of sparkling wine, cheese and art at the store. We are open till 8pm this evening for some extended shopping hours.

The Crew that hung all those magical tiny lights rimming the store front. Thanks guys!!!

And inside the store is magical thanks to the entrants to our Gingerbread Home contest!

Our Sunday team–John and Constance–that keep the store magical this time of year so Dave and I can take a little break at home. Thank you guys!!

A little magic for your entertaining at home…

Balsamic pearls! Little bubbles of aged, sweet & tart balsamic vinegar syrup that pop in your mouth like caviar. Spoon them over cheese or fruit or add them to any cooked dish as a finishing flavor. Ask to try some.

Pinecone Bud syrup! We loved it so much last year that it’s here still to drizzle over cheese, add to cocktails and even spooned over ice cream! Sweet and aromatic with a flavor all its own, ask to try some.

French honey with nuts! A traditional French treat, hazelnuts or almonds are macerated in honey to meld the flavors to scoop over cheese or ice cream. These are fun for the holiday table.

Roasting meat

Char is the flavor that defines oven roasts. If your oven is not hot enough to start with you miss that flavor component and, instead, the meat steams which causes the fat and the flavor to melt off. AND lack of heat makes the meat tough…that lower temperature shrinks the long fibers to make the meat bouncy and springy instead of tender. Conversely, low and slow (like a pot roast) tenderizes meat but then no char is obtained. But this is not prime rib material.

Another safe guard against flavor disappearing in oven roasts is the use of a rub. Rubs can form a crust and/or will draw the juices to caramelize on the surface of the meat encouraging that char and browning.

We’ve made up a few blends of rubs for you to play with. They also dub as excellent seasoning for roasted veggies or even salad dressings. And FYI, these mixes are pure concentrated ingredients. Most rubs on the market contain up to 75% dextrose as a filler to bulk up the product. Dextrose is not good for our bodies.

But I also played around with our cranberry dip mix and got some really excellent results on a pork roast. Here is what I did:

Preheat the oven at 450′ for one hour. Meanwhile, mix one packet of the cranberry dip mix with 1T water, 1T olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp ground black pepper.

Smear this all over the roast then put in the oven. Immediately reduce the heat to 350′ and roast until it is done. (check roasting times against your desired doneness and the size of your roast).

Click here for next weeks plan-head menu specials.

Have a great week-end and we hope to see you ’round the store,

Jane and Dave

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 57

Let it begin! Cue the snow, cue the white lights and we know that the holidays are upon us! There is LOTS happening at the store and around the town center. Read on to plan your festivities and maybe win $100 cash!

It’s not too late to hone your gingerbread skills. Maybe a family project? Our Gingerbread Home contest deadline has been extended; simply bring your completed home this Sunday to the store 9am-4pm with your completed forms. Click here to download the rules and the forms. First place is $100 cash, second and third places are gift certificates to the store.

AND if you don’t create, come in to see everyone else’s creations.

We’ll have some visitors in the next couple weeks…

Mrs Claus and her elf will be helping sample cheese

Click here to see the line up of Holiday events here at the store…hot cocoa, sparkling wine tasting and the tree lighting, meet the artists reception, raclette cheese how-tos and tastings, free Brothers Donuts and more…

Let us help you fill your gift giving needs and teach you some hew cooking skills all at the same time. We are sampling ingredients every Saturday and giving you some ideas for home. Here is a recipe for using up some of those left overs from Thanksgiving.

Holiday Pot Pie

This is the basic recipe we use for making our own pot pies.

Chop into 1/2″ pieces any left over turkey and roasted vegetables you have to total 4 cups. You can also use left over salad. You have heard me say this before that lettuce behaves just like wilted spinach and is quite delicious cooked.

Make the sauce:

Melt 2T butter or olive oil in a pan on medium/low heat until hot: Add 2T flour and stir constantly until slightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Immediately add 1 cup whole milk [non dairy milk can be substituted but it will not have the same pot pie flavor. Stir constantly with a whisk until the sauce thickens.

Add 1T flavoring and stir well. This time of year we are using festive flavors like jams and pastes.

Stir the sauce into the chopped meat/vegetables and turn into a prebaked pie shell. Place in 350′ oven for 20-30 minutes until all is warmed. NOTE: many people top their pies. At the store we top with a pre-baked pastry that you could do also OR top with some of your left over stuffing. This is so comforting and easy!

See you soon,

Jane and Dave

Check back later to see next weeks food specials

the Friday Feeding; VOL. 56

Thankful. And that we are.

For the luxury of good food and the means to make it available. For a community to enjoy it with and the ability to eat. For the incredible people we work with and their hands that serve you. Thankful.

We know this isn’t the case for everyone. Your store keepers recognize this. But we hate flashy, cyber-commercialized, pat-on-the-back, Small Business Holiday Statements of good doings, and the pleas for your patronage because of it. As we celebrate a day of Thanksgiving next week and move into the holiday season please know that there is lots happening behind the scenes to care for all.

Come see what a small town store can offer for the season and, if you are so inclined, tell your friends. We are thankful for you and wish you a blessed day what ever you are doing.

Special offerings for next week.

PRE-ORDER BY SUNDAY NOV. 24. 603-783-9933

Pureé of celery root, butternut squash and yukon potatoes with butter, caramelized onions and a ground walnut, parmesan and crumb topping. Bake to warm. 1.5 lbs. Serves 4-6 $18.50
Cider & spice braised fennel and Brussel sprouts sprinkled with Robie Farm all natural bacon. Bake to warm. Serves 4-6 $18.50
Confīt of cherries, button mushrooms and pearl onions stewed with maple and port wine. 16oz. Use as a relish. $14.50

These will be in the store Tuesday and Wednesday Nov. 26 & 27.. CALL US AND WE WILL RESERVE ONE FOR YOU. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED! 603-783-9933

Betty Fifield’s Shaker Squash rolls made fresh for us each day. Not previously frozen. Pack of 6 – $8.95

Our Almond Cranberry-curd mini tart; serves 2. These are naturally gluten-free. $12.95
Our rustic Apple, Pear and Cherry galette pie. Our great home-made flaky crust around lightly sugared fruit. Serves 4. $18.95
Our famous Pecan Pie bars will be back too. Box up a batch for your dessert. $3.50 each.

What’s new on our shelves.

Lauren Prospere hand painted tree ornatments. Canterbury

The process of giving thanks often evokes memories of kindnesses given and kindnesses received. As we have “Decked the Halls” of the store this year we put into place a gift that was given to us last year. You may have noticed our vintage Chocolate Chips bowl but may not have realized that it was a gift to the store from Brian and Helena Titilah. Next time you are in, give it a good gaze and remember them.

Check out our calendar of events for December. There is a lot happening! Click here

Read last years post with a recipe for corn bread stuffing by clicking here.

Have a great week-end and happy Thanksgiving,

Jane and Dave

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

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