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| The Weekly Newsletter for March 3 - 7, 2014 |
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 This week's Dinners-To-Go include the first week of Lent. Lent is a terrific reminder to rededicate and simplify, no matter how you bring Higher Power into your own life.
So, there's a Mardi Gras parade happening on the streets as we write this, and this TUESDAY, March 4, is Fat Tuesday.
Our Dinner-To-Go that evening includes Paczki...
These are traditionally Polish delicacies, like sweet little plump doughnuts. The reason for them originally was to use up all the fat, eggs, sugar and fruit in the house, since those were all forbidden to Catholics who were fasting during Lent.
A couple of us were in the office when a call came in on Saturday - will we be serving Paczki? (You say "ponge-key").
Dreadfully, the two of us hadn't yet looked at the dinner menus, and truth to tell, had not included Paczki in our food universe as yet. Apologies, caller, please tell your family YES! Sheesh.
YES -we will have Paczki this Tuesday night! Let's try some!
(Ponge-key, Ponge-key, say it with me....)
- from Heather Masterton
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Dinners to go for the week
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Here are dinners to go for this week. This, if you do not know, is a fabulous way to have dinner. It's easy - just call us by noon
and your dinner will be ready for you to pick up by 3 that very day.
You can stop by to pick yours up until we close at 8.
Add salad (3.25) or bread (1.25) if you like.
Monday, March 3
Chicken Picatta with Bowtie Pasta 8.95
Tuesday, March 4
Gumbo Creole with Chicken, Local Sausage, Crusty Bread & Paczki 9.50
Wednesday, March 5
Bistro Steak in Anchovy Butter with Yukon Gold Potatoes 9.95
Thursday March 6
Chicken Enchiladas with Mole Sauce & Rice 8.95
Friday, March 7
Salmon with Spinach Saute 11.25
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Casserole and Lasagnas to go
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The Casserole of the week:
March 5 Chicken Chayote & Queso Fresco Tortilla Pie Whole: 35 Half: 17.50
The Lasagna of the week:
March 7: Butternut Squash & Basil Bechamel Whole: 39 Half: 19.50
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Laurey's notes (from a lifetime of writing)
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 [So much has been written about Laurey and her life projects these past weeks, but of course the best spokesman is Laurey herself.
[We loved hearing our sister's voice, and to our great good fortune, it resounded clearly through multiple channels. In this column we present archival reprints of her messages. This is one of the early newsletters in our online records.]
February, 2004
February is a big month this year. We've got Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras, a virtual trip to Italy. And it's a Leap Year this year too. Just think: a once-in-every-four-year chance to whoop it up. Last year things were a bit more spread out. Not so this time. Funny, things are feeling compressed for me too.
I will turn 50 in a few months. Normally I don't think about my age until a few days before my birthday, but this year feels different and I seem to be paying much more attention. 50 is a big marker and so, what the heck, I feel like the entire year can be a year of celebration. Why not, right?
The dog sled trip was a terrific way to start. I still feel the sting of the cold on my face, the crunch of the snow under my feet. I got a call the other day from someone who had spoken with someone ELSE who'd said, "Did you hear that Laurey ran in the Iditerod?" No, folks, I did not run the Iditerod, but that comment prompted me to take a look at what it really involves and, even though many of the women entered this year are a bit older, running in that race is a life change and I am not interested in moving to Alaska right now, so I guess running that particular race is not going to make it onto my life list.
I did start dreaming about other adventures, however. Kayaking the Grand Canyon has made an appearance all of a sudden, though I don't have a completely reliable "roll" (when you return to a vertical position after tipping over) yet. The idea of a sea-kayaking trip in the fjords of Greenland is emerging as a possibility at some point. I want to ski the Tenth Mountain Division's high altitude hut system in Colorado, bike in Moab, hike in Mexico, explore the various tracks in New Zealand. How will I fit it all in?
My sisters and I might go to Scotland at some point this year. We will visit the area where my father's family lived before they came to America. There are still Mastertons there, so we'll certainly look them up. We'll do a wandering, roaming trip, turning down lanes and climbing over hillocks in search of stone circles and labyrinths.
A second visit to the crystal waters of the British Virgin Islands is in the works too, sailing around those beautiful coves and inlets, snoozing on the deck of our sailboat under starlit skies, and, yes, sipping a rum drink or two as the sun falls into the ocean.
And in between these adventures and dreams I get to be right here. I think of all that happened in the past year and, realizing that at this point last year I wasn't even dreaming about the new shop, I wonder what is in store that is NOT on my list. Doing it all as a 50 year old promises to be fun and a big, wild adventure.
It doesn't hurt that deep inside I feel like I'm still about 7. Makes it all that much better, right?
[source: Laurey's Cafe and Catering newsletter, February 4, 2004]
- photo re-imagined by Paul Howey
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 Laurey's "darling pup" Tye is about to have her telephone conversation with our friend the Animal Communicator (Tuesday night, actually). It has been a little complicated, as the conversation is sponsored by a dear friend, but I am the person talking to the AC, and Tye is actually staying at Martha's house for now.
First question from AC: What is Tye's breed? umm...Brittany Spaniel plus some, uh, setter, maybe?
So who are you? I am Laurey's sister. And you live at her house? No, Tye lived there. And Tye is there now? No, she is is near the Arboretum. With her friend, Martha, who she's known for years. (I felt myself getting a little defensive, as if I needed to reassure this nice lady that Tye was NOT in Foster Care.)
AC: Well, Tye sees her - she is near glass, like on a grid, something? And it's not really straight, it's like a corner, sort of her favorite corner. I guess I am picking up some things from Tye already.
Darling AC lady had asked me not to tell her a lot, but in the process of explaining who TYE was and where TYE is, we had had quite the quick burst of communication. And now this thing about the glass. Yeeps. (I took the photo this week. For those of you who have not been there, this is at Laurey's house, and this is some of the glass that she has blown.)
And just to say to you all that a VERY nice young lady is now in residence at Laurey's, and MANY thanks to Sally Robinson of White Pine Acupuncture who had been visiting daily with her family to make sure the house is all buttoned up between our own visits up there. Their little boy hopped in to the house the other day and started playing with toys - Laurey's house is a terrific playground, really.
Zoe, the nice young lady has a sweetheart of a pup, Pinky, who immediately found a bone and a toy and settled blinking into the sunshine.
Tye and Pinky are going to go on a get-acquainted hike near Bent Creek this week, we hope, and we hope they will get along and who knows? Tye might come back to her own house for some time. With Pinky, and the nice Zoe who is a landscaper and who is clearing up the winter's debris from Laurey's gardens. Yay!
And what happens Tuesday?
We will keep you advised.
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Come to Breakfast, Won't You?
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 Man, have you had Laurey's French Toast lately? Creamy and buttery and served with perfect 100% Pure Maple Syrup - just the best. Laurey and I always used to split one order, (one piece of bread each), crispy bacon on the side (she had one slice, I had one bite), and share the rest of the bacon with Emily. Just to tell you how it can be done.
Keep the taste, to heck with the calories.
OHHH! I get to tell you about the new breakfast delights we've added -
AND our kitchen is making all of our sausage now - try our Maple Breakfast Sausage! Also - -
Organic Oatmeal Bowl with Fruit and Nuts
House Brined Corned Beef Hash
Local wholesome Country Yogurt from Grass Fed Cows
Come on in and have some wonderful thing, and I'll get some photos for you for next week.
These crocuses are pushing up in Laurey's garden...as she would say, Suh-WEET!
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JOY Ride 2014 - You can sign up!! Ride or dream!
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We are so thrilled to be able to give this link to you in this issue of Laurey's newsletter. So many of you have asked us how to make a memorial gift in honor of Laurey, and this is one of two ways we are suggesting. (The other is Henry's thank you to Make A Wish - just below!)
Laurey passed away on February 18, just a little shy of her 60th birthday. (Actually, one of the newspaper article gave her the age of 49, which is just fine.) A huge factor in her treatment cycle, emotional and personal courage and perseverance, was the great gift that the LiveSTRONG organization represents. Locally, that program is beautifully personified in our YMCA's in Buncombe, Henderson and McDowell counties.
LiveSTRONG at the Y is a free 12 week program for small groups (12 participants at a time), led by staff specially trained in the physical and emotional needs of cancer survivors.
Laurey participated in 2011, and rediscovered her personal fitness as a result of the program. This gal had bicycled 3100 miles across the US in 2009, but she came into the program weakened and tentative. No matter who you are, treatment can drain you dry, and this program makes a tremendous difference.
Last May, near her 59th birthday, she started the inaugural JOYRide, raising almost $30,000 for the LiveSTRONG at the Y.
Even in its first year, a committee of dedicated individuals did the hard work, the route design, the staffing and volunteer organizing, so Laurey could lead the charge.
Now we are delighted to invite you to join us to make this year another great step towards giving families under treatment a chance to lift their heads and carry on.
NOTE TO NON-BIKERS! Yeah, yeah, that's me, too. I am determined to help this year in the registration area, but frankly I am not a bike-y gal. SO - that brings us to the InSpirit ride: for those who would love to support the cause or a loved one but would rather ride “in spirit” . We can make a donation in any amount (I still have my tag from last year's ride! Yes!)
It's up! The website registration for the 2014 JoyRide is up and running!
Laurey Masterton's JOYRide
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More Open Hours! (starts April 5)
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We are so happy to tell you that we are staying open from 8 am til 8 pm every day we are open.
This means you can drop in from Monday through Saturday, 8 am to 8 pm, starting Saturday, April 5.
We will still keep Sundays to ourselves, to walk our own doggies and till our own gardens and cook our own breakfasts and play with our own kids...But the rest of the week you can bring your kids and everybody in to play with us!
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Our dear Emily and Adam Thome's son Henry is one of Laurey's favorite people. Henry had the great good fortune of being the guest of the New York City Fire Department last July, with days and days of events and rides, and greetings and fireboats.
Now Adam is sending thanks back to the Make-A-Wish folks in May. More details as we go along, but we wanted to share this with you to help direct your good wishes to Laurey's favorite causes. Here's Adam:
I am raising money for Make-A-Wish so more kids like my son Henry can get the chance to have their Wishes granted.
I've signed up for this crazy Trailblaze Challenege in May. I will be hiking 24 miles in one day! Yikes.
Making a donation is easy and secure! Just click the link to my page, below. You can also help promote by posting to your Facebook page right from my page. However and whatever you can do is very much appreciated. Thanks!
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 Who's your farmer?
We know many of you have been Asheville residents for years, and know a lot about the local food scene as it has flourished over the years.
Others of us have only arrived in the last few years (or months or days!) and need to be re-introduced to the folks who make up this REMARKABLE community of thrivers and growers.
P.S. Laurey took this book/garden photo on February 3 - and called it "Literary Gardens" - anybody happen to recall where she was that she would have seen this? Just checking.
The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) helps local farms thrive, links farmers to markets and supporters, and builds healthy communities through connections to local food. Laurey was a true local food leader and served on ASAP's Board of Directors, acting as president of the board in 2006-2007. A few comments from ASAP members:
" Laurey has been, and will continue to be the leader I most look to emulate. She was an early supporter of John and I and our business. Her kindness, integrity and sense of humor were always an invaluable resource. All of Asheville is better because of the work she did and the way she did it." - Julie Stehling
"I have so many good memories of Laurey...she was game for just about anything. She was a rock star when it came to cooking with kids...she even got kids to eat okra! The kids will miss you, I will miss you. Thanks for everything." - Emily Jackson
"I can't remember a time when Laurey was not the go-to person for support of local food and farms. Over a dozen years ago Laurey was one of only two caterers (she had not yet opened her store front) in the first Local Food Guide. For the first few years of ASAP we held our Annual Meeting at Laurey's after she opened up her shop on Biltmore. Laurey was always a generous host and my memories of the early years of making Asheville the center of the local food universe are also memories of Laurey. Thank you Laurey." - Charlie Jackson
Ahhhh, the center of the local food universe!
Well, this doesn't happen without an enormous amount of love and sweat - and THIS is your chance to DIRECTLY support the folks who make this happen!
On Thursday, March 13 from 3 to 6 pm, at Jubilee! on 46 Wall Street in Downtown Asheville, you can sign up for your farm share - "As a CSA subscriber, you'll receive a box of the freshest locally grown produce or meats each week throughout the growing season."
Whee! Let's do it! Kid's activities and a cooking demonstration too!
Meet Your Farmer!
These folks will be at the CSA Fair this year:
A Way of Life Farm
Adelbert Farm
Blue Meadow Farms
Cane Creek Asparagus & CompanyCSA
Cane Creek Valley Farm
Dry Ridge Farm
Earth Echoes Herbal CSA
First Blossom Farm
Flying Cloud Farm
Full Sun Farm
Gaining Ground Farm
Gladheart Farm
Ivy Creek Family Farm
Winter Sun Farms at Blue Ridge Food Ventures
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Henry's Make-A-Wish page