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The Weekly Newsletter for September 1, 2014
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We are thrilled to take a break on Monday to enjoy the last cool days of summer ... and we hope you get to take some time off, too!
We are closed on Monday, September 1 in honor of Labor Day.
Please go outside and play.
See you again at 8 am on Tuesday, September 2.
-- Our customary business hours: --
Monday through Saturday for breakfast, lunch and dinner, 8 am to 8 pm
- 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, September 1 ** CLOSED** in honor of Labor Day
Tuesday, September 2
Three Bean Vegetarian Chili
with Cornbread $7.95
Wednesday, September 3
Panang Curry Beef with Basil $10.25*GF*
Thursday, September 4
Crispy Fried Chicken
with Summer Squash Casserole $8.50
Friday, September 5
Salmon Nicoise $10.95
....and here (in a few days!) are all of the
- this was Fred's evening meal, just before playing in the big band at Diana Wortham! Baked Fried Chicken! Edamame Salad! Fresh Fruit Salad! YUM!
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Casserole and Lasagnas to go!
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 Casserole of the Week
whole serves (9) ~ half serves (4)
Wednesday, Sept 3
Chicken Country Captain
Whole $46/Half $23
Lasagna of the Week
whole serves (9) ~ half serves (4)
Friday, Sept 5
Wild Mushroom and Arugula
Whole $42/Half $21
- Irvegg makes school lunches!
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Hey kids! What's for Lunch?
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One day I fielded this question: "Do you have a kid's menu?"
Oh my.
There still are folks, you understand, who don't know Laurey's.
Naturally, every day new people stop by who don't know Laurey herself.
Most important to us these days is that our friends and fans spread her VISION, with passion:
 Give your kids healthy food choices, served simply and inventively, and they will eat all sorts of "casual, gourmet comfort food."
Emily and Adam, along with our team members, have refined and promoted that vision for over a decade, and carry the torch with gusto. Their son, Henry, is a great representative of the kid world, and he eats all manner of foods.
We are happy to see youngsters in our sunny, spacious (kid-friendly!) cafe every day, plowing through breakfast, lunch and dinner.
So with that, we are just happy as we can be to tell you that a local independent school has chosen Laurey's to be an official School Lunch provider.
Two days a week, the kids can order their noon meal from us - what a great option!!! Please bring your own little ones, your kids and grand-kids, or stop by to pick up fun choices for picnics and family excursions.
Just say "Yum!" for great food from our close neighbors, easy and fun to eat, good for the earth.
And now, officially, school-approved!
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When I drop by the kitchen weekday mornings, I get to see magic. Real magic from real farms, cooked with love by real folks in our kitchen.
First, our friends Paul and Claudine Cremer of Meadow Cove Farm deliver these glowing beauts. (I am not by heritage an okra fan - but these are tremendous.).
Elegantly transformed by Lito and Rolando into hot, crispy morsels: 
(Lito helps me with my Spanish:
"¿Qué es esto en español? Okra?"
He kindly instructs: "Okra." Ah.)
Jim Stockwell and Lydia Wexler of Common Ground Farm bring us Yancey County gold. He popped his head in to the Tuesday staff meeting to introduce us to these gently fuzzy wonders, Garden Peach Tomatoes. (Really!)
Nestled in our palms that morning, they glowed in Heirloom Sunshine Salad.
Yuh-umm!
What magic! Take us home with you!!!
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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, but of course the best spokesman is Laurey herself. In this column we present archival reprints of her messages. This is an early newsletter from her online records.]
November 13, 2004
Hello from Asheville on a grey, chilly day. I am not ready for the weather's change. It's not really cold enough for a winter coat, but my thin fall jacket is not warm enough either. I have not switched to wool socks, though I need to. Seems like just last week I was in a t-shirt.
The Women Chefs and Restaurateurs' conference, in Louisville, Kentucky was good. I spent time thinking about things that are so important to me. Surrounded by the leaders in this world of food, I listened to stories about how these women are changing their restaurants and their businesses. Nora Pouillon is a purist, using only organic ingredients in her restaurants. I hosted a table one day and shared stories with other women about how they are moving toward more responsible, sustainable practices in their work. I felt small and unsatisfied, but also energized and inspired by their examples.
I pledge to continue to do as much as I can, here, to take us in the direction of providing healthy, carefully made food that contains ingredients from local sources whenever possible. It is not easy. There have been floods which affect crops here which means that we need to find foods outside of here which are more expensive, not to mention the fact that carefully grown food is more expensive in general, right? But these leaders point out that an educated buyer will understand. I hope they are right, for this is the direction, the vision, I have in my heart and mind. Handmade food. Carefully made. Using the best ingredients available, from local sources whenever possible. This continues to be my pledge.
As my part of the conference, I was the coordinator for the first night's reception.
What a silly job.
Here's how it went:
Two months ago - call everyone to get menu suggestions ("everyone" means 7 chefs and 6 cheesemakers from all over the country.)
One month ago - call to confirm, get last minute volunteer needs, storage needs, equipment needs, times, etc.
Two weeks ago - check with organization's coordinator to confirm all of above.
One week ago - go to hotel early to get bearings, find equipment, meet hotel staff, find storage areas, equipment areas, etc.
Day of the event - prepare room, get set to meet other chefs. gather "Laurey's" food and equipment. get ready to direct volunteers, set to arrive at 3.
3:00 pm. volunteers arrive. look for chefs. no chefs are visible. check with front desk. no chefs have checked in. reception starts at 6:00. YIPES!
3:30 - go to reception room. wonder how far our one offering will go toward serving a party of 300.
4:00 - still no chefs. sweat. try to think of things for volunteers to do.
5:00 - chefs arrive. volunteers fly into gear.
5:45 - almost all the food is presented. one presenter has dropped all her food in the elevator. volunteers swoop in to help.
6:00 - guests arrive. wine and bourbon flow.
7:00 - everyone gushes about Richard's Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Tomatoes and Martha and Deb's Pickled Carrots and Beets and Okra. Nora (my hero) stands by my table nibbling the sweet potatoes right from our platter. (This makes me very happy!)
7:30 - guests leave. clean up. thank chefs, staff, volunteers. go out to dinner. arrive late. drink bourbon. begin to relax.
Talk to you next week.
[source: Laurey's Cafe and Catering newsletter, November 13, 2004]
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Sow True Seeds: Sunflowers for Laurey
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...from author Roberta Binder!
... from designer 
