Notes from Nan: From Rob and Donna, but not me…
BY HF Contributing Writer, Nan Parati

I always wake up in the middle of the night and think of things I want to tell you about, but then, when it comes time to write it all down I usually forget what it is I was going to say.  And so it is again this week. And I had really good stuff, too!

Friday Night Dinner (03/21/08): 

While I’m thinking, here’s what we’re having for dinner this week:

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Trout on saucy lemon capers! 

No wait! Sorry, that’s:

• Trout with a lemon caper butter sauce
• Aparagus a la sauce Maltaise (which means Orange Hollandaise)
• And Rice Pilaf

And for vegetarians, we’ll have:

• Spinach and ricotta ravioli
• With Vegetable ragu

And I still can’t remember what I wanted to talk about, so we’ll just switch over to:

Rob’s Grocery Talk with Rob

In case Nan hasn’t mentioned it, we are all looking forward to the return of Sidehill Farm Yogurt at the end of March! I talked to Farmer Paul the other day and he hooked his thumbs into his overalls, spit on the ground once, and told me that’s about when to expect it. So keep your eyes on our cooler.Man, am I an easy mark. The other day a representative of Mother’s of Shelburne dropped off some literature for me to look at. Because of their name, I thought they were another anti-war group but it turns out they sell delicious sauces, dressings, condiments, jellies, preserves and what not. I was placing an order before the Rep even got back to her office! I think I ordered some preserves and pickles. Here’s another local product for you to buy. I’m likin’ the trend, folks, I’m likin’ the trend.

Well, that’s about it for this week (actually I just want to go home and watch golf), so get in here and buy stuff!

Grocerely yours,

Rob

Current Whipple Rating: 2.75

Let’s see: Floods in Ecuador, no, that wasn’t it.

ELMER’S STORE is OVERFLOWING with VEGETABLES

Vermont tomatoes, bright red peppers, Ashfield apples, huge portabella mushrooms, dark green Lacinato kale, Plainfield fingerling potatoes, colorful mesclun, and tangy arugula are all in stock at Elmer’s this week. Plus much more!

In order to reduce our use of plastic bags but also keep the vegetables moist, I will display items in a large plastic bag from which you may choose your pick. There are paper bags and handle baskets available for your use. Some items like mesclun and broccoli will still be individually wrapped ahead of time.

ELMER’S PRODUCE FROM LOCAL FARMERS IN ASHFIELD AND PLAINFIELD:

APPLES from Scott’s Orchard.:

• Yellow Delicious
• Macintosh
• Empire
• Spencer

SQUASHES from Scott’s Orchard and Paddy Flat Farm:

• acorn
• red kuri
• pumpkins

ONIONS from Patty Flat Farm and Spring Water Gardens:

• French shallots

POTATOES from Manda Farm in Plainfield :

• Fingerling potatoes (in the cooler on the bottom shelf)

The first day of spring is March 21st!

Enjoying the longer daylight,

Donna

Easter Sunday Hours

We will be open Easter morning, but will then close at 1pm. You’ll be having dinner with your people, we’ll be having dinner with ours. So come on and bring your whole family in for breakfast. But then you have to go home at 1 and we won’t be serving lunch that day, either.

WORKSHOPS

Do not forget!

Sunday, March 30th from 3 – 5 pm

Mo’ Money, Mo’ Money, MO’ MONEY
Think and Grow Rich
with John Perkins!

John is going to talk about money, what to do with it, how best to invest it, and you can ask any question you want about your money—or about his money!

Just in time for you to get your taxes done! He can answer your questions! Don’t miss it!

Oh gosh, I don’t know. I’m just tired. Perhaps I’ll have more next week.

At least you know what’s for dinner and I do hope you’ll come. We still have our tropical décor with bananas and coconuts growing in the trees. Vacationing at Elmer’s is SO much cheaper than going to Bermuda!

Oh yes! If you watched the John Adams Mini-series on HBO Sunday night, the guy in Congress with the fabric wrapped around his head, Caesar Rodney from Delaware (who said, “Delaware votes Yes!”) was my brother Tim. And, they never said this in the show, but the reason he had the scarf-thing around his head was not, as someone suggested this morning, that they had stylish artist-types even back in 1775, but because Caesar Rodney (the real guy) had cancer of the ear and lower jaw. Happily Tim does not, he just plays someone with cancer of the ear and lower jaw on TV.

Okay, that’s all I got.

See you around and everywhere!

Big E