Plenty to be Thankful For: The Beet, Weaver Street's E-Newsletter

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Plenty to be Thankful For
By Wendy Hayes, Produce Manager
Geetings everyone! Fortunately, it seems that despite the horrible drought, we will still have plenty to be thankful for this month. Eastern apples will be available including Yorks, Staymans, and Grannies, so if you are craving an apple pie to go along with the pumpkin, you'll be all set. Tangerines should be getting sweet by around mid-month; we shall begin our annual anti-scurvy campaign to keep us all full of vitamin C this winter. Fresh Florida grapefruit has made its debut already, and we'll keep the citrus coming through the holiday season. More

Thanksgiving
Special Order Time
Let us help with the Cooking
Beaujolais Nouveau
Arrives 11/15

Carrboro Film Festival
Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve Benefit
RSVVP Day Nov 13
Vote!

November Wine Dinner
December Wine Dinner
RSVVP Dinner

Weekly Produce Specials
Weekly Meat Specials

Sweet & Tangy Pumpkin Preserves



Plenty to be Thankful For continued
On the local scene are some perennial favorites, like organic Beauregard Sweet Potatoes from Pine Knot Farm, and another one of our favorites, Stanley's organic collard greens. I can't wait to eat those greens!! And they look so good on the plate next to the deep orange Beauregard Sweets (yum). Linda Sakiewicz from Bracken-Brae Farm will have some varieties of fresh herbs if the weather allows, so we can have some of the tastiest herbs at our holiday tables. Speaking of holidays, folks have already started asking about cranberries; they'll be here soon—they are being harvested as I write. I know you're gonna make cranberry sauce with them, but you can do so many other things, too, if you really love 'em. I really like cooking them in a big pot and waiting for them to pop—it's such a cool sound, and their color is just enchanting. You can do cranberry breads, muffins, coffee cakes, chutneys, cookies, and even cocktails! Doesn't a cranberry-raspberry martini sound delicious? I dug around on the good ol' internet to find out some facts about the seasonal darlings, and here's what I found: In addition to containing antioxidants like vitamin C and flavanoids, the berries also have proanthocyanidins (thankfully referred to as PACS), which research indicates may keep certain kinds of bacteria from sticking to your body. Neat, huh? Many folks think that cranberries grow underwater, but that is not the case. They do grow in a bog, on vines, and those bogs are flooded with up to 18" of water to harvest them. However, the fresh berries you will buy at Weaver Street Market are dry harvested. They are picked with a lawnmower-type machine with big long teeth—sounds kinda scary. Another thing I found was about the 'cranberry bounce'—no, not a new dance move. There was a New Jersey grower named John Web, who had a wooden leg. Because of his leg, he couldn't carry his berries down the stairs, so he poured them down. He noticed something very interesting: only the good berries bounced their way down to the bottom. The bruised, smooshy ones remained on the steps! This actually led to the development of the cranberry bounce board separator, which helps ensure that we get the best quality berries each year. Way to go John! If you want to find out all sorts of things you can do with a cranberry, go to the Ocean Spray website (www.oceanspray.com); you'll find loads of recipes and Martha Stewart-esque tricks like the floating cranberry candle bowl (quite cute, actually). So enjoy your Thanksgiving, fall menus, and the powerful cranberry in whatever form you desire. Happy T-day! Love, Wendy

Weekly Produce Specials


	Organic Bartlett Pears	$1.59 lb	save 40¢ lb!
	New crop! Organic Gala Apples	3 lb. bags $3.99 each	super low price!
	Jumbo Golden Organic Pineapples	$3.99 each	special buy!

Weekly Meat & Seafood Specials

	Niman Ranch Boneless Pork Chops	$6.49 lb	All Natural save $1.00 lb
	Niman Ranch London Broil	$4.99 lb	USDA Choice, All Natural save $1.00 lb
	North Carolina Catfish Fillets	$7.99 lb	Farm Raised, All Natural save $2.00 lb
Read more about other Weaver Street Market Specials.


Sweet & Tangy Pumpkin Preserves

from Sylwia, WSM Marketing Department. This recipe was given to me from my Polish family. Sweet & Tangy Pumpkin Preserves is a veggie-side that goes well with dinner or is perfect for the evening vodka party. You'll need: 1/2 of a big pumpkin or 1 medium/small pumpkin about 2/3 cup sugar (my grammy used more, and mom used a little less!) 1 tsp salt 10 cloves 1 cup vinegar 10% (if you can't find 10% use 2 cups of 5% vinegar and 1 cup less water) 1/2 gallon water You can also add an orange or lemon peel for extra flavor. Remove the seeds from inside the pumpkin, as well as the very soft tissue, with a spoon. You can clean the pumpkin seeds and roast them in the oven with your favorite spices. Next, peel the outside skin off. Sometimes it's easier to cut the pumpkin into relatively small strips and then peel the skin off. After peeling, cut the pumpkin into 1-inch squares or smaller and put aside. Boil the water in a pot with sugar, salt, and cloves. Throw the pumpkin squares into the boiling water and boil on medium high about 10 minutes, until they are slightly soft. Then pour in the vinegar and mix. Turn off the heat. Pour mixture into clean jars. Close them tight and turn them upside down. Let them cool that way—they will be sealed. You can also sterilize and seal the jars in a canning pot/boiling water.
Find more recipes here.



Thanksgiving Special Order Time

Thanksgiving is upon us and here at Weaver Street Market, the pastry bakers are working overtime to make sure your holiday table is full of delicious treats for your family and friends! All the classic pies are back to make sweet Thanksgiving memories: Apple, Bourbon Pecan, Pumpkin, and Sweet Potato! We also have vegan options: Pumpkin, Pecan-Maple, and Apple. Okay, you want to make a pie using your grandmother's recipe...well, we've got that covered too! We can supply you with a great tasting, handmade, all-butter pie crust. You supply the rest! Look for pie crusts in the freezer section. With relatives and friends stopping in, let us help start your morning right with some of our scrumptious breakfast goodies. We have a case full of rich butter croissants, filled croissants, scones, and muffins! All these items are available by special order. Follow the link below to print an order form for your pies, turkey and sides. Please return your forms to the Bakery Counter at either of our stores.
Download your order form here.

Let Us Help with the Cooking

The Weaver Street Market kitchen is ready to make your Thanksgiving memorable and easy with Roasted or Ready-to-Roast Whole Turkey or Turkey Breast. Roasted Turkey is seasoned with Herbes de Provence and a hint of garlic. Gently basted in creamery butter and extra virgin olive oil, turned and roasted to golden and juicy perfection and comes with heating directions. Ready-to-Roast comes wrapped in cheesecloth saturated with basting mixture in roasting pan and includes cooking instructions. Side Dishes: We are offering a full complement of side dishes to round out your Thanksgiving Feast. Each full size pan measures 9"x 12"x 1.5" and will generously serve 6-8 people. Small pans measure 9"x 7"x 1.5" and will serve 3 - 4 people. Freezer or oven-ready, each dish comes complete with heating instructions. Choose from: Pioneer Stuffing, Crunchy Sweet Potato Bake, Squash & Corn Casserole, Swiss Green Bean Casserole, Homemade Turkey Gravy, Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes, or Fresh Cranberry Relish.
Download your order form here.

Beaujolais Nouveau

Friday November 16 4:30-6:30 pm in Carrboro 5-7 pm in Southern Village Beaujolais Nouveau is "new" wine from the region of Beaujolais in France. It is aged only a few weeks before being rushed to wine shops and taverns to be enjoyed. Nouveau wines balance nicely between white wines and red wines. What is wine all about if not all about having fun? Join us as we uncork the season's first Beaujolais and see what all the excitement is about.



Carrboro Film Festival

Carrboro Film Festival Sunday, November 18 2:00 - 7:00 pm Carrboro Century Center Coming up! This year's festival features approximately 20 films, each one running 20 minutes or less. Some are narratives, some documentaries, music videos and a few that defy categorizing! Last year the Carrboro Film Festival drew over 350 film lovers to the Carrboro Century Center and honored 22 filmmakers from the region.
For more information about this event click here.

Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve Benefit

November 17, from 6-9 p.m North Carolina Botanical Garden Help benefit the Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve while enjoying a live performance by the Stillhouse Bottom Band. Both Weaver Street Market and the Carolina Brewery are contributing sponsors, which should add to the flavor of the evening! A $20 minimum donation is requested, which will go toward purchasing additional lands for one of Chapel Hill's most significant natural areas. Attendees will have the opportunity to sign up for tours of Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve. Call the Garden at 962-0522 in order to RSVP by November 13. Stillhouse Bottom Conservation Goals The Botanical Garden Foundation seeks to add all available undeveloped properties to the Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve through land donation and purchase, and through conservation easements. The undeveloped lots and the existing Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve, including potential conservation easements, could ultimately total over 60 acres and represent how a group of dedicated individuals can conserve, in perpetuity, a relatively large area of biodiversity significance in a rapidly developing area. The Stillhouse Bottom Natural Area The Stillhouse Bottom natural area is the only undisturbed, steep, north-facing ravine left in Orange County according to the Inventory of Natural Areas and Wildlife Habitats for Orange County, NC (2004). Preservation of this site is a conservation priority for the state of North Carolina, Orange County, and the North Carolina Botanical Garden (Garden). Over 100 plant species have been identified, and the high quality of the site is demonstrated by the presence of red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks, yellow-billed cuckoo, white-breasted nuthatch, ovenbird, and scarlet tanager. Stream quality is likewise demonstrated by the healthy amphibian community, made up of dusky salamanders, two-lined salamanders, and green frogs. On a larger landscape scale, Stillhouse Bottom is part of the 187-acre Morgan Creek Bluffs Natural Area and comprises the upper portion of the Jordan Lake Macrosite—a NC Natural Heritage Program designation for a large area of biodiversity significance. Stillhouse Bottom is also classified by the Orange County Lands Legacy Program and the NC Natural Heritage Program as a natural area of state significance. The Stillhouse Bottom natural area is comprised of the 17-acre Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve and approximately 35 acres of undeveloped private properties. Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve is owned by the Botanical Garden Foundation, Inc., the non-profit membership support organization of the Garden, and is a dedicated and permanently protected North Carolina Nature Preserve. The Foundation also holds conservation easements on 12 acres of contiguous private land to the south and west of the Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve.
Learn more about the North Carolina Botanical Garden here.

RSVVP Day

RSVVP Day Tuesday, November 13 Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Triangle Restaurants will donate 10% of their proceeds that day to help fight hunger in our community. Weaver Street Market has been a participant in RSVVP since its inception eighteen years ago when restaurants, newspapers, TV, and radio came together to help the emergency food providers of North Carolina. RSVVP is a play on the acronym RSVP, where the VV stands for 10 (V is 5 in the Roman numeral system). Restaurants donate 10% of their gross proceeds and the media donate advertising time to get the word out. As Weaver Street Market has expanded over the years, so has our commitment to RSVVP. Weaver Street Market in Southern Village and Panzanella are also contributors to RSVVP. Our contribution goes directly to the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service. The Inter-Faith Council for Social Service is an amazing organization that started way back in the sixties before there were many government organizations helping people who needed food, shelter, and social services. Their list of services includes the Community Kitchen that serves around 80,000 meals a year, the Community House and HomeStart that provide beds and social service counseling for the homeless, Health Clinics, Hispanic Outreach, and more. Please join Weaver Street Market and Panzanella in supporting such a great local organization by eating out on Tuesday, November 13!
For more information and a list of participating restaurants, visit the event's website here.

Vote!

It's election day! Get out and participate in this great democracy of ours!
Visit the North Carolina State Board of Elections here.


November Wine Dinner

Wines of Burgundy Monday, November 12 7:00 - 9:30 pm Join us Monday, November 12 for a tasting tour of France's premier wine producing region, Burgundy. Burgundy produces some of the most prestigious Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays in the world. These are wines with centuries of history and a sense of place, or "terroir." If you're looking for subtlety and grace in your wines, then this tasting is perfect for you! Above all, this will be an evening filled with wonderful wines from one of the most fascinating and complex regions in the world. The cost of this event is $45 per person; space is limited, so reserve early. Please pay in advance and pick up a ticket for this tasting at either Panzanella or the customer service desk at Weaver Street Market in Carrboro.
Visit Panzanella's website to view all menus (lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch).
Sign up for Panzanella's Enewsletter here.

December Wine Dinner

Sparkling Wines! Monday, December 10 7 - 9:30 pm Join us Monday December 10, and explore the amazing world of sparkling wines. What is sparkling wine? Well according to the Oxford companion to wine, it is "a wine which bubbles when poured into a glass." To so many people it seems like so much more than just that simple explanation. Sparkling wine, and more specifically, Champagne, has always been associated with a certain class or elegance and almost always associated with the occasion of celebration. The mystery of sparkling wine carries on with the amazing amount of different styles it can come in. Just the tiniest hint of effervescence can change a simple white wine into something fun and exciting to drink. Sparkling wine can vary as much as still wine; it can be white, pink and even red. It can be made in a sweet style like Italy's Moscato d'Asti, or bone dry like most French Champagnes. Other aspects of sparkling wines can vary immensely, like the alcoholic levels and the character and strength of the bubbles themselves. Join us for this exciting dinner: enjoy a vast array of sparkling wines and see just how well these wines match with elegant, delicious dishes prepared by Panzanella Chef, Chris Capron. The cost of this event is $45 per person; space is limited, so reserve early. Please pay in advance and pick up a ticket for this tasting at either Panzanella or the customer service desk at Weaver Street Market in Carrboro.

RSVVP at Panzanella

RSVVP at Panzanella Tuesday, November 13 Lunch & Dinner Both Weaver Street Market locations as well as Panzanella are participating, by donating 10% of sales to help fight hunger in our community. Come dine out, and at the same time help us make a difference.