Okay, this will make more sense to those who really know Cheffie and I . He got an idea for a recipe using blood oranges - which I love as they are much less acidic than other oranges. He was going to try it out on the family before any customers . Problem is , it called for blood oranges,grapefruit, tangelos , shrimp on a bed of baby spinach. ( I think that I have said it before , being married to a chef is" love, respect, passionate hard work and honey, taste this" in the vows.) Not for cowards. I learned some new words of the nonrepeatable variety this week.
First we could not get them locally, always a bad sign. Then he thought as they were for the Yule week, this one time , he would special order from Diamond Organics (Moss Valley , CA) . They are very reasonable for overnight delivery. But...They stopped taking orders in June. No explanation. Blood oranges are usually only available from Nov/Dec to March/April.
So he looked online. Eureka! He found them. It was a short lived Eureka however- he only needed 2-3 . They only offered them in 10 lb bins for $125.00. That's when I learned the new words. That is 12.50 per lb. It wasn't cost effective to even think of putting it on the menu. Not ever,even if wrapped in chocolate covered edible gold foil.( I could help with the overage of chocolate.)
Our notebooked customers took great interest in his unhappiness with the lack of blood oranges. I caught a glimpse of a page before its owner closed the notebook. Henri is the planner in our house. He executes menus and nights out with greater expertise than one would expect from his age and training.
I usually am the contact person , arranging meetings, watching the bottom line. But unless they are writing a book about chefs, why the interest in the blood oranges?
I hate to say it but its all so Wild Kingdom.
Bon Soir et bon apetit,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Cafe is closed again today
Sorry but we were very late getting back from the meeting last night. Henri, indeed, all of the men , are not in the best of moods right now. So its probably a good thing that we aren't open. Patience is so thin you could read a newspaper through it. I have never seen my father law in such a black mood either. None of them have any faith that the police will do enough if anything.
Ben and Daphne were just starting out. They had very little of any real value There were a number of theories as to who and why. Some of them were pretty wild.
Ben and Daphne were just starting out. They had very little of any real value There were a number of theories as to who and why. Some of them were pretty wild.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Tragedy
If I seem a little down this evening, its because I am shocked. A lovely young couple , graduate students at Cranberry State College, suffered an invasion robbery today gone bad. Both Ben and his wife ,Daphne are dead. Daphne was expecting twins.They are also dead. I didn't know either one of them but their father is a friend of Jean Paul's . The family is devastated.
Ben worked at the local Walmart. The invaders did not know that he was there. They shot him when he opened the door. Sothwold is a small community . We are cautious but not paranoid here. After shooting him, they stuck a thick pointed wooden dowel into his chest cavity. I mean , who does that? The medical examiners think that this sent Daphne into premature labor. She gave birth to her children and took their lives away minutes later. She had fought with the invaders who slashed her with box cutters. It would have taken over ninety stitches to put her back together. She was too badly injured. She smothered both of her children rather than leave them to the mercy of the invaders. One of the intruders was so frustrated with her last act , that he slashed her throat -and still she hung on. She died in the hands of the campus police . She reportedly said that the second baby was easier to kill then died herself. The community is appalled by the act that sparked this. Daphne threw her dead babies out of an open window as she fought one last time.
The intruders fled and left the home unrobbed. Henri and Jean Paul are meeting with the victims' families tonight so the cafe is closed. We gave Katy a paid day off . I am going along for the ride. I don't know any of them , being the new kid to this life -but Henri didnot want me home alone. I don't think this is a good time to remind him that Daphne had not been home alone.
Our hearts go out to their families. Hopefully , i will have better news next time.
Lighting a candle for a positive light in four meaningless deaths,
Bon Soir,
Arina Copain,
Office Manager
Ben worked at the local Walmart. The invaders did not know that he was there. They shot him when he opened the door. Sothwold is a small community . We are cautious but not paranoid here. After shooting him, they stuck a thick pointed wooden dowel into his chest cavity. I mean , who does that? The medical examiners think that this sent Daphne into premature labor. She gave birth to her children and took their lives away minutes later. She had fought with the invaders who slashed her with box cutters. It would have taken over ninety stitches to put her back together. She was too badly injured. She smothered both of her children rather than leave them to the mercy of the invaders. One of the intruders was so frustrated with her last act , that he slashed her throat -and still she hung on. She died in the hands of the campus police . She reportedly said that the second baby was easier to kill then died herself. The community is appalled by the act that sparked this. Daphne threw her dead babies out of an open window as she fought one last time.
The intruders fled and left the home unrobbed. Henri and Jean Paul are meeting with the victims' families tonight so the cafe is closed. We gave Katy a paid day off . I am going along for the ride. I don't know any of them , being the new kid to this life -but Henri didnot want me home alone. I don't think this is a good time to remind him that Daphne had not been home alone.
Our hearts go out to their families. Hopefully , i will have better news next time.
Lighting a candle for a positive light in four meaningless deaths,
Bon Soir,
Arina Copain,
Office Manager
Monday, September 5, 2011
Summer's Gone!
Whereever did the summer go? We are now at Labor Day which makes us weeks from the ugly cold and damp. The tourist drop off after this weekend - I'm glad that we have a core die hards of locals to sustain us through the winter months. Actually, it was Henri who reminded me that I had not blogged in several weeks.
New things at the cafe are a stew made of Italian (mild) sausage, mixed beans and ,tomatoes. It is served with slices of rustic bread and fresh creamery butter. I tried it this week and it was wonderful.
He also has introduced a sandwich on an everything bagel of turkey pastrami, cream cheese, dijon mustard and dill gherkin pickle, They sold very well last week . One visitor said she wished she were hungry enough to have ordered it too as it smelled delicious.
We did not participate in the Sothwold bbq cookoff two weeks ago. Neither of us do very well in all that sun, we don't do a lot of bbq any way, and we thought it insulting that the price was $15.00 just to get in the gate. They were charging $60.00 for all you can eat on Saturday , if you stayed long enough , you got to see Marshall Tucker Band perform. Yes, the $60.00 included the gate fee. I don't think that the three of us , including Jean Paul would eat $60.00 work of bbq between us. Henri said at that price , there had better be alot of gold leaf in the food. It was an outside company running it, and I feel that they would have done better if they had just charged $10.00 a head .
Henri is debating if we will particpate in the Bourbon, beer and bbq show at the the Playhouse in November. Its from noon on but is indoors, he is considering starters and desserts ,letting others do the actual bbq. Katie and I can handle the early day with he and his father doing the evening. Its a Sunday so we are usually closed anyway. Its locally run and the profit goes to charities in the area.
For the small amount of time that we've been together , I am surprised at the amount of stuff we have accumulated. I have been going through our books and found there are sixty two that are duplicates. I've put them up for sale on Amazon. Both of our families have a long history of frequent moves and I don't feel like hauling all of it with us.
I hate seeing Summer pass. I like Fall and Spring. We've had a great summer, lots of time to catch a bite up near the Braintree Mall or over by what used to be Baker's Chocolate Mills in Milton. The condos there even still smell of chocolate in the revamped factory on the warm evening air.
This reminds me . Never tell your husband that you don't know what something is . I admitted last week that I didm't know what a MOF was in France. So,yesterday,we watched a documentary called "Kings of Pastry" which explained the competition. But the creations ! Wow! you should have seen the sugar, chocolate and blown sugar work. It was heartbreaking when one of the best that had made it from the States to Lyons , France without breaking , broke the day before the final judging . The chef recovered, reinvented and did win his MOF . Out of 16 candidates only about 8 won the MOF which declares them to be a master craftsman in pastry. I loved the blown sugarwork- similiar in process to blown glass. The flowers that they made!
Here's wishing you a Happy Labor Day !
Bon soir et bon apetit,
Arina Copain,
Office Manager
New things at the cafe are a stew made of Italian (mild) sausage, mixed beans and ,tomatoes. It is served with slices of rustic bread and fresh creamery butter. I tried it this week and it was wonderful.
He also has introduced a sandwich on an everything bagel of turkey pastrami, cream cheese, dijon mustard and dill gherkin pickle, They sold very well last week . One visitor said she wished she were hungry enough to have ordered it too as it smelled delicious.
We did not participate in the Sothwold bbq cookoff two weeks ago. Neither of us do very well in all that sun, we don't do a lot of bbq any way, and we thought it insulting that the price was $15.00 just to get in the gate. They were charging $60.00 for all you can eat on Saturday , if you stayed long enough , you got to see Marshall Tucker Band perform. Yes, the $60.00 included the gate fee. I don't think that the three of us , including Jean Paul would eat $60.00 work of bbq between us. Henri said at that price , there had better be alot of gold leaf in the food. It was an outside company running it, and I feel that they would have done better if they had just charged $10.00 a head .
Henri is debating if we will particpate in the Bourbon, beer and bbq show at the the Playhouse in November. Its from noon on but is indoors, he is considering starters and desserts ,letting others do the actual bbq. Katie and I can handle the early day with he and his father doing the evening. Its a Sunday so we are usually closed anyway. Its locally run and the profit goes to charities in the area.
For the small amount of time that we've been together , I am surprised at the amount of stuff we have accumulated. I have been going through our books and found there are sixty two that are duplicates. I've put them up for sale on Amazon. Both of our families have a long history of frequent moves and I don't feel like hauling all of it with us.
I hate seeing Summer pass. I like Fall and Spring. We've had a great summer, lots of time to catch a bite up near the Braintree Mall or over by what used to be Baker's Chocolate Mills in Milton. The condos there even still smell of chocolate in the revamped factory on the warm evening air.
This reminds me . Never tell your husband that you don't know what something is . I admitted last week that I didm't know what a MOF was in France. So,yesterday,we watched a documentary called "Kings of Pastry" which explained the competition. But the creations ! Wow! you should have seen the sugar, chocolate and blown sugar work. It was heartbreaking when one of the best that had made it from the States to Lyons , France without breaking , broke the day before the final judging . The chef recovered, reinvented and did win his MOF . Out of 16 candidates only about 8 won the MOF which declares them to be a master craftsman in pastry. I loved the blown sugarwork- similiar in process to blown glass. The flowers that they made!
Here's wishing you a Happy Labor Day !
Bon soir et bon apetit,
Arina Copain,
Office Manager
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Bikini tops, new dressings , beefcake and turtle cheesecake
So many tourists this summer. Just a simple walk to the beach normally a ten minute jaunt from our backdoor to Cove Beach,has turned into a thirty minute ordeal. Owners of vacant lots are raking it in , renting space as parking lots. Jean Paul has taken to taking Katie home to her parents at night. She takes the bus in the morning. She insisted that it wasn't necessary but was overruled by both men , Jean Paul and Henri.
Lots of tourists at the Farmer's Market. I suspect that many have rented hotel rooms with microwaves and fridges. But we're busy . The women seemed charmed by both Jean Paul and Henri, more by the older and somewhat less the younger. He smoozes less than his father, not having the patience for it. But Cheffie is redeemed by the fact that once you have his attention, you have all of his attention. I have seen more than one tourist woman melt not only under the humid heat that we have been experiancing this month but the intensity of his gaze. I am surprised we haven't had to get the mop out to clean up melted female tourist or at least the dripping from their tongues as they hang out. The husbands don't seem to get it. Look away , Ladies, I don't mind a bit. He is a sweet piece of something as he moves while cooking. Its almost a dance. (Hint: there is a radio on near his work station ). Lots of energy in that man , with a mind to match.
Two women almost got into a fight over a well positioned table that gave a full view of the kitchen . Katie and I got that solved and the woman who lost the table to the cutie in the bikini top and jean shorts (coin toss) called him over and had him tell her what kind of tomatoes (Roma) and cukes (pickling ) he had used in her salad. It put his back to Bikini Top. Was she ever angry! Short of taking her top off, standing on the table and whistling, which she didn't do, she was sadly lacking in how to get his attention.
This was complicated by Lola , an older woman of indeterminate age and residence , bringing in her stash of hand made jewelry and hair fobs to trade for a meal. He sat with her for about ten minutes while they negotiated . Lola is about 4'11" , is muscular and if she has nothing to trade, she washes the outside windows and the glass door. She is dependable and honest. I hear that her husband is disabled. She buys up broken jewelry and findings , and works at turning them into something better.
She has the most beautiful coil of long white hair that compliments her wrinkled freckled face. Life's dealt her hard , she is active in her church , she is almost always happy. She is one of the few that we allow to hug us, as we are not really touchy feely with strangers unless we initate. We let her use the bathroom when she is hustling her wares on the beach , she is clean. If we are too busy , she has been known to bus tables and expect nothing for it. .
I see her during the holidays ringing the bell for Salvation Army outside of Walmart. Last holiday season , she gave us a present, home made cookies, holiday pencils and some Nestle chocolate minis. Henri told her to be careful because the teen boys are sometimes a problem up there, We watch out for her if we are out and about at night.
Anyway, I ended up with the prettiest rainbow jeweled ponytail holder , which is lovely with a pair of dangling earrings to match. He gave her double portions on almost everything as it was the end of the day , then added more when he packed up her leftovers to go.
Pissed Bikini Top off , as Henri put the ponytail holder into my hair. Katie reported that she sulked when she paid her bill. Henri shrugged, and told me that Bikini Top tried too hard which set off alarm bells in his head. She was too desperate for his attention. So he did what he always does in these situations, ignore her.
I heard him run the ice crusher , placing about half a cup of crushed ice into a mixer container, he matched that with almost a cup of blood orange juice and orange sherbert which he blended , I watched as he poured the concoction into pair of soda glasses, filling the glasses the rest of the way with club soda which fizzed it, raising the creamy contents to the top. He handed me one of the glasses garnished with a cherry and whipped cream. Bikini top couldn't get out the door fast enough. I looked at the glass , the colors in the glass matched her top . So much for being immortalized.
We found out about the men who sit with the notebooks. They work for a cosmetic company called PTY which is a subsidiary of Remlov Chemical LLC. They have been working on an antiaging formula among other things. I saw the ads for a new product of theirs to be released before the holidays. They are intending to take on Avon to start. Blessed with good genes, I won't be needing their formula. Still they are a little too clinical in their observations of us . The last time that they came in , the men waited on them as Katie was off. I was ordered back to the office. They are the only ones that I have been prevented from serving. One of them tried to talk to me in the office, only to find my husband in his path. He was directed to return to his table. At 5'8" , my solidly built husband can be a formidable unspoken threat.
We have a new salad dressing that I love to death Its a cross between buffalo wing sauce and bleu cheese dressing. Its running neck and neck in popularity with the bacon ranch that was introduced after Memorial Day. And to finish it off, Cheffie has been making turtle cheesecake. I am going to weigh a ton if he continues making that.
We are going to do the evening session of Taste of Sothwold on the beach on the 4th. Jean Paul signed us up so we are committed to being there after sunset. All of the area restaurants are splitting the take from presold tickets ($15.00 per adult, $5 per kid) . Its an all you can eat buffet on the beach. The vendors switch off throughout the festival. We have to check handstamps before giving them a tray. Its a loss leader but will drum up business, we hope, in the form of increased business and catering contracts. I hear that the bands are supposed to be great . A huge party. Beer and alcoholic beverages are available from other vendors but not included in the price.
Hope to see you all on Cove Beach on the 4th.
Bon Soir et bon apetite,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
Lots of tourists at the Farmer's Market. I suspect that many have rented hotel rooms with microwaves and fridges. But we're busy . The women seemed charmed by both Jean Paul and Henri, more by the older and somewhat less the younger. He smoozes less than his father, not having the patience for it. But Cheffie is redeemed by the fact that once you have his attention, you have all of his attention. I have seen more than one tourist woman melt not only under the humid heat that we have been experiancing this month but the intensity of his gaze. I am surprised we haven't had to get the mop out to clean up melted female tourist or at least the dripping from their tongues as they hang out. The husbands don't seem to get it. Look away , Ladies, I don't mind a bit. He is a sweet piece of something as he moves while cooking. Its almost a dance. (Hint: there is a radio on near his work station ). Lots of energy in that man , with a mind to match.
Two women almost got into a fight over a well positioned table that gave a full view of the kitchen . Katie and I got that solved and the woman who lost the table to the cutie in the bikini top and jean shorts (coin toss) called him over and had him tell her what kind of tomatoes (Roma) and cukes (pickling ) he had used in her salad. It put his back to Bikini Top. Was she ever angry! Short of taking her top off, standing on the table and whistling, which she didn't do, she was sadly lacking in how to get his attention.
This was complicated by Lola , an older woman of indeterminate age and residence , bringing in her stash of hand made jewelry and hair fobs to trade for a meal. He sat with her for about ten minutes while they negotiated . Lola is about 4'11" , is muscular and if she has nothing to trade, she washes the outside windows and the glass door. She is dependable and honest. I hear that her husband is disabled. She buys up broken jewelry and findings , and works at turning them into something better.
She has the most beautiful coil of long white hair that compliments her wrinkled freckled face. Life's dealt her hard , she is active in her church , she is almost always happy. She is one of the few that we allow to hug us, as we are not really touchy feely with strangers unless we initate. We let her use the bathroom when she is hustling her wares on the beach , she is clean. If we are too busy , she has been known to bus tables and expect nothing for it. .
I see her during the holidays ringing the bell for Salvation Army outside of Walmart. Last holiday season , she gave us a present, home made cookies, holiday pencils and some Nestle chocolate minis. Henri told her to be careful because the teen boys are sometimes a problem up there, We watch out for her if we are out and about at night.
Anyway, I ended up with the prettiest rainbow jeweled ponytail holder , which is lovely with a pair of dangling earrings to match. He gave her double portions on almost everything as it was the end of the day , then added more when he packed up her leftovers to go.
Pissed Bikini Top off , as Henri put the ponytail holder into my hair. Katie reported that she sulked when she paid her bill. Henri shrugged, and told me that Bikini Top tried too hard which set off alarm bells in his head. She was too desperate for his attention. So he did what he always does in these situations, ignore her.
I heard him run the ice crusher , placing about half a cup of crushed ice into a mixer container, he matched that with almost a cup of blood orange juice and orange sherbert which he blended , I watched as he poured the concoction into pair of soda glasses, filling the glasses the rest of the way with club soda which fizzed it, raising the creamy contents to the top. He handed me one of the glasses garnished with a cherry and whipped cream. Bikini top couldn't get out the door fast enough. I looked at the glass , the colors in the glass matched her top . So much for being immortalized.
We found out about the men who sit with the notebooks. They work for a cosmetic company called PTY which is a subsidiary of Remlov Chemical LLC. They have been working on an antiaging formula among other things. I saw the ads for a new product of theirs to be released before the holidays. They are intending to take on Avon to start. Blessed with good genes, I won't be needing their formula. Still they are a little too clinical in their observations of us . The last time that they came in , the men waited on them as Katie was off. I was ordered back to the office. They are the only ones that I have been prevented from serving. One of them tried to talk to me in the office, only to find my husband in his path. He was directed to return to his table. At 5'8" , my solidly built husband can be a formidable unspoken threat.
We have a new salad dressing that I love to death Its a cross between buffalo wing sauce and bleu cheese dressing. Its running neck and neck in popularity with the bacon ranch that was introduced after Memorial Day. And to finish it off, Cheffie has been making turtle cheesecake. I am going to weigh a ton if he continues making that.
We are going to do the evening session of Taste of Sothwold on the beach on the 4th. Jean Paul signed us up so we are committed to being there after sunset. All of the area restaurants are splitting the take from presold tickets ($15.00 per adult, $5 per kid) . Its an all you can eat buffet on the beach. The vendors switch off throughout the festival. We have to check handstamps before giving them a tray. Its a loss leader but will drum up business, we hope, in the form of increased business and catering contracts. I hear that the bands are supposed to be great . A huge party. Beer and alcoholic beverages are available from other vendors but not included in the price.
Hope to see you all on Cove Beach on the 4th.
Bon Soir et bon apetite,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Memorial Day
We had the cafe closed on Sunday and Monday this week so it was a special treat. I persuaded Henri to take the city bus with me last night to hear our local Pops play on the bandstand at Cove beach. Better yet, it was free as due to lack of parking space , residents of Sothwold had only to show their id or license which waived the fee for the bus.
Cove Beach is our finest white sand beach surrounded by huge boulders and a set of caves set like a horseshoe. I have never followed the caves though they are said to be connected, but rumor has it that people have drowned in them at high tide, It was just getting dark when we arrived and he found us good seats where we could see the band. I was excited , just like a little kid, I like showing him off . I know the feeling is mutual, even if he is sometimes overprotective.
Vendors had done lobster boils and I could smell the quahog stew . Hot links, popcorn and the aroma of hamburgers filled the air mixing with the smell of the surrounding humanity. There was so much input to be felt, heard and tasted, that I felt as if my head were on a swivel. I could smell the salt water as it dried off of the swimmers who joined the crowd and the heavy scent of sunscreen. Little boys playing on the bach gave off their own special scent as they ran by us. He put his arm around my shoulders and whispered that if got too much, we could leave. I shook my head and laughed saying I was fine and enjoyed the overload for now.
The program started with a colorguard of our local vets marching onto the beach, the captain asked us all to stand for the National Anthem . We stood, it played and the colorguard was dismissed to join their families on the beach. The tapping of the baton on the deis alerted the musical ensemble that it was time to begin the program. They started with a newer selection " An American Symphony" which had been featured in Mr Holland's Opus. From there , they went on to "The Billy the Kid Suite" , Cole Porter and later "Rhapsody in Blue" . I especially liked the Glenn Miller . They played " American Patrol " which was always played in my uncle's house after I came to live with him and before I married Henri. To look at my uncle, you would never guess that he was a World War Two vet. We Worths hold our age well but then so do the Copains, a lot of it due to good genes and diet.
Several couples stood and started dancing on the white sand . It was nice to see some of the younger people dancing in the old ways , it blended the generations nicely. I watch the conductor's face as he glanced at the crowd, this was the desired effect. When they played "Moonlight Serenade" Henri pulled me to my feet to dance. I loved the way he guided me , and felt he was the best dancer.It was nice to relax like this. I felt myself sway into him as we waltzed in the sand. I heard a woman say to her husband that it was nice, I smiled at her.
" You got one of the good ones" she whispered as I sat back down .
" I know " I smiled back at her. Henri pretended not to hear. Her husband tapped his shoulder, " Hang on to your pretty girl, she thinks you're something special. "
" I think that she is pretty great too," he replied. " How long have you and your wife been together ?"
"Sixty one years come August" he boasted . "She is still the prettiest girl on the beach."
Maude punched him in the shoulder in jest. "Oh, you with your lies" she laughed.
" Maybe not a lie, maybe he sees you in a light that no one else does. He sees you for who you really are."
" Exactly " preened her husband.
" That is everything," my husband continued.
Maude had to agree . Her husband haltingly stood and held out his hand for her to swing dance with him to "Pennsylvania 650-0000." Maude beamed and they showed the younger generation how it was done.
" Summer people or are you residents?" Henri asked them.
" Leaving in a week," Maude said.
" I own Cafe Copain on Alcott and Hawthorne. I would like to invite you to be my guest for an early aniversary dinner before you go," he handed them his card and signed it so Katie would know if they came in too early for us.
Maude leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. " Thank you, its getting late. Come ,
Warren." Her husband shook Henri's hand , asked him if he might kiss my cheek . Henri nodded.
" We would be honored." We watched them gather their things and shuffle off toward the parking lot through the sand.
" He has a bad heart problem, complicated by diabetes. He isn't going to make the 61st. They know
it. "I looked at Henri. He had been paying attention to their physical signs.
I looked after the departing couple who had loaded their car and were just pulling out of the parking lot. "She will be devastated."
"She won't be far behind him. They usually aren't.They are so breakable. "
I snuggled in closer to him,"Well, I am glad that we are not. "
"Me too. "
"You're a Grand Old Flag" piped up.Henri looked at the crowd. " Let's beat the crowd out of here,okay?"
"Sure."
We dusted off our jeans and headed for the bus which was waiting under the street light at the corner of the parking lot. It would run every fifteen minutes until midnight when the program ended. The driver looked at our ids and waved us through. We took the first seat in front. There was no one else on the bus .
" I need you and Katie to guinea pig for the cafe tomorrow, " he began. " I have been offered a good price for some sausage, but have not decided how to use it yet. I think that most of it is the sage stuff, and I was thinking maybe a waffle quiche , maybe some sandwiches. I know some good toppings for the Italian stuff . But I am not sure how those toppings will go with the sage sausage. So we're going to play with the sample in the afternoon. "
"That would be fine. Sausage can be heavy but might be alright. Are you thinking like grinders or the meatball sandwiches that you bought at the drive in on out first date?"
"Maybe" he thought a minute , then looked at me in surprise." You consider that a date?"
"Sure, it wasn't a normal date by common standards but you did dress like a date, so did I . You spent the evening teaching me things that I needed to know but it was a date. Much as I have tried to convince myself it wasn't , that it was only a training exercise , it was a date. "
"Damn, I thought that I had covered up better than that. I tried to keep it professional. "
Two young men got onto the bus and went to the back.
"One minute and we leave folks.,"pronounced the driver.
A heavy set woman with bottle red hair huffed her way onto the bus complete with beach chair, picnic basket , towels, blanket and two plastic totes . Henri and I continued to talk about the cafe and the menu for the upcoming week. She folded up the chair perpendicular to ours, announcing loudly that she needed our seat to hold onto her things. She put her dollar sixty fare into the box.
Henri looked around. The bus held 130 seats , there were four other people in the bus and the driver.
"Try across the aisle , its the same. " She glared at him.
" Look , Honey , Move your ass. Out of the seat. "
"I don't think so ." He settled deeper into the seat. I looked shocked at him as he waved her off. He was raised with manners, and if the bus had been crowded , he would have moved. He had turned into a 155 lb lead weight,
" You move and the lady can stay , " she hissed at him .
" You have 126 other seats from which to choose. This one is occupied, I didn't see your name on it." She wound up as if to grab or slap him. I glared at her.
I rubbed his shoulder. " Buzz off Bozo" I chimed. at the intruder."Or I will call the sheriff and you can spend the night in jail. Nobody but you is moving." The driver smiled at us but did not intervene.
" I'm telling God , " she shouted as she grabbed her things and slammed down into the seat opposite ours, plugging her earbuds into her ears.
Henri surpressed a laugh " Evil woman, now you're in for it," he whispered . "She's calling in the big guns."
I grabbed his hand , looked at him and said meaningfully,"I take care of what is mine."
I took great joy in her continued sulk like a spoiled child during the ride home. As we were leaving,
I stood in front of her , gestured broadly toward the vacated seat.She pulled an earbud from her ear.
"Knock yourself out , Bitch. You can have our leavings anyday." She looked as if I had slapped her.
"And you do this all the time when you ride the bus?"
"No, she's a nutbar." I smiled at him " You had a lot of control with her. "
" Actually, I like you when you're agggressive, " he replied.
"I see the whole package and like what I see, "
"Well done," he replied as he unlocked the door.
So that was our eventful Memorial Day. Do stop by and help with deciding how the sausage will be used- I am sure that Chef has more ideas than Katie or I could possibly stand.
Bon soir et bon apetit,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
Cove Beach is our finest white sand beach surrounded by huge boulders and a set of caves set like a horseshoe. I have never followed the caves though they are said to be connected, but rumor has it that people have drowned in them at high tide, It was just getting dark when we arrived and he found us good seats where we could see the band. I was excited , just like a little kid, I like showing him off . I know the feeling is mutual, even if he is sometimes overprotective.
Vendors had done lobster boils and I could smell the quahog stew . Hot links, popcorn and the aroma of hamburgers filled the air mixing with the smell of the surrounding humanity. There was so much input to be felt, heard and tasted, that I felt as if my head were on a swivel. I could smell the salt water as it dried off of the swimmers who joined the crowd and the heavy scent of sunscreen. Little boys playing on the bach gave off their own special scent as they ran by us. He put his arm around my shoulders and whispered that if got too much, we could leave. I shook my head and laughed saying I was fine and enjoyed the overload for now.
The program started with a colorguard of our local vets marching onto the beach, the captain asked us all to stand for the National Anthem . We stood, it played and the colorguard was dismissed to join their families on the beach. The tapping of the baton on the deis alerted the musical ensemble that it was time to begin the program. They started with a newer selection " An American Symphony" which had been featured in Mr Holland's Opus. From there , they went on to "The Billy the Kid Suite" , Cole Porter and later "Rhapsody in Blue" . I especially liked the Glenn Miller . They played " American Patrol " which was always played in my uncle's house after I came to live with him and before I married Henri. To look at my uncle, you would never guess that he was a World War Two vet. We Worths hold our age well but then so do the Copains, a lot of it due to good genes and diet.
Several couples stood and started dancing on the white sand . It was nice to see some of the younger people dancing in the old ways , it blended the generations nicely. I watch the conductor's face as he glanced at the crowd, this was the desired effect. When they played "Moonlight Serenade" Henri pulled me to my feet to dance. I loved the way he guided me , and felt he was the best dancer.It was nice to relax like this. I felt myself sway into him as we waltzed in the sand. I heard a woman say to her husband that it was nice, I smiled at her.
" You got one of the good ones" she whispered as I sat back down .
" I know " I smiled back at her. Henri pretended not to hear. Her husband tapped his shoulder, " Hang on to your pretty girl, she thinks you're something special. "
" I think that she is pretty great too," he replied. " How long have you and your wife been together ?"
"Sixty one years come August" he boasted . "She is still the prettiest girl on the beach."
Maude punched him in the shoulder in jest. "Oh, you with your lies" she laughed.
" Maybe not a lie, maybe he sees you in a light that no one else does. He sees you for who you really are."
" Exactly " preened her husband.
" That is everything," my husband continued.
Maude had to agree . Her husband haltingly stood and held out his hand for her to swing dance with him to "Pennsylvania 650-0000." Maude beamed and they showed the younger generation how it was done.
" Summer people or are you residents?" Henri asked them.
" Leaving in a week," Maude said.
" I own Cafe Copain on Alcott and Hawthorne. I would like to invite you to be my guest for an early aniversary dinner before you go," he handed them his card and signed it so Katie would know if they came in too early for us.
Maude leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. " Thank you, its getting late. Come ,
Warren." Her husband shook Henri's hand , asked him if he might kiss my cheek . Henri nodded.
" We would be honored." We watched them gather their things and shuffle off toward the parking lot through the sand.
" He has a bad heart problem, complicated by diabetes. He isn't going to make the 61st. They know
it. "I looked at Henri. He had been paying attention to their physical signs.
I looked after the departing couple who had loaded their car and were just pulling out of the parking lot. "She will be devastated."
"She won't be far behind him. They usually aren't.They are so breakable. "
I snuggled in closer to him,"Well, I am glad that we are not. "
"Me too. "
"You're a Grand Old Flag" piped up.Henri looked at the crowd. " Let's beat the crowd out of here,okay?"
"Sure."
We dusted off our jeans and headed for the bus which was waiting under the street light at the corner of the parking lot. It would run every fifteen minutes until midnight when the program ended. The driver looked at our ids and waved us through. We took the first seat in front. There was no one else on the bus .
" I need you and Katie to guinea pig for the cafe tomorrow, " he began. " I have been offered a good price for some sausage, but have not decided how to use it yet. I think that most of it is the sage stuff, and I was thinking maybe a waffle quiche , maybe some sandwiches. I know some good toppings for the Italian stuff . But I am not sure how those toppings will go with the sage sausage. So we're going to play with the sample in the afternoon. "
"That would be fine. Sausage can be heavy but might be alright. Are you thinking like grinders or the meatball sandwiches that you bought at the drive in on out first date?"
"Maybe" he thought a minute , then looked at me in surprise." You consider that a date?"
"Sure, it wasn't a normal date by common standards but you did dress like a date, so did I . You spent the evening teaching me things that I needed to know but it was a date. Much as I have tried to convince myself it wasn't , that it was only a training exercise , it was a date. "
"Damn, I thought that I had covered up better than that. I tried to keep it professional. "
Two young men got onto the bus and went to the back.
"One minute and we leave folks.,"pronounced the driver.
A heavy set woman with bottle red hair huffed her way onto the bus complete with beach chair, picnic basket , towels, blanket and two plastic totes . Henri and I continued to talk about the cafe and the menu for the upcoming week. She folded up the chair perpendicular to ours, announcing loudly that she needed our seat to hold onto her things. She put her dollar sixty fare into the box.
Henri looked around. The bus held 130 seats , there were four other people in the bus and the driver.
"Try across the aisle , its the same. " She glared at him.
" Look , Honey , Move your ass. Out of the seat. "
"I don't think so ." He settled deeper into the seat. I looked shocked at him as he waved her off. He was raised with manners, and if the bus had been crowded , he would have moved. He had turned into a 155 lb lead weight,
" You move and the lady can stay , " she hissed at him .
" You have 126 other seats from which to choose. This one is occupied, I didn't see your name on it." She wound up as if to grab or slap him. I glared at her.
I rubbed his shoulder. " Buzz off Bozo" I chimed. at the intruder."Or I will call the sheriff and you can spend the night in jail. Nobody but you is moving." The driver smiled at us but did not intervene.
" I'm telling God , " she shouted as she grabbed her things and slammed down into the seat opposite ours, plugging her earbuds into her ears.
Henri surpressed a laugh " Evil woman, now you're in for it," he whispered . "She's calling in the big guns."
I grabbed his hand , looked at him and said meaningfully,"I take care of what is mine."
I took great joy in her continued sulk like a spoiled child during the ride home. As we were leaving,
I stood in front of her , gestured broadly toward the vacated seat.She pulled an earbud from her ear.
"Knock yourself out , Bitch. You can have our leavings anyday." She looked as if I had slapped her.
"And you do this all the time when you ride the bus?"
"No, she's a nutbar." I smiled at him " You had a lot of control with her. "
" Actually, I like you when you're agggressive, " he replied.
"I see the whole package and like what I see, "
"Well done," he replied as he unlocked the door.
So that was our eventful Memorial Day. Do stop by and help with deciding how the sausage will be used- I am sure that Chef has more ideas than Katie or I could possibly stand.
Bon soir et bon apetit,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Farce
I have figured out finally why Gordon Ramsey jumps up and down when he yells. Let me explain , Gordon , who we do not know, used to be a soccer player. He is waiting for someone to lob the ball in his direction . I don't think I have ever seen a relaxed chef. They are a little hyperactive.What causes that ? Maybe the time that it takes garlic to burn and turn bitter? I don't know. But they all are including my ever loving, who is wonderful when he is in control. Ask him to wait and see, and you have a mad man on your hands cooking enough to feed a small army .
Do you know what a farce is ? I thought that I did until this evening when Jean Paul called and asked that we postpone our evening plans because there was an urgent matter that he had to discuss with Henri. He had an errand to run but would call us before he came over.
The first hour went by okay , then Henri began to fidget, pacing between the door and the kitchen , I told him to call his father and tell him that tomorrow night would be better. But does he listen? Ha! No, he pulls his knives off the magnetic strip amd begins mincing shallots, carrots and thyme . He put some oil into a heavy saucepan and sweated these for 5-6 minutes. Then he took it off the heat for it to cool,
He pulled the halibut from the fridge and tortured some innocent scallops into slices. But was that enough ? Of course not. He drops the chopped up fish into a food processor adding the cooled mixture from the first pan ino the fish and processed it until smooth adding cayenne and white pepper. He put the processor bowl into the fridge and set the timer for an hour.
All the while glaring at the telephone. I tried to draw his attention to the television in the living room instead of redirecting his anger toward some unfortunate shrimp and salmon which he cut up into pieces and added it to his farce which was the mixture in the bowl, He piped this mixture into presoaked sausage casing and tied it off.
For the next quarter of an hour , he poached these in boiling water. And it looked like the hapless phone might be next. He packaged these up after they had cooled and took them upstairs to serve for lunch tomorrow with a sauce made of butter, shallots, white pepper , vinegar and saffron. It smelled good enough but not what we had planned for the evening's meal.
The phone squeaked once when he was upstairs and he jumped from cafe level to flat level (about eight feet straight down) . Of course , it didn't make a sound once he was on the same level as the phone. and the caller's number was blocked. This did nothing to improve his mood.
I settled in to watch tv , starting to change from the low cut black dress that he had chosen for our evening out, into my Tinker Bell pajamas so that I could work on a baby blanket while watching RuPaul's Drag Race.
" No, No ,No " he shouted at me " Papa will call ,then we can go out . If you wash your make up off, we have to start again. " Half picking me up , he shuffled me back into the bathroom where he proceeded to stuff me back into my dress. In the midst of this, he got the baby yarn tangled around his left ankle and ripped out about a block and a half of crochet. If that weren't bad enough , he got his right sleeve stuck in the zipper of my dress and we struggled gymnastically to get him free without ripping my dress. He wasn't listening to anything that I was saying, until I reminded him that the dress fit so much better when not over Tinker Bell Pajamas. He unzipped the dress again, leaving me to dress myself for the second time that evening. I emerged better than ever.
Exhausted, he collasped into the overstuffed chair in the living room . He was hungry, angry and he hated the way that the evening had gone. There was a major sulk going on. I sympathized, neither Christopher Lee nor Frank Langella had ever had this problem . I went over to him , pulled his head onto my shoulder. I whispered the words to him that I had wanted to say to him all evening.
" Henri, sweetie, lets just go out and get a bite. We can come right back. "
He glared at me as if I had betrayed everything that he believed in. " Papa said that he would call."
" You're right, " I agreed, " Your father always calls before he comes over ." My beloved husband gloated silently at his victory.
" But, Sweetheart, its a cell phone," I smiled " We can get the call wherever we are and he has a key."
Thunderstruck, my horrified husband regarded me " I hate you" he muttered.
I handed him his jacket. " The night awaits ," I smiled.
" Yeah, yeah, shut up" he said as he checked his pocket for his keys.
So I hope that you all enjoy the Seafood Sausage with Saffron Beurre Blanc at lunch tomorrow.
Remember to turn your cell phones off before you order.
Bon Soir et Bon apetit,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
Do you know what a farce is ? I thought that I did until this evening when Jean Paul called and asked that we postpone our evening plans because there was an urgent matter that he had to discuss with Henri. He had an errand to run but would call us before he came over.
The first hour went by okay , then Henri began to fidget, pacing between the door and the kitchen , I told him to call his father and tell him that tomorrow night would be better. But does he listen? Ha! No, he pulls his knives off the magnetic strip amd begins mincing shallots, carrots and thyme . He put some oil into a heavy saucepan and sweated these for 5-6 minutes. Then he took it off the heat for it to cool,
He pulled the halibut from the fridge and tortured some innocent scallops into slices. But was that enough ? Of course not. He drops the chopped up fish into a food processor adding the cooled mixture from the first pan ino the fish and processed it until smooth adding cayenne and white pepper. He put the processor bowl into the fridge and set the timer for an hour.
All the while glaring at the telephone. I tried to draw his attention to the television in the living room instead of redirecting his anger toward some unfortunate shrimp and salmon which he cut up into pieces and added it to his farce which was the mixture in the bowl, He piped this mixture into presoaked sausage casing and tied it off.
For the next quarter of an hour , he poached these in boiling water. And it looked like the hapless phone might be next. He packaged these up after they had cooled and took them upstairs to serve for lunch tomorrow with a sauce made of butter, shallots, white pepper , vinegar and saffron. It smelled good enough but not what we had planned for the evening's meal.
The phone squeaked once when he was upstairs and he jumped from cafe level to flat level (about eight feet straight down) . Of course , it didn't make a sound once he was on the same level as the phone. and the caller's number was blocked. This did nothing to improve his mood.
I settled in to watch tv , starting to change from the low cut black dress that he had chosen for our evening out, into my Tinker Bell pajamas so that I could work on a baby blanket while watching RuPaul's Drag Race.
" No, No ,No " he shouted at me " Papa will call ,then we can go out . If you wash your make up off, we have to start again. " Half picking me up , he shuffled me back into the bathroom where he proceeded to stuff me back into my dress. In the midst of this, he got the baby yarn tangled around his left ankle and ripped out about a block and a half of crochet. If that weren't bad enough , he got his right sleeve stuck in the zipper of my dress and we struggled gymnastically to get him free without ripping my dress. He wasn't listening to anything that I was saying, until I reminded him that the dress fit so much better when not over Tinker Bell Pajamas. He unzipped the dress again, leaving me to dress myself for the second time that evening. I emerged better than ever.
Exhausted, he collasped into the overstuffed chair in the living room . He was hungry, angry and he hated the way that the evening had gone. There was a major sulk going on. I sympathized, neither Christopher Lee nor Frank Langella had ever had this problem . I went over to him , pulled his head onto my shoulder. I whispered the words to him that I had wanted to say to him all evening.
" Henri, sweetie, lets just go out and get a bite. We can come right back. "
He glared at me as if I had betrayed everything that he believed in. " Papa said that he would call."
" You're right, " I agreed, " Your father always calls before he comes over ." My beloved husband gloated silently at his victory.
" But, Sweetheart, its a cell phone," I smiled " We can get the call wherever we are and he has a key."
Thunderstruck, my horrified husband regarded me " I hate you" he muttered.
I handed him his jacket. " The night awaits ," I smiled.
" Yeah, yeah, shut up" he said as he checked his pocket for his keys.
So I hope that you all enjoy the Seafood Sausage with Saffron Beurre Blanc at lunch tomorrow.
Remember to turn your cell phones off before you order.
Bon Soir et Bon apetit,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Confounded Confederates, Cajun to Come and Covert Customers
Okay, I am going to have to slap Bill Compton or, at the very least, tell him, "Sir, you are no gentleman!" Henri laughed at me , telling me that I should have seen that Sookie was being played. That girl really does have problems because she keeps taking him back. I wonder why her good friend ,Tara , doesn't trot the little darling over to the Bon Temps Mental Health Center, which is probably run by pod people from outer space. Dump the Confederate vet, Honey, he's a louse and go with the Viking. You know his intentions aren't good but the rebound sex has possiblities. If she get turned, will her fairy blood still work or will it be processed like any other? Drinking the last bottle of Vintage Rothschild wine is a honor, a delight but also a regret as there isn't anymore after that one. One could spend their life looking for another without success. And we don't need any more vampires with angst , not even on tv. Have a little pride. Ann Rice's Louis whined through "Interview" and no one could mope like Barnabas Collins.
So what does this mean to the Cafe? Well, Chef is thinking of a Cajun Specials menu for the weekend of the start of the new season. I asked him to think up a fairy blood beverage which should be sparkling, and offset the spice of the food. I doubt gater tail would sell on Cape Cod but we have quahogs and those do sell. He has a couple of months (we were slow watching the last episodes due to previous commitments at night) to come up with an idea.
Our black notebooked audience is back. They observe, they huddle, they hardly speak if one of us are near. They are way too polite. Now that is something that one rarely gets to say. Way too polite in the sense of a mother asking her child what they are doing. And the child answering " Nothng, I love you Mommy." Its fake, its phony and , at times, downright creepy. Jean Paul asked me the other day if I had heard about them being at other restaurants. Not so far, but we can't figure out what attracted them to us. I don't know why but its almost feels like someone visiting a zoo or one of those old episodes of "Wild Kingdom."
Bon Soir et bon apetit,
Arina Copain,
Office Manager
So what does this mean to the Cafe? Well, Chef is thinking of a Cajun Specials menu for the weekend of the start of the new season. I asked him to think up a fairy blood beverage which should be sparkling, and offset the spice of the food. I doubt gater tail would sell on Cape Cod but we have quahogs and those do sell. He has a couple of months (we were slow watching the last episodes due to previous commitments at night) to come up with an idea.
Our black notebooked audience is back. They observe, they huddle, they hardly speak if one of us are near. They are way too polite. Now that is something that one rarely gets to say. Way too polite in the sense of a mother asking her child what they are doing. And the child answering " Nothng, I love you Mommy." Its fake, its phony and , at times, downright creepy. Jean Paul asked me the other day if I had heard about them being at other restaurants. Not so far, but we can't figure out what attracted them to us. I don't know why but its almost feels like someone visiting a zoo or one of those old episodes of "Wild Kingdom."
Bon Soir et bon apetit,
Arina Copain,
Office Manager
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Oodles and Noodles.
Color us curious. I ran across a blood scented perfume on the internet today which I have signed up for information where to find it. http://www.bloodconcept.com/EN/fragrances.php . Henri wondered how close it would come,. It comes in 4 scents A, B . AB and O . All of them are marked unisex.
It took 2 full seasons of True Blood to find out what the alleged blood substitute cost and I heard 2 different prices, $35 and $47 depending on venue. Personally , I think its exploitation. You would think if the Humans in the series were worried about bloodlust that the mark up would not be so high. HBO did manufacture/had manufactured some True Blood to sell- and online, it was about $7.00 per bottle for tangerine flavored soda . As neither of us drink...soda pop , we never tasted it. It didn't appeal.We won't be carrying it at the cafe.
If you have been following this blog, you know that I think Sheriff Eric is hot. Add actress Julie Bentz , formerly of Angel and Dexter , and I am really happy. Alexander Johan Hjalmar Skarsgård plays a suicidal drag queen (and he is a big guy totally dwarfing tiny Julie Bentz) in Kill your Darlings, a rather strange cult like film. I look forward to seeing more of his work.
Henri came up with a very decent sauce to go over cooked spaghetti consisting of hamburger, onions, green beans,black beans, corn and a mild Chipolte sauce. With all of the rainy cold weather that we have experianced , its good comfort food and very filling. It goes on the lunch menu next week. He has a few other ideas to try next weekend. When you sign on with a chef , it's love ,honor, respect and "Honey, try this..." Definately not for the unadventurous soul.
Talking about strange, Jean Paul has picked out a program for us to listen on Tuesday night, if we are not busy with customers. There is a lifestyle vampire , Corvius Nocturum going to be on internet radio . The information did not include time zone, maybe Eastern , more probably Central . I thought that I would pass this on in case anyone else might like a little something different.
Vampire 101 with Corvis Nocturnum.
Location: www.para-x.com/live.html
Time: 8:00PM Tuesday, April 19th . Mr Nocturnum is the published author of Embracing the Darkness:Understanding Dark Subcultures and Allure of the Vampire, our sexual attraction to the Undead. (Perversely , I wonder if its too early in the year for Blood Oranges.)
So I will retreat to my Christine Feehan book - that's our Sunday this week.
Bon Soir et bon apetit ,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
It took 2 full seasons of True Blood to find out what the alleged blood substitute cost and I heard 2 different prices, $35 and $47 depending on venue. Personally , I think its exploitation. You would think if the Humans in the series were worried about bloodlust that the mark up would not be so high. HBO did manufacture/had manufactured some True Blood to sell- and online, it was about $7.00 per bottle for tangerine flavored soda . As neither of us drink...soda pop , we never tasted it. It didn't appeal.We won't be carrying it at the cafe.
If you have been following this blog, you know that I think Sheriff Eric is hot. Add actress Julie Bentz , formerly of Angel and Dexter , and I am really happy. Alexander Johan Hjalmar Skarsgård plays a suicidal drag queen (and he is a big guy totally dwarfing tiny Julie Bentz) in Kill your Darlings, a rather strange cult like film. I look forward to seeing more of his work.
Henri came up with a very decent sauce to go over cooked spaghetti consisting of hamburger, onions, green beans,black beans, corn and a mild Chipolte sauce. With all of the rainy cold weather that we have experianced , its good comfort food and very filling. It goes on the lunch menu next week. He has a few other ideas to try next weekend. When you sign on with a chef , it's love ,honor, respect and "Honey, try this..." Definately not for the unadventurous soul.
Talking about strange, Jean Paul has picked out a program for us to listen on Tuesday night, if we are not busy with customers. There is a lifestyle vampire , Corvius Nocturum going to be on internet radio . The information did not include time zone, maybe Eastern , more probably Central . I thought that I would pass this on in case anyone else might like a little something different.
Vampire 101 with Corvis Nocturnum.
Location: www.para-x.com/live.html
Time: 8:00PM Tuesday, April 19th . Mr Nocturnum is the published author of Embracing the Darkness:Understanding Dark Subcultures and Allure of the Vampire, our sexual attraction to the Undead. (Perversely , I wonder if its too early in the year for Blood Oranges.)
So I will retreat to my Christine Feehan book - that's our Sunday this week.
Bon Soir et bon apetit ,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Horrible Weather - Gee Its Nice to be Inside Watching Horror Movies
Sunday, March 27, 2011
New on the Menu
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Another Sunday but not so sleepy
As I mentioned before , I love Sundays, the only day that the cafe is closed. I get to cook. I made my famous ( in my family) unstuffed cabbage .(Henri claims that its unstuffed because its easier to chop the cabbage up and add it rather than spend the time making the little tiny meatloaves wrapped in cabbage leaves. I'll never tell.)
We listened to Cole Porter, Glen Miller, and Scott Joplin. There was an article online , I think that it was alternet.org which spoke about the appeal of evil, which we read . My comment to Chef was that the concept of Evil is subjective . The article was based on Christian values. We don't embrace those as we were both raised more generic pagan. The author of the article was bemoaning the fact that evil is appealing- Henri wanted to know what degree of evil the author was discussing. Is it as Evil to not want to do without in the name of the common good when the people that will benefit have nothing in common with the doer? And what if your survival depends on it?
I believe that some acts are intrinsically evil, molesting children for one, but to call lack of thrift and maybe good judgement because you bought a Dior ( I haven't) evil just does not measure up. I am sorry if there are children starving in the Third World. I don't understand my responsiblity in their support - I certainly do not want to see anyone hungry,
Is it more evil to let a dictator kill his own people than it is to send US troops to fight the said dictator, knowing that you may cause nine children(one family) from our neighborhood to lose their father after serving three tours in Iraq and is currently serving his second in Afghanistan? We know these nine children, we have met their parents. Though there are many things that their mom and I do not share in common- what of the privation that their children would suffer at his loss? It was probably preventable if anything happens to him. Losing a parent is hard no matter who you are.
The author also claimed that evil was lazy and good industrious. If a universal definition of good and evil cannot be agreed upon, how can one determine the quantity or quality of the work involved in one's life? If two people each wrote a business plan and one required five hours of labor like some executives, and others like Henri , put in sometimes twelve or fourteen hour days due to the nature of the labor, is one more evil than the other? What if the man who works five hours a day puts hundreds out of work due to the nature of his labor? Is he evil? He does not know the people who will suffer at his hand. But they will suffer all the same.I don't view either of us as evil, but I am sure despite the long days at work and lack of involvment publically with charity towards others , there may be some who would consider us to be evil.
I am reading Night Rising by Chris Marie Green as my bus book . Like the writing, hate the vampires that I have encountered . They aren't human , have tails and lack intelligence.
We are looking forward to the premiere of Atlas Shrugged Part 1, due out in April. We have heard good things about it and seen the trailer.
Chef is thinking about some kind of special relating to the movie that week so do watch for it.
Bon Soir et bon apetit,
Arina Copain , office manager
We listened to Cole Porter, Glen Miller, and Scott Joplin. There was an article online , I think that it was alternet.org which spoke about the appeal of evil, which we read . My comment to Chef was that the concept of Evil is subjective . The article was based on Christian values. We don't embrace those as we were both raised more generic pagan. The author of the article was bemoaning the fact that evil is appealing- Henri wanted to know what degree of evil the author was discussing. Is it as Evil to not want to do without in the name of the common good when the people that will benefit have nothing in common with the doer? And what if your survival depends on it?
I believe that some acts are intrinsically evil, molesting children for one, but to call lack of thrift and maybe good judgement because you bought a Dior ( I haven't) evil just does not measure up. I am sorry if there are children starving in the Third World. I don't understand my responsiblity in their support - I certainly do not want to see anyone hungry,
Is it more evil to let a dictator kill his own people than it is to send US troops to fight the said dictator, knowing that you may cause nine children(one family) from our neighborhood to lose their father after serving three tours in Iraq and is currently serving his second in Afghanistan? We know these nine children, we have met their parents. Though there are many things that their mom and I do not share in common- what of the privation that their children would suffer at his loss? It was probably preventable if anything happens to him. Losing a parent is hard no matter who you are.
The author also claimed that evil was lazy and good industrious. If a universal definition of good and evil cannot be agreed upon, how can one determine the quantity or quality of the work involved in one's life? If two people each wrote a business plan and one required five hours of labor like some executives, and others like Henri , put in sometimes twelve or fourteen hour days due to the nature of the labor, is one more evil than the other? What if the man who works five hours a day puts hundreds out of work due to the nature of his labor? Is he evil? He does not know the people who will suffer at his hand. But they will suffer all the same.I don't view either of us as evil, but I am sure despite the long days at work and lack of involvment publically with charity towards others , there may be some who would consider us to be evil.
I am reading Night Rising by Chris Marie Green as my bus book . Like the writing, hate the vampires that I have encountered . They aren't human , have tails and lack intelligence.
We are looking forward to the premiere of Atlas Shrugged Part 1, due out in April. We have heard good things about it and seen the trailer.
Chef is thinking about some kind of special relating to the movie that week so do watch for it.
Bon Soir et bon apetit,
Arina Copain , office manager
Monday, March 14, 2011
Arrgh! Its Monday again- with an hour less sleep.
I love Spring, except for the allergies. Everything is so fresh , and the produce that Henri uses is local . We will be posting a new menu soon which will reflect changes in the season.
There have been some men in suits visiting us recently. We know most of the locals and they don't act like tourists. Has anyone else seen them ? They come in , write in notebooks , and hardly speak. Not even to Katie. Everyone loves Katie and she usually can get customers to open up. There are no conventions in town. Wonder who they are.
Jean Paul will be making an Irish Stew with Guiness for St Patrick's Day. He made me culcannon which is mashed potatoes , cabbage and onions the other night. Sadly, we can't offer Guiness as a beverage. No liquor license. He will be giving samples this afternoon after 4:30 if you want to stop in and try it.
Bon soir et bon apetit,
Arina Copain,
Office Manager
There have been some men in suits visiting us recently. We know most of the locals and they don't act like tourists. Has anyone else seen them ? They come in , write in notebooks , and hardly speak. Not even to Katie. Everyone loves Katie and she usually can get customers to open up. There are no conventions in town. Wonder who they are.
Jean Paul will be making an Irish Stew with Guiness for St Patrick's Day. He made me culcannon which is mashed potatoes , cabbage and onions the other night. Sadly, we can't offer Guiness as a beverage. No liquor license. He will be giving samples this afternoon after 4:30 if you want to stop in and try it.
Bon soir et bon apetit,
Arina Copain,
Office Manager
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Sunday , Sweet Sunday
Country Witch Eggnog 1 cup apple cider 3 cups milk 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup whipping cream 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 tablespoons brandy Combine all of the ingredients in a large cauldron or pot and cook over medium heat for 13 minutes. Pour the hot eggnog into mugs and top each serving with fresh whipped cream (if desired). Country-Witch Eggnog is the perfect drink to serve your Wiccan friends and family members at Yuletide (Winter Solstice) and Ostara (Spring Equinox) Sabbats. (This recipe yields two quarts.) ~Gerina Dunwich -The Wicca Spellbook~ Its much too soggy to go out today . Plus the dogwood is just starting to bloom , and I am allergic. (Betcha thought I was going to say garlic .) I challenged Chef to sit still long enough to watch Las Vegas season 4 disc 4 this morning. He countered with True Blood season 1 disc 2. I hope that it was intended as a comedy because we both found it funny. I did finish Blood Prophecy. Liked the writing, hated the rats . Plus I dislike vampires not staying true to their nature. But I suppose that its mostly humans who buy the books so what ever makes them comfortable. I am currently reading a book on designer Edith Head. For those too young to remember her- think Edna in the Incredibles- the character was based on her. Bon soir et Bon Apetit, Arina Copain Office manager |
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Did Anybody Think to Ask?
We are very fortunate that Sothwold CommunityParanormal and Science Fiction Book Club has chosen the Cafe as their meeting place on the third Wednesday of the month. As I am such a avid reader. Henri suggested that I participate.
The book for March is ,Blood Prophecy by Stefan Petrucha. I picked it up at the library yesterday . The writing flows well but I have a problem with it. The protagonist is a vampire named Jeremiah Falls ,who, like Stephanie Meyer's Cullens feeds only from animals. I am tired of vegetarian vampires, they are so politically correct. When he won't eat whatever glop they have thrown together for him as a ship's prisoner, he feeds off the rats of the ship. Ugh! Public service has its limits! When he has the opportunity to have a decent meal in the form of a character named Saint-Hilaire, a government official under Napoleon, Jeremiah stops and asks the date because he is worried about the end of the world.
Now let's be practical about this. The average man has 10-12 pints of blood in his body and the average woman 8-10 pints. I wasn't able to find out how much blood the average rat hold but given the comparative body size, I would bet that it would take a heck of a lot of rats to make up the difference . In which case, the ship had, I believe, bigger problems than one vampire on board. Besides, I hate rats and would not want them for my dinner. There are much nicer things to have than rats. Like, say, chocolate ice cream?
Henri and I recently went to a food show in Nashville, TN . One of the vendors that exhibited was a local named Mike's Soda Fountain and Coffee Shop. Henri tried the Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream while I ate the Chocolate Overload. I wish that they would go national because the texture, the temperature, and blend of flavors was just perfect. Pricewise, they would be competitive with Haagen Das or Ben and Jerry's but are so much better . They have a store just a few blocks from the world famous Tootsie's bar on Broadway. Their shop is located at 208 Broadway in Nashville. Phone is 615-742-6453.
I like chocolate ice cream. No one ever feeds their vampires chocolate ice cream. Just an entree of rodents that the Human population didn't want anyway. Now, I ask you , is that polite? I mean no one even asks if the vampires would like some chocolate ice cream. Probably it wouldn't be high on their list but given the alternatives that most Humans offer most vampires in the printed and media world, its got to be up there.
The book for March is ,Blood Prophecy by Stefan Petrucha. I picked it up at the library yesterday . The writing flows well but I have a problem with it. The protagonist is a vampire named Jeremiah Falls ,who, like Stephanie Meyer's Cullens feeds only from animals. I am tired of vegetarian vampires, they are so politically correct. When he won't eat whatever glop they have thrown together for him as a ship's prisoner, he feeds off the rats of the ship. Ugh! Public service has its limits! When he has the opportunity to have a decent meal in the form of a character named Saint-Hilaire, a government official under Napoleon, Jeremiah stops and asks the date because he is worried about the end of the world.
Now let's be practical about this. The average man has 10-12 pints of blood in his body and the average woman 8-10 pints. I wasn't able to find out how much blood the average rat hold but given the comparative body size, I would bet that it would take a heck of a lot of rats to make up the difference . In which case, the ship had, I believe, bigger problems than one vampire on board. Besides, I hate rats and would not want them for my dinner. There are much nicer things to have than rats. Like, say, chocolate ice cream?
Henri and I recently went to a food show in Nashville, TN . One of the vendors that exhibited was a local named Mike's Soda Fountain and Coffee Shop. Henri tried the Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream while I ate the Chocolate Overload. I wish that they would go national because the texture, the temperature, and blend of flavors was just perfect. Pricewise, they would be competitive with Haagen Das or Ben and Jerry's but are so much better . They have a store just a few blocks from the world famous Tootsie's bar on Broadway. Their shop is located at 208 Broadway in Nashville. Phone is 615-742-6453.
I like chocolate ice cream. No one ever feeds their vampires chocolate ice cream. Just an entree of rodents that the Human population didn't want anyway. Now, I ask you , is that polite? I mean no one even asks if the vampires would like some chocolate ice cream. Probably it wouldn't be high on their list but given the alternatives that most Humans offer most vampires in the printed and media world, its got to be up there.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Post Valentine Fun. The Compatibility Test Results:
We asked some of you who had to wait for a table on Valentine's Day to take a compatability test. ( If you could not join us- leave me a comment below and I will send you the website.) Its based on Numerology . In keep our promise to also take the test, I am posting the results . I think that they are fairly accurate.
"Rae, your Heart's Desire is 23/5
Freedom is essential for your happiness. You love change, new experiences,
meeting new people, adventure and travel. You love the exotic, far away places.
Variety is more than mere spice of life -- you thrive on it. You are extremely
flexible and adaptable. You have more curiosity than the proverbial cat. You
have a sharp mind and a natural ability with words. You are a born communicator,
clear, fluent, and imaginative in every area that interests you -- which are
many!
Your Heart's Desire makes you very well equipped for life. Change -- the only
constant in life -- doesn't threaten you, as it does other people. You are
highly resourceful. Generally, you can think clearly in a crisis; you have good
mental and physical reflexes. Whenever you fall, you tend to land on your
feet.
You are highly enthusiastic. You get excited easily over a new idea or
opportunity. Your nature is unconventional. You are a bit of a gambler, taking
risks whenever you think the rewards are worth it.
You are very socially oriented and rarely, if ever, dull or boring. You are,
of course, drawn to those people who, like yourself, are original thinkers and
have exciting personalities.
You enjoy being involved in several projects at the same time. You need
continual stimulation by the new and fascinating. You tend to discard boring
pastimes quickly.
Your love of freedom and change can have numerous consequences. You can be
irresponsible, especially when it comes to finishing tasks. You have a hard time
persevering at a given project and bringing it to completion.
You must be careful that your love of sensory pleasure doesn't lead you to
excessive indulgence in alcohol, food, sex, and even drugs.
You are a bit of a hero and want to save the world. This causes you to make
promises you often cannot keep. Down deep, you long to please everyone, an
impossible goal.
Many 5s can be emotionally superficial. They feel love passionately, but fear
making deep and lasting commitments. As a result, they resist the depths of
emotional attachments and remain on the surface where it is safe.
You will experience many changes and unusual events, but you learn best
through experience. Therefore, your life will be full and you will make great
strides in personal growth
Henri, your Heart's Desire is 19/1
Your overpowering need is to be independent and to direct your own life
according to what you believe. Your dream is to become the leader of whatever
field you enter. Whether it is in business, community, or in your general area
of expertise, you are driven to be the reigning figure.
You have the courage and the confidence to lead others. You believe firmly
that your judgment is preeminent over all others. This gives you the confidence
to make bold decisions and carry them out, even when other lives are greatly
affected by what you do. You rarely look back once you have made a decision.
You possess intelligence and wit. You are keenly insightful and are good at
evaluating the abilities of others.
You are supremely individualistic. In your manner and dress, you like to
project your own unique persona.
Consequently, you don't mind being controversial, and can even enjoy the
attention and impact you have made on your surroundings.
You dislike routines, or anything that limits your freedom and
independence.
Whenever you commit to something you truly love, you are absolutely tenacious
in your ability to endure difficulties and overcome obstacles. You are highly
responsible; you hate passing the buck. You possess remarkable willpower and a
strong drive to succeed.
You are always looking for innovative ways of doing things.
Because you seek to be the boss in any endeavor, you have a tendency to
dominate others. If you are not careful, especially in dealing with your
subordinates and family, you may become ruthless in your decisions and behavior.
You can also fall victim to impatience and intolerance, particularly if you grow
conceited or superior.
You are the pioneer and the ground-breaker. You love the foreground, the
hot-seat of responsibility. You have all the talents to succeed. As long as you
maintain balance in your life, allowing others full expression of their thoughts
and abilities, you will easily rise to the top of your chosen field and realize
your ambitions.
Your Heart's Desire's compatibility is 5 and 1
The compatibility of these two numbers is about as good as it gets. There
will never be any danger of boredom, complacency, or emptiness in a relationship
that has heads turning and people whispering. Like wind and fire, the
personality traits in this combination can both create and destroy, but the one
and five feed on each other and respect each other's powers. They are like a
blacksmith and his anvil, and when they set out side by side to fulfill their
goals and dreams, nothing can withstand their combined forces. This is a
relationship of intensity and moments of rarely achieved highs, where the
promise of ecstatic experiences of love, spiritual bonding and shared dreams is
very real.
As with any number combination, dangers also hover over their heads.
Sometimes, undesired winds blow and forces turn - not so much against each other
as against their shared dreams. When that happens, their mutual influence
becomes destructive, turning a moderate, healthy need for variety, sensual
pleasure and adventures into a negative force.
As with all things in life, reaching up takes effort while sliding down is
only a matter of letting go. As long as the willingness to reach up and the
capacity to put forth effort and self-control exists for both henri and rae,
this can be a wonderful ride. But they should both always be on the alert - it
is not uncommon for this combination to pull each other down. When the partners
allow that to happen, they may end up involved with drugs, alcohol, sex,
food-addictions, laziness, or blaming the world for their misfortunes, and
blaming each other as a final result. Therefore, living this combination of
numbers can be compared to skating on thin ice.
rae, it is very important that you maintain focus on what you want out of
this life. Do not get distracted or seduced by the pleasures that are so easily
obtainable. Set high standards for yourself. In this relationship, Henri must
truly play the role of a captain on the ship, but not because rae is not
capable. As a matter of fact, Rae has more talents than you can shake a stick
at. However, Henri's energy is more directed and controlled, while Rae's is more
dynamic, more volatile - yet not in an aggressive way. Rae is impulsive,
responsive to the moment, less controlled and, for all that Rae is, therefore,
also vulnerable to being misguided. Keep in mind that too much adventurism can
be a dangerous thing.
While this is one of the most promising and long-lasting combinations, it is
also one that can take you both to the edge. Therefore, discipline and
moderation are the key words in this relationship."
Bon Soir et Bon Apetit,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
"Rae, your Heart's Desire is 23/5
Freedom is essential for your happiness. You love change, new experiences,
meeting new people, adventure and travel. You love the exotic, far away places.
Variety is more than mere spice of life -- you thrive on it. You are extremely
flexible and adaptable. You have more curiosity than the proverbial cat. You
have a sharp mind and a natural ability with words. You are a born communicator,
clear, fluent, and imaginative in every area that interests you -- which are
many!
Your Heart's Desire makes you very well equipped for life. Change -- the only
constant in life -- doesn't threaten you, as it does other people. You are
highly resourceful. Generally, you can think clearly in a crisis; you have good
mental and physical reflexes. Whenever you fall, you tend to land on your
feet.
You are highly enthusiastic. You get excited easily over a new idea or
opportunity. Your nature is unconventional. You are a bit of a gambler, taking
risks whenever you think the rewards are worth it.
You are very socially oriented and rarely, if ever, dull or boring. You are,
of course, drawn to those people who, like yourself, are original thinkers and
have exciting personalities.
You enjoy being involved in several projects at the same time. You need
continual stimulation by the new and fascinating. You tend to discard boring
pastimes quickly.
Your love of freedom and change can have numerous consequences. You can be
irresponsible, especially when it comes to finishing tasks. You have a hard time
persevering at a given project and bringing it to completion.
You must be careful that your love of sensory pleasure doesn't lead you to
excessive indulgence in alcohol, food, sex, and even drugs.
You are a bit of a hero and want to save the world. This causes you to make
promises you often cannot keep. Down deep, you long to please everyone, an
impossible goal.
Many 5s can be emotionally superficial. They feel love passionately, but fear
making deep and lasting commitments. As a result, they resist the depths of
emotional attachments and remain on the surface where it is safe.
You will experience many changes and unusual events, but you learn best
through experience. Therefore, your life will be full and you will make great
strides in personal growth
Henri, your Heart's Desire is 19/1
Your overpowering need is to be independent and to direct your own life
according to what you believe. Your dream is to become the leader of whatever
field you enter. Whether it is in business, community, or in your general area
of expertise, you are driven to be the reigning figure.
You have the courage and the confidence to lead others. You believe firmly
that your judgment is preeminent over all others. This gives you the confidence
to make bold decisions and carry them out, even when other lives are greatly
affected by what you do. You rarely look back once you have made a decision.
You possess intelligence and wit. You are keenly insightful and are good at
evaluating the abilities of others.
You are supremely individualistic. In your manner and dress, you like to
project your own unique persona.
Consequently, you don't mind being controversial, and can even enjoy the
attention and impact you have made on your surroundings.
You dislike routines, or anything that limits your freedom and
independence.
Whenever you commit to something you truly love, you are absolutely tenacious
in your ability to endure difficulties and overcome obstacles. You are highly
responsible; you hate passing the buck. You possess remarkable willpower and a
strong drive to succeed.
You are always looking for innovative ways of doing things.
Because you seek to be the boss in any endeavor, you have a tendency to
dominate others. If you are not careful, especially in dealing with your
subordinates and family, you may become ruthless in your decisions and behavior.
You can also fall victim to impatience and intolerance, particularly if you grow
conceited or superior.
You are the pioneer and the ground-breaker. You love the foreground, the
hot-seat of responsibility. You have all the talents to succeed. As long as you
maintain balance in your life, allowing others full expression of their thoughts
and abilities, you will easily rise to the top of your chosen field and realize
your ambitions.
Your Heart's Desire's compatibility is 5 and 1
The compatibility of these two numbers is about as good as it gets. There
will never be any danger of boredom, complacency, or emptiness in a relationship
that has heads turning and people whispering. Like wind and fire, the
personality traits in this combination can both create and destroy, but the one
and five feed on each other and respect each other's powers. They are like a
blacksmith and his anvil, and when they set out side by side to fulfill their
goals and dreams, nothing can withstand their combined forces. This is a
relationship of intensity and moments of rarely achieved highs, where the
promise of ecstatic experiences of love, spiritual bonding and shared dreams is
very real.
As with any number combination, dangers also hover over their heads.
Sometimes, undesired winds blow and forces turn - not so much against each other
as against their shared dreams. When that happens, their mutual influence
becomes destructive, turning a moderate, healthy need for variety, sensual
pleasure and adventures into a negative force.
As with all things in life, reaching up takes effort while sliding down is
only a matter of letting go. As long as the willingness to reach up and the
capacity to put forth effort and self-control exists for both henri and rae,
this can be a wonderful ride. But they should both always be on the alert - it
is not uncommon for this combination to pull each other down. When the partners
allow that to happen, they may end up involved with drugs, alcohol, sex,
food-addictions, laziness, or blaming the world for their misfortunes, and
blaming each other as a final result. Therefore, living this combination of
numbers can be compared to skating on thin ice.
rae, it is very important that you maintain focus on what you want out of
this life. Do not get distracted or seduced by the pleasures that are so easily
obtainable. Set high standards for yourself. In this relationship, Henri must
truly play the role of a captain on the ship, but not because rae is not
capable. As a matter of fact, Rae has more talents than you can shake a stick
at. However, Henri's energy is more directed and controlled, while Rae's is more
dynamic, more volatile - yet not in an aggressive way. Rae is impulsive,
responsive to the moment, less controlled and, for all that Rae is, therefore,
also vulnerable to being misguided. Keep in mind that too much adventurism can
be a dangerous thing.
While this is one of the most promising and long-lasting combinations, it is
also one that can take you both to the edge. Therefore, discipline and
moderation are the key words in this relationship."
Bon Soir et Bon Apetit,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Valentine's Day
Henri told me : We have it covered- most of the diners tonight are by reservation.
Jean Paul reassured me " We have done this forever. The truffles are boxed and marked. We have everything prepped . What could possibly go wrong?"
So I took my accounting text as well as the M R Sellars novel that I read on the bus. Henri usually picks me up after class but I had made arrangements for my Aunt Liz , a gorgeous tall blonde with a perfect figure , to pick me up and bring me home, as I do not drive. I had intended her to come into our flat downstairs for a cup of coffee before she went home to my Uncle Andrew.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Okay, I will answer the Emails/Our Valentine's Dinner at Home
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Looking forward to Valentine's Day
Its been an interesting afternoon , here at the cafe. Right after Henri called the order for the scallops into our supplier, the weatherman started to predict the worse storm of the year for Valentine's weekend. As the scallops are to be fresh not frozen , he was less than pleased with the news.
When I opened the cafe this morning, there were flyers from an organization ,Avaaz ,against Valentine's Chocolates, taped to our door.Our official stance on this is this- if you care so much about Human Rights, what about the right of the small business person to make a living. Anyone who does any kind of chocolate work , sells candy, or even, hot chocolate is hurt by such a boycott. Yes, we may be doing business with the major suppliers such as Godiva, Herseys, Lindt, Cadbury but we aren't they. To declare a major boycott after orders have been placed is, I feel, counterproductive. There are only so many suppliers, even fewer that don't taste as if they have been hanging out in a cow barn. There are five major confection holidays Halloween/Samhain, Yule/Christmas, Valentine's Day , Easter/Ostara, and Mother's Day. If you care about Human Rights, why not declare your boycott in July and let the retailers think about it till they place orders for Fall. Give them time to investigate the claims. Because the chocolate that Avaaz is protesting has already been purchased by the little guy or woman-so you aren't hurting the suppliers or the evil government forces that is claimed in the flyers and on the website but your neighbors and local stores. So the effect of the boycott won't even be felt for six months at best at the supplier's level and may , a year if ,at all on the governmental. When did initiative become a sin? You haven't saved a single life over seas but you may have been instrumental in harming a small American business. Count me as one of the sinful.
So speaking of sin- I asked about the price of the truffles as we had not quoted one . $2.50 each or 6 for $12.00 . Call if you are placing multiple orders because I think Chef can be persuaded into a better price for larger orders, especially if allotted more time to assemble, Saturday would be an excellant day to place those orders as I intend that we step out for an evening out and a bite on Friday.
Even wicked Capitalists have to have some fun and a good meal from time to time.
Bon Soir et Bon Apetit ,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
When I opened the cafe this morning, there were flyers from an organization ,Avaaz ,against Valentine's Chocolates, taped to our door.Our official stance on this is this- if you care so much about Human Rights, what about the right of the small business person to make a living. Anyone who does any kind of chocolate work , sells candy, or even, hot chocolate is hurt by such a boycott. Yes, we may be doing business with the major suppliers such as Godiva, Herseys, Lindt, Cadbury but we aren't they. To declare a major boycott after orders have been placed is, I feel, counterproductive. There are only so many suppliers, even fewer that don't taste as if they have been hanging out in a cow barn. There are five major confection holidays Halloween/Samhain, Yule/Christmas, Valentine's Day , Easter/Ostara, and Mother's Day. If you care about Human Rights, why not declare your boycott in July and let the retailers think about it till they place orders for Fall. Give them time to investigate the claims. Because the chocolate that Avaaz is protesting has already been purchased by the little guy or woman-so you aren't hurting the suppliers or the evil government forces that is claimed in the flyers and on the website but your neighbors and local stores. So the effect of the boycott won't even be felt for six months at best at the supplier's level and may , a year if ,at all on the governmental. When did initiative become a sin? You haven't saved a single life over seas but you may have been instrumental in harming a small American business. Count me as one of the sinful.
So speaking of sin- I asked about the price of the truffles as we had not quoted one . $2.50 each or 6 for $12.00 . Call if you are placing multiple orders because I think Chef can be persuaded into a better price for larger orders, especially if allotted more time to assemble, Saturday would be an excellant day to place those orders as I intend that we step out for an evening out and a bite on Friday.
Even wicked Capitalists have to have some fun and a good meal from time to time.
Bon Soir et Bon Apetit ,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
The Valentine's Day Menu
Telephone is (508)-555-93328
Fax is (508)-555-95533
For those who have asked about our little mystery. No, we have not solved it. We did get a graphic on the computer this afternoon of an unfolding heart ,which after playing As Time Goes By , revealed a giant bold ? . The heart morphed into a pair of giant lips which emitted the dialogue balloon " WHO AM I?"
Bon soir et bon apetit,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
Saturday, February 5, 2011
The Valentine Mystery
Friday, January 21, 2011
Okay, I spoke too soon
Bon soir et bon appetit!
Arina Copain,
Office Manager
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Excitement-Come see our cat cake.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Happy New Year from Cafe Copain
Arina Celeste Copain
Office Manager
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