Love Lunch.
Loving Lunch.
Each year Family Dinner takes the week after Thanksgiving off. This time allows us to breathe after a very busy week and to recover from our Black Friday Amazon shopping hangover. (Kidding. Please buy and support local as much as you can this holiday season. Jeff doesn't need any more of your money.)
We started affording ourselves this time off in 2017, just a few months after we launched. My father, Andy (pictured), had just passed away on November 21, 2017 after a long illness. Closing for the week felt necessary but impossible - it's worse than anathema for a small business to take time off just as they launch, it's heresy.
In end we made the decision to cancel everyone for the week, issued refunds. Our wonderful customers understood, gave us the time, came back the next week. It reaffirmed lots of things, namely the belief in our community, broadly our belief in what we were doing.
I could talk for hours about my Father. I could paint a picture of the brilliant, silly, dedicated man he was. How he was the biggest cheerleader one could imagine having at their side. I could tell you about his work as a New York City cab driver, an educator, a social justice warrior and a life long bon vivant.
What I want to share most, however, is how much the man loved Lunch. Stay with me, I aim to slowly sew the relevance into the fabric of this email.
Recently, I was chatting with my mother (incredible woman, tough as nails, Chief Mom Officer at Family Dinner) about Andy and the man he was. I proposed something that seemed obvious but that we had never declared aloud:
"I think going out to Lunch was Dad's favorite thing in the entire world."
And she agreed.
Lunch. As one's favorite thing, one's favorite pass time and destination. It almost seems comical in its simplicity. But it was his decided favorite, the man loved going out to lunch. He would always get dressed up; Blue button up shirt from L.L Bean, Blue L.L Bean sweater (all of this pictured) and khakis from (guess it!) L.L Bean. The destination should never be fancy, he abhorred pretension. Hot Dogs at the Choate Bridge Pub in Ipswich, Hot Dogs at Trina's in Somerville, Roast Beef Sandwiches at the Mount Vernon in Somerville; drink order always the same (Maker's Mark Manhattan, straight up with a side of ice, also pictured).
He was always joyful to have the time, it was so easy and plain. Wanted to catch up and celebrate what was new in your life. Wanted to commiserate about politics and talk about books. Wanted to make jokes with and at each other and laugh until tears ran races down our cheeks. Inevitably he would tell me at least once that I'm great, that I'm special, that he was proud of me, all while stealing my French Fries from across the table. When a plate of onion rings or a shimmery Manhattan would be put in front of him he would clasp his hands and say " Ooh! Oooh! Ooh!" like a little kid with a birthday cake. Every. Single. Time.
I realize now that he was a sage. His lunch-loving creed a lesson in how to enjoy the simplest joys life offers.
This year the holidays will likely take a different shape for many folks. They may be simpler, less fussy than in years past, but may also leave people with a hankering for the familiar or struggling with sadness.
Whatever Thanksgiving brings for you, I hope you find something small and simple to enjoy. The company of a dog, a well-buttered roll, a perfect soundtrack. I hope the simple things burrow their way in and you find a way to love lunch.
And to all the folks who will be missing someone over the next few months, with memories that are acutely painful and beautiful, I see you. And I'll raise a bourbon (Maker's Mark Manhattan, straight up with a side of ice) for you.
Love,
Erin
WHAT'S IN THE BAG?
Note: If you order a "Meat and Fish Share" you will just receive the meats listed, not the "dairy" items (eggs, yogurt etc). If you order a "Fish and Seafood Share" you will receive the fish listed, and not the dairy items.
Add-on Grain of the Week - Pasta from Seven Hills
Add-on Bread of the Week - Pain au Levain from A&J King
Add-on Pastry of the Week - Croissants from A&J King
HALF SHARE
Omnivore Protein - Chorizo from Feather Brook Farms; Greek Yogurt from Sophia's
Pescatarian Protein - Pollock from Red's Best; Greek Yogurt from Sophia's
Vegetarian Proteins - Veggie Burgers from Farm House Burgers; Greek Yogurt from Sophia's
Paleo Proteins - Chorizo and Eggs from Feather Brook Farms
Fruits and Veggies - Greens from LEF and Generation Greens; Beets from Iron Ox and Clark Farm; Potatoes and Kale from Brookford Farm
Grain - Flour from Maine Grains
Special Treat - Caramels from McCrea's
WHOLE SHARE
Omnivore Protein - Chorizo and Eggs from Feather Brook Farms; Greek Yogurt from Sophia's; Pollock from Red's Best
Pescatarian Protein - Pollock and Salmon from Red's Best; Greek Yogurt from Sophia's; Eggs from Feather Brook Farms
Vegetarian Proteins - Veggie Burgers from Farm House Burgers; Greek Yogurt from Sophia's; Pierogi from Jaju; Eggs from Feather Brook Farms
Paleo Proteins - Chorizo and Eggs from Feather Brook Farms; Pollock from Red's Best
Fruits and Veggies - Greens from LEF and Generation Greens; Beets from Iron Ox and Clark Farm; Potatoes and Kale from Brookford Farm; Beans from Baer's Best; Cranberries from Jonathan's Sprouts
Grain - Flour from Maine Grains
Special Treat - Caramels from McCrea's; Cookies from Lark Fine Foods
DOUBLE SHARE
Omnivore Protein - Chorizo and Eggs from Feather Brook Farms; Greek Yogurt from Sophia's; Pollock from Red's Best; Pork Chops from Brookford Farm; Kimchi Cucumbers from Perillas
Pescatarian Protein - Pollock, Sea Bass and Salmon from Red's Best; Greek Yogurt from Sophia's; Eggs from Feather Brook Farms; Kimchi Cucumbers from Perillas
Vegetarian Proteins - Veggie Burgers from Farm House Burgers; Greek Yogurt from Sophia's; Pierogi from Jaju; Eggs from Feather Brook Farms; Tamales from Tex Mex Eats; Kimchi Cucumbers from Perillas
Paleo Proteins - Chorizo and Eggs from Feather Brook Farms; Pollock from Red's Best; Pork Chops from Brookford Farm
Fruits and Veggies - Greens from LEF and Generation Greens; Beets from Iron Ox and Clark Farm; Potatoes and Kale from Brookford Farm; Beans from Baer's Best; Cranberries from Jonathan's Sprouts; Pumpkin Squash from Drumlin Farm
Grain - Bagels from A&J King; Flour from Maine Grains
Special Treat - Caramels from McCrea's; Cookies from Lark Fine Foods
RECIPES
Potato Chorizo Breakfast Skillet - I think the Potato Chorizo scramble is just a great thing to have in the fridge. Crack an egg over it for breakfast, turn it into nachos or tacos; or eat out of a bowl with a spoon. Throw some of your older veggies in there too to give em another shot at life.
Roasted Salmon with Beets and Potatoes: You can skip the horseradish, but why would you?
Fresh Cranberry Sauce: If there is extra add it to your pork chops or swirl in your yogurt.
Marker's Mark Manhattan: Fine, its not local. But you can enjoy it locally, and that's close enough on this one.