For entertaining, gifting and every day groceries, Around the Sound will be open Wednesday 10 to 6, Thursday and Friday 10 to 7, and Saturday 9 to 5. Next week (yes, that's Christmas week!) we'll be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9 to 6.
If you're still in the market for a turkey, call Sean at GrassRoots Organics - 794-4445. If it's more convenient, you can have it delivered for pickup at Around the Sound.
When I was growing up, my mother made us stay out of the kitchen while she concentrated all Christmas afternoon on the evening feast. She may have nibbled, but the rest of us had nothing to eat but candy from our stockings. In retrospect, this pretty much explains the inevitable pre-dinner domestic melt-down. Avoid this in your house with a modest mid-day slice of Sara's quiche or Brenda's tortiere or a little protein in your afternoon grazing - smoked salmon or trout, hummous and flatbread, shitake mushroom pate on slices of rustic Italian bread.
For a holiday brunch, Cathy from Over the Moon Farm near Markdale has brought pastured Berkshire pork - some ham with your green eggs from Claire!
Laurel and Laura have both brought some lovely gift packs of their delicious jams and condiments, or we can put your favorites together for you. Honey Orange Jelly with Cointreau is new, as is Mom's Apple Pie Jelly. All three sizes of Uncle Richard's maple jelly and maple butter (just pure maple syrup whipped for spreadability) are on the shelf. How about a barbecue sauce and a gift certificate for the meat?
We'll be sampling every day as usual, and just ask if you want to try something you haven't.
Meredith's ginger syrup makes a great addition to hot toddies or cool cocktails. A new stock of sparkling ciders just arrived from Finch Haven Orchards in Clarksburg - apple, apple raspberry and apple cranberry. Fair-trade organic drinking chocolate and hot chocolate in milk and dark are available in tins or stocking-friendly singles.
In the non-food department, there are locally-made beeswax candles from hand-dipped tapers to tealights. Local soap and lip balms make great stocking-stuffers. Folk Funk has earrings, necklaces and bracelets made of buttons and beads,or for something more ephemoral, look for Gypsy Funcraft earrings and necklaces made of local horsetails.
Pack it all in a shopping bag made from recycled materials, or a crocheted shopping bag - proceeds to the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
For the written sentiments to tuck inside, Christy Muddle has brought beautiful winter photo cards - or remind them of spring with Marg Gaviller's wildflowers.
Call if there's anything else you need - you'd be amazed what we can find in our community. 519-370-2333
Around the Sound Local Food Market is at 972 1st Avenue West. www.aroundthesoundfood.com
See you soon
Anne