October News 2013

Hello again,October is here and we hope that the yellow brick road of golden autumn birch leaves leads you to the door of the Squirrel for any number of wonderful reasons... Plus a few other tidbits.

 

Winter Hours
This year we will see what it's like to stay open 6 days a week (including Tuesdays!). New winter hours for the Squirrel at least through the end of the year: 

SUNDAY: 8am-5pm • MONDAY: closed
TUESDAY: 7:30am-6pm • WEDNESDAY: 7:30am-6pm • THURSDAY: 7:30am-6pm
FRIDAY: 7:30am-9pm (Pizza Night: 4-9pm)
SATURDAY: 7:30am-9pm (Pizza Night: 4-9pm) 

 

Art Openings
October brings local resident and young artist Bekah Mathieson back to the walls of the Squirrel. PLEASE NOTE: the opening for her show entitled, "I Never Thought I Could Draw," will be held on THURSDAY, October 10 from 5-7pm. This collection of anatomical charcoal drawings will be on display until early November. In November welcome back Chris Bowman for a show of new work called "New Found Art in Newfoundlands."

Adult Bread Class: Flatbreads
Last month's Basic Breadmaking class was completely full and lots of fun. Interested in taking a class in the kitchen at Flying Squirrel? FLATBREADS will be held Sunday, October 20 from 1-4pm. In this class for anyone over the age of 15, we will make fresh whole wheat pita and rustic ciabatta including mixing and shaping the dough, proofing, baking and eating! The class will learn about special dough and oven techniques for handling flatbreads including an introduction to baking with fire and how to simulate brick oven conditions at home. Basic bread making skills are recommended. Please contact Alaska Folk School to sign up by clicking here or by calling 907-733-7111 before October 15.

Taste of Alaska Community Potluck
Tuesday, October 8, 5:30-7pm at Talkeetna Elementary School
Join Talkeetna Elementary School students, parents and staff for a celebration of Alaska foods and healthy eating! This is the 3rd annual potluck and fundraiser for the PTA's healthy snack and salad bar programs at the Elementary School. Free soup dinner featuring Alaska grown foods will be provided by Flying Squirrel Bakery Cafe and all community members are welcome. Bring along a side dish, dessert or homemade bread to share if you can.

Halloween Haunted House - Edible Ones!
Wednesday, October 30, 2-5pm
No - there will NOT be a haunted house at the Squirrel this year - but you can make your own edible haunted house to bring home or share with friends at our annual Halloween Creepy Treats class! Children ages 5-12 will work in groups of 2-3 (with a parent for kids under 7) to create a fun and spooky graham cracker haunted house in this afternoon workshop. Limited to 18 children and it usually fills up, so sign up early!

New Bread Schedule
SUNDAY: Oatmeal Sandwich Loaf • Whole Grain Bagels (plain or with seeds)
MONDAY: CLOSED
TUESDAY: Olive Oil Baguette • Molasses Multigrain
WEDNESDAY: Ciabatta • BAKER'S CHOICE {Sunflower Rye, Eight Grain, Alaska Barley Bread or 100% Whole Wheat}
THURSDAY: Olive-Herb Fougasse • Country Sourdough
FRIDAY: Whole Wheat Baguettes • Whole Wheat Pita (preorder only) • Light Wheat Challah
Gluten Free Bread: First Friday of each month, preorder only
SATURDAY: Olive Oil Baguettes • Cheese Bread • Spent Grain • Whole Wheat Walnut Raisin

VEGGIES FOR SALE!
Ask at the counter for Talkeetna Grown vegetables: kale, winter squash, cabbage and potatoes. They will be available well into December with potatoes offered until they start sprouting in the spring! If you're into sauerkraut or kim-chee, now is the time to call Brian for a quantity discount on cabbages!

Enjoy this glorious autumn weather!
Warmly,
Anita Continue reading »

September News 2013

Summer has been busy in a great way. Successful by all accounts with a great staff, wonderful online reviews, challenging catering opportunities and fun adventures in food! Now it's definitely looking and feeling like autumn around here with a few golden leaves falling from the birch trees, all the kids back in school and, of course, meetings. A few of our hard working friendly staff will be moving on to other adventures for the winter or longer and we say big thanks and good luck to Becca, Johanna, Katie and Kyle. There are LOTS of reasons to frequent the Squirrel this fall especially in the next few weeks...

Art Shows
There is still a little more than a week to come have a look (and a purchase for a great cause) - the Susitna Wild group exhibit is wonderful to see and shows many perspectives on our community connection to the Susitna River. Most of the proceeds from sales of this show will go toward efforts of the Coalition for Susitna Dam Alternatives. That show is coming down on September 12 so if you have a piece hanging in the show that didn't sell, please come to claim it! Coming up next, my dear mother-in-law Leilani Kingsbury will be hanging some of her own photography showing the many years of hard work, reward, and beauty found out at Birch Creek Ranch. The opening reception will be held on Saturday, September 14 from 3-5pm.

Rosh Hashanah Specials
This week, Jews all around the world celebrate the changing of their calendar to a New Year. In celebration of the holiday whose name means literally "head of the year", we will have traditional round challahs, some with golden raisins this Friday, September 6 around 11am as well as sweet, moist honey cakes Wednesday through Friday. To reserve a challah please call with your order before Thursday at noon. Stop in and enjoy an apple slice dipped in honey in hopes of a sweet year to come!

Bread Basics - an Alaska Folk School class at Flying Squirrel
Sunday, September 15, 1-4pm
This course is for anyone over 15 that wants to learn the skills and concepts in making bread. It will be held at the Squirrel and taught by yours truly, Anita Golton! We'll cover everything you need to know about making small batches of homemade bread in your own kitchen. The class is being offered through Alaska Folk School - please go to this link for more information or to register.

Farm Bounty
Every year, farming brings many surprises the best of which this year may have been the flying squirrel that visited Robin Song's porch at the farm. This year there were no raspberries at all but some wonderful tomatoes and record breaking squashes. We continue to use farm produce whenever possible at the Squirrel whether lettuce greens on our panini sandwiches, broccoli and herbs on pizza, cauliflower in the quinoa salad or our new favorite sunshine soup that features pureed summer squash. Brian will still hold a few more weeks of farm stands, so get it while you can - Saturdays in the Squirrel parking lot from 3-6! You can purchase zucchini and yellow squash any time over the counter at the Squirrel and soon we'll add kale once the farm stands are over. Photo by Robin Song.

September Hours
We are now closed on Mondays for the rest of the winter. Everything else stays the same in September and October hours are in the works.
SUNDAY: 8am-5pm
MONDAY: closed
TUESDAY: 7:30am-7pm
WEDNESDAY: 7:30am-7pm
THURSDAY: 7:30am-9pm (Pizza Night: 4-9pm)
FRIDAY: 7:30am-9pm (Pizza Night: 4-9pm)
SATURDAY: 7:30am-9pm (Pizza Night: 4-9pm)

Hoping the Folk School folks don't need to hold an ark building class any time soon! We'll be working on a sun dance special here pretty quick...
Warmly, Anita Continue reading »