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