Hello Chimacum Corner Community!
The cornucopia is an ancient symbol. Whether Hercules or Zeus, the horn was knocked loose from a deity and became a source of abundance. I prefer the Hercules origin story, because of the intentionality of the struggle and the subsequent relinquishing of the broken horn to the Naiads, freshwater nymphs who crafted the cornucopia from the seized horn. The story makes the object seem more like a relic or talisman, something forged, rather than a blithe accident from a baby god. Sometimes I wonder if there is a cornucopia hidden somewhere in the rafters of Chimacum Corner, pumping out an endless flow of food abundance. The harvests are in, the freezers are full, and now it’s time to “get all fat and sassy,” as a wise woman once said. We are excited about autumn offerings on the Produce Porch, new additions from the Corner Kitchen, and oh so much more, including an epic “last call” Nursery plant sale! Read on to find out all the ways abundance is flowing at Chimacum Corner. As ever, there’s a little bit of somethin’ for everyone here!
Horn of Plenty
The “Corner Cornucopia” starts out on the Produce Porch at the moment, where the Produce team is really putting on a show. The fruit scene is all about the power of the P’s: pomegranates and persimmons! The Fuyu persimmon is nature’s little orange donut, able to be eaten on the firm side, as it lacks the astringency of an unripe hachiya. For vegetables, we are really excited about the abundance of specialty potatoes at the moment. The Pinto, with its reddish pink skin and bright yellow splotches of fun shapes, is the star of the show. Supporting characters include Amarosa Fingerlings, Austrian Crescents, German Butterballs, Huckleberry Golds, and Magic Mollys. All of these potatoes are northwest-grown and certified organic. Finally, no cornucopia is complete without a healthy garnish. We are excited to have local microgreens back on the shelf this week! Molly Fallon of Westward Farm & Craft will be growing Pea Shoots and Radish Microgreens for the Corner all winter long. Be sure and snag one of her Carnival Squash too! Let’s feast!
Case Deals
Apples! By the LB and by the 20lb case. Prices vary from $25 per case to $60 per case for the fancy special types. Our featured cases out on the Produce Porch include Fuji, Braeburn, and Cosmic Crisp! New to the rotation are Evercrisp, a Fuji-Honeycrisp cross, and Crimson Delight, a Gala-Splendour cross!
Super Suds
Your fall cornucopia need not stop at solid foods. There are plenty of delightful liquids on hand to add to your bounty, including some beers from XBP Limited Liquids, our newest addition to our Beer Vendor portfolio. We just brought in a perfect fall beer from Fast Fashion brewing via XBP, a collaboration with Halfway Crooks called the “Harvest Helles Lager.” Look for the safety-gear-orange can! Other fall fluids in the beer scene include new beers from Bellingham’s finest, Aslan Brewing, like the Ginger Rye Spiced Ale and the Tateyama Rice Lager. Lastly, it wouldn’t be fall without a big strong Belgian on hand, so we brought back the classic from Unibroue, aka “La Fin Du Monde.” Fans of La Fin Du Monde should also try Monk’s Indiscretion from local brewers Echoes Brewing (Poulsbo). The beer aisle is feeling abundant and cozy, in perfect stride with crisp autumn nights.
Seasonal Quiche Special
Beat the early morning gloom with the new seasonal Quiche from the Corner Kitchen Crew! The fall flavor is Shiitake Mushroom and Leek. Homemade crust and One Straw Ranch eggs serve as a delightful base for gruyere, local shiitakes, and leeks. The quiche is served in convenient personal-sized slices and reheats beautifully. So long chorizo, hello shiitake!
End of Season Sale
The Corner Nursery is offering some great deals on a select but expansive set of plant starts to help jumpstart your gardens and landscapes for next year! Prices are as marked and range from 25% to up to 40% off! Types of plants include: asters and mums, herbs, sedums and euphorbia, grapes, figs, raspberries, blueberries, and more! In addition to plants, all decorative Nursery pumpkins are 40% off as well! You can really score out there if you’re in the market! Come on down and ramble around the Nursery.
Calling all snackers! We have some great deals on cheeses and crackers. For crackers, the Better with Buckwheat Maine Crisps are a great value at the moment. They are available in two fall-coded flavors: Savory Fig & Thyme, and Cranberry Almond. They are also Grain and Gluten-Free! If you give a mouse a cracker, he will need some cheese to go with it. Thus, we have great savings on the “Nuts for Cheese” brand alt-cheeses, which are billed as a “fermented cashew wedge.” All of their “cheeses” are organic and dairy-free. Both flavors excel: the Black Garlic, and the Un-Brie-Lievable. If you are looking for something local, Chimacum Valley Dairy continues to carry the torch of locally made cheese. We carry three of their cow’s milk based cheeses: Camembert, “Nice Ash”, and their classic West Valley Wheel. The Camembert is truly exquisite, and great for crackers. Thanks Amy Rose and Bruce!
Smashing Pumpkins
Tired of looking at your Jack-O-Lantern but don’t know what to do with it? Smash your pumpkins for a good cause this fall! Keith Dixon of the local non-profit Return To Earth Community Compost is having a Pumpkin Smashing fundraiser at the Jefferson County Fairground this Sunday, November 8th, from 2-4. Enjoy hot cider and DJ tunes while you smash your pumpkin, which will eventually be turned into high grade local compost! The fundraiser is in support of Keith making critical facility upgrades to expand the capacity of the composting program and to improve the quality of the finished compost. We at the Corner are proud of Keith and what he is doing for our community.
While we are on the topic of pumpkins, we thought we would reveal the answer everyone has been eagerly waiting for: the poundage of our XXL pumpkin at the front of the store. The pumpkin clocked in at a clean 180 pounds, which was actually guessed correctly by multiple entrants! Thanks to all who participated in this annual tradition, and congratulations to the winners. Keep an eye out for the large squash specimen at the Pumpkin Smash event! Thanks to Janet of StellarJ for helping with transport!
