Mother's Day at the Mercantile

Photo credit: JudyStalus on Flickr

Hi friends. Just wanted to give you advance notice that the Milkweed Mercantile is serving Brunch on Mother’s Day, Sunday May 9th from 9:00 am -2:00 pm.

We’ll have a full Brunch menu, including:

• Classic Eggs Benedict made with Primmer's Pastured Ham, Homemade English Muffins, and farm-egg Hollandaise
• Blueberry & Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast served with real maple syrup
• Quiche with sundried tomatoes, feta and nettles served with a small salad

(May I stop here just for a second and say just how much we love Anthony?)

We’ll also have specials for children.

Photo Credit: RickBucich on Flickr

Rise and Shine meets Bottoms Up
We’ll be serving a variety of morning cocktails and “mocktails:” from Bellinis and Mimosas to Virgin Sunrises, we've got you covered.

All meals feature our own bread, house-made organic cheese made from organic raw local milk, pastured local meats, farm-fresh eggs from happy chickens, and organic produce. We serve Coffee (roasted in Minneapolis ) and SerendipiTea, both organic and Fair Trade.

Photo credit: JudyStalus on Flickr

Spring Flowers
In cooperation with Danette at Countryside Flowers we’re making it easy for you to pre-order a gorgeous spring bouquet which will be waiting at your table when you and your partner/wife/mom/mother-in-law/date/sister/friend/surrogate arrive. Bouquets can include your choice of lilies, daisies, gerbera daisies, larkspur, snapdragon, carnations, stock and spray roses (which come 4-5 blossoms on a stem). Let us know how much you’re interested in spending, and we’ll take care of the rest. $25-$60

A Relaxing Massage at the Mercantile
We have arranged for Nani to do four 75-minute massages on Mother’s Day. Massages will be given in a quiet, private room upstairs in the Mercantile. We’ll provide the music, essential oils, sheets and ambiance - you provide the recipient. Each massage will be followed by a light, refreshing snack. Sliding scale $60-$80

Please make your reservations by Wednesday, May 5th to ensure a seat, bouquet and/or massage.

After the event we'll post pictures - it's bound to be a great day!

If you build it, they will come.

Brian, Apple and Ali sing for the crowd

Oh, my. Be careful what you wish for because sometimes your wishes really do come true!

Anthony preparing Chickpea Fries with Spicy Pimenton Sauce for the Grand Opening

Local friends peruse the buffet.

We had the official Grand Opening of the Milkweed Mercantile two Saturdays ago. It was a gorgeous sunny day. Lots of folks showed up, we had musicians playing and singing, and the food, of course, was amazing. More Grand Opening photos here.

La Quercia charcuterie (from Norwalk, Iowa)

Then last Saturday we opened for lunch, and were delighted to have a full house once again. It was the day of the regularly scheduled DR tour and Bob brought the group to the Mercantile as the last stop. It began to rain, then pour, so the entire group came in for a beer, and then sat on the porch for a few hours discussing Dancing Rabbit and "waiting for the rain to stop." Then a really fun group of students from Knox College came for a tour. They come every other year - last time they were here they stayed for the No-Talent Show that was happening and were a bit hit. Serendipity abounds, and a No-Talent Show was scheduled - Liat invited them to stay. By the time the show was over, it had been raining hard for about six hours, and there was no way they were going to get to Sandhill Farm (where they were scheduled to spend the night) on our muddy, rutted roads. So they spent the night, scattered here and there, in the common house and on the Mercantile porch.

The Judys

And that's still not the end! We were thrilled to meet Jan and Greg Judy of Green Pastures Farm. They do a "mob grazing" style of raising pastured beef. It is not only good for the animals (and for us by producing healthier meat) but it is good for the land, too. We sat and talked through dinner, mesmerized, and all got very excited about this method of farming. I am SO not doing a good job of explaining this, but promise to do better later. In the meantime check out their website. We're hoping to host Greg here at the Mercantile to do a workshop on October 9th, 2010.

The Milkweed Mercantile Bar by candlelight

Last, but certainly not least, is the reception that our "bar" is receiving. We're currently holding Happy Hour Thursday - Sunday; we usually close at 9:00 but have been known to go as late as 10:00 p.m. Not exactly a wild time but a comfortable place to come and have a drink and chat with friends, new and old. After a week of rain we finally ran out of power and had to shut off the inverter (to save the batteries). So we lit a bunch of candles (many in beer bottles - Marth Stewart has nothing on us in the decor department!) and carried on. It was great fun. Anthony took the photo (above) from his phone while tending bar.

So things are good. Business continues to increase every day, and we are really enjoying ourselves. Life is fantastic!