Blue Cheese????????

I know, I know, I know....

Some of you (with your nose all crinkled up)
are saying, "I don't like Blue cheese."

But, neither d0 I, but somehow this recipe makes it all okay.

Maybe it's the brandy, or the yummy Fig & Walnut Butter, whatever it is.....

we served them a few days ago at the store, and they were a big hit!!!

Here's the easy recipe that takes about 2 minutes to prepare and about 10 minutes to bake!

Fig and Walnut Butter with Blue Cheese Tartlets
Makes 30 cups (15 servings)

Ingredients
2 packages of fillo cups (Athens or The Fillo Factory brand)
5 oz. Blue cheese
1 jar Stonewall Kitchen Fig and Walnut Butter
4 Tablespoons Brandy or Cognac
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Freshly snipped chives for garnish

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix Stonewall Kitchen Fig and Walnut Butter with the Brandy or Cognac.
Arrange the fillo cups on a lined baking sheet.
Place a small square of cheese snugly in the bottom of each cup.
Top with approximately 1 teaspoon of Butter mixture.
Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

Place on an attractive serving platter and garnish with chopped chives.

People will be amazed!
Come on into the store and we'll help you look like a gourmet chef!
We have so many ideas for holiday entertaining!!!
Stonewall Kitchen specialties make wonderful gifts!

Grungy Battery Operated Tapers are BACK!!

It never fails, no matter how many we order of these,
we always sell out before we realize it!
And then we have to wait for them to come back in again!

Well, they are back, but we don't know
for how long ~ Our guess is that they won't last
the weekend, so if you want any,
hurry, hurry, hurry, and skidaddle on over to Brown & Hopkins!!!

Grungy Battery Operated Tapers are

shown above in cinnamon, buttermilk, mustard and burgundy.....

WE ONLY have the cinnamon and the buttermilk.

They are $6.95 each and come with two AA batteries.

The life of the bulb (not replaceable) is about 700 hours.
These candle fit in standard candle holders,
but when in doubt,
feel free to bring in your candle holders to try them out!

Their little flickering glow is perfect to
light a nook where electric power is unavailable,
or where you don't want to see ugly wires hanging around.

Also, perfect on the dining room table!!

Dip Tip! White Bean & Artichoke!

Here's a great dip for the holiday parties you have been invited to!

White Bean & Artichoke Dip
1 Jar Stonewall Kitchen White Bean Dip
1- 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained and coarse chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp. parsley, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the Stonewall Kitchen White Bean Dip,
artichoke hearts and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
Mix well and place in a 2-cup (16 ounce) shallow baking dish.
Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese over the top.
Bake for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Garnish with chopped parsley.
Serve with crackers or sliced French bread..

Delicious!

oh yeah.....

And

EASY!

FUN! Earrings for Your BEADS!!!!

Sterling silver earrings!
Just $14.95 per pair, plus the cost of the beads you choose!
Easy to change in just a second!!!

We received a new batch of beads in this week!
Stop in soon for the best selection!

Snow Day!

Well, at least a "Snow Morning"!

We woke up to a few inches of snow this morning,
and with school being cancelled, I decided to take the morning off!

Usually Bruce is just like a boy scout...prepared for anything!
But this storm took him by surprise, and he didn't have his plow hooked up yet, soooooooooo,

now that the town has so kindly plowed the road in front of our house, and the slosh from the road is strewn into our driveway, I would have to get all bundled up, and go out into that frigid weather, and shovel my way out of the frozen crust!
Bruce is at work now, so he would usually be the one doing this!
Of course, I can't stay at home for very long,
so I might just go do it myself, but it won't be right now!
I remember as a teenager,whenever it snowed, I would drive my mother crazy when I said, " I am going shopping!" Oh, she was so afraid to drive in the snow, and would practically have a nervous breakdown whenever I pulled this stunt! Now as a mom, I know how she felt!
Payback is something, ain't it!

If you are planning a visit to the store, please call first!

401-568-4830

You never know how the roads are in our snowbelt of RI,
so if there is no answer, we are closed!
We'll see you on Thursday!
Don't forget,

Candlelight Shopping in Chepachet
is on Thursday Eves from 6pm to 9pm!!!

It'll be so pretty with the snow all around!

Dress warm, and wear your galoshes!

"Yes, MOM!"
Geesh!

Oh, there goes another town plow................UGH!

Our Most Popular Print!

We have taken so many orders on this print this season!

I especially would like one for my new home!

It says it all!

Living Life

"Life is not a race - but indeed a journey. Be Honest. Work Hard. Be Choosy.

Say "thank you", and "great job" to someone each day. Go to church, take time for prayer. The Lord givith and the Lord taketh. Let your handshake mean more than pen and paper.

Love your life and what you've been given, it is not accidental ~ search for your purpose and do it as best you can. Dreaming does matter. It allows you to become that which you inspire to be. Laugh often. Appreciate the little things in life and enjoy them.

Some of the best things really are free. Do not worry, less wrinkles are more becoming.

Forgive, it frees the soul. Take time for yourself ~ Plan for longevity.

Recognize the special people you've been blessed to know.

Live for today, enjoy the moment."

We will offer this print with a special textured finish (no glass)

and a 2" Black worn frame in 2 sizes,

16 x 20 for $89.95 plus shipping
and 22 x 28 for $109.00 plus shipping.

Available on our website.

www.brownandhopkins.com

Ahhh......There's Nothing Like The Scent of a Fresh Pine Tree

Here is a recent comment from a great customer!

Comments: On my last visit to your store I purchased several items but one is particular. I got the "ScentSicles". I only have a little 2-1/2' tree and I placed them here and there and now when you walk by my little (artifical) tree it smells just like a balsam fir. I love them and recommend them to anyone who wants the smell of a real tree (without the mess lol)
Hope you continue to have them during the Christmas seasons to come.

Carol-Ann

Merry Christmas to you all !

There's just one little problem.....

That wonderful aroma only lasts a few days!

At Brown & Hopkins we have just the solution!

ScentSicles!!

Finally, a smart and affordable way to make
artificial Christmas trees smell like real trees
or extend the scent of a real tree!!
ScentSicles are 6" scented sticks topped with a
gold jewel cap for inserting an ornament hook
to hang on a Christmas tree or any other Holiday decoration.
ScentSicles create the wonderful memories of Christmas
and the holidays virtually anywhere, anytime.

You could even use them in your car, closet,
school/gym locker or office!

A few customers say they are going to place it in their
desk drawer at work, so they can be brought back
to this special time of year....
especially teachers!!!

Available in the pine scent
or the aroma of Grandma's Kitchen......
cookies baking and spiced cider brewing!

One package of 8 scentsicles in a resealable bag for just $8.95!

Great for those who can't have a real tree because of allergies,
but you can still have the scent of a real tree!

You'll need only 2 or 3 Scentsicles to scent a tree!!
They are awesome!!

Secret Ingredient Food Tour

We are so excited to be part of
The Blackstone Valley Tourism

Secret Ingredient Food Tour!

Tickets ($19.50 per person) may be purchased by calling 401-724-2200

or online by clicking here!

Date: Wednesday, December 9th

Time: 6pm to 9pm

Where: Brown & Hopkins Country Store

What: You'll be treated to an assortment of easy appetizers
just perfect for the holiday season!
Recipes will be provided!
Enjoy passed appetizers while you shop
in our 200 year old country store!
Shrimp Cocktail with Tequila Lime Cocktail Sauce!

Roasted Apple Pork Skewers!

White Bean and Artichoke Dip!

Meatballs in Raspberry Honey Mustard Sauce!

Hot Pepper Jelly Kielbasa!

Fig & Walnut Butter with Blue Cheese Tarts!

plus an assortment of dips and cheeseballs!

Let the party begin!

Space is limited, so don't delay!

The Cookbook Has Arrived!!!!

Yippee!!!!

It's gorgeous!

It's full of wonderful recipes!

Spread the word!!!!

Come and get one (or two) today!

They'll make a great gift for the cook on your gift list!

Lights ~ Trees ~ ACTION!!!!!

So many customers keep commenting about our teeny, tiny white lights.

"These are soooooooooooo cute!"

"I love the brown wire!"

"These little lights are magical!"

"I love these so much more than the regular Christmas string lights!"

We have these little lights everywhere!
On trees, on garlands, anywhere we need a little sparkle!
And since they are so tiny, they aren't just for the holidays!
We use them all year long!
In fact, these little gems have so much life in them,
that I plugged in a set last November, and it is still working!
Keep in mind that I never turn them off,
and this extends the life of them,
because they are not constantly being turned on and off!!!!

Here are the details....

Set of 20 lights ~ on 60" of wire (bulbs spaced 2.5" apart) are great for small trees and wreaths and are just $5.95 each.

Set of 50 lights ~ length is 11 feet and is good for a 5' mantle or small trees. $9.95 each

Set of 100 lights ~ length is 19 feet and is perfect for trees! Can plug into each other, but not end to end. $13.95 each.

These bulbs work even if one bulb burns out!!!

Paulette's Party Pics!!!

Paulette recently hosted a private shopping party at
Brown & Hopkins for many of her friends and family!
It was a fabulous and festive night! They enjoyed samples of our gourmet specialities
like the Swedish meatballs in our Raspberry Honey Mustard Dip,
a new cheeseball to which wine is added,
and of course, our famous Vidlaia Onion Dip!!! Guests were caught peering into the penny candy case,
and oohing and ahhing over our displays. I had fun snapping some photos of the camera shy hostess. Oh, and by the way, Thanks ALOT Paulette
for bringing pastry from Pastiche......I almost ate all of it single handedly!!!!

We could probably squeeze in one more private shopping party on December 4th, if anyone is interested.......just call the store at 568-4830 for more info!

Childhood Memories

As a kid, I loved candy!

Actually, I haven't changed much in that department...I still love candy!

One of my most vivid candy memories
was at Christmas time, when my Mom would buy
Gingerbread candy aka sponge candy for me.
It is quite an unusual melt in your mouth treat,
having an airy and crunchy texture,
with the slight taste of molasses,
even though there isn't a drop of molasses in it!

Displayed in a wooden barrel in the shop,
it fits appropriately into our gingerbread theme!
Isn't it funny how the simplest things
can bring you back to days gone by?

Does anyone else remember this candy?

Genuine Bayberry Candles

One of the most popular items now being ordered on our online shopping site are our
Genuine Bayberry Candles. They are available in 6" (approx 3 hours burn time) and 8" (approx 4 hours burn time) and come in an attractive gift box with the Brown & Hopkins logo and the following legend......"A bayberry candle burned to the socket, puts luck in the home, food in the larder, and gold in the pocket". Burned to the nub on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve,

they bring good luck for the coming year. Now couldn't we all use a little of that!?

When colonial families settled on the Eastern seaboard, they set about on their “women’s work”. Each day, the women of the house were responsible for the cooking, cleaning and care of the home. In late fall, as the animals were slaughtered, women would begin making candles for the following year. The average home would require approximately 200 - 400 candles to illuminate the home for a year. Tallow, or animal fat, was collected throughout the year, but slaughter always brought more fat to the home. As candle making was grueling and smelly work, the bulk of it was done in a single day.

Tallow can be quite foul after a few weeks. Imagine how much worse it must be after several months! In more affluent homes, the women would make candles from beeswax or bayberry wax, as the aroma was far sweeter than anything an animal would leave behind.

Women would gather bushels of bayberries and boil them for several hours. This heating process allowed the waxy substance to seep from the berries. As the wax has a natural buoyancy, the wax floated to the top of the kettle. Once the wax cooled, it was skimmed off much the same way we skim chicken fat from cooled broth today. It takes approximately 15 pounds of bayberries to render one pound of wax. Bayberry wax is brittle by nature, and prone to “blooming”, which is a white powdery residue that forms on the outside of the candle after several months. Candles had to be stored in a cool flat place to protect their fragile shape.

Over time, chandlers made their rounds, relieving women of the chore of candle making. Thank goodness I wasn't a colonial woman......because if Bruce needed me to make candles from animal fat, well, let's just say......we would have been living in a very dark home!!!

Eventually, molds and paraffins were developed to replace tallow and chandlers altogether.
Our true bayberry taper candles make a very nice hostess gift on Christmas Eve or New Years Eve.

Annies Angel Fundraiser 2009

Each year we hold a fundraiser for Annie Walsh,
a sweet local teenager who is currently on the
waiting list for a double lung transplant.
For the past few years we have offered angel ornaments,
but this year the manufacturer was unable to
supply us with them, so we needed to go back to the drawing board.
And that is when it "hit me"!!!!

I remember this story like it was yesterday.......

Earlier this year, Annie's Mom,
Sue was visiting Brown & Hopkins.
It was a rainy spring day.
Sue had left the store, only to return an instant later.....

She went over to our front window and grasped an item from it.
She held it to her heart.
"I have to have this.", she said.
"I tell my kids all the time that this is what 'it's' all about....."

The item was a country plate with the following words...

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass,
it's about learning to dance in the rain.

Tears came to my eyes. As they are right now as I write this......
The saying is so true.
They say when you have your health, you have everything.
I also think, in light of so many struggling in the world right now,
the saying is even more meaningful and powerful.

I presented the idea to Sue, and she loved it!

So, this year we are offering this 9" Dance in the Rain plate,
complete with a sentiment from Annie's Mom on the back of it.
The plates are in limited supply, and are available for $14.95 each.
A portion of the proceeds goes directly to the Annies Angel fund
to help Annies family with her medical expenses.
This item will make a wonderful gift for everyone!
A reminder to everyone that life is as good as you make it!!!!
Plate stands to sit or hang the plate will be available.

We will take orders over the phone at 401-568-4830
Or, you may make your purchase when you visit!
Key tags may not be punched for this since it is a fundraising item.

Thank You!!!

Cookbook Update!

The cookbook publisher tells us, if everything goes as planned,
The Brown & Hopkins Friends & Family Cookbook
will be here before December 18th!!!
Just in time for holiday gifting!!!

We had over 100 different contributors,
and over 280 delectable recipes!

I gained weight just typing them!!!!

One that I still have in my memory is "Amaretto Chicken"......it sounded so gooooooooood!

Oh, and "Auntie Ida's Chocolate Cake", which has been in one family for three generations....and now the secret is OUT!!!! Shhhhhh, don't tell anyone.

And let's not forget my own
Mom's "Best Brownies Ever"....she would bake these
and always have them on hand!
My kids loved going to Nanny's house!

I dedicated the cookbook to my Mom, Cecilia,
who would have loved working on this project with me,
and who would have been prouder than a peacock
to see her treasured recipes in print!
If you have a moment,
I'd like to tell you a funny little story about my MOM...

"Back in the 1980's, she worked for the famous A.T. Cross Pen company in Lincoln, as a test-writer, which basically meant she had to write the letter 'e' in cursive, over and over and over again, by hand, and if the pen ink refill created a drop of ink at the top of the 'e', then it was a dud, and got tossed. Well, to pass the time at this tedious job, she listened to her cooking shows on her radio headphones! And you know what happened next.......YUP, she started writing the recipes that folks would call in to the radio show!
So, I have bins full of sheets of paper,
with the letter 'e' all over them,
with recipes scattered intermittantly!!!
Oh, sure, she would get 'in trouble' for doing that
every now and then.....but she never stopped!
Eeeeeeeeeeeee heheheheeeeeeeeeeee She was a rebel! LOL"

We are taking pre-orders on the cookbook, which is a high quality, three ring binder, with a padded hard back, full color cover.
They are available for $19.95 each, with a 50% deposit.

We only ordered 300 copies! Reserve yours today!!

Also, if you were a contibutor to the cookbook,
and would like to make one of your recipes
for our Brown & Hopkins customers to try,
please contact me by email at

shopkeeper@brownandhopkins.com

I am tossing around the idea of holding a holiday party on
Sunday, December 20th!!!

I would love to try Michelle's Rum Balls, wouldn't you????

I'll keep you posted!

Wedding Details as Promised

Our wedding cake was baked and decorated by Wrights Farm Bakery.....

Lemon cake with cream cheese frosting......
served with raspberry sauce.....yummy!
The cake turned out even better than I had imagined!
It is so hard to convey your idea without a photogragh,
but Ellen at Wrights did an awesome job!
I don't know if I'll be able to wait until our first anniversary
to dive into the top of the cake....

I am thinking of convincing Bruce that we have it
when we move into the new house!!!
I think that sounds like a plan!
Don't you????

Barbara set up all 18 of our centerpieces
on the morning of the wedding!
They consisted of a large mirror as a base,
a bubble vase filled with faux green apples,
surrounded by a wispy vine, and other florals,
and the finishing touch....a rustic birch bird perched atop!
Candlelight surrounded each one,
as well as little blocks of wood with the words.....

Live each moment...
Love beyond words...
Laugh Everydaya

That's our motto!

The table numbers were actually named after trees........
Just sort of a rustic theme I was going after....
I also thought of the idea of making the
place cards out of slivers or rounds of wood,
that could double as a drink coaster if someone so desired.....
Bruce was really glad that I found
someone to make these for me.....LOL
It was one less thing on his "Honey Do" list!
But I did hand write everyones name on their placecards....
and it was a casual wedding, so I wanted the placecards
to be on a first name basis only!
That way it could be a little keepsake for our guests.
In keeping with the "tree, rustic theme",
for wedding favors, I decided upon pieces of
chocolate bark (white, milk and dark) with almonds
which were bagged and ribbon tied, and placed at each place setting.....

Making those up was a delicious job....
and there wasn't one left over at the end of the night!
Instead of sugar packets for guests coffee, I ordered little rock candy swizzle sticks for them to use in their coffee....
Unfortunately most of them got eaten as a lollipop before the coffee arrived...
Oh well, I guess I should have made a little sign as to what they were for...LOL

During our ceremony, we presented a love letter
to each other in sealed envelopes,
placed then in a wooden box
with two bottles of wine (one for me and one for him...LOL),
and closed the box.
The letters are to be opened on our 5th wedding anniversary,
or anytime in our marriage if we start to have "serious issues".
In the letters we were supposed to write
what made us fall in love with each other.
Bruce keeps thinking that I am going to peek......
I only did that when I was a kid!!!!!
I like surprises now.....

Notice how our photographer captured the reflection
of the fall foliage in the bottle of wine....I love that!!

Bruces' gift to the guys were a pair
of RayBan sunglasses, Blues Brothers style.......

And the reason behind that is that he loves their music.
In fact, during our introduction into the reception,
two Blues Brothers tunes were played......
it was sooooooooooooooo much FUN!!!!!

The girls and I, including little Clare,
wore feather boas,
which really added some more FUN to the reception!

I had made a guest book from photos
from our engagement session,
and asked our guests to write a special note to us.
Wow, did we get some interesting advice and lots of good wishes!
I wanted something to keep and look back on rather than just a book with names in it.

Here is a photo of my bouquet with
my Mom's vintage rhinestone pin attached to it.
I guess you can say,
"I'm a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll",
as alot of times my primitive side is blended with a little bit of sparkle!!
Hence, the rustic theme, with little touches of glam!

Thank you to my staff for putting up with me this year!!!!
You were all a great help to me at the store,
not to mention all the extra time spent on "the wedding"!!!!
Hugs and Kisses to everyone!!!!

Oh, and there's that feather boa......
Oh, I have so many pictures of guests
having a gooooood time with them! It was one of the best decisions I made!

OMG...I have to get to the store and set up more Christmas!!!!!!
See you soon!!!!

Snow is Flying in Chepachet!

I am so sorry I haven't taken any photos lately......

there just hasn't been enough time in the day!

Starting today,
through October 30th at Noon,
the store will be CLOSED!!!

We will be setting up the remaining holiday displays!

The sparkles and snow will be flying!

Here are the dates and times of our

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE

Friday ~ October 30th ~ Noon to 5pm

Saturday ~ October 31st ~ 10am to 5pm

Sunday ~ November 1st ~ Noon to 5pm

We will send out an email on Wednesday

with more particulars

and maybe a few sneak peeks.....

Smorgasboard of Stuff To Say!

Over one week has passed since my last blog post!!

You know what that means, don't you????

We've been busy!!!

Yippee!!!

We have 8 private shopping parties booked with room for maybe just one or two more!

So if you are mulling over the thought of having one...don't delay!
Contact us at the store at 401-568-4830
and we'll let you know which dates are available!

More info on the Shopping Parties is here!!

Since we have been busy,
I have been chained to my desk
and re-ordering merchandise like a crazy woman!
That's a good thing!

Of course, I have been goofing off a bit and spending time

admiring the work of our wedding photographer!

Link to our Photographers Blog

I just love weddings...Who's getting married next???
I want to go to a wedding!!!

It was so much fun putting together all the little details.....

And when I have a spare moment,
I will create a post of just the details,
so you can see what I worked on all summer long!

But for now it is back to business!!!

Right now, all of our

Fall & Halloween decor is on sale at

25% off!!!

The most "boo"tiful items are disappearing quickly!

I will be sending out an email on Thursday

about this weekends event!!!

What???!!!!
You aren't on our email list???

Get those fingers walking right over to

our website

and sign up!!!

We send all sorts of stuff.....events, sales, recipes, coupons!!
Don't miss a thing!!!

The NEW Book is IN!!!!!

Hot off the Press!!!!!

Prim Eye Candy!!!!

Hot New Find Is Now Back in Stock!!!

I just love this funky new sterling silver ring I found!
We quickly sold out of them the first weekend

we received them back in July!
We have now stocked up a bit,

but once again,

word is out and they are disappearing quickly!

Come in and try one on for size today!

Not too clunky and not too wimpy....

a nice solid sterling ring to use with your glass beads!

Change your ring to fit match your mood or your outfit!

Available in sizes 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9 and 9.5!

At just $34.95 (bead additional), these rings
are going to make fantabulous gifts!!

Coming soon....a new way to wear your beads around your neck....

I will post as soon as those arrive!!!

We have quite a few, affordably priced,
high quality sterling silver beads as well as our

economically priced,
high quality rhodium plated glass beads!!!

Our customers have forced us to reorder
this line several times since we debuted it in July!
One gal designed her own Fall bracelet
with autumn colored beads and fun beads
such as a ghost, a cat, and a pumpkin!!!!

Taking orders for holiday beads now!!!

Back to Business, but First... a Few Wedding Pics and a Video!!

What a glorious day, weather wise, it was!

Who could ask for more??? 75 degrees and not a cloud in the sky!

Here are a few practically professional

pics taken by my niece, Jacinda,

and an awesome video of our first official dance!

Thank you so much, Jaci!!!!

I've watched it about 5 times already!!!!

I am getting all googly! The whole gang.... Matron of Honor, Linda, Usher, Bill, Best Man, Tracy, me, Bruce, my oldest son, Sam, my son, Kevin, my sister, Nancy, and of course, Clare, my great niece!!!!!

My sons, Kevin and Sam, (Are they handsome, or what?!)
and my two beautiful great nieces, Clare and Quinn.

Adorable Clare!!!!! We'll be hiring her out for flowergal duties....she was impeccably good!!!

A laugh between best friends.......

Just the girls!

Our first official dance!!!!!

Click below for the video!

http://pictastic.smugmug.com/Weddings/Liz-and-Bruce/9784022_TGDdi#663895607_jmnKj

It was all down hill from there! When I got home from the honey moon, I checked on the condition of my gown......Somewhere during the evening two of my buttons popped off the back of my gown where it attaches the train to the back.....Lord knows how long I went around with a droopy train!!!!

I guess everyone was having too much of a good time to notice!!!!

It was so much fun....let's do it again next week!!!

Oh, that's right, I have a store to run!!!!!

Okay, I am officially back to work tomorrow!

Thanks to all who held up the fort while I was in LaLa Land!!!!

CLOSED ON SEPTEMBER 20th!!!!!!

If you haven't heard the news...

I am getting hitched!

AM I CRAZY, you ask????

Yup, I am crazy.......

Crazy for the guy who swept me off my feet,

and took care of me while I was rehabilitating from my accident.....

Above photo taken July 2, 2007
Does he realize what he's getting himself into??!!

OH, well....too late now!

The cake is ordered!
And we all know, we can't let good cake go to waste!
On Sunday, September 20th, the store will be closed....

Everyone who works here is going to the wedding!

A great big thank you to all

who sent their best wishes over the past few weeks!

It means so much!!!!

Chow Down on Corn Chowder!

It's that time of year again!
I know we've been out of this for some time,
and were just waiting for the weather to cool off a bit to bring it back in!

It is so good! In fact...
It's Award Winning!
Corn Chowder Soup Mix Ingredients:
Air freeze-dried corn, rice, onions,

celery, carrots, red pepper, chives

and herbs.

No added salt, preservatives or MSG.
And it's Gluten Free!

Recipe Additions:
2 to 3 white potatoes

8 cups chicken broth

2 cups heavy cream
(When fresh corn is available,

cut the kernels off 2 or 3 cobs

and set aside. Add cobs to the broth

with the potatoes and continue with the recipe.

Remove cobs and add the fresh corn with the cream.)

For meatier chowder, add diced chicken breast,

crabmeat or clams.

Corn Chowder Soup Recipe

Directions:
Peel and dice potatoes and place in a 4 quart pot.
Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Add contents of corn chowder soup mix and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
Add cream and heat, uncovered, on low until slightly thickened about 15 to 30 minutes.
Remove bay leaf before serving.

Inventive Soup Recipe Variations:
Scallops and Shrimp Corn Chowder Soup:
Add 1/2 pound each of scallops and peeled

medium shrimp after adding the cream

for last ten minutes of cooking time.

You can even make this in the crockpot...
My favorite method of slaving over a hot stove....

Crock Pot/Slow Cooker Recipe Directions:
Recommended crock pot: 4 quart
Peel and dice potatoes and place in a slow cooker.
Add chicken broth and contents of corn chowder soup mix. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
Add cream and any optional additions, stir and continue to cook 1 hour on HI. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Brown & Hopkins Needs YOUR Help!

Barbara was watching The Today Show,

and saw a segment that could possibly

earn Brown & Hopkins the national recognition it is so deserving of....

Please help by endorsing us for the nomination....

Shine a light on us by

Clicking

http://shinealight.ivillage.com/sbo-profile/?ProfileID=4426

You MUST register for your vote to count, but believe me, it only takes a half a minute, and it would really mean the world to us at the store.

If we became one of the finalists, it would be the best wedding present a gal could ever dream of.....

Come on, whatcha waitin' for?

We need a minimum of 50 folks to log on

to the link above, and endorse us!

The deadline is September 13th......hurry!

And...

Thank You!

We're Getting an AWARD!!!!

Brown & Hopkins Country Store

has been chosen to receive

the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council's

Footprints in History Award!

This is in honor of our 200th year
in continuous operation!

How exciting!!!!!!

This honor will be given during the

BVTC's, 24th Annual Awards Dinner and Silent Auction.

The event is being held on September 24th
at Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, RI.

Also being honored is Danny Smith ~ Co-Executive Producer, writer, actor of The Family Guy tv show! My kids love that show!

The event is open to the public.
Click here for tickets and more information,

or call 401-724-2200....
They are serving Chicken Piccata (YUM)
or a Vegetarian Eggplant Tower!

It is with great sadness that I won't be able to personally accept this award of the stores' behalf, as my honey and I will be on our honeymoon....

Let me know if anyone wants to stand in on my behalf.....
To accept the award SILLY,

not go on the honeymoon!!!!!!!!!!!

Mark Your Calender!!

Fall Open House!

Friday, September 4th, 10am to 5pm

Saturday, September 5th, 10am to 5pm

Sunday, September 6th, Noon to 5pm

Monday, Labor Day, Noon to 5pm

FREE Gifts for ALL*!!

*while supplies last

Sample our fabulous Pumpkin Fudge!

See how we decorate with garlands and fall florals!

Barbara has been creating again!
Come one, come all!
Help us celebrate the start of Fall!

This will be the last weekend of our
Summer Clearance Sale!
Pending weather and energy (ours)...we will have a
sidewalk sale on all
summer items!