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Hello My Friends:
John Cutrone here from Convivio Bookworks in Lake Worth, Florida. It's Thanksgiving week, and I've got the book I'm going to read next already pulled from the bookcase: It's the Random House edition of two stories by Truman Capote, The Thanksgiving Visitor & A Christmas Memory. The latter story is set in late November in the 1930s and it revolves around making the Christmas fruitcake. And if you've ever had a really good, proper Christmas fruitcake, you know the importance of getting it started now, so that the cake has a few weeks to age and soak up its boozy flavor.
Today happens to be Stir-Up Sunday, which comes from the collect after communion today in the Anglican Church on this last Sunday in Ordinary Time before Advent: Stir up, we beseech thee, o Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded . . . etcetera, etcetera. Minnie was at St. Andrew's Saturday evening for the vigil service after a long day at the diner, and when she heard the prayer, she altered the words a bit, inside her head, to the ones she prefers:
Stir up, we beseech thee, the pudding in the pot,
Stir up, we beseech thee, and keep it all hot.
Minnie knows it's Stir-Up Sunday and today she is making not only her Christmas fruitcakes but also a steamed pudding, from a recipe straight out of Dickens' time, back when recipes were called receipts. Minnie's mother made the steamed pudding each Christmas, as did her grandmother before her, and though Minnie's not made it in years, it is time, she says, "to make old things new again."
I've been listening to the new ABBA record, Voyage, over and over again and well, I think perhaps Minnie's on to something. They've scored their first ever Top 10 album here in the States, debuting this past week at No. 2 on the charts. Not bad for a band of septuagenarians. As someone in his 50s, still trying to write his first book, this inspires me.
And so this Thanksgiving I am thankful for ABBA and for Minnie, who inspired me to make my own peanut butter & bacon sandwich at home for breakfast this morning. I was at the counter at Minnie's a couple of years ago and next to me was a young woman, no older than 25, savoring every bite of one of Minnie's famous peanut butter & bacon sandwiches. When she was done, she asked Minnie if she'd share the recipe. Minnie is always straight forward and to the point. She flung her dish rag over her shoulder, then leaned in and balanced her elbow on the counter, propping up her head. "Child," she said, "I cut a Kaiser roll in half, toast it, spread some peanut butter on both sides, set some bacon in the middle, and a bit of jelly. It's so simple, no one thinks of making it. But it's good, and it pays the rent. Don't make me write it down."
I'm thankful, too, for all that's in my life, which includes all of you. I thank you for reading my stories (I do hope you liked the Halloween Dispatch––I've not heard much in reply), and I thank you for supporting what we do, which is focused on supporting traditional artisans in their labor. To that end, we're having the same Big Stock-Up Sale we had last year at this time. Here it is:
CHRISTMAS STOCK-UP SALE
Take $10 off your order of $75 on everything in the shop with discount code STREETFAIR, plus get free domestic shipping, too, for a savings of almost twenty bucks. Click here to shop!
We've got a bevy of new Advent calendars from Germany and new (and classic) Advent candles from the UK. For Chanukah, handmade soaps and tea towels. In the Christmas department: a whole lot of new artisan woodcrafts from Sweden and Germany. Our favorites? New miniature nutcrackers, incense burners, and the most adorable matchbox scenes, all handmade of painted wood. You'll find a few surprises, too (Swedish ribbon, German napkins, English paper garlands.)
COME SEE US!
We're also popping up at a few local outdoor markets this season. Three are definitely in the works, and who knows, there may be more. Keep up with us on Instagram @conviviobookworks to never miss a beat!
HOLIDAY MARKET at MATTHEWS BREWING CO.
Sunday November 28 from 2 to 8 PM at 130 South H Street in Lake Worth Beach. We’ll have a table in the outdoor courtyard, focused on Advent candles, Advent calendars, and a selection of Christmas artisan goods from Germany, Sweden, and Mexico.
HOLIDAY NIGHT MARKET & FESTIVAL at SOCIAL HOUSE
Saturday December 4 starting at 6 PM at 512 Lucerne Avenue in Downtown Lake Worth Beach. Inspired by traditional European Christmas markets. We’ll have a tent in the outdoor courtyard with a large selection of our Advent and Christmas artisan goods from Germany, Sweden, and Mexico, Shaker culinary herbs and herbal teas, and some of our textiles from Kei & Molly Designs and Millie’s Tea Towels.
CHRISTKINDLMARKT at the AMERICAN GERMAN CLUB
Saturday December 11 from 2 to 10 PM and Sunday December 12 from Noon to 8 PM at 5111 Lantana Road in suburban Lake Worth. A traditional German Christmas market. Tickets required. Our largest pop-up shop ever will include Advent candles and calendars, Christmas artisan goods from Germany, Sweden, and Mexico, Shaker culinary herbs and herbal teas and soaps, Millie’s Tea Towels, our new line of tea towels and reusable bags from Kei & Molly Designs, market bags from Mexico, and more.
Happy Thanksgiving.
John
"Thank you, and write when you can."
Convivio Bookworks
Inspired goods from around the globe and close to home...
Books and broadsides, made by hand in Lake Worth, Florida.
www.conviviobookworks.com
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