The Women are Fantastic Friday meme is curated by Sophie, of A Hole in the Fence. It gives us a chance to tell about the women in our lives who are encouraging us to have a "We Can Do It" attitude. Today I am telling the story of Casey and the Magnolia's Cafe of Patterson, New York (previously in Carmel).

Finally there's a real cafe in Patterson, New York. As soon as the Magnolia's Cafe sign went up -- weeks before they opened -- rumors and hopes flew high.

"There is / was a Magnolia's Cafe in Carmel (New York, of course). They serve organic / healthy food. Their food is fantastic!" In general, there were lots of optimistic ideas about an abundance of good eats soon to be in Patterson.

Magnolia's Cafe opened in February, the week that the temperatures plummeted into an unbearable walking range -- at least for me. My daring, darling husband took a package to the post office and turned it into an opportunity to do some cafe reconnaissance.

When Billy returned home, I got a full report on the appearance of the pancakes: "the size of the plate and almost 1/2" thick!" And I received an order: "I don't care what the weather is doing next weekend we are going to go have breakfast!"

We are officially addicted. Every rumor was understated.

When we visit Magnolia's Cafe I hear things like this: "Oh it's such a good thing Casey lost that lease." "This is so much better for Casey." "She has so much more room here." Everyone is so pleased!

And each and every visit I observe someone new become addicted or one of her former customers will show up for the first time and rave about the new digs and be so excited to be reunited with Magnolia's Cafe's food and friendliness.

My respect for Casey, the owner of Magnolia Cafe, and her crew has also grown with every visit. And so I asked Casey for an interview and she willingly agreed ... especially when I told her why I wanted to write about her and hers for Women are Fantastic Friday.

The first thing I asked Casey about was the move -- was it true that they lost their lease? The answer is that it was actually a mutual agreement not to renew the lease. Casey had been combing the area for two years trying to find a new location. But nothing would work out. The rent would be too high or this or that or the other would be insufficient.

One of her employees' sons lives in Patterson and he kept telling Casey about this fantastic spot right across from the Patterson train station. Casey kept thinking it would be too far away and she would lose all of her customers ... but finally ... just so she could say she looked ... she looked.

Casey told me, "As soon as I walked in, I knew that this was exactly the right place for Magnolia's Cafe." And then, Casey and I reviewed how the spot had been vacant for almost a year and how an easing in certain utility restrictions was negotiated right before she came to look at the spot. And we came to the agreement that "this place was definitely on hold for you."

So then came all of the excitement and trauma of the actual move. They had anticipated a three week closure but it ended up being five weeks ... "because there's so many variables." Casey continued, "I was equally excited and intimidated. I had never put a kitchen together before. We didn't originally start with a blank slate at the other place in Carmel but here I had a completely blank slate. I could easily envision it just as it should be but getting it to that place was a little challenging."

Casey still just almost vibrates with the exhilaration of the adventure when she speaks of the excitement and joy being on equal planes with the challenge and frustration.

"Casey, when Billy started hearing rumors about Magnolia's Cafe, one of them was that you cook with organics -- and it wasn't said in a nose scrunched up kind of way. It was said in a way that implied that's where some of your food's goodness comes from. How much do you get to use organic food?"

Casey was all smiles when she started talking about the process of selecting the foods. Basically, her food selection priorities are: Fresh, Local, Organic ... and pricing has to mix in there ... and of course the seasons have a very large impact on the process.

We discussed that with the local farms mostly being small, they already have a tendency to shy away from heavy, harmful pesticide use. So even if they aren't certified organic, they are certainly a better choice -- not to mention there are more and more proven benefits to eating locally grown foods. (If you grow locally, Casey wants to hear from you.)

Since the growing season here ended some months ago and we're still not into a growing / harvesting season, Casey believes her certified organics may have dwindled, at this point, to just the flours and the beef.

But let me tell you about the beef at Magnolia's Cafe. It is grass-fed and organic beef! Grass-fed cows do not have to be pumped full of antibiotics in order to eat a grain (corn) that they are not designed to digest. It's true. The way I see it corn-fed cattle are basically tortured cattle. Grass-fed cattle also produce meat (and cheese) higher in omega 3's ... the brain and skin omega that we so desperately need.

"Alright, Casey, I'm from the south and being from the south I think that the magnolia is strictly southern ... is there some sort of tie to the south?" Casey smiled and explained that there really are certain types of magnolia's up here in New York.

"But originally I had a partner and she had spent time in the south and I liked the idea of a relaxed, southern-type atmosphere ... you know like times use to be ... where people came and went and you knew it by the banging of the screen door. Basically I think of it as trying to achieve a Tennessee Williams type of era and atmosphere."

"Casey, is there anything else you would want to add ... that you would want people to know about Magnolia's ...?"

"Well, since this is for women, about women, I want to add that the two ladies who work for me have been with me for six years. And when it came down to it, I wouldn't have made the move unless they had been willing to come with me. That was an absolute and they knew they had to be in agreement or I wasn't going to do it.

Then during the move and in getting this place open, they helped me in ways that only friends would have and could have."

Then Casey, who was already a little teary-eyed talking about her friends, got a little choked up as she continued to explain, "What we try to put into our food is love and we have had even some of the crustiest old men that you would never think would observe this say things like, 'I know what's in here. I know why this tastes so good. It's got love in it.'"

And so we reach the point where I have to confirm to you that what has constantly increased my respect and affection for Casey and the ladies (okay, and the young man who's "like family" who helps out from time to time) is that they have a very obvious respect for each other, their customers, and their suppliers.

They effortlessly create that relaxed atmosphere by learning the names of their customers, always greeting people with a "Hey! There you are!" attitude, and being quick to admit when they are mistaken. They are gracious in every way possible with each other and the customers.

And, they are in constant conversation with the customers as they come and go bringing out food and carrying away empty dishes. It permeates the whole cafe.

The customers converse from table to table. We are gracious with each other. We come up with ideas for Casey and the Magnolia's Cafe. We come up with ideas for each other. We all love coming to Magnolia's Cafe where the atmosphere is relaxed, people know our names, and there's love in the food.

Magnolia's Cafe is located on Front Street in Patterson, New York, right across from the Metro-North Train Station. Phone: 845-878-9759. Tell them Pam sent ya.



If you want to know more about organics and locally grown foods, feel free to review this little bit (really) I wrote last year: Organics in the Meatrix. There are many resources listed.

The Women are Fantastic Friday meme is curated by Sophie, of A Hole in the Fence. It gives us a chance to tell about the women in our lives who are encouraging us to have a "We Can Do It" attitude. Today I am telling the story of "Donna" and how she lived "one more day" for over ten years.

When I met Donna, it had been going on for eight years. She and I got to know each other one spring in Texas on a lake. They bought a little piece of property right outside the campground. Then she left to spend the summer away from the heat in the north.

Donna and her husband returned in the fall. And the brief respite from the year before was done. Her first visit with her doctor confirmed the worst. She had yet another brain tumor. So she began her ninth year since the first tumor with yet another round of meds and chemo and other forms of torture.

The church around the corner from the campground prayed her through just as they had year after year. They also prayed for Donna's daughters and always managed to send them some support as well.

Donna's daughters were missionaries in Africa. Their hearts were there with the people and their husbands and children. Donna's daughters worried over their mom and Donna worried over her daughters and grandchildren. But none of their prayers requested an easier way -- just another day.

In an amazing grace, the tumor receded. Donna and her husband managed another summer northern migration and found a driver to bring them back for the fall and winter and early spring in Texas.

When Donna returned, it was fairly clear. Tumors again. We were slowly losing Donna in her mind. Some days she was clear. Some days she was angry. Some days she was distant. And the little church around the corner prayed her through. And she was granted another day and one more visit with one of her daughters.

We left and went our ways. But we heard this and we heard that. Donna improved, she waned. She stuck it out. I know she reached the ten year anniversary in her battle and that she got to spend time with her other daughter and her family when they had some "leave time."

And then ... I lost track ... so you know how in my imagination my first grade teacher is still living -- on the coast of Washington, on an island, watching the seasons change? Well, I have an imagined story for Donna as well.

One day she and her husband found a little place where the summers weren't too hot and the winters weren't too cold. They stopped migrating to avoid the extremes. Donna had her mother's furniture removed from storage and sent to her. Donna's grandchildren came back to the states and lived with them and went to a nearby college.