In the Dog Gone Smart article of the Holiday eco-Local Living, we featured Carole Newell of Samantha’s Café in Glens Falls, creator of Toby Treats.  Carole has written a book entitled “The Caterer and The Canine,” a collection of recipes and quips about her 17 year love affair with her dog, Toby.  Here is an excerpt from this charming collection:

As recalled by Toby the Dog:

The day I was rescued, I'd been hanging around in a field just smelling all the great smells. Beatles, worms, some old skunk punk - great stuff! I was hungry, and maybe- (guys hate to admit this) - even lost, but then the man in the van came.  A bumpy ride later found me with a water dish, a big bowl of scrumptious food, and the sound of one heck of a lot of barking going on around me. Dogs barking -for dogs who, of course, can hear absolutely everything - is downright excruciating.  It’s like having Ethel Merman cranked to the max on your car stereo.  Oy! and O w -Ow from all the bow-wow!
Anyway, it was noisy, but I was cool with it . Smiling faces - would lean towards my cage and make funny kissey noises, which inspired me to jump straight up and do half gainer
twirls to impress any lady Lassies who might be watching.
I was a carefree guy - and heck, why not? I was alive, my stomach was full, and under all my matted black hair I knew I was cute. How you gonna beat that combo? Then one day, SHE came. Cue the music, brother - I just  KNEW. They let me out of the cage, and I bowled her over, literally knocked her to the ground and let loose with the pooch smooches. Every inch of her smelled like heaven! There was a faint whiff of cinnamon on one wrist, butter-yummy smell on her face, the memory of chili in her hair and turkey gravy by her pockets. The woman was a walking buffet.
I was in love - and you know what? So was she!

As recalled by Carole the Caterer:

Toby, as we named him, was the happiest, most bedraggled-looking wretch you'd ever want to come across when I first met him at the animal shelter; Big and jet black,
and totally goofy. I needed goofy at that point in my life. A 30-year marriage was slowly disintegrating, our children had grown and moved away, and my cafe and catering business, Samantha's Pantry, was struggling in a difficult market. To add to that litany of mid-life woe, our dog had died several months before, and losing my treasured "Lolly," in
the middle of a grey, cold winter added one more layer to my deepening gloom.
But now it was spring, and here came a clown, dancing and mugging his way into my heart. Our journey together would last 17 years.

Squash Apple Bisque

For many, many years, we were the only ones to serve this original creation - and then imitation, seen by us as flattery, saw our soup show up in lots of venues around the area. I can tell you, in all modesty, ours is – and will always be – the best!!

4 lbs butternut squash, cubed
% cup dried onion, or 1 cup fresh chopped onion
1 % qt milk
2 T ground ginger
1 qt heavy cream
Two 18-ounce jars applesauce
Salt & pepper

In large soup pot, add squash, milk, onion & ginger. Cover & simmer till squash is cooked. Add applesauce, cream, S & P. Cover and simmer again for 20 minutes.


The Caterer and the Canine and Toby’s Treats are both available at Samantha’s Café, located at 11 Broad St., Glens Falls, NY. Call 792-5839