Happy Holidays!!

Right now we are so excited about visiting with grandkids we can hardly stand it. It has been 2 years and there is even a new face to meet. Our youngest grandchild is 2 months old and we get to meet her next week. Our older ones are now old enough to clue us in about who they think they are and remind us what they think a grandparent should be like. We are so out of touch in that manner it is pathetic. We expect to get a hands-on education. Please keep in mind that Friday will be our last day until the 9th of January.

Our hopes for the holidays begin with the hope you'll come visit us at least once this week. This is a slow time of year in the food business and being closed for 2 weeks doesn't help with the expenses. Does your office have a party? Do you need a dessert or platter prepared? Contact us early in the week and we'll make it happen for you. Keep it easy on yourself! You've got plenty to keep you busy. And don't forget about gift certificates, artwork or music! We can fix you up!

Looking over the last year we are so proud of how far we have come. You have been so much a part of our success. For us, this is a new game and you have been very generous in your suggestions and very forgiving when we haven't hit the mark. Most of all, you have shown you care. That, by itself, means more than you would ever believe. It takes huge amounts of faith and gumption to jump off into unknown territory without a safety net. We are no longer the young, brave kids we once were and fear occasionally rears its ugly head. But time and again, our customers have reminded us why we are here and how much our being here matters. Thank you. It gives us the umph it takes and the "let's go back and get 'em" attitude we need to make this work.

A change in the legal status of our company has slowed things down a tinch in getting the tavern permit. We had originally planned on filing as a sole proprietor but our attorney convinced us we needed to be an LLC. So now we are moving forward with that paperwork.  Hang in there. Once all is in place you'll be pleased and we'll all be relieved.

When we come back we are already planning our upcoming Friday night line-ups. First out of the New Year's gate will be the Renee Wood Trio. Renee plays saxophone, Tom plays guitar and David keeps them all onbeat via drums. They are focused on jazz and it is a wonderful accompaniment to our dinners. If you have questions about our Friday nights, give us a call. Friday the 13th will be our debut Friday night in 2012—probably still without the permit.

I am delighted to tell you I have been in my studio again. Over the last year and a half I have pretty much set aside my fiber creativity as a necessary element for us making this café work.  What little time I have spent in the studio has often left me wondering if my artisitc itch was being scratched by other means. Yesterday I spent several hours there working on a long overdue commission. I am so grateful that I had this commission to keep me wandering into my studio. Otherwise, I might just have become permanently dis-engaged. Whew!  I was so enthralled with the piece that I got totally swept up in the create and lost track of time. Oh, yeah! That is what it is all about. I returned from my studio, not worn out from the work, but energized by the magic of art. I am a lucky girl!

This week, in honor of the solstice, I am introducing a new salad for the winter. I'll call it Winter Salad but you could as easily call it Susan's favorite. It starts with arugula which has a peppery taste very similar to watercress. I'll top it with fine slivers of red onion, sliced almonds, chunks of avocado, chunks of red grapefruit, pomegranate, feta cheese, a bit of tomato and wood-fired chicken. The recommended dressing will be a honey mustard made just for the occasion. The flavor note is on the tangy side with the edges removed because of the avocado and tomato. The honey, almonds, grapefruit and pomegranate add a level of sweetness to it and the feta gives it a creamy foundation. I never get tired of this salad and very much look forward to the winter months when the ingredients are readily available. Before I discovered arugula I used to make it with spinach. It provides a touch milder bite but equally satisfying. I can make it with either green—just specify. I hope you'll give it a try and enjoy it as much as I do. I'll have it starting on Monday and it will be at a special price all week.

We'll start the week out with meatball, kale and pecorino soup as well as French onion soup. On Tuesday I'll make a tomato ginger soup that should be quite festive. As this is our last week for a couple, we'll be scrambling to use up ingredients that might suffer from a 2 week layoff. Hence the onion soup, again. We know it is a favorite.

Tuesday Bruce will shine with his Chicken Cordon Bleu tamales. These morsels of chicken are wrapped in ham and masa and steamed. Then the sauce compliments the flavors and brings out the top notes of ham and Swiss cheese. He only makes about a dozen orders, so if you are so inclined, call in your order early to avoid disappointment.

Wednesday Bruce will bring out his stuffed green peppers. He has a unique way of making them where the peppers are stuffed with beef and then the peppers are simmered in the marinara sauce. This will be his first time to make them this season. They were really enjoyed last winter.

Thursday's and Friday's specials will be announced later in the week as I figure out which ingredietns need to get used up. Don't worry. We are not talking about leftovers. So stay tuned and check your facebook or email later in the week. It is this flexibility which gives us an edge over some other restaurants that have to rely on pantry ingredients and frozen meats.

We hope you have a lovely holiday spent with friends and family and come back refreshed and focused on the New Year ahead. To infinty and beyond!!!~~~~

Susan, Jon and Bruce

Directions and options

From the very beginning we have made an effort to keep you, our customer, aware of decisions that face us and have invited your input. It was after listening we learned that being able to serve beer and wine would increase the pleasure factor of eating with us. We heard loud and clear that while "made fresh" was important, so too, was speed of service. It is in that spirit that we seek your input regarding adding gluten-free foods to our regular menu.

We are seeing more and more folks looking that direction for long-term lifestyle changes. Removal of gluten from the diet frees up one's intestines from trying to digest ingredients for which many bodies are ill-equiped. Quite often we are seeing people whose medical professionals are prescribing that they eliminate gluten from their diets. In our own family, our elder son's whole family has gone gluten-free. For many families the search for solutions to too much mucous, ADHD and autism have sent them down this road. My recent research is showing that many restaurants nationally are adopting some of these practices as an option for that portion of their customer bases. Gluten-free means no wheat or barley. In the American diet, gluten is most often seen in breads and doughs. It can turn up in salad dressings and all sorts of places one isn't looking for it. It is what makes bread have that soft texture and holds the lightness together. It isn't necessarily harder to make gluten-free options but some of the ingredients are more expensive and some of the techniques are more cumbersome. Using alternative flours, such as rice flour, potato flour and similar flours replace the wheat.  For this cafe, many of those techniques are already incorporated into our style—like making things from scratch. We already offer many gluten-free options but perhaps a bread or crepes made this way would open the doors to serve more folks. Have you been advised to reduce your gluten consumption? We invite your input.

I am using this blog today for a bit of shameless self-promotion. The three of us that make this place survive are also artists in our own right. Jon is a wonderful songwriter and has his CD available. If you haven't heard it, Jon has a listening station set up near the register. While awaiting your order sit down and listen for a few moments. His laid back swing style is easy on the ears and will have you humming in no time. Bruce's photgraphic talents are available as prints of his floral portraits. I have silk scarves, flower pins and, of course, my quilts and quiltlets.

If you have a staff or family that need a holiday gift of sorts, our gift certificates are proving to be VERY popular. We can do them in any amount you choose. Twenty-five has proven the most popular but ten dollars is just as nice. If you need to buy in quantity, tell us. We can make you a deal.

It is not too late to order dishes to take to your office party. Last week we did a bunch and we'd like to do more in the next 2 weeks. Keep life simple for yourself—order a platter of something you can bring—like bacon wrapped stuffed jalapenos, Tuscan chicken salad on brushetta, or perhaps a dessert such a  a cheesecake or tiramisu. 

This week the menu will work around the wait for a replacement part for our bread machine. It should arrive by Monday afternoon. Until then I'll be making the dough by hand and my time to make other parts of our menu shortened. Therefore, on Monday I'll be making a spicy pork empanada. This "meat pie" is out of Argentina and is stuffed with pulled pork, chopped olives, chipotle chilis and cheese. The crust is a puff pastry. I'll serve it with a side salad for a balanced diet. $6.50

Tuesday Bruce will tantalize us again with the Cashew chicken tamales and fried rice. This take on the classic cashew chicken has all the elements and flavors you expect in a cashew chicken but in a tamale. $6.50

Wednesday I'll bring my pizzas back with a pizza featuring mushrooms, artichokes, grilled onions and sliced Roma tomatoes over a sun-dried tomato zesto. Served with a side salad. $7.00

Thursday I'll do crepes with ham and asparagus with a swiss cheese alfredo sauce served over a bed of freshly sautéed baby spinach. Served with a side salad. $7.00

Friday brings us chicken Marsala over egg noodles with a side salad. $7.00

We are still working on the paperwork for the "Tarvern Permit" and will bring back Friday evenings after we re-open following our 2 week vacation. We'll re-open January 9th, hopefully with the permit in place.  Thanks for joining us.

~~Susan

Hitting the Floor Running

Sometimes the faster you go, the behinder you get. That seems to be the case right now. I hit Monday morning with all sorts of good intentions. I'm looking at getting extra desserts done, an extra soup to offer another choice, etc. We still are working on the paperwork for the Tavern License. It is done in 2 steps with the first one being the step that gets the city's permission before you can even apply for the state one. That should happen this week. With that in hand, I can then apply for the state permit. The only thing I've ever done that had such a long runway was applying for Quilt National. Since I have yet to ever have a quilt accepted by Quilt National (yeah yeah, I know—an oversight on their part) I have a bit of a wary side in this regards. Unlike Quilt National, which typically has 3400 entries for a coveted few 63 slots, the Tavern Permit doesn't have as tight a quota system. But there are still pages of rules, and all sorts of preliminary steps—like measuring the distance between our front door and the nearest school or church. For us this would be the Student Union Building on campus. Must be 300+ feet. While I am glad that there is oversight, I am amazed at the sheer number of hoops and hurdles presented. At least I finally know the accurate name for the permit—tevern permit. I've been calling it a beer and wine license. Nope. That only allows one to sell those items for consumption off premises. We want to sell beer and wine for consumption on premises. We also have to sell much, much more food in ration to the beer and wine. Otherwise we could only sell beer. See? Hoops.

The catering is picking up. That is great. We've developed some more appetizer types of offerings that can be presented by the platterful. Among those are bacon-wrapped, cheese stuffed jalapenos, garlic shrimp on individual canapés, sushi rolls. By the end of the week we'll have another batch of smoked catfish dip. The weather is currently intervening on that. I have the catfish brined and Jon will smoke it within the next 24 hours. We hope you might be thinking of including one of our platters at your company holiday party or personal open house. Please remember to give us 24 hours advance notice so we have everything we need. Unlike larger operations that have corporate support, we shop on a smaller scale and buy what we know we need. We also shop more often so our ingredients are fresh.

A few of you have taken advantage of my offer to add arugula to your salads. I do this by request only and there is no additional charge for it. To me, arugula adds a nice bright note to my salads. Building a salad is much like building a fragrance or painting an image. There is a background or bottom note—the darker greens. Then you add a wide balance of flavors or in the case of fragrances, the mid-range scents. These are the most prominent or dominant flavors. Then you have the top note. This is the one that adds the extra sparkle, extra interest or complexity. In a salad, that could be a tangy cheese or pomegranate, or something that is still light yet flavorful. Nuts might also be a part of that—especially if they have been toasted and seasoned. 

I am delighted that we have a wider access to fresh greens during the winter months. As counter-intuitive as that sounds, it is because the local greens are raised in a greenhouse. During the warmer months valuable crop space is given to more space demanding crops like squashes or tomatoes. I am making a concerted effort to make our side salads more complex and tasty. your feedback is wanted—so speak up!!

Time to get on with this week's menu—
Soups~ we'll start the week with a big batch of French onion soup. I'll add white chicken chili Tuesday or Wednesday.
Monday~Shrimp and grits plus side salad. That'll warm you to your toes. $6.50
Tuesday~Pulled pork tamales with Colorado sauce plus buttered cumin rice. This the the most traditional of Bruce's tamales. I've had the pork braising all day Sunday in prep. It has smelled SOOO good. $6.50
Wednesday~Kapusta with salad. This is Bruce's stew that features spare ribs and cabbage. It has a very loyal following. $6.50
Thursday~ Roasted mushroom and chicken crepes with a tarragon cream sauce—as requested.With side salad. $6.50
Friday~ Tuscan chicken salad sandwiches. Fifty cents off.

Remember~ no Friday night dinners until January.
Have a great week.
~~Susan  

 

Picking up the pace

The vultures have come to roost in Thayer. I took this photo last week shortly after most of the flyers had settled down for the night. This was my first image of 5 that I moved from left to right in my view. There are 85+ vultures in this image and the remaining photos had a total of over 500. It is quite amazing to see them stacked up and soaring just before they roost. Someday, I'll learn how to use my Photoshop Elements to make a panoramic shot.

Well, last weekend was not our best. We decided to try to lure shoppers in on Friday and Saturday for lunch. That was a bust. One that will not be repeated this year. So we will NOT be open on Saturdays for lunch during your shopping sessions. I had very mixed emotions regarding being open during those times, so I am not disappointed. We old farts need more recovery time, and giving up our Saturdays was not done easily—but that is happily now rectified.

By the time you read this, we expect to have received our first snowfall of the year. All winter long, if you come in while foul weather is happening, remind us and we'll give you a double Lunch Bunch punch. We appreciate your braving the wet or cold stuff to come see us.   

Did you notice the minor change in the lettuces in the salads? We have been able to get nice lettuces from Mary Badiny/Marantha Farm. She has a good volume now and expects to throughout the winter months. We are adding them into our usual Romaine. Are you a fan of arugula? If so, please tell me and I can add some into your salad at no additional charge. I am a big fan of arugula. It has a taste very similar to watercress—a peppery bite. Just tell me how much to add. Mary tells me she planted lots of it. Throughout the winter months we'll also have access to kale and Swiss chard.  I know to add the kale to soups. But, beyond adding Swiss chard to quiche, I really have had little experience with it. So your input and ideas would be appreciated.

Will your office be having a holiday party of some sort? How about letting us cater it? We can make it quite simple for you and you'll get to eat lots of tasty, even healthy treats. Even our most decadent are at least made from real ingredients—like real whipped cream, eggs, cream cheese or butter. We make sure our flavors are real—like chocolate, vanilla and almond.  We can work with your budget and most special dietary needs. We DO need a bit of warning, so 24+ hours is pretty important.

How about gift certificates for your employees or family members? We are delighted to see how well received our gift certificates have been. People LOVE them! You determine the value. We have them printed on a nice card stock and present them in an invitation-sized envelope. 

We will be helping to cater several private parties again, this year. As we have gained experience, my confidence has grown. I enjoy getting to create outside my usual format. Presenting dishes that get you the kudos while keeping entertainment hassles to a minimum is one of our primary aims. Thank you for trusting me to make it work.

My menu is getting a bit of a shake-up this week as I re-organize from the weekend. Monday, which is usually quite low key, will get a nice entrée in the form of a pork loin stuffed with Granny Smith apples, shallots and white wine. I'll have oven-roasted root vegetables to accompany it. Beyond the usual onions, carrots and potatoes, there will be turnips, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and rutabaga. Don't miss this—perfect for a snowy day.

I invented a new pie last week. It is an apple pie that is topped with pumpkin custard. You see, I had this apple pie that just didn't look as full as I thought it should. I was making a pumpkin pie for our own Thanksgiving and decided to pour some of the custard right in on top of the streussel topping. It is now pretty as well as tasty. The dollop of whipped cream on top is just a bonus.

With the cooler weather, I have been digging into my stash of soup recipes. This week we'll start out with Bruce's beef and veggie soup. It has a nice flavor base and Jon got quite excited about eating it. Then I'll do a Tom Ka Kai for Tuesday. That is the Thai chicken soup that has coconut milk, lime, cilantro and tons of flavor. It is one of our most requested. Later in the week I'll do a beef and barley soup—guaranteed to stick to your ribs.

Desserts this week will include white chocolate cheesecake. Bruce has been tasked with digging out some of his family recipes of desserts.  No doubt, something good will come of it.

So here is this week's Flavor Journeys menu ~~

Monday~Pork loin stuffed with apples and shallots. Served with oven-roasted root vegetables and a side salad. $6.50
Tuesday~ Pulled pork tamales with salsa verde cheese sauce and Spanish rice. $6.50
Wednesday~ Creamy chicken enchiladas with cilantro lime slaw and Spanish rice. $6.50
Thursday~ Spinach turkey crepes with tarragon hollandaise. Served with side salad. $6.50
Friday~ Baked sausage manicotti. Served with side salad and garlic bread $7.00

Reminder: we will resume Friday nights after our vacation in January.

Thank you for sharing your time, your ideas and your resources with us. We all benefit, and I feel very lucky.

~~Susan

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is certain to be a wild ride of a week. We will be open except for Thursday. In fact, we will be open on both Friday and Saturday. So if you are out holiday shopping, we'll be here to make sure you get a good lunch. This might be a good time to introduce your friends and family to our unique experience.

If you are thinking about entertaining, we are ready to make it go more smoothly. We can prepare a dessert—like tiramisu, or white chocolate cheesecake, or pumpkin rolls. Also, we can prepare finger foods like Tuscan chicken salad on brushetta with sprouts and tiny tomatoes. How about a dip with the olive-fig tapenade with cream cheese and crackers? Perhaps the roasted red pepper cheesecake would make a nice presentation on your buffet table. Take a few moments to discuss your plans with me and I'll help you formulate a plan.

While you are thinking of friends, perhaps a jar of chipotle strawberry jam or garlic jelly would make a nice hostess gift. These savory treats are wonderful paired with roasted meats or even a savory bread— like a sweet potato biscuit.

Many of you have commented on Bruce's intimate floral portraits. They are available from $65-350. My scarves, too, make a nice gift. I have reprinted the knots cheat sheets and they accompany any sale. The price on my hand-dyed silk scarves is $40 each or 3/$100. I have not raised my price on these in 6 years. Each corner is hand-beaded to add just enough weight to make them behave. If you come in during a quieter moment, I can even give you a personal knot lesson.

For the music fans on your shopping list, remember Jon's CD is available for $10. Every dollar spent on his CD goes toward his new dream guitar. I think he is setting up a listening station, if you'd like to check it out. Did you know we do gift certificates? We do. If you know someone on your shopping list who loves to eat here, a gift certificate may be something highly desired.

I am making a point of bringing in some of my smaller quiltlets for your enjoyment. Some focus on the joys of middle-aged yoga. Some feature botanicals. The botanicals are made from a combination of handmade stamps and pigments on linen, plus my hand-guided machine quilting. I made the stamps to celebrate post oaks, dogwoods, magnolia pods, and osage oranges. Check them out on your next visit. While my current focus is on the cooking, I spent many years creating my artquilts and would love to share them with you. Most of all, thank you for shopping "small" and "local." This way we keep the money in the local economy.
Now here's this week's menu~

For this week we will be quite seasonal. I know most of you will have your fill of turkey, but on Tuesday Bruce has a VERY special tamale this week you have got to try. It was the recipe that sparked his interest in the whole tamale game—Sage-rubbed, oven-roasted turkey-stuffed tamales with warm spiced pumpkin purée and a cranberry and hominy chutney.  $6.50

On Monday I'll bring back the Elk meatloaf. Those that enjoyed it on Friday were raving about it. If you have never tried elk, you might be surprised to learn that it is NOT AT ALL gamey. It is very low in fat but high in protein. The loaf is quite moist and flavorful. I'll pair it with some garlic mashed potatoes and fresh broccoli. $6.50

Wednesday we'll bring back those luscious blue crab and chipotle onion quesadillas. They will be accompanied by the usual quesadilla sides— guacamole, sour cream, salsa and tortilla chips. $7.00

Thursday—Thanksgiving—we'll be closed.

Friday~ Sausage and mushroom quiche with a side salad. No wimpy quiches here! Deep-dish and full of fresh ingredients and farm-fresh eggs. $6.50

Saturday~Roasted pork loin topped with fresh herbs and strawberry/chipotle jam with apple/shallot dressing and oven-roasted root veggies. $6.50

Desserts this week include tiramisu, pumpkin roll, apple pie.
The "comeback treat" will be one of Bruce's family recipe cookies.

We are thankful for your continued support in our efforts. We know you have many things happening with your families right now. We hope you'll spend a bit of time with us.

Warmest wishes—

Susan, Jon and Bruce

Warp Speed! and the truth about honey

Before I dive into what is happening around here this week, I want to tell you about an article I read last week that really opened my eyes. It was published in Food Safety News on Nov 7th. Here's a link to that article in full. I was going to print it out or attach it, but it is several pages long. http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/11/tests-show-most-store-honey-isnt-honey/
The upshot is that most grocery store brands of honey have been ultra-filtered and the pollen has been completely removed. Why is that a big deal? Health-wise, we know that using local honey often helps to build an immunity to local allergens. You are getting the local pollen in small doses, and your body can build a resistance to those allergens. The part the food safety people were most concerned about was that without the pollen, the country of origin couldn't be proven. So lots of honey from unregulated areas, like China, are getting their honey into the country and out to the grocery shelves without any quality control. Locally, all the brands at Walgreens and the Winnie-the pooh-brand at Wal-Mart as well as the Great Value clover honey were all totally devoid of any pollen. The article lists many of the brands that fit this category. While I haven't been making a major effort previously to get local honey, I will now be doing so.

This week things are happening beyond our usual lunches. We have several caters for Thanksgiving-themed meals that we'll be delivering to various employers in and out of town. One of the non-traditional meats I'll be presenting will be an elk meatloaf. I'll make it for you, too. We'll be serving it on Friday for lunch. Don't be late. Better yet? Call in to reserve your serving.

Is your office is planning an in-house reception? Perhaps we can help. With a bit of planning we can create anything from a platter of Tuscan Brushetta or a dip to a full meal delivered with chafing dishes. Let us prepare food you'll be proud to serve while keeping the job minimal for yourself.

In the last couple of weeks we've had the joy of being discovered by a few more offices where we have been asked to provide the luncheon fare. When I followed up with each office the feedback was really encouraging. They also like the fact that they get a free plate of homemade cookies if they place the order 24 hours ahead.

You may have read last week that we are taking a hiatus on our Friday nights until after the holidays. There is just so much going on for everyone that we felt that we were struggling for attention.  There is almost the same level of effort needed to serve 35 people on Friday night as 12. We are pretty pooped out by Friday and were happy to take a break. However, with the exception of THIS Saturday, we'll be open for lunch on Saturdays until just before Christmas. We have to pay for that trip to see our grandkids some way, and this will allow us to make up the lost income with minimal additional effort. So if you are out shopping for the holidays—think of us.

I'll be making a lentil, kale and sausage soup on Monday. I'll also be doing a nice vegetable soup from scratch. I was in a restaurant on Sunday that bragged they made their own vegetable soup. When Jon ordered it, I saw it was made with canned vegetables. Really. We'll use fresh potatoes, carrots, onions, squash, kale, spinach, and a couple of other ingredients as I come across them. We either make our own stocks from scratch or use organic or no msg boxed ones.  I am pleased with the quality of soups we've been presenting and truly appreciate your input and feedback. 

So here is our menu for the week~~
Soups: Lentil, kale and sausage soup; vegetable soup—served with a roll or cornbread.
Monday: Pimento cheese quesadillas—These proved quite popular again, last week. Served with our homemade salsa, guacamole and sour cream, plus tortilla chips. $6.50
Tuesday: Italian sausage tamales with marinara sauce. $6.50
Wednesday: Tamale pie. This follows the more traditional tamale flavors but in a pie form—with a side salad. $6.50
Thursday: Chicken curry over yellow rice, with side salad $6.50
Friday: Elk meatloaf served with mashed garlic potatoes and Brussels sprouts $7.00
Remember~ no Friday night dinner this week.

See ya again soon!
Susan

Changes in the wind

This time one year ago, Jon and I were quaking in our boots. Our 40th anniversary was imminent and we were celebrating by committing to leasing space for our cafe. Throughout the month of November we focused our attention on getting this space remodeled into a working kitchen/ cafe. A year later, we are still here and are on the verge of some, hopefully, significant changes.

First of all—this Saturday we will be open. This is an exceedingly rare event. We'll be open because it is the first weekend of deer/gun season and there is a tradition in these parts for the women who aren't hunting to be out shopping, instead. Kathy and Frankie at Simply Chic clued us in to this phenomena and were the ones who suggested we might be open. So we will be. If you have not been able to join us previously because of your work schedule, or know of those in that category, this would be a lovely time to experience our lunch menu. Perhaps a few of you will be among those out shopping and can make us a part of your shopping spree. We'll be open from 11a.m.-2p.m. I know Kathy and Frankie have some pretty spectacular deals going for this annual event, too.

Next—This Friday we will host Renee Wood Trio. It will be the last Friday night we will be open this year. Between now and Christmas the café will be available for private parties during the evening hours. We will close entirely for 2 weeks immediately following Christmas. We'll be seeing our kids and grandkids whom we have not seen in two years. When we return January 9th, we expect we will have our beer and wine permit. This will allow us to serve beer or wine with lunch, catering or at our Friday night dinners.  Our focus will remain on local/ regional fare and this will extend to the beers and wines. We'll plan on hosting tastings and, hopefully, educate our palates along the way.  I have much to learn about pairings and celebrating regional wines. We can all learn together. I think it'll be a fun adventure.

Then—we are looking at revamping some of our Friday nights. We are currently surveying for feedback for a once-a-month-fine-dining experience. We would be creating a meal of magnificant delicacy, multi-coursed and splendid. The cost would be in the realm of $25/person. Pairings with wine or beer would be available. It would give me a chance to bring out the fancier ingredients—fresh seafood flown in, unusual meat sources, high grade cuts, etc. Because this would not work for just a few, we would have to have a high enough participation level to keep it up. I would love to explore various ethnic cuisines, sharing the lore behind the dishes and acquainting you with a more worldly palate. This would, most likely, replace open mic night on the first Friday. The note cards on the table are for your feedback and to let us know your favorite regional beers and wines. We really do want to structure our cafe around your needs and wants. So pipe up!

The holiday catering is already heating up. We will be producing several office holiday lunches for various staff around the county. Hopefully, we'll be preparing foods that are familiar while allowing you to have new taste experiences. If you have a staff luncheon planned, please give us a shot at preparing it. I'm betting your colleagues will thank you.

We are exploring more custard type desserts as the season heads toward the colder temps. My first one that I am excited about will be coconut cream pie with meringue. Of course, pumpkin will be in the mix as well as lemon curd, and various creme brulee. I can't wait to learn to use the torch to melt the sugar on the creme brulée. Bruce has brought back his tira misu. It will be available most days. As far as we can figure out, we are the only place in the region to make a real tiramisu. We use real mascarpone, a dozen egg yolks, real lady fingers dipped in real coffee liquor and real whipped cream. Recently, one of our customers had us make one for his girlfriend's birthday. She wrote to tell us how she used to eat Tiramisu while living in Italy and this was the best version she had had since leaving there. I'm not sure if Bruce's head will fit through the door on Monday...or perhaps it is just that he is floating 3 feet above the ground.  While I love creating fusion fare that mixes up the cultures somewhat, bringing you authentic foods created without shortcuts, using quality ingredients continues to be a big part of our mission. So many options these days begin with "I need a faster way." There are simply times when faster isn't better.

Here's the week's menu—
Soups~ all week French onion soup. A batch takes almost 10 pounds of fresh onions that are cooked down for hours to release their sweet goodness. Later in week~smoked sausage, kale and potato soup

Monday~Tuna Romans are on sale at $6.99 This tuna steak is seared to order and served on a Roman bun (made inhouse) with wasabi mayonnaise, tomato and spicy sprouts. Served with chips.
Also~Antipasto salad is $6.50 containing lettuces, salamis, ham, turkey, bell pepper, red onion, roasted red pepper, black olives, swiss cheese. Hefty!
Tuesday~ Sweet and sour chicken tamales with a confetti rice. Bruce's specialty! $6.50
Wednesday~Chicken Pad Thai $6.50 We've got the real deal made with tamarind, lemon grass, rice noodles, egg, sprouts, lemon...yum!
Thursday~ Turkey casserole. I know...we need a better name for it. It is made with fresh turkey breast, fresh and canned tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, mostaccioli (a form of macaroni) and lots of parmesan cheese. We'll serve it with a side salad. $6.50
Friday~ To celebrate Pimento cheese month, eat our pimento cheese quesadilla. Made from scratch, the pimento cheese is mostly chopped up cheddar cheese, plus roasted red peppers, some real mayonnaise, a jalapeno or two and finely minced onion. As the insides of a quesadilla—marvelous! $6.50 with a side.
Friday night dinners~
Seafood~Pan-seared rainbow trout, roasted root veggies, sautéed brussels sprouts plus side salad $12
Meat~Pastitsio. This authentically made Greek casserole of layered beef and noodles has both a tomato layer and a creamy cheese sauce layer. Served with a side salad and warm bread. $12
Vegetarian~Whole wheat noodles with broccoli, red peppers, carrots, shitakes, onions and garlic. With a side salad and warm bread. $10

Time for focus!

Before this Merry-go-round spins out of control it is time to channel some energy and set a straight course. The major holidays will be here before you know it. Here at the cafe we are gearing up for catering and making the most of the late-season harvest. Mary Badiny is bringing in her remaining tomatoes. Some we are drying for later use. Some are those tiny wild tomatoes that pack a bunch of flavor in less than 1/2 an inch. We are adding those to the salads as a bonus.

We are making good progress on the liquor license. This week I meet with city officials to follow the next steps. We'll have the criminal background check done this week. The taxes are paid. Our target is to have it all in place when we come back after the holidays. We'll be closed for 2 weeks following Christmas. We haven't seen our kids or grandkids in 2 years and plan to take this time to do so. We have one granddaughter we haven't even met yet!

The last of the green tomatoes have now been made into pickles by Bruce. We still have some of the dill, sweet and sour and bread and butter pickles. With the last of the local cucumbers already harvested, we'll wind down that aspect of our creativity until next summer. Last call for pickles!

We brought the tiramisu back. As it takes 12 yolks to make, we are also making the lime infused angel-food cake with drunken berry sauce. It takes 12 egg whites. It is all about good planning. We also have a  new pear frangipane tart. Oh my! The frangipane part is made with almonds ground up to a paste. It is one of my favorite flavors on the planet. With the pears being so available right now, we'll probably make it weekly for the next several weeks.
 
What with the world series, halloween parties, Scare on the Square and almost no reservations last Friday night we decided to be closed. We're rescheduling Bill Hilton later in November. This week we have Open Mic. I think I have heard that we will have several performers. It is always a nice surprise to hear who shows up. Remember— all performers on Open Mic get their dinner for half price.

So here is this week's menu—
Soups~we'll start the week with a traditional chili. Then Bruce will make his broccoli and 3 cheese soup. While it is creamy it isn't as heavy as some cream soups. That is because most of the broth is vegetable or chicken broth finished with cream and cheese.
Monday~Chicken Gyros are on sale for $5.75
Tuesday~Wood-fired chicken and Black Beans tamales with avocado and salsa verde sauce plus buttered and toasted cumin seeded rice. $6.50
Wednesday~Creamy chicken enchiladas with Cilantro broccoli slaw $6.50 (warning: these sold out super fast last-time)
Thursday~Quiche Lorraine with a side salad $6.50 (always a favorite)
Friday~Anti-pasto salad with corn muffin $6.50
Dinners: seafood~Shrimp Scampi with bread sticks and a side salad $12
meat~ Lemon Chicken Pasta with bread sticks and a side salad $12
vegetarian~ Savory spinach and mushroom crepes with rice pilaf and side salad $10

Your being a part of things here is important to us. We are thrilled when you share us with your friends and family. Does your office manager have a copy of our meeting menu? If you'll be entertaining friends this holiday season, let us make it easier for you.  We can put together appetizer platters and dips as well as entrées and sides. We're not yet up to a full scale operation in this aspect—so a bit of notice is appreciated.

Have a wonderful week—
Susan

Marching through the season

As you may have noticed, someone turned up the RPMs on the merry-go-round, again. You are not the only one thinking it is getting downright urban-feeling with the current pace of life. I take great personal pride in hearing our customers tell me how much of a refuge they feel our place is—a place where they can chill-out and let the pandemonium fall away. Sounds like a nice place to go.

As the season moves along, we are getting more and more requests for personal catering. We did a bit last year and are willing to do a bit more this year. I have deliberately moved slowly in this regard so we wouldn't get in over our heads. With a year of running things under my belt, I feel much more confident we can prepare foods for your next party that will leave you unhassled and proud. Most of what we are preparing are platters of munchables—like brushetta with Tuscan chicken salad. I am still developing our catering menu, so your input is quite welcome. The cheesecakes are proving quite a success and easily serve 12. Looking for something a bit different? Let's talk. You tell me your budget, your number of guests, type of event and any particular preferences and we can work something up. I can promise you freshly prepared dishes made with real, usually local ingredients that taste wonderful and require minimal effort on your part.

We're getting good feedback from our new meeting menu. This menu is designed for in-office meetings of eight or more. The pricing allows for savings due to methods of packaging and predictability. With 24 hour notice you'll even get free cookies. So many offices were telling us that A La Carte Cafe is their favorite source for lunch, that we felt we had to find a way to make it even easier for office managers to put together their lunches. Next time you are in, pick up a copy of the Meeting Menu. Your office manager will thank you. 

With the cooler weather, the hens are no longer on strike and we have lots of eggs coming in. Sounds like time for egg laden dishes. Remember, ours are free-range local farm eggs raised using no hormones or anti-biotics. Bruce has brought back both the Tiramisu and the lime-infused angelfood with drunken blueberries. Between the two of them, they use a dozen eggs. I’ll bring back the omelettes with wood-fired trout, cream cheese and dill/ shallot sauce. And even crepes filled with savory turkey and broccoli topped with a tarragon béchamel sauce.  

Later in the week the weather cools off again and we’ll serve baked potatoes topped with chili and cheese.  

Those who joined us last Friday night got a real treat. Andy Roose drove all the way from St. Genevieve to play for us. He played all original tunes and they were quite wonderful. We hope to bring him back a couple of times a year for his Americana-style songs. We found him to be a delightful person and look forward to building that friendship.

This Friday will bring Blind Bill Hilton. You can hear his music online at myspace.com/blindbillhilton. Give him a listen. Folk, rockabilly, blues—he covers them all while adding in plenty of his own tunes. You may have heard him play at Open Mic a couple of months ago. He is quite good. Nice voice. Remember—reservations are strongly encouraged. This way you not only get a seat, you get to eat what you want. 505-0302

Now here is this week’s menu~~
Soups~ Monday we'll start with butternut squash soup; later in the week we'll have chicken and suasage gumbo.
Monday~ The trout Roman and tuna Roman are both on sale for $6.50. The trout Roman features wood-fired rainbow trout from Rockbridge. The tuna Roman features a seared sashimi grade tuna steak. The bun is my Roman with yellow onions baked into the bun. I top it with Wasabi mayonnaise, tomato slice and sprouts. They come with a side- Italian potato salad, fresh fruit or chips. $6.50 

Tuesday~ Hand-built chicken cordon bleu tamales with a Swiss cheese sauce and broccoli risotto. $6.50

Wednesday~ Omelets with wood-fired trout, cream cheese and a light shallot/dill sauce. Served with a side. $6.50

Thrusday~ Savory crepes with roasted turkey and broccoli and a béchamel tarragon sauce. Served with a side. $6.50

Friday~ Lunch~ Chili and cheese topped baked potato with a side. $6.50

Seafood entrée ~ Shrimp Scampi with bread sticks and side salad $12.

Meat entrée~ Lemon chicken pasta, bread sticks and side salad $12.

Vegetarian entrée~ Savory spinach stuffed crepes with duxelle sauce (mushroom sauce) and rice pilaf and side salad $10

Come hide out from the chaos of your work week. We love having you.

~~Susan

Fall weather brings colorful foods

The pomegranates are in! To me, this marks the official sign that fall has arrived. I just love adding the little jewels to our chopped fresh fruit. This time of year we are pairing them with apples and pears—many local. You'll see them used as garnishes, too. If you are unfamiliar with pomegranates, they originate in the Mediterranean region and are a fruit that is about 3-4 inches across. To eat it, one peels away the outer skin to finds lots of jewel-like kernels. They almost look like ruby corn kernels. There IS a seed inside, but it is so small that most people simply swallow them. The juice is very refreshing and healthy. Thanks to recent marketing campaigns by POM, they have become a sought-after addition to salads, beverages and and even desserts. I grew up eating them, and we even had a pomegranate bush in our yard in Dallas.  My brother, Bill, and I loved to harvest and eat them straight from the bush.

Our flavor journeys this week are not centered on any one area. The South is represented by the southern corn chowder that I'll be serving all week. The tamales are traditional southwest as well, as is the pazole. Then we jump across the pond to enjoy a curried couscous salad. Thursday my Pizzas are simply Italian and Friday's lunch comes back to the US with  a Club Salad. France gets the nod with the trout and Italy again with the Fri. night lasagne.

This would be a great week to be adventurous in seeking your Friday night entertainment. We have Andy Roose coming from St. Genevieve. Jon had a chance to hear him on-line and really enjoyed his style. He classifies himself as an Americana singer/songwriter. Coming this far is an act of faith on his part, and we want to make it worth his while. So often, I think, locals feel they have to go elsewhere to hear music that is new to them. This time the "elsewhere" is coming to us. If you want a chance to hear him before committing you may do so by going to www.reverbnation.com/andyroose. But I have come to trust Jon's taste in musicians and feel confident you will enjoy Andy's music. As we have grown in popularity for Friday night, we are slowly building a following that appreciates expanding their concept of what is entertaining. We take that role pretty seriously and the trust you have given us. Please help support our efforts to bring you fresh talent by joining us Friday night. By building an appreciative audience base, we can continue to delight you with new sounds and experiences. I'll continue to expand the flavor journeys. Just another attempt to take you beyond the "Same ol', same ol'."

Our desserts these days have been pretty exciting. Bruce has been experimenting again and last week created a new one. It is white chocolate covered cherry dream pie—oh my! It begins with a chocolate crumb crust and is filled with white chocolate, drunken cherries and whipped cream—as I said, "Oh, my!" Bruce also came up with a new cake—Pineapple right-side-up cake. Fresh pineapple, coconut and a yummy yellow cake base. Where does he get these ideas? Who knows? But he does it week after week. I personally get a thrill each time he does so. Even though he is Mr. Quiet, I think he gets a thrill, too. Please let him know how much you are enjoying his efforts.

Another area I am trying to expand our dessert repertoire is in the realm of gluten-free offerings. You'd be amazed to know how many people are cutting back on gluten. Gluten is the part of wheat flour that creates the structure that supports bread and cakes. By carefully replacing that tradtional ingredient with alternatives such as rice flour, eggs, and other less glutenous grains, we can help those reach their gluten-free goals. In the digestive system, gluten can often cause a mucous build-up that interferes with the body's ability to remove  and use nutrients. If you have ever known anyone with Celiac's disease, you know that gluten can cause all sorts of troubles. Many of our customers are referred to us by their healthcare providers that we felt we should be able to offer dessert alternatives that speak to them. But they are not in any way a compromise, flavor-wise. The completely decadent chocolate-hazelnut torte is an example. Eggs, chocolate (lots) and no wheat flour make a dense, rich dessert. Do you have other ingredients you are trying to avoid? Speak up! Even if you've found other local places can't accommodate your dietary needs, come in to see what we can offer you. But if I don't know, I can't try to help.

Just so you know, here are some other things we avoid here—We NEVER use hydrogenated fats like Crisco, nor packaged whip cream products like Cool Whip. We never use margarine—always butter or extra virgin olive oil. For the rare times I am pan-frying something, I'll usually use corn oil. The sweetener in the cornbread is honey. Our breads are made fresh daily using whole wheat flour or unbleached flour. The pizza bases are made with a combination of unbleached and semolina wheat flours. Our eggs are almost always local, farm-fresh and organic. My favorites are the Aricana eggs that I use in the spinach and egg salads—they have a naturally pretty, light green/blue color shell. The insides and flavor are the same as the brown or white but I love the drama of peeling the coloreds ones. We make all our dressing from scratch using extra virgin olive oil or real mayonnaise. Our broths are either made from scratch or MSG free—usually organic. The pie shells usually use strictly butter, but if I am making a non-vegetarian dish I'll sometimes use butter and lard. Nothing beats real lard for a flaky crust. The tamales are made with traditional lard and corn masa, from scratch and hand-built. Whenever we can find them, we use local produce. Gradually we are expanding our local resources for produce. Mary Badiny had done a superb job of keeping us in fresh herbs and greens. We get our milk and dairy from Hiland Dairy where their farmers have committed to not using BGH—bovine growth hormone. We are always looking for ways to bring you food that originates closer to home. We welcome your input and suggestions.

So the menu this week~
Soups~ all week Southern Corn Chowder; Tuesday Pozole; Wed + Creamy garlic , spinach and potato soup 3.49/4.99/5.49  or with entrée 2.50/ 3.50
Monday~Fall veggie deep dish quiche. this quiche is so loaded in veggies you won't even notice there isn't any meat in it. With side salad. $6.50
Tuesday~  Cumin rubbed pulled pork tamales with a salsa verde cheese sauce and Spanish rice $6.50
Wednesday~Curried Turkey and Israeli couscous salad $6.50
Thursday~ Pesto pizza with smoked sausage, bell peppers, and portabellas with side salad $7.00
Friday~Hefty club salad with turkey, ham, swiss, hard boiled egg, plus red onion, mushrooms and bell pepper. $6.50

Fri. night dinners~ Seafood~ Rockbridge Trout Meuniere with wasabi mashed potatoes and stir-fried fall veggies and side salad $12
Meat~Beef lasagne with side salad $12
Veggie~veggie stuffed manicotti,  baked acorn squash, side salad $10

Thanks for joining us.
~~Susan

Autumn colors

Last week was nothing short of delightful. We were all able to enjoy glorious weather and the variety of colors being presented. Jon and I actually took a walk in the woods for the first time in weeks. Since it was at Grand Gulf I wasn't afraid of getting shot by happy hunters.

We chose to be closed last Friday night. My mother has had yet another mini-stroke. Cat scan showed no changes since last year, so I guess it was minor but it wore her out and me, as well. We know it is not good to confuse our customers with days being closed unexpectedly, but our priorities remain that Mom comes first. It has been that way for 5 years and I don't plan to change that. Happily, she will now be able to get some physical therapy which should help bring back the loss of control she is experiencing on her right side. I see her daily in her new digs at the Manor where she is quite content. I am sorry if it messed with your plans. We do plan to be open all week, this week. On Friday we have Dustin and Rick, aka Chief Wahoo and the Electric Tonic. Their renditions of Irish folk tunes and sweet sound are a joy to behold. If you were at the performance of Blackberry Winter last week, you got a preview. I encourage you to join us for their music. You won't be disappointed.

One of my favorite cookbook resources is Cook's Illustrated. It is the magazine version of the America's Test Kitchen. Going way beyond simply presenting recipes that taste good, they also go into the scientific and mechanical reasons why certain methods work better than others. Had I not gone immediately from teenager to Mom I would have probably wound up being an oceanographer. So it appeals to my scientific side. I've been gobbling up my copy of the 2010 "best of" cookbook and enjoying the newest issue of the mag. They get read cover to cover. Some of my recent offerings have come from those sources and the reviews have generally been quite good. It encourages me to try more dishes. Yeah.

The soups this week are old favorites. All week I'll offer Chicken Tortilla soup and later in the week Bruce will do another round of his French onion soup. That recipe uses 10 pounds of yellow onions cooked for most of a day. If you wonder how it gets so rich—now you know.  

I love getting the fall vegetables and roasting them in the oven. The flavors are so intense. On Monday I'll serve them with grilled pork chops. As a side option you can have a regular side salad or a spinach salad. $6.50

Tuesday Bruce will bring back his cashew chicken tamales. This innovative version of his tamales were a terrific hit a few weeks ago. All the flavors you expect, wrapped in a corn masa blanket and topped with the traditional cashew sauce. He usually makes 11 servings and last week we were sold out entirely by 11:30. So if you want some, either show up early or call in to reserve! $6.50

A few weeks ago I made creamy chicken enchiladas. They, too, disappeared before most got a chance to eat them. That time an office called and bought out the "whole enchilada." Hee-hee. I'll make them again on Wednesday. This time I promise to reserve the batch for the rest of the world. The recipe is based on one from Rick Bayless who owns Frontera in Chicago. It is very rich, very creamy and extraordinarily tasty yet not too heavy. Again—call in to reserve. $6.50

Thursday I'll do my pizzas. This time I'll have thick applewood smoked bacon, local shitake mushrooms, grilled onions and roasted red peppers piled on top of my fresh pesto base. I have a new, regionally-produced, Mozzarella we'll be trying. Most of the Mozzarella I have seen has been a low-moisture, skim milk version. This whole milk version promises to have a richer flavor. It costs us more in ingredients. Tell us if you think it is worth the difference. I'll serve them with a side salad. All week you can request spinach as your side salad, if you wish. As usual, the cost is $7.00.
   
Friday I'll do a massive club salad featuring oven roasted turkey, black forest ham, Swiss cheese, red onion, chopped hard boiled egg, roasted red peppers; all served on a bed of Romaine. It will be paired with a fresh sour-dough roll. $6.50

And now for the dinner entrées~
Seafood~ Jon will wood-fire the wild-caught Pacific salmon filets and I'll finish them in-house. If you had that lovely seafood sauce I served with the Cojo salmon a few weeks ago, you'll get the chance to enjoy it again. The recipe for the sauce (which will be served on the side) came from a long-time defunct restaurant in Austin called the Garden Café. It is simply soy sauce, mayonnaise, lemon juice, cayenne and I add a bit of horseradish to the mix. But it is the perfect accompaniment to the salmon. I'll stir-fry a bunch of those fall veggies and we'll serve a side salad to get you started. $12.

Meat~ I'll do a pork Marsala over egg noodles with a side salad. Marsala is a unique fortified wine that, when added to the mushroom sauce adds a richness that makes the tongue dance. The chicken version I did a few weeks ago disappeared at lunch rather quickly. I expect the pork to be popular, as well. I'll make some sweet potato biscuits to go with the fall theme. $12.

Veggie~ I'll finally get to make the deep-dish fall veggie quiche. I don't believe in whimpy quiches. Look for all manner of late summer and fall veggies to load up the pastry. The seasoning will lean toward the Italian flavorings of oregano, garlic, marjarom and thyme. Roasted potatoes and sweet potato biscuits will accompany as well as a starter side salad. $10.

We love having you join us for both lunch and dinner. When you bring in your family and friends we couldn't be more proud. Thank you for sharing your time, friends and support that keeps us rolling. This time last year we were still trying to figure out what would be next when the cold weather hit. You helped make this happen and are keeping us going. Thank you...and keep coming!!!

Have a terrific week!
~~Susan

Seasonal flavors

Ahh! that lovely time of year when we are all in anticipation of bright leaf colors, knowing it means the beginning of six leafless months. This is the time of year I most WANT to walk in the woods and feel the least safe doing it. Why can't hunting season be when it is too hot for the rest of us to tromp through the woods? I am fine with giving up 10 days during the gun season, but there is also bow and black powder, youth and turkey. Together they take up the entire fall. I know I am tromping on near-religious grounds mentioning this. I know and understand the importance of hunting season. I just wish I could tromp safely. Yeah, I know about orange vests. But do they REALLY work?

The fall vegetables are starting to come in. Last week Mary Badiny provided us with butternut squash for the soup. This week we will use them again in the stir-fries on Friday night. I am using the Willow Mountain Mushrooms in the roasted mushroom soup and Bruce will be using mushrooms in the mushroom risotto on Tuesday with his tamales. Do you forage for fall mushrooms or paw-paw or persimmons? I'll gladly buy them. What about muscadine grapes? Perhaps we are too far north for those. I used to enjoy them in Texas in the fall.

The new Meeting Menu is now a reality. If you have lunch-time meetings for 8 or more you will appreciate this new menu. It is made up of our top sellers plus a couple of salad offerings not on the regular menu. Because of quantites, we are able to offer some lower prices and we all win. If you place your meeting-menu order 24 hours in advance, the whole order gets free cookies. Be a hero— make the lunch meeting something to look forward to.

Monday we'll serve Waldorf salad over chopped Romaine. I love the crispness of the apples mixed with the celery, onion and pecans. A little bit of curry adds a bit of spice and notches up the flavor profile. $6.50

Bruce's tamales Tuesday brings back a favorite—Chicken Florentine. Poached chicken and sauteed spinach fill the tamales and they are topped with a mozzarella cheese sauce and served with a mushroom risotto. $6.50

I have an abundance of shrimp right now and I'll slather them in the strawberry chipotle jam and grill it to serve atop grilled polenta on Wednesday. It will be accompanied by a side salad or fruit. $6.50

Thursday, I'll be adapting a true Mexican dish called Molletes to a pizza. Jon and I fell in love with molletes while visiting Mexico City years ago. Molletes are usually made with a flaky  or yeast roll but I'll put the frijoles on pizza dough that has been drizzled in jalapeno oil. Top it with Monterey jack cheese, pico de gallo and crumble cotija cheese on top. On rolls these are usually served as breakfast. I'll accompany it with a salad for lunch. $7.00

Friday lunch will be Elk Burgers! This favorite always sells out early. If you want to be sure to get one I encourage you to call in your order first thing Friday morning. I'll serve them with oven-roasted sweet potato fries. $7.50

Friday night this week is Open Mic. I love the atmosphere when we get to audition new talent and see what might be coming down the pike in the weeks ahead. The food will forward the autumnal theme.

The seafood entrée will be wood-fired wild Pacific salmon with a sweet chili sauce served with stir-fried fall veggies and a side salad. $12

The meat entrée will be sausage and beef stuffed manicotti with salad and garlic rolls. $12

The vegetarian entrée will be a deep dish fall veggie quiche with side salad and garlic potatoes. $10

Ready in time for Monday lunch, Bruce has made a peanut butter mousse pie and lemon mint cake. I hope to play with the local pears this week. Maybe a rustic tart? We have a bunch of organic local raspberries to play with. Something will come of it. Later in the week I'll make another chocolate almond torte which has almost no flour and is decandently rich. Do you have requests for certain favorite desserts? Just ask. We might be able to make it happen. You'll have to wait until November for Bruce to bring back the Tira-misu.

As always, we treasure your business and are delighted each time you show up. It is a great satisfaction we feel when you cash in your filled-up Lunch Bunch card. We are especially proud when you bring in your friends and family to share the cafe with them. After years of basically solo work, Jon and I are both really enjoying getting to meet so many people face to face. Thank you for being a major part of what makes this place work!

~~Susan

W/E October 1st—Full Swing Fall

What  a lovely last couple of weeks we've had. Thanks to you, we've had 2 weeks of record breaking numbers and anticipate another with 3 of the members of Blackberry Winter being our entertainment for Friday night. This is a rare opportunity to see these guys locally. They've spent much of 2010 touring the US. Last month, Blackberry Winter had a CD release party at our establishment and we were able to schedule them for your entertaiment. Marideth Sisco, Dennis Crider and Linda Stoffal all live in West Plains and have a loyal following. Word is still coming in on the other members. We've now heard that Teddy- the bass player-will also join us. We expect the room to fill and overflow into next door on Friday night. Please be a part of this joyful occasion. But get those reservations in early. We're already over 20 reservations. Due to the high number of reservations expected, you will either be buying dinner OR paying a $10/cover.

The cooler weather has, indeed, allowed us to keep the doors open and the screen doors slapping. For the most part we've been able to streamline a couple of parts of our operation to get the orders out even more quickly. Several people have commented on this on their survey cards. Progress!!! The survey questions with your answers are really a big help to us— next we want to know about your beverage choices. Have you tasted regional wines or beers? We plan on offering several regional offerings, in addition to California wines. Surprisingly, very few establishments in the state have chosen to highlight these beverages—even though Missouri now has over 75 wineries and I don't know how many small breweries. Most experimenting occurs at the individual wineries, themselves, or at liquor retailers/package stores. The wineries are not located in the immediate area except for a couple in Mountain View and Seymour. Because this isn't a big tourist mecca of wines trails, many locals have never even tasted the goodness of the Missouri wineries. In the last few years more attention has been given to grapes that can be made into less sweet wines. The Chambourcin is one of my favorites along with Norton and St. Catherine. If you think Missouri wines are all sweet, you have treat coming—as soon as we get that license, that is. Progess is definitely being made on the paperwork. I hope that when we start the new year it will be with a liquor license.

I'll have 2 different soups this week. Monday will be the white chicken chili that proved so popular last winter. Tuesday and the rest of the week I'll have roasted butternut squash soup. Last winter this was the 2nd most popular soup. This is a rich, nicely rounded soup with a veggie base but a creamy finish without being a full-fledged cream soup.  It'll fill you nicely but not weigh you down. Standard soup pricing prevails.

We'll start the week off with a bang! Monday I'll introduce a special of Rustic Lamb Chili with shitake mushrooms served over roasted red potatoes. My mouth waters in anticipation. This is local grass fed lamb and it is delicious. We'll be pricing it like an entrée special—$6.50. It'll be served with a side.

Tuesday we'll have Mystery Tamales. That means I don't remember what variety Bruce told me last week he would be making. I'm sure he knows. I'm sure they will be terrific and I bet they sell out before noon. So take a chance and call to save yours Tuesday morning. (We'll know the variety by then and can tell you.) Usually they are served with a side of rice. $6.50

Wednesday I have chicken and mushroom crepes. We are fortunate to have access to the lovely mushrooms from Willow Mountain Mushroom and I like to take advantage of that. I'll mix shitake, portabella and button mushrooms for the sauce on these chicken-filled crepes. They'll be served with a side salad. $6.50

Thursday the pizzas will be BBQ chicken pizzas with a tossed arugula/ lettuce salad. The slightly bitter greens of the salad will be a nice counterpoint to the sweetness of the BBQ sauce on the pizza. We make the dough from scratch and are using local Amish whole milk mozzarella. $7.00

Friday will be a wild one so I am keeping the lunch a simple one. I am bringing back the Waldorf Salad. This was a big hit last time and I love incorporating the apples coming into season. We'll have Missouri pecans in it as well. $6.50

Friday dinners:
Seafood: Spicy garlic grilled shrimp skewers with rice pilaf and a side salad. $12.

Meat: Pasta Puttanesca—the pasta with the interesting origin. Originally created by the whores of Sicily or was it Naples? Anyway, it is somewhat salty and very full of traditional southern Italian ingredients. I'll serve it over rotini with a simple side salad. $12

Vegetable entrée: Sweet & Spicy veggie stir-fry over rice with skillet stuffed onions and a side salad. $10.

When you call in for your Friday reservations, please be prepared to give your entrée choice or tell us you'll just be paying to watch the band. The music will start about 6:15.

Summer's end: autumn's return

This week marks the equinox when the days and nights are equally long. Hard to believe those excruciatingly hot days are finally behind us. And finally we are getting some rain. The mums are happy and the herbs, as well. We'll have the doors open and the AC off. Last week was a record week in several ways. We had three "highest evers" in one week. Tuesday and Thursday had highest ever lunches. Friday was a highest ever full day. I just love hearing the sound of happy chatter on those days.  The sound of the slapping wood screen door brings back memories of childhood—memories of running around barefoot all summer.

We took my Mom to see "The Help" on Sunday. What an exquisitely written story. Having grown up in the South, I was young enough to be at the tail end of the period of this kind of treatment. While I know there were those attitudes around me, I gratefully, never witnessed it myself. I am delighted to see the movie made and even more proud that West Plains' Glass Sword cinema has had it running for 3 weeks. Hopefully, it has been a financial success for them, but as a social-justice-type person, I am just thrilled to see a message, as such, getting out. Hats off!!!!!

The change in weather has ushered in a new season of soups. Bruce kicked things off twice last week with his famous French Onion Soup and followed it up with a three cheese Italian soup. The TINY bit I got to taste was terrific. It disappeared REAL fast.

I am looking forward to the first pomegranates of the season as well as the first winter squashes. We have had several requests for a winter squash soup so it will be in the line up as soon as I see them available. My white chicken chili will be making a comeback later this week. Today I have lentil soup made with farmer produced sausage that has no nitrates. Full of lentils, carrots, garlic and onion, it is one of the most flavorful soups and filling, too.

Monday I have a very tasty shrimp poblano quiche—Mexican, seafood, eggs and cheese all wrapped up in one dish. There are lots of shrimp in it. $6.50 with fruit or potato salad/$8.00 with a side salad.

Tuesday Bruce steps up with his hand-built tamales. This time he tackles gumbo. Phil Wages brought in some lovely okra and that will be the star in that dish. Chicken gumbo tamales with dirty rice. Should be an interesting flavor combination. So far his experiments in tamales have produced some fine results. Go Bruce! Go! $6.50

Wednesday Enchiladas Cremosas de Pollo—translates to creamy chicken enchiladas. Rick Bayless of Frontera fame in Chicago has shared this recipe and I love it. I'm pretty sure you will, too. I'll serve it with a fennel-apple slaw and Spanish rice. Reminder: If you see a special on the list you want, call in that morning and we'll save you a serving. I only make 8-10 servings of each special, so they go fast.
$6.50

Thursday Bruce will take over the pizza game with sweet Italian sausage pizzas topped with fresh tomatoes, onions and cheese. They'll be served with a side salad. $7

Friday lunch will be Curried turkey and couscous salad with dried cranberries. This will be a hearty salad that will fill you up quite well. Served with a cranberry nut muffin. $6.50

Friday night this week brings the return of the Renee Wood Trio. They play swinging jazz on saxophone, guitar and drums. We often fill the house when they join us, so reservations are strongly advised.
The seafood entree~Bruce will marinate tuna in red miso and then sear it. It'll be served with wakame salad and a sushi roll. $12
The meat entree~ Lemon Moroccan chicken with couscous. Served with a chunky cucumber/ feta  salad $12
The vegetarian entree~Roasted root veggies with grilled polenta. Served with a veggie-loaded salad. $10

It should be a good week for dining al fresco if the rain holds off during lunch-time. I look forward to hearing the door slap as you join us. Welcome in the fall with us. See ya~~

~~Susan

Volatile week ahead—better seek comfort food

The weather this week will be all over the temp and rain guage. We'll start out warmer than last week then plunge into the cooler ranges toward the end. Might even have to dodge some rain.  Sounds like time for foods that have some stability and comfort.

We are having some challenges in keeping out the flies with the screen doors. The wind blowing through tends to open the front door just enough to invite them in. Grrr. I have purchased an additonal spring and hope to tighten the existing one. Bear with us on that.

I've been looking for recipes that use edamame (fresh soy beans) in more ways than simply cooked in salted water. I have found an edamame hummus recipe that sounds quite interesting. I'll make it by mid-week for your appetizing pleasure. I'll serve it with sliced, toasted Romans.

Thank you, again, for your input on the surveys. The information you share gives us the umph we need to make this a destination you keep high on your priority list. It allows us to tweak your ideal scene without making expensive mistakes. We've been able to learn that the most frequently listened to radio stations of our customers are NPR and 88.1. We've also learned, over time, that the most common demographic of our customers is that they are well traveled. That tickles me, no end. It is those who have been to other places, tasted yummy foods and know what has been missing here, locally, that seem to appreciate what we do. Yeah!!!!

We'll start the week out with a French onion soup and salad special that will run all week. I even made some nice rolls to serve with it. Bruce makes the BEST French onion soup and he uses tons of onions. We'll top it with toasted croutons and parmesan rounds.

I have not done sushi in quite a while since the new Chinese buffet has done a pretty good job of that. But I have had several requests for sushi and will honor those requests. Monday I am doing spicy tuna rolls served with a cucumber/seaweed salad. It will come with a cup of soup (French onion) for $6.50

Tuesday Bruce will awe us with his hand-built tamales. This time he is going Italian with a sweet Italian sausage to stuff them, covered by his homemade marinara and rice. $6.50

Wednesday, the weather drops the temps and I think a classic beef stew is in order. Lots of beef, potatoes, carrots, onions in a rich broth, cooked until it falls apart. Paired with a small side salad and dinner roll for $6.50.

Thursday, the pizzas turn white with an alfredo sauce base topped with artichokes. With a side salad—$7.00

Friday, more comfort food. Grilled pork chops with garlic sauce, yellow squash casserole, fresh green beans and a side salad for $7.00

Desserts during the week will include a peach/nectarine galette (kind of a free-form tart) and a Boston Cream Pie made by me. Bruce has whipped up a new dessert based on the classic Bananas Foster. It is a layered vanilla pound cake with bananas foster-type filling and a cream cheese frosting. QUITE tasty!

Friday night will be an entertainment delight. Nancy Fohn will take the stage to sing songs from the Great American Songbook. A long-time music teacher who has taught in both Winona and West Plains, this gifted vocalist will strut her stuff accompanied on guitar by Jon Lumsden. I have heard them rehearsing and know they will provide a high level of entertainment.

I think the food Friday night should be just as exciting. We're definitely going on Flavor Journeys this week. It is time to give your taste-buds a travel treat.

We'll head south. The seafood entrée will be shrimp rellenos. They'll be served in little corn husk boats accompanied by a citrus-seasoned slaw, bacon-wrapped stuffed and grilled jalapenos, refried black beans and Spanish rice. Oh my! $12

The meat entrée will be another Indian dish—Chicken Saagwala. This spicy dish features lots of Indian spices but not too much heat. Key flavors include cinnamon, garam marsala, ginger, tumeric, garlic and cayenne. The main ingredients are chicken and spinach. This dish will be paired with Chapatis—a freshly made Indian flat bread, white rice and a salad called Kachumber which showcases tomatoes, cucumber and onion. You don't even need your passport. $12

The vegetarian entrée heads south, as well. It will be Sweet corn tamales with adobo sauce, tomato carpaccio with tomatillos, avocado and fresh herbs and classic white rice with plantains. $10

I highly suggest you each order something different and share! No charge for extra plates.

Overall, I think this will be a fun week. Please join us. Don't forget to give us a review on Yelp.com. We appreciate the input!
~~Susan

The BEST weather for dining al fresco

This is the week I've been waiting for. Although, I'll have to say I was surprised to find it this early in September. How does that work? Instant change in the jet stream? Why isn't it more gradual—like the slightly later sunrise and slightly earlier sunset? Anyway—it should be perfect for adding the extra sensory elements of dining outside. With 4 new tables and chairs we should be able to accommodate most of you that wish to dine there.

Thank you very much for taking the time to fill out the survey cards. Your answers are most helpful. This week I want to know your favorite soups. Also, what is your favorite way to enjoy okra? I'll also be asking how long it took your order to be delivered. We want to know. You need us to know.

Your input is needed on a broader level, as well. We discovered that we had been reviewed on yelp.com. Overall, the reviewer loved the food but said they had waited over 30 minutes for their food. Really? That is outside my perception of delivery, even on a very busy day. We'd love to have you review our cafe. Tell folks what you love and what you hunger for. If we need a heads up to fix something—we'd prefer you tell us—but also understand that you might wish to tell the world via the review. That's OK. We just would like to see more input.

One reviewer mentioned that 2 items she wanted to order, we were out of. I have a comment on that. Generally speaking, except for the specials (which we only do in small batches,) we try to keep everything available. The exception overall would be the appetizers. The reason for that is that we don't sell a whole lot of them and making larger batches would be inviting spoilage. So we kind of rotate them through. We will be smoking catfish again soon, but are out of it right now. Also, appetizers are the kind of item that we like to change up a bit, seasonally. I am in search of interesting options with edamame and want to play with goat cheeses, too. That is another of our survey questions—when are you likely to choose an appetizer and what are your favorites?

Recently we have developed a strong following for the stir-fried veggies and brown rice. I love preparing this simple, tasty dish. But it demands a full focus and I can't multi-task while making it like I can other menu items. Therefore, we are letting folks know that orders for that may take longer—not because it takes longer to prepare—but because I can only pay attention to that dish while working on it. It is prepared totally to order. I think it is worth the wait. But we just want you to understand what is happening.

Good news on the beer/wine/liquor license front. Today I finished the 2009 income tax paperwork. I expect to finish the 2010 within the next week. So far, we don't owe any additional money and that will keep things moving forward. Progress! It feels very good.

Bruce is grabbing the reins more this week. Tuesday he is delivering another of his hand-built tamales. Cue-ing off the popularity of cashew chicken, he is pairing poached chicken with cashews and cashew sauce. I usually enjoy his creativity in cooking and look forward to not only tasting this one, but also seeing how it is received. It has the hallmarks of a winner $6.50.

Midweek (Wednesday) he is offering a California club sandwich in a pita. $6.50 He tells me this has been a customer favorite in other locales. Sounds good to me.

Thursday I am going "smoked" on the pizzas.  This one is definitely on the "gourmet" end of things. I make the crust and season it with garlic and oregano. That base is topped with basil pesto, smoked oysters (sustainable and no extra ingredients), smoked shrimp, fire-roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and artichoke hearts.  I'm salivating already. Served with a side salad for $7.00

Friday lunch will feature chicken Marsala over noodles. I've been wanting to do this dish for a while. The cooler weather makes it more inviting. There will probably be about 10 servings—so get yours reserved if you want it. $6.50

Speaking of cooler weather... I am making chicken noodle soup with Amish noodles this week. Whenever the weather is coolish, we'll have soup of some sort. I love soup weather. $3.49/cup, $4.99/ bowl, $5.49/ 16oz. or $2.50/ cup or $3.50/bowl when served with a lunch entrée.

You might remember that we moved Open Mic Night back a week and this Friday is it. Hear our eclectic mix of performers and visit with friends. The meals should be pretty nice, too.
The seafood entree will be paella. I'll make every effort to find ALL the appropriate ingredients. I already have the shrimp, squid, and octopus, plus yellow rice and side salad. I'm looking forward to preparing this lovely entree. If you like seafood, don't miss this. At $12 it is a real deal.

Bruce is handling the meat entree by doing Bombay Pork Curry. It, too, will be served over rice. Bruce has a very nice hand when it comes to curry. $12

The vegetarian entree will be eggplant cannelloni. Fresh local eggplant sauteed and rolled around goat cheese and baked with a freshly made marinara sauce. Served with a side salad. $10

Have a glorious week and enjoy the weather.
~~Susan

Rhythms and fresh starts

Last week I mentioned how my resolve to finish projects has strengthened as the year reaches its final stretch. Also, how this time of year is the time to harvest our efforts. Well, it is also the time of year for fresh starts. I have one more chance to get it right when it comes to gardening. Sadly, I am a plant-it-, water-it-,expect-it-to-grow kind of plant mother. There isn't a lot of time for nurturing. Come to think of it, I was that kind of Mom, too.

Anyhoo... I like that my geranium failures can be replaced with chrysanthemum beauty. So watch for new color in the garden.

Labor Day seems like the cusp of a period when folks go from pursuing a happy-go-lucky free-spirited randomity to finding a more focused direction with its higher level of predictability and regimen. I'm not sure if one is better than the other. As a restaurateur, I am hoping the latter brings in a larger daily lunch crowd. One of the aspects of living here is that usually we have three full months of each season. (I know this year has been quite bizarre) By the time I am bored or fully tired of one season, the next one is announcing that it's arrival is imminent. I have spent more than 30 years of my life living in places where the summers were very lengthy and spring and fall happened in a blink. So I have a high appreciation for noting the seasonal changes. Each season has time to fully roll out its show and no one season is unbearable.

Hopefully, we will soon be enjoying having the front and back doors open to the fresh cool fall air. I love the sound of the cafe when the doors are open to the world. It makes one feel so much more a part of the rhythm of the town and its seasons.

We are closer to having the paperwork done to apply for our liquor licensing. I am having to play catch-up on some of it. But weekly progress IS being made.

Thank you for filling out our survey cards. I am not changing the questions this week so I can get more answers from the questions I posed last week. If you haven't filled one out, (they are on the table in front of you) please do so. We know you have a vested interest in how things develop around here.  It shows in how you often bus your own table. We know you care and want to help.

Are you a seared tuna fan? Have you tried our new Tuna Roman? I pan-sear (rare is the usual, but you may have it the way you like), add a smear of kicky wasabi mayonnaise, spicy sprouts and tomato and stack them on a freshly made Roman bun. Tell me, do you think it needs a slice of avocado? Anyway, it is tasty and gathering a big fan base.

Friday night this week we will be closed. We'll be heading into the Labor Day Weekend and that means we will close Monday as well. So get your fix early.

Now here's the weekly flavor journeys~
All week~Tuna Roman served with side or chips $6.50
Monday~Our usual spinach salad topped with seared tuna $6.50
Tuesday~Chicken Cordon Bleu Tamales—Poached chicken and black forest ham stuffed tamales with Swiss cheese sauce and rainbow rice $6.50
Wednesday~Crab cakes with side salad and garlic parsley red potatoes $7.00
Thursday~Pesto pizza with prosciutto, brie, roasted red peppers and fresh tomatoes and kalamata olives. $7.00 with side salad
Friday~Hong Kong style Chop Suey—a blend of pork and beef chunks with celery simmered in a rich broth of soy sauce and Chinese bead molasses served with steamed rice $6.50

Hope you enjoy your last week of summer! We'll be here cooking for you.

~~Susan

Changes in energy

This is one of my favorite times of the year. I know...sounds weird. But here is my logic and emotion all tied up in one—What is the most exciting feeling in the world? For me it is anticipation. I am already in anticipation for that first cool day that spells the end of endless heat. Along with those weather changes come changes in energy, purpose and expectation. We are on the harvesting side of the year. Whereas, rainfall may have seemed abundant in the spring, we saw weeks of draught and extreme heat. Yet, through all those extremes we are now reaping the rewards of long hours and hard work. We are beginning to see and understand abundance. Don't get me wrong. I'm not claiming that the economy has magically returned to affluence. I'm just saying that this is the time of year we get to see the results of our work. This applies in more than just agriculture. I find I feel a renewed vigor to tackle those unaddressed goals made during the early high-energy months of the year.  I know that another milestone—the changing of the year—will soon approach and there are things I wanted to have on my "done" list before 2011 is a memory.

Among those goals is to get our beer and wine license or maybe liquor license. I have a program mapped out indicating each step that needs to be addressed, who is responsible and a target date for completion. Several of the earliest steps have already been addressed and "done" is written in. The next biggy is finally catching up on getting our income taxes filed. It isn't a money issue. It has been a time issue. Between taking care of Mom and starting this cafe out of nothing, we've had other priorities. The time is NOW! Our priorities have been allowed to shift and getting the required paperwork finished in order to be able to apply for that permit has suddenly focused our attention. So today I got to work on getting them done. I'm having computer challenges, so the going is frustrating. But progress is happening.

Another major goal we are close to attaining is creating a "meeting menu." This menu will be especially for offices of 8 or more people who see the benefit of having their meetings over lunch. We are putting together a menu that saves everyone time and money. The salads are made in a larger scale, sandwiches are served on an platter and we have prediction of needed effort which results in less waste. There is even special pricing on sandwiches because I can make several at once. Pick up a copy when you are at the register and take it back to the person in charge of ordering lunch!

Did you see our cute new bistro sets? These are very much like the authentic ones in Europe. I've wanted some since we first thought of doing this game. Even though the weather has been less than inviting of late, I still envision this as more of a sidewalk cafe. I am very much looking forward to that day that we can, once again, leave the front and back doors open and let the screen doors do their thing. Anticipation.

Speaking of which...a few weeks ago Jon and I were in Jonesboro, AR. We decided to have lunch at a little Japanese place. I couldn't believe it! I got emotional thinking about anticipating the tasting of something wonderfully rare and succulant to my taste buds. And when the flavor finally hit my tongue, I actually teared up, closed my eyes and smiled. I realized just how much I had missed anticipation. Anticipation, itself had become a rarity.  That is a major reason that I am committed to doing more than the "same old-same old." I really want to create anticipation. I want you to experience that extra spark of energy that comes with anticipation—as well as the satisfaction of enjoying the reality of that which you anticipated. The flavor journeys are to take you out of your hum-drum and add a spark to your week. I figure if I can create anticipation I'll have done my job.

Surveys— we realized we were not making the best use of a resource we have access to— your opinion!!! We know that you know best what you like and I can, at best, guess. But why guess when we know you'd like to tell us your thoughts? Afterall, you do have a vested interest in how this place develops. So we are going to put a stack of postcards on your table each week with specific questions we have. You are free to write about anything you'd like, but we'd love to find out your thoughts regarding certain things—like favorite fresh seafood, what radio stations do you listen to, what your favorite eating moment was, when you discovered you loved a new flavor, who are your favorite regional musicians? All questions to which we need answers. You may remain anonymous, but it would be nice if you gave us a way to contact you to learn more or say thank you.

Friday night this week will be a bit of a departure from the norm. We welcome Blindcat aka Michael McIntire. He'll get things really moving with the blues. I've wanted to get a blues musician in here all summer. At last! Please join us and get those reservations in early.

This week's menu~~
Monday~Raja Relleno. This is a New Mexican-directed dish that features fire roasted hatch chilis, lots of cheese, salsa, and eggs and is served with black bean frijoles and a spicy side salad. $6.50
Tuesday~Vietnamese tamales with red curry sauce, pineapple salsa and vietnamese fried rice. $6.50. Also Tuna Roman all week~ freshly grilled tuna steak, wasabi mayonnaise, tomato and spicy sprouts on freshly made Roman bun~ with side $7.50
Wednesday~Lasagna with chicken and spinach; plus one side $6.50
Thursday~Antipasto Salad $6.50
Friday~Lunch~Herb Roasted chicken quarter, scalloped potatoes, steamed zucchini, biscuit and side salad $6.50
Dinner A) Sesame seared sashimi grade tuna steak, shitake mushrooms and wild rice, stir-fired zucchini and onions, side salad $12
Dinner B) Slow cooked country pork ribs, corn on hte cob, stir-fired zucchini and onions, side salad, biscuit $12
Dinner C) Steamed eggplant and squashes with Thai peanut sauce, served with jasmine rice and side salad. $10