Week of August 30-Sept 3--SUSHI !!!!! & Sirloin

What a glorious week we just had! The weather was wonderful. We had our first public event and we served our most meals yet. What could be better? Next week!

Cygnet Brown signing my copy of her book When God Turned His Head

Author Cygnet Brown launched her new book When God Turned His Head with a book signing in our courtyard Saturday morning. I’ve attached a photo of me getting my signed copy. My 81-year-old mother is an avid reader and has claimed first read. Fortunately, she is a fast reader. You can find more info about this local author and her work by going to her website.

Julie Shaw has brought us the makings of a fine little fountain for the courtyard. While we work out the mechanics we can enjoy its funky styling. Thank you, Julie. Julie is best known for her mosaic work. We are expecting the arrival of components for our pond in the next week or two. Hopefully, it’ll be complete with goldfish and lilies.

Wendy and Bob Semyck have Willow Mountain Mushrooms in Tecumseh. They delivered the freshest portabellas I have ever seen. The gills were a dry light brown. Not that usual dark brown verging on wet and slimy you usually get at the local grocers. I am incorporating their lovely ‘shrooms into the Grilled Sirloin Salad—more on that later. Wendy and Bob have been in the mushroom business for a long time.For Bob, over 20 years. They have five (FIVE!) children and growing the mushrooms is a family endeavor that allows them to spend much time together. The kids often travel with Bob and Wendy on their outings to vendors and I was delighted to meet them all. Visit their website at http://www.willowmountainmushrooms.com/ or pick up a batch at the Howell Valley Grocery on east Business 63 or at D& D Produce on Gibson.

While the country has been going through a massive egg recall, we have been enjoying our lovely rich-yolked eggs from Black Bell Acres. Their eggs, often with a light green or brown shell, are the main component in our egg salad sandwiches. Those are very happy chickens laying very rich eggs.

We have scuttled Saturday lunches and are adding in Mondays to our schedule. Since our clientele is largely those seeking work-day lunches we thought it would be more appropriate. Hopefully, you won’t have too many leftovers from the weekend and will join us on Mondays.

We have ordered umbrellas to provide shade for our other 3 three round tables. More and more are joining us in the courtyard as the weather settles down. We are fortunate to usually have 6 months of the year in the moderate category. Now that we are past the most grueling in the heat department, you can enjoy a gentle breeze while getting your Vitamin D and nourishing your body.

New Community table—We have just added a longer 6-person table that will provide a friendly place to visit with others who are likely dining alone. If you wish privacy—pick one of the smaller tables. If you wish for possible company, sit at the community table and take advantage of the opportunity to meet new friends or visit with old ones. We’ll be adding an umbrella for that table shortly.

This week's specials—We’re globetrotting to Asia this week. The 2 specials are 1) California Roll, Miso Soup and a cucumber/seaweed salad for $6.25 and
2) a Grilled Sirloin Salad with oriental dressing. Also $6.25

I KNOW that California Rolls are not truly Asian. If you are a sushi fan, you are already aware of the ubiquitous roll. It is made of sushi rice, surimi crab (yeah, it is the fake stuff but traditional), avocado, rolled up in a nori sheet (seaweed wrapper) and garnished with sesame seeds. We’ll have wasabi and soy sauce to add your touch. The miso soup is made with a fish broth (dashi), miso, and has a bit of tofu, seaweed, green onion and mushroom. The cucumber salad starts with Mary Badini’s organic cucumbers, sprinkled with rice vinegar and sesame oil, a bit of chopped dried seaweed and black sesame seeds and a bit of Spike seasoning.

The second special is the Grilled Sirloin Salad. The steak is marinated in a distinctly Asian marinade—ginger, garlic, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, sesame oil and soy sauce-- and grilled to medium rare, chilled and sliced. It tops a bed of chopped Romaine with tomatoes, red onion, mushrooms and bell pepper. A variation of the marinade is served as a dressing. Vegetarians-- request portabellas instead of steak!!!!

We were delighted with the response to last week's specials. Three days we sold out of at least one of them. I do have the ingredients to make a few more of the gazpacho shooters if you didn't get a chance to try them.

Thank you for spreading the word. It is because of you that I am able to do what I love. Thank you.

Book Signing at A La Carte Cafe courtyard

We've added tables, chairs and plants to our courtyard.

Please join us in the courtyard Saturday August 28th 9-11am for our first public event.

Cygnet Brown will be signing copies of her newly published, JUST released book "When God Turned His Head"-- a historical whodunit.  The book signing is THIS SATURDAY  from 9:00am- 11:00am. In celebration I will provide a continental breakfast of muffins, fresh fruit and quiche. Coffee and juice will also be served. This is a free event and there is no charge for the breakfast.

FYI-- this will be our last Saturday being open. As of Monday we will be there Mon.-Fri. 11am - 2pm. We apologize to everyone who showed up on Monday looking for good food. We got the message-skip Saturday and be there for those who work Monday - Friday.  You got it!!!!

August 24-28 Gazpacho shooters, fish tacos, quinoa tabbuleh

August 24-28

Here we are beginning our 4th week at this game. We are really enjoying connecting up with people in the day-to-day course of business. For the last several years Jon has been interacting with the public primarily via telephone or internet. As a fiber artist in my other life, I would often spend many hours happily alone followed by weekends of meeting thousands of people at fine art shows. So this adventure has quite a different pace from our recent past.


As scary as this is, we are still having fun. I did get a couple of bad reviews on a thing or two and while it upsets me that anyone was less than pleased, I am delighted to get the feedback. I am not here to feed my ego. I am here to feed you. So I need to know what you like and what you didn’t. If something should fall short of your expectation—I want to know about it!!! Now the good news—I was stunned this week to have received phone calls from several of you raving about my specials. Score!!!!!!


On a personal satisfaction level, it is pure joy for me to see how quickly we have developed multiple repeat customers. As absolutely terrible as I am at remembering names when needed, I am actually beginning to remember customer names and preferences. It is a fun game to guess whose order it is by what has been requested. I know—silly grown-ups!!!


This week we finally found some new chairs!!!! One of our tables now sports an umbrella, and most of my plants from my deck at home are now in the courtyard. Several have ripening peppers and a good part of my basil and rosemary is coming from the garden on premises.


Mary Badiny has had a banner year in banana peppers. So I am working with her to find recipes that use them in large quantities. My first special of this sort will be a roasted banana pepper gazpacho shooter. The photo is those peppers before roasting. Aren't they beautiful!


These mild peppers have a lovely flavor—even better roasted. The skins and seeds are removed and the remaining peppers are blended with garlic, tomatoes, parsley, broth and lots of cucumber. It is very light, cool and refreshing without being overpowering in flavor. I know for many of you, gazpacho is not on your palette list. That is why I am producing them as shooters. You can give them a test drive in a 3 oz. serving for only $1.50.

My hope is that you’ll be willing to let me take you on flavor adventures. Last week we were largely in Italy with the Antipasto Salad (which we sold a ton of) and the Chicken Pesto Sandwich (that we sold even more of.) Gazpacho is primarily from Spain while the fish tacos are more of a Western hemisphere concoction and then we are back again in the Middle East for the tabbuleh.


As the week progresses, the weather will become more amenable for dining. We hope you’ll join us.


My sandwich special—Blackened tilapia tacos with chili lime slaw served on soft corn tortillas (you get 2). You may have noticed lots of hoopla lately surrounding restaurants serving fish tacos. Nationally they are hitting their stride. Eleven years ago we were eating them with gusto in Florida. There are several versions out there, but my favorite version has the tilapia marinated in a Creole seasoning and then cooked over a wood fired grill. They are finished off in the kitchen by a quick warm up and a squeeze of fresh lime. The wraps are a double layer of corn tortilla. Sharing the space is a chili lime slaw. Slaw means it starts with cabbage. Instead of being sweet or tart, this slaw has a very fresh taste with a lime kicker.




My salad special—Quinoa Tabbuleh with wood-fired chicken, grilled eggplant and portabellas. This dish is gluten free because the quinoa is being used instead of the usual wheat. Quinoa (pronounced keen’- wah) is a grain that is vastly overlooked. It has a high protein content and is very flavorful. If you like couscous, you’ll enjoy this. If you haven’t tasted it before and are curious—please ask for a sample!!!!!! I would be delighted to expand your palette range by sharing a free sample with you. If you are vegetarian, it can be ordered without the chicken. We are trying out a new grower-- Willow Mountain Mushrooms from Tecumseh, MO. We expect they will be providing us with portabella and crimini mushrooms regularly. With their sourcing we may be able to explore the flavors of oyster mushrooms and other more exotic varieties—all grown under the healthiest conditions possible and available to you for purchase at http://www.willowmountainmushrooms.com/.


Special event in our courtyard. Last spring, during a time when I was exploring income options, I met Donna Brown. We were both working for the U.S Census. In our various conversations I learned that her dream was to get her book published and out into the world. I find it very exciting to know people’s dreams and I loved hearing hers. Recently Donna contacted me to tell me that she had, indeed, self published her historical whodunit—“When God Turned His Head” and was using her pen name Cygnet Brown. The books are just being delivered from the printer. To celebrate we are hosting a book signing Saturday morning, August 28th at 9:00am- 11:00am. Jon and I will prepare a complimentary continental breakfast with pastries and fruit and provide coffee and tea. This is a free event open to the public. You are most definitely invited. Help us launch this new book with all the excitement it deserves!!!

Bring along a new customer and you both get $1 off your meal.


Schedule change—We’ve tried doing Saturdays but never served more than half a dozen meals per day. So we are going to give that up after next Saturday. We would rather be there when you are more likely to want us—during the work week. So after Labor Day we will open on Mondays and give that a try. It may be that Monday is just as dead as Saturday. If so, we’ll adjust. Tuesday – Friday is safe.


Jon and I both thank you for giving us a chance to share our dream with you. You make this happen and our relationship is a treasured one. Please join us again this week and take your next taste voyage—perhaps to places you’ve never been before. The courtyard should be comfortable and you can stock up on your vitamin D without discomfort. See you this week!

August 17-21 Antipasto Salad & Chicken Pesto Sandwich

Announcing this week’s specials--



Things are shaping up and we are anticipating somewhat cooler weather over the next week. Not soup weather but maybe eat-in-the-courtyard weather. I’ve been adding the plants from my deck and the courtyard is beginning to fill up. It might not look like the Tuscan Villa you see here, but I am willing to plant the seed.

My fantasy Tuscan courtyard

As the one whose dream this is, I thank you for letting me share it with you. Without your participation and commitment to eating something beyond “fast-food”, this dream/experiment/game would not be happening. But you have supported it from day one. I’ve heard from many of you who plan to come by but haven’t yet. Well—let me try to entice you again.

Last week’s 1905 Salad was a big hit with several people ordering it more than once before it went away. I hope this week will create a similar effect. In fact, I am creating 2 specials this week. For you locavores, I am putting an asterisk* by each ingredient that is from a local source.

The first is an Antipasto Salad. The name means “before food” as it is made up of ingredients that are typically served as appetizers in Italy. But this is a hefty salad that will satisfy your mid-day hunger and probably take you well into the evening. For you vegetarians—just tell me and I’ll skip the meats. I start with cabicola (an Italian thin sliced ham) and oven roasted turkey. Then I add provolone and asiago cheeses plus black olives, bell pepper*, roasted red pepper*, tomato*, red onion, artichoke hearts, shaved fresh fennel bulb*, and sliced mushrooms*. This is mixed together with a bit of pasta and romaine. The dressing has fresh basil* and marjoram*, garlic*, olive oil, lemon juice, & wine vinegar. Sound yummy? It is. I’ll top it all off with a roasted red pepper crostini (side of seasoned, toasted bread). Maybe you should share it.


The second special this week is the Chicken Pesto Sandwich. We start with our woodfire roasted chicken breasts sliced thin on our home made bread*. The dressing is pesto made fresh from our own basil*, pine nuts, Mary’s garlic*, and olive oil. We add sliced avocado, mozzarella cheese and tomato*. We’ll serve it with a side of our fresh fruit. Lately the melons*, blueberries, and grapes have combined well with a touch of fresh mint* to make a refreshing fruit side.


Each of these is priced at $6.25. As with all my specials—I only prepare for about 6 servings per day. If you know you want it, I suggest you call in and reserve one. 417-505-0302.


We are very excited with the reception you have given us. Those who call in don’t have a wait. Those who are showing up and placing an order can count on it in less than 7 minutes. If you are not in a hurry, sit back and enjoy a glass of tea or lemonade while I prepare your lunch.


On our days off this week we are working on a sign design. We are fortunate to have two very skilled friends in graphic design and copywriting who are coaching us from afar. Fortunately, they have been to our burg and have seen the real environment in which we are marketing. The guys from Missouri’s Small Business & Technology Development Centers, Mark and Russell, also lent us a DVD on signage. So we are much closer to making that commitment. If you have business questions, they are there to assist and are great. Even better—it is a free service of the university.


Even though you might be in and out really fast, please park only on our side of the lot. Jason, the used car guy, has his business blocked if you park in his lot. He has been nice up to now. There is a ton of room on the east side of the lot.


I am planning to put in a small fountain to add to the ambiance. I am hoping to encircle it with rocks from your property. If there is one thing we have lots of in the Ozarks, it is rocks! So, on your way into town, grab a good sized hunk of rock and drop it by. I think it would be lovely to have our small pond surrounded by rocks from the people who patronize us. Don’t you? I am looking forward to seeing the variety or similarity between them. All those Karst formations should create a nice texture. I am ALL about texture.

Jon & I are both looking forward to seeing you next time you come by. We are both enjoying reconnecting with many WP friends. As fast paced as this ride has been, with as  little preparation as we had done prior to getting set up, we think things are going quite well. We are torn about what to do about being open on Saturday for lunch or Monday or neither. Your input would be a big help. Our last 2 Saturdays were very quiet. Promote more or let it go?

See you soon. Thanks for being a major part of this adventure.

Up! Running! and Ready! for Round 2

Goodness! I can't believe it has been more than a week since I last posted to the blog.  In all fairness I DID post to FaceBook. But it is a true indication of our level of exhaustion going into the opening that I skipped posting the last few days before and during the first week of being open.

So my report!--

Well it happened! We jumped through the first round of hurdles-- health department inspection, site location, menu planning. On Tuesday we opened for our first lunch. We expected a quiet start and were pleasantly surprised by many friendly faces. There were a few hiccups the first couple of days-- running out of a couple of key ingredients, a few slower-than-expected preparations. We thank you for your patience while we figure things out. Those who called in orders had virtually no wait, again, thank you! Having never cooked in a restaurant environment previously, I had a bit of a learning curve figuring out transitioning from adventurous home cook to food truck chef.

What worked well were the in-house fresh breads and sandwiches and the salads. Sadly, we opened during the hottest week of the summer so the soups were largely overlooked. Too bad since the freshest ingredients with the most fleeting flavor subtlety were not able to be appreciated. I understand-- it is just too darn hot! So I've taken the soups off the menu until the weather cools a bit or our customer base has developed enough trust in my culinary skills to follow my lead and try out something unfamiliar.

Speaking of trust-- I know that a big part of our foundation for growth will be built on mutual trust. I have to trust that you actually are looking for quality fresh food prepared fast and you have to trust me to keep the quality and flavors high. Hopefully the trust will extend to you allowing me, over time, to take you on flavor adventures and expand your palette. If you are at all like me, you get bored eating the same stuff all the time. 

I'd like the opportunity to take your taste buds to places they might not have been before. My plan is to walk the tightrope between health food and gourmet. I'll avoid extreme flavors while celebrating the freshest, usually local, often organic in-season ingredients.  

We've a had a few humorous moments-- like when I had to tell the party of 10 on Friday to bring their own tables & chairs! You'll be happy to know that we have 3 new bistro sets--small tables with 2 chairs each.  We have also added tableclothes so the courtyard will sport a much more festive air.

We're spending our 2 days off assembling the furniture and working on getting the word out. This time of year it is very tough to find basic outdoor resin chairs. So if you have any you aren't using, we'd appreciate borrowing a few. We could use as many as 16-20. To keep it simple, you could just write your name on the bottom and drop them off by the trailer.

We've streamlined the menu a bit. Those items that didn't get your attention are off it for now. I've figured out the speedy assembly thing ( I hope) and we finally got proper to-go containers for the bigger items. That was another funny moment-- trying to wrap paper plates in cling wrap! SOOOO clumsy!

The later batches of Greek dressing got rave reviews and I think the Greek Salad and Navajo Salad will make your taste buds dance.

Our most popular items-- the chicken quesadilla and the gyros are getting a strong following. We are using wood-fired  marinated chicken breasts in most everything calling for chicken. That extra edge of flavor is Jon's cooking contribution to the menu. He uses nothing but wood to fuel his grilling fire. We've been working our way through oak from our dear old 100+ year old post oak that bit the dust the year before the ice storm. Big tree. See? Where else would you get to know your food like this?

For those who have yet to try the gyros, let me try to entice you. First of all, the correct Greek pronunciation is “yee-rohs." I start with a 50/50 mixture of ground lamb and beef. To that I add onion, garlic, marjoram (similar to oregano) & rosemary. This is the meat portion. It is made into a loaf and baked, then sliced and grilled.  This usually goes into a pita. The only varieties available locally are the dry ones that get split and stuffed. Cardboard. Typically Greek pita is a very soft and a bit thicker. I have chosen to use soft flour tortillas as a substitute and I am giving you 2 instead of the usual one. Red onion, feta cheese and tomato are the salad portions and then Tzatziki  (pronounced tat-zee-kee) sauce adds more moisture in the form of Greek yogurt (thicker than normal yogurt because the extra moisture has been allowed to drain off) cucumber, garlic and mint. Yummy, yummy fills my tummy! Wonderful on a hot day!

We make our guacamole and salsa daily. Part of the learning curve has been to figure out what to make fresh each day and what needs to be made in larger batches.

Also-- new this week is the Lunch Bunch Punch! Our new business cards have arrived and they have a built in punch card. Ten punches and you get a free meal. Some of you are already nearly half-way there!

And last but not least--This week's special comes from the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City, FL-- that is the Cuban part of Tampa. It is called the "1905 Salad". This is our absolute favorite family salad. I'll only be making about 6 servings a day to start. So call in to reserve your portion early!

I've altered it slightly by using Romaine instead of Iceberg and Kalamata olives instead of Spanish olives. Enjoy the combination of lettuce, tomato, Kalamata olives, sliced turkey breast, Swiss cheese and Romano cheese. The dressing uses olive oil, Worchestersire, lemon, garlic, oregano and red wine vinegar.

We look forward to seeing you this week. We always seek your feedback. Be a part of our adventure!