October 11-15 Italian pork stew & chicken tortilla soup

Score!!!!! I bought up the remainder of Mary Badiny's basil crop. This image is the bin of basil leaves after I have removed all the stems and flower heads and seeds. It started as a HEAVY garbage sack. I should be able to make enough pesto to make it through the winter. I'll be freezing it. I think I may even have enough to sell some 4 oz containers of it. This is organic basil and the pesto is made using walnuts, asaigo cheese, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and some salt. Let me know if you are interested in purchasing some.

The soup this week is Chicken tortilla soup. I've been looking forward all week to making this. It has become a family favorite. The chicken is pulled and chopped. Lots of corn, black beans, and plenty of spicy punch from fresh chiles but not overly hot..

The second special this week is an Italian pork stew served over polenta. It cooks for many hours and is very tender. Its Italian-ness comes from the use of fennel, orange peel and rosemary. I know, sounds like a strange combination. Think Italian sauasage for flavor direction but it uses pork shoulder. It also has a goodly amount of tomatoes. The polenta is made using corn meal and is allowed to firm up. I'll be saute-ing it before piling the stew over the top. Yum!

Many of you have asked about our move indoors.We are making good progress.  We have the trailer for sale so that we can use the proceeds to purchase kitchen equipment. Don't freak out if you drive by and suddently the trailer is gone. If you'll check the blog and/or facebook we'll be telling you where to find us soon after.We may HAVE to be closed for a week or so when the time comes in order to get our equipment and get moved in. We are not disappearing-- we are upgrading! Mostly, thanks to the support you have shown us, we are looking to be able to move to an inside location so you can visit us year around and not have to face nasty elements while dining. We are looking toward a November- December timeframe. Nothing has been firmed up and all options are still being considered.

This week's "return visit" treat is a cookie that won Epicurious' annual recipe contest. It is Rosemary PistachioWhite Chocolate Chip Cookies. This will be available to those making at least two trips to see us this week. I love picking unusual treats for this prize. Since they are not available for sale, it is fun to choose based on interesting flavors.

We are very much looking forward to seeing you-- hopefully this week. It is a real joy to be getting to know everyone. This town has some delightful gems.

Hasta manana.