Celebrations: Earth Day, etc.




I love to celebrate! It doesn't have to be monumental. Just a strong acknowledgement. I think it is an important part of "taking the time to smell the roses." For many years it seemed we were caught up in the rat race that demanded "onward & upward" at a rigorous pace. We lived in or near good-sized cites and allowed ourselves to be caught up in the swell and momentum of city life. The frantic pace, interspersed with traffic back-ups and interminable traffic lights was the daily norm. We were surrounded constantly by the masses, often even more packed during "tourist season." Moving to the Ozarks was a conscientious decision to change all that. After eleven years, we have grown quite accustomed to the slower pace and definitely prefer it.
When we visit larger cites—like St. Louis and even Springfield— I am dismayed by the traffic and frantic level of life. We used to live like that!!! The celebrations these days are on a more basic level. I am more in tune with the seasonal changes and find myself wanting to acknowledge each step of spring's progression.

As we are becoming closer to our food sources, I find I delight in each new find. I was thrilled this week when one of our customers offered to bring in morels and other foraged mushrooms. The Willow Mountain Mushroom people are back in production and we can add their goods back to our menu. Last week I spoke with the people who own Newman's Pork out of Myrtle. They sell most of their carefully raised and crafted pork products in Memphis at the Farmers' Market and to about 80 restaurants in that market. I expect we will be adding their products to our offerings. We are the only local restaurant to do so.

We recently offered Elk burgers that were sourced locally from Jamison Farm. Our trout comes from the pristine Rockbridge Trout Ranch near Brixey. Such lovely, near-by sources.

I am thrilled that eggs are back in production again. While the girls seemed to take a 3-month sabbatical, we yearned for their golden offerings. I get such a delight in serving that luscious deep yellow egg salad or peeling a green hard-boiled egg for the spinach salad. It was down-right fun to show a kid who brought in his dyed  Easter Eggs my green eggs that came right from the chicken that color.

Another customer brought me freshly harvested watercress. How exciting to chomp on that peppery crunch knowing it came from one of our local pristine rivers.

Through my involvement with Chef's Collaborative we now have direct access dockside to fishermen in the Gulf, in the Atlantic and the Pacific. They deal in only wild-caught seafood. We can now have fresh caught seafood shipped directly from their docks to our back door.  Let me know what fresh seafood you have a hankering for. We'll make a point of incorporating it into our menu planning.

Did you notice our new screen door? Thanks to Phil Orlikowski we have a custom made one with a carved handle. It had to be made custom as the doorway is 42" wide and 8 ft tall. We are hoping we'll be able to leave the front and back doors open to give us a fresh breeze—minus the flies. During the winter our utility bill rivaled our rent for for top prize. We're hoping that spring and fall are kinder to our utility bills and think the screen door will be a good first step.

This Friday we are hosting and Earth Day Feast and we very much hope you'll join us. The cost is $20 per person and that includes appetizer, salad, entrees, side dishes, dessert AND your beverage. With all that included in your cost, it is about what you'd pay on most Friday nights. We still have spaces available, though I expect that to change quickly early in the week. I'd suggest you make that call for reservations TODAY 505-0302

I am putting together the menu, sourced locally. Sourcing locally keeps the money in the community and helps build prosperity that lasts. So far, it has taken more effort to build local sources than I imagined. While there are many independent growers, raisers and producers locally, most have had to find ways to market their goods to a larger market and have thus by-passed the local market in order to survive. The same situation exists for local artists. Most have to take their products to much bigger markets simply to make a "go" of it.

Obviously, certain times of the year local produce is bountiful. Other times we are fortunate to find any tomatoes that don't taste like cardboard and THEY are NOT local.

The Earth Day Feast is a celebration. It acknowledges that we are a part of a larger whole that cannot be disrespected to facilitate short-term perceived "gains." It allows us to take an evening to enjoy the local plenitude and the joy of being among friends.

As I write this Saturday morning, after a major spring storm moved through, the Carolina Wren is showing me her newest nest in an old Bluebird box. With her staccato chirps she joins the Cardinal the returns each spring. Actually, he probably didn't leave—he is just more vocal right now. Have you noticed that different cardinals have their own songs? This one we call "Pete Seeger" because that is his call.  Three "Pete Seegers" and we know our old friend is nearby. Another Cardinal's call is, "Snip-snip, snip-snip-snip, snip-snip." We call him "Bob it." The mourning dove's low cooing provides the bass notes to our concert. The silent but soaring turkey and black vultures have said their good-byes and the migrating flocks have moved northward. We won't see the nightly gathering of 300+ vultures roosting in the empty trees until next fall.

Up until now, our small pond has had mostly frogs with their nice variable trills. With all this rain, I know the toads are due. They'll begin their droaning call and continue it for about three days, non-stop, before they scamper back off to their hiding places. We appreciate their visits, though, I am not so sure our 5.5 cats do. With my partial hearing loss, I cup my ears with my hands to get the full effect. Those suckers are LOUD!

Speaking of celebrations, did you see the article featuring us in Missouri Life Magazine? We are so grateful to have that kind of support and recognition. Several new customers drove across the state to visit us, based on that article. Thanks for making them welcome.

This week's menu—
Monday~ Crab & Chipotle Onion Quesadilla; Creamy Garlic and Spinach Soup
Tuesday~ Fire Roasted Caribbean Pork Tamales with Pineapple Salsa, warm Mango and Pineapple Puree and Yellow Rice;
Wednesday~ Personal pizzas—Pesto, Sun-dried tomatoes, Shitakes, Mozzarella, Wood-fired Chicken
Thursday~ Spinach/mushroom quiche with fruit or Italian Potato Salad
Friday~ Chicken Mole Tacos with side of black beans

Additionally, one of our regular menu items will be featured each day at 50 cents off.
We look forward to seeing you during this wet, rainy week. It is the same every year, this week. Wet, wet, wet! I am just glad I am not manning a booth at an outdoor art festival. THAT'S WET!

See you soon!

Teamwork! It's how you play the game

Bruce really shined last week. He is so darn quiet, you probably didn't even know. You've grown accustomed to his creative takes on Tamale Tuesday. I plan most of the menus (except the tamales) and usually make most of the entrees. Bruce most often handles the daily prep and often contributes his unique take on desserts. Last Friday he saved the day.

As often happens, I get excited about creating something new while the clock ticks away. Bruce just calmly steps in and does what needs handling. While I concentrated on the veggie sampler platter, Bruce made the lasagna, start to finish,  then jumped in with making the chicken with poblano sauce. That fabulous dessert, Eton Mess, was his doing as well—using up leftover meringues from my pavlovas. A week ago he even dazzled us with his "heart revealing" poetry. He is also the one who makes sure there are fresh flowers on the tables—usually from his garden — and sets up the tables for reservations. Then he jumps in and does most of the daily dishes. A true gem!

Jon's visible role is handling order-taking, money changing and delivering food and beverages. You also see him performing his own songs and tunes from the Great American Songbook on his 7-string jazz guitar on occasional Friday nights.

Behind the scenes, his activities include all the grocery and banking runs, setting up the outside tables and dish washing at the end of the day. Between the two guys, they are usually the voice of reason that keeps me somewhat tethered to reality.

Me? I am the dreamer. It is my concept to have an environment that makes you feel comfortable. I love to cook and playing with recipes and trying to incorporate as much local ingredients as possible is my weekly goal. I know we could simply put together a fixed menu like most places and you'd probably still come. But I personally get very bored with a set menu. From the feedback we get, you feel the same way. So I keep playing. I KNOW that the first priority in a cafe is the food. But, I also know how other factors can make a big difference in how much you enjoy that food and where we fit in your lunch-time priority list. 

Often, I feel like I am the director of a play. There is not only the menu, but the supplies to provide that menu. Then there is the actual production of the food in a timely manner. And how about that stage? Not the little one in the corner, but the whole room and courtyard. Thankfully, one of Bruce's additional skills is in hanging both his and my artwork. You may not know this, but he and I traveled the country for a couple of years doing art shows. So he knows what I want and knows my art very well.

I have been slow in putting together the Earth Feast because of trying to be more in communication with local suppliers. It has been a challenge. They are not crawling out of the woodwork, yet! SO I am presenting my partially constructed menu based on what I expect to be able to supply with local ingredients. You'll have to trust me. Hopefully, I haven't let you down in the past.We will take reservations starting Monday and take up to 35 reservations—based on how many tables we now have. That reservation hotline is 417-505-0302. Warning! The St. Pat's dinner filled up fast!

Appetizer ~ A trio of apps that will get you started 1) herbed leek tart 2) fig and olive tapenade with cream cheese and house made crackers 3) summer rolls with elk sausage

Salad ~ Featuring organic local spinach and arugula, shitake mushrooms and radish sprouts, tiny carrots, and micro greens plus wild-harvested local flowers and greens.

Entree ~ Featuring your choice of elk steak fajitas or rainbow trout with sides of local produce and a wild rice pilaf made with Arkansas rice.

Dessert ~ Lots of local berries, regional fruits, and even some dried fruits done up in tarts, cakes and parfaits.

We decided the cost will be $20 per head and includes everything except your tip and tax. You may bring libations beyond the non-alcoholic varieties that will be served. The time will be 6pm Friday, April 29th.

Now onto THIS week's menu—

Monday ~ Spinach and Arugula Salad with avocado, feta, red onion and a sun-dried tomato dressing $6.25 Also, Marinated Grilled Veggie Sandwich~ made with zucchini, onion and red peppers on a Roman bun with lemony mayo dressing. Served with chips. Usually $5.99; today $5.49

Tuesday ~ Tamale Tuesday ~ Chicken Cordon Bleu Tamales, Swiss Cheese and Roma Tomato Béchamel, Asparagus Risotto.  Also, Egg Salad Sandwich made with local farm fresh eggs. Served with fruit or Italian potato salad side. Usually $5.99; today $5.49

Wednesday ~ Ham and Asparagus Quiche with fruit or Italian potato salad side $6.25
Also, Trout Roman and chips. Usually $7.50; today $6.99

Thursday ~ Spinach chicken wraps~ Wood-fired chicken slices, organic spinach, red onion, feta cheese, sprouts and sun-dried tomato dressing wrapped in an herb-garlic tortilla wrap.  Served with fruit side or Italian potato salad. $6.25

Friday ~ we will be closed ALL of Friday. (Remember you told us not to burn ourselves out?) Have a great weekend!

The Learning Curve

Before we created A La Carte Cafe, I was a professional fiber artist. So I tend to approach the creative aspects of this business through the eyes of an artist. Last week that approach backfired. Actually... it bit me in the butt! From a restaurant management viewpoint I made an rookie's mistake. Oh, don't worry. It was nothing catastrophic. You probably didn't even notice on the customer end of things. What happened was I introduced too many new dishes in too short a period of time. My creativity got the best of me. The overall effect business-wise was just a lack of focus and perhaps a slower delivery time. From the other side—it wore me out and wasn't especially profitable.

Lesson learned—give new dishes time to gain their own following before introducing another new one. Ouch!!! I want it to happen faster than that. But I'll listen to the lesson and reign in my gusto just a nick. If you find yourself getting bored, I'll know I waited too long. Hopefully, you'll tell me when you are ready for something new. When we worked out of the food trailer, the flavor journeys or "specials" lasted a week. Since moving into the cafe I have wanted to have more variety during the week. Selfishly, I don't want to get bored. Believe me, I wasn't bored last week. But it was a bit much.

Why am I telling you this? Because you are an important part of who we are and what we are doing. It reminds of the duck that looks very smooth on the water but is paddling like crazy underneath. Guess who is doing the paddling! As a customer of ours, I feel like you have a vested interest in our growth and story. Many of you have stepped up with creative ways to help make our plan happen. Without that help we would not be as strongly placed as we find ourselves today. Thank you.

We had a lovely Friday night with the Howell County Bards and guests celebrating Poetry Month with a Poetry Reading. I was delighted with all I heard. Bruce shed his chef's apron and shared his poetry, as well. We are truly blessed to be working with someone who has talents on so many levels. There were several faces well known to us and several I didn't know previously. Well done to all! Thank you for sharing your talents with us.

This Friday Renee and Tom return to bring us guitar and saxophone jazz. I can't wait! Their music simply fills the soul. If you haven't joined us on Friday nights yet, you are missing the coolest place to be in town. We aren't trying to be cool. It just turns out that way. Reminder: reservations are encouraged and entree choices made before Friday morning will assure you get your first choice in entree.

This Friday night I am bringing back one dish that was loved by all—beef and sausage lasagna. It got consistent good reviews. I am very excited about the vegetarian sampler platter I am offering this week. I've been grazing through several books on tapas and appetizers. Many, many options are presented. So I decided that I will make a platter that has 12 items. There will probably 2 each of 6 different items. Things like Crispy Polenta with Pesto and Parmigiana, Ratatouille in Parmesan cups, Vegetable Fritatta, Greek Salad Brochettes, Fig and Olive Tepanade with Cream Cheese and crackers. You get the idea. Now this may seem like an immediate violation of the "Lesson Learned" but the idea here is to have an ongoing dish that can slightly change each week while having some semblance of permanency. In other words, you'll know there will be the key things you expect plus a flavor adventure or two to add to your palate. Plus it will be primarily vegetarian and will serve one as an entree or 3-4 as an appetizer. The second main entree this week will be one of Jon's personal favorites. Southwest chicken queso over corn waffles. Wood-fired, sliced chicken in a spicy cheese sauce served over corn waffles. You just have to try it to appreciate the depth of flavor. Not too spicy but definitely kicky.

Earlier in the week flavor journeys include—

Monday~ Elk Burgers with chips $6.25; Egg Salad Sandwiches 5.49
Tuesday~ Chicken Florentine Tamales with bechamel sauce and risotto $6.25; Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Salsa $5.75
Wednesday~ Paris Pizza-topped with portabella, wood-fired chicken, Brie and Boursin cheeses, and tomato $6.25; Trout Roman $7.00
Thursday~Ginger Chicken Lettuce Wraps $6.25; Guacamole Tacos $5.49
Friday~Lunch-Paris Pizza (see Wed) $6.25; Grilled Marinated Veggie Sandwich $5.49
          ~Dinner-Vegetarian Sampler Platter; Beef and Sausage Lasagna; Southwest Chicken Queso over corn waffles; appetizer Crab Gazpacho Martini- gazpacho topped with crab in a martini glass $5

We've got the new table and chairs. The outside tables are set up and the courtyard is developing daily. But most of all, we welcome you and want you to enjoy our good food prepared from fresh ingredients. Come join us and bring a friend. We're ready.

Inspiration all around us!

Now that I am finally past the cold, the tooth ache and the back tweak, I can finally be in receptor mode for energy. If you saw me Friday night, you'll already know this, as I was dancing my way through the kitchen that night! Some people were pretty sure I was drunk—NOT! I was just so happy to be pain free and delighted to see all the happy faces in the audience. We had a lovely crowd. I hope that keeps up as it was PERFECT! Thanks to Phil Orlikowsky and Gary Due, Dennis Crider and Marideth Sisco, and Mark Johnson. They all played for us on Open Mic Night. We are so fortunate to have high caliber talent so nearby—and willing!

This week the Howell County Bards sponsor a Poetry Reading in honor of Poetry Month. When we did our initial survey of entertainment options for Friday night, I was surprised to see that half of those surveyed requested "spoken word" type options. Well, here you go. If you want more of this genre of entertainment, it is important to let us know, by being there! Reservations really help us make sure you get a seat and to assure you get the entree YOU want. If you are joining us early before leaving for other local entertainment, let us know so we can get you in and out quickly.

I love the transition from winter into spring. Watching nature unfurl its glory, bit by bit, is pure joy. Even so, it will be through with its backwards strip-tease all too soon. But after living in the south most of my life, it is nice to see the way Mother Nature paces herself in these parts. You actually have time to notice the unfurling— the daffodils and forsythias, then the redbuds and tulips (now), later the blackberries and iris. I know that is simplistic, but it does break things down a bit.

I have been busy planting my containers for herbs in the courtyard. All last summer and fall we were clipping herbs right from our containers in the courtyard and after a quick rinse, they went straight into your food. I plan to do that again. At first I was worried that mischief makers might disturb our plantings, but realized that our little corner just might be the most photographed corner in town. We are at a convergence of Bank of America CCTV and Howell County courthouse CCTV. In other words, you're on video if you mess with our set-up. It won't stop those intent on mischief, but we might be able to nab them, if they do. Actually, we have found that our customers have a very high level of personal "ownership" in what we are doing. We love it that customers tend to bus their own tables, even though it isn't expected. Thank you. We truly appreciate your efforts to be so helpful. Most will even dump their leftover water onto our thirsty plants. Again—thank you!!!

I am looking forward to hearing about your garden crops. Do you have an abundance of asparagus? Leeks? Strawberries? Rhubarb? Wild mushrooms? Spring onions? I want them! This week I have lots of violets blooming in my yard. You'll see them in the salads as well as garlic chives from my current pickings.

As I write this we are loading up Mom and a trailer and heading to Lakeview, AR to pick up 26 chairs. They will replace the plastic lawn chairs we have been using. The chairs need a bit of clean-up but are basically in good shape. Hopefully, you'll see the outside tables and chairs relegated to outdoor-use-only this week. We're digging up the umbrellas and dusting them off from a winter in the garage. Maybe my vision will finally come true—a sidewalk cafe!  The new tables missed their Friday delivery but should arrive Monday afternoon. We'll have to assemble them, but that won't take long. Soon you'll be eating at brand new tables while sitting on nice wooden chairs. Come grow with us!!!

We are beginning to take reservations for the Earth Feast on Friday April 29th at 6pm. I have not finalized the menu but the premise is that all ingredients are sourced locally. We'll only take 30 reservations and the cost will be $25 each. It will be multi-coursed and presented as a feast. Part of the proceeds will go toward supporting Chefs Collaborative, a national organization of chefs committed to local sustainability and sourcing of ingredients. I expect that a few of the sources will be present to tell you about their unique products— beef, pork, poultry, dairy, lamb, elk, buffalo, preserves, bakery, eggs etc. I am still working on some of the sources. That is why the menu isn't finalized. Call in your reservation to the cafe line 417-505-0302. We filled up quickly for St. Patrick's Day. Don't wait!

This week will feature more salads and seafood and we're experimenting some more. Come play!

Now to this week's menu—
Monday~Arugula, spinach and avocado salad $4.99; you can add chicken, salmon  or trout for add'l charge. Meatball, greens and pecorino soup—lots of people told me this was their favorite soup this year!3.49/c, 4.99/ b, 5.59 16oz.
Tuesday~ beef tamales with Colorado sauce—Bruce is at it again. Need I say more? $6.25
Wednesday~Asian scallop salad $6.25
Thursday~Vietnamese shrimp and glass noodle salad $6.25
Friday~ Lunch: crab and chipotle onion quesadilla $6.25; grilled pork tenderloin with salsa verde $6.25
Dinner: Tuscan Salmon with rosemary orzo $12; Vegetarian anti-pasto platter $10; Elk burgers with oven-roasted garlic potatoes $10