Scattered

Scattered is a term that best describes my outlook right now. I feel like I am going off in all directions, at once. June is going to be a wild ride and I am already in preparations for it. We are excited that we have landed the banquet and breakfasts for the National Audio Theater Festival in the third week of June. This will mark a new level of catering/ banquets for us, as each day we will feed 60+ attendees. That is over and above our usual 40-50 at lunch. So I am working ahead to prepare quiches, desserts, sweet breads...all items which can be easily frozen. We're investing in chafing dishes and racks for storing prepped foods.

This week we celebrate being open at this location for 6 months. Can you believe it? During that time the learning curve has gotten a bit gentler and I am beginning to feel like I've gotten a handle on the whole picture. I still can't accurately predict how busy we'll be. We expected last Friday—going into the Memorial Day weekend to be fairly quiet. NOT!!!! It was one of our biggest single days, ever. Then, when I was expecting to be busy, like on Cinco de Mayo, we were dead.  Other surprises are when specials either sell out quickly or not at all. Hmmm. I can only guess that time and experience will be the teachers there.

The flowers this week will be less showy as they come from my herbs and other growing things in my yard. No showy, colorful flowers, this week. Instead you'll see Elderberry heads, maybe garlic flowers, privet, etc. If you have such to share, please do so.  

This short week we are keeping things pretty simple. Bruce has his tamales, of course. This week they are Polynesian. Sounds pretty fruity and delicious—Chicken-stuffed with a Pineapple/ pepper sauce and Hawaiian Fried Rice.

Wednesday, Bruce is creating a Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Pasta Salad.

Thursday, I'll have pork tenderloin with a fresh mulberry sauce, fresh green beans, and garlic mashed potatoes.

Friday I am introducing a new sandwich—still not sure what to call it. It is a Greek chicken roll-up. I'll take the wood-fired chicken, slice it and add Greek seasoning, Then put it in the warmed flour tortillas we use instead of pita, add tomatoes, feta and cucumbers plus tzatziki sauce. It'll be served with either the fresh fruit or Italian Potato Salad. Enjoy it beginning this Friday at lunch. I'll really want feedback on this new item. So speak up, PLEASE!

Friday night this week is First Friday and that means Open Mic. We hope to have several performers. Last month was delightful with a wonderful variety. The house was packed and everyone was entertained.

The menu for Friday night is:

1. Lemon chicken skewers, Greek potato salad and fresh green beans $10
2. Ratatouille Quiche—zucchini, eggplant, onions, garlic with feta and Swiss cheese served with a marinated vegetable salad and cheese biscuits $10
3. Italian sausage and eggplant lasagne with side salad $10

With more fruits coming into season, you should see more desserts presented. If I am not too scattered, that is. Please join us as we begin our second half-year. We couldn't be here without your on-going support and encouragement. Have a great week!

When does summer start for you?

What is your benchmark for the start of summer?  The solstice—the "technical" start of summer is still 3 weeks away. We've experienced warmer than normal and cooler than normal temperatures and had enough rain to satisfy most farmers for months.

My personal benchmark is when I can start actually using some of the fresh produce in volume. Most of my garden flowers have shown their stuff and it is now time for the plants that earn their place in my garden by being not only edible but capable of adding a stellar layer of yummy to my usual fare, to take their turn. For weeks now Bruce and I have been able to clip herbs from our plants in the courtyard. The rosemary, mint, chives, and some of the parsley come directly from our container garden. We go through so much fresh basil that most of what we use is purchased. However, as our plants grow in size, we can incorporate them in larger volume into our salads and meals. I look forward to being able to pluck fresh tomatoes and peppers from our containers, but that comes MUCH later in the season.

The spinach lately, has been spectacular. As well as the arugula. If you still haven't tried this gem, you owe it to yourself to ask me for a nibble next time you are in.Mary and Skip Badiny do a yeoman's job of providing much of our fresh specialty produce.

The mushrooms have been a joy to have again. I've been using all 5 varieties available from Willow Mountain Mushrooms in Tecumseh. Those nice folks have a baby due this week, so maybe the mushroom delivery schedule will get interrupted. But the portabellas have been glorious wood-fired on the grill. I use them in the brown rice and stir-fried veggies. The shitakes are so pretty and look and taste great on the pizzas. Boy! What a surprise I got from how popular those little pizzas have been. Turns out you like pizzas made with pesto or goat cheese. We use the white button mushrooms on the build-your-own salads. The other 2 varieties you will see used on the tabbouleh salad on Thursday. They are called Oyster Mushrooms and come in many colors. We'll be using the yellow and grey ones. I was hoping to get more morels but it seems their season came and went in a flash. That is part of what makes them so special. Local foragers have promised me more varieties as the season progresses.  

I'm bringing back the real Caesar salad for the week. It will be available all week with optional wood-fired chicken or salmon. The real deal uses a dressing made fresh daily that incorporates egg, Worcestershire, lemon juice, anchovies, garlic and not much else. The bite of the Worcestershire gives a nice zing to the palate. The croutons are made using our own bread heels, sauteed in garlic and oil until crisp.I'll have big flakes of parmesan and include capers to round out the full authentic flavor. If you have never experienced a true Caesar salad, treat yourself. You'll be Jonesing for it soon enough and demanding I bring it back. There is something about the flavor that is truly unique and not satisfied with a bottled creamy dressing we have all accepted for Caesar.

On Monday I'll feature the Sweet Summer Salad again for one more day. As I said earlier, the spinach and arugula have been spectacular and when paired with the sweetness of the jicama and watermelon, the seasonal sweet vidalia onions and the craisins, they sing. The feta and black olives lend a balance of savory to the song. Almonds add a crunchy bite.Try it before it disappears.

A couple of weeks ago I served a Waldorf salad that was quickly gobbled up. In that same vein, I am doing a curried chicken salad this week on Wednesday. It'll have chopped chicken, grapes, celery, Vidalias (quick, before they are gone) and pecans from northern Missouri. The dressing is made from mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey and some curry. By the way, we NEVER use anything but real mayonnaise. That "Miracle Whip" or "Salad Dressing", as it is sometimes called, does not pass muster for me. Nor does margarine. We use real butter. Yes. It does cost a bit more. But I'd rather skip it than use the artificial stuff.

Bruce's Hand-built Tamales this week are Italian Tamales. They are crafted using Sweet Italian Sausage and served with marinara and confetti rice.

For lunch Friday we'll have a chicken taco salad. Mounds of seasoned chicken on a bed of lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions and pepper jack cheese served with fresh salsa.

Friday night's offerings include:
Shrimp fajitas served with red peppers, Vidalias, spring onions, fresh tomatoes, lettuce, sprouts, lime, and salsa Verde; Margarita pizzas (olive oil, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, sliced fresh tomatoes) and Italian potato salad; and Summer chicken pasta with stir-fried chicken, portabellas, Vidalias, wine, mostaccioli (tube pasta), pesto and fresh tomatoes with side salad.

Friday night we bring back Renee Wood and Tom Rowley—jazz saxophone and guitar accompanied by David Moore on drums. This wonderful trio has built a strong following locally and they never fail to please. As always, we suggest you call in for reservations. Last time we had them, we booked out in reservations by mid-week. Rather than try to squeeze more in, we'd rather keep things intimate. So plan ahead. We are going into the long Memorial Day weekend. Cafe number is 505-0302.

We will be closed on Memorial Day. Jon and I won't be slacking. We'll be clearing out Mom's storage unit in Springfield. Ugh! Bruce will probably be slacking. He's entitled.

It is expected to rain a lot this week. So we are offering 50 cents off your entree if you come in with rain gear—umbrellas, rain coat, pancho, etc. Defy the rain!!!!

So the condensed list of this week's flavor journeys—
All week~ real Caesar salad with optional wood-fired chicken or salmon
Monday~Sweet Summer Salad
Tuesday~Italian Tamales
Wednesday~Curried chicken salad on bed of Romaine
Thursday~Tabbouleh salad with oyster mushrooms
Friday~Lunch:chicken taco salad
Dinner~shrimp fajitas; Margarita pizza and Italian potato salad; summer chicken pasta with side salad

We always enjoy seeing you and have really enjoyed getting to know each of you. Our world has expanded greatly thanks to you. Have a great wet, week!

~Susan

Time Warps

I'd swear that May is a month of time warps and jumps. One moment, it is the 1st of the month and we're wondering about Spring—REAL Spring, and the next thing it is 92 degrees and Mother's Day is over. Then, next thing you know, we get a Blackberry Winter (unabashed plug for local band) and proms are over and college is graduating. Holy Moly! Next we'll be wailing about how hot it is. But with the hot will come the fresh local produce.

I am SO looking forward to seeing what folks have to sell from their gardens. Do you have fennel bulbs? What about radicchio? Berries? Mushrooms? The fresh garlic will soon be ready for harvesting. I absolutely LOVE to cook with freshly harvested garlic.

I've been thoroughly enjoying Maranatha Farms spinach and arugula. If arugula is new to you (it was to me last year), it is a salad green with a somewhat peppery flavor direction. If you like water cress, or any of the cresses, you'll most likely enjoy arugula.  I've included it in some of my recent special salads.

Most any time, if you are curious about something on our menu, I am happy to give you a free taste. That is how you learn. Few of us have the extra funds to risk spending it on a meal you are not sure you'll like. So please ask if you can have a taste. If there is any to spare and we aren't in the middle of getting slammed, I'll be happy to share it with you.

One thing I always try to be cognizant of, is that if I make the food sound too far out there or don't explain what a dish is, you'll probably skip it rather than ask questions or simply dive in. My job, if I wish to accomplish my mission of expanding your palate, is to not only introduce new flavor directions to you, but also act as tour guide, explaining ingredients and encouraging you to give it a taste. Last week was a good example of that. I could have done a better job explaining about the chicken tagine. The supper club members already have very developed palates and are adventurous in their food choices. For most of you, tagine would be a new experience. It was for me. It is a Morrocan dish—from the deserts of north Africa. The flavors were quite exquisite, I thought. But they were not ones that  normally cross your taste buds in one bite. The most active flavorings, beyond the base of chicken, eggplant, carrots and onion (so far, a fairly basic chicken stew) were cinnamon, cumin and ginger. Plus there was that unexpected combination of sweet and savory in the addition of raisins, cranberries and apricots. It simmered for many hours, allowing the flavors to meld. In culinary terms, they married. This was served with couscous that, itself, had been flavored with almonds, raisins and saffron. Couscous is a tiny pasta, smaller than rice, that soaks up the flavors of the broth and spices cooked with it. Saffron is the most expensive spice out there and is simply the stamens (where the pollen is on flowers) of a variety of crocus. At $10 for 5g, that translates to $10 for a loose half-teaspoonful. Perhaps next time I offer it to you as a special, you'll get excited. I know I will. It has a delicate flavor and gives a golden color to the couscous.

I've been playing with pastries again. I recently discovered whole wheat pastry flour at Meadowbrook. My pie crusts are now made mostly with this flour, along with butter, a bit of salt and sometimes lard. Because it is a lower protein content, it is also lower in gluten. Gluten is what makes bread hold its shape. It is the long molecules that stretch with the yeast and rise. In bread it is vital. In pastry it can make the dough taste, well, doughy. A year ago I used, maybe, 2 flours—unbleached all-purpose and whole wheat. Now I have unbleached bread flour, graham whole wheat, white whole wheat, unbleached all-purpose, whole wheat pastry flour, semolina flour, corn flour, potato flour, rice flour and almond flour. That's a LOT of flours. Each has its own distinctive flavor or properties and specialized uses.

I've never been one who habitually ate dessert. Sure, I'll snack on cookies, eat pie or muffins for breakfast. But, unless it was close to someone's birthday or a holiday, we just never kept desserts in the house. So keeping desserts going in the cafe is a new way of thinking. Bruce has often picked up the slack. He not only is very talented and skilled in this direction, he also has more time to devote to it. Along about the time when I am starting to cook the orders coming in, he tackles the sweets. His tiramisu is legendary in these parts. Last week he experimented, quite successfully, I think, with a hazelnut version that utilized Nutella and Frangelica in the flavorings. The term "to die for" comes to mind. This week I'll be on it with some pies. I am also making a batch of fresh strawberry chipotle jam that should be quite interesting. If it comes out okay, I'll have 8 oz jars of it for sale by mid-week.

At the last open mic night we were wowed, especially, by a young pair, Nathan and Tailor. I'm not sure I got the spelling right or the order they call it, but they were terrific and very contemporary. On Tailor's last day of high school she and Nathan will perform for our Friday night. That's is this week. Please join us in welcoming this young group of singer/songwirters. The menu for the night is below. Let us know if you plan to join us and, if you can, what you plan to eat. That way we have plenty for everyone. The cafe number is 505-0302.

Does your office occasionally have lunch meetings? We'd like to know about your preferences. We are making progress in developing our office meeting catering packages and don't want to miss the mark. Pet peeves in meeting foods? Special situations we should plan for? We need your input. We have suggestion cards near the register and also, always, are happy to hear from you via email, comments to blog or facebook. If you give us a suggestion that seems especially helpful, we'll reward you with free food!

Things we are looking for—

• Someone who can mow our lawn regularly (we live in Thayer) in exchange for food from the cafe
• Fresh produce, berries, mushrooms, etc
• Musicians for our Friday nights   
• A good-sized used refrigerator
• Information regarding your office menu choices
• Information regarding your Friday night music choices

Now here are this week's flavor journeys and specials—

Monday~Salmon Tacos! Back just for this week. Wood-fired wild Pacific salmon and pineapple salsa served on corn tortillas and accompanied by Italian potato salad or fruit

Tuesday~Chicken gumbo Tamales with rice on the side

Wednesday~Thai Chicken Noodle Salad over Spinach with sweetened rice wine vinaigrette

Thursday~ Pizza! Pesto, shitakes, wood-fired chicken, brie, vidalias

Friday~Sweet summer salad~Jicama, watermelon, spinach, arugula, feta, fresh basil, with balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner~ Pan Seared Salmon, Orzo, Fruit and Arugula Salad, Vegetarian Pizzas with side salad, Wood-fired Chicken Soft Tacos with black beans  

As always, we cherish your visits and look as forward to them as we hope you do. We are grateful for your patronage and never take it for granted. You are a big part of what makes this work. Without your valuable feedback, your enthusiasm for what we do and continual support, we couldn't be here. Thank you.
~~Susan

A Sally Fields Moment

On Monday last week I had a "Sally Fields" moment. You know that time when she won the Academy Award... Well, it kinda felt like that.  You see, one of my main objectives in cooking for you is to expand your palate—broaden your view of what might taste good. To make that happen you have to be able to trust me to take you on flavor journeys that won't send you over a cliff. So on Monday I was able to offer a dish that included local morels. To my dismay and delight, you lined up for them and we sold out quite quickly. So, there I was thinking, "they trust me, they really trust me."  Don't worry, my head came back out of the clouds on Thursday when very few showed up for our Cinco de Mayo offerings. Hmmm. But, I forge on.

This week we will be hosting a supper club whose theme this time is Morrocan. I've had quite the time investigating this cuisine and learning the ins and outs of presenting it.  Naturally, my digging has resulted in my adding at least one dish to this week's menu. Among the specialties that set the Morrocan cuisine apart are the heavy use of almonds, honey, lemons, and an herb mixture called ras-el-hanout that means "top of the shop" or best the shop has to offer. There is no definitive set combination of spices that makes up Ras-el-hanout. Each shop, company, or person would have their own secret combination containing over a dozen spices. Typically they would include cardamom, clove, cinnamon, ground chili peppers, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, peppercorn, and turmeric. (thank you, wiki-pedia) The meats are often slow cooked with these spices and served over cous-cous, a tiny pasta made from semolina flour. Semolina flour is that flour that is used to make pasta, made from hard durham wheat. The combination of apricots and melons has me intrigued. I'll be finally digging out my bottle of orange blossom water given as a gift by my dear friend, Marlene. This, too, is a delicate flavor direction of the cuisine. In celebration, we'll be making mint tea, also.

Last week was a stellar week, overall. Despite Thursday being the slowest day we'd had in weeks (including the stormy ones), we had our best week ever. Friday night was a total rock-out! We had 5 different acts for open mic. All were well worth the listen and we hope to see them again. I absolutely LOVE the feel of Friday nights as we switch gears and focus on good food, good friends and a slower pace...and you can be home in your jammies by nine!

Just a reminder~we have office meeting packages that pack multiple lunches in larger containers and save you some dollars. Next time you are staying in, consider sending someone by to pick up a group order that will make any meeting go better! Please call in by 9:30 a.m.

Because this is going to be a very busy week, I am keeping my blog entry short.Watch for new flowers on the steps in back. Know that you are a very valuable part of our adventure. We treasure your business and even more, the many warm friendships we've developed. Thank you for being here and for spreading the word about our little cafe. Now here's this week's flavor journeys—

Monday~Spinach and Arugula salad with carmelized Vidalia onions, Blue cheese, apple slices, seasoned pecans with a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette

Tuesday~Tamale Tuesday;Wood-Fired Chicken and Black Bean Tamales, with Avocado-Verde Sauce, Salsa Verde and Spanish Rice.

Wednesday~Pork Tenderloin with garlic new potatoes and side salad
 
Thursday~Waldorf Chicken Salad
 
Friday~ Lunch: Elk Burgers
Dinner: Chicken Tagine with couscous; Spaghetti with grilled ratatouille; Shrimp with grilled watermelon salad
 
Have a lovely week. It looks very good for dining al fresco.
 
—Susan

It's May!

After what seemed like an endless winter, we've been given another season with extreme velocity. I have lived in Florida and I know hurricanes. I have never seen so much rain, over so many days. And it looks like this week will add to the mess. Right now, I am grateful that my outdoor art fair days are a memory and not something I am having to deal with regularly. As much as I really loved doing the festivals, extreme weather could sure take the joy out of it. Wind was enemy numero uno. Rain, a close second. If I was at a show that had a number of amateur artists there was always the risk that the amateur's booths would be blown into yours and total your booth. That was because they seldom respected the wind and had no real concept of tethering down their booth. The Walnut Festival in Springfield is notorious for always having at least one day of extreme weather.

Our only instance of being affected by last week's weather came on Wednesday or Thursday when it rained REALLY hard during the lunch hour. Even though we have a fairly new roof, the east wall adjoins a 2-story building and water was able to seep into the edge of the flat roof. We were scrambling to get pots, pans, aluminum roasters, etc under all the leaks. We had to remove my quilts as the water was moving along the swales in the corduroy ceiling and dripping onto the quilts. We had quite the concert as all the pots collected water and it was very dark and gloomy. If the weather goes per most years, typically the worst of the weather should be gone by week's end.

Were you one of the lucky few who got to enjoy last week's morels? Hopefully, the local foragers will be back with another load. There are several varieties of local edible mushrooms in the Ozarks. We also have lots of edible wild greens and berries. Watch for them in our weekly menus. Often, they will appear unannounced as I am dependent on what is found and delivered—usually with little warning.

Have you tried our new Pomegranate/ Blueberry Lemonade? It is currently available daily. I hope we can add more exotic beverage options as the weeks progress. Do you have favorite summer drinks? Tell me about them! You can also order an Arnold Palmer— that famous mix of iced tea and lemonade.

Bruce has been busy lately experimenting with refrigerator pickles. We now have dill; sweet and sour; and bread and butter varieties. We make them in-house and use only fresh ingredients. Ask for them as an add-on to your lunch.

Bruce has also been playing with deviled eggs. This is a perennial favorite for the home cook, but seldom seen in restaurants. Bruce's kick these already-luscious treats to a higher level by topping them with shrimp or crab. Because we use local free-range eggs, the yolks are quite yellow. Almost an ochre. And it is sheer fun to peel those green and brown shells. Some are even speckled.

Have you noticed we've been populating our courtyard with containers of herbs, peppers, tomatoes and flowering plants? I am sure all this rain will give them a bounteous start. I am also starting nasturtiums so we can top your salads with fresh, edible flowers. Were you one of the lucky ones to get violets or red bud blossoms on your salad a couple of weeks ago? I've also started a couple of planters in the back. Hopefully, this will make our back door stand out so that those coming for to-go pick-up can easily spot the steps and run in to get their meals. Besides, it is prettier than plain ole wood and stone walls.

This week includes Cinco de Mayo. Our Texas roots have included many a celebration for this festive holiday. To celebrate here we are going to make Gorditas—slow roasted pulled pork—and serve it with a fresh slaw on soft flour or corn tortillas along with some Spanish rice. I'll make some black bean soup and we'll whip up a pitcher of virgin margaritas! We'll extend our celebration into Friday night where we will offer fajitas—both elk and beef.

And speaking of Friday night— It is First Friday and that means Open Mic. Last month was a blast!!! We welcome all who wish to share their talents with us. Bring along your favorite audience so they can enjoy you, too. I have a vegetarian Pesto Pasta Primavera, Elk and Beef Fajitas, and Trout Meuniere (Rainbow Trout with a white wine/shallot/lemon/butter sauce). The elk and trout are sourced locally. If you have Friday night entertainment to attend at 7pm, we can get you fed and out the door. Or stick around and enjoy the entertainment our crowd will provide. We are working to build alliances with the Avenue Theater and the Civic Center to make it easy to dine before a Friday night event.  Sorry. We cannot do Saturday night at this juncture due to care giving activities with my mom.

 This week's menu offerings—

Monday~Leek and Morel Tart with Potato Tabbuleh Salad; Chicken, mushroom and rice soup
Tuesday~Chicken Mole Tamales with salsa and Spanish rice
Wednesday~Spanish Potato and Vidalia Onion Tortilla (Spanish for omelet) served with Spinach and Arugula Salad
Thursday~Cinco de Mayo! Gorditas with Spanish Rice; Black Bean Soup; Virgin Margaritas
Friday~ lunch~Potato and Cabbage Pirogies with smoked turkey sausage.
 dinner~Beef or Elk Fajitas; Trout Meuniere; Vegetarian Pesto Pasta Primavera

See you soon!!!!— Susana