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