Seasonal flavors

Ahh! that lovely time of year when we are all in anticipation of bright leaf colors, knowing it means the beginning of six leafless months. This is the time of year I most WANT to walk in the woods and feel the least safe doing it. Why can't hunting season be when it is too hot for the rest of us to tromp through the woods? I am fine with giving up 10 days during the gun season, but there is also bow and black powder, youth and turkey. Together they take up the entire fall. I know I am tromping on near-religious grounds mentioning this. I know and understand the importance of hunting season. I just wish I could tromp safely. Yeah, I know about orange vests. But do they REALLY work?

The fall vegetables are starting to come in. Last week Mary Badiny provided us with butternut squash for the soup. This week we will use them again in the stir-fries on Friday night. I am using the Willow Mountain Mushrooms in the roasted mushroom soup and Bruce will be using mushrooms in the mushroom risotto on Tuesday with his tamales. Do you forage for fall mushrooms or paw-paw or persimmons? I'll gladly buy them. What about muscadine grapes? Perhaps we are too far north for those. I used to enjoy them in Texas in the fall.

The new Meeting Menu is now a reality. If you have lunch-time meetings for 8 or more you will appreciate this new menu. It is made up of our top sellers plus a couple of salad offerings not on the regular menu. Because of quantites, we are able to offer some lower prices and we all win. If you place your meeting-menu order 24 hours in advance, the whole order gets free cookies. Be a hero— make the lunch meeting something to look forward to.

Monday we'll serve Waldorf salad over chopped Romaine. I love the crispness of the apples mixed with the celery, onion and pecans. A little bit of curry adds a bit of spice and notches up the flavor profile. $6.50

Bruce's tamales Tuesday brings back a favorite—Chicken Florentine. Poached chicken and sauteed spinach fill the tamales and they are topped with a mozzarella cheese sauce and served with a mushroom risotto. $6.50

I have an abundance of shrimp right now and I'll slather them in the strawberry chipotle jam and grill it to serve atop grilled polenta on Wednesday. It will be accompanied by a side salad or fruit. $6.50

Thursday, I'll be adapting a true Mexican dish called Molletes to a pizza. Jon and I fell in love with molletes while visiting Mexico City years ago. Molletes are usually made with a flaky  or yeast roll but I'll put the frijoles on pizza dough that has been drizzled in jalapeno oil. Top it with Monterey jack cheese, pico de gallo and crumble cotija cheese on top. On rolls these are usually served as breakfast. I'll accompany it with a salad for lunch. $7.00

Friday lunch will be Elk Burgers! This favorite always sells out early. If you want to be sure to get one I encourage you to call in your order first thing Friday morning. I'll serve them with oven-roasted sweet potato fries. $7.50

Friday night this week is Open Mic. I love the atmosphere when we get to audition new talent and see what might be coming down the pike in the weeks ahead. The food will forward the autumnal theme.

The seafood entrée will be wood-fired wild Pacific salmon with a sweet chili sauce served with stir-fried fall veggies and a side salad. $12

The meat entrée will be sausage and beef stuffed manicotti with salad and garlic rolls. $12

The vegetarian entrée will be a deep dish fall veggie quiche with side salad and garlic potatoes. $10

Ready in time for Monday lunch, Bruce has made a peanut butter mousse pie and lemon mint cake. I hope to play with the local pears this week. Maybe a rustic tart? We have a bunch of organic local raspberries to play with. Something will come of it. Later in the week I'll make another chocolate almond torte which has almost no flour and is decandently rich. Do you have requests for certain favorite desserts? Just ask. We might be able to make it happen. You'll have to wait until November for Bruce to bring back the Tira-misu.

As always, we treasure your business and are delighted each time you show up. It is a great satisfaction we feel when you cash in your filled-up Lunch Bunch card. We are especially proud when you bring in your friends and family to share the cafe with them. After years of basically solo work, Jon and I are both really enjoying getting to meet so many people face to face. Thank you for being a major part of what makes this place work!

~~Susan