As we move into the week, we'll be noting that we are approaching the equinox—one of 2 days a year where the days and nights are the same length. While driving to West Plains from Thayer, the sun comes up in the middle of the road on the equinox right in front of the racetrack. The road there has become the measuring device that gives me a chance to step back from the nuances of the days changing length and enables me to see just where we are in the scheme of things solar. Now the sun will be coming up more to the south of the road. When you are in route to work on Friday, note the location of the sunrise. It will be just one day off of the equinox. Noting the sunset will also give you a similar indicator of where we are in our astral traversing.
Last week many of you asked me about the flowers we had on the tables. Those were "rain lilies." They popped up overnight after the nice long rain we got a week ago. They have no leaves I have been able to find—now or in the spring when the surprise lilies get their leaves. I always forget they are there until a good late summer rain. Then—a pleasant morning surprise. They are my harbinger of autumn just as the skunks are my harbinger of spring. Changes are afoot just after.
Wednesday brings us "Talk Like a Pirate Day." That is just the level of foolishness we are in need of. You'll see us sporting pirate motifs and talking funny all day. We might even have a few pirate jokes for you. One silly change you can make for a day or two, mostly to entertain yourself, is to change your facebook language to Pirate English. At the very bottom of your facebook page is the language button. Select English. Then, within the English options, select Pirate. It is silly, fun, and easy to switch back.
After 2 weeks of trying it out, I am pleased to announce that the changes we made on Friday nights in the kitchen are working. I was afraid we had maxxed out the number of folks I could serve in a timely manner on Friday nights. We have streamlined a thing or two, put major components within easy reach, reduced the foot traffic in the pit, moved all salad and dessert operations to the back, kept the beverage service in easy reach of servers and worked out a better system for plating. These were all simply logistical efforts that have enabled me to focus on getting the entrées out hot and with a shorter wait by the customer. No shortcuts on quality have been taken and no additional staff needed. We did, however, add smiling Paula to Friday nights to help with hostessing, keeping glasses full, taking empty plates off tables and expediting food going out. Our small kitchen has limits of delivery and trying to find ways to max it out is a challenge. After this, though, we may have to get more defined in the reservations we make, with definite times staggered more evenly. Right now everyone can arrive at the same time and it makes it tough to get a smooth flow. Just another one of the learning curve items that we are discovering as we go along. I must be getting soooo smart. There sure seems to be a lot to absorb and work out.
We had planned on opening for Monday lunches. We still plan to, but there has been a delay. Rick is the main person who will be in charge of the prep and delivery on Mondays at lunch. He has been suffering recently from a non-ending level of pain in his neck and shoulders. While this is going on, we are not going to over-burden him with this higher work load. Please bear with us and know we have listened to you and know you want a Monday lunch option. Jon and I are physically at the maximum we can handle, currently. With the exception of a few caters, any expansion will have to involve those young kids we hire. So we await a healing.
Soup season is now in full swing. We'll strive to keep it available at all times. The varieties will flucuate. This week we'll start out with "caldo con queso y pollo." In English, this translates to "soup with cheese and chicken." I'll be taking garlic, onions, and fire-roasted Hatch peppers and sautéing them until soft and juicy. Then we'll add in chicken broth, poached chicken and cream, adjust the seasoning and add Monterey jack cheese to finish. Later in the week we'll start some onions for a French onion soup. Those get caramelized for half a day. This fall we are separating out our chilies from the soups. The cost of ingredients is usually quite a bit higher on the chilies and we need to charge for them as entrées instead of soups or add-ons.
An example of this is that the white chicken chili we'll serve on Wednesday (Arrrrgh), we'll make as an entrée and offer with a side salad or other side option. About that chili, we start the night before with white navy beans soaking overnight. The Hatch peppers (mild) will have a prominant role in the flavor profile. We use our wood-fired chicken in this recipe which gives it a full smokey essence. I'll serve it with cornbread or roll.
Whenever I take on a cuisine that is often created in other restaurants, I want to do something fairly unique. I have no interest in competing with what other local restaurants are serving in a head-to-head match-up of dishes. Therefore, I most often will take a more authentic, home-based version of a dish and go from there. This week were are serving beef fajitas as one of our dinner choices—the Flavor Journey, in fact. So what is going to make mine differ from the local Mexican restaurant's version? Well, first of all, we are wood-firing dry-rubbed flank steak to give it a smokey essence. The veggies we'll serve it with are freshly grilled onions, red and green bell peppers, Hatch peppers, local yellow squash and fresh jalapenos. It won't be terribly hot but it will be flavorful. We are now using a whole-grain tortilla for our quesadillas and may try to use them for this, as well. You'll get all the side fixin's like guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, cilantro, lettuce and sprouts, plus lime as well as our own seasoned black beans. We can even serve it with a cold beer or a glass of sangria. Available Tuesday- Friday.
The seafood entrée this week is our crab cakes. I take a special pride in making these. They are held together with as little binding as possible and are quite flavorful. There is no such thing as fresh crab unless you are cooking live crab, as most of the boats cook the crab while still at sea and package it before landing. We recently did a head-to-head tasting comparing the various crab options locally available. By far and away the back-fin crab we got from our purveyor was better tasting than the lump or claw available through the grocery stores. Even though "lump" is considered the best tasting universally, the local option had a chemically aftertaste that was distracting and made it not worth using. Each serving is 2 cakes. They will be accompanied by a fresh butternut squash ravioli. Yep. I'll be making fresh sage pasta and stuffing it with butternut squash. Also I'll serve it with fresh, creamy garlic spinach. You can't get much more autumn-y than that. They will be available from Wednesday until Friday nights. As always, it'll have a salad, or this time of year, you may choose soup.
I am retiring the Solstice Salad this week. It has had a nice run. The new Equinox Salad will take its place. As with my all my seasonal salads, it takes its cue from what are seasonally special ingredients. The arugula and spinach return as a base. I love the spicy, peppery flavor the cool-weather arugula gives. To that base we'll add apples and pears, crispy bacon, feta, red onion, roasted red bell pepper, wood-fired chicken and a hot bacon dressing. It'll make its debut on Thursday. After Thursday, it'll be available all week until the next solstice in late December.
Friday's lunch brings back one of the crowd favorites—creamy chicken enchiladas. This recipe uses fresh spinach, mild Hatch peppers, lots of chicken, corn tortillas and Monterey jack cheese—gluten free! You'll get 2, plus black beans, Spanish rice and a whole lotta love. I expect to have 12 servings. Call in your order to reserve.
Now let's address desserts. You've embraced the grilled poundcake with grilled fresh fruits and our in-house vanilla ice cream. I have pavlovas, which are air-filled crisp meringues, topped with sautéed cinnamony peaches and pears, brown sugar-frosted pecans and finished with a brandied whipped cream. Also, this week, French Silk Pie. This creamy chocolate goodness is devine. The grilled poundcake is night-time only. The pie and pavlovas are anytime.
So in a condensed form~~(more details; see above text)
Tuesday~ Trout burgers are 50 cents off. These are proving quite popular. We serve these seasoned trout patties with Rick's lemon dill mayonnaise, tomato and sprouts on grilled ciabatta. It'll come with a side. Usually $7.50—Tuesday $7.
Wednesday~White chicken chili with side salad. $6.99
Thursday~Equinox Salad. $6.99
Friday~ Creamy chicken enchiladas $7.50
Flavor journey~ Beef fajitas with grilled bell peppers, Hatch peppers, onions, yellow squash, and jalapenos. $12.99
Seafood entrée~Crab cakes with creamy garlic spinach and fresh butternut squash ravioli. $14.99
I hope this week finds you moving forward with your goals and optimistic about your future. Have a happy one!
~~Susan
