As temps drop, flavors heat up

Before I launch into my spiel about this week's foods I wanted to say THANK YOU!!!!! Last week we brought in fresh stone crab from Florida. For us, this was a fairly big financial gamble following on the heels of several mediocre low-energy weeks. You came out in force and we sold all we wanted to. (Yes, I held out 2 servings for my personal enjoyment.) I couldn't be more delighted. You've help to pave the way for more fresh seafood to be brought in. Since I usually have to order 25 pounds or more from a single dock, we don't make these purchases without a gulp or two for courage. Knowing that we now have the audience who can and will appreciate exceedingly fresh seafood—whether fish or shellfish—opens the door for more variety as well as frequency. Again, thank you for your support and encouragement. You matter.

It has been since last spring that I made Beef Rendang. The recipe I used is very reminiscent of my recent foray into chicken mole. There are LOTS of ingredients and most of them are either seed forms of spices or ground ones. In fact, there are quite a few similar ingredients. However, Beef Rendang is a Malaysian dish with a lemony bent where as the sneaky ingredient in mole is chocolate. One aspect of the the Beef Rendang (pronounced rehn-dong') that especially appealed to me was the layering of flavors—six layers! The dish begins by roasting whole spices of cloves, cardamon pods, cinnamon sticks and star anise in oil. To that is added even more spices in the form of ground coriander, cumin, fennel seed, turmeric and black pepper. Another layer with shallots, dried chiles, and ginger. Then comes coconut milk, fresh coconut, lemongrass, tamarind and fresh cilantro. I was delighted last year when this dish was so well received. I hope it continues to have a following. If you have been wishing for a beef dish that has depth and warms from the inside out, this is your dish. It will be the Flavor Journey this week beginning on Tuesday night. It is quite spicy without being overwhelmingly hot. I'll serve it over coconut rice and it comes with a side salad. $12.99

We got in a new spicy smoked sausage last week that I want to turn into a jambalaya. But then, what about a seafood entrée? Well this will offer options for both! I'll make the sausage jambalaya as the base and you can add shrimp as an option. How about that? While researching recipes I realized I had no idea what the difference was between a jambalaya and a gumbo. Trusty Google lead me to the answers. Basically, the gumbo is usually more of a soup in consistency, plus the gumbo adds okra or filé (ground sassafras root) to a long-cooked roux (slow-cooked flour and fat) for its thickening. Then it is served over rice, which was cooked separately. In a jambalaya, the rice is cooked into the whole stew and the consistency is quite a bit thicker. Both are spiced similarly and there are flavor elements they share.  These include the Cajun holy trinity of garlic, bell pepper and onions as well as Serrano chili pepper (fairly mild as peppers go), bay leaves, tomatoes and celery. As I mentioned before, the rice is cooked right into the stew with broth to make the flavors rich and well married. I'll serve it with a side salad and fried green tomatoes. Served from Wednesday through Friday at dinner. $12.99; add shrimp $4.

Now that I have your juices flowing, what about lunch? Well speaking of chicken mole, I am going to feature our new chicken mole tacos all week. We've added them to our winter lunch menu for the season. Like the rendang, it starts with a huge number of dried chiles, whole spices and ground ones. All are toasted separately before being mixed together in order to give each flavor its own voice. The mole is then combined with pulled poached chicken. We'll serve them as an order of two tacos served on soft corn tortillas. Just ask for flour if that is your tortilla choice. To that we'll add our chili lime slaw you've had on our fish tacos and a bit of cotija (pronounced coh tee' hah) cheese. Cotija is a semi hard cheese and is used similarly to Parmesan. Served with a side salad at lunch for $7.75. On Tuesday we'll discount it 50 cents.

On Wednesday I'll serve shrimp and grits. I know, seems we're on a Cajun kick. Think of it as my good wishes going to the Northeast as they weather Hurricane Sandy. By the time we serve it, the worst of the winds will have abated and the aftermath will prevail. Thankfully, few hurricanes leave a pile of snow in its wake. Happy Halloween!

Thursday, Rick will take over, and he wants to serve a turkey dip sandwich on ciabatta. We'll slow roast turkey and pull it. The dressing will be a horseradish/mayo affair combined with fresh and dried cranberries. For a variety of texture we'll add a bit of thinly sliced cabbage. It'll come with a side of Cajun home fries. Save one for me!!! $7.50

Friday we'll serve pork chops with a cranberry maple syrup pan sauce, fresh green beans and garlic mashed potatoes. $7.50. You can add a side salad for $1.50.

Now about those soups~~

Early in the week~ fresh tomato bisque. Made from a slew of late season Juliet tomatoes that are roasted in their skins and then blended smooth. We'll add our homemade vegetable broth and a few fresh herbs. Crisp, clean FRESH!

Later in the week~ New England clam chowder. Of course it is made from scratch, with bacon, onions, celery, potatoes, clam juice, fresh thyme, heavy cream and our love.

Desserts~~

In addition to the tira misu, baklava and grilled pound cake with cinnamon apples early in the week, we'll have pumpkin mousse cornucopias and perhaps lemony mascarpone crepes later in the week.

Coming up November 14th—a  Wednesday, our first beer tasting. We'll pair 4-5 different craft beers with apps and tasty morsels. Learn what makes each different from the other and try out something new. Sign up now. We have a limited number of seats so we can make sure we buy enough. $10 per person. This is a really good deal. Starts at 6pm. Seats are beginning to fill up fast, so don't wait.

No music is scheduled this week. We are working on scheduling 3-4 artists for the upcoming weeks including Gordon Johnston, Andy Roos and others.

Remember~~we can provide platters of food for your office meetings and work events.

Have a glorious week!~~

Susan

Crab Week!!

At last! We have 25 lbs of stone crab being delivered on Wednesday. They are being harvested by a husband and wife team out of Aripeka, FL off the vessel Karonika. Tuesday they bring the crabs in and boil the claws and Wednesday they arrive. When was the last time you went to a restaurant that could connect you this closely to the source of your food? Besides, stone crabs are the ultimate renewable food source. When harvested the crab is allowed to live, one claw is removed and the crab is tossed back into the water to grow another claw. By law, only one claw is removed and it takes about a year to regrow the lost appendage. Of all the crab I have tasted, stone crab is the sweetest meat. As in Florida, we'll offer the crab warm or cold and provide a mustard based sauce for dipping. If you request it warmed then we'll also provide clarified butter for dipping. To make this food something that everyone can at least get a taste of, we're offering individual claws as well as dinners. The ones we have ordered are mediums which range in size of 6-8 per pound. We'll crack them, provide a nutcracker and pick and let you at 'em. Can you tell I am excited by this? Last spring you showed me there was enough support to make this risky purchase worthwhile. I thank you for that support and encouragement and hope that we can count on the crab lovers to get in this week.

I am often asked why we don't do more beef dishes. This is primarily because I don't have the experience to feel confident serving steaks cooked-to-order. However, I am happy to do other beef recipes. This week we are doing beef stroganoff. It has been interesting researching various recipes to find the most authentic one that doesn't rely on pre-made ingredients. The classic stroganoff originated in Russia but has been adapted around the world. Depending on where it is made, it might be served over potatoes, rice or pasta. I'll serve it over egg noodles, and I'm using a very classic recipe that incorporates mushrooms, sour cream and white wine. Come on, you beef-lovers, this is your chance.

We are fast approaching the party season. While we are already booked for several parties, we do still have a couple of openings. We can also make party platters for your office party that you can simply order and pick up. But don't put off making those plans. I'll be happy to sit down with you and plan a menu that meets your budget, takes the pressure off of you and makes you look good. Win-win!

We have finally planned our first beer tasting. It'll be Wednesday November 14  from 6:00-7:30. With the help of Phil Wages and Great Rivers Distributors we've selected a half-dozen craft beers for your delight. We'll pair them with appropriate appetizers. I have Rick tackling some sausage recipes, and we hope to present them at the same time. There will be a limited number of seats available for this event and we're taking sign-ups now. The cost per person is $10 and includes the beer sampling and appetizers. If this is well supported, we'll make this a regular feature. Wine tastings will come soon, too, I expect. I look forward to learning more about pairings and how these beverages are created and what differentiates them from each other.

Scare on the Square will be happening Friday evening, and we will participate by handing out goodies. I have heard it can be a bit wild. Sounds like fun to me. Make sure your kids or grand-kids stop by.

Have you considered gift certificates for your holiday gift giving? Providing an opportunity to taste our menu is a gift that is always appreciated and sooo easy for you. Think about it. We'll make sure to have plenty on hand. If you know you'll need several I suggest you give us a 'heads up' so we can print an adequate supply.

Lunch specials:

Tuesday~ The latest addition to our regular lunch menu is the Pesto Pizza. This item already has a strong following at dinner. We will now have them on the daily menu. This Tuesday they are 50 cents off. We make the dough and the fresh pesto, add fresh mozzarella, wood-fired chicken, chopped roma tomatoes, red onion, and mushroom. Normally $7.50 with a side salad. Tuesday $7.00

Wednesday~ Empanadas with a side salad $7.50 This is the classic Cuban version with beef, raisins, potatoes, onions, bell peppers and olives stuffed into a folded pastry and baked. Paired with a side salad, it makes a filling meal.

Thursday~ Chicken cordon bleu panini sandwiches: chicken, swiss cheese, ham all melted together in a pressed sandwich. Served with a side for $7.50

Friday~ AT LUNCH Mostaccioli. This typically Italian dish is served in every Greek restaurant in Florida. Find out why. It is a baked casserole of beef and sausage. Served with a side salad for $7.50.

Dinner:

SEAFOOD~ Stone crab, Baby!!!! Wednesday through Friday. You may request it warm or cold. As an appetizer for $4.25/ claw with a mustard dipping sauce or clarifed butter. As a dinner with 4-5 claws, twice-baked sweet potatoes and salad. Also available warm or cold with mustard dipping sauce or clarified butter. $18.99

Flavor journey~Tuesday through Friday—Beef Stroganoff with green beans and steamed red cabbage. $13.99

Soups~ We'll start the week with minestrone and end with butternut squash. BTW- my version of butternut squash soup is not overly sweet.

Desserts~ tira misu—it is heaven; Baklava—getting rave reviews; Key Lime Pie—Wednesday through Friday.

I hope you have a glorious week as we watch the final color changes and the trees let go of their leaves.

~~Susan

Lots of news and new "regulars"

We're back!!! We've got energy and we are excited! After several weeks of "walking wounded" our staff is fully operational once again. I actually found myself dancing in the "pit" on Thursday and Friday last week because I was so happy to once again feel nearly "normal." It is a glorious feeling, let me tell ya! We have lots of exciting things going on, so you'll want to pay attention....

 ARGH!!!! I had placed an order for stone crab to arrive on Wednesday but just got a call that they can't come until Thursday. So I have cancelled the order and rescheduled it for early NEXT week. Believe me when I tell you this is frustrating.

Recently we have noticed that many of our regular customers have discovered the convenience of calling in a to-go order to pick up on their way home for dinner. We're trying to make sure that we can have any item on the dinner menu ready to go at 5pm so you can make use of this convenience. Try calling in your order and we'll have it waiting for you.

Next on the updates—I told you the bahn mi and Roman sandwiches were disappearing for the season. To replace them we have 2 new items. Both are from south of the border and authentically prepared. The first is carnitas. These little tacos are made from slow-cooked pork shoulder seasoned with garlic, cumin, cinnamon and coriander. We'll serve them with sour cream, salsa and guacamole, plus chips. $7.75 This first week they will be available from Wednesday onward.

The second item I am delighted to serve is chicken mole tacos (pronounced moh-leh). Again, prepared in the traditional manner, this recipe has over 20 ingredients and is quite a time consumer. Using fresh dried chiles, toasted seeds and spices, plus fresh tomatillas, and the secret ingredient—Mexican chocolate, this dish is as rich in tradition as it is in flavor. We'll serve 2 chicken mole tacos on corn tortillas with sides of salsa, guacamole and sour cream and chips. The tacos will be topped in our cilantro-lime slaw and cotija cheese. Ahhh-yiii-yiii! $7.75. They will be introduced as the lunch special on Tuesday, but available as a regular item onward. This recipe came from the famous Austin landmark restaurant, Fonda San Miguel.

The chicken mole will find itself on the dinner menu this week, as well, served Puebla style as the "Flavor Journey." Instead of tacos, we'll serve it with rice, a side salad and black beans and corn pudding. To my knowledge, there are no local Mexican restaurants serving authentic chicken mole. $12.99. It should be available as of Tuesday night.

So here's the full line-up of lunches—

Tuesday~ Chicken mole tacos $7.75

Wednesday~Carnitas $7.75

Thursday~ Chicken Pot Pie with side salad. $7.50. We always sell out!

Friday~Beef and sweet Italian sausage lasagna with side salad. $7.50

Soups~ Black bean soup~Tues and Wed; cheddar bacon beer soup~Thurs and Fri

Flavor Journey~ Chicken Mole, Puebla Style $12.99

Seafood~ Shrimp, pasta and fresh veggie stir-fry with light cream sauce. Similar to our shrimp pasta but with veggies, also. $12.99

Desserts~ tira misu and baklava. Rick is making the tira misu and BJ is making the baklava. Hopefully, we'll get them all made early in the week. It is quite a challenge to get all done at one time as our kitchen is quite small and we have but one stove/oven.

As always, we are grateful to be serving such a warm community. You have embraced our vision of serving foods made from fresh, usually traceble ingredients. You have voiced a willingness to expand your palates and try different flavors from around the world. We thank you! You'll never be bored at A La Carte Cafe—West Plains. Have a glorious week!!!

~~Susan

Autumn's bounty

As we enjoy the radical change from July's record heat to the cooler temps of October we are delighting in the region's ability to bounce back from extreme drought. The coral mushroom harvest has been extraordinary. We are seeing signs in the local wild persimmons of a heavy winter. I think that translates to lots of the white stuff. But while we await that onslaught we can celebrate the end of the summer growing season by rescuing the last of the green tomatoes, making freezable amounts of pesto and enjoying the flavors of the moment.

By the way, the image above is of frost flowers. This phenomena usually only occurs the morning of the first hard frost. It is the remaining liquid in the stems being slowly frozen as it escapes the confines of the cell walls. Startling and beautiful.

Each week from fall through winter, we mark Tuesdays by starting a big batch of vegetable broth. All the vegetable scraps from the week's prep go into the pot and, over the course of the day, are boiled down to provide a rich broth for addition to soups and sauces.

Last week I re-introduced the roasted root vegetable soup. I had several inquiries into just what went into it. It began as a big roasting pan full of red potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, turnips, rutabaga, onions, garlic, and beets. Each vegetable is peeled and chopped to about an inch in size then tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper and dusted with ground thyme. Into the oven for about an hour and then tossed into the food processor for a quick purée. From that point it is just a matter of getting the liquid to solid ratio right. Because of the beets, when first made, the soup is a hot pink. After simmering a bit the pink disappears and the color settles down to a nice golden orange. We use the freshly made vegetable broth to thin it to a consistency that flows nicely down your throat and make final adjustments for salt and pepper. That's it. SIMPLE but delicious. Thanks for asking!

Several changes are in store; so listen up—
This is the last week for the bahn mi sandwiches this season. We are offering the chicken bahn mi at 50 cents off on Tuesday.

Also leaving for the season are the Roman sandwiches. We are at the end of trout season so they are departing until spring, as well.

The Flavor Journey this week is the very last of the elk and I am making the elk meatloaf we've become known for. It has an Asian direction in its seasonings and is topped with hoisin sauce instead of the usual tomato-based sauces. Those who already love it—don't miss out. If you haven't tried it yet, don't. You'll be hooked and missing it. I am actively seeking an alternative source. We are also looking at bison as an option. Cost is a consideration. If you have contacts in the elk or bison market, please share them with me.

Next week I am introducing a couple of new regulars to the menu. So don't panic, yet.

The soups this week will start with the coral mushroom and portabella cream soup and finish up with the roasted root vegetable soup.

I have not forgotten the tuna. Patience, Grasshopper. October 15th marks the start of stone crab season. I have been promising them upon the season opening, too. Stand-by for updates.

Music this week will be Vinny Ray and Thom Hoglen. Together they play a pretty awesome jazz set featuring violin and guitar. Vinny is a state fiddle champion. Thom is superb. Together, darn near perfect. See them Friday night. There is no cover charge but we ask that your join us for a meal or dessert and tip them well.

Several staff members, including Jon and myself, are fighting our way back from being ill. Therefore, our energies are low and I am keeping things simple and uncomplicated. Here's this week's special board:

Lunches~~
Tuesday~ 50 cents off the Chicken Bahn Mi sandwich. $6.49
Wednesday~Deep dish leek and coral mushroom quiche with a side salad. $7.50
Thursday~Shephard's pie. Think pot roast with a mashed potato topping plus side salad. $7.50
Friday~ Classic tuna casserole made with fresh mushrooms and bechamel sauce with side salad. $7.50

Dinner specials~~

Flavor journey~Tuesday through Friday or until it is gone~ Elk meatloaf, mashed garlic potatoes, plus stir-fry of late season veggies $10.99

Seafood~ Wednesday through Friday~ Shrimp and scallop crepes with a light curry sauce plus fried green tomatoes. $13.99

I hope you have a glorious week~~

Susan

Duck Season!

I am not a hunter. Well, not an animal hunter. But I do love a nice walk in the woods. Sadly, this time of year, just as the ticks are disappearing, the hunters take over the woods in large numbers. I don't begrudge them their opportunity to display their place on the food chain. I just wish it wouldn't mean it wasn't safe for non-hunters to stroll amongst the bracken.

Last week I was thrilled to be able to serve the coral mushrooms. I had never had them before and only twice had eaten wild harvested mushrooms of any kind. Those others were chanterelles and morels. For a girl who has lived in many places but never one where we foraged from the woods, this was thrilling. I can't wait to see what else we might find via foraging.  I was even able to add some sumac seeds for seasoning. I have driven by tons of sumac for years with the intention of stopping to grab a cluster or two and try it out. Sumac is a spice that is used in many middle-eastern recipes. It has a somewhat citrus-y edge to it. I just let the seeds dry out on the shelf above my stove, separated the seeds from the stems and crushed them with a mortal and pestle. I used them in the mushrooms we topped the tilapia with last week. BTW—I have heard that there are no poisonous sumacs in Missouri. They have a totally different shape to the flower head than the ones we see here, roadside.

Two weeks ago I told you I had bought a case of duck. That amounts to 6 whole Peking ducks. Fortunately they came minus heads and feet. I'll never forget walking the streets of Toronto and San Francisco and seeing the smoked Peking ducks hanging in the shop windows—with heads and feet. Over the weekend I butchered the ducks, separating out the wings; legs and thighs; breasts, backs and necks; and giblets.  I took any skin that was unconnected to other parts and rendered it down. That means I cooked it in a pan until the fat melted away from the skin. This left cracklings—crispy skins, that I lightly salted and quickly devoured after sharing a bit with Rick. The rendered duck fat is considered one of the delicacies of the food world. While extremely tasty, it is considered a healthy fat. It is used to cook duck confit—pronounced cohn fee'. Duck confit is a dish where duck is cooked at a very low temperature (180 F degrees) in its own fat for several hours. The meat is slowly brought up to a cooked temperature and the resulting cooked meat simply melts in your mouth. We'll use it to make duck tacos at lunch on Wednesday. Served with shredded red cabbage, chipotle cherry salsa and crumbled goat cheese.

The breasts are cooked entirely differently. It is unusual in that it has a red meat—like beef. They, too, have a fat-laden skin that crisps up nicely in the pan. Unlike other parts of the duck, the breast is quite tender and is usually only cooked to a medium rare. It'll be accompanied by L'orange sauce, whipped sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli. We only have 12 breasts to go the whole week. I'll begin serving them on Tuesday evening and they are only available by reservation, dinner only. If you want me to save you a portion, you'll need to call in and have me put your name on it. They will go for $18 each.

I usually only serve one seafood entrée during the week as a special for dinner, but I am changing it up a bit this week. Tuesday and Wednesday I'll serve a crawfish gumbo over rice. I'll use a traditional gumbo recipe that begins with a slow roux—flour and oil cooked together and stirred over a low flame until it gets to a caramel color. This can take half an hour in itself. We'll add in some sausage, okra, garlic and the Cajun holy trinity—onions, celery and bell peppers. It'll be kicky without being overwhelmingly spicy. If you like creole or cajun you'll be in gumbo heaven. Served with a side salad and fried okra. $10.99

Thursday and Friday nights I have fresh Prince Edward Island mussels. I love steaming them in a garlic-infused wine broth and serving them in a bowl with rice and their own juices. I have 10 pounds coming in. Again—calling in a reservation to save you a portion would be brilliant. As with most meals we serve at dinner, you'll get a soup or salad plus a side of stir-fried late season veggies. $17

If you were looking for the sashimi tuna this week, I put it off until next week, probably. Several people had asked me not to have both the duck and the tuna the same week. I listened.

Music this week—Vinnie Ray  and Thom Hoglen will be playing jazz violin and guitar this week. They are a really nicely tight group that play superb jazz. You may have heard them a couple of weeks ago. The music is loud enough to get your attention but not overwhelming. If you wish to have private conversations during the music, ask to sit in Annex. The main dining room is by reservation. If you miss them this week, catch them next week, as well.

Now onto that lunch menu—

Tuesday~ keeping it simple. The new Equinox salad will be featured and the price chopped 50 cents. This new salad will be around until late December. I begin with a bed of spinach and arugula. Then I add in feta, apple, pear, pomegranate, red onion, almonds, wood-fired chicken and bacon. The dressing is a hot bacon dressing. Usually $6.99; Tuesday $6.49

Wednesday~ Duck confit tacos. You'll get 2 wrapped in either mandarin pancakes or flour tortillas. We'll add a touch of  chipotle cherry salsa/sauce, shredded red cabbage and crumbled goat cheese. Served with choice of side. $8.00

Thursday~ Coral mushroom and poached chicken crepes. I love the very delicate flavor of the coral mushrooms. I don't wish to overwhelm the flavor of the mushrooms with a smoked chicken, so I am going with poached to keep it mild. We'll use fresh thyme, tarragon and parsley and oregano from the garden. As mushrooms have a slightly woody undertone in their flavor, I am composing the herbs to solidify that base then adding a touch of dill as a topnote. This is done much the same way as perfumes are made. You may not have noticed but layering of flavors is one of the skills of a good cook. It is the nuances of flavor and scent that tantalize the palate. I'll serve this with a side of fresh butternut squash sauteed with garlic and sage. $7.50

Friday~ Seafood chowder. I have some lovely red snapper, mixed shellfish, and clams that we can combine to make a hearty stew. We'll serve this with a crusty bread and side salad. $8.00

Soups this week~

I'll start out with a classic chicken noodle we make from scratch. Lots of garlic, cooked down onions, celery, egg noodles. Yum. Simple. It'll help to clear your head from the allergies rampant right now. Later in the week we'll switch to a roasted root veggie soup—made with sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, onions, garlic, winter squash, rutabaga, beets. Man, I am loving this cooler weather!

That's it for now. I hope you have a lovely week and that we get to see you more than once.

~~Susan