Taking time to enjoy the change of seasons

Well, it is official. Spring has definitely begun in the Ozarks.The fruit trees have arrived in the Wal-Mart and feed store parking lots. Soon to follow will be the big bales of peat moss and then the flats of early veggies like cabbage, onions, spinach and kale. Can you feel the energy building? Just like the trees and flowers, it seems we allow the excitement to build to that crescendo that marks the first truly warm weekend. We are still a few weeks away from that explosion but the path has been laid out and the kernel of excitement planted.

Last weekend we had the Filipino Flavor Excursion. Twenty lucky folks were taken for a dining adventure that included 10 courses, 5 wines and lots of new flavor combinations. I have written a full report that you can read separately, if you wish. I haven't uploaded it to the website yet, but I will. The next Flavor Excursion is planned for a weekend in June and will feature the foods of Morocco. I have already begun preserving the lemons and searching for an appropriate tent-like solution.

Starting NEXT week we will be open for lunch on Mondays. Amy and Drew will be manning the cafe along with Vincent. Amy, who has a strong background in vegetarian fare, will begin introducing Meatless Monday specials. If you know a few vegetarians, this might be a good time to invite them to join you for lunch. The full regular lunch menu will be available as usual, it is just that the special will be vegetarian and often even vegan. I am excited about this expansion as it will broaden our exposure to an new audience plus it doesn't involve more work on my part. Yippee!!!!

I am excited that we suddenly have access to a wider seafood selection. Though frozen, these fish options are much more readily available and don't require a 25-30 pound minimum purchase in order to access. I'll still be keeping my eye on the sourcing, quality, additives and sustainability. We'll still bring in fresh seafood on a fairly regular basis but we can keep other fish more available for weekly consumption. I'll always designate the fresh as being fresh from the boats. This week for dinner, we will have 8 oz cod baked in packets with wild mushroom sauce and bok-choy with snow peas and garlic. $13.99. Available Wed- Fri.

Lamb, anyone? While exploring dishes for the Filipino dinner I found a recipe for a Malaysian lamb dish~~ Vindaloo Lamb. It combines flavors of Portugal, China and the Islands- such is the melange of Malaysia. It has chilis, ginger, shallots, garlic, cumin seeds and black mustard seeds plus vinegar in the braise. {My reference is a book entitled A Spoonful of Ginger, and it credits cumin seed with removing impurities from the blood and increasing milk production while nursing. It goes on to say that if you have a skin rash you can boil 3 tablespoons of cumin seeds with 1 cup of water and add it to bath water for relief. You can get bulk cumin seeds at Meadowbrook Health Foods and likely at JB's Healthmart, as well.} Back to dinner...we'll have the lamb and serve it with rice and bok-choy stir-fried with snow peas and garlic. Available From Tues.- Fri $14.99.

Here's this week's lunch specials~~

All week~ Winter Solstice Salad ~ Spinach, arugula, red onion, feta, red grapefruit sections, orange sections, pomegranate, almonds, avocado, and chicken with an orange vinaigrette. Usually $7.59- this week $7.25

Tuesday~ Teri-yaki chicken with jasmine rice, stir-fried bok-choy, snow peas, swiss chard and garlic plus cup of miso soup $7.99
Wednesday~ Sirloin steak salad ~~ Romaine, arugula, feta, red onion, tomatoes, cucumber topped with slices of medium rare sirloin steak and our oriental sesame dressing $7.99
Thursday~ Chicken mole tacos on corn tortillas with guac, salsa, sour cream and tortilla chips $7.99
Friday~ Crab and Avocado Salad with Japanese Dressing $7.99

All right, Kids! I am ready to dive into the week. Let's make it a happy one! Thanks for being along for the ride.

~~Susan

W/E February 23 Picking up speed

As the momentum of spring is picking up speed, so is our business. It is a fun ride. With Amy and Drew in place the creativity is no longer solely on my shoulders, and the result is far less draining on me personally. I like that. In fact, I have always wanted this to be more of a collaborative effort than a one-man show. Yes, it is nice to get the individual feedback, but it is just as nice to tell you that the dish you are raving about was created by Amy or Drew. They make up the core of our team, and I feel pretty certain they are going to be able to take us to the next level—whatever that should be. At this point we are focusing our expansion on generating more regular customers for the weekday dinners. These are hours I am already working and would like to see a stronger return on my time.

We are also gearing ourselves to be able to do some nice, small-to-medium scale catering. I have no interest in competing for tight-budget, high-volume luncheons that strip everything to the bare bones and require the use of low-end ingredients in order to meet the budget. I prefer to stick to what we are good at—good quality food made from real, preferably local ingredients, presented in ways that are healthy and enticing. Over the last few months we have done several small-to-medium sized parties and events ranging from baby showers to wedding receptions to retirement parties. Most were held here at the cafe. I am proud to say they all went quite well.

One aspect of catering I really enjoy is meeting with the customer to learn about the event itself, the people involved and designing a menu to meet those needs and budget. I am very comfortable discussing budgets, dietary restraints and decorative options. Recently, we expanded our resources and reference materials to include some floral design. If you have been in within the last week, you have seen some of Amy's work with the roses and orchids on the tables. This week we will really test our floral design skills when we do the flowers for the Filipino Dinner on Saturday. I have ordered all sorts of tropical flowers, and we plan some rather tall, lighted tablescapes. Watch for it!

Speaking of the Filipino Dinner... we had an unexpected cancellation, plus I accidently counted someone twice. So we have 4 openings I'd really like to fill. Our being able to do these special dinners with any regularity means we need to fully fill our tables. I am quite excited about the menu and though I realize the cost at $60 is pricey, I know you will be getting a full value. This cost includes 4 wines that are served with various courses. The menu itself is 8 courses, 9 -10 if you count each entrée. You will go home feeling like you have been transported to a different part of the planet. I plan to share not only the foods of the Philippines with you but some of the culture and history.You'll gain some understanding that can lead to a broader picture of where you fit in this universe. No. I won't be addressing philosophy... just broadening your horizon. Please call early in the week to fill those spots. If you have not already paid for your slot, please do so ASAP. Thanks.

You know we are always searching for ways to offer you foods that better support your health. We are very excited about our latest acquisition: a high-tech water machine that provides healthy drinking water rich in minerals, purged of impurities, and ionized through electrolysis. You'll find blue bottles of our new water on your table, so you can refill your water glasses at your meals. If you'd like to learn more about this water and the benefits it can provide, you can visit www.water-4-life.net or ask Jon for more information. Bottoms up!

~This week's dinner specials~

Mardi Gras slipped by and suddenly we are in Lent. This will give us an opportunity to bring out some vegetarian or at least meatless dishes. I'll begin this week by making 2 seafood entrées for dinner. The first one is breakfast at dinner: Smoked salmon 3-egg omelette. I'll make this using the local free-range eggs we get from an Amish farm near Seymour. The omelette will be filled with smoked salmon, cream cheese, grilled shallots, capers, fresh dill and fresh tomatoes. It will be served with potato pancakes accompanied by sour cream and applesauce, as well as our bread and a small spinach salad.  $11.99

The second seafood option at dinner will be Mahi-mahi lettuce wraps. You'll get 2. They will be filled with the mahi plus pineapple confetti rice and accompanied by Caribbean Kim Chee and my Sea Sauce. We wood-fired the mahi-mahi this weekend so the flavor profile is somewhat smokey. The Caribbean Kim Chee is worth a comment. It is made from napa cabbage, sweet red peppers, green mango, garlic, carrots, pineapple, cilantro, ginger, scallions, sriracha (rooster sauce), sesame oil and salt. The whole shebang is allowed to marinate while the salt draws out the flavors and begins to break down the fruits and vegetables. When the juice is drained off, the result is a nicely crispy refreshing salad. We offered it first last week with the mahi-mahi dinner, and it was very well received. I look forward to sharing it with you and developing a few more Caribbean Kim Chee fans.  $12.99

Our third dinner entrée this week will be the crowd favorite of beef Mostaccioli. This baked Italian pasta dish is full of Italian-seasoned ground beef, penne pasta, marinara, ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. I'll serve it with a side salad and our bread with pesto sauce.  $10.99

Now here are the lunch specials~~

Tuesday~ Grilled Reuben Sandwiches~Corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, Thousand Island Dressing on Jason McLaughlin's rye bread with side  $7.75
Wednesday~ Potato pancakes, sour cream, applesauce and turkey sausage  $7.75
Thursday~ Bagels (Jason's locally made) with smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onion, capers and sliced vine-ripened tomatoes, plus side  $7.99
Friday~ Crab and avocado salad with Japanese dressing. If you know me, you know I never use fake crab- EVER. Sooo delish!  $7.99

Soup this week~ Kapusta This is a Polish pork, cabbage and potato soup that is really filling. We start with country style ribs, fresh cabbage and our own pork broth. Yum!

The desserts this week will start with a chocolate cheesecake. Don't know where we are going after that. Probably something fruity.

I hope you can enjoy the hint of spring in the air. Notice that the tips of the tree branches are starting to fatten up and flocks of robins are hunting worms. Surely they are signs of warmth soon to follow. We'll get a nasty blast of winter mid-week, but by noticing these "sure signs" perhaps you can maintain an air of hope to carry you through. Have fun this week. We are!

~~Susan

W/E February 16th. Happy year of the snake

Thank you to everyone who made the effort to join us on Friday night last week. It was Jon's 60th birthday and he was performing. When he is playing and singing you are seeing him in his "zone" and experiencing his passion. You were an attentive audience and that is the biggest payoff for him. Thank you.

I finally have the Filipino Flavor Excursion dinner menu somewhat finalized. There may have to be last minute modifications based on ingredient availability, but I already have most of it. I have now sent the menu to my wine guy and he is working with his experts to pair up 4 wines to accompany the courses. We still have 4 slots as of this writing. The cost is $60/pp and includes the wines. It'll be happening on Saturday February 23rd at 6 pm.

Amuse bouche~fresh summer roll with nuoc cham dipping suace

Appetizer~ Chicken satay with peanut dipping sauce

Soup~Chicken soup with coconut

Salad~ Green papaya salad 

Seafood~ Filipino paella-shrimp, mussels, octopus, calamari, mahi-mahi

Fresh Fruit~ papaya, mango, kiwi and lychee with Salabat ginger tea

Meat course~ Pork adobo with rice noodles

Dessert course~Cashew custard in meringue

The Valentine's dinner is this week. We will be open regular hours and the full dinner menu will be available. However, I have put together a special Valentine's dinner available in limited quantity. The oysters are a variety called Fanny Bay and are being flown in from the Pacific northwest coast. Fanny Bay Oysters are found in the nutrient rich waters of Baynes Sound on the eastern side of Vancouver Island, BC. The flavor profile description is medium salty and firm texture with a pronounced cucumber and fruity finish. When you make reservations you may select your time frame. The cost for the special dinner is $28/pp. Here's that special aphrodisiac menu~

Oyster shooter~chili rimmed glass, fresh oyster, vodka, cocktail sauce, lime

*

Oysters on the half shell with fresh remoulade 

or Oysters Rockefeller- cooked on the half-shell with bacon and bread crumbs

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Spinach and arugula salad with feta, strawberries, marinated figs, pomegranates 

and walnuts topped with our sweet sesame dressing

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Mussels in a light curry sauce over freshly made black squid pasta

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Palate cleanser~cucumber ice cream

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Roasted garlic-studded beef sirloin roast with creamy horseradish sauce and duchess potatoes

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Raspberry tira misu or chocolate cheesecake

We hope to have some Asti and champagne available as well as our usual lineup of wines. 

We've begun planting some of our fresh herbs and sprouts. The pea sprouts will be the first to come out and hopefully you'll see signs of them on your plates soon. I love how spring is a slow build up of energy here. It is palpable. Even before the bales of soil go out in the feed stores' parking lots, plans are bring made for seed swaps and discussions fill the air over which varieties to plant. Now, more than ever, avoiding seed in your food plot that has been genetically modified is a big topic. GMOs are creeping into our diets more insidiously than a runaway kudzu. It is hard to believe you actually have to seek out seeds that have not been modified to work with "round-up". We prefer to buy our produce from folks who are paying attention to these issues and support their choices. During the winter months we buy much of the produce that goes into the stir-fries from Maranatha Farm. Mary and Skip Badiny are committed to growing organically and we love what they bring us. They also produce much of our summer tomatoes, herbs and fresh veggies.  

We get our mushrooms locally from Willow Mountain Mushrooms—buttons, portabellas, and shitakes and occasionally oyster mushrooms. Our eggs are from an Amish farm in the Seymour area. They are free range, antibiotic-free and very tasty. I often find double yolkers. If you know anyone raising Aracana chickens please tell them I'd like to buy eggs from them. They come in with shells already a lovely greenish blue—almost the color of our walls. I just love peeling them for the spinach salad. We now have staff that are ardent gardeners themselves and the peelings and produce trash that doesn't make it into our weekly veggie broth goes home with them for their compost heaps.

One of our newest additions to the staff is Amy. She comes with an impressive experience history that includes several years of working in a vegetarian restaurant in Lawrence, Kansas. She also spent time in a cafe much like ours where the quality of the food was a high priority and visiting with customers an important part of her job. We are excited to have her as a part of our collaborative team. She brings a fresh level of passion and excitement to the game. We plan on starting to open for Monday lunches around the beginning of March and Meatless Monday lunch specials will be her personal contribution. Watch for it.

More and more we seem to be becoming something of a community hub. We are proud of that and want you to know that if you have a group that likes to meet casually on a weekly or monthly basis, we are happy to host it. We currently often have knitters meeting about 10 am in the annex on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Even though we are not open for business, our tables are available for a quiet meeting space. Did you know we also have free WiFi? Our password is LunchBunch. All one word with the L and the B capitalized. 

If you want get our weekly blog with the upcoming menu specials, be sure to sign up with your email address at the counter. Alternatively, you can find us on Facebook—A La Carte Cafe WP. If you liked our food please tell the world via Facebook or one of the rating sites like Yelp.com. We always are seeking your feedback, good or bad. We listen and try to keep up with your desires and preferences. We know we can't please everyone—but we wish to be more inclusive than not. Our commitment is to producing fresh real food from scratch using as much local sourcing as possible. We let the food speak for itself and thus far have grown almost entirely via word of mouth. Now in our third year, we have an ad in the Buzz to help build the midweek dinner "regulars." Please continue to share us with your family and friends. The comment we most frequently hear from newcomers is "This is here in West Plains? I feel like I'm eating at a place I'd only find in a big city." Thank you. My personal creative mission is to expand your palate by presenting a variety of foods not generally found in the local dining establishments. This might translate to using a wider variety of vegetables in your salads or stir-fries, or acquainting you with the foods from a foreign cuisine. Sometimes we just flat out get experimental. It is all about having fun and really enjoying your meal-time. In this fast-paced world we invite you to take a few moments to breathe, visit with friends and family and enjoy the flavors passing over your tongue. 

Now to this week's lunch and dinner specials~~

~~Lunches~~

Tuesday~ Crab and pimento cheese quesadilla with all the fixings-sr cream, guacamole, salsa, chips $7.99

Wednesday~1905 salad—Adapted from the Columbia Restaurant in Tampa, FL—Romaine, Swiss cheese, turkey, tomatoes, Romano cheese, Kalamata olives and the 1905 dressing which has strong lemon and Worchestershire flavorings.**customer favorite heads up!$7.75

Thursday~Valentine's Day~De-constructed chicken pot pie—crepes with creamy chicken filling plus a variety of fresh mixed veggies and a side salad.$7.99

Friday~Swiss Chard, fennel, bacon and muenster cheese quiche with a side salad $7.99  

~~Dinners~~

Flavor journey~~Lemon chicken pasta plus soup or salad. Made with fresh lemon juice,olive oil, capers, fennel sprigs and garlic plus linguine. $12.99 Available all week.

Seafood~~ Available Wednesday through Friday~~ Havana Mahi-mahi $19  Papaya and mango Mojito glaze, Caribbean kimchee, served with a citrus and arugula salad, pencil asparagus, and jasmine rice. You asked for good seafood...

Also available Wed- Fri or until gone—Flown in fresh from the Pacific northwest! Fanny Bay oysters on the half shell. Half dozen $16, dozen $24.

As you can see, we are starting to have some real fun. I love having the additional collaborative energy. I've always wanted to have this be more than the sum of its parts. There is some serious synergy starting to happen. I am really tickled to get to share a bit of our creativity via the Flavor Excursion. Thank you for the amazing level of support you have shared with us. It keeps us motivated and excited about what comes next.

Hope this week is a grand one for you.  Don't forget to take care of your Honey!

~~Susan

Laissex le bon temps roulee!!! Let the good times roll!

What the heck. Mardi Gras isn't until the 12th but we're just gonna make it Mardi Gras all week. Be prepared to eat Cajun.

The skunks have announced that spring is just around the corner!!!! I counted over a dozen roadkill just between Thayer and West Plains this weekend. So take a strong whiff and just KNOW spring will be here really soon.

Jon's 60th birthday is Friday and he has requested time off from his hosting duties in order to do a set or two of his style jazz on the 7-string guitar. Those of you who have heard him play—it has been awhile since he sang solo for us—know his style is laid back with a touch of swing. You'll hear some of his original tunes as well as his renditions of classic Cole Porter, etc. I get to hear him play all the time at home, but it is still a treat for me to hear him on stage. There is no cover charge, but I know Jon would love it if you put something in the tip jar and claimed one of his CDs. He'll start playing around 6:15 and play 2 sets. Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear his sweet voice and mellow jazz guitar. Call for reservations, please.

The Valentine's dinner on Thursday, February 14th is just next week. If you haven't made your reservations yet, let me see what I can do to entice you—think aphrodisiacs.  First course~~oyster shooter with vodka, cocktail sauce and lime in a chili powder-rimmed glass; Appetizer course ~~3 fresh oysters on the half shell with fresh rémoulade sauce or if you prefer I can do them Rockefeller style (cooked with spinach and bacon); Salad course~~Spinach and arugula, strawberry, marinated fig, pomegranate and frosted walnut salad with sesame dressing (our spinach dressing); Seafood course~~ curried mussels on a bed of jasmine rice; Meat course~~medium rare sirloin roast of beef served with creamy horseradish sauce, piped potatoes, and sugar snap peas. Dessert course~~raspberry chocolate tira misu. Cost is $28 per person. The regular dinner menu will also be available, as we will be open for regular dinner service. As always, beer and wine will be available as well as, perhaps, some champagne or asti spumante.

Now to the Filipino dinner aka Flavor Excursion. First of all, only about 3 places are left. So if you aren't sure I have your reservation, check in with me. My weekend just got completely away from me. So, no, I don't have the complete menu finished. It'll have 5-6 courses plus wine paired with each course except one. That one will have a traditional non-alcoholic beverage. If you have some semblance of traditional Filipino attire—wear it. Heck, if you are feeling tropical, go with that.We certainly will be. I have exotic flowers on my shopping list as well as the banana leaves. By late February we'll be on the cusp of springtime in the Ozarks. Reminder: date= Saturday Feb 23rd. 6 pm; cost = $60 pp, which includes wines.

Let me introduce you to one of our new staff. The "kid" just turned 21 and is a breath of fresh air and enthusiasm. Drew is tall, has longish blonde hair and enough energy to carry me into the next century. He comes with a passion for cooking as well as a couple of semesters of culinary training. Like me, he is extremely curious about cuisine and has embraced all the new flavors we have thrust upon him. I hope you'll make him feel welcome. His lovely South Carolina accent is as warm as he is. Welcome, Drew!!!

Now to this week's menu~ Laissex le bom temps roulee!!!

~~Lunches~~

Tuesday~~Creole shrimp and sweet potato grits with a side salad. $7.99. I made this a few weeks ago to rave reviews with the promise to bring it back this week. Here you go.
Wednesday~~Chicken and sausage gumbo with side salad $7.75
Thursday~~Red beans and rice with sausage and side salad $7.75
Friday~~Crawfish boil! Get out the newspapers! Crawfish, potatoes, and corn on the cob. $8.50

~~Dinners~~

Flavor journey~~Chicken and andouille sausage jambalaya $12.99 with soup or salad. Traditionally made with chicken thighs, good andouille sausage, lots of fresh flavors including garlic, onions, basil, thyme, ham, pepper, parsley. All mixed together and served over a bed of long grain rice. Oh baby!!! So good. Available all week.

Seafood entrée~~Shrimp etouffee (pronounced Eh' too fay) with soup or salad $14.99 I'll start with a medium-colored roux (flour and oil) to which I'll add the holy trinity (onions, bell pepper and celery) plus garlic and tomatoes. Lots of good Creole seasoning and a hefty helping of gulf shrimp served over a bed of long-grain rice. Ooooo-Wheeee!!!! Available all week.

I am so glad you are along for the ride. We are having a ball and look forward to sharing much of the fun with you. Thank you for letting us know how we are doing and what your preferences are. We actually listen! Have a lovely week as we approach the end of the cold stuff.

~~Susan