W/E June 22nd Old Favorites

This  week we are bringing back a couple of our customers' favorite sandwiches. They have been off the menu for a bit while we replaced our dough making machine and updated a few ingredients. The first to return is the Trout Burger on Pretzel Bun. We got many great comments on this burger and are happy to have it back. It is made from rainbow trout and we grill it to order. On the Pretzel bun it gets an added textural boost. We serve it with our SeaSauce, sprouts and tomato. $7.79 with side

The second sandwich to make its return is the Roman. Returning for Thursday, it starts with a bun we make in-house that contains fresh onion in the dough. Then we add 2 types of salami, ham, swiss cheese, onion, tomato, black olives. They all get toasted and served warm.  $7.59 with side.

I hope you are adjusting to the new normal of a summer schedule. We are making adjustments ourselves. Since we are currently open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday, we knew we couldn't maintain the hours personally. So for the time being, you will see Jon and me all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays as well as all evenings. Our wonderful team is handling the lunches really well. This means Jon and I are physically at the cafe 38 hours a week instead of the 56 hours we previously made happen. The extra time "off" isn't spent relaxing. My mother is  going through some health issues demanding a bit more of my time. The remaining bonus time will hopefully get spent in my art studio. It has been 3 years since I started a new project of any magnitude. I've mostly spent my time in the studio clearing out spiderwebs and their egg cases plus a little bit of play time. For the first time in three years I am free to take on a new commission should one come my way. Hint, hint.

Music this week~~ Two nights of music. On Friday, CD Scott returns as a solo act. You have seen him play with friends Mark Johnson and Gordon Johnston. CD will offer up some blues and classic rock. On Saturday evening, welcome to our stage Allison Ann Green, a very talented teenager who has already been performing for years. With her strong voice, Allison will be performing bluegrass and country-flavored songs, along with some of her original tunes. 

We recently cancelled the planned Moroccan Flavor Excursion. It just seems that right now a great number of our usual customers are on vacation and simply not available. We plan to reschedule for sometime in the fall. These special dinners are a rare opportunity to explore a cuisine on a wide scale while visiting with folks who are on a similar journey. When designing a menu for a Flavor Excursion I try to make it varied and feature special ingredients or flavor combinations unique to the cuisine. Because I know there are many of you who avoid red meats and pork I try to make sure I also include poultry, seafoods and a wide variety of vegetable side dishes. I like to introduce each course of the tasting menu by explaining the dish, its unique flavors or cooking methods, preparing your palate for what to expect.  So please stay tuned for the reschedule.

The summer produce is beginning to come in and with it lovely textures and flavors. We've been topping the dinner side salads with tarragon brought to us from one of our customers as well as with fresh dill from Maranatha Farm. The stir-fries are getting updated weekly as the fresh produce rotates through. We always get a good response from our stir-fries and take pride in delivering a flavor explosion.

This week's lunch menu adds in the new sandwiches as well as a few daily features. We will have some fill-in staff this week, so calling your order ahead will help everyone out. Now here are this week's special lunches and dinners~~

Now daily~ 1/4 pound local grass-fed beef hamburgers- classic or southwest style with side $7.99

Monday~ Stir-fried veggies with rice noodles  $6.99
Tuesday~ Trout burgers on pretzel buns--all week and then some.  $7.79 with side
Wednesday~ Forbidden rice salad with wood-fired chicken, sugar snap peas, and avocado  $7.79
Thursday~ Roman sandwich- see above for description  $7.59 with side
Friday~ Quiche with smoked salmon (lox), sun-dried tomatoes, feta and dill plus side salad  $7.79

Seafood entrée~ Fillet of sole almondine with squash casserole and stir-fired veggies plus side salad.  $13.99
Flavor journey~ Sweet and spicy sesame chicken kebabs, wild rice pilaf, seasonal stir-fry plus side salad  $12.99

As always, we thank you for supporting our cafe. It is a joyful experience. I know we have room to improve and are grateful when you tell us what needs fixing. We treasure your business and are thrilled to meet your friends and family. Thanks for being there.

~~Susan