Developments

After reviewing how long it looks like the tavern license is likely to take we decided to jump into the dinner game a bit earlier. So, starting Tuesday January 31st we will serve dinner 4 nights a week. Here's the general game plan—we will close out Mondays (sorry gang we only have SO much energy) and be open for both lunch and dinner Tuesday —Friday. Initially, we will probably close between meal services. After we get that darn license we will probably remain open from 11a.m—8p.m. I say probably because you are the ones who will eventually dictate that.

I am currently designing the dinner menu. It will include many of your favorites plus regular entrée type dishes. We have worked out an alliance with a local grocer to have access to fresh, never frozen seafood weekly. We also will add wait staff to take your orders and provide your table service. In other words, we will be like most other restaurants instead of the hybrid we've been cobbling together for Friday nights. You will no longer be limited to three entrées. Live music will continue on Friday nights and Thursday will allow for Open Mic. Tuesday and Wednesday we will have our usual light background jazz.

We have been hearing for a year now how we need to be open at night to expand our customer base. The trick has been doing it without wearing ourselves out. We THINK we have a grasp on how to make it work and I know there will be a learning curve. I expect it will actually be much easier for me in that I won't be rushing to get all the meals ready at once for Friday nights.

We are also working to expand our marketing through social media and the first benefit of that for you will be to give you a "buy one, get one free" dinner. This only applies to dinners and only in the month of February. This way you can give us a try and save money at the same time. It will be available to those who receive our weekly email updates. So if you haven't signed up, please do so. Also, if you will "like" us on our Facebook page you will know when we offer these great deals. Sometimes they may include free desserts or reward you for bringing in new customers. We are very aware that you are our greatest asset for marketing. We would not be here today had it not been for your warm response and willingness to help spread the word. Thank you.

Before I get into the flavor journeys this week, let me remind you that Jon Lumsden will be the  music this Friday night—with a new twist. Jon has just joined forces with guitarist Greg Kwalume, who will join him on lead guitar this Friday! They've just begun to work on some tunes together, including learning some new songs. Their gentle laid-back jazzy style will carry you along. The mellow 7-string rythym guitar creates a warm foundation, and Jon's sweet vocal tones will take you on a very gentle journey through the Great American Songbook. His own tunes shine a quiet light into his soul. You'll enjoy the ride. Reservations strongly encouraged.

Here's information about this week's Flavor Journeys—

• All Week~ Winter Salad will be on sale; 50 cents off @ $5.99. Made with spinach or arugula, red onion slivers, chunks of tomato, red grapefruit, avocado and feta cheese and topped with pomegranate and almonds. Honey mustard dressing made to accompany.
• Soups~ we'll start the week off with French Onion—the soup that made Bruce famous; I'll add in Creamy Bisque of Roasted Garnet Yams made from organic Garnet Yams—like a sweet potato but sweeter and creamier; Bruce will finish the week with Beef and Vegatable soup.
• Desserts~We'll start off with White Chocolate Cheesecake. I plan to make a Carrot Cake and a gluten free Walnut/ Blueberry Tart.
• Monday~Pimento Cheese Quesadillas. A crowd favorite made in-house with fire roasted red peppers, cheddar, cream cheese plus a touch of jalapeno and spices. Served with trio of sides~salsa, sour cream and guacamole plus tortilla chips. $6.75
• Tuesday~Bruce's tamales go Italian with chicken florentine~ that translates to chicken and spinach filled tamales with a spinach sauce and mushroom risotto. $6.75
• Wednesday~Herbed crepes with wood-fired chicken in a tarragon cream sauce with mushrooms, broccoli and shredded parmesan. Served with a side salad. $6.75
• Thursday~Molletes Pizzas. In Mexico they are made on small rolls. We'll use a pizza blank as a base. I'll add black bean frijoles, grilled onions and peppers plus a few jalapenos and top with monterey jack cheese. All this gets melty and gooey in the broiler. Accompanied by a side salad. $7.00
• Friday~Wood-fired Elk Burgers. They are back by popular demand. Served cooked-to-order on a Roman bun with melted gruyere and sauteed mushrooms and onions. Accompanied by spicy oven roasted potatoes. $8.00
• Remember: The new dinners don't start until January 31st. This week is the usual Friday format.
• Seafood Entrée~Pan-seared, wild-caught Pacific salmon with an Asian-influenced sauce and mango salsa served with sesame sautéed noodles. Starts with a side salad  $13
• Meat Entrée~Chicken O'Brien. Grilled chicken topped with basil, sun-dried tomatoes and Fontina cheese. Served over buttered noodles. Starts with  side salad  $13
• Vegetarian Entrée~Stir-fried broccoli, onions and shitaki mushrooms in a teri-yaki sauce served over sesame sautéed noodles. Starts with a side salad. $11
• If you prefer not to eat one of the above entree offerings on Friday night, you may call in before 1pm Friday and request one of our signature salads. The servings will be larger with more meat and be accompanied by a biscuit. The cost is $10.     

As we start this new year we are made very aware of just how fortunate we have been to share your business, your warmth, encouragement and support. We strongly feel that you are what shapes what we become. We not only enjoy your input, we relish it and rely upon it. Thank you~~

~~Susan

Happy Holidays!!

Right now we are so excited about visiting with grandkids we can hardly stand it. It has been 2 years and there is even a new face to meet. Our youngest grandchild is 2 months old and we get to meet her next week. Our older ones are now old enough to clue us in about who they think they are and remind us what they think a grandparent should be like. We are so out of touch in that manner it is pathetic. We expect to get a hands-on education. Please keep in mind that Friday will be our last day until the 9th of January.

Our hopes for the holidays begin with the hope you'll come visit us at least once this week. This is a slow time of year in the food business and being closed for 2 weeks doesn't help with the expenses. Does your office have a party? Do you need a dessert or platter prepared? Contact us early in the week and we'll make it happen for you. Keep it easy on yourself! You've got plenty to keep you busy. And don't forget about gift certificates, artwork or music! We can fix you up!

Looking over the last year we are so proud of how far we have come. You have been so much a part of our success. For us, this is a new game and you have been very generous in your suggestions and very forgiving when we haven't hit the mark. Most of all, you have shown you care. That, by itself, means more than you would ever believe. It takes huge amounts of faith and gumption to jump off into unknown territory without a safety net. We are no longer the young, brave kids we once were and fear occasionally rears its ugly head. But time and again, our customers have reminded us why we are here and how much our being here matters. Thank you. It gives us the umph it takes and the "let's go back and get 'em" attitude we need to make this work.

A change in the legal status of our company has slowed things down a tinch in getting the tavern permit. We had originally planned on filing as a sole proprietor but our attorney convinced us we needed to be an LLC. So now we are moving forward with that paperwork.  Hang in there. Once all is in place you'll be pleased and we'll all be relieved.

When we come back we are already planning our upcoming Friday night line-ups. First out of the New Year's gate will be the Renee Wood Trio. Renee plays saxophone, Tom plays guitar and David keeps them all onbeat via drums. They are focused on jazz and it is a wonderful accompaniment to our dinners. If you have questions about our Friday nights, give us a call. Friday the 13th will be our debut Friday night in 2012—probably still without the permit.

I am delighted to tell you I have been in my studio again. Over the last year and a half I have pretty much set aside my fiber creativity as a necessary element for us making this café work.  What little time I have spent in the studio has often left me wondering if my artisitc itch was being scratched by other means. Yesterday I spent several hours there working on a long overdue commission. I am so grateful that I had this commission to keep me wandering into my studio. Otherwise, I might just have become permanently dis-engaged. Whew!  I was so enthralled with the piece that I got totally swept up in the create and lost track of time. Oh, yeah! That is what it is all about. I returned from my studio, not worn out from the work, but energized by the magic of art. I am a lucky girl!

This week, in honor of the solstice, I am introducing a new salad for the winter. I'll call it Winter Salad but you could as easily call it Susan's favorite. It starts with arugula which has a peppery taste very similar to watercress. I'll top it with fine slivers of red onion, sliced almonds, chunks of avocado, chunks of red grapefruit, pomegranate, feta cheese, a bit of tomato and wood-fired chicken. The recommended dressing will be a honey mustard made just for the occasion. The flavor note is on the tangy side with the edges removed because of the avocado and tomato. The honey, almonds, grapefruit and pomegranate add a level of sweetness to it and the feta gives it a creamy foundation. I never get tired of this salad and very much look forward to the winter months when the ingredients are readily available. Before I discovered arugula I used to make it with spinach. It provides a touch milder bite but equally satisfying. I can make it with either green—just specify. I hope you'll give it a try and enjoy it as much as I do. I'll have it starting on Monday and it will be at a special price all week.

We'll start the week out with meatball, kale and pecorino soup as well as French onion soup. On Tuesday I'll make a tomato ginger soup that should be quite festive. As this is our last week for a couple, we'll be scrambling to use up ingredients that might suffer from a 2 week layoff. Hence the onion soup, again. We know it is a favorite.

Tuesday Bruce will shine with his Chicken Cordon Bleu tamales. These morsels of chicken are wrapped in ham and masa and steamed. Then the sauce compliments the flavors and brings out the top notes of ham and Swiss cheese. He only makes about a dozen orders, so if you are so inclined, call in your order early to avoid disappointment.

Wednesday Bruce will bring out his stuffed green peppers. He has a unique way of making them where the peppers are stuffed with beef and then the peppers are simmered in the marinara sauce. This will be his first time to make them this season. They were really enjoyed last winter.

Thursday's and Friday's specials will be announced later in the week as I figure out which ingredietns need to get used up. Don't worry. We are not talking about leftovers. So stay tuned and check your facebook or email later in the week. It is this flexibility which gives us an edge over some other restaurants that have to rely on pantry ingredients and frozen meats.

We hope you have a lovely holiday spent with friends and family and come back refreshed and focused on the New Year ahead. To infinty and beyond!!!~~~~

Susan, Jon and Bruce