W/E November 23rd The season settles in

Despite some wild weather in other parts of the country we've been pretty lucky, thus far. I have an aunt in southern Ontario who keeps her eyes glued to the weather channel because she fears for our lives, living as we do, in such a tumultuous weather area. This year she has reported more strange weather coming from their area than we have had.

I don't think I have ever lived in an area that had bland weather. Growing up in Texas, we had heat and big summer storms that lasted just a few minutes. When it was cold we were as likely to have ice as anything. In Nashville, I never got used to the days of long, cold rains in December. I was sure this is what people talked about London being like. But then we'd get a nice snow. That was pleasant until you had to get on the road with Nashville drivers— who are clueless.

From there we lived in Florida. Winter seldom had any excitement weather-wise, but the late afternoon summer storms in the western hemisphere's lightning capital could get QUITE exciting.  Of course the occasional hurricane could get very exciting but seldom did any lasting damage. We lived on the west coast where hurricanes are seldom a problem.

So I am not a 'fraidy cat when it comes to weather events. I am, however, now a weather wimp. That means that when it is cold, I bundle up and try not to get out in it much. The same holds for extreme heat. I'll stick it out indoors. I do love the drama of a good storm. But I could go my whole life without another ice storm of the magnitude in '09. Freezing our tushes off for nine days without electricity, trying to keep an 80-year-old who is perpetually cold somewhat comfortable was miserable for all.

Today is slightly warmer and I plan to use that last bit of fall warmth to finally get the garlic and tulips planted that should have gone into the ground a month ago. Thinking about planting things stirs up my thoughts of the future. How can it not? Planting is ALL about the future. With an eye toward that future, I have resolved to find ways to interact with my grandkids though they are 1100 miles away. My almost eleven-year-old grand-daughter and I got a good start on that this weekend by emailing fashion design ideas back and forth. She wants me to make her a light jacket to wear over a flowered ruffled dress. I'm digging through my silks looking for interesting fabrics I can dye to create the look she wants.

Jon sent me a link to a site that talked about the use of fresh herbs in foods and how they can boost your immunity. We routinely use fresh parsley, sage, garlic, shallots, dill, basil, thyme, oregano, cilantro, and marjoram in our foods. We also incorporate some of the super-foods like seaweeds and even algae. This article pointed out that some of the herbs and spices we use have very positive effects on the body. Among them, sage can boost your memory, soothe a sore throat, soothe digestion and calm a cough.

While not a fresh herb but a spice, we often use turmeric which is noted for being a powerful antioxidant, can be used to detox the liver, and even relieves pain. There is evidence that turmeric can protect against Alzheimer’s disease and even prevent breast cancer.

Oregano, we use both fresh and dried in many dishes. Oregano and the oil derived from it have been shown to encourage weight loss, promote healthy digestion, treat sinus infections and even sooth toothaches. It is an anti-bacterial, antioxidant, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and anti-histamine herb. 

Cinnamon turns up in many other dishes beyond desserts. Last week's chicken mole enchiladas had it, as well as the chocolate hazelnut bundt cake with chocolate brandy glaze. The carrot cake we make from scratch has lots of it, as well as several jumbo fresh carrots. Reports show it to be beneficial in fighting or preventing diabetes, promoting a healthy heart, fighting Alzheimer's, arthritis, cancer and PMS.

Basil is probably the fresh herb beyond parsley and cilantro we use the most. We weekly make fresh pesto, which uses large quantities. We also incorporate it into our Italian potato salad and some of the seasonal salads. Did you know that basil can improve circulation, reduce cholesterol oxidation, reduce inflammation, and boost immunity? It can also treat stomach cramps, nausea, and headaches.

Fresh garlic is also used in vast quantities. We routinely include it in our dressings, our stir-fries, our potatoes, our gyros, and most all of our pastas. The beneficial uses of fresh garlic are widespread and generally well known. Included in these benefits are antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal . Many cultures use fresh garlic to address virility. LDL cholesterol and heart disease can be reduced with regimens that include fresh garlic. B6, iodine and vitamin C can all be found in concentrated amounts in garlic.

Why am I telling you all this? Because feeding you is more that filling your stomach on a routine basis. We care about your health AND well being. We choose the ingredients we use with an eye toward less processed, less adulterated, more whole uses. While we may have a higher calorie count in some dishes, that is counter-balanced by the fact that you won't find trans-fats, or MSG, or highly refined "foods" that barely qualify as such. In other words, eating at A La Carte Cafe is good for you!!!!!

Now let me tell you about the dinner options this week. The seafood will be rather simple but tasty. This recipe was inspired by a dish from one of my all-time favorite restaurants, Fonda San Miguel in Austin. Camerones en Crema de Chipotle ~~Shrimp in chipotle cream sauce. Within the last couple of years chipotle has become the darling of the flavor industry. It is simply jalapenos that have been smoked and packed in an adobo sauce. The cream sauce is punched up with the spiciness of the chipotle, but the cream tends to counteract some of the heat. It will still be spicy enough to get your attention. For those who find it a touch too mild, we can top it with a dollop of Amy's house-made habanero pepper sauce. While Amy can drink it straight, most of the rest of us can see steam escaping from our ears and sweat pouring from our foreheads. Need I tell you about the benefits of eating hot peppers? I'll serve it over a bed of rice and it will come with side salad for $15.99.   

The Flavor Journey is a new creation made from a combination of several recipes. It is Creamy Feta Pasta with Chicken Basil Sausage and Asian greens.  Part one is fresh chicken sausage made from scratch and using lots of fresh basil. The sausage is made using chicken thigh meat which is rich in flavor. That is served with a pasta whose sauce is enhanced with lots of feta and Parmesan plus a few wonderful Asian greens. The greens are coming from two of our local organic farmers. We are so lucky to have these suppliers in our midst!  $14.99  

Moving along to the lunch specials~~
Monday~ Pesto penne with mushrooms and tomatoes, with side salad $7.25
Tuesday~ Creamy rosemary chicken crepes, with side salad $7.79
Wednesday~ Chicken and shrimp jambalaya $7.99
Thursday~ Blackened chicken over cilantro-lime quinoa $7.79
Friday~ Meatloaf and mashed potatoes $7.79

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I hope you have a glorious week. We look forward to seeing you and hopefully adding a smile to your day. Every single customer is one for whom we are grateful. When you bring along a friend or family member who has not experienced our food previously, it really makes our day. We'll even reward you by giving you double lunch punches; just ask!

~~Susan et al

W/E November 2nd Spooky things are happening! Cue the GARLIC!

By all accounts this is going to be another fast-paced week. Starting with the World Series, then add in Halloween shenanigans with candy being handed out on the Square and down Main St. Then we have an awesome new group playing Friday night, as well as the Stroll on the Square and Gail Rowley's nature photography exhibition and reception. So let's look at them all.

The World Series will happen with or without us. So I am not going to put much attention there—except to make sure I record any game while we aren't home to watch it.

Thursday is The Great Downtown Pumpkin Festival. It is all about handing out tons of candy to marauding hooligans in strange attire. Amber handed out over $50 in candy last year in under an hour. We'll be ready. The festival covers not only the Square and merchants but also goes along West Main Street to the Methodist Church where even more candy awaits.

Friday is the Stroll on the Square aka the Art Walk. This time we are featuring nature photographer, Gail Rowley. You may have seen some of her note cards in local shops. She and her husband, Tom, live near Willow Springs. As a long-time member of the Missouri Stream Team Project and current efforts in prairie restoration, Gail sees first-hand what our area needs to keep nature in its pristine condition.  Her nature photography has the ability to pull you in and focus your eyes on the beauty around us in this lovely unique habitat we call the Ozarks. We invite you to celebrate with us Friday night.

Also happening Friday night is a duo Jon heard 2 weeks ago at the Taste of Missouri. This exceptional duo is made up of Beci (pronounced like Becky) and Kent Coffey. They hail from Yellville, AR. Beci plays stand-up bass and does the vocals and Kent plays jazz guitar. Jon was highly impressed and persuaded them that we have a strong listening audience. We hope you'll make a point of stopping in to listen and hopefully, join us for dinner. The last two strolls were quite busy. We strongly encourage you to make reservations! We now have our full staff back in place, so service should go a bit more smoothly. Thank you for your patience previously. Oy!

Our Flavor Journey this week originates in Catalonia, Spain which has long been on the cutting edge of gastronomy. This would be the autonomous region of Spain of which Barcelona is the capital. The name of the dish is Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic. You might think it would be overwhelming in the kick of garlic. But, since the garlic is left whole while cooking and is roasted quite thoroughly, the bright edge to the garlic flavor is thoroughly mellowed out and simply adds a nice warm essence of flavor. If you understand the difference in flavor between raw garlic and roasted garlic, you'll appreciate the gentle flavor of the roasted variety. I'll be cutting up whole chickens and leaving the skin on. You'll have your choice of white or dark meat. The pieces will be plated on a bed of noodles and topped with the luscious sauce. Fresh herbs as well as white wine and applejack brandy lend their richness to the flavor impact. We'll add our seasonal stir-fry to  complete the dish. $14.99 During the week of Halloween you can never have too much garlic!

Our seafood will follow along the garlic theme, as well. It is Shrimp in Garlic Sauce. The version we are doing is Greek-based, as we are serving it over orzo and adding lemon, feta, oregano and fresh tomatoes. Oh my taste buds will be happy THIS week! We'll pair it up with our seasonal stir-fry. $15.99

The lunch specials~~
Monday~Goat cheese and spinach ravioli with  mushroom and Parmesan sauce $7.99
Tuesday~Shrimp and grits. $8.25
Wednesday~SW BBQ chicken quesadillas  with black beans, tomatoes, onion, BBQ Chicken, and Monterey jack/pepper jack blend $7.79
Thursday~Smothered pork chops with green beans and smashed potatoes $7.79
Friday~Philly cheese-steak-stuffed bell pepper $7.59

I started a new dessert late last week. It is chocolate crepes with a pumpkin mousse, chocolate sauce and toasted pepitas. The soup is most likely going to be a spiced potato soup. Those tend to evolve.

I hope you have a chance to see the trees at their peak. They are running about a week late this year. Did you know that the trees decide when to let the leaves go? You probably thought it was just the wind and rain that determined it. I was surprised and delighted to learn this gem. 

Thank you for your enduring support and encouragement for our little cafe. We love that we can call most of you by name and you know our strengths and weaknesses. It means so much to be a part of this lovely community and we feel we are a vital part of what keeps things interesting around here.  That is YOU I am speaking about—the interesting part.

~~~Susan et al

Weekending October 19

I am loving the weather this year. While we have read of extremes around the country throughout this year, we have been experiencing some of the mildest weather I can remember. It makes me want to get out in the woods and enjoy the weather. Oh yeah...I can't. I don't hunt and am not likely to share the woods with someone armed with either a gun or bow and arrow. Sigh.

Perhaps, while the intrepid hunter is stalking wild prey, said person might also be foraging for wild edible mushrooms like the coral mushroom, or the fall morels...or paw-paws...or persimmons. I can hope.

This week my extensive display of quilts comes down. We had hoped to sell a few of my quilts to finance the expansion of our cafe to include a kegerator for regional and local craft beers. My thanks to those of you who expressed interest and to those who bought some of my smaller pieces. As no bigger pieces were sold, we will have to postpone our plans until a later time. As bright ideas sometimes go...it seemed like a good idea at the time. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to share with a few of you my vision and inspiration. Onward and upward.

This week we bid a fond farewell to Vincent as he leaves us to join Haleigh in South Carolina. We know he will do well at anything he attempts. He has a strong work ethic, is true to his word and really bright and loads of fun to work with. He stuck around a couple of extra weeks to help us get someone properly trained to replace him. NOT an easy task. Emily has stepped up to the plate and is reeling in the amount of data Vincent has to share. Fortunately, much is being written down so it can be referenced later. We are still needing someone for prep who can work Monday and Wednesday mornings and Friday evenings. We need someone who is bright, friendly, willing and able to learn, preferably 21+ for prep and back-up. If you know someone like this, please send them to talk with either me or Amy. We are also looking for a person who can be back-up waitperson and/or support for Friday night. We know you know the best people.

This past weekend we had a really interesting group of travelers join us for a catered dinner Saturday evening. They are traveling by bicycle from the west coast to the east. Several of the folks were from out of the country. You'll probably get to read about it in the Quill as Terry Hampton managed to carve out some of her weekend to interview and photograph the group. Thanks to all!

Entertainment this week comes twice. Thursday evening the After Hours Big Band plays in the Annex. With my display down they'll have room to spread out. It is always a lively performance. As usual, we'll give you the option of dining IN the room with them or in the main dining room which is noticeably quieter. On Friday, the Renée Wood Trio with Tom Rowley and David Moore will play for us. They are crowd favorites and we love having them.

HEADS UP CRAB LOVERS! NEXT week we'll have stone crab flown in fresh from Tarpon Springs, FL. I am giving you plenty of notice so you can plan ahead. We'll bring in 30 pounds. It's scheduled to be delivered on Wednesday. That gives you 3 days to get in and enjoy. I do not expect there to be any left. We do this only once or twice a year.

This week's Flavor Journey  brings back the Beef Rendang. This Malaysian recipe renders a very tender beef dish that is quite complex in its flavorings. Similar to mole in the number of layers of flavor, it has a decidedly Eastern flavor profile that includes cardamon, anise, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, fennel, turmeric and chilies. We'll serve it with jasmine rice and our seasonal stir-fry vegetables. $16.99  In the past, this dish garnered many comments about how it was both flavorful and very tender. We'll be using flank steak as the basis for this dish. It will be a bit spicy but not generally overwhelming.

The seafood will be Sole Meuniere. This method of serving fish begins with a very light dusting of seasoned wheat and corn flour. It is seared on the griddle, then topped with a lovely wine sauce made with shallots—that precious bulb that mixes garlic with mild onion—butter, white wine, parsley and lightly topped with sliced almonds. I'll add a pilaf of wild rice and our seasonal stir-fry. $16.99

This week's lunch specials~
Monday~ Green Goddess grilled cheese with tomato soup  $7.29
Tuesday~ Chicken curry and rice  $7.79
Wednesday~ Pulled pork salad  $7.59
Thursday~ Chicken pot pie and side salad  $7.79
Friday~ Baja shrimp tacos  $7.99

I hope you are able to get out and enjoy the various entertainment treats nature has bestowed upon us this time of year. There are pumpkin patches and corn mazes, wine and beer festivals, and good music. Have a terrific week. Thanks for being a part of this journey. We're glad you are along for the ride.

~~Susan

w/e October 5~Cart-wheeling into fall

So far the harbingers of fall are the goldenrod, the dogwoods and the sumac. The goldenrod is in full bloom. The dogwoods are turning their berries red and the leaves are getting colorful and the sumac is glowing auburn. Surprisingly, our temps are actually running higher than normal. This coming weekend marks the usual earliest likeliness of freeze. I remember doing many art shows in St. Louis on this weekend and several times there was a light frost in the early mornings. Not so this year, it seems. I'm glad as I am not ready to bring in my assorted plants nor pull the annuals.

This weekend we are sticking our necks out and bringing in out of town talent on Friday night. In the past you have been very supportive of our doing this. We have never been embarrassed with no crowd when we have brought performers in from out of town. Bliss Hippy hails from the Rolla area and came highly recommended by Tom Rowley. They are waiving their usual fee in order to help build their audience size and we hope this is good move for them. As usual, there will be no cover charge. However, we hope that a) you will tip them well and b) you eat a meal with us. We strongly suggest reservations.  There music is a blast of fun—quite irreverent, often hilarious.

This week is also the First Friday Art Walk. We are planning ahead this time and will feature a limited menu of dishes that can be prepared by our staff without my on-hands assistance. That way I can actually be a part of the Art Walk and speak to those who venture in. I am very much looking forward to this part of the exhibition experience. It is something I have missed since starting the cafe. The exhibition featuring my quilts will remain up for another couple of weeks. The reduced pricing on my quilts will expire when the quilts come down. After that we'll hang the work of another fine artist. I look forward to introducing you to her. More on that later.

My seafood this week has an Asian slant~ Teri-yaki salmon steaks. I'll take those lovely Coho salmon that we flew in awhile back and  froze, cut them into steaks, grill them and season them with a teri-yaki glaze and fresh shiso leaves. Along with the fish will be served  a salad made with calamari and seaweed, sesame rice and our seasonal stir-fry. I think it'll be a lovely treat. $16.99 Yoshi! Ikuzo! (All right! Let's go!)

The Flavor Journey this week is middle eastern in its origin. It is Slow cooked leg of lamb with spiced yogurt and herbs. I'll take an entire leg of lamb, season it and cook it in a braise of stock, white wine and lemon juice to which many herbs are added. It'll cook in these juices very slowly to assure a very tender cut of meat. A bed of cous-cous will be the foundation, topped with the sliced lamb, then a spiced yogurt and finally a "salad" of chopped fresh herbs. It is a beautiful dish that is most flavorful. Perfect to welcome in a gentle fall.  $15.99

We are currently serving pumpkin crepes filled with sweetened cream cheese and topped with warm praline sauce and pecans. Served with vanilla ice cream for $6/ $5 without the ice cream. Later in the week I plan to make a chocolate walnut tart. Slurp! Also our carrot cake will be on hand.

Now here are the lunches~
Monday~spicy vegetarian chili
Tuesday~1905 salad-made famous by the Columbia Restaurant in Tampa, FL~ Romaine, kalamata olives, swiss cheese, oven roasted turkey, tomatoes, Romano cheese, and an olive oil based dressing with lemon, oregano and worchestershire. $7.79~ crowd favorite
Wednesday~Braised Moroccan Chicken and olives over cous-cous $7.79
Thursday~Pork Bahn Mi Sandwich with side $7.79
Friday~Shrimp burgers with roasted garlic /orange aioli plus side $7.99 


I hope you have a joyous week. It'll be lovely for dining al fresco. We'll have the tables out for you.

~~Susan

W/E September 21 Variety—our spice of life

By now you have probably figured out that we like to try out new ingredients, new flavors and newly twisted combinations of otherwise familiar ingredients. Because we are small, we are able to make very fast adaptations to our daily menu based on what is available. This week we'll benefit from two local growers who have planted special crops with us in mind. Yippee!!!

Mary Badiny took my suggestions to heart with letting her greens go to seed and creating microgreens. These are sproutings of a variety of greens that are allowed to grow until just before their true leaves are formed—about 10-15 days.. Then they are cut to nearly ground level for consumption. They are extremely high in nutrients and, in fact ounce for ounce, microgreens provide more nutrients than any other natural food known and have a concentrated flavor profile. A little goes a long way. I'll feature a salad on Thursday lunch that showcases these greens.

The other grower has planted Shiso. Shiso is a plant whose individual leaves are harvested for their unique flavor. Often added to Japanese and Asian dishes, Shiso is nearly impossible to get without camping out at the international grocery in St. Louis.  If you have been to a sushi restaurant you have perhaps seen them used as a garnish. They have a somewhat citrusy flavor and are a part of the mint family. Usually, that means the stems are square as I expect these are too. I'll combine the shiso into a salad using buckwheat soba noodles. I haven't decided on every ingredient yet, but you can count on sesame oil, fresh mushrooms, green onions, peanuts, fresh banana peppers, lime, poached chicken ...

Behind the scenes on the expansion—we are progressing, if somewhat slowly. I have requests out to area suppliers for the equipment we'll be seeking.While there has been high interest in a few of my quilts, getting money in hand has been another story. I have been asked if quilts could be paid for over a number of months. I am willing to do so on a few. We need to get this plan in motion and being stable in the present is a prerequisite for expansion. In the next week or so I'll trade out a few of the currently exhibited pieces in order to showcase a few more. If you have an interest in one of the quilts, please take a few moments to talk with Jon. The exhibition in its current form will remain up until after the First Friday Art Walk in October. After that, the prices will return to their normal range and only a few will be displayed. I have also been asked about doing commissions. As we now have such a high caliber staff, I am more confident about having time to create new work. So if you are thinking this direction, let's talk.

I am truly looking forward to more time in my studio. I am extraordinarily grateful to my studio landlord for allowing me to retain my studio even while no work was happening. It has enabled me to keep my dream alive. Just being able to pop down for an hour without having to first dig stuff out and move things around really shortens the runway for a new project. I have a piece on the drawing board that will celebrate the local streams and fishes. It won't be quite as colorful in the jewel-tones as "Live Water" but I think it will be just as much fun to work on. What are your favorite local fishes? Crawfish? What plant life do you see in the stream beds? I look at the gravel bars and try to figure out how to depict them. Colors. Camouflage. Big fish, tiny fish. Swimming hole. Waterfalls. Light shining through the water. Hang on for the ride.

This week Jon Lumsden will play for us on Friday night. He plays a 7-string jazz guitar and most enjoys playing the Great American Songbook classics, as well as his own well-crafted tunes. As is usual for us, there is no cover charge, but your generous tips keep him in strings and motivation.

By the way, we'll have live music for the next few Friday nights, as well as the Renee Wood Big Band on Thursday night, Sept. 26th. The Friday night music lineup includes:

• Sept. 27th: Linda Stoffel & Dennis Crider (from Blackberry Winter)
• Oct. 4th: Bliss Hippy from the Rolla area
• Oct. 18th: Renee Wood Trio (with Tom Rowley on guitar)

Speaking of fish—trout! I'll make the seafood special this week using boneless whole rainbow trout. They will be coated with a layer of crushed almonds then baked and served with a Dijon mustard sauce. I'll team it up with a mixture of spinach, arugula, and mustard greens. We'll add in our new winter potatoes—red-skinned, mashed with peppadew peppers from South Africa and smoked gouda cheese. $15.99. I'd make a point of drinking a nice pinot grigio or chardonnay.

The Flavor Journey originates in Greece. I'll make a traditional Moussaka which is one of the most iconic Greek dishes. This is a casserole that starts with leg-of-lamb ground up, adds in eggplant, potatoes, bell peppers, onions all in a béchamel sauce (white cream) that is boosted with egg yolks, nutmeg and Greek yogurt. The whole shebang is layered and topped with a hefty layer of Parmesan and baked to perfection. This isn't low cal, but there are so many good veggies in it I think it balances out pretty well. We'll serve it with a Greek salad, spanikopita, and triangles of pita bread. $16.99. What a treat!

Lunches~~

Monday~ Greek salad sandwich~ made with hummus, cucumbers, red onion, roasted red peppers, feta, tomatoes, sprouts on ciabatta $6.99

Tuesday~ Shiso soba salad~ buckwheat soba noodles with sesame oil, fresh mushrooms, green onions, peanuts, fresh banana peppers, lime, poached chicken on a bed of chopped Romaine $7.99

Wednesday~Turkey Caesar sandwich~with side $.7.79

Thursday~ Grilled tilapia salad with arugula, Romaine, fresh mozzarella, heirloom Thessaloniki tomatoes, radish slices, micro-greens topped with a tilapia fillet and a curry vinaigrette. $7.79

Friday~ Reuben Sandwich~traditional corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing on rye bread. $7.99 with side.

Well, there you have it. I hope your week is glorious and provides you with the kinds of inspiration that make you glad to be alive and a part of this wonderful universe surrounding us. Take a moment to look a little closer. You'll be rewarded with greater understanding and awareness of your part in it all.

~~Susan

w/e August 10 Starting year number FOUR!

It is hard to believe that this time three years ago it was the hottest week of the year. Jon and I were scared and we had a massive learning curve ahead. We were working out of 4 coolers and 2 under-counter fridges. The spot I cooked in, in the trailer, was about 2 foot square and I stood there for 8 hours a day—prepping, cooking and doing dishes all from the same spot. Jon ran around setting up tables, umbrellas, buying groceries and watering plants. Ahh. Times have changed.

All this rain and cooler weather have been such a treat. Has anyone started planning their "Okay, we've had enough rain for a while dance?" I'm just glad we have intrepid diners who are not stopped because of a bit of wet stuff. All Hail the umbrella!

Terry Hamptom, with the Quill, has been given wider leeway in her feature writing and has now written an article on our cafe, our role in the community and our stance on sustainability and good food. It's due to come out on Tuesday. I am hopeful that it will help raise our visibility within the community and awareness on good food options. Included in the section will be an excerpt from my blog on our ingredient choices. If folks will just read that, we may gain a strong new audience.

We've already started the process on many of the plans we discussed last week. I am researching the liquor laws and finding out what we need in order to expand to the outside sidewalk serving. I have located the planters we need that will support the "fencing" needed to corral the outside seating. The sign on the wall that acknowledges the occasional need to lick the plate is nearly ready to be sealed down—after I move it 6" inches to the right. We've been saving wine bottles to create the down spot lights that will hang over the new bar and the seated banquette. We're putting numbers to all the items on the wish list. We'll soon be recruiting  labor in exchange for food/beverages to create the physical changes. We are still in need of a trailer that is long enough to haul 2 10-foot-long church pews. They are located near Cape Girardeau.

Fortunately, our traffic has begun to pick back up and we had a spectacular anniversary week. We know things will dip again as school gets back in swing. But hopefully, this will be a strong fall. If you have any dates planned for your holiday parties, it is not too early to put us on the calendar. Popular dates fill up fast. Remember, we can cater your party here or on-site. If you want your party to be easy on your part, knowing your guests will enjoy the delicious food, we're the guys to call.

It was nice to get all the feedback about our plans. Thank you for speaking up. Please keep those comments and ideas coming. You DO have a vested interest in what comes next.

The music this week is a new artist for us. His name is Josh Tyler and he is a singer/songwriter. Jon and I heard some of his tunes via a friend of his. We really enjoyed his music and think you will as well. His music is somewhat of a contemporary folk genre. Please join us Friday night to hear him perform.

For the dinner specials we visit both France and Mexico. France brings us boneless duck breasts with a honey lacquer or glaze. We'll pair it with a fresh tomato gratin which takes fresh tomatoes and seasonings plus a topping of bread crumbs and browns them for a crusty texture. I'll complete the dish with our super fresh summer stir-fry. This week we have all sorts of local veggies in the stir-fry including eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, sweet red peppers, and cabbage—plus extras as they come along.

The seafood entrée comes from Mexico's coastline—shrimp chilaquiles. (pronounced chee-leh-kee-lez) This is nearly a casserole as it combines lots of shrimp with fresh peppers, garlic, Mexican cheeses like Crema Mexicana and Queso Fresco and corn tortillas that have been crisped and then baked in the sauce. I'll serve it with the customer favorite of Mexican corn pudding plus a bit of cilantro lime slaw. It will be a bit kicky without being too hot. ¡Que buena suerte! (what good luck!)

Lunches~
Monday~ Spicy cilantro, pepita pesto stuffed peppers $7.59
Tuesday~ Roasted veggie sandwich with eggplant, red bell pepper, mushrooms and onions on ciabatta with side $7.59
Wednesday~ Pizza with red sauce, spinach, tomatoes, salami and fresh mozzarella with side salad $7.99
Thursday~ Pasta All' Amatriciana—pasta with pancetta, Pecorino cheese, parsley, oven roasted tomatoes plus side salad $7.99
Friday~ Tortellini Antipasto Salad $7.59

Seafood entrée~ (Mexico) Shrimp chilaquiles plus corn pudding and cilantro lime slaw $14.99
Flavor Journey~ (France) Duck breasts with honey glaze, tomato gratin, summer stir-fry $16.99

We are having a huge amount of fun and hope you are able to join us regularly. If you see anything you think we are missing, please feel free to speak up. We are looking forward to traveling this journey with you on our team. You make what we do a joyful experience. Thank you. Have a lovely, rare cool August week. We'll be here for you.

~~Susan

w/e July 27, 2013 Getting the most out of A La Carte Café

W/E July 27 2013

Getting the most out of A La Carte Café

Each week I post my ramblings in hopes that you’ll find something that motivates you to join us for lunch or dinner this week—or both. Beyond my intentions of feeding you and providing a livable wage for our staff and ourselves, I am hoping to give you the opportunity to experience opportunities to step outside of your daily norm and experience something exceptional. In our decision to operate this café, I made the choice to emphasize local sourcing and in-season produce. This requires a higher commitment to seek out what is fresh and available. We are now buying from as many as 10 local growers and food producers. Some of them are specifically seeking us out and wanting to know what specialty produce I am in search of.

We’ve come a long way in the three years we’ve been doing this. Initially, Mary and Skip Badiny with Maranatha Farm were our primary growers for locally sourced organic produce. We continue to buy much of our produce through them but have added in smaller producers who may only have a single specialty crop. (Mary and Skip have been and remain instrumental in helping to promote our café and in providing the most needed produce.) In addition to produce, we now are able to source local grass fed beef and lamb as well as free-range chicken eggs.

When I am planning the menu for the week I take several aspects into account. First, what is going to be available for this week only or for a very short time? This might be fresh produce, but it might also be an announcement that the Coho Salmon run out of Ketchikan, Alaska has just begun. Through Chef’s Collaborative and Sea-to-Table I am connected up with docks around the country that ship fresh-off-the-boat seafood overnight. The thrill is getting in the coolers of extremely fresh seafood, cooking it and serving it up. I could do it more often if we had just a smidgen more business on a regular basis. To make those fresh fish orders work we have to order 25 or more pounds from a particular dock. That’s a lot of fish! Or crab! Or shrimp! 

The daily lunch specials allow us to showcase in-season freshness while allowing individuals on our team to strut their creativity. For the first couple of years this fell mostly to me with a few notable exceptions like Bruce’s tamales. Since early this year we have had in place an exceptional team of gifted and creative cooks. They are now responsible for the specials on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while I continue to produce the Tuesday and Thursday specials. As I am cooking the dinners on Tuesday through Friday, I am still making those decisions.  Often, the quantity of a given ingredient is limited and rather than skip it entirely I am content to make it only available in a small batch. This flexibility would never be allowed in a chain restaurant.  Over time, our customers have learned that if they want the scarce items it behooves them to call in and have it reserved for them.  We are happy to do so. I am not apologetic that we don’t make enough to feed everyone the specials. We can try to make more when there is a known favorite, but I would rather make too little than too much. It is all about sustainability, and that includes reducing waste. We even compost much of our vegetable waste or make flavorful broths during the winter months.  

Creating exceptional food is an on-going goal. It starts with quality, fresh ingredients. I like to expand beyond the expected to include multicultural cuisines and ad hoc improvisations. Generally, this provides that opportunity for you to step outside your safe box of flavors and expand your palate in a new direction. In the somewhat insular locale in which we reside, many people have not experienced other cuisines beyond local fried stuff, Tex-Mex or American-Chinese. Our customers who seem to appreciate us the most are those who have traveled extensively and know what the world has to offer. To them we create a whiff of the world at large.

This week we’ll be venturing all over the world in a whirlwind tour of flavors. On Monday, Vincent reprises his portabella tacquito. Vincent is great at presenting Latin inspired dishes. Tuesday we’ll have Chicken Pad Thai. Wednesday Amy will remind of us why this region is famous for cashew chicken. Thursday we’ll celebrate the first of the local tomatoes with a panzanella salad, and Friday Amy delights us with Bangkok shrimp. That is just the lunches. Of course, our daily menu is always available for more predictable fare.

For dinner we’ll head back to Italy for Cioppino, (pronounced chuh-pee’-no) a hearty seafood stew made with rockfish, shrimp, octopus, calamari, clams and scallops.  The broth alone is worth the visit. This special will include a special side salad and lots of freshly made bread to sop up the juices.

I’ll also do an Italian beef roulade. That is made with local grass fed beef flank steak filled with fresh herbs, cream cheese and rolled up, then cooked and sliced. We’ll serve it with summer stir-fry and garlic potatoes.

Were you aware that we cater small events? Private dinner parties, board meetings, staff meetings, recruitment dinners. Our annex is available for private events. Ask me about availability and costs.

We have not scheduled any musicians this week. Reservations are still recommended. It allows us to stagger your visit so that you have the shortest wait for your food.

So here’s the actual line-up in a simplified form~~

Lunches—

Monday~ Portabella Tacquito with chips and salsa $7.99

Tuesday~ Chicken Pad Thai $7.99

Wednesday~ Cashew chicken and rice $7.99

Thursday~ Panzanella salad $7.99

Friday~ Bangkok Shrimp $7.99

Dinners—

Flavor journey~ Italian beef Roulade with summer stir-fry and garlic potatoes $14.99

Seafood Entrée~ Cioppino—Italian Fish stew with salad $15.99

Pasta Amatriciana~ Pasta, pancetta, oven roasted tomatoes, pecorino cheese, parsley and basil. Served with  a side salad $14.99

I hope you find the time to visit us this week. You make our efforts a pleasure and rewarding. Between the rain showers it should be a comfortable week to enjoy dining al fresco.

 

~~Susan

   

 

 

W/E July 13th Skipping along through summer

When all in life is going well it is easy to approach the future with a light heart and a touch of insouciance. When life seems a bit more serious it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking more effort is needed. Effort doesn't necessarily translate into more results. Actually I have found the opposite to be true. If I look at ways to make the journey more fun, light hearted and downright silly, life seems to get brighter and go more smoothly. After a week of "serious effort" I am far more exhausted and likely to be frustrated than a week of "let's play a game." Each can get the results but the second leaves me far more satisfied and happy. It all comes down to "energy management." The amount of energy needed for the light hearted approach requires less energy and tends to be self-regenerating.

Why do I mention this now? Because we are finally beginning to see our summer business picking back up. We had a few weeks of wondering what had happened. Fortunately, even when the lull seems to go on way too long, we are humbled by the strength of the returning force when it hits. We have been striving to keep things light and now we are rejoicing. We missed you!

You came back just in time to celebrate the abundance of the season. Each week, in addition to what we are finding at the local produce stands and Mary and Skip Badiny's garden, we are also being gifted with some fabulous fresh herbs and veggies. Just last week we were brought French tarragon, oregano, parsley, winter savory, poke weed and chives as well as fresh eggs. We love that you share with us. If you are about to leave town and don't wish your crop to go to waste, we'd love to include your goodies on salads and in stir-fry.

Earlier I mentioned energy. Well the foods we have been getting in abound in it! When crops are harvested and consumed with minimal delay there is an almost direct transfer of energy from plant to you. While working in preparation I am acutely aware of the boost in energy that the freshest produce and herbs contain. Dang near visceral. When long-distance transport, cold storage and time enter the picture, the available energy is just reduced. This may seem all new-agey but we who are working with the produce are quite aware of it.

One of the experiments we added while trying to get our numbers to a sustainable level, was to be open Saturday evenings. Despite being open for six Saturdays in a row, it has not proven to be a desirable night for dining—at least during the summer. So we are ending that dinner service for now. I expect we'll add it back in come fall. We are anxious for your feedback. Please feel free to share your thoughts.   ####NOTE#### No more Saturday Evenings this summer.####Note####

This week Renee Wood Trio will play on Friday evening. This time Jon Lumsden will be the guitar player. Even though we have Renee and her trio fairly often, there are actually 2 different sets of personnel. The sets of music played are almost completely different when Tom Rowley joins her as guitarist.  Although both Jon and Tom are playing jazz guitar, they each have a different take on things and Renee's improvisation is quite different between trios. Renee plays saxophone and David Moore plays drums.

We'll have three dinner specials this week. I doubt I'll have the ingredients for all three throughout the week, so if you have a favorite, come in early.

The seafood entree this week is a low-country crawfish boil complete with corn and boiled potatoes. We'll cook the crawfish in a broth seasoned with Old Bay..  $12.99

The second option is a pork loin roast glazed with garlic jelly. I'll serve it with our seasonal stir-fried veggies plus a tomato tart. $12.99 BTW—We make the garlic jelly in-house and have containers of it available for sale. It would make a lovely hostess or thank-you gift for someone who enjoys cooking.

The third option would be the Flavor Journey straight from Italy in the form of linguine all' Amatriciano. This ones really celebrates the season with slow oven roasted Roma tomatoes, pancetta and pecorino. The pancetta is an Italian ham and the pecorino is a cheese somewhat similar to Parmesan. This makes a very pretty dish—lots of flavor and lots of color. $12.99

I have some special appetizers right now too. A fresh batch of goat cheese plus some lovely smoked salmon brings out the water crackers and dill.  The second and third appetizers celebrate the arrival of eggplant season. We have a combo platter of hummus plus babaganoush (an eggplant dip) served with pita chips and crunchy veggies. The third one will have to wait until Wednesday evening before I'll get a chance to bring it together. It is grilled eggplant rolls stuffed with feta and kalamata olives. Each of these is for a short time only while the ingredients are readily available and fresh.

For desserts I have a real treat. Last week I took a whole large plant's worth of basil and blanched it—cooked quickly in boiling water and then tossed in ice water to stop the cooking. This intensifies the flavor. Then I made a simple syrup (half water /half sugar) and cooked it in that a for several minutes to make a basil syrup. That was then blended with juice from a whole honey-dew melon, some fresh lemon juice and a pinch of salt and then frozen. The result is a basil granita served on a bed of fresh sliced peaches. The flavor is delicate, summery and bright.

By Wednesday evening I hope to have a fresh local blackberry cobbler ready.

Now here are the lunch specials for the week~~

Monday~ Stuffed manicotti with creamy tomato sauce and side salad $7.99
Tuesday~ Solstice Salad 20 cents off. A base of romaine topped with fresh mozzarella, fresh Roma tomatoes, wood-fired chicken and fresh basil. Served with balsamic vinaigrette $7.39
Wednesday~ Baja chicken tacos with side $7.99
Thursday~ Pork Bahn Mi sandwiches $7.99
Friday~ Summer squash and 4-pepper smoked sausage quiche plus side salad $7.99

As always—we are grateful for your support and continued sharing of our little secret. Amy, Drew, Vincent and Haleigh all welcome you when we are not around. In the evenings you'll see those faces plus Christina and Sharon and, of course, Jon and me. We invite your input and encourage you to write reviews of our services on sites such as yahoo.com, yelp.com and google.com or even just a quick word on our Facebook page. 

~~Susan

W/E June 15th Making healthy ingredient choices

Last week I mentioned what we were doing to reduce our carbon footprint. This week I felt it was time to remind you of some of the ingredient choices we make when we prepare your foods. Those choices most commonly come down to the least adulterated, closest to nature options we can make. Here are a few of the choices you'll see:

• Butter—we NEVER use margarine. If you are a fan of butter you already know how unreliable most restaurants are for using the real thing. How many times do the waitstaff even know if they are serving butter or margarine? When Jon and I eat out we take our own butter unless we know for sure butter is available.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil—We go through about 1.5 gallons of this per week. There is a big cost difference. With few exceptions it is the oil we use to make salad dressings, sauté, or grill. EVOO uses no heat and is made up of only the first pressing of the olives. The flavor is brighter than other olive oils and the cost is much higher. But we feel it gives us an edge flavor-wise and it is much healthier for you than many other oils.
• Salt—We use either kosher salt or sea salt in our cooking. Again, this costs a bit more than the usual table salt. Also, we try to be very light in the use of any salt.   
• Black pepper—We grind our own peppercorns as we go. This gives the pepper a brightness that already-ground pepper lacks.
• Herbs—Whenever possible we use fresh herbs instead of dried ones. This includes parsley, cilantro, basil, garlic, tarragon, dill.
• Flours—Unbleached flour and whole grain when available. We often will use gluten-free flours—like rice flour, corn flour and potato flour when the option is open to us. Our bread uses a high-gluten flour for texture. We make most of our own breads.
• Grains—In addition to wheat flour and above mentioned gluten-free flours we also will offer other grains such as rice, corn, quinoa, barley and farro. 
• Beans—For the most part we cook our beans from scratch. Our black beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, white kidney beans, Great Northern beans and lentils are almost always soaked overnight and cooked fully for freshness and ingredient control.
• Mayonnaise—We are using the highest quality we can find. It is rich and made with the highest quality ingredients. We NEVER use "Miracle Whip" or a mayonnaise substitute.
• Broth—For many of our dishes requiring a broth we use our own in-house vegetable  broth created using our weekly peelings and produce scraps. While we do occasionally use a canned broth, we carefully have selected a variety that contains NO MSG. 
• Dairy—Our milks and creams are selected to be as whole as possible and the cows are raised without the addition of hormones and prophylactic antibiotics. We avoid all use of "artificial creamers."
• Cheeses—We use a high quality feta in salads, Monterey jack in quesadillas and baby Swiss in sandwiches. The Swiss is sliced for us and bought often to ensure freshness.
• Deli meats—We do not buy prepackaged deli meats. We have them sliced to our specifications and we buy often to keep things fresh. We use an oven roasted turkey (as opposed to pressed and processed cheap turkey) and Black Forest ham which is made from a full ham and not pressed chunks.
• Bacon—We use only applewood smoked bacon which is much more expensive than most restaurant varieties. To my taste there is a world of difference. The individual slices are considerably thicker too.
• Seafood—While our options are more limited in land-locked Ozarks, we make conscientious choices to buy sustainably harvested seafood. We buy wild-caught as often as we can and farmed only when we know about the conditions used. I am careful to avoid over-cooking the flesh so the true flavor comes through. Most often I buy wild-caught fish that is cut and flash frozen while at sea. I prefer to buy fresh from the boat with over-night delivery. This option is taken when I know we have a popular seafood that our customers will gobble up. We keep a much tighter profit margin on these items—like fresh oysters, stone crab, fresh mahi-mahi and can't afford loss. We don't order this way often, but it is always a hit when we do.
• Produce—During the summer months we are able to source our tomatoes locally. We also use organically raised spinach and arugula from local sources as well as herbs.
• Beef—We have recently added local grass-fed beef to our lineup, and we make our hamburgers from it. These cattle spend their entire lives in the fields, not in feedlots. The flavor is clean and rich. The fat content is quite low. 
• Salad Dressings—We make ALL our own dressings using high quality ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, high quality mayonnaise, fresh feta cheese, fresh herbs, honey and dark sesame oil. No hydrogenated fats are used.
• Eggs—All year we use locally sourced eggs. During the summer months the eggs actually come from some of our customers. They have free-range chickens that happily scour the farm yard turning bugs and grains into high quality eggs with deep golden yolks. 
• Wood-fired meats—The flavor profile you taste with much of our chicken, the tilapia in our fish tacos, the salmon and tuna on your salads and the corn in your salsa and guacamole are all cooked on a wood fire to give them that smokey flavor. We do that ourselves and feel it gives us a flavor profile all our own.
• Nuts—We buy the raw versions and toast or season them in-house. This gives us control over ingredients and prevents the use of  unknown allergens. We use pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, almonds, pistachios and peanuts.
• Pesto—We make it weekly from scratch using fresh basil, pine nuts or walnuts, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. It is used in our pesto pizza and  pesto chicken sandwich as well as on some of our pastas.
• Guacamole—We use only fresh avocados. Many places that serve guacamole buy their pulp in bulk form in a bag. Even when it looks like simply scooped out hunks of avocado, we know from experience there is a big flavor difference. Occasionally we run out of avocados because there are simply none available locally that are ready for use. We NEVER use an unripe avocado.
• Salsa—We make ours fresh. No preservatives, nothing funky. Just pure fresh flavors of good produce and fresh herbs.
• Sauces—When faced with decisions regarding sauces we are most likely to choose to make it fresh and use ingredients that pack a punch of flavor without just bulking it up. An example would be the shrimp pasta. Most places would use an alfredo sauce that uses flour to thicken and add heft. We use fresh heavy cream and aged Parmesan.
• Sprouts—We use fresh alfalfa sprouts in many of our sandwiches. They add a nice light crunch and a very fresh taste. As far as we know, no one else within 50 miles offers fresh sprouts.

You already knew our foods tasted superior to what you might get elsewhere, but perhaps you didn't know it came down to choosing high-quality ingredients and treating them with respect. As the person who makes the weekly menu decisions I wanted you to know that I personally believe that letting the quality of ingredients and the flavor of the foods stand out, spending a bit more for them makes them more memorable. I'd far sooner spend more money on ingredients than advertising. I then know the money is going to where it has the best chance of creating a positive buzz. We hope you will continue to spread the word about what we are doing. Your word of mouth keeps us sustainable.

It is almost too late to sign up for the Moroccan Flavor Excursion on the 22nd. We need you to get your reservation in NOW. With less than 2 weeks and under 10 seats available, you don't want to miss out. We have confirmed that Missouri Life Magazine is sending a reporter/photographer to document the event for an upcoming article featuring our cafe. The tasting menu is extensive, includes several wine pours and is priced at $60/per person. Be a part of this special event. Folks are still talking about the last one.

We have the Renee Wood Trio Friday night, with something a little different — Jon Lumsden will be the guitarist instead of Tom Rowley. Renee and Jon have worked up a completely different set list of songs, so come in and enjoy the new sound!  Reservations are recommended ...

Reminder: we are now open Saturday nights through the summer. 

If you will be in town for the music festival this weekend, come on down 

for dinner before the headliners take the stage.  We open at 5 pm.   

The lunch specials~~

Monday~ Good karma curry burrito with side $6.99
Tuesday~ Tuscan Chicken Salad Sandwich on Pretzel roll with side $7.59
Wednesday~ Ginger chicken lettuce wraps plus side $7.99
Thursday~ Watermelon, arugula, spinach, feta and walnut salad with grilled chicken and balsamic vinaigrette. $7.79
Friday~ Chicken Bahn Mi sandwich on French bread with side $7.99

The Seafood Entrée this week is crabcakes (2). I make them with backfin Blue crab, shallots, mustard, wasabi, some egg and a few fresh herbs with only enough mayonnaise to hold them together.They are rolled in a light breading of Japanese panko breadcrumbs for a crispy coating.  Our Sea Sauce and seasonal stir-fry and a fruit salsa will accompany. Served with a side salad. $14.99

The Flavor Journey is Chicken Tikka Masala. This dish is from India and we'll prepare it from scratch. Boneless chunks of chicken breast will simmer in a concoction of savory spices and herbs along with tomatoes and heavy cream. It'll be served with turmeric rice, naan and a raita. Raita is a cool summer salad made with cucumbers, yogurt, mint and cumin. While this will be a spicy dish, it won't be terribly hot. Also, the raita is designed to tone down the heat of the chicken. $13.99

This should a week of quite high temps and a reminder that summer starts next week. We hope you come see us and bring your friends and family along. It is your support that keeps things alive. We thank you for your generous support that allows us to do something we think is worthwhile—feeding you the best food in the Ozarks. Have a lovely week!~~

Susan

W/E June 8th Sustainability, Carbon Footprints and A La Carte Cafe

There is a lot of glib talk theses days about sustainability, and  I realized it had been awhile since we bragged on our position on this subject and shared our actions in this direction. So first of all, we are a group of folks who are each very aware of the subject and conscientious of our roles. While it is common these days to  market restaurants as sustainable, we have been doing so since day one of this adventure. This translates to sourcing locally when we can, raising many of our own herbs and making our foods from scratch. It also means choosing varieties of seafoods that are being sustainably harvested, using fruits and vegetables when they are in season, and composting much of our plant waste.

We have routinely sought out local sourcing for our produce, eggs, lamb, dairy and now beef. From our inception we have had the support of and a close alliance with Maranatha Farm that raises wonderful organic produce. You see it most regularly in our stir-fries and often our salads. We are even a delivery point for those who buy fresh produce from Maranatha weekly. Our eggs come from several sources including Black Bell Acres in Alton who also raise lovely grass-fed lamb and Highland cattle. Willow Mountain Mushroom in Tecumseh provides us with a weekly delivery of portabella, shitake and button mushrooms as well as various seeds and nuts. We get most of our spices, many grains and our honey from Meadowbrook Health Foods. 

I am happy to announce we now have local sourcing for the beef we are using to make hamburgers. Spring Creek Meats from near Pottersville is raising grass-fed beef, and we are buying it regularly. The flavor is so pure and with a very low fat content, not at all gamey. We have often been asked why we didn't serve burgers. Well the reason has been that there was nothing special we could offer to make them different from every other burger joint in town. Now we can. We are currently offering 2 versions—a Southwestern Burger with salsa, guacamole, queso fresco, Navajo dressing, and sprouts as well as a Classic with lettuce, tomato and onion served on the side for you to build to your liking. We are using 4-oz. patties and grilling them on the panini grill so they drain off most of the little bit of fat they contain. We are serving them on Pretzel buns. They come with a side and are $7.99.

Up until recently we made almost all our breads. Then our dough machine died and we began to farm some of that out. As of last week we are once again making our dinner breads and later this week we'll begin making our sandwich breads again. We are still purchasing some of the specialty breads, like Pretzel Buns and ciabatti. So what is the big deal that makes it worthwhile to make our own breads? Control over ingredients. We avoid adding calcium propionate, a typical baking preservative and possible allergen. We use unbleached flours, whole grains often and fresh herbs for flavor. It takes time and labor commitment, but ones we feel are worthwhile.

I am especially proud of our ability to source our eggs locally. During the summer months the yolks are quite a deep golden yellow. This is because the chickens are allowed to scrounge their environment for bugs and other naturally occurring foods. We make our egg salad for sandwiches several times per week and they have developed quite a loyal following.

We are also the only place around to offer alfalfa sprouts on our sandwiches. While this may not seem like a big deal, to those who have been accustomed to this option as far back as 30 years, it is a nice textural, light, super fresh option. Unless you grow your own sprouts, we are the only place around you can even get them.

We are pleased to be a family friendly place and have always tried to provide healthy food options kids would enjoy. With more emphasis on our dinner menu I am introducing a meatball and penne pasta kids' meal at dinner. It'll come with a small dinner salad. Any kid who eats the salad gets a cookie for dessert. I plan to get this option in place before the end of the week. It'll be $4.99. What is your child's favorite cookie? Please tell us other food options you'd like for your children. Sorry~ no fried chicken nuggets.

Did you know we don't even have a deep frier? This is deliberate. You get enough fried food options elsewhere. We will occasionally pan fry something but try to stay away from the extra fat of deep frying.

Now to the Moroccan Flavor Excursion~~ The menu is rapidly developing. We'll have a big roast of lamb as well as 2 tagines. Tagines (pronounced tah-jzeen) are a type of slow simmered braised stew. One will feature Kefta (ground lamb) and the other chicken. They will, of course, be served with platters of couscous which is a miniature pasta common to the region. Moroccan meals are served family style with big platters placed on the table. Many of the foods are eaten with your fingers. Traditional flavors include preserved lemons, lots of exotic spices like cinnamon, coriander, cumin,  and turmeric and tons of fresh vegetables and dried fruits. Brewats, little pillows of thin pastry filled with meat, eggs and spices, will be included in the appetizer course. Beverages included will be a typical mint tea, 2 wine pours plus an after dinner, alcohol-enhanced dessert. Morocco is a Muslim country where alcohol is typically only served in private residences or a few high-end, western-owned locales. It will all be served in a magical backdrop that includes draped batik fabrics, punched out metal lanterns, carnival lights and laughter. We are still taking reservations but please don't put off making yours. With a maximum of 30 spaces we expect them to fill quickly. The cost is $60 per person and includes the wine.

In case you missed our announcement last week, we are now open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday. With the addition of Saturday evenings, you can now bring in your visiting guests and family or just enjoy a relaxing dinner after a day of play. I am devising some special appetizers and desserts that are Saturday-only options just to make it extra special. It gives me a chance to kick up the gourmet level a notch or two. We'll see how that develops. I am excited to give this night some focus and invite you to join us.

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

Monday~ Red bell peppers stuffed with portabellas, rice and tomatoes then topped with Monterey jack and baked. With side $6.99
Tuesday~Wood-fired tuna salad sandwich on pretzel bun with side. $7.59
Wednesday~Turkey-stuffed crepes with fresh French tarragon cream sauce and side salad. $7.99
Thursday~ Chicken Bahn Mi sandwich with side $7.99
Friday~ Eel and avocado sushi rolls, cucumber wakame salad, Asian miso soup $.8.50

Flavor Journey~ Oven roasted Cornish game hen halves. I'll use fresh Italian herbs to flavor the hens and serve them atop a bed of rice and herb stuffing. We'll add in our seasonal stir-fry and of course, a side salad. $13.99

Seafood Entrée~ I've gotten in some LOVELY fillet of sole. I'll serve them Meuniere style which translates to lightly dusted in seasoned flour, sautéd in a bit of olive oil and served with a sauce of shallots (kind of a mild cross between onions and garlic), butter, chardonnay wine, parsley, lemon, salt and pepper. Our stir-fry and a wild-rice pilaf will fill out the plate. With side salad  $14.99.

I hope your summer is off to a happy start. We're sure having a good time here and look forward to your next visit. Thank you for choosing us for your healthier, more flavorful dining option. We take your trust seriously and believe in earning your business each time you return. Have a glorious week.

~~Susan

w/e May 11 Staying Alive!

As each day passes we often wonder what the future holds for us. We've seen the years pass by so quickly. We were astonished to realize that our two grandsons are now 14 and 10 respectively. The elder even has a girlfriend. As they live in Florida we have missed whopping chapters in their lives over the last 13 years we have lived here. Decisions were made to be near my parents as they aged and though I don't regret that decision, it has left us missing out on some great kids. We have missed as much from our granddaughters' lives, as well. I hope over the next few years we are able to spend more time with our own kids as well as theirs. In the meantime, we live vicarious lives enjoying the positive efforts of those physically closest to us. Ashley Romans has been our primary waitperson on Friday nights for over a year. She is astounding in her ability to conquer new tasks and always have a terrific attitude. Somehow, while juggling being the mother of 4 kids under 10 she has managed to go back to school and is getting her RN next week. We are so proud of her and hope these new skills find her doing something that satisfies her and feeds her soul. The medical field is going to be a lucky one. Ashley will be with us off and on over the summer but by fall she'll be working full-time in her new career. We hope you have a chance to give her your warmest wishes for a bright future. Ashley, you will be very missed.

I am thinking this may be the week we have all been waiting for. The weather forecast looks promising for a more moderate range of temperatures and it may finally be safe to risk putting out those warm weather plants. With the soil barely warm, it may be awhile until we see those seeds sprouting and plants in the ground thriving. It would be nice if this meant we'd have a cooler than normal summer. But we know better than to expect that. No doubt in the next  two weeks we'll be experiencing warmer than normal temps to bookend the cooler than normal temps. Aaah. The Ozarks.

We have music twice this week. Thursday night the After Hours Big Band will play in our Annex. The band loves to play in that room because the acoustics are really good for their sound. If you love big band you'll enjoy the full immersion experience. If that is a bit much for you, you may still enjoy the sound from the next room in our main dining room. Friday night brings The Renée Woods Trio with jazz guitar, saxophone and drums. It is helpful to us if you call in a reservation.

Garden update: We finally have a few tires set up in back and this week I'll get some dirt in them. I had hoped to get a rain barrel set up to help us water out back...but it hasn't happened yet. I am grateful that I wasn't terribly ready to plant things as the weather has proven less than cooperative. Finally, procrastination pays.  The first things to go in will be the fast growers—lettuces, if not too late, radishes and peas. I am harvesting some spring onions from my home garden—or what is left of it. Mary has begun bringing in the new late spring crops of arugula, pak soy, and some other greens I am quickly becoming familiar with. I love being able to change up the stir-fry as the seasons move along. We'll be adding in some sugar snap peas over the next few weeks along with fresh local garlic and garlic scapes. Scapes are those long skinny things sticking out of the tops of soft garlic. They are somewhere between a flower, a stem and a seed pod.  We got in some ginormous carrots that we are slicing micro-thin and adding to the stir-fry and the sweet red peppers have been outstanding lately.

This week's special sandwich has been a while in arriving. I finally found some decent quality tuna steaks that we are wood-firing and then making into a tuna salad. I'll chop the meat up, add a bit of wasabi oil, mayonnaise, pickled relish, spicy mustard, sriracha and serve it  with sprouts, slivered cabbage, and tomato slices on ciabatta rolls.  $7.79 with side.

I am bringing back the beef rendang this week as the Flavor journey. When I made it the other two times customers were quite vocal in how much they enjoyed it. It is Malaysian dish that is pretty darn kicky in its spiciness. Just as chicken mole takes lots of steps and uses lots of fresh and dried spices and herbs, this dish is quite involved. It begins with a flavor base of dried chiles, fresh shallots, garlic and ginger and even some  galangal which is a root, like ginger, but spicier. Then it gets a whole spice blend of cloves, cardamom, anise and cinnamon. THEN it gets a ground spice blend of coriander, cumin, fennel and turmeric. The beef I am using for the rendang is flank steak. The rendang itself is cooked in coconut milk, a tamarind concentrate, limes, lemongrass, brown sugar, cilantro and even fresh coconut. The outcome is a stew-like, very flavorful but tender beef dish that will transport you to another world. It is served over jasmine rice and paired with our seasonal stir-fry. $15.99 includes a side salad

The seafood is a lovely mixture of shrimp, scallops, sugar snap peas, shitake mushrooms, and shallots and sherry. Six S's. I'll serve it over a bed of lemony pasta made with lemon zest and lemon juice. It should be a really nice celebration of spring. $14.99.

Now for the lunches~
Monday~grilled portabella panini with artichoke tapenade $6.99
Tuesday~ all week actually~ wood-fired tuna sandwich on ciabatta $7.79 with side
Wednesday~Ceviche~Rockfish, shrimp and scallops marinated with lemon and lime, cilantro, fresh peppers, cucumber, garlic and scallions. Served on a bed of chopped romaine and sprouts with tortilla chips. $7.99
Thursday~Smoked sausage with garlic potatoes and steamed cabbage $7.59
Friday~ Pasta with fresh asparagus, ham, mushrooms, kalamata olives and parmesan with side salad $7.99

I hope this week finds you with a moment of time on your hands to get out and enjoy the weather we have been hoping for. Extroverting with a walk around the block can do more for your frame of mind than most anything else. Get out of your head and into the environment. Most of all—enjoy just being alive.

~~Susan

w/e April 20th Building momentum

Now that spring has finally begun in earnest, it seems to be in full tilt charge! I do hope we don't go straight into summer like we have a few times lately. I love the breadth of spring here. We grew up in Texas (Dallas and Austin) and spring hits the ground running and lasts maybe 2 weeks. Spring in Florida consists of the few deciduous trees losing their leaves in mid January and the new ones fully grown by the beginning of February.So we relish the long build-up, the lush springing and the gentle taper into summer. The screen doors will be doing their jobs this week, for sure.This will allow us to keep utility costs down while enjoying the change in acoustics when the doors are open. I love that happy sound of a screen door slapping. It just screams good weather.

Last week was spectacular in many ways. Thank you for bringing in your family and friends to help us build to our sustainability level. We are certainly making progress and hope you are enjoying the double punches for bringing in someone new. Without a major cater or special event we managed to have one of our most dynamic and viable weeks. Planning lunches that get your taste buds demanding a visit helps, and I hope to keep that level of interest high. The better weather certainly helps, though the stormy night last Wednesday still brought in plenty of diners. Having music on Friday nights seems to be a consistent plus. I wish we had more musicians able to perform on a rotating basis.

The above image is for Earth Day which happens this week. Perhaps next year we'll do an Earth Day supper to celebrate our role in creating a sustainable planet. This year we are planting a garden to celebrate.

Our team continues to impress me with their focus on quality, friendliness with guests and commitment to making what we do matter. Amy, Drew and Vincent are making Meatless Monday a success. We are bringing Vincent to the pit more often to assist in serving lunches. He is happy to get out of the dishes dungeon and loves helping to serve. Drew has embraced the desserts. By the way-- the carrot cake looks like it will be a regular item. Every time we make one it disappears before we expect it to. We'll be looking for a similar summer dessert. The key lime pie was well received last year and might fill the bill. Many people loved the grilled angelfood cake with fresh berries compote. As the weather warms up, look for these treats.Those 2 desserts pair well since one uses lots of egg yolks and the other egg whites. These are the kinds of things that I have had to learn about running a restaurant that simply take a bit of time to figure out. Aaah—the eternal learning curve.

Where, oh where are the tires we need? Surely you know of a few that need to be re-purposed. We have access to a pickup truck and can remove them for you. NO hubs please as we have no idea how to remove the tire. We need them in order to begin our raised beds. My seeds will arrive this week. Yikes.

Brewers' Tuesday and Winey Wednesdays are slowly growing. What is this, you ask? On Tuesday all beers are 20% off and on Wednesday all wines are 20% off. This is a shameless effort to bring in more diners during the week. We are slowly adding in some higher echelon wines and these are getting strong reviews. You already know we serve good food on Friday nights but did you know you can get faster, calmer, quieter service during the week? In fact, if you come in early (between 5 and 6 pm) we routinely ask if you are trying to make it to a meeting or a movie so we can get your food expedited if needed. Tuesday  through Thursday dinner service can be really fast. But we won't be rushing you if you want a leisurely chance to visit and dine.

The seafood entrée this week is one I have had my eye on for a few weeks. It is Rockfish Hemingway. This lovely dish pairs rockfish—a nice, mild, sustainably harvested, large-flaked white fish, with crab for a succulent delight. The portions of rockfish are good-sized and they are crusted with a parmesan seasoned bread crumb, baked;  topped with big flakes of blue crab claw meat and butter; sitting atop crab risotto and accompanied by fresh grilled asparagus. Of course it comes with a side salad. $18.99  As always, the seafood is in limited supply, so it is best to call in and have us reserve a portion for you.

The Flavor Journey returns to Italy for the Lemon chicken piccata served over linguine. The sauce is light and made from fresh lemons and extra virgin olive oil. As always, this comes with a side salad. I'll try to get some fresh pasta made and if I do we'll serve it with that.  $12.99

Now for those lunch specials~~

Monday~ Vegetarian burritos stuffed with black beans and roasted sweet potatoes with side salad  $6.99
Tuesday~ This week's sandwich—available all week; grilled vegetable panini with a fresh lemon/dill mayonnaise. We'll fill it with eggplant, red peppers, yellow onion, and portabella mushrooms that have all been marinated in olive oil and italian seasoning and then grilled crisp tender. Served with a side  $7.99
Wednesday~ Curried turkey and cous-cous lettuce wrap or salad. Ground turkey is sauteed and seasoned with curry; the cous cous base has sliced almonds, craisins, green onion and chopped dried apricots. The dressing is incorporated and very light and all wrapped up in 2 lettuce wraps or served as a salad over chopped Romaine. With side  $7.99
Thursday~ Chili lime chicken soft tacos topped with smoky mango/ avocado guacamole and queso fresco. Served with a side of corn pudding.  $7.99
Friday~ Chicken stir-fry with sweet chile sauce and jasmine rice. This is a lunch-sized portion of the Thai dish we served for dinner last week to stellar reviews. It is a bit on the spicy side. Can be made hotter on request.  $7.99; add side salad  $1.25

Well that's it for this week. I hope you are finding time to get out and enjoy the magical weather and seasonal explosions occurring right now. This is what you have been waiting for—get out there!
I hope your week is filled with marvelous moments and thrilling thoughts. Have a great one!

~~Susan