W/E November 16 Feel the love!

Love your food! Know your food!

Okay. I know it is purely cornpone, but I've seen first hand just how much love and attention go into each meal we serve. It begins weekly with our choices for the specials. These take time to figure out as well as special time to prepare. We could just show up each day and make what is on the menu without any extra effort but we don't. Each special is chosen because we know of certain customers who would especially enjoy that selection. As for the day-to-day menu items; they are special as well. Here is why:

frost flowers

Did you know that we make all our own dressings? We even make a point of buying the extra high quality mayonnaise and NEVER use Miracle Whip. 90% of the time, the ingredients that go into our menu items are totally handcrafted. An example would be the romaine lettuce.We always bring in whole heads of lettuce and chop it ourselves. Why? Because the lettuce stays fresher without the use of additional substances to keep it fresh.  We COULD buy lettuce that is already chopped. Nope. Not gonna.

Our eggs are free-range all year. During the summer months we are able to get them locally from several customers. During the cooler months, when local chickens have ceased laying, we get them from Amish farms mid-state. The eggs tend to have deeper yellows in the yolks, the shells are stronger (indicating higher level of health in the laying chickens) and, I think, the flavor is richer. They seldom have white shells.

We make our soups from scratch. With the occasional exception of canned tomatoes, the veggies that go into our soups are freshly cooked and prepared. When we use a canned broth (seldom, but done) we never use any that contain added MSG. You can know you are getting the good stuff.

We grill our chicken in a wood-fired smoker that allows the wood flavor to be naturally baked in. This helps to give us a unique flavor profile. You can find the same attention given to our salmon, tilapia and corn. There  is a reason our Tuscan chicken salad tastes different from other chicken salads, and the wood-firing is a big part of it.

Our stir-fry served at night should get some special attention. Did you know it differs week to week? Why? Because we incorporate only the freshest ingredients as they present themselves seasonally. We take a lot of pride in introducing new flavors to the stir-fry. Some ingredients are only available for a week or two. Others may be tasted nearly all year. We are especially fond of adding Asian vegetables that are grown locally for us to incorporate. You should be feeling very loved by now.

When it comes to desserts, many local restaurants buy theirs ready made from their suppliers. Not us. We go the slow route and make our own. That carrot cake? It takes up to 4 carrots to make a single cake and those are JUMBO carrots. There are one-and-a-half pounds of cream cheese just in the frosting and about 6 ounces of pecans. I like to pick seasonal desserts to immerse you in the seasons. During the fall, pears, pumpkin, cranberries, and nuts are prevalent. During the summer I prefer to incorporate fruits. During the winter, warm gingerbread will make you glow from within. When we make crepes? We do it from scratch. Yep. We COULD buy them ready-made. The sauces are also made from scratch—whether for a dessert or an entrée.

Music this week—The After Hours Big Band joins us THURSDAY night. You may choose to sit in with the band or in the main dining room for a less impinging experience. Each time the big band joins us the crowd is bigger. We know why. They are great!!! Friday has no one booked to play thus far, but the food will be, none-the-less, pretty awesome.

Lunch specials~~

Tuesday~ Turkey Cranberry Monte Cristo Sandwich with side $7.79
Wednesday~ Spicy Sausage Pasta with side salad $7.59
Thursday~ Chicken mole enchiladas with black beans and yellow rice $7.79
Friday~ Italian grilled cheese and a side $7.25 choice of bread, Mozzarella cheese, Tomatoes and house pesto

Soups—We'll make 2 this week. I'll start the week out with a red bell pepper and sweet potato soup. Yes, it is vegetarian. Later in the week we'll add a chicken corn chowder. It promises to be a chilly week. We'll be prepared! We'll top the bell pepper and sweet potato soup with steamed dumplings.

Night-time dinners~~

Seafood Entrée— This week we have brought in freshly harvested mussels from Prince Edward Island in Nova Scotia. These are a very special treat and there are many fans. I'll be steaming them in a light curried shallot wine broth. They'll be served over a light bed of pasta, so all the lovely juices can be sopped up and enjoyed after the mussels are eaten. I encourage you to get in early during the week. You won't be disappointed. We'll serve them with a side salad for $15.99.

Flavor Journey—Oven-roasted turkey breast served with butternut squash with spinach, raisins and pine nuts, plus our Autumnal potatoes. Cranberry horseradish sauce will add some kick and color. This isn't the sliced deli meat but whole turkey breasts which are slow-roasted, then sliced. There may even be some turkey gravy. $14.99 Cue the gobblers.

Dessert—In addition to our exquisitely prepared carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, I have a bundt cake made with toasted hazelnuts and dark chocolate. It has a brandied dark chocolate glaze and whipped cream. Ready, set, prepare those taste buds!

Last week was scary in how quiet it was. In talking with other restaurant folks, others were affected too. I know you don't make your meal choices based on how much you are needed, but please know, our sustainability depends on serving our regular base of customers weekly while adding in new folks who discover us. We appreciate every single customer we get and want to know how we are doing. If something doesn't meet up to your standards, we need to know. That one-on-one customer communication is a major part of what sets us apart. We look forward to your smiling face. How about bringing in a new face with you this week? We've give you double punches for it! (Just ask at checkout ...)

As always, thank you for your loyalty and support. We do not ever take it for granted.  Have a lovely, chilly week. Brrrr.

~~Susan et al

w/e May 25 Switching gears to include adventure

Switching gears as we move from Spring to Summer is always an adventure. It is pretty amazing to realize how much we can take certain daily activities we consider routine and scramble them with new ones. Suddenly getting family to places on time can get a bit confusing, if not downright difficult. We have your back. We can help you get a meal into your family—lunch OR dinner, while being assured they are eating healthy.

This week we'll dress up some old favorites, explore some new tastes and make sure your palate isn't bored. You know—the usual.

Last week I mentioned that we would begin serving dinner on Saturday evenings as of the beginning of June. We heard from a few of you that you think this is a good idea. I had hoped to hear from more of you about this. Believe me when I tell you, I am not anxious to give up a day off for something that few would appreciate. So if Saturday evenings are something you'd like—we need to hear about it. We have heard many times that you had wished we were open when you were entertaining friends and family for the weekend. We are looking at trying it out for the summer. Talk to us!

The Moroccan dinner is fast approaching and I am having a ball selecting menu items. I know we'll have some lamb, some couscous, and various dishes using preserved lemons. Oh, that's not even close to all.  There will be lots of different items. Think of it as a tasting menu. I am still in search of a parachute or very large tent-like material to create a backdrop. I am hoping for something somewhere close to creating the feel of a bedouin tent or at least having it feel like making tent forts in the living room. It'll be fun. I am collecting large cans to make lanterns. I am even talking to a group about possible entertainment...hee hee. I am not going to go so far as to do low seating on cushions. I don't think most of us Westerners could enjoy putting our bodies in that position for very long. Those who live in Morocco and similar parts are used to stretching those particular muscles. Me? Not so. We only have 30 spaces and 1/3 are spoken for already.  Give us a call or tell us when you come in to make that reservation. Held on the Saturday after Father's Day—— June 22nd at 6pm on the grounds of the former Victoria B&B. The cost is $60/pp and includes wine pours.

As the school year is ending and the summer begins, you'll see a few new faces. Tina will be our new primary nighttime waitperson. She is experienced in this and the feedback has been stellar. What you don't know is that she is studying viticulture at MSU. I hope I got that right. It means she is studying growing grapes. Later she plans to make wines. Her family just planted their first acre of vines early this spring. Please make her feel welcome. We are delighted to add her to our team/family.

The flavor journey this week is another adventure into the Middle East. We'll have lamb with couscous. The seasonings are rich and luscious. The leg of lamb is cut into bite-sized portions and is slow-cooked in a braise that is seasoned with turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, paprika, cinnamon, cloves, onions, garlic, and pitted dates. It has a nice balance of sweet and savory but not HOT. If you like rich flavors but avoid hot spice, this is a dish you'll enjoy.  The couscous will be embellished with pine nuts, dates, almonds and apricots, and sugar snap peas.  Besides the special side salad it comes with, there will also be a cucumber yogurt dish to accompany the lamb and couscous. $14.99 Suggested wine pairing would be merlot or cabernet sauvignon..

The seafood entrée is Prince Edward Island fresh mussels cooked in a white wine, garlic, curry and shallot broth. I'll serve it in bowls with lots of broth and country style bread. I have a green veggie of sugar snap peas or you may choose the seasonal stir-fry. Of course it comes with a side salad. Wine pairing suggestions are pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc. $16.99

Don't forget that Tuesdays bring you beers with 20% off and Wednesdays the wines are 20% off.

Now for this week's lunches~~

Monday~ In-house made veggie burger on Roman bun. Served with side of sugar snap pea salad. $7.29

Tuesday~Available all week Tuscan Salad on Pretzel bun!. This is the wood-fired chicken salad so many have come to love. We just got in some new pretzel buns that have a delightful flavor and texture. The outside is somewhat chewy but the inside is soft and the flavor is definitely...well...pretzelly. Served with tomato and sprouts. Comes with a side $7.59

Wednesday~ Wood-fired Tuna salad sandwich on Pretzel bun. We wood-fire the tuna steaks then add mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Served with tomato and sprouts plus a side $7.59

Thursday~ freshly made Ravioli stuffed with mozzarella and sweet Italian sausage plus fresh parsley and eggs. Topped with a sauce made from fresh roma tomatoes and marinated artichoke hearts.Served with a side salad for $7.99

Friday~Italian shrimp salad. This is my family's favorite summer meal. The shrimp is cooked, then chopped into chunks. A marinade with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, fresh parsley, mustard, lemon juice and a tiny bit of cayenne coats the shrimp which is then tossed with chilled white rice and chopped parsley. Served on a bed of romaine lettuce. $7.99

As you change gears from frantic to something of a different pace, we hope you'll take the time to join us for a meal. Please introduce us to your families and friends. We so love getting to meet such nice people. You are the heart of what we do. You keep us motivated to stretch ourselves. Have a lovely week.

~~Susan

Duck Season!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now onto that lunch menu—

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

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

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

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

Soups this week~

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

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

~~Susan

A little relief for all!

After a seemingly endless wait we finally got a good rain. The forecast for the week is lovely AND bearable. In fact, I expect to see quite a few folks enjoying lunch al fresco this week. It will be interesting to see how the local flora responds to the sudden influx of water in abundance. Will there be the flowers we missed due to dryness early on? Will we skip right to the late summer sunflowers and asters? Watch and see.

We have music this week. Look for details at the end of my blog.

We are celebrating all sorts of happy harvesting right now. The tomatoes have finally started coming in. We are getting fabulous ones from Maranatha Farm as well as some heirloom locals. There's a no more classic way to celebrate the fresh tomatoes than a panzanella salad. Lots of fresh chopped tomatoes, toasted homemade bread soaked in tomato juices, wine vinegar and garlic, lemon and capers. I'll grill some lovely squash and bell peppers to top it off. That will kick the lunch menu off on Tuesday. $6.99

Wednesday we celebrate the classic combination of fresh green beans, ham, black-eyed peas, bell pepper and rice in the form of Hoppin' John. The name is thought to come from a bastardization of the Haitian Creole term for black-eyed peas: pois pigeons (pronounced: [pwapiˈjawn]). I'll serve it with a side for $6.99

Thursday brings on a celebration of another sort—fresh mozzarella! We have begun to use fresh mozzarella on our pesto pizzas now. They will also have fresh Roma tomatoes, fresh in-house pesto, wood-fired chicken and sliced mushrooms and onions. $6.99 includes a side.

Friday brings back the 1905 Salad from the Columbia Restaurant in Tampa. To Romaine lettuce we add ham, turkey, swiss cheese, tomatoes, romano cheese, Kalamata Olives (the original had green olives) and a dressing featuring worchestershire and lemon juice and an oregano vinaigrette. This salad has developed a strong folowing with our customers. $6.99

Thank you to those who took the time to give me feedback on an upcoming Flavor Journey. Your feedback strongly directs our actions and we DO care about what you have to say. I'll try to schedule a special dinner in the next month or so.

In the meantime, due to one response, I have planned a Flavor Journey this week. The focus will be Cubano. I am still trying to locate one of the major ingredients and will add it if we can locate it—that ingredient is plantains. The influence of fresh ingredients is very key to Cuban cuisine. Pork, chicken and fish/ seafood are the primary meats. In this case we are going to use chicken breasts marinated in a mojo sauce. Mojo's major flavor influences are cumin seeds, fresh orange juice, fresh lime juice, garlic and chilis. We'll start the meal with a salad made of Chayote squash which has been peeled and boiled then tossed with a light oil and mustard sauce. The main course is Spicy Cuban mojo chicken with warm mango and avocado salsa. It will be sided with black beans and yellow rice. For dessert I'll make a traditional flan—a caramel-topped custard. IF I can locate any plantains I'll add in chichachirritos or fried plantains served with a mojo sauce. The dinner is $11.99 and the flan is $4.

My seafood this week is two-fold. The first starting Tuesday night is shrimp, scallop and grouper cheek kabobs. My kabobs will be assembled with onion, red peppers, squash, cherry tomatoes and marinated seafoods. We'll grill them and serve them atop rice with "sea sauce", fresh citrus slices and with a side salad. You'll get 2 kabobs for $14.99. Add a third for $4 more. The second is Mussels!!!!! We'll have fresh mussels straight from Prince Edward Island delivered Thursday afternoon. I'll make a curried shallot wine sauce to braise them in. They'll be served with a rice pilaf and stir-fried squash, onions and tomatoes and come with a side salad. $14.99.

The music this week comes from a new source for us. State fiddling champion Vinny Ray will be this Friday's musical entertainment. Vinny will be playing original jazz compositions with his trio. Several of our customers asked if we had heard Vinny play and suggested he would be a great fit for our Friday night music.  You may have heard him at the recent Old time music festival where he played on the OMC stage with 2 other band members. Don't miss out! Reservations strongly recommended. No cover charge but you are expected to tip the band and we prefer that you join us for dinner. As always—we never try to "turn the tables." You are welcome to stay through all the music.

Have you tried our new key-lime bar with coconut ice cream? Here's a photo of it. It is rich and cool and refreshing—all in one piece. We make the coconut ice cream in house as well as the key-lime bar. It is one of our new line of "grown-up" desserts. Another is the grilled pound cake with grilled fresh peaches, whipped cream and caramel. $5.

Have a lovely week!~~

Susan

The Vidalias are IN!

It is always a thrill for me when the Vidalias show up in big bags at the grocer. I can't help myself. I always buy at least five pounds. Sometimes ten. I like onions in most forms anyway, but the Vidalias are pretty special. They are grown only in a twenty county region of Georgia. The soil in which they are grown has a very low sulphur content resulting in a very sweet root. As with most produce that has a short season, the vidalias are quite tender and don't have a long shelf life. Each layer of the onion can be as thick as half an inch, indicating mucho moisture. I love them sautéed with a bit of garlic and thyme and maybe a mustard seed or two. Yum. I am using another variation to accompany dinners this week. I am making marinated and roasted Vidalia onions, whereby the onions are first marinated in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, thyme and other seasonings. Then they are oven-roasted to bring out their sweetest content and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. I hope you enjoy this once-a-year treat.

After a long wait and several false starts, we will finally have mussels this week. I am getting in only 10 pounds of them—so I expect they will disappear really quickly. These are real PEI fresh mussles. PEI means Prince Edward Island- where they grow. They won't be here until Thursday. I'll saute and steam them in white wine, garlic, shallots and a bit of parsley. They'll come with a side salad, green bean and toasted Israeli cous-cous salad with pickled onion and the roasted Vidalia onions . $16.99 I HIGHLY suggest you call in a reservation and order so that they are there when you want them. If this goes well, I'll order a larger quantity later.

The black sea bass was absolutely gorgeous and everyone who had it raved. It was more of a challenge than I expected—arriving just as they came out of the water. I was expecting 1-2 pound fish and most were 2.5-4. Yikes! Thankfully, Steve Smith was around with his scaling and filleting skills. He did a nice job filleting with little waste. We still lost quite a bit of money, though. Between netting only 2 8-10 oz fillets per fish and a highly distracted customer base, we had some left over. I have frozen the remaining fillets and hope to bring them back soon.

We are bumping our lunch prices a bit to align more with current food costs and local fare. Each time we eat out we are shocked to discover how much higher most places' prices are. We only went up 50 cents. Add in the Lunch Bunch card and we still have some of the lowest prices around. Yes, there are a few places with lower prices but they are mostly using canned ingredients and get most of their sauces and dressings ready-made. We make our salad dressings and most breads from scratch—assuring that we don't use MSG, hydrogenated oils or excess gluten in places it isn't needed. We wood-fire almost all of our chicken, tilapia and corn. This is a labor-intensive activity that can't be done during regular business hours.  And we experiment a lot. This translates to an ever-changing menu that will keep your tongue and tastebuds happy. By utilizing the most timely ingredients, I am able to keep the menu seasonally-driven and fresh and most-of-all LOCAL.

Please be a part of our growth~ share us with a friend.

Tuesday~ Pulled pork with Cajun home-fries $6.75
Wednesday~Italian Shrimp Salad- lots of shrimp mixed with rice and parsley in a mustard/lemon/ olive oil dressing. A classic. $7
Thursday~Chicken in green sauce with pumpkin seeds; served with corn pudding $7
Friday~Anjou pear salad with spinach, gorgonzola, toasted walnuts, Vidalia onions and raspberry balsamic vinaigrette. $7.50; add grilled shrimp $3; add wood-fired chicken $2.5

Seafood~ Tuesday and Wednesday~ Pan seared Rainbow Trout served with jasmine rice and marinated and roasted Vidalia onion; side salad $14.99
Thursday and Friday only this week~ garlic and wine steamed Mussels served with green bean and toasted Israeli cous-cous salad with pickled onion; roasted Vidalias $16.99
Flavor journey~Stir-fried chili beef with bell peppers and snow peas; served with salad and jasmine rice plus roasted Vidalia onions.$13.99