W/E Dec 14 Same Song/ Second Verse

Wow~ Two weeks in a row we were not open on Thursday or Friday. That's not happened before due to weather. Guess we'll have to cram a whole lot into a little time.  Please include us in your lunch choices and even dinner choices this week.

To keep things as simple as possible I'll keep the same dinner specials from last week. We'll do new lunch specials and throw some potato soup into the mix. That should bring us back to where we started.

For myself,  I am trying to do as little chopping prep as possible. I had a misunderstanding with a cat Thursday evening. He feared I was grabbing him to put him out. In fact, I was gently petting his back. But just to make it really, really clear that he had no intention of facing the "wintry mix", he reached around and bit the heck out of my hand. This, of course, happening just as all the world was coming out of the sky. In Thayer we got 1/4" of freezing rain, topped by 1" of sleet, then 14" of snow. We were not going anywhere! Front and center in my memory was the fact that Kelley from Wal-Mart DIED from a cat bite a few months ago. So we did the usual field dressings after soaking in soapy water, kept it elevated and exposed. When we finally arrived at the OMC ER on Saturday morning, my hand was hurting pretty badly. But they got me fixed up with antibiotics, a tetanus shot and a pain pill or two, and now it is healing nicely. The swelling has greatly decreased and I can nearly chop. Hopefully, it'll be mostly mended by the time we get to the 2 caters this weekend.

The Stroll on the Square last weekend got cancelled as well as our music. This week the Christmas tree lighting has been re-scheduled to Thursday with fewer choirs. Michael McClure, local painter extraordinaire,  has a lovely display of his work in our "Gallery." We thank you for supporting local artists and helping to keep the money in the local economy.

Music THIS week will come in the form of Marideth Sisco and Dennis Crider of Blackberry Winter fame. They usually draw a nice crowd and we always look forward to their playing.  They have been in the studio recently and we may have new tunes to hear. Don't miss this lovely opportunity; reservations recommended. Music will start about 6:15.

Perhaps we can make up for some lost time with a good crowd all week.  The lunch specials all look tempting~

Monday~ Falafel gyros  $7.25
Tuesday~ Pulled pork quesadillas  $7.99
Wednesday~Caesar-roasted Tilapia with vegetable quinoa  $7.99
Thursday~Ham, Swiss and spinach quiche with side salad  $7.99
Friday~Chicken Stroganoff with side salad  $7.99

Seafood Entrée~ Mixed seafood crepe—shrimp, calamari and crab in an herbed cream sauce. Served with wild rice pilaf and our seasonal stir-fry. $14.99

Flavor Journey~ Spain~ Garlic chicken over mushroom polenta with stir-fry $13.99

We are always grateful to see your smiling face walk through that door. This week even more so. Your energy is what helps keep us going. Thank you. Have a joyous week.

~~Susan et al.







 

W/E June 22nd Old Favorites

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~~Susan

Autumn's bounty

As we enjoy the radical change from July's record heat to the cooler temps of October we are delighting in the region's ability to bounce back from extreme drought. The coral mushroom harvest has been extraordinary. We are seeing signs in the local wild persimmons of a heavy winter. I think that translates to lots of the white stuff. But while we await that onslaught we can celebrate the end of the summer growing season by rescuing the last of the green tomatoes, making freezable amounts of pesto and enjoying the flavors of the moment.

By the way, the image above is of frost flowers. This phenomena usually only occurs the morning of the first hard frost. It is the remaining liquid in the stems being slowly frozen as it escapes the confines of the cell walls. Startling and beautiful.

Each week from fall through winter, we mark Tuesdays by starting a big batch of vegetable broth. All the vegetable scraps from the week's prep go into the pot and, over the course of the day, are boiled down to provide a rich broth for addition to soups and sauces.

Last week I re-introduced the roasted root vegetable soup. I had several inquiries into just what went into it. It began as a big roasting pan full of red potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, turnips, rutabaga, onions, garlic, and beets. Each vegetable is peeled and chopped to about an inch in size then tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper and dusted with ground thyme. Into the oven for about an hour and then tossed into the food processor for a quick purée. From that point it is just a matter of getting the liquid to solid ratio right. Because of the beets, when first made, the soup is a hot pink. After simmering a bit the pink disappears and the color settles down to a nice golden orange. We use the freshly made vegetable broth to thin it to a consistency that flows nicely down your throat and make final adjustments for salt and pepper. That's it. SIMPLE but delicious. Thanks for asking!

Several changes are in store; so listen up—
This is the last week for the bahn mi sandwiches this season. We are offering the chicken bahn mi at 50 cents off on Tuesday.

Also leaving for the season are the Roman sandwiches. We are at the end of trout season so they are departing until spring, as well.

The Flavor Journey this week is the very last of the elk and I am making the elk meatloaf we've become known for. It has an Asian direction in its seasonings and is topped with hoisin sauce instead of the usual tomato-based sauces. Those who already love it—don't miss out. If you haven't tried it yet, don't. You'll be hooked and missing it. I am actively seeking an alternative source. We are also looking at bison as an option. Cost is a consideration. If you have contacts in the elk or bison market, please share them with me.

Next week I am introducing a couple of new regulars to the menu. So don't panic, yet.

The soups this week will start with the coral mushroom and portabella cream soup and finish up with the roasted root vegetable soup.

I have not forgotten the tuna. Patience, Grasshopper. October 15th marks the start of stone crab season. I have been promising them upon the season opening, too. Stand-by for updates.

Music this week will be Vinny Ray and Thom Hoglen. Together they play a pretty awesome jazz set featuring violin and guitar. Vinny is a state fiddle champion. Thom is superb. Together, darn near perfect. See them Friday night. There is no cover charge but we ask that your join us for a meal or dessert and tip them well.

Several staff members, including Jon and myself, are fighting our way back from being ill. Therefore, our energies are low and I am keeping things simple and uncomplicated. Here's this week's special board:

Lunches~~
Tuesday~ 50 cents off the Chicken Bahn Mi sandwich. $6.49
Wednesday~Deep dish leek and coral mushroom quiche with a side salad. $7.50
Thursday~Shephard's pie. Think pot roast with a mashed potato topping plus side salad. $7.50
Friday~ Classic tuna casserole made with fresh mushrooms and bechamel sauce with side salad. $7.50

Dinner specials~~

Flavor journey~Tuesday through Friday or until it is gone~ Elk meatloaf, mashed garlic potatoes, plus stir-fry of late season veggies $10.99

Seafood~ Wednesday through Friday~ Shrimp and scallop crepes with a light curry sauce plus fried green tomatoes. $13.99

I hope you have a glorious week~~

Susan

Autumn colors

Last week was nothing short of delightful. We were all able to enjoy glorious weather and the variety of colors being presented. Jon and I actually took a walk in the woods for the first time in weeks. Since it was at Grand Gulf I wasn't afraid of getting shot by happy hunters.

We chose to be closed last Friday night. My mother has had yet another mini-stroke. Cat scan showed no changes since last year, so I guess it was minor but it wore her out and me, as well. We know it is not good to confuse our customers with days being closed unexpectedly, but our priorities remain that Mom comes first. It has been that way for 5 years and I don't plan to change that. Happily, she will now be able to get some physical therapy which should help bring back the loss of control she is experiencing on her right side. I see her daily in her new digs at the Manor where she is quite content. I am sorry if it messed with your plans. We do plan to be open all week, this week. On Friday we have Dustin and Rick, aka Chief Wahoo and the Electric Tonic. Their renditions of Irish folk tunes and sweet sound are a joy to behold. If you were at the performance of Blackberry Winter last week, you got a preview. I encourage you to join us for their music. You won't be disappointed.

One of my favorite cookbook resources is Cook's Illustrated. It is the magazine version of the America's Test Kitchen. Going way beyond simply presenting recipes that taste good, they also go into the scientific and mechanical reasons why certain methods work better than others. Had I not gone immediately from teenager to Mom I would have probably wound up being an oceanographer. So it appeals to my scientific side. I've been gobbling up my copy of the 2010 "best of" cookbook and enjoying the newest issue of the mag. They get read cover to cover. Some of my recent offerings have come from those sources and the reviews have generally been quite good. It encourages me to try more dishes. Yeah.

The soups this week are old favorites. All week I'll offer Chicken Tortilla soup and later in the week Bruce will do another round of his French onion soup. That recipe uses 10 pounds of yellow onions cooked for most of a day. If you wonder how it gets so rich—now you know.  

I love getting the fall vegetables and roasting them in the oven. The flavors are so intense. On Monday I'll serve them with grilled pork chops. As a side option you can have a regular side salad or a spinach salad. $6.50

Tuesday Bruce will bring back his cashew chicken tamales. This innovative version of his tamales were a terrific hit a few weeks ago. All the flavors you expect, wrapped in a corn masa blanket and topped with the traditional cashew sauce. He usually makes 11 servings and last week we were sold out entirely by 11:30. So if you want some, either show up early or call in to reserve! $6.50

A few weeks ago I made creamy chicken enchiladas. They, too, disappeared before most got a chance to eat them. That time an office called and bought out the "whole enchilada." Hee-hee. I'll make them again on Wednesday. This time I promise to reserve the batch for the rest of the world. The recipe is based on one from Rick Bayless who owns Frontera in Chicago. It is very rich, very creamy and extraordinarily tasty yet not too heavy. Again—call in to reserve. $6.50

Thursday I'll do my pizzas. This time I'll have thick applewood smoked bacon, local shitake mushrooms, grilled onions and roasted red peppers piled on top of my fresh pesto base. I have a new, regionally-produced, Mozzarella we'll be trying. Most of the Mozzarella I have seen has been a low-moisture, skim milk version. This whole milk version promises to have a richer flavor. It costs us more in ingredients. Tell us if you think it is worth the difference. I'll serve them with a side salad. All week you can request spinach as your side salad, if you wish. As usual, the cost is $7.00.
   
Friday I'll do a massive club salad featuring oven roasted turkey, black forest ham, Swiss cheese, red onion, chopped hard boiled egg, roasted red peppers; all served on a bed of Romaine. It will be paired with a fresh sour-dough roll. $6.50

And now for the dinner entrées~
Seafood~ Jon will wood-fire the wild-caught Pacific salmon filets and I'll finish them in-house. If you had that lovely seafood sauce I served with the Cojo salmon a few weeks ago, you'll get the chance to enjoy it again. The recipe for the sauce (which will be served on the side) came from a long-time defunct restaurant in Austin called the Garden Café. It is simply soy sauce, mayonnaise, lemon juice, cayenne and I add a bit of horseradish to the mix. But it is the perfect accompaniment to the salmon. I'll stir-fry a bunch of those fall veggies and we'll serve a side salad to get you started. $12.

Meat~ I'll do a pork Marsala over egg noodles with a side salad. Marsala is a unique fortified wine that, when added to the mushroom sauce adds a richness that makes the tongue dance. The chicken version I did a few weeks ago disappeared at lunch rather quickly. I expect the pork to be popular, as well. I'll make some sweet potato biscuits to go with the fall theme. $12.

Veggie~ I'll finally get to make the deep-dish fall veggie quiche. I don't believe in whimpy quiches. Look for all manner of late summer and fall veggies to load up the pastry. The seasoning will lean toward the Italian flavorings of oregano, garlic, marjarom and thyme. Roasted potatoes and sweet potato biscuits will accompany as well as a starter side salad. $10.

We love having you join us for both lunch and dinner. When you bring in your family and friends we couldn't be more proud. Thank you for sharing your time, friends and support that keeps us rolling. This time last year we were still trying to figure out what would be next when the cold weather hit. You helped make this happen and are keeping us going. Thank you...and keep coming!!!

Have a terrific week!
~~Susan

Aah! The smell of skunks in the air! Spring is near by

Truly, one of the first harbingers of spring is the smell of dead amorous skunks. It not only reminds us that spring is VERY close but that love can be dangerous. Nature has it so perfectly timed to occur a week after Valentine's Day. Ironic, eh? I think I counted close to 30 of these love casualties on the road yesterday between Thayer and Springfield. I am pretty sure I noticed more of the white with black stripe variety this year. Or maybe the white stripes were just much wider. The fur was longer too. Makes sense when you think how cold this winter has been. Maybe the heavier coat slowed them down.

Are you ready for a continuation of a warm up? I am! It was quite thrilling to put tables outside, at last. As long as the wind isn't brutal, the spot in front of the windows can be quite comfortable.

A couple of updates for you—

• We are now making our own yogurt. It is the primary ingredient in the Tzatziki sauce on the gyros.
• I have made a new dressing option—Pomegranate Vinaigrette
• We now have a suggestion box where you can leave your ideas. We hope you will use it.
• We now have a sign-up list for getting our weekly emails about the specials. Check near the register.
• We are working on a new sandwich using our own buns. We may need you to test it out. Samples this week.
• We are growing our own spicy sprouts. This gives you an option in sprouts—alfalfa or spicy. The spicy sprouts have mustard, clover, radish, and onion in the mix. Kicky! 
• I've been experimenting in various bread options. Watch for them.

This Friday night Renee and Tom will join us for lovely saxaphone and guitar. This duo enchanted us a few weeks ago and packed the house. Plan now to make this Friday evening one to share with us. You won't be disappointed.

Now onto this week's menu—
Monday: White chicken chili, Italian Shrimp Salad.
Tuesday: Tamale Tuesday— Vietnamese Chicken Tamales with red curry and fried rice. Soup is Tom Ka Kai—the coconut chicken soup
Wednesday : French onion soup
Thursday: Sausage and mushroom quiche with soup or side salad; French onion soup
Friday: Lunch: Miso soup, cucumber salad and Vietnamese spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce
     Dinner: Pad Thai or beef and pepper mastacciolli (Italian casserole)

We are having so much fun creating new dishes for you. As you may have heard, it is one of my personal missions to expand your palate. At A La Carte Café, we make trying new flavors an adventure. We use as many fresh, local ingredients as we can find. Sometimes we make an ingredient run to Springfield or St. Louis just so we can have the authentic flavors. We hope you are enjoying the flavor journeys. So far, the response has been encouraging.

As the season evolves you can expect more salads and sandwiches and fewer soups. Let me know your favorites. We are planning on adding locally made pickles to our sandwich plates. Do you have favorites? We might even make them ourselves. I didn't grow up eating pickles, so I am somewhat slow to come around to this ubiquitous inhabiter of sandwich plates. Be sure to share your pickle thoughts! What makes a good pickle to you? Are you an adventurous pickle eater or only like one or two varieties?

I was delighted to get the feedback from several of you last week. If you missed the ceviche, fear not. It will return. Bruce's Kapusta soup got rave reviews and disappeared sooooo fast. The quiches are being well received. They will continue—especially since we will have farm fresh eggs, once again. I am now making my pie crusts from scratch. My Home Ec teacher would be so proud!

If you didn't try the over-the-top Blueberry Bread Pudding, you missed a truly decadent dessert. Also the Mayan Chocolate Pecan Pie got lots of attention. I'll bring those back. (The Mayan part is the chili in the chocolate.)

Thank you for making A La Carte Café one of your lunch options. We appreciate each visit you make. You are helping to make our dream come true. Thank you.

Now THIS is more like it!!!!



April flowers in my garden


Spring Anticipation Week Begins NOW!

All RIGHT! Now it feels like we are in the home stretch on winter. I have no doubt that Mother Nature has a few more tricks up her sleeve but at least we can now feel hopeful that the worst is over. The forecast this week doesn't even have a low below freezing. I'm dancing!!!!

As one who has lived in the Ozarks for only 11 years, I still get a thrill out of watching the long anticipatory build-up toward spring. For me, the first real signal that winter is languishing and spring is next is the smell of skunks—usually dead ones in the middle of the road. I got my first whiff today. Come on, spring!!!!!

Watch the front window for Forsythia blooms as I am doing cuttings for forcing. Which day will have the first blooms? Come see.

From the very beginning I have always envisioned our place as a sidewalk cafe. While we were in the trailer it was easier to get the idea across—even if we were next to a used car lot. Over the cold months my vision was primarily a personal one. Now that the weather is abating, we can put a few tables outside. We know how much you enjoyed being able to dine al fresco and we want to keep that ambiance. That was one of the major decision points when we chose to be on the Square—having space for outdoor tables. You will still place your orders at the register, but we should be able to bring your food out to you. It'll give you time to soak up some Vitamin D while ingesting good nutrition and yummy flavors. Kind of a mini-vacation during your workweek.

So—to the islands we go. One of my favorite warm weather lunches is ceviche (pronounced say-vee'-chay.) This week's version features jumbo shrimp, bay scallops and wild-caught Alaskan halibut. The citrus juices "cook" the seafood, transforming its translucent nature to opaque and creating the molecular changes that technically make it a cooked food. It'll be accented with fresh red, green and jalapeno peppers, cilantro and red onion. We'll serve it in a martini glass with tortilla chips and a side of fresh fruit. This will be available on Monday and Tuesday.


Did you notice the switch in our fresh fruit? As the season moves along we change with the seasonal availablility of various fruits. Currently apples, mangoes, and blood oranges make up the fruit cups. We'll move along to the Florida strawberries as they come into season.

Vegetarians— heads up!!! We've been making our own hummus for a while and have usually only offered it at night on Friday. We now will have it available periodically during the week. We serve it with a variety of crisp vegetables and pita points.

Bruce made an awesome soup on Friday called Kapusta. It is a Ukrainian dish that uses pork country-style ribs that are braised until "melt-in-your-mouth" softness along with fresh cabbage and broth. We'll serve it on Monday, in case you missed it...or want another dose.

Another special item for Monday will be some turkey and spinach crepes. I love crepes and I never see them made around here. I make them from scratch (most food places buy them ready-made) and get to use those gorgeous farm-fresh eggs. We'll serve them up with a side of fresh fruit.

Tuesday brings Tamale Tuesday! This week we are going with a warm weather theme and doing a shrimp and tilapia tamale served over a pineapple mango puree and topped with a mango salsa. It'll have you dreaming of the islands in no time!!! Cue the Ska music!!!

Even though the weather will be warmer it is time to bring along the white chicken chili again so you can get your fix. I get many requests for this each week. I am listening!! If you have missed it thus far, you may not know it starts with Jon's wood-fired chicken, has white navy beans, Hatch chilis and lots of fresh onions and garlic. It has a warmth that doesn't burn.

Another option for you veggie-oriented people, we have marinated mozzarella. We pair those itty bitty mozzarella balls with roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives and serve it with some slices of bread.

Wednesday brings the white chicken chili along for a second day. Plus we'll add an Asian sirloin salad. This salad starts with bitter greens like arugula and spinach plus romaine. We top it with red onion, Roma tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, roasted  peppers, and slices of grilled sirloin steak. The dressing is an Oriental sesame.  I'm planning on making a carrot cake for dessert.

Thursday we'll have turkey, onion and spinach quiche plus side salad. I make it all from scratch and use lots of ingredients. There is nothing wimpy about this quiche—sliced turkey, onion, spinach, red pepper, Swiss cheese, 4 eggs and cream. You get one sixth of the pie.

We'll also have stuffed bell peppers with a side of orzo salad. It is beef-based and one of Bruce's contributions. I am also making a soup called meatball, pecorino and greens soup. It uses veal to make the meatballs and the greens are Maranatha Farm organic kale.

The week continues to warm up and on Friday for lunch we'll have the meatball soup again. I'll add a shrimp and avocado quesadilla to continue the tropical flavors.

Friday night I am planning a lemon mustard pork chop with squash and veggie couscous. The second entree will be Italian Shrimp Salad. Many of you enjoyed it last summer. It is a lemony rice-based salad with lots of chopped shrimp, parsley and a bit of mustard. It is a pretty filling salad, yet, oh so light.

For desserts we'll have Blueberry Bread Pudding, Carrot Cake and Mayan Chocolate Pecan Pie.

I think I have covered every possible scenario. No excuses for not making it in this week—something fabulous every day. Plus you'll be wanting to check out those Forsythia blooms.

Won't THIS be an interesting week?



9 days of no power = very cold

 It is visions of scenes like this that prompt me to tell you that if it is icy, we won't be there.

That's Mom at 80 trying to cope in the cold. If it truly looks like ice is heading our way—and so far it looks likely—we'll be heading to warmer parts to avoid having to be stuck in a house without power.

I do actually have a menu planned out for the week. But I am releasing it knowing that ice could prevent us opening for more than one day this week.

Weather Whimps? You betcha.

In the mean time, I'm delighted to tell you that things have been going extraordinarily well. We couldn't be more thrilled. You have no idea what a leap of faith this was for us to do. We've always been dreamers and forward thinkers. But the last few years have taken their toll. We have to look harder at opportunities and more thoroughly investigate the downsides. We never used to do that before. We were always full speed ahead. The learning curve is beginning to lose some steepness. There is a bit more prediciton to our plan and actions and we are getting some of the logistics worked out. Believe me, whenever you are experiencing any frustration due to our greeness in logistics, I am experiencing it three-fold. It can be painful. But we ARE getting things grooved in. If you were here last Friday night you saw some of that in action. Simply by adding table numbers to each table, we were able to get food properly served without incident—yeah we're green!!! We also worked it out so that each meal served was simply a matter of serving and not having to cook to order. The result? Almost no waiting—in fact most people were able to carry their trays right back to the table as soon as they paid. So we feel we are continuing to improve as we learn this crazy food service game.

We are really trying to listen to your preferenes, so please voice them when you come in. Tell us what we are getting right and PLEASE tell us what you feel needs attention. I am most grateful for the feedback. It is all too easy to get caught up in the excitement of creating a dish and forget who the audience is likely to be.

Bottom line— it is going quite well and we are loving what we are doing. We need to continue to grow and bring in more repeat customers. We are hearing from many that word of mouth is what brought them in. I LOVE that!!!

So here are this week's planned menues—

• Monday~Chicken mole soft tacos with black beans and side salad with jicama; $6.25  Soup~ Chicken corn chowder(the lighter version) cup/$3.49 bowl/$4.99; Sandwich~ Chicken Pesto Sandwich (pesto, chicken, provolone cheese, avocado, sprouts with side of fresh fruit $6.25
• Tuesday~Italian tamales with side salad and garlic toast $6.25; Soup~Minestrone $3.49/cup $4.99/bowl; Sandwich~Chicken Pesto Sandwich (pesto, chicken, provolone cheese, avocado, sprouts with side of fresh fruit $6.25
• Wednesday~Chicken pot pie + side salad $6.25; Soup~Honey chili pumpkin squash cup/$3.49 bowl/$4.99
• Thursday~Ham and asparagus quiche + side salad $6.25; beef and Italian sausage lasagna + side salad $6.25; Soup~Honey chili pumpkin squash cup/$3.49 bowl/$4.99
• Friday~Chicken mushroom crepes with rice pilaf + side salad $6.25; French onion soup cup/$3.49 bowl/$4.99 plus lots more tapas at night

This Friday night will be a new concept for us. It will be open mic night. We'll give various local performers a chance to communicate with you and entertain you. This is a new experience and we honestly don't know quite what to expect.  We are excited to be a part of the community and we want to support our local musicians as we can—all part of local sustainability. If you know someone whose performance would work in our small cafe venue, please encourage them to come down and get on the list.

Update on Valentine's Day—we are NOT going to do it. We would rather wait until we can be a bit more organized and prepared. Plan now for NEXT year.

St. Patrick's Day— Plan now to enjoy traditional as well as decidely Irish fare. We will be serving up a very spcial Corned beef accompanied by potatoes and steamed cabbage and several other Irish surprises. March 17th, of course.

Earth Day Local Harvest Feast—April 29th (Friday) We'll be serving up locally raised and produced foods as a part of the Chefs' Collaborative—a national organization of chefs geared toward local sustainability.

Have a great week. We HOPE to see you despite what Mother Nature may throw at us.

Warm foods for cold days

our grandson, John, gets his love for cooking honestly

Well last week was over before I even got to post. It was quite a whirlwind as we did a supper club dinner last Monday night. The theme was foods of the Greek Isles. You are going to have to wait for the details as I am now diving into THIS week. You got to sample several of the dishes at last Friday night's dinner— dolmades, spanikopita, baklava, etc.

Boy! Last Friday was something! Renee and Tom rocked the house and warmed our hearts with their saxophone and guitar, playing jazz classics. The Shrimp Alfredo was devoured with gusto. In fact, we sold out of most of our dishes by the end of the night. I had to make a special dish for Renee since we were out of most dishes by the time they finished playing. SUCH a problem! It was lovely to see so many of you and to note we are getting some Friday night "regulars." We are pleased you have added our good food and live music to your Friday night options. We'll try to keep you and your palate entertained.

We have changed out a couple of my quilts. The newest ones hanging are "The Energy of Hope", "Reconcilable Differences," and "Neon Cha Cha." "Reconcilable Differences" is all about focusing on "us" as opposed to "me." Pricing info on most of my quilts can be found on my website http://www.rebelquilter.com/. For the story on many of them, you might visit my blog http://rebelquilter.blogspot.com/.


This week we are changing up a thing or two. First of all—we'll have more variation in our soups during the week. Also, we are adding a couple of warm entrees to the mix. Since the opening of the new Asian buffet restaurant with its sushi menu built in, we have had fewer requests for my sushi. So, we'll skip it for awhile.

Bruce has brought many fresh ideas and great energy. I think our energy is feeding off each other and the synergy is palatable—literally! His insight, logistical understanding and quiet nature have given us gentle guidance where it has been needed. He is a gifted, creative cook with a thorough understanding of what is needed in a restaurant environment. We are glad he is here!

Here are this week's flavor journeys. We are taking you to the tropical latitudes.

Monday—Lentil and Smoked Sausage Soup  with cornbread
Vegetable Soup—carrots, onions, potatoes, corn, tomatoes in a veggie broth; with corn bread
Arugula Salad with jicama, pickled red onion, grapefruit, avocado, feta, & pomegranate $5.99; add wood-fired chicken +$1.50; add garlic shrimp +$3.00
Tuesday—Slow-cooked pork tamales over a warm mango puree complimented by a pineapple mango salsa and coconut rice. $6.25; add a bowl of black bean soup $9.99
Soup—Black Bean with queso fresco & cornbread
Wednesday—Chicken Curry with Coconut Rice & fruit $6.25 add side salad or cup of soup +$2.50
Soup—Beef & Barley Soup with cornbread
Thursday—Quiche Lorraine (bacon, onion & Swiss cheese) with fruit  $6.25; add cup of soup or side salad +$2.50
Soup—Creamy Garlic & Spinach Soup with garlic toast
Friday—LUNCH: Chicken Pot Pie with fruit $6.25; add side salad $2.50
Soup—Creamy Garlic and Spinach Soup with garlic toast
SUPPER: Beef and Sausage Lasagna with side salad and garlic toast $9.99
Chicken Pot Pie with side salad  $.9.99
Various tapas 
Soups—cup/ $3.49  bowl/ $4.99 16oz/$5.59

Thanks for being a part of our grand experiment in good food. YES! You DO prefer freshly made foods made with REAL ingredients.

Coming up—
This Friday night music will be provided by Jon Lumsden playing his 7 string jazz guitar and singing his tunes plus selections from the Great American Songbook
Valentine's dinner—February 14th Monday   Stay tuned for details of the menu. We will do only one seating and reservations will be needed.Our plan is a steak and seafood offering.
Earth Day Tasting Feast—April 29th Celebrate local sustainability and enjoy the fruits of regional producers. We are teaming with Chef's Collaborative, a national organization dedicated to local sustainability.

See you this week, we hope!