The Winter Blahs
For that large percentage of the blog readership with homes in the southern USA, this might be a distant memory. But up here in the Frozen North, we are in winter's icy grip. Your fake winter cannot compete. There is a chance of snow tomorrow! Take that, Tucson. This is the time of year when I think that I should be starting to ride the bike again, or do a little fishing, or get up into the hills for a hike. But all of those things are still months away. Months until the first asparagus, spring onions, strawberries and morels. So how is everyone beating the winter blahs?
I've been listening to a lot of jazz. Some vocal stuff, for that large percentage of the blog readership with some singing talent (yeah, that's all of you except me). Frank Sinatra's "In the Wee Small Hours," and Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane's album. Mostly, though, it's Miles Davis--the late '60s stuff.
I'm also working on some restaurant plans. Doesn't seem to be going as fast as I'd like, but hopefully that'll change. Here's a sample menu. I'd love some feedback.
Meats
Plate of cured ham and salamis $8
Lamb meatballs in tomato sauce $6
Grilled lamb ribs with honey $6
Chicken noodle soup $5
Grilled housemade pork sausage with white beans $8
Slow-roasted pork stuffed with lemon and herbs $7
Sauteed chicken breast with pancetta and grapes $12
Pastas
Baked ziti with peppers and mozzarella $8
House linguine with Pecorino Sardo and black pepper $7
Farfalle with walnuts and mountain Gorgonzola $10
Linguine with wild mushrooms $12
Braised beef and herb raviolis in meat broth $10
Fish/Shellfish
Half dozen Malpeque Bay oysters $10
Dozen $19
Mussels with chorizo and cannellini beans $9
Grilled tuna with red pepper sauce $12
Brandade: warm salt cod puree with cornichons and bread $7
Shrimp sauteed with olive oil and garlic $7
Vegetables
Swiss chard gratin $5
Butter lettuce salad with pine nuts $5
Hearty salad with hazelnuts, tomato vinaigrette and tuna $8
Sauteed wild mushrooms with garlic and parsley $10
Grilled asparagus with Spanish ham $6
add a poached egg $2
Roasted carrots with balsamic $4
Family-style Dishes
Dry aged ribeye, grilled, with Spanish olive oil and sea salt $45/28 oz
Boneless leg of local lamb, roasted with garlic and paprika, served with herb sauce. For 6-8. Allow 1 hour. $60
Organic roasted chicken stuffed with herbs and served with vegetables and saffron pan sauce. $30
Paella Valenciana: Authentic paella with green beans, white beans, rabbit and chicken. Allow 1 hour. Serves 4. $38
Seafood paella. Serves 4. Allow 1 hour. $45
Dessert
Crema catalana $5
Hazelnut cake with vanilla anglaise and huckleberry compote $6
Affogato--vanilla ice cream drowned in espresso $4
House-made ice cream $5
Steamed chocolate pudding with milk chocolate sauce $6
I've been listening to a lot of jazz. Some vocal stuff, for that large percentage of the blog readership with some singing talent (yeah, that's all of you except me). Frank Sinatra's "In the Wee Small Hours," and Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane's album. Mostly, though, it's Miles Davis--the late '60s stuff.
I'm also working on some restaurant plans. Doesn't seem to be going as fast as I'd like, but hopefully that'll change. Here's a sample menu. I'd love some feedback.
Meats
Plate of cured ham and salamis $8
Lamb meatballs in tomato sauce $6
Grilled lamb ribs with honey $6
Chicken noodle soup $5
Grilled housemade pork sausage with white beans $8
Slow-roasted pork stuffed with lemon and herbs $7
Sauteed chicken breast with pancetta and grapes $12
Pastas
Baked ziti with peppers and mozzarella $8
House linguine with Pecorino Sardo and black pepper $7
Farfalle with walnuts and mountain Gorgonzola $10
Linguine with wild mushrooms $12
Braised beef and herb raviolis in meat broth $10
Fish/Shellfish
Half dozen Malpeque Bay oysters $10
Dozen $19
Mussels with chorizo and cannellini beans $9
Grilled tuna with red pepper sauce $12
Brandade: warm salt cod puree with cornichons and bread $7
Shrimp sauteed with olive oil and garlic $7
Vegetables
Swiss chard gratin $5
Butter lettuce salad with pine nuts $5
Hearty salad with hazelnuts, tomato vinaigrette and tuna $8
Sauteed wild mushrooms with garlic and parsley $10
Grilled asparagus with Spanish ham $6
add a poached egg $2
Roasted carrots with balsamic $4
Family-style Dishes
Dry aged ribeye, grilled, with Spanish olive oil and sea salt $45/28 oz
Boneless leg of local lamb, roasted with garlic and paprika, served with herb sauce. For 6-8. Allow 1 hour. $60
Organic roasted chicken stuffed with herbs and served with vegetables and saffron pan sauce. $30
Paella Valenciana: Authentic paella with green beans, white beans, rabbit and chicken. Allow 1 hour. Serves 4. $38
Seafood paella. Serves 4. Allow 1 hour. $45
Dessert
Crema catalana $5
Hazelnut cake with vanilla anglaise and huckleberry compote $6
Affogato--vanilla ice cream drowned in espresso $4
House-made ice cream $5
Steamed chocolate pudding with milk chocolate sauce $6
posted by David Christensen at 11:36 PM
2 Comments:
Aah the blahs. In the thick of them here. I'm fighting through them with a variety of techniques: too much diet pepsi, cleaning out large cupboards, a new best of 60's CD, browsing my Zuni cafe cookbook, and pushing the season by working out in the yard a bit. I'm also trying assorted female detective mysteries. All work for a while.
Menu looks fabulous, David. My favorites: lamb meatballs, roasted carrots, grilled asparagus, wild mushrooms, leg of lamb, paella and the hazelnut cake. Did I miss a cheese platter? Or anything with lots of goat cheese in it?
You didn't miss it. This would be the dinner menu--a supplemental menu would be offered during dinner, as well as later, that would have some of the more easily-prepared things, small snacks, etc. Cheese would be included there. Also olives, nuts, maybe a flatbread or something.
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