Monday, November 30, 2009

Welcome Back

Panino Special
Tuna Curry Parmesan

Soup Specials
Pumpkin Black Bean
Creamy Tomato Basil

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

You're at the top of my list!

Cafe will be closing early on Wednesday and remain closed until Monday.

Things are slowing down for the holiday weekend and Michael and I are heading into the mountains of southwestern Virginia to visit my family. For the past five years, you have been at the top of my "what I'm thankful for" list. As the economy struggles, business close and we all reel at the cost of health care and gas prices, Carma's Cafe is experiencing growth! My father always said grace was like grits in South Caroline - you get it even if you don't ask for it. This year I am particularly aware of my good fortune and the people who have made it so - my best friend and business partner, several generations of fun and enthusiastic employees, our customers who have become more like friends and family and the generous divine spark that moves the fates and brought it all together - it's so much more than just a cafe.

Be safe and have a wonderful, festive, outrageous Thanksgiving!


Cranberry Salad
1 bag fresh cranberries, pulsed in a food processor
2 finely chopped red apples, unpeeled
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/2 cups seedless green grapes, halved
1/2 cup raisins (I like golden)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 (8 oz) cartons vanilla yogurt


Mix all ingredients except yogurt and chill. Just before serving stir in the yogurt. Kids love it!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Tuesday Specials

Minestrone alla Milanese (vegan)
Creamy Mushroom Soup (vegetarian)


Spicy Jack Panini

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Saturday Specials

Cherry Crisp French Toast
Orange Date Scones

Minestrone alla Milanese (vegan)
French Lentil Soup

Friday, November 20, 2009

Friday Specials

SOUPS:

Romanesco Parmesan -- a creamy soup with Romanesco style cauliflower, potatoes, and parmesan. (not vegetarian)

French Lentil (vegan).

PANINO:

Spicy Jack -- turkey caramelized onions spicy habanero jac cheese and zebra sauce.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Thursday Specials

SOUPS:

Romanesco Parmesan -- a creamy soup with Romanesco style cauliflower, potatoes, and parmesan. (not vegetarian)

African Peanut, a sweet potato soup with curry and vegetables and of course some peanut (vegetarian).

PANINO:

Roasted local apples with brie and pecans.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

CSA season ends


Today's Soups are Creamy Tomato Basil Soup (vegetarian) and African Peanut Soup (vegetarian). I'm also making a soup with the Romanesco Broccoli I got from the CSA this week. They call it Cosmic Cauliflower for obvious reasons.

We still have some of the Weenie Panini (which got very nice review from customers) and really, is one day enough to properly celebrate such a great guy?

Yesterday was our last pick up of CSA from One Straw Farm. Mostly, it has been a positive experience. Usually I shop for ingredients with a more-or-less specific purpose in mind - to make soup or to grill for example. I found myself approaching the CSA pick-up each Tuesday with a completely different paradigm. Typically I would pick one main vegetable - often one that I had little or no experience preparing, then go about doing a bit of research online. This approach has made me a better and more adventurous cook. Dishes I probably would have never tried turned out fantastic like the roasted chard salad.

There are a lot of farms that offer CSA (believe it or not, there is a wool CSA in New England that raises fleece for fiber artists). Look around and see if there isn't one you'd like to join.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Another birthday!

Happy birthday, Michael!

To mark this special occasion I'm making a cafe variation of one of his favorite foods - the hot dog. Yep, today's sandwich special is The Weenie Panini - roasted 100% beef hot dogs, homemade chili and cheddar cheese stuffed inside a ciabatta sub roll.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup (vegetarian)
African Peanut Soup
(vegetarian)
Sweet Potato Dahl Soup (vegetarian)

By unspoken consent, Michael and I aren't specific about how long we've been friends, but suffice it to say it has been a long time. Early on I was regaled stories of the mythical Teo's hot dogs of his youth. These mini dogs are served on buns from a local bakery and are eaten 3-4 at a time. "With the works" means onions, mustard and their signature chili heaped on mini red hot dogs nestled in a soft steamed bun. Paired with the locally brewed Genesee beer and a bag of chips, it sounds like a real treat and the kind of place visitors are unlikely to patronize unless taken there by a local. Bring cash.

I've never been to Teo's but a pilgrimage to Pittsfield, Massachusetts to try these weenies seems inevitable.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Monday Specials

African Peanut Soup (vegetarian)
Sweet Potato Dahl Soup (vegetarian)

Pesto Caprese Panini - pesto, marinated artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, provolone and mozzarella grilled on a ciabatta sub roll.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

A very November day....

....cold, wet and rainy.

Back by popular demand,
The Nutter Butter! - peanut butter, bananas and either bacon or granola grilled on a ciabatta sub roll. I must confess, this is strictly a "give the people what they want" special.

The Blue Ribbon

turkey, bacon from Springfield Farms, tomato, and Ren's herb-blue cheese aioli.

Soup:
Sweet Potato Dahl - sweet potatoes, apples and yellow split peas seasoned with cardamom, garam masala, cayenne and corriander. Both sweet and spicy. (vegetarian)
Pumpkin Black Bean (vegan)

Friday, November 13, 2009

Friday

Panino Special:

The Blue Ribbon
turkey, bacon from Springfield Farms, tomato, and Ren's herb-blue cheese aioli.

Soup:

Pumpkin Black Bean (vegetarian)

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Thursday Specials

Potato Leek Soup
Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

The Torpedo is back! - spicy Italian sausage, provolone and pepperinade sauce stuffed in a ciabatta sub roll.


Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Tuesday Specials

Smoked Sausage & White Bean Soup

Gypsy Soup
- a sweet potato and tomato based vegetable soup that is one of our most popular soups.

The Spicy Jack Panini -turkey, grilled red onion, zebra sauce (a horseradish mayo spread) and a very spicy jack cheese grilled on a ciabatta sub roll.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Happy Birthday Cafe!

Smoked Sausage & White Bean Soup

Gypsy Soup
- a sweet potato and tomato based vegetable soup that is one of our most popular soups.

The Greenhouse Panini - hummus, guacamole, havarti cheese, sprouts, cucumbers on health bread.

The Turkey Quacamole Panini - turkey, guacamole, havarti cheese, and tomato on a ciabatta sub roll.

Today is the cafe's fifth birthday! On November 9, 2004 Michael and I hung out the specials board and unlocked the door. It was exciting and terrifying in equal measure. For the first several weeks I barely poked my head outside of the kitchen and carefully scrutinized every dish as it was brought into the sink.
More often than not, the only thing left on the plate was an olive pit!

So five years later I'm happy to report that customers come back smiling and plates still come back empty. And we are experiencing another "growth spurt". In the spring of 2010 Carma's Cafe will open a "grab & go" location on St. Paul Street, just around the corner (and in the same building) from our current location. And while we don't gain any additional indoor seating, we will get additional outdoor seating, and shift the take-out traffic to the new location which should help with the congestion.

Before the first paint brush was lifted or the first tile laid, Michael and I sat outside on a crisp spring day looking down into the windows and imagining our customers. And you know what? It was you! All ages, all ethnicities, all levels of education; college professor sitting next to a 20-something spoken word artist; three generations having breakfast during family weekend at Hopkins. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect the outpouring of love and appreciation that you brought in with you. It's a little awe inspiring, very humbling and very much felt.

Thank you.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Welcome to the parents

Pumpkin Cranberry Scones
Cinnamon Raisin French Toast Casserole
Asparagus, Spinach and Sweet Pepper Strata with Swiss Cheese

Turkey Wrap
with farmer's bacon, avocados, fresh avocado & bleu cheese dressing and mixed greens.

Soups:
Smoked Sausage & White Bean Soup
Roasted Butternut Squash
(vegetarian)
Cuban Black Bean


Friday, November 6, 2009

Friday Specials

Zucchini Avocado Panino
smokey marinated grilled zucchini with fresh avocado dressing, roasted red peppers, farm fresh spinach greens, and provolone

Soups:
Roasted Butternut Squash (vegetarian)
Cuban Black Bean (vegan)

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Zucchini Avocado Panino
smokey marinated grilled zucchini with fresh avocado dressing, roasted red peppers, farm fresh spinach greens, and provolone

Soups:

Cuban Black Bean (vegan)
Broccoli Cheddar Chowder (vegetarian)

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Tuesday

Spicy Jack Panino
turkey, caramelized red onions, habanero jack cheese, zebra sauce

Spicy Jeremy Panino
hummus, caramelized red onions, habanero jack cheese, zebra sauce

SOUPS:

Jalapeno Corn Chowder
Creamy Mushroom
both vegetarian