Saturday, May 29, 2010

Saturday Specials

We have Italian Wedding Soup and Gazpacho for soup today.

In the pastry case are Carrot Nut Scones, Walnut Scones with Raspberry Jam and a Traditional Cream Scone with Raisins and a hint of lemon.

The local strawberry season has started a couple weeks early and both of our CSA farms are having pre-season strawberry pick-up! From One Straw Farm we got beautiful, large berries and are offering them with a splash of sweetened cream with either steel cut oatmeal or our homemade yogurt. The Cromwell Valley CSA has produced precious, gem-like berries that are perfect for preserving whole. Strawberries have very little natural pectin so if you want a jam-like preserve pick up a box of Certo®, otherwise the following recipe will produce strawberries in a thick syrup that is fabulous over ice cream, pancakes, pound cake, pork roast.... you get the idea.

Strawberry Preserves
Clean and hull strawberries. In a non-metallic bowl, layer berries with sugar 1:1 (one pound berries, one pound sugar) beginning and ending with a layer of sugar. Drizzle two tablespoon of acid for every pound of berries (lemon juice is typical, balsamic vinegar is also crazy good) over the sugar/berry mix. Cover and let sit 4-12 hours. Gently give a stir about half way though if you think about it.

Transfer the now liquid mixture to a heavy kettle and gently bring to a boil. Keep mixture at a low boil until it reaches 220° on a candy thermometer. DO NOT WALK AWAY! This is very prone to boiling over so keep a close eye on it, lowering the heat as needed to keep the mixture in the pot. Try not to stir, but if you must do it gently.

Ladle into sterilized jars and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Graduation Day 2010

Thursday Specials

Gazpacho and Potato Leek Soup

Tuna Salad Sandwich or Tuna Melt

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Wednesday Specials

Hummucide Panini - roasted red pepper hummus, olives, cucumbers & havarti on a ciabatta sub roll.

Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich (also available served on a bed of greens)

Gazpacho (vegan) and Potato Leek Soup Soup (vegetarian)

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Thursday Specials

San Pedro - avocado, caramelized onion, roasted red pepper, cilantro lime mayonnaise, provolone and mesclun

Soups today are Gazpacho and Split Pea, both of which are vegan.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

The new blender has arrived!

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chevre, toasted almonds and strawberry poppyseed vinaigrette.

Classic Tuna Salad Sandwich
or Tuna Melt
Rowhouse Sandwich
- sundried tomato/basil cream cheese, sprouts, cucumber, red onion, Swiss cheese on toasted ciabatta.

Buffalo Chicken Panino is served with gorgonzola, julienned carrots and celery.

Soups today are Split Pea (vegan) and Jalapeno Corn Chowder (vegetarian).

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Tuesday Specials

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chevre, toasted almonds and strawberry poppyseed vinaigrette.

Rowhouse Sandwich
- sundried tomato/basil cream cheese, sprouts, cucumber, red onion, Swiss cheese on toasted ciabatta.

Buffalo Chicken Panino is served with gorgonzola, julienned carrots and celery.

Soups today are Jalapeno Corn Chowder (vegetarian) and Italian Garden Soup (vegan).

Monday, May 17, 2010

Monday Specials

Rowhouse Sandwich - sundried tomato/basil cream cheese, sprouts, cucumber, red onion, Swiss cheese on toasted ciabatta.

Buffalo Chicken Panino is served with gorgonzola, julienned carrots and celery.

Soups today are Jalapeno Corn Chowder (vegetarian) and Italian Garden Soup (vegan).

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Saturday Specials

Italian Garden Soup (vegan)
Curried Cauliflower and Lentil (vegan)

Spicy Jackie Panini with turkey, jack cheese, peperocini, grilled red onions and zebra sauce.

And I made a huge pile of Dark Chocolate Brownies with Walnuts. Yum!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Thursday Specials

Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich & Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Curried Cauliflower Lentil Soup
Beef Chili

We also have The Torpedo - our Italian sausage sandwich and The Spicy Jackie - a twist on the Spicy Jack - turkey, cheese and banana peppers.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Wednesday Specials

Pesto Caprese Panini

Curried Lentil and Cauliflower Soup
(vegan) and Sausage Kale Soup.

Michael and I went out to Sherwood Farm to pick up our first goodies from the CSA - a quart of fresh, damp from the rain strawberries! We ate the whole thing before we even got back to the cafe. The farm was especially verdant is the cool afternoon drizzle. What a beautiful place - the creek, meadows, freshly turned soil and gorgeous trees are the very definition of bucolic.

But there is a scoundrel afoot! More than two dozen chickens have gone missing. Chicken thief! One of the things about CSA membership is you share both the bounty and the loss, so there goes my egg allotment. Happily, I have an unlimited supply of great, locally produced eggs delivered weekly from Springfield Farm, but I'm disappointed for the other CSA members who will have a much more limited access to eggs.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Tuesday Specials

Loaded Pizza Panini with Italian sausage, pepperoni, roasted onions, green peppers and mushrooms, black olives, pepperocini, four cheeses, Italian herbs and tomato sauce. Or try the Veggie Pizza Panini - same veggies, no meat.

Sausage Kale Soup or Potato Leek Soup (vegetarian).

Just got a note from Cromwell Valley CSA that there is a surprise pre-season harvest of strawberries! Evidently the first fruits have ripened and need to be picked before the rain comes in tomorrow.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Friday Specials

Soups today are Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili (vegan) and Gazpacho (also vegan).

The Buffalo Chicken Panini is served with gorgonzola, julienned carrots and celery.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

The Rowhouse - sundried-tomato-basil cream cheese, crunchy sprouts, cucumbers, sliced red onion, swiss cheese all on a toasty ciabatta sub roll.

Small Plate Special: Guacamole and Chips

Gazpacho (vegan) and Split Pea Soup (vegan)

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Tuesday Specials