Creamy and Good...

Luscious. Unctuous. Surreal. Wicked-Good. Those are expletives and descriptors that describe the dish, but further so, the cheese...or the fromage as we say in the kitchen. This is a double cream goat's milk cheese, slightly aged and ripened to an almost obscene and illegal level. It is called Chevre des Cremiers from France. From the central-eastern region, this cheese that has been bestowed upon us via our cheese monger, has been a great find. Simple in nature, but profound and sexy in taste and texture. The mouth-feel is sublime. Let it gently warm to right above room temp, and you have something ethereal. We paired this with morels, baby white asparagus, green local asparagus, truffles, bacon, creamy potatoes, brioche and olive oil. Awesome to say the least.

A New Panini to Savor...

one of our newest additions to the lunch menu is a new panini, amongst others. Very tasty to say the very least. Brined and Smoked Pork Loin...Pickled Wild Ramps...River Valley Cheese Pepperjack...Ramp Aioli...Wicked Mojo...all served with a pile of Buttermilk laced Onion Rings. Americana you say...perhaps. Tasty...Hell yea!

Random Ideas in Taste...

A few more recent images on food and cooking from the heart. Spring is fun! Flavor is imperative and aiming towards mastery is paramount, even if one knows they can not reach it.

Seared Sea Scallop & Shortrib Ravioli
peas, king oyster mushrooms, watermelon radishes, miners lettuce and beef juices

a few more images of ideas on food and cooking. Spring is fun!

Grilled King Blue Prawns

fiddlehead ferns, miners lettuce, chickpeas, ramp dressing, mango-lemon aioli, bacon

Branzino & Quail-Scallop Roll

ramps, shiitake chips, nettle-potato puree, scallop juices

Quinoa Studded with Peas & Morels

Baby Turnips Sous Vide, Ramps, Lacinato Kale, Compressed Rhubarb, Pea Jus

Vegan Dinner of the Moment...

Here are but a few shots of the vegan tasting menu we were charged with to serve as a welcoming for a wonderful couple celebrating their engagement...I don't care what any chef says about hating vegetarians or vegans...it was cool.

Beet Ravioli, carrot-pear-marcona almond tapenade, 30 year balsamic

beet tapioca "caviar"

Vegetable Crudo

avocado, citrus, mango gel, fennel ribbon, daikon, pummelo vinaigrette, crisp beet

Yellow Foot Mushroom & Asparagus "Antipasti"

radishes, crispy shallots, ramp vinaigrette, savory mushroom-truffle "cappuccino"

Roasted Cipolline Onion "Farcie"

artichokes, hazelnuts, cacao nibs, bucatini "risotto", apple "gnocchi"

and a asparagus juice broth

additional courses not photo'd but not forgotten...

~Yuzu-Ginger Slushy~

~Potato-Vegetable "Tortina", Wild Mushrooms, Ramps, Fiddleheads, Roasted Garlic and Nettle Puree~

~Fruits & Sorbet...Blood Orange-Pear Composure, their Sorbets~

~Dark Chocolate-Hazelnut Pave, Turbinado Sugar Caramelise, Soy Milk-Abbamele-Chocolate "Shake"~

~Grapefruit Confit, Chocolate Dipped Dried Apricots~

Of Wolf and Man...

Seemingly appropriate, a label of which this vicious looking aquatic species fell under the knife in our kitchen only to be laid to rest on various plates of passion. Ugly, but worth every penny. Meaty, full flavored, and texturous, it paired well with the hearty fare of the end of winter/beginning of Spring. Wolf fish...a scavenger well worth the investment.