JULY 2009 ARCHIVES
This week's email
Tuesday, July 7, 2009 by Ben
Hey everyone. I hope you had a great 4th of July weekend - it certainly was beautiful, warm and sunny out. I wanted to share a little story with you, and I hope you see the irony of the tale.
Let me set the scene - my wife and I are at a 4th of July block party in SE Portland, right over by Mt. Tabor. The street is blocked off, the kids (of which there are many) are running around, the adults are talking and laughing - a good time was being had by all. It was beginning toget dark, so it must have been around 9pm. The igniting of fireworks was in full swing, a variety of sparklers, fountains anda numberwhich were even more exciting. You could tell by the display that a few different folks on the block had made their way over the Columbia River and had purchased some 'works that are unavailable in Oregon. In the midst of everyone's "ooh"s and "aah"s, we realized we had visitors, of the sort that wear guns on their hips and shields on their chests. They wanted to know who was in charge, as they took issue with the fireworks display that was in progress (and very similar to the displays arcing up from the surrounding streets). As the children burst into tears amid questions of, "are they going to take my daddy away?", the officeres explained the fireworks from Washington are illegal here in Oregon. The children then followed with questions about why they would have beenlegal if we were a 10 minute drive to the north, but not here in their neighborhood. No satisfactory answers were proferred, leaving them confused. The officeres let us off with a warning, but not before confiscating our fireworks. Does anyone else find it ironic that on the day we celebrate our nation's independence the police find it necessary to confiscate our fireworks amid the cries of our children? Does anyone else see any parallels here? Anyway, I just wanted to share that - I though it was funny in a sad kind of way.
I'll tell you what's not funny - the menu for this Saturday. This menu is not joking around. We're starting with Shrimp Fritters, moving into salad with Country Ham and Pickled Eggs, followed by Smoked Brisket and Pork Ribs(!) and finished off with Blueberry Pie (!!!). Each one of those courses is worth going for, but combine them all.... the race is on to get to the reservation line. There will be no dinner this Friday, as we have a private event in the Dining Hall. So this is your one chance to get some. Hope to see some of you this week!
Also, I'll end the email witha reminder and the full menu for this week's farm dinner at Square Peg Farms - be sure to read to the end! Here's the menu for this week...
Saturday, July 11th
Shrimp Fritters with Creole Remoulade and Gypsy Peppers
Viridian Farms’ Romaine Lettuce with Country Ham, Walla Walla Sweet Onions, Oregano Dressing and Pickled Eggs
Smoked Brisket and St. Louis Style Ribs with Ozark BBQ Sauce, Cider Braised Kale and Mom’s Beans
Duke Blueberry Pie with Spiced Ice Cream
Price is $40 per person plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. Please RSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.
If you find yourselves without any dinner plans late in the day on Fridays or Saturdays, it doesn't hurt to give us a call, we sometimes have some last minute cancellations or spots open up, and we'd love to have you come in and eat with us.
Sunday
Brunch
Brunch is served from 9am to 2pm, and no reservations are required. We are now accepting reservations for parties of 8 or more people. To make reservations, call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 or RSVP with your name, party size and the time you would like to come. Your reservation will be confirmed by phone or e-mail.
Here's the menu for this week's Farm Dinner, along with the pertinent information. This should be a great time.
Outstanding In The Field Farm Dinner
Thursday, July 9th
Square Peg Farm Forest Grove, OR
Troy MacLarty, Chef
Andrew Rich, Vintner
Passed Charcuterie with Assorted Pickles
2008 Sauvignon Blanc Croft Vineyard
New Garlic Soup with Scape, Basil and Calabrian Chile Pesto
2007 Roussanne Ciel du Cheval Vineyard
Slow Cooked Salmon with Summer Squash, Nasturtiums and Creme Fraiche
2006 Pinot Noir Reserve
Porchetta with Green bean, Pickled Cherry and Almond Salad andBacon Vinaigrette
2006 Syrah Les Vignes en Face
Apricot Tart with Peach Leaf Ice Cream
2007 Gewurtztraminer Dessert Wine
To make reservations, please see the Outstanding In The Field
website.
I think that's it. I hope everyone has a great week. I'll talk to you soon. Until then, take care.
This week's email
Tuesday, July 14, 2009 by Ben
Short and sweet this week, folks. There's not a whole ton to talk about...
Friday's menu brings straight comfort deliciousness - a burger night at its finest. Start the out eveningwith a little Green Goddess salad with extra bonus crab on top,follow that with a Simpatica Burger rounded out with housecured bacon and all the fixin's, then top that off with brownies and wild strawberry ice cream. Sounds like a winning hand.
Then on Saturday, our main man Scott Ketterman is bringing it with another one of my favorites - Spanish Paella. This is where Scott truly shines, going from rising star to full on supernova. And those stuffed peppers at the first course? Mmm-mmmmm! Seriously, give this one a close look - reads like good poetry.
If any of you are not sure what to do on the weekend of the 25th, maybe think about buying a ticket to the IPNC Salmon Bake. Jason, Dave and I will be there again holding it down on the meat side of things. This is one of my favorite events of the year (for real).
I guess that's it - check the menus, sign up, enjoy, sleep it off, come get brunch. Okay, you have your homework, talk to you next week when we'll review these simple instructions.
Friday, July 17th
Viridian Farms Romaine with Green Goddess Dressing and Dungeness Crab
Simpatica Cheeseburger with Aged White Cheddar, Housemade Bacon and Zucchini Pickles Served with French Fries
Warm Chocolate Brownie with Wild Strawberry Ice Cream
Price is $30 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.
Saturday, July 18th
Salt Cod and Potato Filled Piquillo Peppers with Romesco
Mixed Beet Salad with Cucumber, Preserved lemon and Cypress Grove Chevre
Prawn, Duck and Calamari Paella with Sheldon’s Fava Beans, Saffron and Red Peppers
Blackberry Tart with Pastry Cream and Sweet Basil Syrup
Price is $35 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.
If you find yourselves without any dinner plans late in the day on Fridays or Saturdays, it doesn't hurt to give us a call, we sometimes have some last minute cancellations or spots open up, and we'd love to have you come in and eat with us.
Sunday
Brunch
Brunch is served from 9am to 2pm, and no reservations are required. We are now accepting reservations for parties of 8 or more people. To make reservations, call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 or RSVP with your name, party size and the time you would like to come. Your reservation will be confirmed by phone or e-mail.
I think that's it. I hope everyone has a great week. I'll talk to you soon. Until then, take care.
This week's email
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 by Ben
Man, it's weeks like these that make it all worth it. Sure, it's darn hot out there, and humid, and it makes you sweat. However, that's just the impetus many of us need to head to the river, where the water is still cool most of the day, dunking our heads whenever the broiling sun becomes a bit too much. And the time is now for really enjoying a lot of the bounty that Oregon has to offer, besides the beautiful weather, the cool mountain streams, the beaches...
Like picking blackberries off of our neighbor's bush this morning, or picking plums off the tree in our front yard to make a sauce for tonight's dessert. The dessert of course is what follows dinner, which was some truly incredible albacore caught yesterday by my wife's brother who is a crab fisherman right here on the Oregon coast (and who catches albacore and black cod in the off-season). The time is right and the time is now to enjoy what Oregon has to offer. I just hope this email is maybe a little reminder to those of you who get caught up in the everyday to stop for a second to enjoy what's around you. Sure, it's gratifying to complain about, well, everything (it's too hot, it's too cold, it's too sunny, it's too cloudy, etc.). But isn't it much more pleasant to instead enjoy what those times bring? The fruit is awesome right now, and so are the vegetables. The land around you is bursting with opportunity, like hiking, swimming, fishing, camping, etc. And when the clouds come back - and they will - who cares? So it's raining - what better time than stay in the house with the family and undertake a cooking project, or a baking project?
Before my overwhelming (and all too fleeting) sense of optimism and enthusiasm wane, I should share with all of you the menu for this weekend at Simpatica Dining Hall. Unfortunately, Friday night is sold out. But, hey!, there's still Saturday night, right? That's right! And check out the menu - Albacore! Beans! Cherry tomatoes! Peaches! Yes!
Are you sick of me yet? Here's the menu...
Friday, July 24th
Sold Out
Saturday, July 25th
Chilled Cucumber and Tomato Gazpacho with Fried Croutons
Seared Sea Scallop with Roasted Green Beans, Oil-Cured Black Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
Wood-Grilled Oregon Albacore Tuna with Viridian Farms Pocha Beans, Basil and Smoked Pepper Jus
Springcrest Peaches and Cream in Puff Pastry
Price is $35 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.
If you find yourselves without any dinner plans late in the day on Fridays or Saturdays, it doesn't hurt to give us a call, we sometimes have some last minute cancellations or spots open up, and we'd love to have you come in and eat with us.
Sunday
Brunch
Brunch is served from 9am to 2pm, and no reservations are required. We are now accepting reservations for parties of 8 or more people. To make reservations, call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 or RSVP with your name, party size and the time you would like to come. Your reservation will be confirmed by phone or e-mail.
Swing by Laurelhurst Market this week - I've got some really fun stuff in the works at the butcher shop - I've got a whole
Tails & Trotters shoulder available to part out, and maybe even a few pork chops to share. Also, we're getting an extra head and making a Porchetta di Testa (do a google search to find out what that is - sounds gruesome but is totally delicious). Or,pick up one of our sandwiches that got written up in both last week's Willamette Week or the Oregonian's Mix Magazine. Also, we've got a few new items going onto the menu on the restaurant side worth checking out. Either way, you need it and we've got it. See you soon.
This week's email
Wednesday, July 29, 2009 by Ben
So remember last week when I was all lovey-dovey about the weather, talking about how great it is that it's so hot out and to enjoy the all-too-fleeting summer? Forget all that - it is damn hot out. Yeah, the river was great yesterday, but the drive there and especially the drive back sucked. I've been lingering in the Laurelhurst Market butcher shop as long as possible today in order to maximize my air conditioning saturation, not looking forward to stepping outside and going home at all. At least I've got a basement to sit in with the family. But who wants to cook right now? Not even me. Can man exist on popsicles alone? If you hear from me next week, then the answer is yes.
Just the thought of turning on the stove or (god forbid) the oven in my house makes me sweat. I want to spend my evenings consuming high quality food in an air conditioned environment. Well guess what? Both Simpatica Dining Hall and Laurelhurst Market are air conditioned. Delicious air to go with delicious food. The menus for the Dining Hall this weekend are good enough to tempt even the sweatiest to venture forth. On Friday night, we are offering one of our alltime favorite and all-time popular dinners - the Grand Aioli. A whole spreadfeaturing everything that's popping at the Farmer's Marketpaired with one of life's greatest condiments - garlic mayonnaise. Check it out. Not to your liking? Mayonnaise not your bag? Then Saturday's menu is for you - a little southern goodness - crawdads, spinach salad with ham hocks, smoked steak with dirty rice, capped off with some cherries jubilee - delicious.
Here's the menus... at the end of the email I'll be talking about some of the things we have at Laurelhurst Market that are especially exciting to me - feel free to read 'em or skip 'em.
Friday, July 31st
Chilled Zucchini Soup with Crème Fraiche and Mint
Salade Nicoise with Haricot Vert, Cured Black Olives, Heirloom Tomatoes and Oil Poached Tuna
Grand Aioli with Sockeye Salmon, New Potatoes, Squash, Fennel, Baby Carrots, Romano Beans
Fresh Goat’s Cheese Parfait with Summer Berries
Price is $40 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.
Saturday, August 1st
Oregon Crawdads with Sweet Corn Muffins
Spinach Salad with Ham Hocks, Gruyere Cheese, and Mustard Vinaigrette
Smoked Piedmontese NY Strip Steak with Dirty Rice and Marchand du Vin Butter
Cherries Jubilee with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Price is $35 perperson plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7pm. PleaseRSVPor call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 to make reservations.
If you find yourselves without any dinner plans late in the day on Fridays or Saturdays, it doesn't hurt to give us a call, we sometimes have some last minute cancellations or spots open up, and we'd love to have you come in and eat with us.
Sunday
Brunch
Brunch is served from 9am to 2pm, and no reservations are required. We are now accepting reservations for parties of 8 or more people. To make reservations, call the kitchen at (503)235-1600 or RSVP with your name, party size and the time you would like to come. Your reservation will be confirmed by phone or e-mail.
Alright - I've got some new stuff at the restaurant this week I'm especially jazzed about and I wanted to let you in on them - we've got more Tails and Trotters pork available for sale (simply delicious - finished for 60 days on hazelnuts). Also, we made some mortadella this week which came out really nice - gotta love that Italian Bologna. We are also ready to unleash our Lardo on all of you this week. We found a source for 2" thick backfat - simply amazing - we've been curing it for the last two months. What else? Oh! There's a new dish on the menu that youneed - Shrimp and Grits - prawns sauteed with corn, tomatoes, housemade pancetta and mussels - served over Anson Mills corn grits. Totally delicious.
I guess that's all I've got. I'll have more next week, I have no doubt. Thanks folks.
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