Hello! Happy Labor Day Weekend! I hope all of you are staying cool and getting ready to enjoy some grilled and barbecued favorites on Monday. Of course we are on a Holiday Schedule Monday with the Dining Room open from 11-1:30. The menu is posted on Touchtown but is pretty traditional "cookout" fare including Barbecued Chicken, Ribs, Burgers and Bratwursts.
We are getting ready to open The Hive Market in September. This of course is the new retail market that will be where the Hunt Club was in years past. It looks like the construction phase is mostly done, we do still need to set up phone and data lines. Looks like we will be doing the decorating as well, which I had not anticipated and we are finalizing an opening menu. How it works is that everything in the store will have a retail price, or if you would rather use a meal credit then there are guidelines on what is and isn't included in that. I will be explaining in greater detail as we get closer to opening.
The Sip and Savor event last week was a lot of fun! We did Three wines and one Bourbon from The Centennial State as well as foods to match and followed by Corn, Pork, and Green Chili Stew. My personal favorite was the Syrah from The Infinite Monkey Theorem, but I have to say that the Breckenridge Bourbon is running a close second. We do have several bottles remaining of each. Please inquire and your server will get it for you. Speaking of local libations, we do still have some Green Summer Cider, as well as a very limited amount of Pineapple Tepache made by our Sous Chef David Meraz. Tepache is a traditional lightly fermented drink served commonly on street corners, which is why he chose the name "El Rincon" which translates to "The Corner". It's sweetened with Vi Honey and has a bit of cinnamon in the mix. Let us know how you like it. Another wheat beer is in the keg and will
be bottled early next week.
I will be at the Health Fair this week, highlighting the health benefits of Mushrooms on Thursday. I am expecting a shipment of wild-harvested Chanterelles, farmed Lobster Mushrooms, and of course you all know how I feel about Lion's Mane and Shiitakes. Nothing too complicated, I will be sautéing various mushrooms and serving them on toast-- hopefully with some house-brewed beer and conversation about how great they are. Healthy things can be fun too. No matter how you feel about mushrooms, come to the Health Fair. I think Kat and Meghan are doing an awesome job, and I think this year's Fair will be special.
The Soup this week is Chicken Tortilla, made with peppers, tomatoes, and thickened with Corn Tortillas.
The Appetizer of the week is Beef Tenderloin Souvlaki, which is a seasoned, grilled skewer. We are serving it with house-made tzatziki sauce and pita bread.
The cheese this week is called Comté. This well-respected cheese was the very first to be awarded AAOC status in 1958 meaning that the name and production methods are protected by French Law and international understanding. The French are very specific with this one. Here are a few requirements if you want to make this cheese;
"May only be made in the Franche-Comte region . Only milk from Montbéliarde or French Simmental cows (or cross breeds of the two) is permitted. There must be no more than 1.3 cows per hectare of pasture. Fertilization of pasture is limited, and cows may only be fed fresh, natural feed, with no silage. The milk must be transported to the site of production immediately after milking. The milk must be used raw." (exceptions are made for export to America). In my opinion the cheese tastes remarkably like Gruyere but melts better when used in fondue. We are pairing this with some apricot preserves and I recommend either a dry Amontillado Sherry from Spain or a good Syrah from Denver-maybe the Five Points region?
At Dinner this week, check out the Broiled Sole Veracruz, with broccoli and fingerling potatoes. Sole is a delicate and flaky fish, while Veracruz sauce is made with tomatoes, olives and capers. Try this one with the Gavi -Le Marne.
We have Chipotle-Braised Beef Short Rib this week, served over saffron rice and roasted cauliflower. The short ribs we use are boneless and very tender. Chipotle is a dried jalapeño, and so there is a bit of spice in this one, but it is definitely mild and who doesn't need a little spice now and then? Definitely a "beer situation", but if you prefer wine, Riesling is a good choice here.
Don't miss our Roasted Duck with Cider and Orange Demi-Glace this week. The duck is slow-roasted and then crisped under the broiler for a minute before service. Wild rice and sesame green beans go with this one. Since this is a whole duck, please specify leg or breast.
As a vegetarian special check out the Impossible-Stuffed Peppers in Marinara. Just as it sounds, this is a bell pepper stuffed with a mixture of rice and imitation beef. The flavor is good, the biggest danger we see with this dish is that it can dry out more easily than beef-- which is why it is braised in marinara and served with a lot of sauce.
We suggest trying our Shrimp Scampi over pasta. Our recipe includes shrimp, garlic, wine, lemon, more garlic, butter, and more butter. We finish with tomatoes and fresh basil. I do recommend that if you enjoy this dish let everyone at the table taste it so no one knows where the garlic odor is coming from. Definitely pair a Pinot Grigio with this one.
For Dinner specials check out the Pistachio-Crusted Steelhead Trout, Mushroom Crepes, Mongolian Pork, Pine Nut-Crusted Chicken and New England Lobster Roll.
At Lunch, try the Carved Beef Tri Tip, Beef Tacos, Fried Scallops, and Grilled Lobster Tail.
Culinary Corner will be cancelled on Monday because of the Hoiday. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me at gstrickland@viliving.com. .
Have a great week!
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