Hi All You Luna/tics.
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Gawd.....it is the first day of November: cold and rainy (well, it is 68 degrees in my house and I am cold because I am sitting here typing in a t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops realizing it is probably the time to be wearing socks, shoes, long pants and a sweater during these winter-ish days....oh the dilemma of the seasonal flucuations...just a couple of days into it and already bemoaning the fact my choices are being taken away.....)

and it is my mom's 77 birthday today.

My mother Betty is one phemominal lady - great physical and mental shape, very happy and content and who re-connected with her junior-year high-school sweetheart about ten years ago at her 50th class reunion and has been in love ever since. Mom has always been an engaged-in-life woman, who has taught me the good lessons in my life that never go away, which lessons have the tendency to be biting me in the back of the head when a moral decision must be made (daily, hourly, and by the minute it seems....), especially the ones that I know won't be going the way I wish they would....

As a kid, Mom was a LECTURER when it was time to be repremanded for stupid kid stuff. Those words from her seemed to go on for hours and hours and hours while we just sat there and listened, and I know my sister Diane and I often thought it would be so much easier to have just gotten a swat on the butt rather than having to endure the LECTURE as her way to be corrected......

And, yes, as a kid, I did get into trouble....hard to believe as an adult....but the horns on my head were developed way back then. The love of mischieveousness came about when I realized I wanted nothing more in life than to torment my poor sister, one year younger then myself. I would hide in her closet (no comments please....) waiting long minutes and hours for her to just open her door so I could spring out and scare her!... and then run away holding my stomach because I would be laughing so hard....while she was shreiking and probably swearing at me at the top of her lungs....(Diane was a red-headed girl in the full sense of the meaning.....).

Then of course, my Mom, who was a house-wife and always home, would listen to both sides of the story, and the LECTURE would begin (I usually lost the debate as to why I NEEDED to be scaring and tormenting my sister.....big-time did I lose these debates.....) :

"Don't you know you could have given your poor little sister a heart-attack (I thought: Really? what would that be like? How much harder would I have to scare her for that to happen?)

"What if your sister had had a knife in her hand and stabbed you in self defense? ( A knife? I thought we were never allowed to play with knives? How come she can have a knife and I can't? Because she's a girl right?)

What would you have done if that had been me and I had fainted? What would you have done then? (Well, I remember that on the Dr. Kildare show, they would hook electrodes to your brain and wake you up. I would just have to find the electrodes and plug them into a socket and save you Mom. See how easy that would have been....I really did think this out you know....)

What if that had been the President opening the door and you did that to him and his Secret Service men had to pull their guns out and shoot you? (Really? do you think we could bring the President and drag him to Show-and-Tell at school with the Secret Service guys waving their guns around telling my classmates that I scared the President?)

My mom would tell me the importance of being the "good" older brother, and how I must set an example to her at all times (she did not know that my "little" sister Diane was as diabolical as I was, but she was less apt to get caught at her diabolicalness BECAUSE... SHE... WAS... A... GIRL....).

It was the 50's and little girls would always be in dresses and boys would always have to watch out for them, and NEVER-EVER-NO-MATTER-WHAT hit a girl much less your sister. Gawd....I do believe that little boys wanted to explain to their Mom's and Dad's that "really, she can be really, really mean" and sometimes she just needs to be taken care of...and how come you never catch her doing the mean stuff to me? ....just once, so she will stop pestering me all the time.....

but - it never happened....

So as the older brother, I endured her antics, her sly smiles while I was getting the LECTURES, and kept on my guard at all times for what a little sister could do to make my life miserable....

And yet through all of that, my mom's one constant belief was we take care of each other.

And that is the lesson I remember the most. Possibly a lesson I might take too far with friends and family sometimes, but the one that nags me the most....

It seems to have manifested itself in my adult years with food.

"Poor thing...your car went over the side of the cliff with your passport, I.D., and bank account information? Here, have some soup, that should help"
or
"That rat bastard you married got caught cross-dressing at the election polls?....have some Paella".

I know that looking back, I soothed most things (or possibly medicated) with food. But it was the one aspect that I could do and make a difference, even if it was for just the moment.

Because the older and mellower I get, MOMENTS MATTER.

The moments around a table when the world might be going to hell outside, but your little nephew (insert son, daughter, aunt, uncle, mother, dad, etc.) wants to recite the "Alphabet Song" while missing his two front teeth and making all the "s's, c's, and t's" come out like a swishing noise with a sudden Boston accent (again-insert moms, dad, aunts and uncles, grandma's, grandpa's....not quite as cute this time, and your eyes may be really wide while listening and your mouth frozen in a weird zombie-like smile and the whole time you keep thinking about your gene pool and your future as an aged person...but again you keep thinking...how damn cute they are....and how nice to have them have those lucid moments again...but why do they insist on taking their teeth out when they sit at the table? Note to self: look into Super PolyGrip mixed with Super-Glue if ever needed).

And then we have dinner and the world and its problems float away, because all of a sudden, you want to just hear all the other songs they have memorized.

And that is enough.

And what stays with you is the warmth of the moment frozen in time with the rememberance that you were sharing bread together and it is comforting. Through all of this craziness in our current history, we are comforted and we are nourished with food.

And that is why I love owning a restaurant and cooking food for people that I love.

(Note to self: make a dentist appointment...and look into long term care insurance.)
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We voted today, and I can only hope that it goes MY WAY. And the world will return to a state of less chaos. Maybe. And all of our friends who are watching their savings and their portfolios going down the tubes will find a bit of relief from the outcome.

But regardless of its outcome, I am a married man. And will remain one in the eyes of the California court system. And that is a good, really good thing.
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This months menu is attached following this current railings....You can go to the bottom of the page to find previously posted recipes and other things.

You will find two recipes for these coming cold days, one very quick and wonderful for an 'on the fly' dinner (Pork Tenderloin with Dried Cranberries), and the other, a long simmering, smells-so-good-you-can't-stand-it stew (Hungarian Pork Goulash with Sweet Peppers)that will warm you for many family hours while listening to your grandmother recite the alphabet song.

Your comments and inclusions are highly looked forward to and sometimes become the highlight of my day.

Take Care.

David at Cafe Luna

Dinner Menu November 2008
Ryan and David are in the Kitchen

Appetizers and Light Entrees

Soup - We love soup. Summer and Winter. Made fresh here at Café Luna. Appropriately garnished. Cup 4. Bowl 6.

Baked Brie - Baked Brie cheese with roasted garlic, our house made chutney, red grapes and toasts for spreading. 8.

Sauteed Mushrooms - Fresh mushrooms pan sauteed in fresh garlic, olive oil, butter and wine. 8.

Café Luna House Pate - A wonderful pate made with Marsala wine, chicken livers, pistachio’s and Zante currants. Served with toasts for spreading, house-pickled onions, dried figs and little French cornichons. 8.

Entrees

All entrees are served with a fresh salad of mixed baby greens featuring organically grown lettuces with our house dressing (crumbled Bleu cheese available for 1.50)

Italian Sausage Ragu’ - Italian sausage meat, simmered with garlic, tomatoes, wild and domestic mushrooms, herbs and red wine to make a wonderful sauce served on a bed of Pappardelle pasta (wide ribbons) sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. A pasta lovers favorite and David’s ex-stepmother Gloria Tobassco’s favorite recipe. 22.
(Wine Suggestion: C.G. Di Arie Zinfandel)

Hot Head Special (For All Of You Craving Hot, Spicy Food)::: Yellow Thai Vegetable Curry - The Thai version of curry does not have any curry powder in it, rather a mixture of dry and wet spices, herbs and aromatics that - when pureed together, give this intense heat and flavor that captures all your taste buds in your mouth. This version is made with pan-sauteed eggplant, potatoes, butternut squash, mushrooms, garlic, ginger and chiles, finished with coconut milk and served with rice, topped with a cooling mango cream. Delicious! (Scale of 1 - 10 = 9) (Add Chicken: 4.) 18.
(Wine Suggestion: Opolo Viognier or Madrona Riesling)

Chipotle Chile Pasta (The Other Gary’s Favorite Dish) - To good to ever let it go, now a permanent fixture on our menu. This incredibly flavorful and spicy dish combines boneless chicken, Spanish Chorizo, shrimp and ham pan-sauteed and then simmered in a smoky sauce made with chipotle, tomatoes, cilantro and onions,. Served with Penne pasta, sprinkled with a bit of Mexican Cotilla cheese. Hot, but can be made hotter. 25.
(Heat Scale of 1 - 10 = 9) (Wine Ideas: Renwood Zinfandel or Allan Scott Sauvignon Blanc)

Rib Eye Steak Cowboy Style - A tender 15 oz. Rib-eye steak, well-marbled and dry-marinated, char-broiled to your specification, and served with a smoky "Cowboy" butter, made with smoked paprika, chile powder, garlic and thyme. With mashed potatoes and vegetables (Topped with 4 grilled prawns add 5.) 28.
(Wine Suggestion: Waterston Cabernet Sauvignon or Hess Collection Mountain Cuvee')

Short Ribs of Beef - Our house specialty. Meaty short ribs, slow cooked and slow-braised on a bed of onions until tender, finished in a rich meat broth made from the onions and juices, served on a bed of either mashed potatoes or Parmesan polenta (recommended!!) With fresh vegetables. 26.
(Wine Suggestion: Young's Zinfandel )

Apple-Garlic Glazed Pork Chop - A 14 oz. double-cut pork chop, brined for juiciness, brushed with an apple and garlic glaze, char-broiled to medium, served topped with a fresh apple, sage, roasted garlic and caramelized onion "jam". Served with mashed potatoes and fresh sauteed vegetables. 25.
(Wine Suggestion: Acacia Pinot Noir)

Rack of Lamb - Lamb rack coated in minced garlic and mint and Dijon, roasted medium rare, sliced and served with a fresh mint, garlic and lemon pesto. With mashed potatoes and fresh sauteed vegetables. 28.
(Wine Suggestion: Boeger Cab Franc or Iverson Cabernet)

Chicken Picatta - One of our most popular chicken dishes. Boneless breast of chicken sauteed with garlic, capers, artichoke hearts and lemon juice, finished with a dash of cream and served with mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables. 23.
(Wine Suggestion: MacRostie Chardonnay)

Fresh Catch- Fresh Halibut - One of our favorite fish due to its clean flavors, pure white flesh, and perfect grilling and broiling capabilities, this fish is sweet in flavor and flaky. We are coating it with fresh herbed bread crumbs, pan-roasting until golden and serving it topped with a fresh citrus gremolata butter made with fresh Italian parsley, garlic, orange, lemon and lime zest finished with toasted pecans. With Basmati rice and fresh vegetables. 24.
(Wine Suggestion: St. Jean Chardonnay or Acacia Pinot Noir)

Scallop and Mushroom Gratin’ - Large sea scallops gratineéd with mushrooms, onions, cream and topped with cheese, broiled until golden and served with herbed Basmati rice and fresh vegetables. 25.
(Wine Suggestion: "J" Pinot Gris)

Pasta Raphael - Chunks of fresh Atlantic salmon filet simmered in a rich sauce made with tomatoes, white wine and artichoke hearts, basil and herbs, finished with a bit of cream and topped with Parmesan cheese. Served on a bed of Angel Hair pasta. 25.
(Wine Suggestion: Boeger Sauvignon Blanc or MacRostie Merlot)

Catch of the Day : Basa - A wonderful white fish similar to Filet of Sole: sweet, flaky and moist. It is lightly dusted in Panko bread crumbs, pan-sauteed and topped with a lemon-butter pan reduction sauce and toasted almonds. Served with rice pilaf and fresh vegetables. 24.
(Wine Suggestion: "J" Pinot Gris)

Prawns ala’ Casa de Luna - A dish we love: large prawns split in half with-in their shells, skewered and marinated in citrus juices, mango’s, and garlic, quickly char-broiled and served with a wonderful lime dipping butter. On a bed of herbed Basmati rice with fresh sauteed vegetables. Leaving them in their shells enhances the flavor so much more! Messy but delicious finger food! Extra napkins available. 26.
(Suggestion: Boeger Sauvignon Blanc)

Fresh Tomato Saute - Mixed locally-grown organic cherry and grape tomatoes, pan sauteed with garlic, basil, and a hint of chile flakes, finished in white wine and served tossed with Orecchiette pasta (pronounced ohr-ay-KYEHT-ee meaning "Little Ears") , topped with Parmesan cheese and top baked until golden. (Add Shrimp - 5. Add Chicken - 4.) 17.
(Wine Suggestion: Noceto Sangiovese)

Split Plate Charge: 5.00 /
8.00 per person minimum table service charge /
We use Kosher Salt for cooking and on our tables /
Please, no seperate checks if at all possible /
18% Gratuity on parties of 6 or more

Café Luna 451 Main Street, #8, Placerville, Ca
Phone 530/642-8669
e-mail: garydave@pacbell.net

Spicy Hungarian Pork Goulash with Peppers, ala Cafe Luna
Serves 6
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3 TB Vegetable Oil
1 Large Onion, chopped, yellow or white
3 cloves Garlic, mashed to a paste with 1/4 kosher salt
1-1/2 TBL Hungarian hot Paprika
½ tsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed
½ tsp ground cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
2 # Boneless pork butt, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 qt. low sodium beef stock or water (or more to cover pork)
2 Large Ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Large Red bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 1" pieces
2 Large Potatoes, (about 2-1/2 # total), peeled and diced int 3/4" pieces

Procedure:

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed Dutch oven over moderately low heat until hot, but not smoking.

2. Cook the onion, garlic, paprika, caraway seeds, and cayenne until the onion is softened, but not browned, about 8 minutes.

3. Increase the heat to high, add the pork, and brown, stirring occasionally, for about 8 more minutes (Don't crowd the pork otherwise it will steam. If your pan is too small, cook in smaller batches until all the meat is "toasty" and browned). Add more oil if necessary, 1 TBL at a time.

4. Add the stock or water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and then continue at a bare simmer, covered for 1 hour, or until the pork is tender. Stir in the tomatoes and red peppers, and simmer gently, uncovered for 30 more minutes.

5. Stir in the potatoes, and simmer until they are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Season to taste, and serve in deep soup bowls.

Variations: Serve with Basmati, or a loose grain rice; or wide noodles. I like to top the goulash off with a bit of sour cream or Cr me Fraiche. Sprinkle top with fresh minced flat-leafed parsley for garnish.

Enjoy.....David

Pork Tenderloin with Triple Sec and Dried Cranberries
serves 2
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2 TBL. Olive oil, or a blend of Olive oil and canola oil
8 oz. Pork Tenderloin, sliced into 6 slices, about 1/4" thick, pounded lightly to even out
Seasoned Flour (Kosher or Sea Salt, fresh ground pepper, granulated garlic)
3 TBL. Dried Cranberries
1 tsp Fresh garlic, minced
1/4 cup Triple Sec
1/4 cup Chicken Stock
1 tsp. Freshly grated orange zest
dash Salt
dash Black Pepper
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Procedure
1. In large saute pan, heat oil until almost smoking.

2. Lightly flour pork slices, and carefully slip into pan. Saute on high for about 1-2 minutes until nicely golden, and turn over and do the same.

3. Remove pork from pan to a plate; add to pan the dried cranberries and the Triple Sec. Stand back and let flame (if cooking on an electric stove, light with a long handled lighter.

4. Add all other (except the cooked pork) ingredients and simmer for about one minute.

5. If eating right away, add the pork back to the pan, gently reheat the meat and serve pouring the thickened sauce over the meat.

(Making ahead: When the sauce is done, turn off the heat and let cool. When ready to serve, reheat the sauce, return the pork to the pan, heating only enough to warm the meat, and serve.)

To Serve:
I like to serve this dish with either fluffy mashed potatoes or a rice pilaf, or just as good: cous-cous. Mound your starch in the middle of the plate (about 1 cup worth) and then fan the meat leaning on your starch, and drizzle sauce over the top and on the plate.

Enjoy.

October 2008 Rants, Raves and Recipes

Hi All You Luna/tics:

It is October, Apple Hill is getting under way with a full speed ahead, our local wineries are harvesting with a vengeance, and the fruit fly's are everywhere it seems.....

We have some new staffers at Cafe Luna: our new server, Teresa, and our new assistant chef, Ryan. Both have been working at restaurants for a while now, and we welcome them into the madness!

Our friend Julie died.

Julie was one of those ladies who lit up the room with her grace. She was not a loud woman, yet her presence was always felt as soon as you saw her smile and the warmth she always radiated.

Julie was married to Phil. Their marriage is one that - when you saw them, strangers assumed they were newlyweds. The held hands in public. They flirted with each other and they had "dates". We loved seeing them talk and laugh and touch each other across the table when they were dining. We loved seeing them just look in each others eyes...

They loved wine and we shared many, many bottles together. Julie and Phil would go on trips to the wineries here and in Napa, and come back with new finds for me to try. Julie would sip a wine and just lean back a little in her chair and give me the "it's incredible" sigh that we wino's give to each other silently.

Julie hated mushrooms and she hated peas. She loved chicken and she loved meats.

Julie was a prankster. She could keep a straight face while all of us were crazy with laughter. She was one of the first to laugh and laugh loudly. She loved to sing, and a couple of years ago on a cruise we all went on together, she gifted us all with a song. Julie was a singer who surprised us with her tiny speaking voice and her big singing voice.

Julie seemed to always have an aura of peace about her.

Julie was a lady.

Julie was a very graceful lady who we will miss.

Julie was our dear friend who died at the age of 41.

Julie was loved. By her husband, her family and by her friends.

Who will miss her.

Julie was a very good woman and friend.

Gary and I are pretty stoked about our back-yard and its outcome. Yes, I am attaching five pictures for those of you interested. You may be surprised to find out we are pretty avid gardeners, and I love to work out my frustrations on pruning. Gary always knows when I am close to nuts. I can go out in the yard and prune a full grown banana tree over 8 foot tall down to a stump. But damn, I felt better. And the best part, the banana tree is back to 8 foot tall in just a couple of months (welll....I may be exagerating just a tad there...but you get my gist....).

We are in zone 9 there. It is amazing what can grow there that I have had to keep in pots and protected during the winters. Did I tell you about my dwarf Meyer Lemon tree that has been in bud and with fruit for over a year now? Did I tell you (yes, I think I did way too many times....) that my lime tree is alive with flower buds? As a gardener and a plant whore, I can not keep this contained inside....

But of course, The Serrano Gawds have decided what we should not have in the yard. Our Pygmy Date palms that are growing in pots flanking the waterfall/pool are apparently illegal as they stand. We are working on rectifying this problem.

Or not.

Arrrrrggggggg........................

'Nuff said.

We are just this-much-closer to the new line of condiments we will be offering very soon. My logo and my labels are done, and the fruits and spices are accumulating to the point of busting out of the shelves. This is a happy time for me, since canning and condiment-making is something I love to do. This also relieves stress you know.

Which brings up our collective state of mind lately.

For those of you interested, The Deed will be done this Monday for Gary and myself. It will be official. We have decided to do something very low key to get under the wire of the election. It is a good thing to do. It is even a better thing that we are able to.

The choices we have made about our lives seem to be an example of what we are. When people who are kind and excited about life and the world around them get thrown together and it works----well, we all deserve to be happy.

Living a good life filled with great examples of joy and happiness and excitement and wonder and befuddlement and craziness and laughter and conversations and work and close friends and what the future holds is what keeps all of us with our heads in the clouds. Thirty-seven glorious years.

Thirty-seven wonderful glorious years, damn it!

Gawd, he is lucky.

Me too.

Vote No on 8.

The Menu:
This month, we are offering a couple of new items on the menu. We are doing a Cajun Prawn dish that has a goodly portion of large prawns pan-sauteed with herbs and spices and Marsala wine. This is a very good dish for our shrimp lovers.

With my continuing love of Eastern Curry dishes, this month we are offering a Yellow Thai Vegetable Curry as our Hot Head selection. A mixture of eggplant, butternut squash, mushrooms, potatoes, squash, carrots and other vegetables, this is a wonderful ginger, coconut milk and chiles mixture and can be very spicy! It can also be prepared with chicken if you are looking for that, but it is wonderful as prepared. Vegetarians unite!

Mr. Tony talked me into writing out my recipe for the Wild Mushroom Soup that I spoke about in our last letter. It became one of the soups I could not make enough of, and that is a good thing. So, here you are, and Tony, here you are.
Thanks for asking. And glad you liked it.

It is approaching winter, which means meats simmering and groups of hungry cold visitors, kids, and friends. So what better than Beef Stroganoff? I am including our recipe for this popular dish, one which we have always used filet mignon for, since it is so very easy to cook with, but also simmers well in stews. This dish is not a long simmering dish, but rather a quick-saute-then-finish-in- sauce dish. You will like it. This recipe is for a large party portion, or if you have more than 4 kids, you are covered.

TUESDAY NIGHTS
I am somewhat of a hero to my staffers. Closing Sundays and opening up on Tuesdays have made all of us happier campers. Tuesday nights, as some of you locals know, is somewhat quiet dining wise downtown. Come in and visit and harrass Maria and have her tell you stories about her life in Argentina as a girl many, many years ago.

WINO WEDNESDAYS
Don't forget Wino Wednesdays at Cafe Luna: All bottles under $30 and over $50 are 30% off the menu price. Good chance to try some new wines and maybe a second bottle.
As always, all the written attachements are in PDF format.
Drop a line about your lives and your loves and your favorite things. It keeps a closeted kitchen guy hungry for more.

Take Care.
David at Cafe Luna