This Months Menu High-Lights.....
New This Menu:
Well my friends, the menu change has been a hit! The two page format with one page of appetizers and light entree's along with several salads has been very much of a tasting menu for a lot of you. Thank you!!!
Main Entrees
Mediterranean Seafood Stew - Did you know Gary is half Portuguese? His Mom's family was from the beautiful Azores - an incredible tropical island that we will someday visit. His mom was also the kind of cook that could make mud-pies taste good. She taught me the benefit of Linguisa sausage and the role it plays in Portuguese cooking. Kind of like our bacon. The Linguisa renders its fat, and that is used to saute and other parts of the dish, gathering layer after layer of flavors. We are taking large prawns, cod fish and clams, sauteing them with Linguisa, tomatoes and white onions, finishing them with a great saffron stock and fresh fennel sauce, and serving with a mound of Basmati rice. Wonderful. So good sometimes it hurts.
Prawns ala' Casa Gary and I were fortunate to have gone to this great hotel on the beaches of Mexico. The town is named "Troncones" and it is outside of Ixtapa on the coast. It is named Casa de la Serena (double click the name to take your to their web-site).. Debbie and Mike are great hosts, and have a wonderful place for us to totally "veg" out at. The avocado's are the size of my little nephews head (the 5 year old, not the 18 year old), the fish is caught right outside in the ocean and brought to the front door each morning for us to look at and purchase off the boat, and the people are soooooo laid back (groovey man...), that all you can do is relax. So that is what we are going to do again this January.
But I digress.....the Prawns! The Prawns!!! One day, we ordered 2 kilos of fresh prawns and the six of us looked at the amount of them, and said "there is no way we are going to eat all of these.....we will have to invite the village for an after dinner-dinner to eat the rest." (we are very generous that way.....) But we cleaned them, keeping the shells intact, marinated them in a puree of chiles, limes, mangos and oranges, and then barbecued them on an open flame in the shells and started to eat. Well, let me say this with all honesty: I have never seen Sheri or Sally eat so much in my entire life! The men just sat back and told them to please help themselves, thinking they would just eat a little bit, then tell us "I'm so full::::I couldn't eat another thing!" But nooooo.....our little tank-girls consumed more than their fair share, and we poor guys starved and had to subsist on Gold tequila and guacamole. Well, long story short: they are fantastic cooked in the shells, more flavor than you can imagine, messy but soooo good.....try these....Extra napkins on request.
Salmon Wellington - Fresh Pacific salmon filets topped with caramelized leeks and carrots, rubbed with French mustard and tarragon, wrapped in puff pastry and baked until golden. Served topped with a light Meyer lemon beurre blanc. Dee-lish!!!!
Jerk Pork - The "HOT-HEAD" selection this month. I love "jerked" meats and vegetables, and believe it or not, the first place we tasted it was in Cozumel, Mexico. The influenences of the Caribbean, Mexico, Cuba and South America on this little island made my gastronomical juices happier than they have ever been. Hot. No, I mean really, really HOT and spicy and sweet and aromatic and full of flavors that between sweating and dripping, I was ohhh-ing and ahh-ing so much that I wanted to forget about getting back on the cruise ship and just stay there and simmer away....That good. We are taking our Jerk sauce, made with about 25 ingredients of fresh herbs, vegetables and many spices, pureed to a smooth paste, and then cooking the boneless pork and vegetables until they are tender and full of this wonderfulness that HotHeads crave: a #9 on the heat scale. If you love hot spicy foods, you are in heaven. The nice part about this is it can also be a vegetarian option, as the base is meatless. So there Mr. D.....food at last.
Appetizers, Small Plates and Light Entrees
Whoo-hoo! Our best girl-friend Sally steered me into this new region of smaller plates and things to try. She is my food concious, the one in the white robe sitting on my right shoulder while I sit on my left shoulder - usually with red on and horns.....
Stuffed Figs: Fresh figs stuffed with Gorgonzola Dolcelatte cheese, wrapped in Proscuitto, and served topped with a bit of a raspberry and Balsamic "gastrique"... a wonderful slowly reduced sauce thick enough to stay on your plate and packed with flavor. Get them while they last.
Market Pasta: Angel hair pasta, tossed with a bit of butter, fresh chopped Heirloom tomatoes, topped with our house-made pesto sauce. Simple, flavorful and to the point.
Ahi Tuna: Rare Ahi tuna, on a bed of baby greens, topped with an Italian infused Meyer lemon olive oil, served with a red chile aioli with toasts.
Gary's Mac and Cheese: He still amazes me after all these years. Still my favorite version, having tasted hundreds of versions of this confort dish. Macaroni pasta, with minced sauteed wild mushrooms, three kinds of cheese, topped with a crunchy topping, baked and topped with a spoonful of sour cream. What could be better than this?
Torta Rustica: Individual puff pastry pies, filled with sauteed veggies, Mozzarella cheese, baked until golden, and served topped with a bit of a roasted garlic and basil cream sauce. Another vegetable dish that makes you forget about meats.
Italian Sausage Polenta: Italian-style polenta cooked slowly with basil, thyme, Parmesan cheese and diced Italian sausages, cut into wedges, pan-sauteed until a bit golden, and then served layered with our house-made Marinara sauce and topped with Fontina cheese and broiled until golden and bubbly.....enough said.
Salade Nicoise - Lightly Dijon dressed greens topped with steamed potatoes, hard cooked eggs, steamed French green beans, artichoke hearts, Roma tomatoe, caper and Nicoise olives then slices of charred rare Ahi Tuna......see picture above.....its delicious.....
Sesame Noodle Salad - Thin noodles dressed in our own Peanut Sesame dressing, topped with celey, carrot slivers, scallions basil and cilantro, and chopped peanuts, served on a bed of baby greens. Served cold, this is such a hot summer dish!!!
Sep 4, 2009
Aug 10, 2009
Hi All You Luna/tics!!
Yes, yes, yes... I am seven days late with this - but for a valid (I think so at least) reason. We are trying a new concept here at Cafe Luna, that I wanted to make sure was workable in my tiny, tiny kitchen. And the fact that Ryan and Teresa are off getting married (many congratulations and success!!) and honeymooning, so it really is a solo effort.
We have included almost a whole page of new appetizers, light entrees and small plates, plus some new salads to the menu along with our page of entrees. This to shake it up a bit for ourselves, and mostly to make my regulars happy with items that they can share, or just have a small portion of. So I think you will be happy with this new rendering.
I have had four nights now of trying it out on unsuspecting souls, and have gotten the rhythm down to a roll, and am ready to proceed into the future. So here you go, new menu is downloadable below, our monthly promotions are here, along with a downloadable page of coupons, and on top of that, some new wine trivia and info of what we are doing.
Next week, you will be getting another letter from me with a great couple of recipes on it that will help relieve summer.
UPDATE: Tomatoes plants at house: Zero (0) on one bush, 18 on the other. But who's counting?
Now here is the real story: Gary and I have been in the middle of a major 12 week project that the builders of our home have been conducting. The paint on our house has bubbled and blistered off, and the contractor has had to strip the paint and then grind all the first 1/4" of plaster off the entire outside of the house. That took three weeks. We have been living with humongous amounts of plaster dust everywhere. And unable to get to the vegetable garden side of the house. So, with the tomato plants full of plaster dust, they dwindled to half their size. And to add insult to injury, these ugly green horned tomato worms from hell suddenly appeared out of nowhere and preceded to eat the rest of the plants leaves.
Now listen, if you have not seen these "things" let me give you a visual:
Imagine your index finger without a bone, all bright green and undulating as you touch them. Squishy and sticking to your tomato plant with Velcro-like strength. And imagine yourself trying to pull them off, and in the back of your mind screaming like a little girl because you have to even touch them, because you are also afraid that they might break in half or worse: squish in your fingers. Well... the butch guy that I am winds up having to lean against the wall and take a breath after just looking at these things, and then sterilize my hands for half an hour afterwards. (yeah, yeah, yeah: wear gloves you say.....well you have to understand I don't want anything of mine to touch these things....).
So this month, the worms win......
I love the Farmers Market.....
We hope to see you soon, and hope you might drop a line of your tomato plant experiences.....and your favorite recipes and things to eat in the summertime....love hearing from you.
Take care.
David at Cafe Luna
____________________________________________________________
August 2009 Promotions
Double-click here for a printable page of coupons
Here is our promotional plan for this month (oh you Wino's will be happy!!)
#1. On Wino Wednesday, all wines are 30% off the list price. The change here is it used to be wines under $35.00 and over 50.00......now you get to have any one on the menu, bottles only. So now, a $40.00 bottle will run you $28.00 on Wino Wednesdays......Yahoo!!!!!
#2. BYOB Thursdays! On Thursday nights, we will be having diners wishing to bring in their own bottles of wine getting two free corkage per table. That alone will be a $30.00 savings. Please don't bring in wines on our list though.....how gauche. Call us first if you have a question......or better yet, how about if I download a copy of our current listings with this mailing?
#3. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights 1/2 off dinner coupons. Buy first dinner at regular price, second dinner is half off the menu price. Bring the attached coupon in and be honored for the month of August, 2009.
___________________________________________________________
Mr. Don's Pan Roasted Chicken Breast - Don is a great guy who loved this chicken dish, and if you love something and are the first to tell me, you get a plate named after you. Well, he and his lovely bride are two people who have opinions that I like to hear, and if he loves it, it must be great. We take a "Frenched" chicken breast - a breast with just one joint of the wing in it - pan-saute it until the skin is ultra crispy, finish roasting in the oven, and then serving it on a bed of baby gnocchi's, Fingerling potatoes, and roasted mushrooms in a rich pan-pan juice reduction with a bit of fresh basil. Heaven on a plate.
Jerk Pork - The "HOT-HEAD" selection this month. I love "jerked" meats and vegetables, and believe it or not, the first place we tasted it was in Cozumel, Mexico. The influenences of the Caribbean, Mexico, Cuba and South America on this little island made my gastronomical juices happier than they have ever been. Hot. No, I mean really, really HOT and spicy and sweet and aromatic and full of flavors that between sweating and dripping, I was ohhh-ing and ahh-ing so much that I wanted to forget about getting back on the cruise ship and just stay there and simmer away....That good. We are taking our Jerk sauce, made with about 25 ingredients of fresh herbs, vegetables and many spices, pureed to a smooth paste, and then cooking the boneless pork and vegetables until they are tender and full of this wonderfulness that HotHeads crave: a #9 on the heat scale. If you love hot spicy foods, you are in heaven. The nice part about this is it can also be a vegetarian option, as the base is meatless. So there Mr. D.....food at last.
Appetizers, Small Plates and Light Entrees
Whoo-hoo! Our best girl-friend Sally steered me into this new region of smaller plates and things to try. She is my food concious, the one in the white robe sitting on my right shouldar while I sit on my left shouldar - usually with red on and horns.....
Stuffed Figs: Fresh figs stuffed with Gorgonzola Dolcelatte cheese, wrapped in Proscuitto, and served topped with a bit of a raspberry and Balsamic "gastrique"... a wonderful slowly reduced sauce thick enough to stay on your plate and packed with flavor. Get them while they last.
Mixed Plate: 3 or 4 Artisinal cheeses, fresh fruit, sliced cured meats and Gary's "Pops" peppers - sweet bells roasted, skinned and pickled with onions. Wonderful served with breads to smear everything on.
Market Pasta: Angel hair pasta, tossed with a bit of butter, fresh chopped Heirloom tomatoes, topped with our house-made pesto sauce. Simple, flavorful and to the point.
Ahi Tuna: Rare Ahi tuna, on a bed of baby greens, topped with an Italian infused Meyer lemon olive oil, served with a red chile aioli with toasts.
Gary's Mac and Cheese: He still amazes me after all these years. Still my favorite version, having tasted hundreds of versions of this confort dish. Macaroni pasta, with minced sauteed wild mushrooms, three kinds of cheese, topped with a crunchy topping, baked and topped with a spoonful of sour cream. What could be better than this?
Torta Rustica: Individual puff pastry pies, filled with sauteed veggies, Mozzarella cheese, baked until golden, and served topped with a bit of a roasted garlic and basil cream sauce. Another vegetable dish that makes you forget about meats.
Pork Sliders: We love barbecued pork, slow cooked, shredded and simmered in our barbecue sauce. So we are serving three of these babies with some fun options: red pickled onions rings, vinegar cucumbers, and little French cornichons - tiny pickles. This is fun food.
____________________________________________________________
Trade Notes / Rants & Raves
More Wine Notes and Cafe Luna Wine Club Information:::
Our local wineries are great. Great to visit, great to taste and sample, and even better because it is good money spent for your collection. We have maps here at Cafe Luna, and believe me, Gary loves to map out a route for you if you want.
Each week, I get to taste some of the very best this county has to offer. I am overwhelmed at what we have around us.....and I only wish that my Cafe and my pocketbook let me buy all of the great and wonderful wines I get to sample (eat your hearts out....)
But, yes, there are some not so great wines out there too. Be discerning. Develop a sense of what you like in a wine and grow from there. The wineries will help you developed your palate and if you learn to trust your own taste-buds, you will be happy. My Motto: you either love it or you do not: no one can convince you otherwise. Stick to you guns, and buy and drink what you love and can afford.
And right now, many of them are having winery only specials that can save you a bundle. Visit them or call them...You will be happy.
I am endeavoring to developed a list of like-minded people who are looking for some outstanding and very reasonably priced wines. This group will be for Case Purchasing only, at a very big discount. If you would like to be included in this Wine Club at Cafe Luna, drop us a line. It will be for pick-up here only, and we will be sampling these new wines a couple of times a month. We just sold an Italian Primitivo for $11.00 a bottle, and it was great!!
These are wines we won't be carrying here on our list, because they are usually small lots of production.
When you check out these wineries, make sure you check their Events pages if they have them. These are the upcoming days when you will be able to enjoy some of the special offerings that the counties have to showcase their wares. Those days are fun, and you get to do something out of the normal range. These summer days ahead are going to be a blast for us wine drinkers, and the wineries are trying to keep us amazed at what they can do. And you can buy incredible wines on top of it all. I love my job....
___________________________________________________________
Thank you for your business, we can only hope that things are getting better for all of us.
We love seeing your faces, and miss seeing those we do not.
Drop me a line with an idea, or a suggestion and I will try to respond.
Take care.
David at Cafe Luna
Yes, yes, yes... I am seven days late with this - but for a valid (I think so at least) reason. We are trying a new concept here at Cafe Luna, that I wanted to make sure was workable in my tiny, tiny kitchen. And the fact that Ryan and Teresa are off getting married (many congratulations and success!!) and honeymooning, so it really is a solo effort.
We have included almost a whole page of new appetizers, light entrees and small plates, plus some new salads to the menu along with our page of entrees. This to shake it up a bit for ourselves, and mostly to make my regulars happy with items that they can share, or just have a small portion of. So I think you will be happy with this new rendering.
I have had four nights now of trying it out on unsuspecting souls, and have gotten the rhythm down to a roll, and am ready to proceed into the future. So here you go, new menu is downloadable below, our monthly promotions are here, along with a downloadable page of coupons, and on top of that, some new wine trivia and info of what we are doing.
Next week, you will be getting another letter from me with a great couple of recipes on it that will help relieve summer.
UPDATE: Tomatoes plants at house: Zero (0) on one bush, 18 on the other. But who's counting?
Now here is the real story: Gary and I have been in the middle of a major 12 week project that the builders of our home have been conducting. The paint on our house has bubbled and blistered off, and the contractor has had to strip the paint and then grind all the first 1/4" of plaster off the entire outside of the house. That took three weeks. We have been living with humongous amounts of plaster dust everywhere. And unable to get to the vegetable garden side of the house. So, with the tomato plants full of plaster dust, they dwindled to half their size. And to add insult to injury, these ugly green horned tomato worms from hell suddenly appeared out of nowhere and preceded to eat the rest of the plants leaves.
Now listen, if you have not seen these "things" let me give you a visual:
Imagine your index finger without a bone, all bright green and undulating as you touch them. Squishy and sticking to your tomato plant with Velcro-like strength. And imagine yourself trying to pull them off, and in the back of your mind screaming like a little girl because you have to even touch them, because you are also afraid that they might break in half or worse: squish in your fingers. Well... the butch guy that I am winds up having to lean against the wall and take a breath after just looking at these things, and then sterilize my hands for half an hour afterwards. (yeah, yeah, yeah: wear gloves you say.....well you have to understand I don't want anything of mine to touch these things....).
So this month, the worms win......
I love the Farmers Market.....
We hope to see you soon, and hope you might drop a line of your tomato plant experiences.....and your favorite recipes and things to eat in the summertime....love hearing from you.
Take care.
David at Cafe Luna
____________________________________________________________
August 2009 Promotions
Double-click here for a printable page of coupons
Here is our promotional plan for this month (oh you Wino's will be happy!!)
#1. On Wino Wednesday, all wines are 30% off the list price. The change here is it used to be wines under $35.00 and over 50.00......now you get to have any one on the menu, bottles only. So now, a $40.00 bottle will run you $28.00 on Wino Wednesdays......Yahoo!!!!!
#2. BYOB Thursdays! On Thursday nights, we will be having diners wishing to bring in their own bottles of wine getting two free corkage per table. That alone will be a $30.00 savings. Please don't bring in wines on our list though.....how gauche. Call us first if you have a question......or better yet, how about if I download a copy of our current listings with this mailing?
#3. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights 1/2 off dinner coupons. Buy first dinner at regular price, second dinner is half off the menu price. Bring the attached coupon in and be honored for the month of August, 2009.
___________________________________________________________
Double-click here for a printable copy of this months menu
New This Menu:
Main Entrees
Mr. Don's Pan Roasted Chicken Breast - Don is a great guy who loved this chicken dish, and if you love something and are the first to tell me, you get a plate named after you. Well, he and his lovely bride are two people who have opinions that I like to hear, and if he loves it, it must be great. We take a "Frenched" chicken breast - a breast with just one joint of the wing in it - pan-saute it until the skin is ultra crispy, finish roasting in the oven, and then serving it on a bed of baby gnocchi's, Fingerling potatoes, and roasted mushrooms in a rich pan-pan juice reduction with a bit of fresh basil. Heaven on a plate.
Jerk Pork - The "HOT-HEAD" selection this month. I love "jerked" meats and vegetables, and believe it or not, the first place we tasted it was in Cozumel, Mexico. The influenences of the Caribbean, Mexico, Cuba and South America on this little island made my gastronomical juices happier than they have ever been. Hot. No, I mean really, really HOT and spicy and sweet and aromatic and full of flavors that between sweating and dripping, I was ohhh-ing and ahh-ing so much that I wanted to forget about getting back on the cruise ship and just stay there and simmer away....That good. We are taking our Jerk sauce, made with about 25 ingredients of fresh herbs, vegetables and many spices, pureed to a smooth paste, and then cooking the boneless pork and vegetables until they are tender and full of this wonderfulness that HotHeads crave: a #9 on the heat scale. If you love hot spicy foods, you are in heaven. The nice part about this is it can also be a vegetarian option, as the base is meatless. So there Mr. D.....food at last.
Appetizers, Small Plates and Light Entrees
Whoo-hoo! Our best girl-friend Sally steered me into this new region of smaller plates and things to try. She is my food concious, the one in the white robe sitting on my right shouldar while I sit on my left shouldar - usually with red on and horns.....
Stuffed Figs: Fresh figs stuffed with Gorgonzola Dolcelatte cheese, wrapped in Proscuitto, and served topped with a bit of a raspberry and Balsamic "gastrique"... a wonderful slowly reduced sauce thick enough to stay on your plate and packed with flavor. Get them while they last.
Mixed Plate: 3 or 4 Artisinal cheeses, fresh fruit, sliced cured meats and Gary's "Pops" peppers - sweet bells roasted, skinned and pickled with onions. Wonderful served with breads to smear everything on.
Market Pasta: Angel hair pasta, tossed with a bit of butter, fresh chopped Heirloom tomatoes, topped with our house-made pesto sauce. Simple, flavorful and to the point.
Ahi Tuna: Rare Ahi tuna, on a bed of baby greens, topped with an Italian infused Meyer lemon olive oil, served with a red chile aioli with toasts.
Gary's Mac and Cheese: He still amazes me after all these years. Still my favorite version, having tasted hundreds of versions of this confort dish. Macaroni pasta, with minced sauteed wild mushrooms, three kinds of cheese, topped with a crunchy topping, baked and topped with a spoonful of sour cream. What could be better than this?
Torta Rustica: Individual puff pastry pies, filled with sauteed veggies, Mozzarella cheese, baked until golden, and served topped with a bit of a roasted garlic and basil cream sauce. Another vegetable dish that makes you forget about meats.
Pork Sliders: We love barbecued pork, slow cooked, shredded and simmered in our barbecue sauce. So we are serving three of these babies with some fun options: red pickled onions rings, vinegar cucumbers, and little French cornichons - tiny pickles. This is fun food.
____________________________________________________________
Trade Notes / Rants & Raves
More Wine Notes and Cafe Luna Wine Club Information:::
Our local wineries are great. Great to visit, great to taste and sample, and even better because it is good money spent for your collection. We have maps here at Cafe Luna, and believe me, Gary loves to map out a route for you if you want.
Each week, I get to taste some of the very best this county has to offer. I am overwhelmed at what we have around us.....and I only wish that my Cafe and my pocketbook let me buy all of the great and wonderful wines I get to sample (eat your hearts out....)
But, yes, there are some not so great wines out there too. Be discerning. Develop a sense of what you like in a wine and grow from there. The wineries will help you developed your palate and if you learn to trust your own taste-buds, you will be happy. My Motto: you either love it or you do not: no one can convince you otherwise. Stick to you guns, and buy and drink what you love and can afford.
And right now, many of them are having winery only specials that can save you a bundle. Visit them or call them...You will be happy.
I am endeavoring to developed a list of like-minded people who are looking for some outstanding and very reasonably priced wines. This group will be for Case Purchasing only, at a very big discount. If you would like to be included in this Wine Club at Cafe Luna, drop us a line. It will be for pick-up here only, and we will be sampling these new wines a couple of times a month. We just sold an Italian Primitivo for $11.00 a bottle, and it was great!!
These are wines we won't be carrying here on our list, because they are usually small lots of production.
When you check out these wineries, make sure you check their Events pages if they have them. These are the upcoming days when you will be able to enjoy some of the special offerings that the counties have to showcase their wares. Those days are fun, and you get to do something out of the normal range. These summer days ahead are going to be a blast for us wine drinkers, and the wineries are trying to keep us amazed at what they can do. And you can buy incredible wines on top of it all. I love my job....
___________________________________________________________
Thank you for your business, we can only hope that things are getting better for all of us.
We love seeing your faces, and miss seeing those we do not.
Drop me a line with an idea, or a suggestion and I will try to respond.
Take care.
David at Cafe Luna
Jul 3, 2009
Hi All You Luna/tics!!
"Ain't it cool?" (To quote John Travolta...)
The weather I mean? Sweaters or t-shirts? What should we be wearing? And with this weather we can see who really has those fake sprayed on tans and how "natural" they look. Ha! Weather in the 80's.....who are they trying to kid?
UPDATE: Tomatoes plants at house: 56 on one bush, 39 on the other. But who's counting? (ME!!!)
So as we start out on the month, I am perplexed as to what we should be looking forward to. The weather, yes, of course. The new menu: a given. New and improved wines? My Holy Grail. Older wines just getting better: the dream and the reality.
But the forecast? Don't know so much about this one.
As a raging optimist, I must say, it is beginning to get me down. To have so many people that we personally know without a job, or getting letters of "intent" to be possibly layed off -- well.........optimism has a tendency to get pushed way back on the burners. And to have people that you love being let go:::::
what are we able to do for them?
Gary and I can at least feed these friends because we do believe that a good plate of good food helps to heal wounds -- for at least the moment you are eating. And maybe pour some great wines that will take the edge off of what we are all encountering daily.
But............
What can we do to get us away from the "ottimista/pessimista" margin?
We walk around and just hope? We talk and we keep this quiet rage inside that helps to balance the sheer dread that is becoming a part of daily life?
We cut back. We cut back. We cut back.
And in the end, we save.
But:
What are we saving for?
I do believe that it is getting to the point of people getting more involved in what we are experiencing in the country - possibly understanding that we do not "need" all the excesses that has become our symbol of "America". Not when so many of our friends and family are part of the citizenship that is looking for a job or hoping to keep their jobs at what ever costs. We are not used to this here. To have people you know wondering WHY did they buy that certain thing or WHAT WERE WE THINKING when they bit off the bit they finally could not chew, the one that put them over the edge. We have all done it at one time or another, made the leap on future faith: in our wages, our ability to pay or what ever.....
And yet, here we are.
And so, on a daily basis, I personally am getting a bit more numb. I am appreciative for what good things happen in our near future, but then somehow, expecting the bad news that seems to be delivered daily.
The cute monkey on our backs.
And with that, the numbness of America.
And with that bit of bouncing off my chest, here is the best thing for me about July: Gary's BIG BIRTHDAY!!! I will let him tell you his new age this month, but just let me say that my Blue-Cross/Anthem bill will be significantly reduced because of this new age!! He has already told me that we will not be changing anything in the house, no ramps in the bathtub, no magnifying glasses next to his books, no big necklace with a big red button on it to wire him into the medics in the event that he falls and cannot get up......
Nooooo not for him.....(sometimes he just sucks the joy out of some of the things I am planning....)
But it will mean another man at a certain age that people look at and say "Damn, he looks good."
I think so.......and that matters.
"Ain't it cool?" (To quote John Travolta...)
The weather I mean? Sweaters or t-shirts? What should we be wearing? And with this weather we can see who really has those fake sprayed on tans and how "natural" they look. Ha! Weather in the 80's.....who are they trying to kid?
UPDATE: Tomatoes plants at house: 56 on one bush, 39 on the other. But who's counting? (ME!!!)
So as we start out on the month, I am perplexed as to what we should be looking forward to. The weather, yes, of course. The new menu: a given. New and improved wines? My Holy Grail. Older wines just getting better: the dream and the reality.
But the forecast? Don't know so much about this one.
As a raging optimist, I must say, it is beginning to get me down. To have so many people that we personally know without a job, or getting letters of "intent" to be possibly layed off -- well.........optimism has a tendency to get pushed way back on the burners. And to have people that you love being let go:::::
what are we able to do for them?
Gary and I can at least feed these friends because we do believe that a good plate of good food helps to heal wounds -- for at least the moment you are eating. And maybe pour some great wines that will take the edge off of what we are all encountering daily.
But............
What can we do to get us away from the "ottimista/pessimista" margin?
We walk around and just hope? We talk and we keep this quiet rage inside that helps to balance the sheer dread that is becoming a part of daily life?
We cut back. We cut back. We cut back.
And in the end, we save.
But:
What are we saving for?
I do believe that it is getting to the point of people getting more involved in what we are experiencing in the country - possibly understanding that we do not "need" all the excesses that has become our symbol of "America". Not when so many of our friends and family are part of the citizenship that is looking for a job or hoping to keep their jobs at what ever costs. We are not used to this here. To have people you know wondering WHY did they buy that certain thing or WHAT WERE WE THINKING when they bit off the bit they finally could not chew, the one that put them over the edge. We have all done it at one time or another, made the leap on future faith: in our wages, our ability to pay or what ever.....
And yet, here we are.
And so, on a daily basis, I personally am getting a bit more numb. I am appreciative for what good things happen in our near future, but then somehow, expecting the bad news that seems to be delivered daily.
The cute monkey on our backs.
And with that, the numbness of America.
And with that bit of bouncing off my chest, here is the best thing for me about July: Gary's BIG BIRTHDAY!!! I will let him tell you his new age this month, but just let me say that my Blue-Cross/Anthem bill will be significantly reduced because of this new age!! He has already told me that we will not be changing anything in the house, no ramps in the bathtub, no magnifying glasses next to his books, no big necklace with a big red button on it to wire him into the medics in the event that he falls and cannot get up......
Nooooo not for him.....(sometimes he just sucks the joy out of some of the things I am planning....)
But it will mean another man at a certain age that people look at and say "Damn, he looks good."
I think so.......and that matters.
Jul 2, 2009
Cafe Luna Dinner Menu (double click here for Printable Version)
July 2009
Ryan and David are in the Kitchen
Appetizers and Light Entrees
Crab and Shrimp Dip - Crabmeat and shrimp, roasted garlic and other herbs minced and pureed' and mixed with three cheeses and baked until golden. Served with toasts for spreading. 9.
(Excellent with a glass of Frexinet Sparkling)
Sauteed Mushrooms - Fresh mushrooms pan sauteed in fresh garlic, olive oil, butter and wine. 8.
Baked Brie- Baked Brie cheese with roasted garlic, our house made chutney, red grapes and toasts for spreading. 8.
Dinner Sized Salad- Mixture of different baby greens and vegetables, with Gorgonzola cheese crumbles 10.
With lemon grilled chicken breast or petite Salmon filet 15.
Pan-Sauteed Prawns - A smaller order of prawns pan-sauteed with garlic and olive oil, finished with a splash of white wine and a squeeze of lemon. With a rusk of grilled bread. 11.
July 2009
Ryan and David are in the Kitchen
Appetizers and Light Entrees
Crab and Shrimp Dip - Crabmeat and shrimp, roasted garlic and other herbs minced and pureed' and mixed with three cheeses and baked until golden. Served with toasts for spreading. 9.
(Excellent with a glass of Frexinet Sparkling)
Sauteed Mushrooms - Fresh mushrooms pan sauteed in fresh garlic, olive oil, butter and wine. 8.
Baked Brie- Baked Brie cheese with roasted garlic, our house made chutney, red grapes and toasts for spreading. 8.
Dinner Sized Salad- Mixture of different baby greens and vegetables, with Gorgonzola cheese crumbles 10.
With lemon grilled chicken breast or petite Salmon filet 15.
Pan-Sauteed Prawns - A smaller order of prawns pan-sauteed with garlic and olive oil, finished with a splash of white wine and a squeeze of lemon. With a rusk of grilled bread. 11.
(Wine Idea: Marimar Chardonnay)
Entrees
All entrees are served with a fresh salad of mixed baby greens featuring organically grown lettuces and mixed fresh vegetables (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. 22.
(Wine Suggestion: D.K. Cellars Reserve Merlot)
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. 28.
(Topped with 4 grilled prawns add 6.)
(Wine Suggestion: Boeger Primitivo)
Hanger Steak - A wonderful cut of meat full of flavor, that is increasingly popular as a marinated and grilled piece of meat. Us? We are dry-brining this meat, rubbing the steaks down with our own "Montreal" style dry-rub, char-broiling to your specification (best served medium to medium/rare) and serving it topped with a dollop of rich Port and shallot butter. With mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables. 26.
(Wine Idea: David Girard Syrah)
Rack of Lamb - Some of us LOVE lamb: so here you go! Australian lamb rack coated in minced garlic, bread crumbs, mint and Dijon, roasted medium rare, sliced and served with a fresh mint, garlic and lemon pesto. With mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables. 29.
(Wine Suggestion: Bumgarner Cabernet Sauvignon)
Tequila Glazed Pork Tenderloin - Pork tenderloin, maple-brown sugar-brined for juiciness, brushed with a fresh citrus and tequila glaze, char-broiled to medium, served topped
Entrees
All entrees are served with a fresh salad of mixed baby greens featuring organically grown lettuces and mixed fresh vegetables (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. 22.
(Wine Suggestion: D.K. Cellars Reserve Merlot)
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. 28.
(Topped with 4 grilled prawns add 6.)
(Wine Suggestion: Boeger Primitivo)
Hanger Steak - A wonderful cut of meat full of flavor, that is increasingly popular as a marinated and grilled piece of meat. Us? We are dry-brining this meat, rubbing the steaks down with our own "Montreal" style dry-rub, char-broiling to your specification (best served medium to medium/rare) and serving it topped with a dollop of rich Port and shallot butter. With mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables. 26.
(Wine Idea: David Girard Syrah)
Rack of Lamb - Some of us LOVE lamb: so here you go! Australian lamb rack coated in minced garlic, bread crumbs, mint and Dijon, roasted medium rare, sliced and served with a fresh mint, garlic and lemon pesto. With mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables. 29.
(Wine Suggestion: Bumgarner Cabernet Sauvignon)
Tequila Glazed Pork Tenderloin - Pork tenderloin, maple-brown sugar-brined for juiciness, brushed with a fresh citrus and tequila glaze, char-broiled to medium, served topped
with a mild fresh grilled pineapple-lime salsa. Served with mashed potatoes and fresh sauteed vegetables. 24.
(Wine Suggestion: Il Gioiello "Estate Block 1" Zinfandel)
Chipotle Chile Pasta - This incredibly flavorful and spicy dish combines boneless chicken, Spanish Chorizo sausage, shrimp and ham pan-sauteed and then simmered in a smoky sauce made with chipotle chiles, 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 Suggestion: Il Gioiello "Estate Block 1" Zinfandel)
Chipotle Chile Pasta - This incredibly flavorful and spicy dish combines boneless chicken, Spanish Chorizo sausage, shrimp and ham pan-sauteed and then simmered in a smoky sauce made with chipotle chiles, 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: RED: Noceto Sangiovese / WHITE: Vionta "Albarino")
Almond Chutney Chicken - Boneless breast of chicken lightly coated in ground almonds and curried Panko bread crumbs, pan-sauteed and finished on the char-broiler, sliced and served topped with a house-made chutney sauce. Served with Basmati rice and fresh vegetables. 23.
(Wine Suggestion: Shadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc)
Hot Head Special (For All Of You Craving Hot, Spicy Food):::Chicken Vindaloo - A wonderful curry dish from Goa, a state in southwestern India, made with onions, garlic, curry, chiles and tomatoes and sauteed pieces of boneless chicken breast, simmered in this rich spicy sauce and served on a bed of Basmati rice pilaf, topped with a cooling cilantro creme. 26.
Almond Chutney Chicken - Boneless breast of chicken lightly coated in ground almonds and curried Panko bread crumbs, pan-sauteed and finished on the char-broiler, sliced and served topped with a house-made chutney sauce. Served with Basmati rice and fresh vegetables. 23.
(Wine Suggestion: Shadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc)
Hot Head Special (For All Of You Craving Hot, Spicy Food):::Chicken Vindaloo - A wonderful curry dish from Goa, a state in southwestern India, made with onions, garlic, curry, chiles and tomatoes and sauteed pieces of boneless chicken breast, simmered in this rich spicy sauce and served on a bed of Basmati rice pilaf, topped with a cooling cilantro creme. 26.
(Scale of 1 - 10 = 9)
(Wine Ideas: WHITE: Madrona Riesling / RED: Runquist "R" Cabernet Franc )
Fresh Halibut- Fresh filet of Halibut, one of our favorite fish - white, firm and flaky when cooked - brushed with butter, pan-sauteed in white wine and olive oil with Roma tomatoes, fresh thyme, roasted garlic and fresh lemon zest, finished under the broiler with small prawns, and served with Basmati rice and fresh vegetables. 28.
(Wine Suggestion: Marimar Estates "Acero" Chardonnay )
Clams and Prawns Linguine Portugese Style - Fresh clams and prawns pan sauteed with Portugese linguisa sausage, garlic and tomatoes, simmered in a rich saffron broth, and served on a bed of linguine pasta. Delicious! 24.
(Wine Suggestion: "J" Pinot Gris)
Duck Breast - Maple Leaf Farms duck breast, pan sauteed until medium pink, sliced and served topped with a Marsala wine and fresh berry Gastrique.(a French style strained reduction sauce made with wine, Balsamic vinegar, shallots and berries). Served with mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables. 29.
(Wine Suggestion: Dillian Wines Barbara)
Ryan's Fresh Grilled Salmon - Fresh Atlantic salmon filet rubbed with spices and a bit of olive oil, pan-sauteed and then finished under the grill, served on a bed of fresh roasted corn salsa, topped with an fresh citrus, Dijon and cilantro vinaigrette. With Basmati rice and fresh vegetables. 24.
(Wine Suggestion: RED: Gloria Ferrer Pinot Noir / WHITE: Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay)
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: Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc)
Vegetarian Lasagna Rolls - Fresh lasagna sheets layered with Crimini and Portobello mushrooms, roasted red peppers, roasted fennel, caramelized onions, basil, thyme, roasted butternut squash, and three kinds of cheese, rolled up and baked until golden. Served topped with our house-made marinara sauce. 18.
(Wine Suggestion: RED: C.G. DiArie Zinfandel / WHITE: Uvaggio Vermentino)
(Wine Ideas: WHITE: Madrona Riesling / RED: Runquist "R" Cabernet Franc )
Fresh Halibut- Fresh filet of Halibut, one of our favorite fish - white, firm and flaky when cooked - brushed with butter, pan-sauteed in white wine and olive oil with Roma tomatoes, fresh thyme, roasted garlic and fresh lemon zest, finished under the broiler with small prawns, and served with Basmati rice and fresh vegetables. 28.
(Wine Suggestion: Marimar Estates "Acero" Chardonnay )
Clams and Prawns Linguine Portugese Style - Fresh clams and prawns pan sauteed with Portugese linguisa sausage, garlic and tomatoes, simmered in a rich saffron broth, and served on a bed of linguine pasta. Delicious! 24.
(Wine Suggestion: "J" Pinot Gris)
Duck Breast - Maple Leaf Farms duck breast, pan sauteed until medium pink, sliced and served topped with a Marsala wine and fresh berry Gastrique.(a French style strained reduction sauce made with wine, Balsamic vinegar, shallots and berries). Served with mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables. 29.
(Wine Suggestion: Dillian Wines Barbara)
Ryan's Fresh Grilled Salmon - Fresh Atlantic salmon filet rubbed with spices and a bit of olive oil, pan-sauteed and then finished under the grill, served on a bed of fresh roasted corn salsa, topped with an fresh citrus, Dijon and cilantro vinaigrette. With Basmati rice and fresh vegetables. 24.
(Wine Suggestion: RED: Gloria Ferrer Pinot Noir / WHITE: Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay)
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: Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc)
Vegetarian Lasagna Rolls - Fresh lasagna sheets layered with Crimini and Portobello mushrooms, roasted red peppers, roasted fennel, caramelized onions, basil, thyme, roasted butternut squash, and three kinds of cheese, rolled up and baked until golden. Served topped with our house-made marinara sauce. 18.
(Wine Suggestion: RED: C.G. DiArie Zinfandel / WHITE: Uvaggio Vermentino)
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This Month's Promotions:::
Here is our promotional plan for this month (oh you Wino's will be happy!!)
#1. On Wino Wednesday, all wines are 30% off the list price. The change here is it used to be wines under $35.00 and over $50.00......now you get to have any one on the menu, bottles only. So now, a $40.00 bottle will run you $28.00 on Wino Wednesdays......Yahoo!!!!!
#2. BYOB Thursdays! On Thursday nights, we will be having diners wishing to bring in their own bottles of wine getting two free corkage per table. That alone will be a $30.00 savings. Please don't bring in wines on our list though.....how gauche. Call us first if you have a question......
#3. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights 1/2 off dinner coupons.Buy first dinner at regular price, second dinner is half off the menu price. Bring the attached coupon in and be honored for the month of July.
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Café Luna Stimulus Program
½ Price Dinner Discount Card
Buy first meal at regular price, get second dinner
at 50% off each Tues., Wed. & Thurs. Nights
For the Month thru July 31, 2009
Please present this card; limit two cards per table, food only;
not good for to-go items.
Let’s get this economy moving!
Thank you for your patronage...Café Luna
_______________________________________________
Café Luna Stimulus Program
½ Price Dinner Discount Card
Buy first meal at regular price, get second dinner
at 50% off each Tues., Wed. & Thurs. Nights
For the Month thru July 31, 2009
Please present this card; limit two cards per table, food only;
not good for to-go items.
Let’s get this economy moving!
Thank you for your patronage...Café Luna
_______________________________________________
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