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Dear Friend:
 As summer changes into fall, you’ll be seeing the menu evolve. To create new fall dishes, I start with the best produce and fish that are in season and mix them with experiences from my travels until I get something I love and think you’ll love too.
My other passion, besides food, is traveling. Some people take pictures. I remember flavors and textures. I take a dining experience and create a dish that has been influenced by that experience. Not a carbon copy, but something inspired by my meals, visits to food markets and reading. Sometimes it takes awhile to come up with just the right flavor combinations.
The other key ingredient is seasonality. This summer and early fall we’re having a terrific corn season – the corn was sweet and plentiful. You’ll see Halibut with creamed corn on the menu as long as the farmers still have it. Did you know most fish have seasons too? You’ll have to wait until next spring for soft shell crabs and wild salmon. But, wild striped bass and black sea bass are back. Some fish are available year-round. You’ll almost always see smoked salmon, tuna and skate on the menu, for example. But the preparation and accompaniments may change each season.
 Wine dinner – We had so much fun at the wine dinner with Jonathan Newman, chairman of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) that I promised to do it again. The second wine dinner will be held on Sunday, October 29. Jonathan will match my 4-course menu with wines, mostly Chairman’s Selections. We’ll give you a list of wines to bring with you. I designed this special menu for the wine dinner: Beef Carpaccio with Truffle and Parmesan Panna Cotta and Herb Salad; Shrimp with Sweet Plantains, Black Beans, Chorizo, Salsa Verde served with Masa Cake; Black Sea Bass with Roasted Pumpkin and Cauliflower Risotto Style and Madras Apple Curry; plus Warm Apple Pie, Caramel Semifreddo & Hendricks Farm Pub Cheddar Cheese. We look forward to lots of sharing and conversation. For reservations call 215/641-2660.
Culinary Trip to Tuscany – We had a sell out crowd for the trip to Tuscany. We had a wonderful time – cooking, touring and eating together. One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to Pienza, the Tuscan area known for Pecorino cheese. We tasted this salty, meaty cheese with fig preserves, truffle honey and a spicy, vinegary pickled pepper jelly. I’m a fig-lover so I was surprised that the pepper jelly was my favorite. That flavor pairing and some wonderful locally-grown pears I spotted at Maple Acres Farm inspired one of our newest appetizers: Arugula with Shaved Pecorino Cheese, with local Pears and Prosciutto drizzled with homemade red pepper jelly and olive oil.
 Fox & Friends – You had to wake up early to catch me making Southwestern Style Shrimp Salad with Salsa Fresca on Fox New’s National morning show, “Fox & Friends” in mid-August. Let me know if you saw the show.
Restaurants & Institutions Magazine – Most of you probably don’t subscribe to this trade publications for restaurateurs. But, if you did you’d see our Duck Toastada featured on the cover of the October 1 issue.
Fretz Kitchen – Our customers always tell us that our gnocchi is lighter than the gnocchi they eat in Italy. The secret is that we use pâte à choux rather than potato. I made it on Fretz Kitchen earlier this month and the recipe is posted on their website, www.fretzkitchen.com.
San Francisco -- This summer I fit in a quick trip to San Francisco. While I was there I hung out at the Ferry Building with its inspiring Saturday morning Farmers Market and ate at Charles Phan’s Slanted Door. Another highlight of the trip was the Mexican food. I had a breakfast quesadilla at Mijita, along with a refreshing watermelon aqua fesca (fruit drink) and wonderful enchiladas and guacamole at Mamacitas in the Marina district.
Paris/Milan – When I traveled to Paris and Milan with Ellen & Joan Shepp for Fashion Week, I found a lot of strong parallels between fashion and food. You just can’t eat the same thing in the fall as you did in the summer. During our quick trip to Milan, I checked out food markets, kitchen stores and other interesting food places. The highlight was a great little neighborhood restaurant called Ristorante Alla Collin. The Carpaccio with Freshly Shaved Porcinis, Risotto Milanese and the Tiramisu alone were worth the flight. In Paris, we fell in love with an old-fashioned Jewish deli called Florence Finkelsztajn and a bakery called Sacha Finkelsztajn in the Marais district, and Chez Georges at 1 Rue Mail Behind Place des Victoires in the second arrondissement -- especially the Frisée and lardon salad , the sole and the whipped crème fraîche served with desserts.
 They’re baaaack – All you brussel sprout lovers will be happy to hear that the cool weather is bringing back the Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Bacon and Parmesan. And watch for the return of our Black Bean Cake with Shrimp, Guacamole, Chipotle and Orange and Farro Risotto Style with Cauliflower and Goat Cheese and Red Wine Sauce and our beloved Warm Sticky Bun Ice Cream Sandwich.
Updated Dishes – After 3-1/2 years on the menu, I felt it was time for the Greek Salad to get a makeover. The updated version will be more like a meze plate with eggplant, chick peas, Greek yogurt and other goodies. The Hanger Steak is due for a new look too, but don’t worry, we’ll still make our hand-cut French fries every day.
New Dishes – We've created a couple of new dishes inspired by the beautiful fall produce at Maple Acres Farm and Pennypack Farm. Watch for Smoked Salmon with Madras Curry and Apple and Fennel Salad with Crispy Indian Wafer; Sea Bass with Roasted Sweet Potatoes Prosciutto and Apples with a Foie Gras Sauce and Escargot with Toasted Cous cous, Parsley and Garlic Butter.
Homemade Desserts – Now that bathing suit weather is over, treat yourself to some of Pastry Chef Amelia Dietrich’s new desserts. They’re all made-from-scratch, daily. We’re serving Coconut Custard Pie with Almond Praline and Mascarpone Cheesecake with Pistachio Brittle and Orange Sorbet. They’re worth it! And we’re all anxiously awaiting what Amelia will do with the concord grapes I discovered at the market. Yesterday she was experimenting with the concord grapes and peanut butter. Come on in and find out what she comes up with. I can hardly wait!
 Enjoy the Colors of Fall,
Alison |
