Tasting Menu September

Question 1

Amuse Bouche

Answer 1

-Out first, our regular, daily amuse bouche soup

-Out second

-Chips & Dip-
• Kennebec potato chips with nori powder on top
• Carmelized onion dip
• Trout roe & chives on top of dip

   • Kennebecs potatoes are similar to russet potatoes. But they have thin and light skin, unlike russets, which have dry, thick, and dark skin. The medium starch level and low water content of Kennebec potatoes make them perfect for frying in oil.

    - Kennebec pronunciation: Ken-uh-bek 

**Amuse-bouche (pronounced ahmooz-boosh) is a French term that comes from the combined words amuser (to amuse), and bouche (mouth) and roughly translates “mouth amuser”. An amuse-bouche is meant to awaken the palate, preparing it for the more substantial meal to come.)

Question 2

Hors d’Oeuvres

Answer 2

-served on a block-

Shigoku oyster
• ponzu

     • Shigoku oyster is native to the northwest pacific coast line of Washington state, specifically found in Samash Bay and Willapa Bay . They have a deeper shell, a briny bite, and a clean, sweet flavor with a hint of cucumber/ melon on the finish.

 - Shigoku pronunciation: She-goh-koo

Brown butter core
• Smoked Ora king Salmon mousse
• Kaluga Caviar

  • Kaluga Caviar comes from the kaluga sturgeon, one of the largest predatory sturgeon. It is native to the Amur River Basin in Russia that borders China. Kaluga caviar is a very sought after caviar, that is not only luxurious in texture and rich, buttery flavor.


   • Ōra king salmon- Is a sustainably farmed king salmon from New Zealand. It is considered the wagyu of fish because of their commitment to growing King salmon in the most sustainable way possible. Their attention to detail regarding fish welfare, is of high priority. Creating a healthy, low-stress environment for the salmon; resulting in higher survival rates, superior fish quality and less impact on the environment. 

     To further implement these practices, they also ensure the quality as well as quantity of the feed is taken into all accounts. Utilizing feed only derived of specifically selected ingredients that contain only the essential nutrients needed for healthy salmon. No GMOS, growth hormones or antibiotic are used in the feeding process. The quantity of feed changes as well to meet the dietary requirements of the King salmon throughout their lifecycle. Underwater cameras closely monitor appetite and activity during each feed, to ensure the salmon receive just the right amount and no feed is wasted.

    Ora king salmon is also certified and celebrated as one of the most sustainable choices in the aquatic community. Going as far to be a model and educator in the field of sustainable salmon farming; aligning themselves with GSI (global Salmon Initiative). Which is an organization, solely focused on improving sustainability practices in salmon farming.

Question 3

1st Course

Answer 3

Goat Cheese Sformato
• Pluot gelee
• Salt Roasted Beet
• Pickled salt roasted beets
• Local Pluot (served fresh on plate)
• Sorrel
• Beet purée on plate

   • A sformato is an Italian dish similar to a savory flan or a firmer, less-airy and less-fussy soufflé. 

    - Sformato pronunciation: sfohr-MAH-toh
   
  • What does salt roasting do to beets?: Beets, like most other root vegetables, are full of water, typically around 87% water; creating a much more diluted sweet earthy flavor. What makes salt roasting so great is that it can eliminate that problem by drawing out all the moisture in the beets. This will allow for a more Concentrated and intense flavor and color, all while improving the texture to be more dense, smooth and almost toffee-like.


  • Pluots are a more recent development in the world of stone fruit. They are a cross between a plum and an apricot. 
 
• Our Pluots come from Goldbud farms located in Apple hill. 

- Pluot pronunciation: Ploo-aw-t


• Sorrel is a leafy green or herb that has a subtle tart, lemony taste.

Question 4

2nd Course

Answer 4

3 oz. Grilled California Sea Bass
• Corn puree
• Mediterranean mussels
• Jimmy Nardello peppers
• Spanish Chorizo
• Shallots
• Sauce Vierge

• the mussels are cooked in a white wine and are shell-less.
• the vierge sauce consists of tomato, cucumber, olive oil, lemon, feens herbs

  • Sauce Vierge is a French sauce made from finely diced tomatoes, olive oil, fresh herbs and a touch of lemon juice for freshness. It’s a no-cook sauce, sort of like a salsa, and is light and summery in both taste and appearance. Sauce Vierge translates to “Virgin Sauce”, in essence, it is uncooked utilizing raw ingredients. 
  
  Sauce Vierge was popularised by Michel Guérard, a French chef who championed a new style of French food in the 1970’s called nouvelle cuisine (literally, “new cuisine”). This movement resisted the classical traditions of French cooking, instead emphasising freshness, simplicity, and lighter treatments that flattered ingredients. This extended to the visual with greater attention given to colour, naturalism and elegant presentations compared to traditional haute cuisine.
  
  
  •Mediterranean mussels have a rich, buttery, and sweet flavor with a delicate texture. They also have a slightly briny, ocean-fresh taste. Some say they have a mushroomy sea flavor.
  
  
  • Most sea bass are marine fish that live in the shallower parts of tropical and warm seas. It has a mild and delicate flavour. This makes it easy to cook with and appreciate. The taste has a subtle sweetness, like grouper or cod. But it also has a “meatier” quality than other fish and can take on or absorb bolder flavours.
    
  
    • Jimmy Nardello peppers when eaten fresh, they have a mild, sweet, and fruity flavor with little to no heat.
  
    • In 1887, the Nardello family immigrated to Connecticut seeking a better life than they had in their remote, mountainous village in southern Italy. Along with them, they brought the seeds of some of their favorite vegetables including Capiscum annum, the variety of sweet pepper that is now known as the Jimmy Nardello Italian pepper. Life in Connecticut was good for the Nardello family and soon they had 11 children. Naturally, raising 11 children doesn't leave time for much else. Fortunately, the Nardello's fourth child, Jimmy, had inherited his mother's love of gardening, so he built terrace gardens and grew many of his mother's favorite heirloom pepper plants. From just the few seeds his mother had brought over from Italy, Jimmy kept the family well fed with wholesome, hearty vegetables for decades. Jimmy's favorite of all the peppers he grew was a sweet Italian frying pepper. Before he passed away in 1983, Jimmy donated seeds of his favorite pepper to the Seed Savers Exchange. Since then, it has been known as the Jimmy Nardello pepper. 

• Vierge pronunciation: Vee-AIR-j

Question 5

3rd course

Answer 5

3-4oz. Roasted Veal Sweetbreads
• Chanterelle Mushrooms
• Pommes Purees
• Truffle jus

• the sweetbreads we are utilizing come from thymus glad, specifically the neck.

   • Chanterelles are a funnel shaped mushroom, usually bright orange or yellow. They have a mix of fruity, nutty, and peppery notes with a mild and delicate aroma.
  
  • Pommes purée is essentially whipped mashed potatoes, but given the classical French style treatment- utilizing lots of butter. Creating a luxurious and silky texture. 
  
  • Veal is the meat of calves, in contrast to the beef from older cattle. Veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any breed; however, most veal comes from young male calves of dairy breeds which are not used for breeding. Generally, veal is more expensive by weight than beef from older cattle. Veal production is a way to add value to dairy bull calves and to utilize whey solids, a byproduct from the manufacturing of cheese.
  
  
  • Sweetbreads are the culinary name given to the thymus gland.  Sometimes attempts are made to pass off the pancreas, ovaries or testes as sweetbreads, but the name belongs to the thymus.
  
  But what is the thymus gland?
  
  In a human, the thymus gland is located behind the sternum, in between the lungs. But in veal, its located in two parts of the animal: the neck and the chest cavity: 
   
    Neck sweetbread: Located in the neck, next to the trachea 
   
   Heartbread: Located in the chest cavity, close to the heart 
   
    The thymus gland is a soft, pinkish-gray organ that's part of the body's immune system. It's located in the mediastinum, the area of the chest between the lungs and in front of the breastbone. The thymus is only active until puberty, when it starts to shrink and is replaced by fat. 
   
   The thymus gland is harvested from young animals, like calves and lambs, for a dish called sweetbreads. The sweetbread is a single gland that's cut into two parts, with the neck portion being called neck sweetbread and the chest portion being called heartbread. After harvesting, the gland is trimmed of fat and connective tissue. 
   
  
    Marcella Hazan (a well known classic Italian cookbook writer from the 70s- early 2000s) explains, “Bread used to be another way to say morsel, and sweet morsel is an accurate description of this most delectable portion of an animal’s anatomy.”
  
     Wikipedia also adds more detail. “Sweet” is perhaps used since the thymus is sweet and rich-tasting, as opposed to savory-tasting muscle flesh. “Bread” may come from brede, “roasted meat” or from the Old English brǣd (“flesh” or “meat”).

Question 6

4th Course

Answer 6

8-10 days - Half a Dry Aged Liberty Duck Breast
• Italian Chestnuts
• Caramelized Pear
• Brown Butter
• Pear Butter
• Chestnut Cream on plate

   • Chestnuts are earthy and sweet with a soft, buttery, and meaty texture. It's like a dry baked potato, but its sweet nutty flavor resembles a sweet potato. Chestnuts are used in many different ways. They can be milled into flour for bread, cakes, pastas, or polenta; as well as eaten raw or toasted. 



   •In essence, dry aging is when you take a piece of meat and put it into a controlled open-air environment to undergo a flavor transformation. By exposing the meat to air, moisture is drawn out and the natural enzymes in the meat break the muscles down slowly over time, making it more tender. The removal of the moisture not only intensifies the flavor, but the texture too, creating a unique yet elevated take on cooked meat. 



  • Brown Butter is melted butter with a nutty and bold flavor brought on by gently cooking it on the stove.

Question 7

Intermezzo

Answer 7

Black Current Cabernet Sorbet

*does have alcohol in it.

 Black currants have a strong, tart, grape-like flavor with a slight acidic aroma and hints of cherry. Some say they have a complex taste with earthy undertones. Black currants are native to Northern Europe and Asia, and are popular in Europe for their use in jams, sauces, syrups, fruit drinks, and purple candy

**An intermezzo is a small dish or icy treat served between courses to refresh the palate and prepare it for the remainder of the meal. The word “intermezzo” comes from Italian and literally means “intermission” or “something between two points”.

Intermezzi are also known as palate cleansers and are often sorbets, granitas, or other icy treats that are usually flavored with fruit, especially citrus. The acidity of the fruit perks up the taste buds after the fat and salt of previous courses have dulled them.

Question 8

Dessert

Answer 8

Buttermilk Panna Cotta

• Pomegranate Gelée
• Candied cocoa nibs
• Honeycomb
• Pomegranate seeds
• Pomegranate syrup poured table side

     •Panna cotta is an Italian dessert made from sweetened cream, gelatin, and flavorings. The name translates to "cooked cream", and the dessert is made by heating heavy cream, setting it with gelatin, and flavoring it. The mixture is then poured into molds and chilled.