TASTINGS
March 2009
“Too much of a good thing is wonderful!”
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TASTINGSMarch 2009 |
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What’s New The Customer Survey of Liquor & Cocktails is complete, the results to be revealed in the soon to be released Cocktail List.Nancy is busy planning new additions to the herb garden, so that she can create new infusions for cocktails and for sauces. She is also scoping out places to plant more cherry tomatoes along the fence by the terrace.  Taste of Nashoba Join the Café for the culinary experience known as Taste of Nashoba, now in its eighth year. This event will take place on March 24, from 5:30—8 at the Lawrence Academy Gymnasium in Groton. This is one of the best places ever to sample offerings from dozens of area restaurants, bakeries, culinary schools, breweries, caterers and wine merchants. Previously, Nancy won awards for Best Appetizer and Best Presentation, voted for by attendees. This year, she will be serving her Southwestern Chopped Salad with Creamy Lime Dressing. Please plan to attend. An award from The Taste of Nashoba is very prestigious. If we win again, this recognition would provide an opportunity for the Café to sustain its exceptional reputation and strengthen its business. If you do attend, be sure to vote for the Café (your favorite, of course)! http://www.nvcoc.com/taste.shtml Artists’ Reception Sunday, March 8 When is a photographer not a photographer? Is it when he’s also a distinguished journalist and science writer? Only our March artist, Bob Cooke, can answer that question honestly. Come meet this gifted writer and photographer on March 8 from 3—4:30. Admire his strong and colorful images, and enjoy some complimentary wine and cheese. Salute to Spring Weekend New Englanders really love their springtime, and the Café is no exception. As a salute to spring, and in honor of St. Patrick’s Day and the long-awaited Vernal Equinox, Nancy is offering a special menu for the weekend of March 20 and 21. Primavera means springtime, so look for pasta primavera, roasted spring lamb from Pilot Grove Farm, and Maple Panna Cotta made with fresh maple syrup. For more details, look online for a complete menu. Reservations are strongly recommended.  Meet
Our Suppliers: Pilot Grove Farm Years ago, lamb was a staple in most households, but today it is almost considered exotic. Many folks have tasted only frozen lamb, shipped from half a world away. However, the Café has a reliable supply of fresh, local lamb from Pilot Grove Farm in Stow, so Nancy features it regularly. Pilot Grove Farm has been in business since 1782, and the folks running it now are the 8th generation of the Warren family to do so. Their specialty is lamb, which they raise with loving care. Last year, they had 36 bred ewes. These are a cross between Shropshire and Dorsets. These animals live well. The farm raises its own hay and would never dream of giving antibiotics to healthy animals. Don’t try to buy any, though. The farm sells only to the Café and a small handful of long-time customers. March Gallery Artist Bob Cooke  Bob Cooke has a scientist’s mind and an artist’s eye. After an exceptional career as a journalist and science writer, Cooke jumped into professional photography. His inquisitive mind is reflected in his work, which includes both local and exotic scenes. The same attention to detail that helped Bob explain the ins and outs of molecular biology allow him to create images of stunning beauty. Bob travels widely, and takes pictures as he goes. His colorful images are clean, crisp, and direct. He not only shoots his pictures with a digital camera, but he also prints, mats, and frames them. In addition to his immersion in photography, Bob continues to write. His most recent book investigates new research into mitochondria and how it will affect us all. Champagne Cocktail & Featured Food To help our patrons celebrate both St. Patrick’s Day and Spring Break, our featured cocktail this month is an Irish Mist Champagne Cocktail followed by a Tropical Delight. Each beverage brings to mind a different geographical location, but both will give you a break from winter’s grasp.  Our featured
food this month is
anything that makes you think
“spring”. In
Massachusetts, March is maple syrup month, so look for that distinctive
sweet liquid on your morning oatmeal
and in Maple Panna
Cotta. Think of all the foods of spring: lamb, corned beef and
cabbage, and those colorful tropical
foods you would enjoy
on spring break. At this time of year, Massachusetts residents
are desperate for spring, and Nancy
obliges by sprinkling her
menu with a broad variety of favorites
that typify the
season.
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