Harvest Moon

(late september. number 9)

This Secret Restaurant was a simple celebration of the beginning of Fall– the days had been unusually hot again, but the afternoon turned blustery as we started to cook. The moon loomed high, the Neil Young album was slapped into the tape deck, and we all toasted to the harvest time.

course 1:

• Dinner Salad

Spinach and red butter leaf lettuce with sparse spicy greens, dressed in a house Goddess dressing and wheat berries.

• Carrot Ginger Soup

Red and Purple carrots, from-scratch stock, celery, and a white beat. Garnished with dill flowers.

• Biscuit

Another star recipe from Aria's family history, enhanced by the presence of fresh rosemary and being served hot out of the oven.

course 2:

• Rainbow Trout

A favorite fish of ours (this being a pescetarian restraurant in Portland, OR, we're very into fish found easily in the Pacific Northwest) dressed in sage brown butter, then broiled skin up, to create a crispy base and flaky body. Garnished with full sage leaf-crisps: dressed and breaded, then slow cooked for hours to create a fish–accompanying chip.

• Cheddar Cauliflower, Mushroom, Cheese Sauce Slam

Blanched and then sauteed cheddar cauliflower and romanesco broccoli. Mixed with chicken of the woods mushrooms, sauteed in fresh garlic-infused olive oil. Cooked down mustard greens and chopped garlic was mixed in to give added dimension to the flavors. Topped with a local vintage white cheddar cheese sauce, with both saffron and Oregon truffle added to make it truly obscene.

• Moon Squash

Squash, served baked & buttered, straight up, cut into a crescent moon.

course 3:

• Apple Delight

Strips of flour/honey based gingery spice cake from a very old recipe. frozen to crystalize the honey, then stuffed with hot stewed apples, drizzled with hot fresh apple syrup, and garnished with fresh pink-centered heirloom apples.

The Drinks:

Beer from Saraveza, a brew shop down the road. Packaged in large Ball Jars, we had 'Lombardtoberfrest,' a Cherry Bitter, and an Imperial Stout. We served the ale with course 1 and the cherry/stout side by side with course 2 for the desirable contrast.