Navigating a Menu

I must admit I love to go out to eat and I have never met a menu I didn’t like.  I can always find something to satisfy my hunger and hopefully my curiosity.  As time goes by and I broaden my food horizons it has become apparent to me that I am lucky when it comes to food because other than my own dislikes, which are few, I have no restrictions.  I consider myself food fortunate.

I truly appreciate my good fortune when a guest has concerns about dietary restrictions.  The ease with which I can order from a menu compared to someone who has allergies or restrictions is obvious as I answer questions and requests on a daily basis.  A week does not go by that I do not learn something as far as hidden ingredients are concerned, because even the ingredients have ingredients.

 I constantly read labels and search the Internet in order to answer our guest’s questions quickly and easily.  Sometimes the guests themselves are my best source of information.  We have changed several products because of our guest’s informative suggestions and input.   

Of course all of this research and label reading would be useless if we did not use it to educate our staff.  On a daily basis we go over menu items and discuss what works and what doesn’t for different allergies, restrictions or just dislikes.  A knowledgeable staff is the best way to help our guests navigate our menu.

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Happy “Après Holiday! Since I have missed the opportunity
to write about favorite holiday food and drink I’ll get to the
number one post holiday topic “Resolutions.”

According to the media the number one resolution in our
country is to lose weight.

As the media inundates us with ways to lose weight, I’ve noticed
that restaurants are getting a lot of bad press as far as weight loss
and healthy dining are concerned. The portions are too big; one
chain restaurant’s entrée salad’s caloric content was equal to a
pyramid of donuts. There is too much salt; NYC is pushing for
sodium information on menus. Thankfully, we don’t have to worry
about trans fat, that prohibition was enforced a few years ago.
Pretty soon we will need menu enforcement police!

I take umbrage at this bad press, not all restaurants are at fault!

It was serendipitous that I ended up in the restaurant business and
while I am no dietician I am grateful for the hands on education I
have received. I am particularly thankful that as a small business
we have always relied on our ability to produce a menu whose main
ingredients are quality and freshness. It is our emphasis on these
ingredients that make our menu more healthy choice friendly.

As an avid food label reader I am always conscious of the number
of unrecognizable ingredients in certain foods. While these ingredients
may be benign sometimes it just seems as though they are not
necessary. What is xanthan gum any way? The majority of our salad
dressings are made in house. “Red Wine Vinaigrette” is just that. To
maintain flavor and the need for unnecessary preservatives we shred
and grate our own cheddar, mozzarella and asiago cheese. We do
not use the co2 infused fish that is so commonly used in the industry.
We make our salsa daily using only plum tomatoes, because their
flavor is most consistent. A byproduct of our quest for quality and
freshness is that we use very little processed foods. No extra sugar
or salt in any guise, xanthan gum or any other unrecognizable.

While I can’t guarantee that you keep your resolutions I can guarantee
if you want some healthy choices when dining out our menu has many
options. We also have nachos. Not so healthy, but everything in
moderation isn’t that what they say? And no xanthan gum!

p.s. New menu coming next month. Stay tuned!

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Belgian Beer Reserve Dinner

Thursday | January 21 at 7:00 pm
McKenzie Brew House - Chadds Ford

HOSTS
Award winning McKenzie Brewers
Ryan Michaels and Gerard Olson

SPECIAL GUEST HOST
Don Russell (a.k.a .Joe Sixpack)
of the Daily News

FOOD & BREW PAIRINGS
Saison Brune Reserve
Assorted aged cheeses with fig jam
Grisette
Golden Beet Salad with
blue cheese, red onion, frisee,
sherry vinaigrette
Saison Vautour
Sea Bass with herb mustard sauce,
braised fennel
Biere d’Hiver
Roast Pork Loin stuffed with apricot
and golden raisins, apricot glaze
Cuvee McK
Almond sponge cake soaked
with espresso, filled with ganache
and coffee butter cream

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There is an unwritten rule I learned years ago as far as fresh produce isconcerned, "Nothing out of season!" Times have changed, the food market has gone global and it has become much easier to acquire produce out of season. Occasionally, these out of season goodies seduce me, but I am always disappointed. So, I think the rule still applies. Every place and every season possess a particular bounty. Around here summer's bounty is hands down the best.

There is nothing like biting into a hand picked peach or eating fresh corn right off the cob. But when there is such an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables I enjoy using them to enhance seafood, poultry and salad dishes. The resulting cuisine is lighter, healthier and more warm weather friendly.

So, over the next few weeks I hope to take advantage of all our summer bounty. I've already obtained some fresh peaches that are ripening as I write. Hopefully a peach cobbler will be on our menu this week. I'll have some local tomatoes starting next week. They make the best Caprese and are also excellent in a salad with fennel, ricotta salata and baby greens. A simple summer salsa made with sweet Jersey corn goes well with gilled fish. Fresh berries and a dry Rose make a refreshing Sangria that is a great accompaniment to our lighter summer features.

We also have seasonal brews for warm weather consumption, so check out our brewer's blog. I am going to check on those peaches!

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