Five & Ten Prix Fixe: December 20th - January 2nd

Menu A

1.
Cured NC trout with smoked roe, shaved fennel, kohlrabi, sesame, frisee, and sorrel
Vinho Verde, Quinta da Aveleda, Portugal, 2011

2.
Winter vegetable risotto with sumac crema, and red wine poached egg
Greco, Librandi, Ciro, Calabria, Italy, 2011

3.
Chocolate and coconut sorbets with marcona almonds and caramel

Menu B

1.
Chopped salad with local lettuces, egg, salami cotto, feta cheese, and pickled peppers, radish, and cucumbers
Rosé, Chateau Unang, Ventoux, France 2011

2.
Torchetti pasta e fagioli with stewed bacon, tiger eye beans, and Parmesan
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Duca di Saragnano, Tuscany, Italy, 2009

3.
Seasonal fruit shortcake   vanilla bean cream and honey

Available for 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 pm reservations every day
$30 food, $15 booze

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: December 13th - December 19th

Menu A

1.
anchovies with romesco, marcona almonds, toast, and olives
Fino sherry, Cesar Florido, Chipiona, Jerez, Spain, NV

2.
fettuccine with seared rapini, chili flake, olive oil, parmesan, and shaved guanciale
Pinot Grigio, Ornella Molon, Piave, Veneto, Italy, 2011

3.
5 spoke creamery Talcott cheese with housemade baguette and accompaniments


Menu B

1.
Purple sweet potato soup with apple, crème fraiche, and sumac
Rye Pale Ale, Terrapin, Athens, GA

2.
rabbit ballotine with parsnip puree, sour cabbage, roasted carrots, and mustard jus
Bourgogne rouge, Edmond Cornu & Fils, ‘Les Barrigards’, France, 2009

3.
Financier cake with mint sherbet, honey and marcona almonds

Available for 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 pm reservations every day
$30 food, $15 booze

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: December 6th - December 12th

Menu A

1.
endive, kumquat, and mache salad with hazelnut vinaigrette, and shaved parmesan
Verdeca, Li Veli, ‘Askos’, Valle d’Itria, Puglia, Italy, 2011

2.
fried Ashley Farms chicken breast with roasted cauliflower puree, wilted spinach with benne, pickled okra, and nasturtiums
Etna Rosso, Terre Nere, Sicily, Italy, 2011

3.
peanut butter and chocolate tart

Menu B

1.
peeky toe crab cake with remoulade, watercress, and radish
Ale, Lagunitas Brewing Co., ‘Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale’, Petaluma, CA

2.
La Quercia wrapped NC trout with sea island red pea hoppin’ john, celery salad, and hot sauce emulsion
Riesling, Kerpen, Mosel, Germany, 2011

3.
grapefruit champagne sorbet with plugra butter cake


Available for 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 pm reservations every day
$30 food, $15 booze

New Year's Eve Dinner at Empire State South

Amuse

UGA caviar potato mousse, crème fraiche, lemon, fennel

Champagne, L. Aubry & Fils, Jouy-les-Reims 1er Cru, Brut, France, NV

1st- family style

ESS charcuterie   foie gras torchon, Pate en croute of fowl, galantine of duck, pistachio cervales, pate grand pere, mustards and pickles

Rosé of Pinot Noir, Cep, Sonoma, California, 2011

2nd- family style

Bay scallops clammer daves clams, Rappahannock river oyster, uni, cauliflower, kohlrabi, chorizo and chorizo dashi

Pinot Blanc, St. Innocent, Freedom Hill Vineyard, Willamette Valley, OR, 2010

3rd- choice of

Charred Prime Ribeye  farro miso, foie gras, dauphine potato, black trumpets, Brussels

Cotes de Blaye, Roland la Garde, ‘Tradition’, Bordeaux, France, 2009

Or

Halibut  black truffle sunchoke pave, sunchoke puree, pickled persimmon and butter

St. Aubin Premier Cru, Henri Prudhon, ‘Sur le Sentier du Clou’, Burgundy, France, 2006

4th- family style

Frizzante e cordiale chocolate brittle gelée, white chocolate ganache, sparkling clementine granita, frutta caramellatta, raspberry, beet ice cream
Lambrusco, Cleto Chiarli, ‘Centanario Amabile’, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, NV

Supplement $20

 1 year Preserved Foie Torchon, rye whiskey, brioche, fermented peanuts, preserved cherries

Riesling, Eugen Muller, Forster Kirchenstück Auslese, Pfalz, Germany, 2010,

$10 Supplement

NYE 2012

4 course, $75 Food, $35 Wine

Christmas Eve Dinner at Empire State South

1^st

Chicken galantine crisp brussels, pickled sea beans, persimmon butter, shoyu

Blanc de Blancs, Dejean & Fils, Jura, France, NV

2^nd

Grouper charred bread puree, baby beets, shaved carrots, radish, meyer lemon

Bourgogne Blanc, Roche de Bellene, Vielles Vignes, Burgundy, France, 2009

3^rd

Border Springs Lamb (belly, tongue, shoulder): celery root, black truffle, kumquat, swiss chard

Cotes du Rhone Villages, Mas des Boislauzon, Rhone, France, 2010

4^th-  Gateau St. Honoré  pâte à choux,  puff pastry, pastry cream, caramel

12.24 Christmas Eve

$60 per person 6:30 seating, 4 course family style

$30 per person for optional paired wines

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: November 29th - December 5th

Menu A

1.
roasted baby carrots with frisee, feta, pumpkin seeds, and carrot green purée
Ventoux blanc, Trois Messes Basses, France, 2011

2.
fennel and seafood risotto with gulf shrimp, clams, mussels, and celery-saffron crema
Blanco, Gramona, ‘Gessami’, Penedes, Spain, 2011

3.
warm Georgia apple crisp with bay laurel ice cream    


Menu B

1.
lamb merguez with radish, cucumber, benne, roasted sweet peppers, and watercress
Rosé, Brumont, Cotes de Gascogne, France, 2011

2.
duck confit with caraway bok choy, pureed winter squash, roasted apple, and sorghum jus
Pinot Noir, Alysian, Russian River Valley, CA, 2009

3.
Cruze Farms buttermilk panna cotta with persimmon butter, hazelnuts, and an oatmeal raisin cookie


Available for 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 pm reservations every day
$30 food, $15 booze

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: November 23rd - November 28th

Good through Thursday...

 

Menu A

1.
pork Milanese with persimmon, pickled pumpkin,  arugula and pepitas
Pinot Grigio, Ornella Molon, Piave, Veneto, Italy, 2010

2.
butternut gnocchi with béchamel, shaved Parmesan, and GA pecan truffles
Pinot Gris, Cristom, Willamette Valley,OR, 2010

3.
lemon meringue tart


Menu B

1.
shortrib and hominy chili with Greek yogurt
India Pale Ale, Lagunitas, Petaluma, California

2.
salsify hash with coddled egg, Swiss chard, and boiled peanut gremolata
Mencia, Descendientes de Jose Palacios, Bierzo, Spain, 2010

3.
Sweet Grass Dairy Jessanne with GA apple, honey, and pecans
 

Available for 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 pm reservations every day

$30 food, $15 booze

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: November 15th - 21st

Menu A

1.

Rutabaga soup with turmeric olive oil, chive cream, and tiny croutons

Grenache blanc blend, Trois Messes Basses, Ventoux, France, 2011

2.

Roasted RI sheephead with crisp fingerlings, braised green cabbage, scallop ceviche, and ancho emulsion

Cairanne blanc, Domaine Boisson, Rhone, France, 2010

3.  

Gâteau Breton, coconut sorbet, guava paste and fruit

Menu B

1.

Chicken liver and pecan raviolis with seared lacinato kale, Roasted Chinese squash, Parmesan, and balsamic brown butter

Sherry, Bodegas Grant, Manzanilla Amontillado, Jerez, Spain, NV

2.

Grilled plantation quails with leek bread pudding, roasted baby carrots, poached prunes, and velouté

Cote de Brouilly, Pavillon de Chavannes, Beaujolais, France, 2010

3.

Passion fruit ice cream, caramel, chocolate dipped shortbread and cocoa nibs



Available for 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 pm reservations every day

$30 food, $15 booze

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: November 8th - November 14th

Menu A
 
1.
rabbit sausage with sour muscadine cabbage and calvados mustard
Cava, Conde de Subirats, Spain, NV


2.
ballotine of Ashley farms pheasant with butternut squash purée, broccoli rabe, farro, cippolini confit, and sauce chasseur
Bourgogne Rouge, Edmond Cornu & Fils, ‘Les Barrigards’, France, 2008

3.
Humboldt Fog cheese with house-made baguette and accompaniments


Menu B

1.
pickled gulf shrimp with shaved kohlrabi, local lettuces, pickled red onion, and green goddess
Vinho Verde, Aveleda, ‘Quinta da Aveleda’, Portugal, 2011


2.
shellfish paella with saffron rice, fennel, basil, celery and citrus
Blanco, Gramona, ‘Gessami’, Penedes, Spain, 2011

3.
vanilla bean crème brûlée and cookie

Available for 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 pm reservations every day

$30 food, $15 booze
 

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: November 1st - November 7th

Menu A

1.
pâté grandmère with local radish, fennel, and mustard
Scheurebe, Messmer, Pfalz, Germany, 2011

2.
grilled Jamison lamb leg with sweet pickled turnips, roasted baby carrots, seared greens, and salsa verde
Pic St. Loup, Chateau La Roque, ‘Cupa Numismae’, Languedoc, France, 2008

3.
shortcake with lemon cream, honey, pecan streusel and fall fruits

Menu B

1.
arugula with apple, celery, shaved Parmesan, and walnut-apple vinaigrette
Gruner Veltliner, Ecker, Wagram, Austria, 2011


2.
torchetti with rabbit sugo, Pecorino, Georgia olive oil, and chiles
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Duca di Saragnano, Tuscany, Italy, 2007

3.
dark chocolate tart with vanilla bean cream and pomegranate 

Available for 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 pm reservations

$30 food, $15 booze

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: October 25th - October 31st

 Menu A

1. PEI mussels with ale, shallot, celery, and fennel.
Märzen amber lager, Heavy Seas, Maryland

2. chipotle braised short ribs with roasted root vegetables, shaved radish, local arugula, and charred onion pureé.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Schug, Sonoma Valley, CA, 2009

3.
hot spiced cider with fresh fried cider doughnuts and vanilla cream


Menu B

1. wild mushrooms en papillote with dry vermouth, butter, shallot, and nori.
Ventoux blanc, Trois Messes Basses, Rhone, France, 2011

2. chicken & gnocchi soup with herbs, turnips, and coddled egg.
Bourgogne Rouge, Edmond Cornu & Fils, ‘Les Barrigards’, Burgundy, France, 2008

3.
carrot cake with orange zest cream cheese and bay laurel ice cream


Available for 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 pm reservations

$30 food, $15 booze
 
 

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: October 18th - October 24th

 Menu A

1.
roasted brussels sprouts with crisp celery, lemon buttermilk, toasted pinenuts, and shaved pecorino
Bourgogne Blanc, Chateau de Puligny-Montrachet, ‘Clos du Chateau’, Burgundy, France, 2007

2.
roasted duck & boudin blanc with braised red cabbage, stewed lentils, apple-fennel marmalade, and grain mustard jus
Oloroso Sherry, Dios Baco, Jerez, Spain, NV

3.
Two scoops: coffee and cherry chocolate chip ice cream with gâteau Breton


Menu B

1.
turnip soup with crisp cauliflower, creme fraiche, and Aleppo
Gruner Veltliner, Ecker, Wagram, Austria, 2011

2.
smoked Mississippi catfish with celery grits, okra, pickled green tomatoes, and mustard brown butter
Riesling, Dopff & Irion, Alsace, France, 2010

3. Nature’s Harmony Fortsonia Farmstead Cheese with Georgia apple, local honey, pecans and housemade baguette


Available for 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 pm reservations

$30 food, $15 booze

Fäviken

What I learned from Fäviken

No I didn't work there.

No I don't know Magnus.

No I have never eaten there or even been to Sweden.

But, I have seen both versions of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and shop at the purgatory that is IKEA so I feel like an expert on Swedish culture.

            I got Fäviken in the mail the other day and after having read a fair bit on Mr. Nilsson, was very excited to pour through it. From the articles I had perused I was particularly fond of the fact that he was a chef, then a sommelier, and went back into the kitchen. That's a rare wander in this industry but a route that would give good insight into the special relationship between wine and food. I have never understood why more chefs are not more knowledgeable about wine. It accounts for between 20 and 50 percent of many restaurants sales and as an independent restaurant owner and chef I think it's critical that we know about what we sell.

            Faviken is a beautiful book. It is stunningly well written with a great forward by Bill Buford. I am unsure on whether it was written in Swedish and translated, or if Magnus is just completely bilingual, and when I say completely I mean better with the English language than I am. It is a story more than a resource as the food is of such hyper-regionality that to pull it off you will have to ferment mushrooms for 9 months, slaughter an old dairy cow, pluck your own scallops from the ocean, make your own cheese and distill your own vinegar. This book is not Step 1 to re-introduce you to the wonderful world of your home kitchen, unless you live in remote Montana and like fermenting peas and killing your neighbors wandering bovine.  It is rather a story of talent coming home to roost and an unparalleled devotion to a landscape.

            In reading through the day-in-the-life of the restaurant, you realize that Magnus is a thinker, a seemingly patient plotter of ideas, very influenced by his stark surroundings. It's all very Zen tundra. 

            That Zen patience is lost on page 141 when Magnus catches a chef peeling a carrot in the way that every other fine dining kitchen would. This is a no-no at Fäviken. A dull, old peeler must be used and the carrot must be put on a small throne and bowed to, with minstrels and whatnot. Sadly the beauty of the book has some points of ridiculousness and this is one of them. 

            But I get it. I understand and I respect the love and genuine revelry in purveyed items. In my own cookbook there is a page called, "An Ode to Carrots" and I have been known to show pretty stern displeasure with people not respecting the ingredients. The issue, as Magnus acknowledges, is how is someone supposed to fulfill your expectations if you give the vaguest parameters? Unless you are entirely specific in the process, you should never assume that people will live up to your very high ambitions. I once was screamed at for not paying enough respect to the artichokes. I guess I should have asked more clearly but sometimes insecure chefs put people in situations where success is not an option: no matter what, they will be yelling at you. In this case the chef who was yelling at me was the real loser: they were cheap canned artichokes and he was fired about six months later. 

            There is a lot of seduction in the book. It's a story about a chef being seduced by mushrooms, scallops, fermentation, rare Swedish mammals and provincial lichen. I am busily trying to source a single Capercaillie right now but will probably have to settle on a duck, hopefully a local hunted one. Maybe that's the takeaway from this beautiful book: be enamored and seduced by your place and to have a yellow and red card system for unruly guests.

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: October 11th - 17th

Menu A

1.
pâté de campagne with petite salad, bourbon mustard, and shaved radish
Riesling, Dopff & Irion, Alsace, France, 2010

2.
sweet-potato gnocchi with duck leg, parsnips, lacinato kale, leek, and
rich consommé
Dolcetto d’Alba, Pasquale Pelissero, Piedmont, Italy, 2011

3.
bridge mix tart with vanilla bean cream and green apple sorbet


Menu B

1.
oyster stew with sherry, potatoes, leeks, fennel, and buttery crackers
Manzanilla Amontillado, Bodegas Grant, ‘La Garrocha’, Spain, NV

2.
grilled mackerel with sambal, saffron rice, bok choy, and preserved lemon emulsion
Garnacha Blanca, Zerran, Montsant, Spain, 2011

3.
coconut sorbet with honey, streusel and curry candied peanuts


Available for 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 pm reservations

$30 food, $15 booze

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: October 4th - October 10th

Menu A

1.
Olive oil poached baby eggplant with feta, crispy chickpea panisse, local peppers, arugula, and herbs
Rkaciteli, Tikves, ‘Special Selection’, Macedonia, 2011

2.
Bucatini puttanesca with shaved pecorino, herbs, and Georgia olive oil
Pallagrello Nero blend, Vestini Campagnano, ‘Kajanero’, Campania, Italy, 2010

3.
Pumpkin mascarpone mousse with gingerbread, pepitas and maple

Menu B

1.
Creamy chestnut soup with roasted north Georgia apples, sage, and cream
Cidre Bouché Brut, Etienne Dupont, Normandy, France, 2010

2.
Chicken leg confit with crisp Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, marcona almonds, pomegranate, and mustard jus
Bourgogne Rouge, Edmond Cornu, ‘Les Barrigards’, France, 2008

3.
Pecan pie with bay laurel ice cream and chocolate



Available for 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 pm reservations

$30 food, $15 booze
 

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: September 27th - October 3rd

Menu A
 
1.
watercress and celery with anchovy-bistro vinaigrette with parmesan and toasted pine nuts
Gruner Veltliner, Ecker, Wagram, Austria, 2011

2.
braised meatballs with soft polenta, tomato-mint sugo, and braised escarole
Pallagrello Nero blend, Vestini Campagnano, ‘Kajanero’, Campania, 2010

3.
Humboldt Fog with housemade baguette and accompaniments


Menu B

1.
clams with roasted sweet peppers, chickpeas, mâche, and Cruze buttermilk
with lemon and tarragon
Verdejo, Martinsancho, Rueda, Spain, 2011

2.
pan roasted rainbow trout with braised cabbage, herbed spaetzle, and bacon vinaigrette
Grenache blanc blend, Trois Messes Basses, Ventoux, France, 2011

3.
bay laurel ice cream with maple pumpkin puree and gâteau Breton


Available for 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 pm reservations

$30 food, $15 booze
 

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: September 20th - 26th

Menu A

1.
Sorghum & urfa roasted baby squash with poached fennel, arugula, ricotta, and sumac buttermilk
Bordeaux blanc, Chateau de Parenchere, France, 2011

2.
Roasted duck breast with caraway seared bok choy, smoked onion purée,  grilled local apple, and calvados jus
Mencia, A Portela, Valdeorras, Spain, 2010

3.
Fennel cello baba with apple sorbet, vanilla cream, toasted almonds and celery


Menu B

1.
Cured sockeye salmon with celery, daikon radish, cucumber, shiso, orange- miso vinaigrette, and toasted sesame
Bourgogne blanc, De Montille, France, 2008

2.
Parisian gnocchi with glazed baby vegetables, hen of the woods mushrooms, red wine brown butter, and shaved Parmesan and truffles
Bourgogne Rouge, Edmond Cornu & Fils, ‘Les Barrigards’, France, 2008

3.
Ossau Iraty cheese with housemade baguette and accompaniments

Available for 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 pm reservations

$30 food, $15 booze

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: September 13th-September 19th

Menu A

1. Local Farms chicken liver mousse with charred crostini, arugula, fennel, radish, and herbs.

Riesling, Meulenhof, Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese, Mosel, Germany, 2010

2.garganelli with broccoli rabe, chili, stewed white beans, rabbit sausage, and shaved parmesan.

Nebbiolo, Renato Ratti, ‘Ochetti’, Piedmont, Italy, 2010

3.  

Lemon Verbena ice cream with coffee cake and apples

Menu B

1.local sweet potato soup with toasted walnut crème fraiche, urfa, and sweet potato green pistou.

Märzen amber lager, Heavy Seas, Baltimore, MD

2.ancho braised Musickland pork shoulder and crisp belly with hoppin’ john, giardiniera, and local arugula.

Lirac, Domaine Lafond, ‘Roc-Epine’, Rhone, France, 2009

3.

Chocolate cake with crème frâiche ganache, orange cream and cocoa nibs

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: September 6th - September 12th

Menu A

1.
grilled summer squashes with pistachio oil, sumac, crispy leeks, compressed celery, and feta
Rosé, Brumont, Cotes de Gascogne, France, 2011

2.
chicken ballotine with carrot purée, braised local lettuces, and cutting celery jus
Morgon, Louis Tete, ‘Les Charmeuses’, Beaujolais, France, 2009

3.
marjolaine ice cream with gâteau breton and mutzu apples


Menu B

1.
fried okra with butter lettuce, smoked cherry tomatoes, radish, favas, and green goddess.
Grenache blanc blend, Trois Messes Basses, Ventoux, France, 2011

2.
crisp sole with butternut squash, wilted spinach, toasted pinenuts, and verjus emulsion
Riesling, Domaine Wachau, Federspiel, ‘Terrassen’, Wachau, Austria, 2010


3.
Sweet Grass Dairy green hill cheese with housemade baguette and accompaniments


 Available for 5:30pm, 5:45pm and 6:00pm reservations every night

$30 food

$15 booze

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: August 30th - September 5th

Menu A

1.
chilled purslane soup with scallop crudo, preserved lemon, and chili powder
Sancerre, Domaine de la Perriere, Loire, France, 2011

2.
crisp dorade bouillabaisse with little neck clams, Tybee shrimp, fennel, potato, and smoked tomato broth
Pinot Grigio, Ornella Molon, Piave, Veneto, Italy, 2010

3.
marjolaine with chocolate, hazelnut and cream and brulèed Georgia mutsu apples



Menu B

1.
English peas with crisp lardons, egg, radish, local lettuces, and buttermilk-tarragon dressing
Chablis, Louis Michel, Burgundy, France, 2010

2.
tagliatelle with roasted Japanese eggplant, salumetto, mint, chervil, tomatoes, and Parmesan
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Duca di Saragnano, Tuscany, Italy, 2007

3.
cheddar gougéres with vanilla bean ice cream, apple compote, pecan praline and caramel

 

Available for 5:30pm, 5:45pm and 6:00pm Reservations

$30 food

$15 booze

Library Wine Dinners with Winemaker Joe Davis of Arcadian Winery: September 9th at Empire State South and September 11th at Five & Ten

I'm really excited about having Arcadian Winery's Joe Davis at both Empire State South and Five & Ten for two very special wine dinners. We've crafted unique menus for each dinner, sure to showcase this talented winemaker and his craft. Please join us for one of the dinners (or both!) by calling and making a reservation today!

Library Wine Dinner with Winemaker Joe Davis of Arcadian Winery

Joe Davis sorting grapes

One of the most eye-opening tastings I've done in quite a while was a whole slew of aged wines from Joe Davis' Arcadian Winery.  Perhaps no other American winemaker is building Pinots, Syrahs and Chardonnays to age the way Joe is, with most of the wines not being released before 5 years of age (and even then they need time).  With age they are real things of beauty, expressive and tireless, and always seeming more youthful than they are.  So it is a real treat to host Joe and a number of pristine wines from his personal stash in Lompoc.  Joe will be here September 9 to walk us through the vintages (and the vineyards) and to tell us why his wines grow old so gracefully.

-Wine Director Steven Grubbs

---

Library Wine Dinner with Winemaker Joe Davis of Arcadian Winery
Empire State South
September 9th, 2012
$130 per person + tax and gratuity

1.
poached Rappahannock River Oysters, celery ice, finnochiona,  potato mousse, crème fraiche, pickled fennel
Chardonnay, Arcadian, ‘Sleepy Hollow Vineyard’, Santa Lucia Highlands, CA, 2005

2.
foraged mushrooms, chicken broth, ESS goats chesse gnudi, egg yolk, ESS sourdough
Pinot Noir, Arcadian, ‘Gary’s Vineyard’, Monterey, CA, 2001

3.
Roast pheasant roulade, bologna, charred onion, celeriac-bread gratin, late summer pimento puree
Pinot Noir, Arcadian, ‘Fiddlestix Vineyard’, Santa Rita Hills, CA, 2002

4.
Border springs farm lamb belly, pumpkin brown butter puree, komatsuna, preserved cherries, shiso, lamb ham
Syrah, Arcadian, Santa Ynez, CA, 2006
Syrah, Arcadian, ‘Stolpman Vineyard’, Santa Ynez, CA, 2003

5.
Muscadine consommé, scuppernong sorbet, pastry cream crisp, peanut butter powder, candied peanuts

Library Wine Dinner with Winemaker Joe Davis of Arcadian Winery

Five & Ten

September 11, 2012

$130 per person + tax and gratuity

1.

diver scallop crudo with olive oil sorbet, fennel, and crispy shiitakes tossed in lovage vinegar and Georgia olive oil.

Chardonnay, Arcadian, ‘Sleepy Hollow Vineyard’, Santa Lucia Highlands, CA, 2005

2.

root vegetable confit with sugar snaps, toasted sesame, dashi broth and pea shoots

Pinot Noir, Arcadian, ‘Gary’s Vineyard’, Monterey, CA, 2001

3.

roulade of Rabbit Man Farms Rabbit with sage, truffle, crisp Tuscan kale, and sherry-mustard brown butter.

Pinot Noir, Arcadian, ‘Fiddlestix Vineyard’, Santa Rita Hills, CA, 2002

4.

Butter poached tri-tip with smoked onion puree, crisp sweet potatoes, sweet potato greens, and sumac butter.

Syrah, Arcadian, Santa Ynez, CA, 2006

Syrah, Arcadian, ‘Stolpman Vineyard’, Santa Ynez Valley, CA, 2003

5.

Tarte tartin with apples, pears, caramel and lemon verbena ice cream

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: August 23rd - 29th

Menu A

1.
grilled octopus with frisee, citrus, toasted almonds, and kimchi vinaigrette
Müller-Thurgau blend, Montinore Estate, ‘Borealis’, Willamette Valley, OR, 2011

2.
pan seared VA flounder with carolina gold rice, eggplant caponata, nicoise tapenade, and tomato confit
Grenache blanc blend, Trois Messes Basses, Ventoux, France, 2011

3.
fig on the bottom crème brûlée with a chocolate chip cookie

Menu B

1.
crisp veal sweetbreads with green goddess and summer succotash
Cava, Conde de Subirats, Spain, NV

2.
grilled pork shoulder steak with warm potato salad, seared okra, peaches, and boiled peanuts
Bourgogne Rouge, Edmond Cornu, ‘Les Bressandes’, Burgundy, France, 2008

3.
Georgia apple crisp with vanilla bean ice cream and candied cashews

Available for 5:30pm, 5:45pm and 6:00pm Reservations

$30 food

$15 booze

Five and Ten Prix Fixe: August 16 – August 22

Menu A

1.
little oyster pies with leek, nori crema, and dashi
Treixadura blend, Viña Mein, Galicia, Spain, 2010

2.
potato gnocchi with local squash, summer truffle, pecorino, and chanterelles
Pinot Grigio, Ornella Molon, Piave, Veneto, Italy, 2010

3.  Classic profiteroles, vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate


Menu B

1.
Local pea and fennel soup with nueske bacon, herb pistou, and coddled egg
Cava, Conde de Subirats, Spain, NV

2.
lamb merguez with tahini, greek yogurt, marinated cucumbers, radish, favas, and herbs
Tinta de Toro, Teso la Monja, ‘Romanico’, Crianza, Toro, Spain, 2009

3.  Marinated Chevre with housemade baguette, fig jam and toasted nuts

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: August 9 - August 15

Menu A

1. local green salad with Spinning Spider Stackhouse, nicoise olives, roasted peppers, and Salametto salami

Grenache blanc blend, Trois Messes Basses, Ventoux, France, 2011

2. roasted lamb leg with black rice, crisp broccoli, tomatoes, and mint-oil

Ribera del Duero, Finca Villacreces, ‘Pruno’, Spain, 2009

3. Greek frozen yogurt, elderflower compressed peaches, honey and streusel  

Menu B

1. shaved summer squash with basil, shaved parmesan, buttermilk ranch, marconas, and micro mustards

Pinot Grigio, Ornella Molon, Piave, Veneto, Italy, 2010

2. roasted cobia with charred eggplant, kimchi rice pilaf, pea shoots, radish, and dashi consommé.

Moschofilero, Tselepos, Mantinia, Greece, 2010

3. Plum tart, almond, vanilla bean, lemon and rose water

Five and Ten Prix Fixe: August 2 – August 8

Menu A

1.
Sapelo Island clams with tomatoes, fennel, peppers, and sweet vermouth.
Albariño, Eidosela, Rias Baixas, Spain, 2011

2.
potato & leek ravioli with swiss chard, fresh cheese, crisp pancetta, and balsamic brown butter
Pinot Grigio, Ornella Molon, Piave, Veneto, Italy, 2010

3.
Meadow Creek Appalachian with fig jam, toasted pecans and house made baguette


Menu B

1.
Deviled egg with summer squash fritters, frisee, and warm bacon-mustard vinaigrette.
Grenache Blanc blend, Trois Messes Basses, Ventoux, France, 2011

2.
Fried Plantation quail with summer succotash, pickled green tomatoes, pea shoots, and lovage jus.
Bourgogne, Edmond Cornu & Fils, ‘Les Barrigards’, Burgundy, France, 2008

3.
Pâte Surcée tart:
Mike’s ricotta with local honey, fresh fruit and herbs

Five and Ten Prix Fixe: July 26 - August 1

Menu A

1.
mushrooms on brioche with shaved parmesan, sherry vinegar, garlic, and herbs
Vouvray, Jean-Claude Pichot, ‘Domaine Le Peu de la Moriette’, Loire, France, 2011

2.
chicken leg confit with leek grits, local tomatoes, wilted spinach, and orange gremolata
Nero d’Avola, Tasca d’Almerita, ‘Lamuri’, Sicily, Italy, 2009

3.
pistachio panna cotta, dark chocolate and orange segments


Menu B


1.
shaved fennel salad with ossau iraty and bistro vinaigrette
Riesling, Pfeffingen, ‘Estate Dry’, Pfalz, Germany, 2011

2.
olive oil poached salmon with slow roasted heirloom tomatoes, shaved celery, whipped potatoes, and olive tapenade vinaigrette
Pinot Grigio, Ornella Molon, Piave, Veneto, Italy, 2010

3.
fig upside down cake, mint sherbet, streusel and honey

Dinner With Rajat Parr & Sandhi Wines: August 14th, 2012

"We are highly stoked to be hosting Sommelier Rajat Parr for a dinner on August 14th. Raj is the executive wine director for the Michael Mina Restaurant Group, and he also owns two hit restaurants of his own, RN74 San Fran and RN74Seattle. Raj is one of the world's most respected sommeliers, and with the publication of his James Beard Award-winning book Secrets of the Sommeliers in 2010, Raj nestled into the informal, generally-agreed-upon role of 'Most Famous Wine Guy Around, Probably.'

The dinner will feature Raj's newest endeavor, Sandhi Wines, a collaborative effort between himself and two others. Sandhi produces excellent, thoughtful styles of both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from California's cool-and-sunny Central Coast. It starts at 7 PM, and be aware that space is very limited, so do call for your reservation asap. It's a great opportunity to drink with one of the world's most talented tasters." 

-Wine Director Steven Grubbs

The Menu:

DINNER WITH RAJAT PARR & SANDHI WINES
(and Highland Wine & Crystal)
August 14th, 2012
7:00 pm

(We’ll be pouring Cremant de Bourgogne, Jean-Luc Joillot, Burgundy, France, NV upon seating)

1st.

Hamachi crudo with quail egg, rice crackers, pickled blueberries, and shoyu
Chardonnay, Sandhi, Santa Barbara County, CA, 2010

2nd.

Chicken skin-wrapped monkfish, young eggplant, Jimmy Nardello peppers, chicken consommé, and radish
Chardonnay, Sandhi, ‘Rita’s Crown’, Santa Rita Hills, CA 2010

3rd.

Veal breast with heirloom potatoes and charred figs
Pinot Noir, Sandhi, Santa Rita Hills, CA, 2010


4th.

Roasted duck with crepinette, preserved cherries, baby leeks, and baby carrots
Pinot Noir, Sandhi, ‘Bien Nacido Vineyard’, Santa Maria Valley, CA,  2010
Pinot Noir, Sandhi, ‘Sanford & Benedict Vineyard’, Santa Rita Hills, CA,  2010

 5th.

Marcona almond crumble tart, smoked vanilla panna cotta, plums, brulèed figs



$120 per person plus tax and gratuity

Five & Ten Prix Fixe: July 19th - 25th

Menu A

1.
local egg with crisp shiitakes, edamame, celery, mustard greens, and buttermilk scallion dressing
Cotes du Ventoux blanc, Cuvee des Trois Messes Basses, France, 2011

2.
capelli d’angelo with tomato confit, parmesan, herbs, and GA olive oil
Pinot Grigio, Ornella Molon, Piave, Veneto, Italy, 2010

3.
Mint sherbet with almond cake, honey, local figs and blueberries


Menu B
1.
LaQuercia prosciutto with cantaloupe, padron peppers, and mint oil
Riesling, Von Schleinitz, ‘Nitor’, Kabinett Dry, Mosel, Germany, 2010

2.
smoked duck breast with braised sorghum, bok choy, basil salsa verde, grilled peach, and mustard jus
Langhe Rosso, Brandini, Piedmont, Italy, 2004

3.
Tres leches cake  with elderflower cream, blueberries and dark chocolate

Five and Ten Prix Fixe: June 28th-July 11th

Menu A

1. pickled gulf shrimp with fava beans, heirloom tomatoes, padron peppers and green goddess dressing. 

Gruner Veltliner, Ecker, Wagram, Austria, 2011

2. crisp flounder with stewed baby lentils with fennel, radish, and citrus emulsion

Arneis, Fatto a Mano, ‘Rock Vineyard’, Sonoma Coast, CA, 2009

3. Compressed Cantaloupe      

vanilla bean ice cream, honey, streusel, mint and Vietnamese coriander

Menu B

1. local coddled egg with corn crema, charred asparagus, and toast

Bourgogne blanc, De Montille, Burgundy, France, 2008

2. braised pork shoulder with sambul, summer rice pilaf, and stewed leeks

Syrah blend, Finca Sandoval, ‘Salia’, Manchuela, Spain, 2008

3. Peach melba shortcake     

diplomat cream, toasted almonds and basil

Five and Ten Prix Fixe: June 28th-July 11th

 

 

Menu A

1.

housemade rabbit pate with accompaniments

Rosé, Brumont, Cotes de Gascogne, France, 2011

2.

grilled quail with tarragon creamed corn, sauteed okra, heirloom tomato and charred scallion salad, and peach shrub gastrique

Bourgogne Rouge, Edmond Cornu, ‘Les Barrigards’, France, 2008

3.

ice cream scoops     
earl grey truffle and salty caramel

Menu B

1.

local green bean salad with boquerones, buttermilk dressing, and crispy fried shallots

Gruner Veltliner, Ecker, Wagram, Austria, 2011

2.

paella with octopus, tybee shrimp, and mussels 

Bianco, Russolo, ‘Doi Raps’, Friuli, Italy, 2009

3.

Corn pudding       
blackberries, basil and butter cookies

Five and Ten Prix Fixe: June 21th-27th

Menu A

1.

crisp Berkshire pork belly, pickled peach, basil, and bourbon mustard

Riesling, Eugen Müller, Forster Mariengarten Kabinett, Pfalz, Germany, 2010

2.

roasted leg of lamb with baby root vegetables, salsa verde, and fava-pea shoot salad

Malbec, Felino, ‘Viña Cobos’, Mendoza, Argentina, 2010

3.

Split Creek marinated chevre with blueberry jam and toasted GA pecans

Menu B:

1.

grilled shrimp with sambul, shishito peppers, and citrus-shaved cabbage

Riesling, Schloss Gobelsburg, ‘Gobelsburger’, Kamptal, Austria, 2011

2.

crisp flounder meuniere with lemon, capers, and wilted spinach

Sancerre, Domaine de la Perriere, Loire, France, 2010

3.

Lemon chess pie  with vanilla bean whipped cream and local fresh fruits

$30 food

$15 booze

SUMMER OF RIESLING at ESS

SUMMER OF RIESLING BOCCE COURT TASTING

June 21, 7:00, on the bocce court
Come kick off Summer of Riesling with us on the bocce court with a little educational cocktailing. We will have six small tables by the bocce court, each manned by an over-excited local Riesling nerd who will gleefully teach you all about the wine they're pouring. Also going around will be some of Chef Ryan's Riesling-friendly snacks. Valerie Masten of Michael Skurnik Wines and Eric Brown from Le Caveau Fine Wines will be just two of our special guests. Sundresses and seersucker are not required, but those dressed in them will be greeted with a hearty hi-five.

Five and Ten Prix Fixe: June 14th-20th

Menu A

1.

tomato aspic with heirloom tomatoes, shaved LaQuercia, parmesan, and sorrel

Txakolina rosé, Ameztoi, ‘Rubentis’ , Basque Country, Spain, 2011

2.

lobster middlins risotto with summer squash, edamame, and fennel-squash blossom crema

Pinot Grigio, Ornella Molon, Piave, Veneto, Italy, 2010

3.

Thomasville Tomme with toasted GA pecans, plum & cardamom jam, and baguette

Menu B:

1.

watermelon and feta salad with arugula, pickled rind, jalapenos, and lime vinaigrette

Cava, Avinyo, Brut Reserva, Penedes, Spain, NV

2.

fried chicken confit with squash casserole, rattlesnake beans, and pickled green tomatoes with hot pepper vinaigrette

Blaufränkisch, Prieler, ‘Johanneshohe’, Burgenland, Austria, 2008

3.

Blackberry and peach crisp with salty caramel ice cream and boxwood basil

$30 food

$15 booze

Corn Soup with Vanilla Bean, Coconut Milk, and Lobster

 

Photo by Rinne Allen

I recently demonstrated how to make this recipe at Grant Park Farmer's Market.

Time spent at my family's cottage on Lake Simcoe, just north of Toronto, made me keenly aware of summer vegetables. The cadence created by cucumbers, followed by yellow corn, then bi-colored corn, and finally tomatoes, defined the summer months.

            This soup is a beautiful pale yellow and has a natural sweetness that welcomes the vanilla. If lobster is not available, pair with an equally rich shellfish like shrimp or crawfish.

Serves 6

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 slice of fresh lemon

1 pound live fresh Maine lobster

2 tablespoons butter

1 leek, cleaned and finely diced

1 rib of celery, finely minced

3 cups fresh corn kernels

Bouquet garnis of fresh thyme and bay leaf (see Drawing)

1/2 fresh vanilla bean scraped (add both bean and scraped flesh)

1/2 cup russet potato, peeled and cubed to 1-inch

3 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 ripe tomato, diced

1 tablespoon very fruity extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh chervil or dill

Place a large pot of water (about one gallon) on the stove for cooking the lobster. Bring the water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt, all of the Old Bay seasoning and the lemon. When the water is at a vigorous boil, put in the lobster and cook for 6 minutes. While the lobster is cooking, prepare an ice bath by filling a bowl half with ice and half with water. Remove the lobster from the boiling water and place it in the ice bath to stop the cooking. Once chilled, clean the lobster by breaking off the tail, claws, and knuckles and carefully removing the meat from the shell. Set aside.

            In a soup pot with a lid, over medium-high, melt the butter. Add the leek and celery and cook until they are soft but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add the corn, bouquet garnis, vanilla, and potato. Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add the stock and cover. Continue cooking over medium heat (without boiling) for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when poked with a fork.

            Add the cream and coconut milk to the soup pot and continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and puree carefully in a blender. Season with the sea salt.

            Chop the lobster into bite-size pieces (this lobster is a garnish and as a rule and should not be bigger than what can fit on a spoon) and place in a mixing bowl. Toss the lobster with the tomato, olive oil, and chervil. Divide the lobster equally among six soup bowls, then pour soup around it.

            Serve immediately.

Reprinted from A NEW TURN IN THE SOUTH: SOUTHERN FLAVORS REINVENTED FOR YOUR KITCHEN  by HUGH ACHESON.  Copyright © 2011 by HUGH ACHESON.  Photographs copyright © 2011 by RINNE ALLEN.  Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc.”