Posts Tagged ‘shenandoah’

 Our philosophy is that good food and good wine should be shared with the ones you love, so invite your friends over, open a bottle of wine, and don’t forget to laugh!

 

 

Melon Soup

 

1 cantaloupe – 3 ½” – 4 ½” in diameter

1 mango

1 pt. strawberries

2 oz. grand marnier

2 c. crème fraiche

1 tsp. mint – chopped

10 mint sprigs

 

Peel and hull fruit and cut into 1” cubes

 

In blender on low speed slowly add fruit and puree

 

Pour into a stainless steel bowl

 

Add grand marnier and chopped mint

 

Stir well

 

Refrigerate until very cold

 

Serve in chilled bowls topped with crème fraiche and a sprig of mint

 

 

 Spinach Salad

                                                           

1 bag or 2 bunches fresh spinach – washed and dried

2 endives

confit of salmon

4 tomatoes – cut into 8^th

¾ c. raspberry vinaigrette

pepper to taste

edible flowers – optional

 

Toss spinach with raspberry vinaigrette reserving a small amount to drizzle later

Arrange 4 endive leaved in salad bowl with tips sticking up around bowl

Place spinach in middle of endive leaves

Arrange tomato wedges between endive leaves around spinach

House cured salmon

Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper

Garnish with edible flowers

 

 

Raspberry Vinaigrette

                                                           

1 TBSP. mustard

1 tsp. garlic – chopped

1 tsp. shallots – chopped

½ c. raspberry vinegar

2 ½ c. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. parsley – chopped

salt to taste

pepper to taste

 

Whip mustard, garlic, shallots and vinegar together until well blended

Slowly drizzle in olive oil while continuing to whip mixture

Add chopped parsley, salt and pepper

 

   This is the first post from your hosts, Winey and Cheesey!  After much debate and input from our friends and guests we have finally arrived at the name of our blog. “Winey and Cheesey”. In future blogs we hope to bring the characters of Winey and Cheesey to life for the amusement of our guests.  For now just let it be said we always need a little cheese with that whine..did I spell that right?  

  People often ask us what is the best time to visit L’Auberge Provencale, in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.  Well, for the DC foodies, summer just has to be the answer!  Our flower gardens are lush and beautiful with heavy peonies and heady roses.  The fruit trees have bloomed and the baby fruits are benefiting from the sunshine and warmth.  Chef Alain’s vegetable garden is already producing a bounty of herbs, French breakfast radishes, lovage, sorrel, swiss chard and a variety of lettuce.  The late frost almost killed off the delicate, but they seem to be making a comeback and are trying to beat out the weeds for their stake in the ground. What can be better than produce from garden to plate?  Chef de Cuisine, Scott Meyer is utilizing all of the gardens produce in our current menus.  And lest we forget, our pastry chef Todd has just added the most moist devils food chocolate cake paired with rose petal ice cream (of course from heritage roses in our gardens) to our dessert menu.  It is simply the most luscious combination ever and so, so Provencale.