feast: fresh global cuisine   event planning
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Welcome to feast's October cuisine of the month newsletter. 

October is peak season for picking wild chanterelle mushrooms from Central California up to the Northwestern Coast. Mushroom foraging is even more famously practiced in the Italian countryside. This globally shared fondness for fungi is a perfect opportunity to usher in Autumn with the chanterelle mushroom and the flavors of Tuscany. Tuscan home-style cooking, famed for its local, natural, and seasonal ingredients turns a fall evening into a memorable culinary feast.

season's best: fresh chanterelle mushrooms
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chanterelle mushrooms

buy
Look for the Clearwater Farms booth at the Wednesday and Saturday Santa Monica Farmer's Market, and also the Sunday Hollywood Farmer's Market. Wild Pacific coast chanterelles should be available through November at these locations.
 
store
Brush fresh chanterelles clean with a dry paper towel. Place cleaned chanterelles in a paper bag in the vegetable keeper compartment of your refrigerator. Stored this way they should keep for 7-10 days. 
 
serve
Chanterelle crepes, brie and chanterelle croque madame, chanterelle Madeira over veal or poultry, in an omelet with onion confit, angel hair with pancetta and chanterelles, chanterelle mushroom gravy on thanksgiving turkey
 
cook
Chanterelle + Hazelnut Fricassee  serves 4-6

1 tablespoon goose fat or olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup hazelnuts
1 pound wild chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves, firmly packed

Heat the goose fat or olive oil with the shallot, garlic and hazelnuts over medium heat. When the shallot has turned translucent and the hazelnuts have browned, after about 2 minutes, add the mushrooms and cook, shaking the pan frequently, until the mushrooms have given up most of their liquid. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the salt and pepper, and continue cooking until most of, but not all of the liquid has evaporated. This will take about 8 minutes. Mince the parsley and add to the pan, and continue cooking for an additional minute. Taste for seasoning, remove from the heat and serve immediately.

what's cooking

tuna bocconcini  caprese salad  tuscan antipasto

autumn antipasto soiree
fire roasted sweet + hot peppers with anchovies

grilled autumn vegetables, goat ricotta + pumpkin seed oil

chanterelle mushroom + roasted cipollini onion on  fresh grilled bruschetta


gorgonzola filled roasted fig wrapped in  prosciutto, balsamic reduction

fennel mushroom risotto croquette, fresh buffalo mozzarella

seared tuna bocconcini on grilled new potato, olive tapenade


tuscan family style dinner
antipasto of cured meats, olives, grilled autumn vegetables

artisan breads + grilled rosemary flat bread, extra virgin olive oil

*
spinach + arugula salad, sweet roasted beets, pomegranate, pistachios, honey sherry vinaigrette

smoked baby octopus + shaved fennel salad

*
grilled veal chops, chanterelles + campari

roasted poussin, balsamic vinegar reduction

butternut squash tortelloni, sage + garlic brown butter, pecorino + cracked pepper


broccoli rabe, olives, orange zest + walnut oil

creamy polenta, sun dried tomato mascarpone

*
pumpkin ricotta cheesecake

fresh fruit, honey balsamic syrup

 
october luncheon
mixed baby greens, cherry tomatoes, olive oil croutons, buttermilk chevre dressing

ricotta gnocchi, peas + hazelnuts

grilled salisbury lamb steak, rosemary jus reduction

pan seared celery root cake

grilled chard bundle, red peppercorn + garlic olive oil

anjou pear crostada, custard sauce
 

Our menus are created using the best, fresh seasonal ingredients. To ensure premium quality and availability, orders must be placed 24-hours in advance. Contact us for personalized menus reflecting your event theme, culinary tastes or budget. Special dietary requirements can also be creatively accommodated.

details...

fresh pasta  limoncello drop  olive oil bottles

our favorite cocktail this month: limoncello drop
2 1/2 oz absolut citron vodka
2 1/2 oz limoncello
4 oz sweet + sour mix
2 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
2 tsp sugar, for garnish

Combine all ingredients (except garnish) into a cocktail shaker half filled with ice cubes and shake well. Swirl a lemon wedge around the rim of two martini glasses, and dip the glasses in the sugar. Pour the contents of the cocktail shaker into the two glasses and serve immediately.
 
great ideas
Olive oil jars are a staple on the Italian dinner table. Personalized olive oil jars are a great way to decorate the table while providing a suitable take away gift for your guests. At a recent wedding anniversary dinner we started the meal with a family style Tuscan antipasto accented with individual jars of flavored olive oils for each guest.
 
feast loves...
Guidi Marcello; a family owned business, has been supplying hard to find food and beverage products from the diverse regions of Italy to LA's chefs for over 25 years. Their will-call store, located in Santa Monica, is open Monday through Saturday, offering patrons an unmatched variety of items like Italian waters and wines, regional extra virgin olive oils, San Marzano tomatoes, cow, goat and sheep's milk cheeses, prosciutto, pasta, and a beautiful collection of Italian pottery. We believe a visit to their facility to be an essential step in planning a Tuscan feast with a truly global touch.
www.guidimarcello.com
 

contact us
We build our business on referrals from our clients. We value our relationship with you, and appreciate the opportunity to stay in touch. This month please think of us for Halloween and for any special celebration on your calendar, and for your business catering needs. And, if you have a friend or colleague whom may need a caterer, please tell them about us. We can be contacted at 310-568-8600 or by email.  And as always, feel free to visit our website. We look forward to hearing from you very soon.

bon appetit!

Marcus Baird + your friends at feast
 

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