Greetings friends!

 

I was fortunate to cook for James Beard once. I was 21 and he was on a book tour in my hometown of Minneapolis. After the meal he said if I kept cooking like this I would be winning awards. The man knew what he was talking about.  As I write this I am about to leave for the James Beard Awards in Chicago. I have one Beard Award for Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook. This year I am a nominee for Best Restaurateur. I will let you know what happens in the next Newsletter.

 

The busiest restaurant day of the year is quickly approaching. Mother's Day is May 10. Make your lunch or dinner reservations now. Both Mustards and Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen have very special menus for you and your mom.
 
At Mustards the garden is blooming, earlier this year we planted seeds in the hot house.  Now the seedlings have been planted and growing rapidly in the garden.  We also planted honeyberries, this was a first for us.  Honeyberries are in the honeysuckle family; the taste is blueberry-like, although some people describe the flavor similar to that of a raspberry.  Chef Michael says it's so cool that the seeds he collected 6 months ago are now growing and can't wait to have all these amazing garden-fresh produce, herbs & berries on his menu in the next few weeks.

 

Fresh salmon is back paired with new potatoes, and look for the year's first cherries on Mustards Pair Off Pour Off Fridays.

 

At Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen (CBK) we are celebrating a month of sausages. House made sausages will include Duck, Korean, Napa Valley red wine style sausages, classic Brats from Sheboygan, and even hot dogs. 

We will be catering a couple exciting events coming in May and June.  The first is on May 16 at Grgich Hills Estate.  It's a celebration of the 35th Anniversary Chicago Chardonnay Showdown.  An unforgettable evening of wine, food & live music.  The multi-course menu is inspired by Chicago favorites paired with Grigich's amazing wines.  The second is at our Mustards Grill neighbor, Cosentino Winery on June 28.  This will be an afternoon culinary affair where I will be demonstrating two of our signature favorites; the Mongolian Pork Chop and  Chocolate-Hazelnut Truffle Tart.  I will share my tips & tricks I have learned over the years with you while you sip on Cosentino's delicious wines, nibble on some tasty treats and mingle with winemaker Marty Peterson for the afternoon.  Make your reservations today, there are limited spaces available for both of these events.

Many years ago I was asked to be one of the chefs preparing dinner for the great ballet dancer Rudolph Nureyev. I made freshly harvested steamed potatoes that reminded him of his Russian home. I sat next to him as he savored the dish. This month's recipe celebrates the simple joy of fresh steamed potatoes.

 

One of the joys of a chef is meeting and getting to know the purveyors who raise and grow the products we serve in the restaurants. I met Bonnie and Dick Swank of Swank Farms in Hollister, California through my partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The Swanks provide a variety of fresh, sustainable produce we use at the Aquarium Caf� and Cindy's Waterfront restaurant.

 

Recently John and I toured their 60-acre, mostly organic ranch in San Benito County, about an hour east of Monterey. Dick was raised on a dairy farm in Calistoga, and his family moved to the Hollister farm that was purchased by his grandfather in 1929. They grow 6 types of cherries, and just about every vegetable and seasonal melon suitable to their land.

 

During the month of October, the Swanks open their famous pumpkin patch and corn maze complete with pumpkin loaded catapults. It's a fun place to visit with the family on your way to or from the Aquarium.

 

Happy Mother's Day!