Chickpeas & Swiss Chard in Sun Dried Tomato Broth

Well, after the success of January's Soup of the Month (and with lots of cold days still to come), I wanted to share the recipe with everyone. This is one of the easiest soups we make at the cafe and ironically also one of the most requested. Any good quality sun dried tomato pesto will do, and the parmesan rind gives a remarkable depth of flavor. Don't be afraid to mix in some additional protein (chicken, etc) or experiment with the many different winter greens currently available (kale, rainbow chard, etc). Let me know how it works for you!

SPECIAL EVENT 2010

Our Mosaic Unique Events team joined our nation's top special event gurus for The Special Event 2010 in New Orleans!
One of the concepts we are so thrilled about is this year is the Happy Hour Chandelier (http://www.happyhourchandelier.com/)
This entertaining concept was created by award-winning choreographer Nanine Linning (www.naninelinning.nl) and star designer Marcel Wanders (www.marcelwanders.com).
Each dancer is suspended for 20 minutes while pouring flutes of champagne to the crowd below!
This a just the tip of the iceberg - and we're thrilled to showcase some of the most innovative ideas this year! Stay tuned!!

Valentine's Weekend 2010

Well it's never too early to start planning for Vday, especially when it falls on a Saturday! This year, we will offer value options for both Friday/Saturday Dinner and Saturday/Sunday Brunch.

The Grand Marnier Ricotta Fritters are a new recipe for me. I/we have been working on this recipe for a while and the result is pretty incredible (thanks Ms. Elaine!)! Those of you that know me know that I am not a big fan of frying, but these are so amazing I had to make an exception. Surprisingly, they cook-up so fast that you use almost no oil. The result is crispy on the outside, light and souffle-like on the inside. Dust with a little powdered sugar and watch out - these little bites are addictive. I have included these in the Valentine's Brunch Menu to give everyone a chance to experience them before they hit the regular brunch menu. Let me know what you think!

Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Well it is cold in Charleston...REALLY COLD....so lots of time to work on some recipes that I have been wanting to try. I maintain a list of "recipes I must make" from books, magazines, guests, family, etc that despite my best efforts, only seems to get longer and longer each month. Until a recent special request, I had failed to notice the amazing pears available in most of the grocery stores (and the ones present in many holiday gift boxes). Today I decided it was time to find something warm and wonderful to do with them. The recipe I settled on was so easy and turned out SO well that I had to share it right away. A perfect example of how little needs to be done to fresh, fantastic ingredients! Enjoy and Happy New Year!

2010 is here and January Specials are up!

Wow I can't believe the holidays are over. The January specials have been posted and are available in all locations. You will probably notice some unusual additions to this month's choices, including some unconventional flavor combinations - all of which have been tested and tasted by me - that I am excited for you all to try. Some months have become very important to me in the "research and development" process and January 2010 is definitely one of them. I will be switching to a bi-annual store menu update format this year, with the Spring/Summer menu being in stores by March and the Fall/Winter changes in place by September. This will give me a chance to take advantage of the local, seasonal produce that is becoming more and more available in Virginia and South Carolina. I am really looking forward to a creative year of specials with lots of new items and refinements of some old favorites. My mother is also hard at work as usual, helping me with some of the recipes that I am famously challenged by (usually something involving baking!). If you have a favorite you'd like us to work on, please let me know!