New Year, New Menu — WARMTH

“Food for the body is not enough.There must be food for the soul.”
Dorothy Day

Wow… 2013 really amped up fast. I just realized I haven’t even posted the last two dinners we had in October and December. Not to mention the wonderful article that was written about us in Edible Iowa River Valley by the great and gracious Renee Brincks. I’ve included a link below,
http://edibleiowa.imirus.com/Mpowered/book/viowa2013/i4/p30

So here we are in this current sub-zero temperatures ( as of this evening, -13 Degrees F with -35 Degrees windchill…. brrrr…) and we here at [ Salt / Water ] are ready to crank out some delicious food to take your mind off the winter. So we hear are thinking of warming foods for the soul and while we would typically go the route of old school comfort food classics, i.e. casseroles, hearty soups, braised meats, etc… Instead we are thinking south of the border, beaches, rainforests, bright sunshine and seafood, not so many calories after the holidays. So our theme for this round is WARMTH. A 4 course meal for $35 per person with two seating at 5:30pm and 7:30pm. We will only have BYOB for drinks that night.

[ Amuse Bouche ]
Warm Soup of Roasted Red and Yellow Pepper with Lime Zest

[ Ceviche / Shrimp ]
Cooked and Marinated Wild Caught Gulf Brown Shrimp, Blue Swimming Crab, Cucumber Gelee, Meyer Lemon Granita, Pickled Red Onion, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Chili

[ Thai / Red Snapper ]
Sous Vide Poached Red Snapper, Sambal, Ginger, Basil, Housin Baby Bok Choy, Crispy Fish Skin, Coconut Rice

[ Tequila / Chantilly ]
Tequila Babas, Whipped Cream with Fleur de Sel, Lime Zest, Caramel

We will make changes for dietary restrictions if given enough notice, 24 hrs please include in reservation.

So please sign up for this upcoming Sunday for a glorious night of WARMTH. Please email your reservation at Driftlessfood@gmail.com with the number of guests, time slot and any dietary restrictions. Thanks in advance and can not wait for the weekend!
[ Salt / Water ] Staff

P.S. Look forward to more on the blog soon! Yes I promise to keep this more up to date with recipes, reviews and techniques in the upcoming months.

Final Menu for Round 7: Totally Local Summer

Below are the final details for the menu of Round 7

[ Lots of Herbs / Turnover ]
Warm from the Oven Butter Turnover, Fresh Goat Cheese Flavored with Thyme, Bacon, Smoked Apple Jam, Thyme, Rosemary

[ Tomato / Salad ]
Roasted Heirloom Tomato Custard, Chilled Cherry Tomatoes, Tomato Water, Basil Coulis, Micro Sprouts

[ Sweet Corn / Soup ]
Chilled Raw Sweet Corn Soup, Pickled Fennel and Summer Squash, Goat Cheese Mousse, Fried Fennel Fronds

[ Pork Confit / Ratatouille ]
Pork Tenderloin Poached in its Own Fat for 12 Hours, Roasted Eggplant, Tomato, Summer Squash Gratin, Herb Jus, Roasted Garlic Puree

[ Puff Pastry / Summer Fruit ]
Honey Glazed Puff Pastry with Multiple Local Fruit Jams

This entire menu for only $45 per person. Wine/Drink pairing will also be available as well. More details on that soon. Please note the menu can be made Vegan or GF with advance notice.
Please send your reservations to Driftlessfood@gmail.com with note of preferred time [ 5:30 pm or 7:45pm ] and if you have any food allergies. Please note that space is limited and reserved as first come, first served.
Many thanks in advance,
[ Salt / Water ] staff

Round 7 : Totally Local Summer

“So long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all questions for the time being.”
Franz Kafka

Summer Tastes sourced within Winneshiek county in Iowa

What a great idea, admittedly not my own nor the first to do it either, but something that the restaurant where I work strives to do everyday… until the dead of February any how. The timing could not be better either, the blazing heat of august allows all of our favorite veggies to come to most pleasurable. Our mind already jumps to ripe, dense eggplants, freshly scrubbed new potatoes, beautiful tender sweet corn, over abundant summer squashes, fragrant herbs of every variety perfuming the air, and let us not forget multi-hued juicy tomatoes. How could summer around Decorah be any better?

So why not make it a of a challenge? So all the food will be limited to what can and is produced, raised or prepared within the confines of Winneshiek county. With the only except I can think of… salt (and my preference Morton’s Kosher salt). Unless somebody can think of something we could not possibly find or exchange. So in addition to all the photos we usually take, we will included photos all the sources of the food (hopefully) or at least write out where each product came from and who produced/raised it. Wish us luck.

So with summer in all it’s glory we present the layout for the menu of Round 7: Local Summer

[ Lots of Herbs / Turnover ]

[ Tomato / Salad ]

[ Sweet Corn / Soup ]

[ Pork Confit / Ratatouille ]

[ Puff Pastry / Summer Fruit ]

We will also offer a Vegan, GF option as well in addition in the regular menu. Dinner will be $45 per person and possible have a drink pairing as well. More details on the menu and drinks will come soon. BYOB is still encouraged as well.

That night we will offer two seating, 5:30 and 7:45 pm, on Sunday September 8th 2013. Seating will be limited to 20 people per seating. Please email all reservations or question to Driftlessfood@gmail.com . We look forward to serving some amazing food that night.

Thanks,
[ Salt / Water ] Staff

Round 5: Italian Farmhouse

Peasant food.

What is more satisfying than a simple meal of homely honest ingredients cooked well.  These are the dishes of mothers and grandmothers everywhere, the tastes that bring to mind happy times with family at the table.  What better image in the American psyche is the gathering of Italian American families eating Sunday meals.  From the Godfather movies to the Sopranos TV show, the Italian lifestyle of gathering to eat has shown us what a proper meal is supposed to look like. However all these meals come from a long history of not only Italian families gathering for a shared feast everyday, but one where all cultures have shown that after a long hard day working in the field , everyone could come together and share in the bounty of their shared labor. Thus we present for Round 5, The People’s choice…. Italian Farmhouse

[ L’Antipasto ]

House Made Mozzarella, Eggplant Caviar, Caper berries, La Quercia Prosciutto, Crostini

 

[ Il Primo ]

Fresh Stuffed Pasta with Gorgonzola, Beef Broth, Parmesan

 

[ Il Secondi ]

Braised Beef Short Ribs, Creamy Polenta, Tomato Ragu

 

[ Il Dolce ]

Amaretto Semifreddo, Almond Biscotti, Espresso Crema

Dinner will be $40 per person and may include a wine/drink pairing for an additional $15.  BYOB is encouraged and allowed.  We will have two seating 5:30 and 7:45 for this Sunday, July 14, 2013.  Please reserve in advance at Driftlessfood@gmail.com.

Our many thanks,

[ Salt / Water ]  staff

“SPRING” menu for April 7th Dinner

saltwater Spring Menu

Above is a link for the newest menu for the “SPRING” menu on April 7th, 2013.  We will be featuring both a Regular Menu and a Vegan Menu as well, for all our lovely and friendly Vegan guests.  The seating will be at 5:30 and 7:45 pm and the cost of the dinner will again be 38. for the Regular Menu and 35. for the Vegan Menu.  There will also be a possible Wine pairing as well, with details to come soon.  Please email Driftlessfood@gmail.com with your time and menu preferences.  Remember space will be limited and all reservations are on a first come and first served basis.  Again thank you all for your support and time.

[ Salt / Water ] staff

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“Home” — First Dinner March 17, 2013

The First dinner for [ Salt/ Water ] is ready to go.

This upcoming Sunday night we will feature a 4 course meal for $38. per person with the central theme “Home.”

For the first round we will not be able to offer alcohol with the meal, so BYOB for this first time. We will have coffee, juice, soda, etc available to go along with the meal included with price.

Unfortunately we will not have a Vegan option to go along with the dinner for this first round, however items can be made Gluten Free if necessary. Please note if you would like this option.

We will only have 30 seat available for the first round of dinner, 15 at 6 pm and another 15 at 7:45 pm, please note your preference.  It will be first come, first served.

Please email Driftlessfood@gmail.com with subject title SALT/WATER and please note which time you would prefer, how many people and any food allergies.

Thank you and full menu to come soon.

Justin and the rest of the [ Salt / Water ] crew.