Getting busy around here.

It seems as though September came and all of our friends that were away for the summer came back. It has been a joy to see you all. It is getting busy in our kitchen and I want to thank those of you that have made your dinners in our kitchen. The feedback has been very nice. We have used your suggestions to change our recipies for the better and love that our customers are so comfortable with us that they know we will be responsive to their concerns.



This week we tested pork chops with a sauce made from fresh plums and red wine. It was outstanding! Look for it on the menu in November. We also are testing several Thanksgiving side dishes for the week before the holiday so you can bring a part of the meal to your hostess, or maybe help you with your own turkey. Carmelized pearl onions, corn souffle, cranberry stuffing, string bean casssarole, potatoes au gratin, roasted root vegetables, candied yams just to name a few.

We have been making plans for our part in a gala next month to benefit Habitat for Humanity. It will be a tasting evening from the best restaurants in town. Look for more info here about it.
We had our first experience as caterers two weeks ago and loved it. We served 3 mail courses and appetizers. We made our crab cakes smaller to suit an appetizer size and served them with a remulade sauce. It was delightful So if you need help with a party at home, give us a call.

See you at Dinnersmith.

What a nice evening we had last night. Some of our favorite customers came in last night with their friends. They brought a bottle of wine, we did some tasting from the kitchen and just had a good time. This is the best part of this business. I used to sit in an office and see maybe 9 different people all day, every day. What a nice change to be meeting new friends and neighbors.
They all liked the idea of a Thanksgiving special where we set up all the stations to do side dishes for the holiday. They all even signd up for it already. Better get started on those recipies.

We were talking in the kitchen the other day about salt. We noticed that our customers are staying away from the salt while preparing their meals. There is too much salt in the diet of the average American, I know that. But it probably does not come from the little bit of table salt that we put in our cooking. We will be watching amounts now to make sure that there is not an unhealthy amount of salt in our recipies. Also be careful of the salt in preserved foods, it is there that we go overboard. Remember that salt is a great preservative and is used in large amounts by the packaging industry. Our overall salt intake would probably be a lot less if we ate homemade meals with salt but stayed away from prepackaged foods.

Hear Comes Autumn

Sitting in my office, at Dinnersmith, with the back door open is so very refreshing after a very warm summer. The breezes are blowing and I am thinking about Beef Stews and Sloppy Joes. So okay, I think about food a lot. Good thing, though. Sharon and Mary are in the kitchen making meals for the freezer. I can smell the baked french toast with apples and cinnamon and it really is a change in seasons.

With the kids back to school, I find myself with extra time in my kitchen. Something I cherish since I spent so many years on the train. Dinnersmith has given me time to do what I love. Hopefully, we can help you have more time with the family too. Last night my daughter dropped in for dinner. She goes to college only 40 miles away and can show up at any time. It was great. She said she misses talking to us at dinner. Again, I will say that family dinner is so important when raising kids. We had brisket and potatoes. Great family fare, and on our Sept menu. Try it.

Sharon's son dropped by this weekend on his way back to College to make chicken nuggets and Steak Merlot for the dorm room. Love seeing that. They will be the best fed guys at Cornell.

Oh, listen to this, Mary is making Monte Christo Sandwiches for lunch. This dish will be on our October Menu. Baked in the oven with Ham and Swiss. Great for brunch. We are testing a bunch of interesting recepies for November.

Thanksgiving will be here before we know it and we are thinking of doing Thanksgiving side dishes the week before the Holiday. What do you think? Yams on one station, stuffing on another, string bean casserole and carmelized onions on another. Bring a great side to your hostess or just put it in your oven.

Well time to go and eat lunch.

See you at Dinnersmith.

Back to School

September is here and sadly that means leaving the summer behind. There are still some great grilling moments left. I know that I miss my oven, but I am not ready to give up the grill. My kids love eating outside in September, the air is a bit cooler and the aromas seem to stay in the air longer.
Some of the trees in our yard are already dropping their pods.

Sitting in our dinnersmith kitchen, it is great to hear preparation going on for brisket and stuffed cabbage. It reminds me of the holidays in my Mother's kitchen, especially the garlic in the air.....yummmmmm.

Of course all this is mixed up with new teachers and homework, sports starting and a real schedule after the lazy summer. Everyone coming together for dinner around the table. It is when my kids open up about what they are thinking and what they love. A lot of laughing together. If you do not have the schedule to eat together every night, make at least one or two nights a week family dinner night. It is really great for staying in touch with each other.

We are planning the holidays already, as in our kitchen we need to be a month or two ahead. Every Halloween when my kids were young, I put a big beef stew in the Crock Pot so that they would have something hot and hearty to eat when they came in from the cold. Their friends would stop for Trick-or-Treat and first come in for some stew. At least I knew they were eating something other than candy. Now they ask for Halloween Stew...watch for it.

I am being called away to test something delicious.........byeeee

See you at Dinnersmith.