Posted by: Rae | January 19, 2010

February Cooking Classes at the Alcove

Friday, February 5, 6:00 pm

Roasted tomato-basil soup and scones We will chop and dice; I’ll put the soup on to cook; and while it’s bubbling, we’ll make Alcove scones of various kinds.  We’ll enjoy a dinner of soup and scones.  Things to bring if you have them:  mixing bowl & spoon, medium chopping board.  We’ll provide lots of things to add to the scones, but if you have something special you’d like to try, bring that as well. $25

Thursday, February 11, 6:00 pm

Pizza We did this one last year and had a ball.  Come and do it again (try new toppings), or if you missed the first one, come on in.  We make pizza dough from scratch (you’ll end up taking that home in your own bowl); we’ll make crusts from dough I’ve made ahead of time and par-bake them; and then we’ll each put toppings on a couple of crusts and eat them.  I’ll provide everything except your mixing bowl.  $25

Reserve your spot:  616-635-6972

Posted by: Rae | December 17, 2009

Saying Goodbye Nicely

** LAST DAY OF BUSINESS IS DECEMBER 18 ***

We’ve had a few requests for our Croques Maison recipe.  This is our version of the popular French breakfast sandwich.  One customer wrote on this blog that she had eaten Croques all over the world, and ours is the best she’s ever had.  It took us awhile to perfect it, but we and our customers are pretty darned happy about it right now.  So, on our last day of business, here’s our gift to you, our loyal and ever-so-discerning customers.

Bechamel

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 ½ cups cream or half & half

Dash of nutmeg

Kosher or coarse-ground sea salt and freshly-ground pepper

½ cup shredded cheese (Parmesan or cheddar or other, depending upon your purpose)

Dash tabasco sauce (optional)

Melt the butter in a 10” skillet. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 or 3 minutes. Slowly add cream, whisking constantly, and cook about 8 minutes until thick and smooth. Add nutmeg and salt and pepper.

Sir in cheese. For croques maison, we add about ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese; for simple “kids” macaroni and cheese, we add about 1 cup shredded cheddar or a combination of cheddar and mozzarella.  For hoity-toity macaroni and cheese, we add cheddar, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, and Asiago, and then layer the sauced macaroni with cubed cheeses.  In any case, when the cheese has melted, remove from heat. Stir in Tabasco sauce if desired.

Cool for croques maison — it will need to be butter-like.  So make it the night before.  Or make baked mac & cheese: combine with cooked elbow macaroni and top with buttered bread crumbs. Bake at 350 until bubbly and golden brown.

Don’t freeze your bechamel. The texture just won’t be right.

Roasted Roma Tomatoes

Preheat oven to 450º

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Prepare tomatoes:

Cut the stem end off a Roma (“pear”) tomato. Slice the tomato lengthwise, first in half, then again so that you have long wedges.

Using your fingers or a small paring knife, scoop the seeds out of the tomato wedge and either throw them away or reserve to make tomato broth.

Place the seeded wedges on the baking sheet. You can crowd them, but don’t pile them in layers more than two tomatoes deep.

Drizzle with olive oil. We use a squirt bottle for this, and you should invest in a few. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, then Herbs de Provence.

Bake for about 10 minutes, until a few edges begin to blacken. Cool slightly. Remove from the baking sheet and store in containers in refrigerator or freezer.

Croques Maison

It’s all about the ingredients.

8 slices great-quality whole-grain bakery bread, sliced ½” thick

1 cup cheesy béchamel sauce (béchamel with Parmesan cheese)

8 thin slices Black Forest ham

24 roasted Roma tomato quarters

8 slices good-quality Swiss cheese (or 16 small slices)

¾ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese

8 eggs

3 Tablespoons butter

Pre-heat broiler.  Place bread slices on a baking sheet and bake 7” from heating unit till toasted on the top, but still soft on the bottom.

Cool bread slices. Use immediately or wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Keeps a couple of days.

Preheat oven to 450º F.  Place toasted bread, toasted side DOWN on a work surface.  Spread the un-toasted side of each bread slice with 1 – 2 Tablespoons béchamel, taking care to cover the entire top of the bread. Top with ham slice, then 3 roasted tomato slices, then Swiss cheese to cover ham. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Place sandwiches on a baking sheet or pie tins, toasted side down, cheese side up.  Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Meanwhile, fry the eggs in a little butter, and cook to desired doneness (sunny side up, over easy, over medium, etc.). Top each sandwich with an egg. Serve.

Posted by: Rae | December 16, 2009

Bye Bye Alcove

Sadly, Friday December 18 will be our last day.  We won’t re-open next spring because the city has planned a sewer replacement and street re-paving project then.  Just can’t absorb that on top of the economy. 

We plan to cook up a storm on the 17th and 18th, and hope you will stop by for our Alcove Wake.

Our popular cooking classes will continue this winter, and we’re still available for the occasional catering job or private party.  

Our heartfelt thanks to our fabulous, loyal customers, and my heartfelt thanks to the 50 or so employees who have made running this place so interesting, entertaining, and at times exasperating.  Enjoy the holidays, and be well.

Raechel

Posted by: Rae | December 4, 2009

Our Hours

OK, the latest.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 7:30 – 3:00 pm. Yes, breakfast all day!!

Posted by: Rae | November 22, 2009

Thanksgiving Week Hours

Welcome back to Charlevoix, parttime residents!

Here are our hours:

Monday, November 23 – open 7:30 – 3:00
Tuesday, November 24 – CLOSED
Wednesday, November 25 – open 7:30 – 3:00
Thanksgiving, November 26 – CLOSED
Friday, November 27 – open 7:30 – 3:00
Saturday, November 28 – open 7:30 – 3:00
Sunday, November 29 – open 7:30 – 3:00

Posted by: Rae | November 18, 2009

Alcove Cooking Classes

Upcoming class schedule:

Pasties and Scotch Eggs – Tuesday, Dec. 1, 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm. We’ll make meat or veggie pasties and Scotch eggs, dine on some, and take the rest home, along with recipes.   GREAT FUN.  SHOULD WE OFFER THIS AGAIN? 

Roasted Tomato-Basil Soup and Scones – Wednesday, Dec. 9, 5:30 – 7:30 pm.  We’ll make the soup, and a variety of scones, dine, and take some home, along with the recipes.  WE STILL HAVE SPOTS AVAILABLE 

Pizza - Tuesday, Dec. 15, 5:30 – 7:30 pm, for those who missed or were closed out of our first one. We’ll make pizzas from scratch, and dine; you’ll take home a bowl of dough and our recipes.  SPOTS AVAILABLE 

Call 547-7490 for information and to register. Limit ten people per class, so register early.   $25 covers everything.

Posted by: Rae | October 10, 2009

Autumn Goodies

Pumpkin pancakes are selling like … well, hotcakes. (Yeah, that was bad). We have pasties, too (comes with a Scotch egg and more). Chicken pot pie. Chicken breast stuffed with fontina and asparagus, served over rice with a brilliant dijon-mushroom sauce. Shepherd’s pie. A harvest salad that features apples, cherries, butternut squash, walnuts, and a great cherry vinaigrette. Scones and our delicious oatmeal-chocolate chip-walnut cookies. Everything homemade.

Posted by: Rae | September 25, 2009

PUMPKIN PANCAKES ARE BACK

Our “famous” pumpkin pancakes with apple cider syrup are back. But … there’s a shortage of pumpkin, and we’re having trouble finding it anywhere. As long as we have it, you can have those wonderful orange pancakes.

Posted by: Rae | September 19, 2009

Coming soon – Pizza School!

We’ll gather to make crusts, add toppings (our recipes or your imagination), and bake. Then we’ll share a pizza meal. You’ll go home with a few crusts for later, and our recipes. All you need to bring is a bowl and a small cutting board, if you have one.

Interested? Call 547-7490 to add your name to the list, and let us know what days & times are good. Space is limited, so let us know soon.

Posted by: Rae | September 19, 2009

Summer’s winding down …

It’s cold enough to discourage many folks from sitting outside, but at least the bees seem to have given up buzzing the customers. And when I left the house this morning, I looked up and saw the stars. If you live in a city, you probably can’t do this very well. I remember being surprised when I moved here to see so many … I had forgotten what the sky looks like.

Many of you have asked me when I intend to close for the season, or whether I stay open year-round. As long as we have people coming in, we’ll stay open. When it gets cold and icy, and people hunker down to wait out the winter, when we don’t see enough people to justify firing up the ovens, then we’ll bow to Mother Nature and close until it’s warmer.

In the meantime, we’re open from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm, every day except Wednesday.

Thank you for your business, and for being such loyal supporters of the little place on Park that never saw Hemingway.

Raechel

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