Monday, March 19, 2012

Flash Nonfiction IV—The Good News!

Everyone loves food; even those pinch-faced (and they are always pinch-faced) ascetics who claim they “eat to live” hold dear some dish that they favor above all others. I know that I take my love of food to the extreme. I know that there is something outright dysfunctional going on in this relationship. I know that this is a story too-often told. This same-old-same-old does, however, explain why the “news” that inspired today’s post is not based in journalism. It is, rather, news that gets delivered to my inbox Thursdays through Mondays of each week.

It is, always, good news.

It is the daily dinner menu for Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc.

I won’t be having dinner at Ad Hoc tonight because I’m in Connecticut, it’s in Yountville, California and Spring Break is over so I have classes. But I welcome the arrival of the dinner menu every time it appears; the idea that food this good is happening in the world seems like good news to me, even if the price of dinner is a solid and non-negotiable $52—and they charge extra if you want the (+) item. More good news: although I don’t have access to the same ingredients used at the restaurant, I do have the recipes for a lot of these dishes so I can make them at home at a substantial savings (though I won’t because the fried chicken needs a lot of pre-prep and I would have had to start yesterday).

I’m pretty certain that even those ascetics could find something to enjoy on this menu; if not today’s, then some other day’s. So, enjoy (and please note that any typos in the menu are not mine).

Dinner Menu for Monday, March 19th


Broccolini & Crescenza Salad
black olives, marinated mushrooms
fried chickpeas, red endive
lemon-honey vinaigrette

~

Buttermilk Fried Chicken
rancho gordo red beans and rice with sausage
sauteed romaine, english peas and carrots
chive oil

(+)

Prosciutto and Melted Onion Bruschetta
palladin toast, goat gouda
red radishes, rocket arugula

$12

~

San Joaquin Gold
pickled rhubarb
california strawberry and pear sald
piced mixed nuts

~

Pineapple Floats
vanilla ice cream, pineapple sorbet
huckleberry soda

11 comments:

Elizabeth Hilts said...

Another part of the inspiration for this is that every other news story I considered using was tragic and today is just too beautiful a day for that.

Amy C. Kaplan said...

After this scrumptious article, I'm tempted to hop a train up to Yountville, or call my friend Katie who lives nearby. But what I WILL do, is put my order in for fried chicken a week in advance.
Nice.

Cie said...

Yum yum! Thanks for sharing. Fried chickpeas? Drooool... This reminds me we need to reschedule our dinner double date.

Elizabeth Hilts said...

Pineapple floats. I DID grill some pineapple last night. And some chicken.

It was not the same, I'm sure.

Jane said...

Pineapple Float!! Just knowing that exists makes my day!

Kim Ficera said...

The fried chicken at Ad Hoc is amazing. Really. If you ever make it out here to wine country, I'll make sure you leave 15 pounds heavier. ; )

Donna M. said...

I'm intrigued by the beverage. I wonder what huckleberry soda tastes like?

Alena said...

The half a pound of pasta I consumed last night almost without chewing was to live, I swear

Elizabeth Hilts said...

Kim, yet another reason to visit your part of the world (as if you are not reason enough).

Elizabeth Hilts said...

Donna, I wonder if we could make some huckleberry soda?

Elizabeth Hilts said...

Alena,
Just a half pound?