Nansletter 02/15/2022

We refer to this time of the year as “fool’s spring.” All of our senses seem to ignite. We are hardy New Englanders, and love the snow, but we’re excited about spring.

The early morning birds start singing songs of cheer on a 50 degree day and we are practically packing our sweaters and pulling out our flip flops. The cool breeze brings along the scent of petrichor—the smell of freshly fallen rain—and we can’t wait to switch from ice brushes to umbrellas.

When we plan our menus, we’re deeply inspired by the New England seasons. This is the time of year where our friends at the Food Hub are releasing schedules for farm crops. We’re eagerly scratching notes in meetings about how to best use the season’s pea tendrils, delicate greens and young crops.

That being said—we are on our way to changing up our menu offerings. Expect some new vegetables, a vegetarian ‘fried chicken’ sandwich, hot honey sandwich and more.

What to Order this Week

Grilled Chicken Sammie

This sandwich is decadent yet still feels nutritious. The flavors are bright and light but the creamy herbed mayo and crusty bread give it a cozy winter vibe. The ciabatta roll is griddled and has a nice crisp texture inside and soft and squishy outside. It flips the script in a good way. The grilled artichokes add a deeply savory anchor that evokes Old World Italy. The sammie comes with cheese and bacon (which can easily be omitted). Give it a try if you’re looking to mix up your lunch routine.

Matcha Lattes

Ahhh...spring in a glass. Matcha powder is not only a trendy superfood, but creates a delicious beverage packed full with antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Matcha comes from green tea leaves- the whole leaf is ground up into this vibrant powder that has its own distinct taste. We would compare it to drinking that just-warm-enough, flowers poking through the snow, mid afternoon fool's spring feeling. Matcha gives you light, sustainable energy without jitters. Combined with the milk of your choosing (we love coconut) either steamed or served over ice, this tea latte will prepare you for your day and get you in the mood for the coming spring.

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What to Drink this Week

As always, Chris is saving our week with delicious wine and beer recommendations. This week he’s picked a Mediterranean red wine that goes perfectly with our shawarma chicken, and a Berkshires-based brewery that specializes in creative brews. Check out his descriptions below!

La Robe D’Ange

"Josee Vanucci and husband Fabrice Couloumere produce wild Mediterranean wines on the island of Corsica, just off the southern coast of France and western coast of Italy. The island itself is both Italian and French in influence, with the French affectionately dubbing the island the ‘ile de Beaute’ - island of Beauty. Marc Imbert of Domaine de Torraccia in the east of the island, calls Corsica a “Jurassic Park” of grapes, referring to the thousand-plus-year-old heirloom vines still thriving in this sometimes “scary” terrain - a truly wild place. Wines at Clos Fornelli are produced organically overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, and the vines’ shoots are allowed to grow freely without excessive cutting or pruning. As little sulfites as possible are used and only concrete is used for aging so as to not muddy the sense of place in these wines. Fermentations are only done wildly and spontaneously, never any commercial yeast utilized."

"Robe D’Ange is made from 100% Sciaccarellu (shack-a-rel-lu) which has connections to the Tuscan grape Mammolo and has found a new home in Corsica. The wine is elegant, etched and lithe, with red fruit flavors and those wild Mediterannean aromatics from the local ‘maquis’ - herbs, flowers and plants growing around the vines. Body and tannins are medium and the wine drinks mineral and fresh. Josee’s goal is to make serious, sophisticated wines that can also be “drunk by the pitcher” - and she succeeds in spades here. Try this beauty with a Shawarma Chicken Wrap or Bowl."

Shire Breu-Hous

"Shire is a small 7-barrel operation in a little town called Dalton out in the Berkshires. We’ve been loving their farmhouse style approach to beers, but also their wild creativity. If you like it funky try their can-conditioned farmhouse with brett, “Rural Gentleman”, or if you want something more seasonal-appropriate - try the Extra Special Bitter “My Legs Aren’t Working Yet” which pours light in color, but is malty, biscuity and hoppy balanced with black fruit and tea flavors. Of course, they absolutely kill it at the New England IPA game, too - try “Double Space Junk” or “Project Pigeon” and find out."

Pigeon Grove “Growlers”

We are loving this simply made kombucha from pigeon cove, their yummy flavors really have us in the mood for "fool's spring." Not only do the gorgeously vibrant colors make these so fun to drink out of a fancy wine glass, they are also so easy to make mocktails with! Pigeon cove uses locally sourced ingredients for this fermented tea which is full of antioxidants. Stock up and when you are finished with the growlers you can return them here!

Learn More About Pigeon Cove Kombucha