Opus2Cafe

Sunday, February 10, 2013

No se puede vivir sin amar
Malcolm Lowry, Under The Volcano
tentative menu
2/11/13 thru 2/15/13
Mon.    Vegetarian Chili, Chipotle Black Bean Soup, Caesar Salads, Hummus Wraps, Cheddar Apple Panini, Black Botton Cupcakes
Tues.    Vegetarian Chili, Roasted Red Pepper and Coconut Soup, Moroccan Couscous Salad, Hummus Wraps, Quesadillas
Wed.    Vegetarian Chili, Sherried Carrot Soup, Ginger Noodles, Hummus Wraps, Pizzettes, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies by Adam
Thurs. Vegetarian Chili, Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup, Curried Melon Salad, Hummus Wraps, Artichoke Heart Hero
Fri.    Vegetarian Chili, Gingered Butternut Soup, Pesto Tortellini, Hummus Wrap, Swiss Melts

Music Menu

I Love You Inside Out

The low down on this week's menu - I've gone heavier than usual on the aphrodisiacs this week [fresh ginger thrice]
News from the dark side -' -Blackberry Sage tea is lined up to be in stock soon-- another warming escape from the blustery outdoors, plus the tea tin tells us it's "for wisdom."

-Opus 1 has its heat up and running once again (really, this time... and for good, we hope!).

-The weekend's igloo competition saw some fine structures around the dark side dorms; cheers to the builders.'

Last week's daylight dashboard was at 10 h and 3 minutes.
Last week's 315-er was Fred Pickard.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

CNY Wrestling
tentative menu
week of 2/4/13 thru 2/8/13
Mon.   Vegetarian Chili, Curried Spinach Soup, Moroccan Carrot Salad, Hummus Wrap, Cheddar and Avocado Panini, Cayuga Mud Cake
Tues.   Vegetarian Chili, West African Peanut Soup, French Lentil Salad, Hummus Wrap, Caesar Salad Wrap
Wed.   Vegetarian Chili, Onion Cheese Bisque, Greek Salad, Hummus Wrap, Chevre and Fig Hero
Thurs. Vegetarian Chili, French White Bean and Cabbage Soup, Mixed Grain and Grapefruit Salad, Hummus Wrap, Stromboli
Fri.    Vegetarian Chili, Aiigo Bouido Soup, Artichoke and Bulgar Salad, Hummus Wrap, Polenta-Squash-Winter Greens Pie

Music Menu

Old Guys in Spandex

The low down on this week's menu - Monday's panini will also have tomatoes. Wednesday's soup, salad, sandwich are all requests. See, we do listen. Stromboli on Thursday might be caprese or might have artichoke hearts and Asiago. Friday's pie will probably use butternut squash and kale.

snow partridge

News from the dark side - 'The experimenting with coffee beans continues, and sources say the brews are getting smoother and richer by the day. (Still Fair Trade!)

Look forward to some new lunch dishes this semester -- the cooks are hitting the (cook)books!'

Last week we alerted you to Syracuse's placing in the national Golden Snow Globe Contest [not to be confused with the golden snowball contest]. As of this morning, 2/3/13, Syracuse is in third place with 56.9 inches.The chances of finishing out the season in third place are low.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Wolf Moon
tentative menu
1/28/13 thru 2/1/13
Mon.    Vegetarian Chili, Cream of Tomato Basil Soup, Asian Succotash Salad, Hummus Wraps, Spinach-Feta-Red Pepper Quiche, Apple Cake
Tues.    Vegetarian Chili, Carrot and Cauliflower Bisque, Pesto Tortellini, Hummus Wraps, Black Bean and Vegetable Quesadillas
Wed.    Vegetarian Chili, Sweet Potato-Chipotle-Fresh Sage Soup, Scattered Sushi Salad, Hummus Wraps, Avocado or Chevre and Artichoke Heroes update - ripe
Thurs. Vegetarian Chili, Red Lentil Mulligatawny, Andean Quinoa and Corn Salad, Hummus Wraps, Pear and Pepper Jack Panini, Raspberry Fudge Brownies
Fri.    Vegetarian Chili, Spicy Miso and Pumpkin Soup, Wasabi Slaw, Hummus Wraps, Thai Red Curry on Brown Rice

Music Menu

Missing Persons

The low down on this week's menu - the avocados I bought yesterday are rock hard. If they aren't ripe by Wednesday we might have to substitute with the chevre-art heart hero. Avocados -ripe. Red Lentil Mulligatawny comes with a nice green apple salsa garnish.

News from the dark side - 'Opus 1 is getting the heat fixed ASAP-- apologies for a chilly first week back.'

Last week's vegetable of the week was kale. Vitamins C, A, K! Fiber, minerals and protein!

Last week's more-cows-than-people place was Greig, N.Y.. Lake effect snow fall totals are consistently higher here than anywhere else.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Fenestration
tentative menu
week of 1/21/13 thru 1/25/13
Tues.    Vegetarian Chili, Acorn Squash-Spinach-Roasted Garlic Soup, Jicama and Cucumber Salad, Hummus Wraps, Baked Cavatappi and Aged Cheddar Au Gratin
Wed.    Vegetarian Chili, Curried Pumpkin Soup, Peanut Noodles, Hummus Wraps, Artichoke Hero
Thurs. Vegetarian Chili, Roasted Red Pepper and Coconut Soup, Marinated Kale and Chickpea Salad, Hummus Wraps, Garden Panini
Fri.    Vegetarian Chili, Spicy Tofu Hotpot, Edamame Salad, Hummus Wraps, Kale and Mozzarella Stromboli

Music Menu

Use an Accordion, Go to Jail

The low down on this week's menu - jicama and cucumber salad has a red chili dressing.
Friday's soup Spicy Tofu Hotpot, is dependant on accurate produce delivery.
News from the dark side -

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Last Week, Last Month
tentative menu
12/17/12 thru 12/21/12
Mon.    Vegetarian Chili, Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, French Lentil Salad, Hummus Wraps, Baked Cavatappi and Aged Cheddar Au Gratin
Tues. Vegetarian Chili, French White Bean Soup, Peanut Noodles, Hummus Wraps, Quesadillas, Adam's Fabulous Fudge Brownies
Wed.    Vegetarian Chili, Smoked Corn Chowder, Marinated Tomato Salad, Hummus Wraps, Avocado Hero, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Thurs. Vegetarian Chili, Broccoli and Cheddar Soup, Asian Succotash, Hummus Wraps, Avocado Panini
Fri.    Vegetarian Chili, Cuban Black Bean Soup, Winter Greens Goat Cheese Salads, Hummus Wraps, BBQ with Cornbread-Baked Beans-Coleslaw

Music Menu

Ho-ho-ho

The low down on this week's menu - there's an over abundance of avocados and dairy products in O2 this week. We'll try to balance that out with legumes and dark leafy greens. Buche de Noel will be making an appearance, at least once. Annual Opus gingerbread boy decorating will be taking place all week. Arms and legs will be available to our customers.

News from the dark side - it's no news that the O1 sources need lots more sleep than the 02s

Last week's CNY destination, The Sugar River where Maples bare themselves before the windmills is as stirring a sight as it sounds.

Last week we alerted you to the high-def cooking show at LLoyds of Lowville. The grillmaster there on high volume shifts is worth the drive to see.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Happy Chanukah
tentative menu
12/10/12 thru 12/14/12
Mon.    Vegetarian Chili, West African Peanut Soup, Pesto Tortellini, Hummus Wraps, Santa Fe Veggie Wrap, Black Bottom Cupcakes
Tues.    Vegetarian Chili, Crimson Lentil Soup, Tunisian Carrot Salad, Hummus Wraps, Quiche -la-maybe, Chocolate Cheesecake
Wed.    Vegetarian Chili, Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew, Andean Quinoa and Corn Salad, Hummus Wraps, Chevre-Pear Baguette, Happy Birthday Libby and Steph Whoopie Pies
Thurs.   Vegetarian Chili, Cream of Tomato Basil, Pumpkin Couscous Salad, Hummus Wraps, Swiss Melts
Fri.    Vegetarian Chili, Curried Spinach Soup, Falafel Salad, Hummus Wraps,...

Music Menu

Hippie Hanukkah

The low down on this week's menu - this week's menu is tentative. Really.

News from the dark side: 'there was a party'

Last week we suggested a nice field trip to the Croghan Outpost in Croghan, NY [foothills of the Adirondacks] where you can pick up some croghan bologna. Just don't go on a Sunday.
Last week we alerted you to the rut. [going on somewhere near by, as we speak]

Sunday, December 2, 2012

If We Make it Through December
tentative menu
12/3/12 thru 12/7/12
Mon.    Vegetarian Chili, Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Mediterranean Corn Salad, Hummus Wraps, Calzones, Gingerbread, Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Tues.    Vegetarian Chili, Potage St. Germaine, French Lentil Salad, Hummus Wraps, Pizzettes, Volcano Brownies
Wed.    Vegetarian Chili, Aiigo Bouido [Portuguese potato-garlic Soup], Moroccan Couscous Salad, Hummus Wraps, Artichoke Heroes, Whoopie Pies
Thurs.   Vegetarian Chili, Sherried Carrot Soup, Calypso Bean Salad, Hummus Wraps, Quesadillas,
Fri.   Vegetarian Chili, Roasted Vegetable Chowder [menu change - Mushroom Barley Soup], Peanut Noodles, Hummus Wraps, Caesar Wraps

Music Menu
Old Guys

The low down on this week's menu - pizzettes this week will probably be pesto-artichoke-spinach topped. Yes, the garlic in the Aiigo Bouido will be roasted first. Quesadillas probably won't stray far from our standard chipotle-black-bean, cheese, baby spinach deal. I'm still thinking about dessert things and Friday's lunch.

News from the dark side - 'This Sunday at 5pm: HUM Round 2 in Opus 1 (which will be open!) for those of you looking for some moving/hilarious personal stories told live.'

Last week's State of Vt game of the week was; Count the Subarus.

Last week's ecstatic moving moment was exit 13, Connecticut Valley, where we waved to former employee-of-the-week L.H.

.

New Dish of the Week Profile -Acorn Squash with Roasted Garlic Soup - so o.k., this isn't very new to us here, but it hasn't been profiled yet. Do we have any curious cooks in the house? Both the squash and the garlic are roasted. The shallots and celery are sauteed. The spinach is tossed in raw. Dry sherry and whatever extra dribs and drabs of milk we have are added towards the end. Seasonings are exactly what you'd expect. Mom approved. nutritional info per 8 oz. serving, based on the assumption that I'm going to find mainly skim milk dribs and 1% drabs -cal. 197, fat - 8.7g, carbs - 27g, pro - 4.3g, choles. - 22mg, sodium - 135mg

Here's the Opus 2 recipe for clumping granola - melt 1/2 c butter, stir in 1/4 c honey and a splash of vanilla, set aside. In a large bowl, mix 4 c rolled oats with 1/2 c sunflower seeds and 2 cups almonds (whole or sliced). Toss butter/honey mix with oat mix. Add a bit of water if it seems too crumbly. Spread granola out on a parchment lined half sheet pan. Press firmly. Seriously. Cover with foil and bake at 250 degrees for about 70 minutes, or until you can smell the granola. Remove the foil and continue baking until desired shade of medium brown, anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan, and when totally cool, break up into clumps. Mix in some dried cranberries or raisins. Some times we add wheat germ and/or pepitas,

Wild Grape Pie
We at O2 spent a pleasant day making a wild grape pie. Here's the recipe.
Harvest at least 2 pounds worth of wild grapes. Wash and dry them carefully. Measure out 6 cups worth, and gently peel them. Put the skins in a bowl, the pulp and seeds into a saucepan. This will take a couple of hours if you have help, but it'll be a fun couple of hours.
Bring the saucepan of pulp to a full, rolling boil, and boil vigorously for 5 minutes. Strain the seeds away from the pulp, discarding the seeds. Mix the pulp in with the skins, and between 1 and 3 tablespoons of tapioca. Place this mix of skins and rapidly thickening pulp into a refrigerator to chill for about 2 hours. While this is chilling, make a pie dough recipe of your choosing. We are fond of a basic pate brisee, heavy on the butter.
When the pie dough has relaxed sufficiently, roll it out and fit it into an 8 or 9 inch pie pan. Remove the grape filling from refrigeration, and stir into it about a cup's worth of sugar. Scrape this filling into the bottom crust, top with a full or latticed top crust. Bake as any fruit pie, making sure you have a pan underneath it in your oven. Enjoy cool.

O2 Onion Cheese Bisque.
really.
Cook up a big bunch of onions in butter over a low flame. When they are just starting to caramelize, stir in some flour. Cook off the raw flour taste, and add in milk. Lots of milk. We use an assortment of fat levels. Add in some grated cheese. We use an assortment of types. Stir, taste, season. Add in some vegetarian worcestershire sauce and dijon mustard. Partially puree with your wand of chaos.
nutritional facts based on 2% milk and medium sharp cheddar - calories for a 12 oz serving - 315.4, fat - 21.2 g, carbs - 19.1 g, protein - 13.5 g

Dear Charlotte [crispy];
Thank you for being such a loyal customer. I hope that this will help.
1. Acorn Squash, Roasted Garlic and Spinach Soup -
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut 2 acorn squash in half, scoop seeds out. Roast squash, cut side down for about 45 minutes, until it feels tender. Roast 4 heads of garlic at the same time. In a pot, saute 2 onions in butter until starting to brown. Add 4 cups of water or vegetable broth and 2/3 c dry sherry. Add in the flesh from the squash and the roasted garlic. Puree. Add in 1 bunch of clean, chopped spinach. Heat and add salt, pepper, a little bit of fresh nutmeg, and 2/3 cup half and half or heavy cream.

2. Chinese Velvet Corn Soup
In a splash of oil, saute 4 cups of diced onions. Cook until caramelized, then add 6 cups of corn kernels and 8 cups of water. Cook a bit, then add 1 teaspoon of szechuan peppercorns, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1/2 cup dry sherry, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 4 teaspoons sugar, a good dollop of sambal oeleek, and some chopped chives. Remove about a third of the soup and with an immersion blender, coarsely puree what's left in the pot. Add the unpureed soup back. Dissolve 1/2 c of cornstarch in about 1/3 cup of cold water. Pour this into the hot - but not boiling- soup. Taste for and add salt.

3. Chipotle Sweet Potato and Fresh Sage
4. Masala Root Soup
5. Onion Cheese Bisque
6. Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup
7. Roasted Cauliflower Soup
8. Roasted Red Pepper and Coconut Soup
9. Sherried Carrot Soup
10. West African Peanut Soup.
Let me know if something really important to you is missing.

Pesky Wild Violet Invasion
It's that time of the year again, wild violets marring the new lawn. Spraying is so politically incorrect.
'Violets contain rutin, a phytochemical with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help strengthen capillary walls'. Eat them.
Clean violets carefully. Dry thoroughly.
Beat a couple of egg whites, then strain into a small bowl.
Work with one violet at a time.
Using a clean paintbrush, paint egg white on all surfaces of the violet. Don't get excessive, egg shouldn't be dripping.
Immediately sprinkle superfine sugar over all coated surfaces.
Place violet on a wax paper covered wire rack to dry.
Repeat process.
Flowers are extremely perishable and should generally be served fresh. Candied flowers like these wild violets will last up to a year. Do not store in the refrigerator.
Today's important [p.c.] disclaimer here;
Introduce flowers slowly to your diet to avoid any potential upset or allergic reaction, especially important if you have allergies to pollen.
Next week - dandelion jelly.

Opus2Cafe

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Sunday, December 2, 2012

.

.

Blog Archive

Who's that behind our steam wand?

.

?

.

.

.

Hands of the week

.

.

.

.

.

-

-

-

-

-

Followers