Opus2Cafe

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Enjoying The Southern Taurids

tentative menu

9/29/14 thru 10/3/14

Mon. Vegetarian Chili, Cream of Tomato Basil Soup, Asian Succotash Salad, Hummus Wraps, Chevre and Fig Hero

Tues. Vegetarian Chili, Potage St. Germaine, Asian Watermelon Salad, Hummus Wraps, Chipotle Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Wed. Vegetarian Chili, Mushroom Bisque or Mushroom Barley Soup, Mixed Grain and Grapefruit Salad, Hummus Wraps, Artichoke Hero

Thurs. Vegetarian Chili, Sweet Potato-Chipotle-Fresh Sage Soup, Green Salad, Hummus Wraps, Cheese Stuffed Naan with Spicy Melon Salad

Fri. Vegetarian Chili, Black Bean Soup, A Salad of Some Sort, Hummus Wraps, Cheddar and Apple Panini

Music Menu

Banned in Davis No More

The low down on this week's menu - As always, the menu is tentative. Produce deliveries (or lack of), time constraints and mood swings all play a part.

Sunday, September 21, 2014

New Moon O'er The Cabbage Patch
tentative menu
9/22/14 thru 9/26/14

Mon. Vegetarian Chili, Southwestern Corn Chowder, Ginger Noodles, Hummus Wraps, Antipasto Wrap
Tues Vegetarian Chili, Roasted Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda Soup, Farro-Pignoli-Tomatoes-Gorgonzola Salad, Hummus Wraps, Pear and Pepper Jack Panini
Wed. Vegetarian Chili, Acorn Squash Roasted Garlic and Spinach Soup, Fall Greens Salad, Hummus Wraps, Avocado Hero
Thurs. Vegetarian Chili, Portuguese Kale and Potato Soup, Roasted Pumpkin Couscous Salad, Hummus Wraps, Philly Cheese Fakes
Fri. Vegetarian Chili, Pumpkin Black Bean Soup, Some Sort of Salad, Hummus Wraps, Panini

Music Menu

Famous Welshmen

Whoopie Pie Wednesday

The low down on this week's menu - Friday's lunch is the only one in question right now.

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Harvesting
tentative menu
9/15/14 thru 9/19/14

Mon. Vegetarian Chili, Masala Root Soup, Apple and Escarole Salad, Hummus Wraps, Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos with Avocado!
Tues. Vegetarian Chili, Crimson Lentil Soup, Caesar Salads, Hummus Wraps, Baked Goat Cheese Caprese Hero
Wed. Vegetarian Chili, Pumpkin Asiago Soup, Mesclun with Red Grapes-Gorgonzola-Candied Walnuts-Pickled Red Onions Salad, Hummus Wraps, Falafel Pita Sandwich
Thurs. Vegetarian Chili, French White Bean and Cabbage Soup, Quinoa with Tart Cherries-Feta-Mint in Lemon Sumac Vinaigrette, Hummus Wraps, Chevre and Fig (or maybe pear) Hero (figs won't be delivered until next week, so it'll be chevre/pear this week)
Fri. Vegetarian Chili, Roasted Cauliflower Soup, French Lentil Salad, Hummus Wraps,

Music Menu

Brigadoon and The Score From Rob Roy

time to harvest the hops.

The low down on this week's menu - Monday's burritos will be more like chimichangas than burritos, but what's in a name? Thursday's hero will definitely have chevre, but whether or not the figs come in on time is unknown. No figs means bosc pears instead.

Yes, O2 has its own Instagram account. Are you in-the-loop? opus2cafe

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Summer Stasis
tentative menu
9/8/14 thru 9/12/14

Mon. Vegetarian Chili, Chipotle Tomato Soup, Mesclun with Red Grapes-Gorgonzola-Candied Walnuts-Pickled Red Onions and Local Concord Grape Vinaigrette Salad, Hummus Wraps, Baked Cavatappi and Aged Cheddar
Tues. Vegetarian Chili, Cuban Black Bean Soup, Peanut Noodles, Hummus Wraps, Avocado Hero
Wed. Vegetarian Chili, Onion Cheese Bisque, Asian Succotash Salad, Hummus Wraps, Grilled Halloumi in Pita Sandwich
Thurs. Vegetarian Chili, West African Peanut Soup, Farro Salad With Blue Cheese-Tomatoes-Pine Nuts, Hummus Wraps, Popeye and Olive Oyl Hero
Fri. Vegetarian Chili, Curried Spinach Soup, A Salad-For-Sure-But-I-Don't-Know-What-Yet, Hummus Wraps, Cheese Stuffed Naan with Spicy Melon Salad

Music Menu

Lido Shuffle

The low down on this week's menu - chances are very good that the avocados will be ripe by Tuesday.

The halloumi will be the grilled part of Wednesday's sandwich. Farro salad on Thursday is a new one, let us know what you thunk. Popeye and Olive Oyl might date me. Friday's lunch might change, depending on whether we have time to make enough naan, or can purchase at a good price enough to make it. It'll come with the spicy melon salad on the side.

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Dukes of September
tentative menu
9/1/14 thru 9/5/14

Mon. Vegetarian Chili, Roasted Red Pepper Coconut Soup, Caesar Salads, Hummus Wraps, Quesadillas
Tues. Vegetarian Chili, Sweet Potato - Chipotle - Fresh Sage Soup, Asian Watermelon Salad, Hummus Wraps, Artichoke Hero
Wed. Vegetarian Chili, Cream of Tomato Basil Soup, Scattered Sushi Salad, Hummus Wraps, Baked Goat Cheese Caprese Hero
Thurs. Vegetarian Chili, Quinoa Salad with Dried Tart Cherries/Mint/Feta in Lemon Sumac Vinaigrette, Hummus Wraps, Cheddar - Avocado - Tomato Panini
Fri. Vegetarian Chili, Thai Coconut Curry Soup, Orzo Fattoush Salad, Hummus Wraps,

Music Menu

"Jazz isn't Dead, it Just Smells Funny"

Sunday, May 11, 2014

A la recherche du Opus 2
tentative menu
5/12/14 thru 5/16/14
Mon. Vegetarian Chili, Southwestern Corn Chowder, Asian Succotash, Hummus Wraps, Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos
Tues. Vegetarian Chili, Carrot- Cauliflower Bisque, French Lentil Salad, Hummus Wraps, Baked Cavatappi and Aged Cheddar
Wed. Vegetarian Chili, Caribbean Sweet Potato Soup, Massaged Kale Salad, Hummus Wraps, Artichoke Hero
Thurs. Vegetarian Chili, Pumpkin Asiago Soup, Barley-Vegetable Salad, Hummus Wraps, Quesadillas
Fri. Vegetarian Chili, Minestrone Soup, Edamame Salad, Hummus Wraps, Three Cheese and Fresh Herb Panini

Music Menu

Songs From the Year You Were Born

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Cinco de Mayo
tentative menu
5/5/14 thru 5/9/14
Mon. Vegetarian Chili, Cream of Tomato Basil Soup, Pesto Tortellini, Hummus Wraps, Cheddar-Tomato-Red Onion Pickle Panini
Tues. Vegetarian Chili, Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Moroccan Couscous Salad, Hummus Wrap, Baked Goat Cheese Caprese Hero
Wed. Vegetarian Chili, French White Bean and Cabbage Soup, Peanut Noodles, Hummus Wrap, Artichoke Tapenade Panini
Thurs. Vegetarian Chili, West African Peanut Soup, Green Salad, Hummus Wrap, Pizzettes
Fri. Vegetarian Chili, Cuban Black Bean Soup, Caesar Salads, Hummus Wraps, Fatayer (Spinach Pie)

Music Menu

Accordian Conjunto Champs

The low down on this week's menu - Pizzettes on Thursday, unsure of toppings yet. Individual Lebanese spinach pies on Friday.

.

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, September 28, 2014

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Sunday, May 4, 2014

.

.

Blog Archive

Who's that behind our steam wand?

.

?

.

.

.

Hands of the week

.

.

.

.

.

-

-

-

-

-

Followers