Competition With Myself.

Upon leaving a guest recently commented, "Your food is so good I didn't think it could get better, but you continue to out do yourself.  How will you keep this up?"  I've been thinking about this a lot lately.  Actually, it takes up most of my head space.  Luckily I'm continually inspired by nature, the seasons, the works of others, songs, and most dangerously by plateware itself.  When a guest accidentally broke an heirloom owl umbrella holder it cracked in such nice pieces I said, "well, I guess I'll have to create a dish to serve on this."  And it's truly vicious for me to go to Chinatown, Sur La Table, or CB2.  I see something that will beautifully serve or hold food and think, that's a new dish.  These inspirations are what continues to drive the climb of my menus.
So this is what I have to do to trump myself.  I have to utilize more of my garden, more of the woods, more of myself and siphon it all into my preparations.  Here is an idea!  My father recently told me he seeds saved from vegetables he had grown in 1968 on our small farm.  He soaked them and planted them and they began to sprout.  Today I visited him and brought home some of those seeds.  The words banana musk melon and sweet Hungarian peppers were scribbled onto little browned pieces of paper tucked into the jars. Creating dishes from these seeds, which will hopefully sprout and fruit should help in this out doing myself project.  Seeds from the farm I grew up on from vegetables that grew 11 years before I was born, replanted and created into a dish to serve to my guests.  I think I will add elements to that dish directly from the woods.  We'll see if it works and if it does you can have it this summer.

Spring Menu-2012, More Accurate Rendering!

Bubble Tea

parsnip, licorice, swiss chard

Salad Sponge

honeys, homegrown, sorbets

Pierogi

yukon gold potato, truffle, mascarpone

Encapsulated

asparagus, egg, leeks

Tree Nest

squash, "eggs"

Tofu and Kimchee

1 pill makes you larger/ 1 pill makes you small

Carrots and Ramps

Scarborough Fair

Ebelskiver, cherry

Wisconsin Rice Crispy

curry, cauliflower, rose hips

Chocolate Dashi

basil seeds

Hanging

California

Built-A-Plate

DIY, sprouts, fish, puddings, gels, paint

Scallop

peas, yogurt, ham

Your Hand

Crawfish Centerpiece

Shrimp Noodles

Smelt

white chocolate, Blis products

Pho

owl mugs

Chicken Liver Mousse

clove, dark chocolate, pollen, pineau de Charantes

Wild Turkey

Jasper Polasky, foraged items

Lamb 

homemade cheese, fiddlehead ferns

Bacon Ice Cream Cone

Rhubarb

biscuits, strawberries, beets, farmer's cheese, sweetbreads 

Bites

So Lovely!

By Hunt. Gather. Love.  She talks up One Sister and Jen Moran.  Read here.

More Winter Menu Pictures

Pics by Jen Moran!

Spring Menu-Rough Draft

Bubble Tea
Parsnip, anise hyssop, swiss chard

Salad Sponge
homegrown, honeys, goat milk, sunflower

Pierogi
Yukon gold, white truffle, homemade mascarpone

Hanging
Aromas of California, rattlesnake

Encapsulated
Asparagus, ash, truffle, hollandaise

Tree Nest
Spaghetti squash, tomato and black pepper beads

Homemade Tofu
Konbu noodles, kimchee, homegrown mung beans

Smelt
White chocolate, blis maple syrup, roe, smoke

Build-A-Plate
Sprouts, puddings, gels, powders, paint, DIY

Bay Scallops
Peas, pistachio, yogurt

Your Hand
Oysters

Floral Centerpiece
Crawfish, foraged items, flowers

Shrimp Noodles
Scampi

Chocolate Dashi
basil seeds

1 Pill Makes You Larger, 1 Pill Makes You Small
cocoa nibs, mushrooms, chamomile, caramel, peacan

Scarborough Fair
Ebelskiver, goat, apple, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme

Pork Pho

Jasper-Pulaski
Wild game bird, morel mushrooms, grains, nettles

Dry-Aged Ribeye
Homemade ricotta and vinegar, ramps, fiddleheads

Ice Cream Cone
Bacon, Koval Whiskey, black pepper

Rhubarb
beets, short cake, sweet homemade farmers cheese

Bites
Chocolate

Some Winter Menu Photos

Photos of winter menu at dinner table by foodie extraordinaire Charlotte Tan!

Winter Menu

Some items subject to change but for the most part this is it!

One Sister Underground, Winter Menu, 2012

Bubble Tea

Lox

Salad Sponge

Honeys, greens, homegrown

Pierogi

Yukon Gold potato, white truffle, mascarpone

Build-A-Plate

Paint, powder, gels, puddings, fresh sprouts

Hanging

Winter flavors, roe

Pumpkin Patch

Lobster, cashew, anise

Tree Nest

Quail egg, “caviars”

Encapsulated

Artichoke, black truffle

Your Hand

Juniper Centerpiece

Foraged items, chartreuse

Shrimp Scampi Noodles

Oatmeal Dashi and Chia Seeds

Brussels With Yummies

Smoked duck, amaranth, pumpernickel

1 Pill Makes You Larger, 1 Pill Makes You Small

Ebelskiver

Coffee and doughnuts, Chicken and dumplings

Mulling Spiced Pho

Blood Pudding

Pork, king oyster udon, garnishes

Indiana Deer Bresaola

Pine, homemade cheese, cherry, smoke

Dry-Aged Ribeye

Buttermilk, broccoli, bonito

Ice Cream Cone

Bacon, Koval Whiskey Butterscotch

Mirepoix

Cinnamon, celery, carrot, onion

Bites