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Maude May 2017 – Strawberries

Big, ripe, juicy strawberries signal that summer is here. And that was the featured ingredient in Maude's May menu. I had been looking forward to this menu for months as I love strawberries. I buy them fresh and put them in my smoothies, on my yogurt, in my salads or dip in brown sugar. And now I was going to see how Maude utilized the red berries. We sat down and started with a glass of Champagne Tarlant Cuvee Louie. Fresh and bright with a touch of brioche notes, we said "cheers!" and were ready to start.

The first dish was a large plate of clam shells fanned on a plate like flower petals. On the top was a shell that had a few pieces of fruit and a green leaf. Simple in presentation, it was full of flavor. The fruit was mango and strawberry, compressed in their own juices with a little heat. And wrapped in the leaves was goeduck.

06 June, 2017

Maude April 2017 – Walnuts

The month of April flew by and I spent most of it traveling. But, nothing would stop me from my monthly visit to Maude. Just before the month ended, I made it in for the April menu featuring walnuts. Walnuts, a rich source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, are commonly found on a cheese board or baked into pastries. But, as they do each month, Maude took the walnut and utilized it every way, shape and form that one could think of for another unique and tasty menu. In addition to the menu, we opted to do the wine pairing menu as well. Champagne Tarlant Zero Brut Natural - A bone-dry, crisp Champagne was perfect to start the meal.

Spring Pea Tart - Sitting on a bright green pad of inedible greens, the spring pea tart was filled with pecorino cheese aged in walnut leaves and spring peas dressed in walnut oil. One quick bite and we were on our way.

04 May, 2017

Maude March 2017 – Beets

Beets, rich in fiber, vitamin C, iron and potassium and full of powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, are super foods and were the featured ingredient at Maude in the month of March. It is always interesting to see how the chefs at Maude are able to take a single ingredient and utilize it in different ways and this month was no exception. We are used to having beet salads with goat cheese or even beet soup, also known as borscht. But, beets are very versatile. Beets have the highest sugar content of any vegetable, but have very little calories and fat. In addition to the beet, the green, leafy portion is also edible and has a taste and texture similar to spinach. The Maude menu featured beets in a variety of ways - cherry, roasted, dehydrated, shaved, pickled and more. The menu: The dinner started with a Beet Mimosa made with Domaine Huet 2012 Chenin Blanc with beet and blood orange syrup to pair with the first two dishes.

03 April, 2017