March's "Tongue n Cheek" Dinner

 

Chef Bob Rogers from Masselow's at Northern Quest decided to have a bit of fun with the theme for our March 12, 2012 industry dinner.  Here is what he has planned for his Tongue n Cheek dinner:

Passed Hors d’oeuvre
Lobster Canapés
fresh Mango, jalapeño, English cucumber
 
First Course
Beef Tongue Sous Vide
Port wine demi-glace, frizzled Russets
 
Second Course
Creamy Wenatchee Apple and Celeriac Soup
Brioche crouton
 
Third Course
Sous Vide Halibut Cheeks and Beluga Lentils
Belgian endive, caramelized shallot and champagne vinaigrette
 
Intermezzo        
Fresh Lemon and Lavender Sorbet
 
Fourth Course
Braised Kurobuta Pork Cheeks
maple and white truffle glace, pear and cherry chutney, sweet potato mash, braised rainbow chard
 
Fifth Course
Chocolate Chip Cashew Pie
Brie ice cream

Mary's Christmas Story

On Christmas Eve this year we wanted to share a note we received from Mary Sloan:

Mary At November's Table"I had never heard of Big Table until I was fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of their generosity.  Last year, just before Christmas, I was having trouble with my car and it looked like I needed a new engine. Bad timing!

I nursed it through the holidays and then it was time to fix it. My initial estimates were between $1500 and $2500 to rebuild the engine of my 14-year-old car and we were in the slowest month of the year in the restaurant industry; things were not looking good. I knew God would take care of me, He always does; I just didn't know how!

Some friends of mine, Rhonda Rey and Lallah Marston, knew of my situation and contacted Big Table to see if they could help, and soon Mitch Silver was involved as well. One night at work I got a call from Jill Lemon telling me that Big Table wanted to help get my car fixed! I was completely surprised and just amazed that these good people would so generously give of their time and talents. Mitch contributed financially and also offered up his ace mechanic, Jay, who worked long and hard to find the problem and get my car running just like new. Many others, some of whom I don't know, also contributed, so my out-of-pocket expense was minimal. I felt so humbled and blessed by this whole experience; it really is hard for me to describe how much this has meant to me. What Kevin and Jill and those who are committed to BigTable are doing is awesome and so beneficial to many who are struggling in this industry.
 
Since my initial Big Table encounter I have had the opportunity to serve at one of their amazing dinners, participate in the Big Table auction last May and enjoyed being served as a guest at the November Big Table dinner, compliments of Fleur de Sel and Madeliene's. What a feast!

Big Table exemplifies community in giving and sharing and offers so much, whether you are giving or receiving. I am thankful for what Big Table has meant to me, and that I am able at this time to donate toward another person's needs. I know from first-hand experience that Big Table is a life changer! Thank you."

June 7th Dinner Brings In Guests from WA and ID

Our run of truly remarkable dinners continued in June with a wonderful meal cooked by Nicholas St. Clair and Alexa Wilson. Once again the table guests packed our 38 seat ‘big’ table and the serving crew of 14 complemented the outstanding food with great service. If you haven’t yet served or attended a dinner, it is hard to describe how remarkable each evening has felt. Add in our commitment to build on the relationships at the table to provide practical care for those in the industry who are in crisis or falling through the cracks and these dinners become as meaningful as they are fun. The other delight of our June dinner was the presence of guests who drove hundreds of miles just for the evening. Richard and Ashley Kitos from Wenatchee were at the table as were Kimberly and Josh Schaub from Seattle. Richard is a California chef who now runs a bed-and-breakfast with Ashley in Wenatchee (and soon a full service restaurant again) and Kimberly is a nutritionist, culinary instructor, and writer from the west side of the state.

Specific thanks for the evening go to: Chefs Alexa Wilson and Nicholas St. Clair for a wonderful meal, Chris Deitz and Alex Ahl for their work in the kitchen, Reasons Wine Company for providing a case of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cave B Estate Winery for sending over several additional bottles, Craig Higashi at Spokane Produce for donating the produce for the meal, Sysco for providing much of the other key ingredients, Bouzie’s Bakery for the bread, Angela Parris of Stillpoint Photography for documenting the night, Brad and Sara Greene as well as Erin Arai (all from The Purple Turtle) for the space, décor, and menu design. Thanks also to each of our 18 servers and dish crew for the night.

If you are interested in all the pictures of the evening, visit our Big Table Flickr Page.

Visual Menu from April 12th Dinner

Rather than just talk about the food Jim Barrett served at our last dinner, we thought it might be better to show you the menu.  Here is what was served:

February 8, 2010 Mardi Gras Dinner

David Blaine from Latah Bistro and Mercia Sheets from Madeleine's cooked a Cajun feast for Big Table on February 8th.

See all the pictures of the night on Flickr.