Latah Lounge

Fall fruit is coming on strong. Fresh plums are in and being poured over the top of our house made ricotta ice cream with honey.

Food science…. Where does your food come from? In the USA our food sources are mainly large Supermarkets where food travels for miles and days from corporate farms to your table. Much of this food has been canned, bottled, processed and preserved.

In many other countries local fresh markets inspire what people eat.
In the morning at a daily market in Sicily you can meet the chef from a local restaurant shopping for ingredients for a daily menu. This chef is selecting fish and fresh produce that will be prepared for you that evening. These foods are grown by people the chef knows well and the food is high quality, fresh and healthy. In the restaurant that night you will have the best tasting meal of your life.

One day soon gas prices will force the price of food in our Supermarkets to become more expensive and our sources will shift to more local markets. Our foods will be fresher and more healthy. The local farmers will prosper. It is already slowly happening. This will not only help our agriculture sustainability but it will taste much better and keep you healthy. If you are curious, check out, “Hungry Planet: What the World Eats”.
At our restaurant we prefer locally grown organic fresh food sources here or near Spokane for our ingredients. This will make your meal taste better and help you and our area farms stay healthy.

We print our menu daily because fresh food does not change seasonally, it changes daily.

Just had to post this picture because it makes me hungry. These shrimp were headed for a prized spot on top of a bed of poblano pepper pappardelle pasta.

Chef David Blaine rode his bike up to Quillisascut Farm near Rice in Northern Washington to participate in their week-long sustainable kitchen retreat to gather first hand knowledge in the Farm-to-Chef connection. In this case I think it should be called the Chef-to-Farm connection. Did he milk goats? Did he improve their cheese? Did he get a flat tire? We will find out soon. Welcome back DB.

Figs are the wonderful secret ingredient in our Bistro Salad. We use the Calimyrna variety which have grown in the Meander Valley in Turkey for centuries. There they are call Smyrna or Sari Lop. They were first introduced to Southern California in 1885 and must be pollinated through a complicated process using fig wasps that only live in a wild variety of dry inedible capri-figs. The delicious nutty flavor of the Calimyrna compliments the balsamic dressing well. They make a wonderful appetizer when wrapped in bacon and baked. For other recipes try the Valley Fig Growers web site.

Our most popular dessert item since we opened is the chocolate tiramisu mousse. Here it is in process.

mmmm that’s some good eatin’. This fine free range organic young possum was located wild in LA. Taco truck burrito filling or Leon’s soup special? hmm, I was thinking maybe a green curry and ginger sauce : )

Since we opened we have offered our cheese plate for an after-dinner course and as an appetizer. This was highlighted in the recent Spokesman article, “Cheesy ending“. From our travels in Europe, Heather and I discovered early the palate value of rich cheese following a meal. My latest fresh favorite has to be “Seastack” from Mt Townsend Creamery in Port Townsend WA. Chef Blaine gives more details in The Back Kitchen. Enjoy.

There is truly nothing like fresh homegrown tomatoes. They have arrived….local fresh heirloom tomatoes from Dan Jackson’s farm in Spokane. Green zebras are my favorites. His farm also provides us with Italian flatbeans and Patty Pan squash. Go local food!

Aaron Richner is playing live tonight on the patio from 7 pm - 9 pm.