Good Press...

http://tribune-democrat.com/atrandom/x1281099391/Seasoned-master

It's always nice to be recognized by the people that mean the most, the ones who know you best.

Bison Tenderloin Kabocha Squash, Brussels Sprouts, Dates, Spiced Pecans

Ice Cream and Sorbet Chef's Selection of Seasonal Favorites

*This is a switch up of a dish we have had on the menu for the past year or so. We typically do a tasting of 3 sorbets and 2 ice creams in little glasses with spoons. After getting our hands on a waffle cone maker we decided to switch it up this spring and summer with some waffle cones.

Poussin Truffle Farce, Morel Mushrooms, Spring Garlic Dumplings, Peas, Sherry Cream

* Love this dish! We take local poussin out of Ohio and completely remove the skin. We then remove the breasts and thighs from the bird and make a truffle farce out of the dark meat. The breast then gets stuffed with the farce and wrapped back up in the chicken skin using transglutaminance to glue it together. We then wrap it in plastic to create a cylinder and cuvee it for one hour. When the chicken is finished being cuveed we then deep fry it until it is super crispy an slice it. Its served with morel mushrooms, spring peas, sherry cream sauce and these great little dumplings made from a puree of spring garlic from the Chef's Garden. We finish the dish up with garlic salt, black pepper and gold and green pea tendrils.

More...

Potato Cappelletti Fried Truffle, Caramelized Cippolini, Local Chevre, Garlic Salt

**A play on a classic perogie. We stuffed cappelletti pasta with a feeling made from potato, chevre and roasted garlic. Then we tossed it in a vermont butter buerre monte, added fried truffle shavings for texture, caramelized onions for a balance of sweet and bitter and made a sour cream and chive sheet that creates a temperature contrast as well as adding another depth of flavor. The garlic salt finishes the dish with just the right amount of seasoning.

Scallop Ceviche Finger Lime, Yuzu Gelee, Cilantro, Jalapeno, Lotus Root

Chocolate Crisp Rice, Cocoa, Cream Cheese, Peanut Butter, Milk Ice Cream

Potato Crusted Flounder Confit Carrot, Artichokes, Maine Lobster, Lemon Butter Sauce

Strawberries In Many Forms, Textures and Temperatures

**A total overload of strawberry...Strawberry consomme with basil tapioca, a pistachio dome filled liquid strawberry, a chocolate covered strawberry, roasted strawberries, strawberry gel, strawberry shortcake on a poppy seed biscuit, strawberry whipped cream, freeze dried strawberries, strawberry ice cream, strawberry leather and enough components to make my pastry girl lose her mind! 

Spring is Upon Us

Kobe Tenderloin Confit Heirloom Tomatoes, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Fourme d' Ambert Fritter

Rigatoni House Cured Pancetta, Vodka, Tomato Cream, Parmesan Shards, Baby Basil

Roasted Beets Baby Lettuces, Local Chevre, Honey Walnuts, Horseradish Vinaigrette

Ahi Tuna Tartare Avocado, Sesame "Taco", Preserved Lemon, Candied Cilantro

These are just a few of the items that will be found on the Spring menu this year. I am super excited about the things we are doing this time around, some stuff is classic technique while other things are a bit out of our comfort zone. The Local product will definitely pop up here and there but the focus is so much more about great product utilizing Browne Trading out of Portland, Maine for our seafood and Fresh and Wild out of Washington for our mushrooms and truffles just to name a few. 

While local fresh vegetables and seafood were more readily available down in Georgia or even Virginia with the restaurants I have worked in, in the past coming home to Pennsylvania has been a real eye opener to expanding our horizons and reaching out to not only the local farmers and purveyors but seeing what other parts of the country and the world have to offer. A lot of places can do local but not a lot of places can do excellent and excellent is what Lautrec is all about.

Meet Lautrec...

Meet the team...from left to right we have Kyle, Shakes, Billy, myself, Brie and Janelle. The team is small but we get the job done. Stations in the kitchen span from Fish, Hot Apps, Meat, Garde Manger and Pastry offering up a 6 course Prix Fixe Menu, a 9 Course Daily, Vegetarian and Wellness Menu and a 15 Course Ultimate Menu. The Menus all change seasonally and offer up only the finest local, domestic and international products. Food pictures to come as we are now in the process of switching things over to the Spring Menu.