Two runners up also win $50 gift certificates: Darlene White submitted a recipe for her mother’s special occasion bobka, a main dish pastry filled with ground meat; Katrina Daoud submitted the recipe for her Lebanese mother-in-law’s hindbe, an appetizer of sauteed dandelion greens and caramelized onions sprinkled with ground sumac. Both of those recipes sounded delicious, too, and fit in with the restaurant’s tradition of international dishes made with locally-sourced ingredients alongside updated Southern favorites.

Here is Krisie’s prize-winning recipe:

Krisie’s Goat Cheese Penne Pasta
Cook 1 pound of Penne Pasta in heavily salted water until tenderness is to your liking. Reserve one cup of the pasta water. In a seperate pan, saute one medium chopped yellow onion in a pan with olive oil. Once onions are transparent, add one tablespoon of minced garlic. Add one medium zucchini, cut into small wedges, 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, three diced roma tomatoes, 6 sliced large button mushrooms, 2 cups fresh kale leaves and cook until all vegetables are desired texture. Add dried spices: 1 tsp rosemary, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp paparika, 1 tsp chives, 1 tsp parsley, salt and pepper. Stir together well. Add entire mixture of saute pan into the hot pasta with 4 oz fresh goat cheese and the cup of reserved pasta water. Mix well over low heat until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy. Serve on a plate with fresh chopped basil.

Also in this issue: a spotlight on Sequatchie Cove Farm, which has been supplying meat and produce to 212 Market since the early 90′s and is now supplying cheese as well. Read up on the farm, learn about the upcoming launch party for the new Sequatchie Cove cheeses, and get a great Sequatchie Cove meatloaf recipe in this month’s newsletter.

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2012

April 2012 (“Just Desserts,” Supplier Spotlight: Bonnie Blue Farm)
May 2012 (“212′s Bartenders Tip You,” Supplier Spotlight: Sequatchie Cove Farm)

Bar tip #1: Remembering Joe Lewis
Take a look at the bar area, and the first thing you will probably notice is the custom-made bar carved out of blonde oak.

The bar at 212 Market

Designed by Chattanooga architect Frank McDonald and interior designer Jane Grant, the bar was manufactured in North Georgia at Flintstone Millworks and was installed in time for the restaurant’s opening in February 1992. The seven stools in front of the bar are original, too. In fact, the only physical change to the bar in the last twenty years is the addition of a small brass plaque, added about two years ago.

The plaque is located right about where your knees end up if you are sitting in the third seat from the right. Stoop down and take a closer look, and you will see that the inscription reads “Remembering Joe Lewis.” So who was Joe Lewis, and why does he rate a plaque on the bar?

Joe Lewis was a born and raised Chattanooga businessman and loyal 212 Market Restaurant diner. Every work day for eighteen years, he ordered lunch at the bar — third seat from the right, every day, until he passed away in 2009.

So, next time you sit at the bar, take a look at Joe’s plaque and have a drink in his memory.

Bar tip #2: Bargains

Half price wines every Tuesday

Most people know that 212 offers $3 mimosas and $4 Bloody Mary’s for brunch every Saturday and Sunday — though Pyron suggests his special off-the-menu pineapple mojito as a better alternative — but only insiders know that the bartenders will pour you a glass of champagne for $3 at any time, so come in and celebrate every achievement. Remembered to pick up the groceries? Have some champagne with your pecan chicken club!

Bar tip#3: Local drinks
212 Market is celebrating twenty years of local foods, so what about local drinks? Of course, like many restaurants, we’ve got great local beers, but did you know that you can try local wine and liquors (beyond Jack Daniels) at 212, too?

We always have a CBC beer on tap

When you want to sit outside on our deck with a cold one, you can have a draft beer brewed less than three quarters of a mile away: we feature Chattanooga Brewing Company on tap alongside Fat Tire and seasonal Sam Adams beers. Or you can try a regional bottled beer such as Yazoo from Nashville, Lazy Magnolia from Kiln, MS, and Highland from Asheville, NC.

If you prefer to sip a glass of Tennessee wine, try the Chateau Ross 2007 McMahan American Red from Springfield, TN. Winner of the 2009 Wines of the South bronze medal, McMahan American Red is a blend of Washington cabernet sauvignon, California merlot and malbec, and Tennessee cabernet franc.

Chattanooga Whiskey's 1816 Reserve

And we are pleased to announce that 212 Market Restaurant is pleased to be among the first to serve 1816 Reserve, brand new from the Chattanooga Whiskey Company.

We also serve George Dickel whisky from Tullahoma, which stars in the Sale Creek Sour on our Harvested Here Restaurant Week menu. Another Tennessee liquor, Kelso, TN’s Prichard Rum, is featured in one of the new specialty cocktails, the Kelso Slam, and our chefs have been happily creating Prichard rum sauces for various specials.

Bar tip #4: Special drinks
According to our bartenders, the most popular orders from the bar are wines and vodka drinks like martinis, cosmos, and vodka tonics.

Enjoying a meal at the bar

Our recently released spring menus introduced the new list of spring specialty cocktails — the Citrus Pomegranatini, Kelso Slam, Blue Margarita, Barenjager sour, “Cream Soda,” and sangria — which are all pretty popular, too.

212 also stocks a number of high end single malt scotches, whiskeys, and brandies that you might not find at your neighborhood bar, including a 25-year-old Glenfarclas whisky, Catoctin Creek organic rye, and Germain-Robin XO brandy. If you prefer something a little sweeter, a Taylor Fladgate 20-year old tawny port might hit the spot. Or, if you have adventurous tastes and a romantic view of Tennessee’s moonshining history, you might want to try some corn whiskey.

The bartenders also have special cocktails of their own, ranging from Pyron’s pineapple mojito to a martini with balsamic roasted garlic olives available if you know to ask. Johnson recommends a White Russian made with Dumante, a small batch Italian pistachio liqueur, which she says is fantastic. In the summertime, you might want to try Velo coffee ice cubes in your iced coffee drinks. And just like our chefs, they’ll do their best to make anything you request.

The Sequatchie Cove burger is a customer favorite

Sequatchie Cove Farm, located in Sequatchie, TN, was one of the first farms to sell produce to 212 Market in the early 90′s and is the only farm that has supplied the restaurant continuously over the years. In the early years, Sequatchie Cove sold mainly blueberries, shiitake mushrooms, and eggs to the restaurant; now the farm primarily supplies beef, lamb, and cheese.

Bill and Miriam Keener farm their 300 acres along with their children, Ann and Kelsey, plus Kelsey’s wife Ashley and Miriam’s parents, Jim and Emily Wright. Nathan Arnold joined the team from Crabtree Farms in 2003, and his wife Padgett followed in 2007. “They are such interesting, hard working, and dedicated people,” notes 212 Market manager and co-owner Sally Moses. “Everything they do is so well thought out, and they put their whole lives and their family into it — that takes a lot of guts.”

Sequatchie Cove lambs

Milking the cows

The farm still produces a wide variety of vegetables, ranging from kale to strawberries, selling produce at the Main Street Farmer’s Market on Wednesday afternoons, and you can pick your own blueberries by appointment.

We love all of our local suppliers, and we support Gaining Ground and its local food program, so of course we will be taking part in the Harvested Here Restaurant Week, offering the following special menu throughout the week:

Starters:
Vidalia Onion Soup (gluten free)

Housemade Pimiento Cheese, Benton’s Bacon & Tomato Sandwich

Pecan Crusted Sequatchie Cove Tomme, Grilled Apple Vinaigrette and Local Lettuces

Pan Roasted Cloudcrest Farm Pork Belly, Falls Mill Stone Ground Grits & Powder Springs Farm Sunny Side Up Egg* (gluten free)

Eagles Rest Ranch Bison Springroll, House Kimchi & Chili Dipping Sauce*

Entrees:
Daily Vegetable Plate including Wildwood Farm Swiss Chard, Falls Mill Polenta, other local vegetables as available

Sequatchie Cove Red Angus Burger, Sweetwater Cheddar, Chattanooga Brewing Company Frizzled Vidalia Onions on a Housemade Bun*

Cornmeal Crusted Trout from Pickett’s Trout Ranch, Red Bean Gumbo with Link 41 Andouille Sausage, & Falls Mill Grits

Sweet Tea Brined Cloudcrest Pork Chop, Mashed Sweet Potatoes & Green Tomato Chow Chow* (gluten free)

Sequatchie Cove Lamb Shepherd’s Pie served with a Local Lettuce Salad, 212 Herb Vinaigrette (gluten free)

Desserts:
Local Mountain Strawberry Cobbler, Housemade Marzipan Ice Cream

Caramel Raisin Bread Pudding, Housemade White Chocolate Prichard’s Rum Ice Cream

Drinks:
Strawberry Mint Mojito: Local Berries Steeped w/212 Garden Mint, Slushy Ice & Light Rum

Kelso Old Fashioned: Prichard’s Rum, Muddled Fruit & a Dash of Bitters

Sale Creek Sour: George Dickel Whisky, Sale Creek Honey & Fresh Lemonade

*Available on our regular spring menus

Sequatchie Cove Creamery’s cheeses are sold at fine restaurants, including 212 Market, and in gourmet food and cheese shops such as Eli’s Manhattan in New York City, Star provisions in Atlanta, and Cowgirl Creamery in Washington, DC. Sequatchie Cove cheeses are also available locally at various farmer’s markets, at Earthfare, and throughout the southeast at Whole Foods.

Founded in 2010, the creamery is part of Sequatchie Cove Farm, located in Sequatchie, TN, on the Cumberland plateau about half an hour northwest of Chattanooga. The dairy is expanding rapidly, with plans to increase production from approximately 12,000 lbs in 2011 to as much as twice that in 2012.

As Sequatchie Cove Creamery grows, it is adding one new cheese to its existing offerings and tweaking one of the original cheeses. Two cheeses, Cumberland tomme and Gruetli alpine-style, will continue to be produced as in the past. The new Dancing Fern wheels resemble a Reblochon or brie; the 2012 Coppinger washed rind cheese will have a more subtle flavor profile than the earlier version of Coppinger, which was inspired by morbier and raclette.

The launch party is open to everyone and free of charge. Musicians Pete Boubel and Eric Young will provide live jazz, and wines by the glass will be available at half price.

Date: May 22
Time: 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Cost: Free

Brunch includes soup or salad, your choice of a main course, and a fabulous dessert buffet; $28 for adults, $12.50 for kids.

In lieu of reservations, we ask you to call ahead to get on the seating list in case there is a wait when you arrive. Don’t forget to enter our Mother’s Day recipe contest by May 7!

Crab cake benedict with poached eggs on toasted English muffins, creamy grits & fruit

Cape Cod sea scallops & lobster risotto with lemon tarragon sauce

Grilled Sequatchie Cove lamb & vegetable kebab, roasted potatoes & lemon garlic sauce

Cornish game hen, almond rice pilaf & truffle butter

Strawberry cream stuffed croissant french toast with bacon & fruit

Filet Diane, brandy mushroom sauce, garlic mashed potatoes & asparagus

Pickett’s trout Rockefeller, Falls Mill polenta & champagne hollandaise

Asparagus, caramelized onions and Bonnie Blue goat cheese quiche

Brie omelette with arugula, fried green tomato stack and red pepper hollandaise

The dinner will start off with Mongolian steamed lamb dumplings called Buuz , followed by a main course of a Mongolian beef stir fry with seasonal fresh vegetables and wheat noodles. For dessert, we’ll be serving chocolate Ul boov, or “shoe sole cake,” with vanilla cream and vodka-marinated berries.

Date: June 14
Time: 6:30 -8:00 p.m.
Cost: $35 for Aquarium members, $45 for non-members. (includes a three course meal, a glass of wine, a cooking demonstration, tax & gratuity, plus parking)

To register for this dinner, click here.

Recipes from the dinner are below.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Shrimp and Bay Scallops Ceviche
½ lbs. shrimp, diced
½ lbs. bay scallops, sliced if thick
2 cups fresh lime juice
1 red pepper, finely diced
1 yellow pepper, finely diced
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine seafood and 1 cup of lime juice. Season and chill for 3 hours. Strain, discarding lime juice, season and set aside again. Combine remaining lime juice, peppers, cilantro & olive oil. Check seasoning again.

Roasted Spring Pork Shoulder
6 Lbs. pork shoulder
2 Tablespoon fresh thyme
2 oranges with juice and zest
2 Serrano peppers (seeds optional)
2 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoon pepper
Sofrito

Score pork all over. Mix all the ingredients together and rub all over the pork shoulder.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for 4 hours at 350 degrees.  Remove pork from oven, allow to rest. Pull apart meat and mix with the sofrito. Serve with corn tortillas.

Sofrito
2 medium onions
2 med green peppers
1 small red pepper
2 large tomatoes
1 head garlic
1 bunch cilantro
½ bunch of parsley
Salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, and bay leaf to taste.

Chop or food process veggies individually. Saute onions, then add garlic and peppers to saute pan. When peppers are soft, add the tomatoes. Cook gently for about 20-30 minutes, then add cilantro and other herbs and spices.

Tres Leches Cake
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ cup milk
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Beat egg whites, add sugar and then yolks. Mix flour, baking powder, pinch of salt. Add that to the egg mixture alternating with milk and vanilla. Bake in a rectangular pyrex that has been sprayed with Pam and has a lite coating of flour on it.
After the cake has been baked and out of the oven but still warm, blend together:

1 can condensed milk-12oz
1 can evaporated milk-12oz
1 small container of heavy cream or 1 cup of regular milk
3 egg yolks
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
Rum (optional)

Using a fork, puncture the top of the cake some to help it absorb the milk mixture. Pour the milk mixture over the cake.

Frosting:
3 egg whites
1 cup of sugar
¼ cup of water
Put 1 cup of sugar with ¼ cup of water to boil. As it starts boiling cover the pot for 5 min. At 4 min beat the egg whites well and add the boiled sugared water very, very slowly to them while still continuing to beat. Frost the cake (to which you had already added the milk mixture) and put the cake in the refrigerator.