9.05.2009

OUR LAST TWO WEEKS

Thank you to everyone who came out the last two weeks and over the years. We will miss all of you and most of all, miss cooking for you. We've made such good friendships. Here's a snapshot of the last two weeks:





































8.30.2009

PAIN

WHISK Cooking Class: French Bread

Ingredients:
6 cups high gluten bread flour
2 tsp dry active yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups ice water

Directions:
Mix flour, yeast and salt with dough hook attachment. Slowly drizzle in water until you get a slightly tacky dough. Grease a bowl large enough to fit the dough, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The following day, remove dough from fridge, and allow to come to room temperature. Shape, and bake at 500 degrees until dark, golden brown. Spray the sides of the oven with water immediately after putting the bread in for a crispy crust. Once done baking (about 10-15 minutes), allow to cool before serving.

8.14.2009

DRESSED UP

Good news - you can still get dressed up long after we close with CAFEaeby Signature Dressings. Three of our most popular favs - Miso, Grain Mustard & Sherry - in glass bottles ($8 each). Limited quantity, so snag yours today!




8.12.2009

CLOSING EVENTS

SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL - Saturday, August 15
A special four-course menu with limited seating of 20 people. 
Dinner begins at 7PM. Cost is $45. per person; wine pairing, additional $25. per person (plus tax & gratuity). The menu will be posted shortly, but you can pre-reserve your spot.

SIGNATURE WINE DINNERS - Thursday, August 20 & 27
Featuring four courses of Chef Christopher Aeby's signature dishes throughout the years: Your favorites from Restaurant Lavender, Aeby and Cafe Aeby with wine pairings. 
Dinners begin at 7PM; Cost is $110. per person, plus tax & gratuity. Each dinner will feature different courses and wine pairings.

WHISK COOKING COURSES - Saturday, August 22 & 29
Learn how to prep, cook & plate a three-course meal with Chef Christopher Aeby while you sip and taste wine pairings and samplings. 
Limited to 12 people per class; Classes run from 11AM to 1PM. Cost is $65. person. Each class will feature different lessons and wine pairings.

Reservations are required for all events @ 361.225.0329.

8.11.2009

CAFE AEBY IS CLOSING

To all Cafe patrons and friends,

I am sorry to announce we will be closing the doors to the restaurant on August 29 for good. It has been a wonderful seven years, and we are grateful for all of you who have supported us and the restaurant.

Unfortunately, due to the current times, our business has been cut in half and is no longer financially viable. I wish I could name each and every one of you who has touched my heart, made me laugh and challenged me to try to be the best. The restaurant has changed so much since day one, and so many of you kept right there with us. To all of you, I sincerely thank you for your faithfulness.

We will be open for two more weeks, so you can still come in one last time and enjoy yourselves. I will be doing a few special dinners and cooking classes. Stay tuned to the blog for final event postings.

I will miss having the restaurant and having you to pour my soul into. Simply said, I will miss cooking for you.

All our love and appreciation,
Chris, Krystal and the rest of the Cafe Aeby family 

8.10.2009

SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL: AUG. 15

Hi everyone,

This Saturday, August 15, I will be by myself in the kitchen. I don't want to close the restaurant completely, so we've decided to offer a special four-course menu at a very affordable price, similar to last month's. The dinner begins at 7PM. Seating is limited to 20 people, so reservations are required for that evening. Cost is $45. per person; wine pairing, additional $25. per person. The menu will be posted shortly, but you can pre-reserve your spot: (361) 225-0329. 

- Christopher

7.19.2009

ITALIAN WINE DINNER

Thank you to everyone who came to July's Italian Wine Dinner. I'd especially like to thank our special guests, the ahhhhdorable Amber of Painfully Hip, delightful Diana of Well Worn Road and ridiculouslyfunny Rory of Awesome All Day. They made quite the trip, and we are still stoked that they made a stop in Corpitos for a short, but amazingly productive, few days. If you don't obsessively check out their blogs daily, you, ummm, should. More on the insanely intense Painfully Hip Design Collective & PRODUCE (aka the geniuses who brought you SUSHIBAR) collaborative photo shoot to come, but for now, feast your eyes on the menu du jour:

7.05.2009

SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL

Hi everyone,
This Saturday, July 11, I will be by myself in the kitchen. I don't want to close the restaurant completely, so we've decided to offer a special four-course menu at a very affordable price.The dinner begins at 7PM. Seating is extremely limited, so reservations are required for that evening. Cost is $40. per person; wine pairing, additional $25. per person. The four-course menu is:

ORGANIC GREENS
>> peach, goat cheese, candied pecans, white balsamic dressing
D'Argent Non-vintage Brut Rose
&
AMBERJACK
>> corn, chive, mustard greens, bacon
Fontevecchia 2007 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi 
&
CORNISH GAME HEN
>> seasonal vegetables, potatoes with caramelized garlic, chicken stock reduction
Cartlidge & Brown Pinot Noir 
&
VANILLA CREAM
>> blueberries and their jus, almond crumble

To make a reservation, call (361) 225-0329. 

- Christopher

6.26.2009

ITALIAN WINE DINNER

featuring four courses with wine pairings
& guest speaker Tom King, Ambiente Wines

Wednesday, 08 July 2009 | 7PM
$75. person, plus t&g
Reservations @ 361.25.0329 | cafeaebycc@yahoo.com

Featured wines:

Ariola Sparkling Malvasia 'Forte Rigoni' (Parma)
((Vibrant, dazzling aromas of apricot and white peach encased in a lively, crisp and delicate sparkling wine - Hues of pale straw showcasing tiny long-lasting bubbles - Youthful, racy finish with bright acidity))

Fontevecchia 2007 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (Marche)
((Refreshing wine of substance - Great example of how good this grape can be - Aromas are a mix of ripe apple, citrus and tangerine, along with an intriguing bit of sweet pea and fresh garden greens - Nicely textured wine with creamy peach and juicy apple flavors that are as elegant as they are charming))

Cascina Adelaide 2007 Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba (Barolo)
((Youthful, spicy tones of gooseberry to dark, earthy fruit and blackberry notes - Suave in the mouth with tannins that float under the plush fruit, kept fresh with nicely balanced acidity that gives good lift to the spicy herbal green tones and mineral notes embedded in the dark cherry fruit - Finish is clean if short with earthy and cherry pit notes - Good depth and typicity))



6.23.2009

DESSERT DU JOUR

>> lavender, raspberry, almond, white apricot

6.22.2009

TO-CE-CHI

Monday-night kru date night @ To-Ce-Chi.

Jeff's first time at the infamous "Big Taco".

Courtney & Jesse (surfingtheisland.com) check out the picture book.

Jeff with the second-biggest taco on the menu.

Krystal gets happy snappy.
Will.i.am. dials up 1989.
Hungry before the feast.
gettin' spicy!

6.19.2009

SIMPLE SUMMER TIME LUNCH DESSERT

Sorry for the mediocre picture taken from my phone. This is strawberry, cherries and a sauce of them, almond crumble, blackberry, and vanilla ice cream. 

6.17.2009

OH LES PETITS GATEAUX SI JOLIS! ((OH-SO-PRETTY CUPCAKES!))

Donc ceux-là de vous dehors qui sont des femmes de chefs de cuisine est probablement demandé la même question tout à fait beaucoup : vous cuisinez aussi? Bien que je souhaite que j'ai fait, ou plutôt, pouvoir, la réponse est no je ne cuisine pas. J'ai plaqué des pâtisseries avant que quand flo a été plus malade que malade et sauté dans la ligne quand nous avons été en manque de personnel et surréservé, mais je ne pense pas tout à fait que les comptes.  

Et cuisinant à la maison? Le traiter Christopher et je toujours ai été simple: Il cuisine. Je nettoie. Et, il travaille - parfaitement et étonnamment, je pourrais ajouter (bien qu'il pourrait mendier pour différer comment en forme mon nettoyage est avec sa cuisine).  

Donc la semaine dernière, j'ai obtenu l'envie. J'ai voulu faire le petit gâteau parfait. Assez facile, j'ai pensé. Oui et no j'ai pensé je planquerais tous mes ingrédients, d'une manière commode et rentablement chapardé du café dans deux récipients au lieu d'un million, carénant et abattant le nettoyage: l'un pour sec et l'un pour les ingrédients mouillés. (Je pourrais distribuer aussi un cri à Dave Ramsey pour Ashley Rippke d'izzyandthebean.blogspot.com & arippke.blogspot.com - kuddos à moi sur la jugeotte épargnant.) Je n'avais pas commencé même, et j'inconsciemment faisais déjà ma première erreur. (Pour ceux-là de nous qui compte seulement sur les recettes) je ne les ai pas lu premièrement. Oui, c'est une des premières directions données dans n'importe quel test de deuxième-degré. Lire les directions - entièrement - premièrement. 

Donc l'histoire longue courte: Quand je suis rentré, je me suis rendu compte que je n'aurais pas dû mélanger le sucre avec le reste des ingrédients secs jusqu'après je l'avais mélangé avec le beurre premièrement. Donc ce qu'est arrivé ? Les petits gâteaux étaient supplémentaires lourds ; ne pas allumer et duveteux comme je m'étais imaginé. Heureusement, le six-sticks-of-butter-and-eight-cups-o-confectioner's-sugar (alias glaçant) l'a compensé bien. Et, le Lys et j'ai eu un grandiose le temps d'ol dansant à Lykke Li et Les Vierges pendant que nous avons attendu. 

Ne pas mentionner la trois douzaine ou si les gens qui se sont régalés sur mon caprice le lendemain!

((So those of you out there who are wives of chefs probably get asked the same question quite a lot: do you cook too? Although I wish I did, or rather, could, the answer is no. I do not cook. I have plated pastries before when flo has been sicker than sick and jumped in line when we've been understaffed and overbooked, but I don't quite think that counts.

And cooking at home? The deal with Christopher and I has always been simple: He cooks. I clean. And, it works - perfectly and amazingly, I might add (although he might beg to differ how up to par my cleaning is with his cooking).  

So last week, I got the urge. I wanted to make the perfect cupcake. Easy enough, I thought. Yes and no. I thought I'd stash all my ingredients, conveniently and cost-effectively pilfered from the cafe in two containers instead of a million, streamlining and cutting down the cleanup: one for dry and one for wet ingredients. (I might as well give a shout out to Dave Ramsey for Ashley Rippke of izzyandthebean.blogspot.com & arippke.blogspot.com - kuddos to me on the savvy saving.) I hadn't even begun, and I was already unknowingly making my first mistake. (For those of us who rely solely on recipes) I didn't read them first. Yes, it is one of the first directions given on any second-grade test. Read the directions - fully - first.  

So long story short: When I got home, I realized that I shouldn't have mixed the sugar with the rest of the dry ingredients until after I had mixed it with the butter first. So what happened? The cupcakes were extra heavy; not light and fluffy like I had imagined. Luckily, the six-sticks-of-butter-and-eight-cups-o-confectioner's-sugar (aka icing) well made up for it. And, Lily and I did have a grand 'ol time dancing to Lykke Li and The Virgins while we waited. 

Not to mention the smily faces on the three dozen or so people who feasted on my whim the next day!))

Prêt à balancer. ((Ready to rock.))

Mis en place ((All in order.))
L'attente pour refroidir...la danse, la danse, la danse... ((Waiting to cool...dance, dance, dance...))

Oui, s'il vous plait! ((Yes, please!))
Agreable! ((Niiiiiice!))
Finit! ((Finished!))