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Hello, everyone!

One of Chef Paul's purveyors called today to offer him some wapiti elk stew meat. His first thought was venison chili. "But how the hell do I do venison chili for a French restaurant?" he pondered. "I could do a chili and call it something else," he answered himself, as he so often does. "I've got chickpeas, so I could do braised venison with chickpeas."
"Is that what you want to call it?" asked his wife, who was taking dictation during this free-floating peramble.
"No," Paul said. "Call it North African venison stew... in the style of the emir of Fez."

Wapiti, by the way, is the oldest North American breed of elk. The word comes from Shawnee for "white rump" referring to pale patches on the animals' posteriors. Among deer, they are second in size only to the moose, rich in flavor and low in cholesterol.

The Pink Plate is a weekly prix fixe special we offer on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. For $30 per person, you get your choice of soup or salad, the featured entree, two selections from our cheese board or one of a couple of featured desserts and coffee, tea or espresso.

Paul is also expecting a shipment of whole large pheasants for this weekend. He'll serve the breasts braised in port as an entree and use the legs and thighs to make a confit for an appetizer.

People have been asking when we're planning to do more wine dinners.
We've set a date of Wednesday, March 28 and Thursday, march 29th for our annual Languedoc-Roussillon wine dinners. This meal will feature five courses of foods native to the Languedoc-Roussillon, and five wines, each perfectly paired with the food. We haven't chosen all the wines and food yet, but we do know that we'd like to sacrifice a little of the Clos des Truffiers 1999 Coteaux du Languedoc, which should sell for about $600 a magnum (we sell it for $430). This is perfectly stupid, because we're only charging $80 a person for the meal, but every now and then you have to do something deliciously stupid to remind yourself why life is worth living.
Clos de Truffiers (which could be loosely translated as "field of the truffle hunters") is a specialty cuvée made by the family domaine called Chateau de la Negly. Under Paux-Rosset's management the Negly domaine has severely reduced yields and focused on making smaller lots of much higher quality wine. Many of the wines are in the $10 to $20 price range, but this wine, from a single 12 acre vineyard at the highest point on the family property, is a separate project unto itself.

This vineyard, which holds what are most likely the Languedoc's oldest Syrah vines, is kept to incredibly low yields, around one ton per acre. All of the grapes are hand picked and sorted in several passes through the vineyard to ensure that only perfectly ripe fruit is selected. The clusters are individually destemmed by hand, and crushed entirely by foot, the traditional (and some say gentlest) method of juice extraction which Paux-Rosset employs to avoid crushing the seeds which release bitter tannins into the wine. The extracted juice is then hand poured (rather than being pumped) into a new French oak vat for an 8 day cold soak before fermentation begins.

The wine is fermented for about 40 days before being poured into 100% new French oak for 17 months, some of which included exposure to the lees (the sediment that forms during fermentation). It is then bottled unfined and unfiltered. About 260 cases are made. (Source:
http://www.vinography.com/archives/2006/02/1997_clos_des_truffiers_hommag.html)

We'll provide written materials about the wines and wine region and make ourselves available to talk about the wines with those who are so inclined, but make a tremendous effort to not stand at the head of the table and bore people to tears with long lectures. We'd prefer that people have a really special meal and meet a few new friends around the communal table.

We love spotlighting the Languedoc-Roussillon because it is the oldest viticultural area in France, curving along the Mediterranean Sea from the southernmost part of France to the Rhône River in the east. The best vineyard sites are in the foothills of the Pyrenees, the rugged hills of Corbières and the foothills of the Massif Central. These sections have hot, arid conditions capable of producing little but herbs and grapes, and even the grapes tend to taste like the local herbs.
The Greeks introduced the first vines to the area in the 5th century and now the region produces 40 percent of all French wines. There are a stunning variety of grapes, from aramon to viognier, each used on its own or in blends to add specific qualities to the wines.

Specific details on the menu and wines will be forthcoming in the next few newsletters. Seating each night is limited to 20 people around a single table. Tickets are $80 per person, plus tax and tip.

We've also been approached by an importer of grower Champagnes about doing an all-bubbly dinner in April. Details to follow.

Our Sunday Jazz brunch with pianist Cole Broderick will feature stuffed pancakes with ham steak ($14); veal osso bucco with old- fashioned mashed potatoes ($18); crawfish beignets with tomato corn tartar sauce($12); and beef short ribs braised in Chimay Ale over roasted polenta ($15). The appetizer specials will include an heirloom-tomato bruschetta ($9).

The brunch specials run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The complete menu,
offered from 7 to 2 p.m., includes a Continental assortment of
muffins, pastries, fruit, yogurt, quiche etcetera for $9; omelettes
($9 to $11); pancakes du jour ($9); the All in One, which includes 2
eggs any style, homefries, toast and sausage or bacon ($10); waffles
with sweet cream butter and local maple syrup ($10); and Irish steel- cut oatmeal ($8).
Jazz pianist Cole Broderick plays from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Two of the instructors who offer free tango lessons at Chez Sophie on the first Wednesday of each month will be doing a show called "Tango
Fusion: Encuetros Intimos" at the Spa Little Theater in Saratoga on March 9 and 10 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 11 at 3 p.m. Tango Fusion is a dance company that melds influences from Latin dance, Argentine tango, ballet, jazz, modern dance and theater. Because of our relationship with Tango Fusion, and its creator, Dianne Lachtrupp, we're offering a pre-show special on dinner or brunch at Chez Sophie to ticket holders. On Friday and Saturday night, we will be offering a three-course meal (any starter, entree and dessert and a glass of house wine for $50, a considerable discount from full price.
Reservations should be booked before 6 p.m. in order to make the 8 p.m. curtain, and the box office at the Spa Little Theater will be happy to secure a table for you.

The Sunday brunch special is any starter, any entree and a glass of house wine for $25. Reservations should be booked before 1:30 p.m. to make the 3 p.m. curtain.
For more information about the show, call 518-587-4427 or visit http://www.tangofusiondance.com Live Piano Jazz
Jazz pianist Cole Broderick plays the baby grand Tuesday through
Friday night, and during Sunday brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
(barring special events that preclude live music.)
Cost: No cover charge

Tasting menus
Chef's Choice seven-course tasting menu available each night. The
menus are designed based on the best and most creative dishes Chef
Paul K. Parker is serving each evening. We will pair wines for you or you can order from our extensive wine list.
Cost: $75 per person, plus tax and tip. Everyone at the table must
partake in the tasting menu

If you're feeling less impromptu, you can call ahead to arrange a
special tasting menu with the number of courses and wine pairings
designed to suit your capacity, dietary restrictions and budget.
Tasting menus arranged in advance will be printed on commemorative
vellum scrolls personalized with the name of the host or the reason
for the event.
Cost: $50 to $200, depending on the number of courses and the wines
selected; available for two to 75 guests. Call Cheryl to make
arrangements 518.583.3538

The Pink Plate Special
offered Monday, February 26, Tuesday, February 27, Wednesday, February 28, and Thursday, March 1.

$30 per person
includes your choice of soup or salad, a special entree, selected
desserts or a cheese course and coffee, tea or espresso.

This week's special entree:
North African venison stew... in the style of the emir of Fez (braised venison with chickpeas)

Notes on Nico and Léo:

Léo walked into the kitchen Thursday morning, pointed to a bag of raisin bread and demanded: "Bite!" Mom gave her a piece of bread and turned her attention to slicing a whole wheat raisin bagel for Nico.
Seconds later, Léo walked back up empty handed, pointed to the bag, and said "Bite!"
"You ate the other one already?" Mom asked incredulously. She handed her eight-tooth wonder another slice, and turned to find Nico trying to place his bagel in the garbage can.
"There aren't any more raisins in it," Nico explained.
"If you want raisins, ask for raisins, Cheryl said in exasperation.
"Don't pick the raisins out and throw the bagel away. That's wasteful."
"Mom?" Nico said. "May I have some raisins, please?"
Léo tugged at her Mom's robe, and showed her empty hands. "Bite!" she demanded. Her mother handed her Nico's de-raisinated bagel and went to the refrigerator for some raisins. In the corner there, she found one of the Rottweilers working on a pile of shredded raisin bread.
Léo was busily headed that way with her brother's bagel, preparing to feed the dog yet more bread. We suppose it's only fair, since she eats most of the dog's food.

Having your 4-year-old around adults in a restaurant a lot has advantages. He speaks in remarkably complete sentences and knows a great deal about food and animal husbandry. He tends to have exceptional manners, and is schooled in how to behave in restaurants and hotels well beyond his years. (Whether he always chooses to do so is another matter.) However, we are beginning to see a few disadvantages that we'll have to deal with as we try to resocialize him into school-acceptable thinking, especially since he has reached the parrot phase with zeal and fervor. Yesterday, he bundled up for a walk to the library with his nanny just as it started to snow. When he came back, all pink-cheeked and sparkling with snow, he jumped into his mother's arms to administer a bone-crushing hug.
"How was your walk?" Mom gasped through cracking ribs.
"It was great," Nico said. "But it was pretty damned cold."

Nico's 4th birthday was a screaming hit (literally) in a warehouse full of inflatable bouncy houses and arcade games. The children were sweaty and blissed out by the end, which was a beautiful thing for the parents on a miserably cold February day.

The Parker family
at Chez Sophie
518.583.3538

Chez Sophie was founded in 1969 by sculptor Joseph Parker and his French-born wife, the late Sophie. The business moved to a vintage stainless steel diner in Malta Ridge, New York, in 1995. It is owned today by Sophie and Joseph's son, Paul Parker, and his wife, Cheryl Clark. In June of 2006, they moved the restaurant into their current location in The Saratoga Hotel on Broadway..

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P.S. Each month we draw a name at random from our database of customers and send them a $50 gift certificate to Chez Sophie. If you would like to be added to this promotions database, which is owned by Chez Sophie, please send us an email with your name, address, telephone number, birthday and anniversary. People on the list will also receive a gift certificate by mail or email for a free glass of champagne or dessert on their birthdays or anniversaries. (You only need to enter once to be eligible every month.)

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