Hello, everyone!

Cheryl was walking through the dining room listening to various customers discussing what they would be having for dinner when she heard: "Vegetarian meatloaf? Well that doesn't sound very elegant. I guess I'll have the fish."

O contraire, mon ami. Clearly the diner was unfamiliar with Chez Sophie's peculiar sense of collective humor and the wonders we can do with homely comfort food. We have long had a warm spot in our tummies for meatloaf, a cross-cultural dish that was invented long before the advent of meat grinders. When Paul makes it with meat, he pays homage to his mother's Polish heritage (Sophie was a Wilczek from the Carpathian mountains who was born and raised in France) by adding sour cream to a mix of pork, veal and beef and studding the loaves with cornichons (tiny pickles.) We served this as a Pink Plate Special for the first time a few years ago and it was so popular that our souschef, Mark Lawrence, was inspired to create a vegetarian version of the dish. He uses black beans, bulgur wheat, shiitake mushrooms and tomatoes to form the loaf, bakes it, and serves the slices with mashed potatoes, tiny fresh haricots verts (green beans) and mushroom gravy.

Over the years, this has been such a popular dish that even carnivores have become addicted to it. We often offer a different vegetarian entree, but invariably someone comes in asking for the veggie meatloaf whenever we take it off the menu.

Paul was at home taking care of a sick child Thursday night, so Cheryl and Mark decided to offer the vegetarian meatloaf at the special Pink Plate Special price next week, Monday through Thursday.
(It normally costs $26 all by itself, but we'll be throwing in your choice of soup or salad, your choice of dessert or a cheese plate and your choice of coffee, tea or espresso for a mere $30.)

We have set a menu and chosen wines for our annual Languedoc- Roussillon wine dinners, which this year will be Wednesday, March 28 and Thursday, March 29th.
Paul has decided to start the meal with escargots with eggplant and tomato and Cheryl has chosen the Hautes Terres de Comberousse Roucaillat 2002. The second course will be pheasant terrine, paired with the Côtes du Roussillon from Domaine Sarda-Malet 2005. The next course will be aïgo boulido (garlic soup) scented with mint and thyme and served with Mas Cal Demoura's, "L'Infidele" Coteaux du Languedoc, 2000. The main course, duck à l'agenaise (duck in the style Agen, which is whole duck braised with prunes, Armagnac, orange-scented red wine and herbs) will be served with our star wine, Clos de Truffiers Coteaux du Languedoc 1999. The final course of chestnut tart with apricot purée will be served with Muscat de Rivesaltes, 2005 Domaine de la Coume du Roy.

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.

Seating each night is limited to 20 people around a single table.
Tickets are $80 per person, plus tax and tip.

Congratulations to one of the family farms we patronize, Sheldon Farms of Salem, N.Y., for a large feature article in the Times-Union of Albany this week entitled "Potato Potpourri." To view the full article visit http://www.timesunion.com/life/index.asp and click on the headline under the picture of potatoes.

Our Sunday Jazz brunch with pianist Cole Broderick will feature seafood quiche (shrimp and crawfish) with a side salad ($13); Parmesan-encrusted chicken breast with saffron risotto ($15); grilled swordfish with black bean salsa and fried green plaintain ($16); and pumpkin pancake with caramel coconut topping and ham steak ($14).

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, frittata 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.

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, March 19 , Tuesday, March 20, Wednesday, March 21, and Thursday, March 22.

$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:
vegetarian meatloaf
made with black beans and bulgar wheat, served with mashed potatoes, haricots verts and mushroom gravy

Notes on Nico and Léo:
Nico and Paul got a virus Wednesday, so Paul stayed home with him and Cheryl brought Léo to work. This worked very well until Paul, exhausted by caring for the child and cleaning up after him, fell asleep on the couch about 10 p.m. Soon after, the hostess at Chez Sophie walked up to Cheryl and said: "I think Paul has tried to call you a couple of times, because I saw his number on the caller ID, but each time I picked it up, there was nobody there."
Cheryl grabbed a handset and called her husband's number.
A strange little voice answered laconically: "It's me, Mommy."
"Nico, where is your Daddy?" Cheryl asked.
"He won't wake up," Nico said. Beginning to be alarmed, Cheryl said, "Nico go shake your father and tell him I'm on the phone." Nico set down the phone, and it was clear from the background noises that he had begun to play with toy cars.
"Nico," Mommy shouted into the receiver.
"WHAT?" Nico picked up the phone and shouted back in annoyance.
"Get your father," Mom said.
"He wants to go to sleep now, but I'm not tired," Nico complained.
"You go get back in bed right now," Mom said in frustration as he set the phone down again without hanging it up, preventing her from ringing it again to wake up Paul. "Nico! I'm coming right home and you better be in bed when I get there. And hang up the phone!!"
"It's okay, Mommy," Nico said. "Everyone's safe. We're just all a little tired."

The Parker family
at Chez Sophie
518.583.3538