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Hello, everyone.
There is a phenomenon at Chez Sophie that Chef Paul likes to refer to as the "stealth menu." That's when we have items we hold in reserve that we know that regulars will ask for, such as veal scallopine cooked in cream and lemon, that we don't put on the regular menu because there's no space left after we print all the new innovations.
We keep a few portions in reserve for the long timers so they won't be disappointed when they come in asking for something they've enjoyed on a past visit. Not everything is on the stealth menu, but it never hurts to ask.

This weekend, we will be doing sweetbreads, definitely by Saturday, but maybe as early as Friday. Paul told his wife this at midnight Thursday, so those of you on the "sweetbread alert" list won't be getting your phone calls until Friday afternoon, when Cheryl is absolutely sure the delectable thymus glands will be purged and peeled, ready for sautéeing. Our classic recipe, pan sautéed and served with a caper butter, is so good that people will travel up from Boston and New York City for them if they have enough advance warning.

Paul is threatening to experiment in an unspecified way with the thymus gland. Cheryl asked him why he would mess around with something that is so perfect it inspires people to drive three or four hours just for dinner. "Look, I'll do it the regular way on the stealth menu, but it's not the only method for cooking sweetbreads.
It is the best recipe that I know right now, but I would like to experiment a little bit. I know what I dislike about sweetbreads that I have eaten other ways, but I think I understand sweetbreads well enough that I can do them in more than one way. I have this desire to pair them with something earthy, perhaps mushrooms. I don't do the Bordelaise sauce on the steak the same way twice in a row, but everyone always loves it. I just don't see why the sweetbreads have to be sacred just because they are popular."

Speaking of doing unusual things with sweetbreads, Paul plans to push a few of them gently inside quail, along with foie gras and brioche.
This richness will be balanced with a sauce made from sweet, tart Muscat de Beaumes de Venise dessert wine and fresh, local currants.

We'll be adding rabbit fricasée to the menu. This fricasée is straight from the tables of his mother and grandmother. He dismembers rabbits, egg washes the pieces and pan sautées them. Then he braises the pieces slowly with aromatic vegetables, white wine and herbs.
It's simple, but the rabbit is tender, flavorful and delicious and the sauce is unctuous.

Garde manger Brian Netzel is doing freakishly interesting soups right now. We just finished a batch of chilled cucumber and lime and we're moving on to a chilled blackberry lemon soup for the weekend and a comforting hot roasted carrot soup.

We're getting Wild King Alaskan salmon this weekend and serving it with three sauces: a red wine and beet sauce, a morel and corn sauce and a butter lettuce sauce.

Paul will also be serving partridge, which is not, as some of our guests have guessed this week, a fancy French way of saying quail or pheasant. Partridge falls between pheasant and quail in size and has a very lean, dark meat that is firmer and more intensely flavored than pheasant.

The variety is chukar, a breed we get from Bella Bella Gourmet Foods, which represents a group of farms in Sullivan County that grows heirloom breeds. Chukar partridges have a slightly nuttier flavor than both quail and pheasant. They are a member of the genus Alectoris, and are mostly gray all over with a black band from the eyes, down to below the neck. They also have several black bars on the flanks. Native to Asia, they were introduced to the scrubby brush lands of the western United States in the early 20th century.

Paul won't be serving this partridge in a pear tree, since it isn't pear season. It is, however, blackberry season, and the blackberries this year are incredible. He'll use these with red wine to make a sauce fantastique for the little birdies.

Who knew, except for the blessing of late night web surfing, that there is a religion dedicated to the worship of the characters of the Partridge Family. Near as well as we can tell, this has absolutely nothing to do with poultry. http://www.partridgefamilytemple.com/

The blueberries this year are also gorgeous. Paul is hoping that a shipment of fresh elk will come in Friday, and he can use the blueberries in a sauce for it.

Our little essay on fresh dairy creamer struck a lot of nerves for readers last week, sending some to wax nostalgic for the milk of their youth and others to ponder the health benefits of the foods they eat and others to wonder why we would want to risk offering something unexpected to our clients that might make them uncomfortable (as in unhomogenized cream that rises to the top of coffee and can be misinterpreted as being curdled.)

We love the fact that so many people took the time to think about it.
One person wrote: "Guys- why don't you support Meadow Brook Farm in a plethora of different ways- yogurt, heavy cream, etc. and give the guests what they are looking for in their morning coffee and possibly even listen to your staff?"

To which Cheryl responded (some paraphrasing here to protect
identities):

"That's a perfectly valid question, and all of this is something we've discussed with our staff. Most of them think that shaking the milk is sufficient, and they are proud to be offering good, healthy products. There are a few that just want it to be easy. We want to keep a discourse open with both the staff and the customers about the nature of our products, and that's what prompted the riff on milk this week. The only negative comments we received so far are yours and one other from a person who stopped me in the lobby to tell me I should be in the business of 'serving customers, not educating them.'

To a point, that's true. But we've been educating customers for 38 years. When Sophie started, few people knew there was any lettuce other than iceberg, and almost none of her customers had ever eaten escargots or duck. I was curious how much the regulars (the people who know enough about Chez Sophie to want to read the newsletter) care about something as small as the milk in their coffee.

This is a sampling of the responses I got this week:

"Too bad about the stubborn coffee drinkers! Having grown up in Southern Columbia County, surrounded by dairy (and fruit) farms [My first summer job at age 14 was baling hay on a dairy farm] I know fresh milk from the farm, and cream rising to the top. I remember our school bus sharing the early AM country roads with the farmers coop "stake" trucks (no, not tankers---they came later!) that stopped at the ends of farm roads to pick up the tanks of milk (now you find them in antique shops!)

We had milk delivered to our door every other morning (small family- mom, dad, me). I would pour some of the cream at the top of the bottle into my cereal. And in the winter, if we did not bring the milk in right away, the cream would harden, expand and pop through the cardboard bottle top (now also in antique shops!!) That could be eaten with a spoon!

You're 100% right....different, richer sweeter flavor. Now it's almost impossible to get, except on the kind of farm you mention. We drink only skim, because of my high cholesterol (like Paul--I'm genetically predisposed) . I have learned from your story why homogenized milk is harmful to those of us with this problem!.

Thanks for taking me back 50+ years!"

"This is partly a request to be put on your mailing list, but I just wanted to add a couple of things as well. First of all, thank you for serving fresh local food! I hadn't realized that was something you were doing. (I haven't been to your restaurant since I was ten or so, but I always remember it fondly and can't wait to come back!) A friend just forwarded your latest email (they knew I'd be interested in the milk issue...)"

"Don't think of having standards as being stubborn. Now that I know about the milk, I might take my Chez Sophie coffee light rather than black just to see the old-fashioned phenomenon of the cream rising to the top. It's nice to know that some people care enough to fight an uphill battle against consumer bias rather than playing to the lowest common denominator. It's why we trust Chez Sophie to offer us only the best."

"Especially great newsletter this week. It's nice that some people think about why they are doing things rather than simply doing what is easiest. I would be thrilled to have your fresh cream floating to the top of my coffee, especially now that I know what it is."

"I hope you don't mind a response to yesterday's newsletter, but I've been thinking about your problem with milk, and I'm really glad you're too stubborn to fix it. I had come up to the computer with my toast and café au lait yesterday and read your missive, as is my routine on Fridays. I make it with Meadowbrook milk for my humble version of cafe au lait. (Stovetop espresso maker, and then I gently heat the milk in a measuring cup inside a pot of water that doesn't reach a boil. It gets hot without curdling, so I'm hoping that I'm not ruining the absorption benefits you wrote about.)

Anyway, I'm wondering if gently heating it does something that makes it not curdle, because the whole milk I use never has pieces of floating cream in it. Or do you think there's just that much more cream in the half-n-half which does it? Or the collision of heat and cold? This puzzles me because I never have a problem, and you're absolutely right -- it tastes wonderful made with this milk. I guess your kitchen is busy enough without heating half-n-half, too, if that would even solve the problem. I'm glad, though, that you're sticking to your guns. That's what makes Chez Sophie so exceptional:
flexibility and the backbone to know when something should remain as it is. Like Chef Paul's blessed insistence on trying new things like all great French chefs do, rather than sealing himself and your diners up in a time capsule and still honoring the French culinary gift for technique."

We explained to the last writer that it is the homogenization, not the pasteurization, which keeps the cream from separating, and that it is homogenization that supposedly makes the milk fats absorb into the blood stream rather than passing through the digestive system more safely.

After reading the newsletter Friday, the breakfast captain said she strained a couple of quarts of the milk through a fine mesh sieve at
6 a.m. Saturday and that also solved the problem with separation. She said every time she set down a pitcher she said: "This is fresh, local half-and-half from Meadow Brook Dairy. About half the people just nodded and said okay, and the other half asked questions about the farmers we use.

Thanks to all of you for being so thoughtful about the foods you eat, and also for worrying about us.

As always seems to happen, something relevant to one of the issues we are thinking about apropos of nothing appeared this week in the New York Times. (We're not serving raw milk, but slow-pasteurized, unhomogenized farm dairy.) We're not sure if this link will work if you just click on it, but it should if you paste it into your browser.

DINING & WINE | August 8, 2007
Should This Milk Be Legal?
By JOE DRAPE
Raw milk drinkers may praise its flavor or claim it is more nutritious than pasteurized milk. No matter why they drink it, the demand for it is booming.
Click here

You can now order a Chez Sophie picnic box lunch to pick up in the morning and take with you wherever you plan to spend the day. There are three options: chilled filet mignon with a variety of condiments; roasted Cornish hen and a vegetarian 'grand plateau des sans visages'
which will be an array of salads with a balance of proteins, vegetables and starches. Each of the dishes will be served with two sides, something with fresh, seasonal vegetables and something like fingerling potatoes dressed in olive oil and sea salt. You can order the boxes by telephone the night before by calling 518.583.3538 and pick them up any time after 8 a.m. The prices will range from $17 to
$21 per entree.

We are open early enough (5 p.m.) to serve dinner to people planning to attend the Philadelphia Orchestra performances and late enough to serve people coming from the shows at SPAC. Our normal dinner seating stops at 10 p.m. and our bar menu continues until 11 p.m., but if you need a reservation that is a little later than that, call ahead and we'll do our best to accommodate. Tonight (Friday) is Newcomer's Night at SPAC, during which members can get a 25 percent discount and two free guest passes at the box office window after 5 p.m. Charles Dutoit will be conducting FIESTA LATINA, BOLERO AND TANGOS, with Daniel Binelli, on the bandoneón with selections from RIMSKY- KORSAKOV, PIAZZOLLA, CHABRIER and RAVEL. On Saturday, there will be a special matinee called MUSIC, MAGIC AND MISCHIEF with Luis Biava conducting the visually dramatic Enchantment Theatre Company. Music will include pieces from Glinka, Beethoven, Rimsky-Korsakov, Grieg, Khachaturian, Bach, Saint-Saëns and Dukas. The Saratoga Chamber Music Festival follows at 8 p.m. with The heart of the Tango, an Argentinean Extravaganza with Daniel Binnelli on the bandoneon and Eduardo Isaac on guitar.

Sunday is a great time to pair Chez Sophie with the Philadelphia, because you can enjoy Sunday brunch at Chez Sophie with Jazz pianist Cole Broderick before heading off for the 2:15 p.m. curtain for The Tokyo String Quartet, which will play BEETHOVEN: Quartet in F major, opus 18 No. 1 LERA AUERBACH: Quartet No. 2 “Prima Luz” and SCHUMANN: Quartet in A major, opus 41 No. 3.
Incubus is playing SPAC Sunday night. There's a sold-out Dave Matthews concert on Tuesday, but the Chamber Music Festival will feature Kirill Gerstein, piano; Steven Isserlis, cello; Rachel Ku, viola; and Chantal Juillet, violin; and members of the Philadelphia Orchestra in the more intimate Spa Little Theatre at 8 p.m. The program includes SCHUMANN: Grande Humoresque for piano in B-flat major, opus 20; PENDERECKI: Quartet for clarinet and strings;
SCHUMANN: Three Romances for cello and piano, opus 94; and BEETHOVEN:
Sonata for cello and piano No. 3 in A major, opus 69.

On Wednesday, Charles Dutoit conducts TCHAIKOVSKY's Symphony No. 6
(“Pathétique”) at 8 p.m. with Joshua Bell on violin, as well as ROSSINI's Overture to Semiramide and BARBER's Violin Concerto.
Thursday is Family Night, at 8 p.m. with the TCHAIKOVSKY SPECTACULAR, Charles Dutoit, conducting, Kirill Gerstein on piano and Steven Isserlis on cello. The 1812 Overture will feature cannons and fireworks will follow the show.

By the way, we now offer a Kid's Menu for who want their discerning juveniles fed before they hit the SPAC grounds. http://www.chezsophie.com/kidsmenu.pdf

For the full week's schedule at SPAC visit http://www.spac.org/spac-ticket-information/

Our Sunday Jazz brunch this week with pianist Cole Broderick will feature grilled duck breast with blueberries and lavender served with herbed wild rice pilaf ($16); Thai shrimp salad over rice vermicelli ($15); pan-seared monkfish with smoked bacon hash and poached eggs ($16); and pan-seared filet mignon with Gorgonzola sauce and oven- roasted potatoes ($17). Appetizer specials include moules marinières ($13); a salad of Sunset Hill Farm greens tossed in a red wine vinaigrette ($7); crabcake with caper mayonnaise ($16) and soup of the day ($8).

The brunch specials run from 10:30 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 ($10 to $12); pancakes du jour ($10); 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 and 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 at an additional charge or you can order from our extensive wine list.
Cost: $75 to $200 per person for seven courses, 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: Depends on the number of courses and the wines selected; available for two to 75 guests. Call Cheryl to make arrangements at
518.583.3538

The Pink Plate Special is on summer vacation.

Notes on Nico and Léo:
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and while Cheryl never has a shortage of things to say about her darling Nico and Léo, it has been a while since we've shared current photos of the kids. Click here for photos. An explanation of the underwear shot of Nico: His daddy recently taught him the manly art of self arrangement. Whenever Cheryl dresses him, he advises her archly the ways in which she got it wrong (because she just pulls his underwear and pants straight up, having no experience with this particular form of adjustment.) However, when his Daddy dresses, he's not so self assured. He'll do his thing, and then check with Daddy to make sure he got it right.

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..

If at any time you would like to be removed from our weekly email list (or receive less frequent postings about wine dinners or special events) please let us know by return email. We hope you enjoy our news.

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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