Option #3 Monday, May 18th

Because I'm feeling compulsive and motivated to get a slight head-start on the next menu, I have come up with the options (yes - now, and forever more there will be options. No, they will not reiterate). Starting now there will be options for a small range of prices (anywhere between $10-$25), you do not need to feel obligated to purchase the whole menu if you think it is out of your price range (if you didn't vote for the menu of choice and don't want to pay the whole price you could attempt to coerce me into preparing only a part of the meal for you at a reduced cost - If I'm feeling generous). So, here are the options:

Option #1 - Cucina Fresca al Italiano ($10)

• Fresh Focaccia and Olive Oil
• Melon con Prosciutto
• Caprese
• Pasta Fresco

Pasta with seasonal vegetables, fresh herbs and fish tossed in olive oil

• Formaggio e Salami
• Torta di Mele all'Olio

Apple cake with olive oil

Option #2 - Tasting of Vegetables ($14)

• Crespelle of Tomato Confit with Sauce of Tomato, Carrot and Ginger

Roasted tomatoes with thyme - coarsely chopped with mozzarella, Parmesan and bay-shrimp rolled in a light crespelle and drizzled with tomato sauce

• Hearts of Palm with Puree of Marrow Beans and Field Greens

This is subject to the availability of the hearts of palm - I do not want to used canned hearts of palm (so it might be something else)

• Roasted Rack of Lamb with Sweet Pepper Confit

Served with Wild Rice

• Corsu Vecchiu with Spiced Carrot Salad and Golden Raisin Puree

Raw sheep's milk cheese aged for 1-6 months

• Chilled, Glazed Fruit and Sabayon

Option #3 - Greg's Tasting Menu ($18)

• Rustic Bread
• Goat Cheese and Shrimp Omelet seasoned with Fines Herbs
• Potato Gnocchi with Sauce Barigoule and Tomato Confit

Potato dumplings with hearts of artichoke and roasted tomato

• Quarter Rabbit Braised in White Wine Marinade

Served with Grilled Belgian Endive and Wild Rice

• Parmigiano-Reggiano Custard with Salad of Celery leaves

Delicate Parmesan flavored custard on toasted crouton with celery leaves tossed in olive oil, garlic and pepper

• "Fruit Pie"

Rhubarb confiture, fresh strawberries and puff pastry "Pie"

So that's the line-up, I'm obviously not letting the price hinder my creativity, so as I said before - if you're not comfortable paying for the whole deal we can probably work something out. There will not always be three choices, but in this case I think that the first option would be an excellent hands-on opportunity for people who are interested in learning the basics of cooking (and I do advocate the quality of simple cooking, there is nothing like fish baked on a bed of herbs - it's that easy). The price still has everything to do with the ingredients - fresh cooking is always the cheapest; the price attached has nothing to do with the quality of the dinner. On the other hand, the more complex and rare the ingredients and procedures, the more intricate the flavor, intensity and end result. There is no 'right' choice as far as I am concerned; I am quite interested in the procedures that will be involved in any of these menus, and will continue to advocate each and every menu that I give you to choose from because I have put [or will when I go shopping (in the case of exclusively fresh cooking)] time, and (believe it or not) considerable effort into coming up with all of these menus. I remind you that while none of the menus will ever be repeated, there will be occurrences of similar items or iterations of items that will come into play in future menus, and I thoroughly hope that when choosing you are torn between all of them.

I am completely dissatisfied with my knowledge of cheeses so starting now I will be offering composed cheese courses as often as I think is reasonable - as I grow more comfortable I might decide that certain menus do not need a cheese course, but for now I feel the need to push what I can learn (remember - this is about me, not you).

In the case of Option #1, if it is chosen it will be cooked by everyone (or as close as we can get to that) as we eat it - it's a learning experience (we will still need to do prep beforehand).

In the case of Option #3 I am not sure what the price of rabbit is, thus the variable price - however I do know that I can get whole rabbits at the place that I buy my meats. Also if they have their heads on I might do a little charcuterie to start the meal.