This Week at the Herdic House
So what if a little much-needed rain is thickening the summer air this week? We’re still excited to be out planting, digging, foraging…even weeding. Daisy, the lucky girl, is spending her week at a (free!) gardening camp at the Red Shield Community Garden on Park Ave. in Williamsport, working with a dozen other kids to learn about plants and pests. Not a bad start to the summer!
And Liz has already put Daisy’s newfound skills to use in the home garden, harvesting garlic scapes and strawberries. Some of the scapes will make an appearance in this evening’s Blue Plate, which trends a bit toward an Asian theme: ginger, soy and garlic roasted Landis chicken with broccoli, served over rice, with an orange-ginger glaze. The Blue Plate, as always, is $18 at our House and $20 to go, and you can reach us at 570-322-0165 to book a table! We’ll also have a cream of asparagus soup with crispy prosciutto, and we’ll be reprising fresh strawberry shortcake yet again for dessert—it’s simple, delicious, and the season is so very short…
Come join us for our Thursday happy hours at the bar, from 5-7 pm, with $1 off all beers and $2 off wines by the glass. Plus we’ll be serving open-faced grilled tenderloin sandwiches with melted gruyere, horseradish dill mayonnaise and caramelized onions slaw, with a side of our sweet potato chips…
In other news, the world is ripening apace! In our kitchen, Sam has been working her butt off making peony and rose petal jams to store up for the winter; at the bar, Hannah has been shaking off lots of fresh herb cocktails; and, on the streets, Liz and kids have been watching the serviceberry trees like hawks, so that they can beat the birds to those tasty morsels.
This Friday, we’ll be showering the House with rose petals, as we concoct a menu of the season, replete with berries, herbs, flowers and whatever else comes to hand, including a slightly aphrodisiac turn on our featured entree this week, inspired by an old-favorite film, Like Water for Chocolate…
- Mint bachelor button juleps
- Calendula and saffron shrimp bisque with cherry tomato salsa
- Baby greens, flower petals, sliced strawberries, goat cheese and candied pistachios, drizzled with a rose petal vinaigrette
- Rose petal-marinated chicken quarter from Landis Farm, served in a creamy rose and rosé sauce over asparagus-tarragon risotto
- Individual serviceberry tartlets with bergamot creme anglaise
And don’t miss our patio event next Friday! This will be the third year for our patio-centered Paella Night, replete with loads of Spanish tapas, Spanish wines, sangria, and, of course, two different types of paella, stirred over wood fires in our huge paella pans. It’s a very fun outdoor event…with limited seating. Be sure to book your seats soon! The menu is prix-fixe, with tickets priced at $69/person…