a sprocket found in the backseat - 10/14/10

a sprocket found in the backseat

speaking of sprockets - oh excuse me sprickets. It's National Chocolate Covered Insect Day. That's right ladies and gents I said chocolate covered insects. The more I delve into this the more I begin to think of other things that could be covered in chocolate and suddenly considered a delicacy to us simple Americans.

-chocolate covered twinkies
-chocolate covered pretzels
-chocolate covered potato chips (haven't heard of them but I am sure they exist)

-while the rest of the world see insects as protein and a vitamin source we only eat them if dipped in chocolate and perhaps having a touch of mint. This time when I say grasshopper I don't mean the keebler elf kind.

i may sound bizarre but this is strictly due to my obsession with food. be it chocolate covered or just plain delicious like the grilled wahoo with squid ink pasta that chef was putting out tonight.

right as the cavaliers wait for their homecomings out chef (he's a clemson man) puts a wahoo on a plate and grills it. let's hope this isn't foreshadowing of what is to become of us when UNC rolls into town this saturday.

until next time - wahoowa

autumn is a time of harvet, gathering together - 10/4/10

Autumn may be a time of harvest and gathering together but it is also time for a heartier food and new menus. That being said we went head first and created a great new menu to keep everyone's summer bodies warm and cozy as we head to the windier days and nights.

small plates $4

crab toasts
house made soft pretzel with violet mustard
duck rillette and cherry compote
bacon caramel popcorn
kite's ham with coffee aioli
deviled eggs topped with white anchovies


appetizers:

roasted beets, mesculin, asian pears, candied pecans, local goat cheese and mustard
vinaigrette $8
grilled octopus salad with white beans, arugula and caper vinaigrette 49
butternut squash soup with spiced creme fraiche $6
olive oil cured tuna salad with boiled eggs and black truffle sauce $8
fried calamari with preserved lemon sauce 49
prince edward island mussels with white wine and garlic sauce 411
duck confit, braised red cabbage and pickled cherries $10
fried house made mozzarella with marinara $8

composed plates:

braised halibut, gnocchi, brussel sprouts, cippolini onions and cider/balsamic jus $24
seared scallops, cauliflower puree, roasted cauliflower, pistachios and caper/raisin brown
butter $21
sauteed crabcakes, celery root mashed potatoes and old bay/bacon butter sauce $22
grilled escolar, braised white beans, sauteed calamari, arugula and olive tapenade $19
pan roasted chicken, cheese grits, mustard sauce and cherry mostarda $18
braised veal cheeks, black garlic egg noodles, baby fall vegetables and veal jus $21
8 oz wagyu skirt steak with potato/caramelized onion gratin and house made steak sauce $22
house made egg noodles with local mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, twin oaks tofu, and
garlic sauce $17


Never being one to disappoint I also wanted wanted to fill you in on this day in food. October 4th is celebrated around the country - it's National Taco Day.

With national taco day comes a need for more information about the wonderful food we know and love as a taco. therefore i give you:

a taco history:

The taco predates the arrival of Europeans in Mexico. There is anthropological evidence that the indigenous people living in the lake region of the Valley of Mexico traditionally ate tacos filled with small fish. Writing at the time of the Spanish conquistadors, Bernal Díaz del Castillo documented the first taco feast enjoyed by Europeans which Hernán Cortés arranged for his captains in Coyoacán. (Note, however, that the native Nahuatl name for the flat corn bread used was tlaxcalli. The Spanish give it the name tortilla.)

Taco lovers all over the world look forward to this day and work diligently in preparation for it. In Dallas Taco Cabana rolled out a new taco in honor of their favorite holiday.

Taco Cabana's Street Taco


While Blue Light doesn't specialize in tacos - we know a place that does. Celebrate tacos the old fashioned way, go see my man Mike Lewis at Mono Loco he'll make you a taco you'll never forget.


In Vegas free tacos are flowing at Tacos and Tequila

9/23/10 - Thursday - hello old friend

In the hustle and bustle of what has become a warm and busy fall I forgot about the loyal followers of fish food; good news is that I am back and just in time to say goodbye to "healthy september"

September was to be a month filled with fresh veggies, heart healthy options and good old plain down to earth home cooking - minus the butter and all the fixins of course. When people decided to make September a month to be healthy they forgot about the wonder of Labor Day and barbeques or baseball stadiums with hot dogs and beer galore. It makes it just a little too hard to stay on track. While falling off track this month (I think its safe to say that the rest of society may have hit a few bumps (ie. delicious donuts, falafel, burgers, etc) along the way) we found some pretty crazy eats to try.

In New York there are dinners for bugs - that's right edible bugs. Why not give it a try next time you are having guests over for your monthly book club dinner party.

Insect Dinners!


In Chicago they're making burritos as big as your head and hot wings so hot it takes a medical waiver to give them a try - there might not be recipes for these but I am sure they are easily replicated - give it a go and let me know if your tongue is still burning hours later.

Outrageous Chicago Eats!

Goat: the other red meat - well maybe in Houston. Around the world goat is the most widely consumed red meat - in America that's just not the case. Slowly but surely this is about to change. Why try it? - goat is delicious, lean - with a flavor between lamb and beef. Give it is try and when you aren't sure how to cook it take a peek at one of these recipe options.

Goats Goats Goats!


In Charlottesville we are branching out but doing it one slow step at a time - starting with a little fall veggies and other local ingredients.

Need a little local flavor - check out:

arganica

-we tried their prawns - top notch, delicious in a scampi form!!!

yummy yummy yummy


until next time:

Celebrate National Pancake Day!

8/31/10 - Tuesday - All Hail the Queen of England

Another history lesson provided by yours truly:

August 31st 1900 - Coca Cola began distributing in none other than Great Britain. That's right - years after the Revolutionary War and the start of the great nation of America we gave the British what they had always wanted - a pure sugar mouth watering soft drink that would continue it's popularity for the next century and beyond.





The Brits may still be blaming us for the tea party - but really they should be giving us a pat on the back for making them addicted to what we so fondly call "pop"


now for the specials:

raw:
va bay
malpeque
kumomoto

to start:
house made duck prosciutto with honeydew melon and saba drizzle

taylor bay scallops on the half shell with house made mozzarella and chorizo

mains:
roasted chicken legs with truffled cheese grits, local oyster mushrooms and roasted tomatoes

grilled mahi with fingerling potatoes, local oyster mushrooms and roasted tomatoes

sweets:
chocolate fettuccine with white chocolate creme anglaise and fresh berries

cream puffs filled with fig puree and chocolate sauce

caramel and vanilla ice cream with berries and chocolate sauce


sidenote: the cream puffs are to die for - - like a fig newton but better

8/30/10 - Monday - chocolate pasta to die for

Upon arrival at work today I had a severe craving for chocolate - little did I know that chocolate fettuccine was waiting for me. Not just any old chocolate fettuccine but house made and topped with white chocolate creme anglaise. Talk about all your wildest dreams coming true

since my head is at the sweet end of the meal let's start backwards today

sweetness:

chocolate fettuccine with white chocolate creme anglaise and fresh berries

lemon tart with berry coulis and whipped cream

house made cream puffs







real plates:

pan roasted snapper with cheddar/fresno chile grits and green tomato relish

chicken carbonara: confit chicken tossed with house made fettuccine, house pancetta and parmesan cheese - topped with a quail egg and local basil buds


small plates:

house cured duck breast prosciutto with honeydew

taylor bay scallops - grilled with chorizo and house mozzarella


raw:

va bay

malpeque

kumamoto

8/23/10 - Monday - give me that monkfish

Been craving monkfish lately and Chef must have read my mind because before I knew it he was offering up some Monkfish Scaloppine. I hadn't even really thought of monkfish as a scaloppine option - it seems to always be veal or chicken when that word is involved. This however is worth the curiosity - its delicious. A thinly sliced piece of monkfish breaded and pan seared with braised fennel, creamy polenta and a little bit of lemon. Thinking about it takes me back to the polenta just melting delicately in my mouth after a forkful of mighty monkfish went in.

this ladies and gentlemen is a dish that must be tried:






i thought a little knowledge quest about monkfish might be in order so I took a little detour to my ever favorite wikipedia and a quick drive by of zeuscat

monkfish has many monikers including:
anglerfish
goosefish
and
allmouth

those are all viable options but the allmouth version doesn't bring good things to mind.

it appears that there are vicious rumors going around that monkfish are in direct relation to angelsharks - ask any monkfish they will quickly divert your attention and tell you that is not the case.

i leave you with a little julia child imagery and of course today's offerings

raw bar:
wellfleet
malpeque
va bay

to start:
crepes with smoked trout and sweet corn - with a bit of cucumber salad to top

middle:
herb marinated leg of lamb with mashed potatoes, mushrooms a la grec and roasted tomatoes

monkfish scaloppine (as previously stated)

to end:
chocolate pots de creme with whipped cream
fried fig turnovers with vanilla gelato
bruleed green tea tapioca pudding


as julia would say: bon appetit!

8/17/10 - Tuesday - Oink Oink

Since we're major pig lovers here at the Grill - I thought I would impart this bit of knowledge on you.

Today (August 17th) in history, 1986 to be exact a bronze pig statue was unveiled at Seattle's Pike Place Market.

Oink Oink Rachel - we salute you



today's agenda:

raw bar:
malpeque - prince edward island
stellar bay - vancouver
va bay - chincoteague


beginning:
sugar toads with tartar sauce and pickled slaw
- lots of people find sugar toads to be a mystery, myself included until Chef granted me with enlightenment in that department. sugar toads are non-poisonous blow fish akin to the chesapeake region of the united states. it gained its nickname (real name "northern puffer") due to fisherman of the region stating that it was "sweet at sugar and ugly as a toad (most likely due to its crazy googly green eyes).

-don't be afraid to lick the sugar toads-

middle:
pan seared cobia fillet with potato gnocchi, pancetta, escarole and roasted red peppers

grilled porkchop with cippolini onions and pancetta/potato gratin

herb marinated leg of lamb with harissa spiced couscouse and cucumber feta salad




end:

warm bread pudding with peaches, vanilla gelato and a bourbon/thyme caramel sauce

chocolate tart with whipped cream and blackberries

oatmeal raisin cookie ice cream sandwich with coffee raisin sauce

Sunday - 8/15/10 - still standing

After a busy weekend - we may be exhausted but we are still standing and cooking away

sippy sips:

our very own watermelon thingy:
watermelon juice, fresh lime juice, skyy vodka, st. germain elderflower liqueur and a dash of simple syrup - served up and garnished with watermelon rind

fresh local peach nectar bellini


-from carter mountain orchard - charlottesville, va





to start:
crostini with house made fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers and chive oil

in the middle:
grilled cobia fillet with house made potato gnocchi, black mission figs and roasted cippolini onions





-mission figs:












pan roasted porkchop topped with a fried egg and red eye gravy with yukon gold potato and pancetta gratin


-red eye gravy:








at the end:
bread pudding with peaches and bourbon/thyme caramel sauce

oatmeal raisin ice cream sandwich - oatmeal raisin cookies sandwiched around a generous helping of dulce de leche gelato

chocolate tart with vanilla ice cream and berry coulis

8/11/10 - Wednesday - still cheesing

Success! - ricotta turned out swimmingly. Sweet and delicious just like we had imagined. Cheesecloth strained followed by gleeful "this is fabulous" and "mmmmmmhmmmmm"




This afternoon we moved on to an even more appealing cheese - fresh mozzarella has been targeted and completed

ice baths came first












and now we're straight ballin'













come eat some mozzarella with us! - more cheese adventures to come

8/10/10 - Tuesday - cheese time

Ever feel like certain cheeses just don't cut it? - our chef felt the same way. He tired of getting ricotta from the purveyors or mozzarella from the produce people. Instead we have set out on our own journey - let's make our own cheese. Today is the first step in what may be a long journey until we get this thing right. But why not give it a shot.

Ricotta Cheese: italian sheep's milk or cow's milk whey cheese. - fresh, slightly sweet in taste with a texture similar to cottage cheese although it is much lighter.

all we needed was some milk, vinegar, salt, cheesecloth and a pot
-don't be fooled by the picture above - our cheese hasn't hit that stage yet - although i am sure when it does it will look just as delicious.


right now we're about here:















I'll let you know how it goes. In the meantime here's what we're eating today:

raw bar:
kusshi
blue point
VA Bay

sidenote: after a century of exile, blue points are again growing in their native land of the long island sound

light bites:
veal sweetbreads with local oyster mushrooms, pancetta and cippolini onions

our ever illustrious cheese plates is also up for grabs this evening

mains:
grilled pork porterhouse, braised endive and grilled white peaches

pork belly frittes (or braised pork belly and house cut yukon potato fries) with garlic aioli

ends:
bruleed rice pudding with raspberries
chocolate tart with vanilla ice cream and blackberry coulis
cinnnamon raisin french toast with vanilla ice cream and orange sauce

8/5/10 - Thursday - almost the weekend

Raw Bar:
Kusshi - Vancouver - West Coast
Beau Soleil - New Brunswick
VA Bay - Chincoteague


Starters:
Confit Chicken Wings with Garlic Chili Sauce
Raosted Pork Belly with Spaetzle, Cabbage and Mustard Sauce



Fish:
Roasted Mahi with Local Mushrooms, Artichokes, Farro and Vidalia Onion Marmalade
Grilled Sockeye Salmon, Chive Mashed Potatoes, Heirloom Tomato Salad

Sweets:
Butterpecan Creme Brulee
Crepes with Nutella, Apple and Caramel Gelato
Watermelon Soup with Vanilla Ice Cream and Shortbread Cookies


Cheese Plate: Goat's Milk Cheddar, Sheep's Milk Marissa, Cow's Milk Great Hill Bleu Cheese and a special blend of Goat's, Sheep's and Cow's Milk cheese -served with grilled bread, apple puree, candied almonds and olive tapenade

8/1/10 - Gogol Bordello/Primus Afterbash

Hold on to your hats - its about to get a little crazy in here.
Directly following the Gogol Bordello/Primus extravaganza at the Charlottesville Pavilion we encourage you to join us in a celebration at 120 East Main Street - on the downtown mall.

Together Blue Light Grill and Ten-Sushi are hosting the party of the summer.
Drinks, Food, Music, Surprise DJ - all these things are coming your way.

Starr Hill will be here with some great swag and some great beer.
The kitchens will be cooking up some delicious late night food as well.

on the main floor (Blue Light) the menu will be as follows:

Pork Belly Sliders with BBQ sauce and Pickled Slaw
Chicken Wings with garlic and ginger sauceFried Calamari
Fried Virginia oysters
Fish Tacos served on a corn tortilla with avocado crema and crispy cabbage

if that doesn't float your boat - head upstairs for some sushi and noodles

we'll be here all night - food runs until 1 am and drinks flow until 1:30

get here quick- and don't forget to put your party pants on!!! - prepare to get rocked by the kings of gypsy punk and the residents of 120 East Main

Monday - 7/26/10 - a break from the heat

Today we only topped out at 90 degrees - i will take it.
after the heatwave that's been melting us lately 90 degrees feels slightly chilly.






get out of the sun and into the bar -
we've got cherry limeades!
- vodka, 1/2 a lime, house made grenadine and soda water-











feeling fishy?
pan roasted skate with truffle infused grits and bacon braised collard greens
*skates are found in most parts of the world, from tropical to near Arctic waters and from the shallows to depth of 2,700 feet*


where's the beef?
sirloin burger on a house-made challah roll with garlic mayo, pickled onions, lettuce and a side of onion rings
*the first menu listing a hamburger was Delmonico in New York in 1826*


trick or treat?
chocolate panna cotta with fresh berries
peach and cornbread trifle
roasted figs with vanilla cream

7/19/10 - Restaurant Week Reprieve

Restaurant Week has come and gone -
it was a great week, a crazy week. Fully booked means more money for the PB&J fund. Now that we have our footing again you can catch the daily specials again:

Raw Bar:
Virginia Oysters - Chincoteague, VA
Little Skookum - Southern Puget Sound

-we get a lot of our oyster knowledge from Naked Roy - ever have any questions, just check him out at:



http://www.oysterguide.com/












Light Fare:
crab hushpuppies with garlic remoulade

garlic fact: it boosts the body’s own production of a compound that relaxes blood vessels, increases blood flow, and prevents blood clots and oxidative damage










composed plates:
quail stuffed with chorizo/crawfish atop a haricot vert/fingerling potato salad

house made fettucini with shortrib ragout



sweet eats:
chocolate panna cotta with bourbon/caramel sauce
goat cheese custard with crumbled oats and pistachios
baked peaches with vanilla ice cream and pistachio brittle

7/2/10 - Friday - Specials

Raw Bar:
Quilcene - Hood Canal
Hama Hama - Hood Canal
VA Bay - Chesapeake

Light Bites:
Bacon Wrapped Chorizo Stuffed Dates with Peach Marmalade

Fish:
North Carolina Snapper with Salt and Vinegar Crushed Fingerling Potatoes and Cockle Broth

Sauteed Chesapeake Bay Soft Shell Crabs with Cauliflower Puree and Fennel/Citrus Salad


Sweets:
Chocolate Budino with Whipped Cream and Berry Coulis
Vanilla Creme Brulee
Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Mousse and Berry Coulis

Get your eat on! - Restaurant Week July 2010

Restaurant Week is coming up swift and fast. Come see us to stave off those hunger pangs and help out the PB&J fund at the same time.

Along with our regular menu, we will be offering a 3 course tasting of what to expect from Blue Light in the future. Reservations can be made at 434 295 1223 and the menu is as follows:
1st course:
cucumber and avocado soup with lime yogurt
red beet and goat cheese terrine with apple puree and pistachio brittle

three virginia oysters on the half shell with cucumber mignonette

crab hushpuppies with red pepper honey butter


2nd course:
pan roasted skate with haricot vert, fingerling potato salad, and almond brown butter

crepes with sweet corn, ricotta cheese, shiitake mushrooms, and garlic butter sauce

blackened scallops with avocado puree, grapefruit and pickled red onions

raosted quail with crawfish and chorizo stuffing atop a mascarpone soft polenta

bbq shortribs with baked pinto beans and a bleu cheese/red cabbage slaw


3rd course:
buttermilk pound cake and peach trifle with lime mascarpone

vanilla panna cotta with pineapple marmalade and shortbread cookies

butterscotch cheesecake with apple puree



-proceeds benefit the PB&J fund - http://pbandjfund.org/-
-more details on restaurant week can be found at: www.cvilleyum.com-

We look forward to celebrating a great cause and great food with you soon!

Storm Watch 2010 - We've got the POWER!!!

Parts of Charlotttesville may look like this:







but we've got the POWER and are already cooking.

Blue Light can't be stoppedcocktails and nibbles are here all night long!

Rock the Vote!

Help us keep rocking as the "best seafood in c-ville"
vote at:

http://www.c-ville.com/

-after all your hard work at the polls come and have a drink or a nibble with us!

a glass of champagne and oysters on the halfshell, make the perfect fix for such a hot humid day!

6/18/10 - Friday - the weekend is officially here!!

Raspberry Lemonade Martini
-muddled raspberries, fresh meyer lemon juice, absolut citron, simple syrup and a dash of sours-















raw bar:
hama hama - hama hama river delta on the hood canal
toten cove - puget sound
dabob bay - hood canal

light fare:
roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, and roasted garlic on house made grilled flat bread
or
sardines with grilled radicchio, cauliflower and couscous salad and orange reduction

fresh fish:
skate with haricot vert, almonds and meyer lemon butter sauce

steak:
gryffon's aerie NY strip with roasted sunchokes, swisschard, and red wine shallot reduction

treats:
chocolate cheesecake with vanilla gelato
toffee cake with dulce de leche gelato and berry coulis
buttermilk pound cake with mascerated peached and lemon sorbet
vanilla creme brulee

6/16/10 - Wednesday - get over that hump

$5 Margarita on the Rocks - the perfect fix for hump day blues-



















raw bar
hama hama - hama hama river delta on the hood canal
beau soleil - new brunswick
toten inlet - puget sound

light fare:
tuna carpaccio on grilled house made flat bread with seaweed salad and avocado/coconut puree

or:
tempura batter avocado with crab and watermelon salad

sea and sand:
6 oz filet mignon with spicy grilled shrimp with shiitake rice pilaf and a green papaya/cucumber slaw



sweet eats:
creme brulee
berry shortcake with whipped cream
chocolate cheesecake

6/14/10 - Monday - work week begins

Watermelon Margaritas - just what the doctor ordered to fight those early in the work week blues.


















raw bar:
beausoleil - new brunswick
hama hama - hama hama river delta - hood canal
totten inlet - south puget sound








light fare:
kite's ham, grilled shrimp, goat cheese and arugula served on top of a warm piece of grilled flat bread


a little fishy:
grilled wahoo with a crsipy rice cake, seaweed salad and sesame vinaigrette

the meat of the matter:
6 oz filet mignon with a crispy corn cake, grilled asparagus and a red wine shallot reduction



a sweet ending:
creme brulee
strawberry shortcake

Taste This!!

http://www.tastethiscville.com/

This year we will be participating in the Taste This Charlottesville fundraiser at the Boar's Head Inn. WE are so thankful for the opportunity to help out the Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels, and the Emergency Food Bank.

The event is currently sold out, which means that a lot of donations has already been given. We can't wait to see what the other local foodies have in store for us tomorrow.

6/10/10 - Thursday is one day closer to the weekend

today's drink special:
HOT PEACH MARTINI
-muddled georgia peaches and red bird chiles with malibu coconut rum, absolut citron and fresh lime juice shaken and served up-














Raw Bar
Oysters:

Blue Point - Long Island's Great South Bay
Hama Hama - Washington State's Olympic Peninsula
Va Bay - Chincoteague Island

oysters not your thing? try our snow crag legs!!
light fare:
kite's ham, Georgia peaches, feta and arugula atop grilled flat bread with cucumber yogurt sauce

fresh fish:
roasted rockfish atop green lentils, grilled radichio, shiitake mushrooms and yellow tomato sauce

hankering for sweets? give one of these a go:
creme brulee with a touch of honey

lime/coconut tart with roasted pineapple and whipped cream

mexican chocolate bundt cake with kahlua cream cheese filling and dulce de leche gelato

chocolate frozen terrine with layers of white chocolate mousse, chocolate cake and nutella

6/8/10 - Tuesday's one of a kind offerings

Raw Bar
Oysters:

VA Bay - Chincoteague Island
Hama Hama - Washington State's Olympic Peninsula
Blue Point - Long Island's Great South Bay
-Oysters Are Healthy for You!-
Oysters contain a whole raft of Vitamins, including C, D, B1, B1, B2 and B3. In terms of valuable minerals, if you eat just four medium-size oysters every day, you'll get the recommended daily allowances of calcium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc.


light fare:
Tomato, Cucumber, Basil and Feta with Cucumber Yogurt Dressing

meat eater? - try this:Seared Filet Mignon with a corn cake, grilled asparagus and red wine shallot sauce

fresh fish:
Grilled Mahi, cold shrimp and white bean salad with bacon marmalade

for the sweet tooth in all of us:
-Vanilla Creme Brulee

-Coconut Lime Tart with roasted pineapple and vanilla cream

-Flourless Chocolate and Pecan Cake with Dulce de Leche Gelato

6/7/10 - Monday - Specials and Such

Monday 6/7/10 - more good food coming your way:

raw bar:
oyster selection:

VA Bay - Chincoteague Island
Hama Hama - Washington State's Olympic Peninsula
Beau Soleil - Northern New Brunswick Bay Area

light fare:
Grilled Flat bread with heirlooom tomatoes, feta, basil and cucumber yogurt sauce
in the mood for a sandwich:
Fried Cod, Tartar Sauce, and Pickled Slaw on a house made Challah Roll - add a little fingerling potato salad to the deal and its heaven

is our fresh fish special more what you were looking for?:
Grilled Mahi served over a cold shrimp and white bean salad



feeling a little meaty:Seared 6 oz filet mignon with potato galette and red wine shallot sauce

now we're blogging

The age old question of "what's for dinner" is asked and answered daily across the world; with such a loyal following and a slew of devoted diners we decided to take on the answering portion as well. If there's ever a question about what oysters we are serving, whether or not we have halibut today or you are just curious about what we have been putting out the last couple weeks - you can find it all here. Chef Lee Gregory and I will be working together to keep you updated on menu changes, new items, special events and anything else you just might be curious about.

take a look around
get your questions answered
learn new things about us and our food
find out what our mixologists are coming out with this week
and by all means come visit us on Charlottesville's historic downtown mall

-120 E Main Street -
Charlottesville, VA 22902

434 295 1223

-Carrie