I've been asked many times how we decide what to make for Farm Dinner on Monday nights. Wednesday mornings our chefs have coffee together at a neighborhood joint we like and stare at each other until the ideas finally (painfully, sometimes) emerge. Truth is, the winter stare goes long. In the cold months we think a lot about flavor combinations that we might not have tried before but which are somehow evocative. Carrot and caraway, for example. The words imitate each other, the flavors reach out for sweetness, for 'caramel,' and we think of palm sugar or honey or molasses. So then you get duck, carrot, candied caraway, or something like that.
But spring is different. Spring is reactive, almost defensively reactive. So much stuff comes bursting through. It gets kind of crazy in here. Garlic mustards! Radishes! Nettles! All of a sudden what was bare is now full and bright and alive.
Here's a text message and my open notebook. Five minutes earlier I got a call from someone: Hey, Slagel Farm has rhubarb. Rhubarb? From LouisJohn? Yes, not expected, but he has some rhubarb and he needs to know right now if we want it. Kelly looks at me, the coffee is cold, and says, I was thinking rhubarb, almond, mascarpone. Text him. I pick up the phone. There's only twenty pounds left. Not much. We'll take it all.
— Jason Hammel
Make your reservation by calling 773-489-9554 or visiting opentable.com/lula-cafe.
Walk-ins are always welcome!
In addition to the Farm Dinner menu, our Café and Specials menus are also available on Monday evenings.
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