A Three Course Menu & Cocktail Selections

by: Casey Pukl

Lemons are one of the most versatile ingredients you can have in the kitchen. These little sour fruits can be used in savory and sweet dishes, and has also historically been used for medicinal purposes as well. In 1747, James Lind used lemons to add vitamin C to sailors’ diets to try and ward off scurvy. Lemon leaves have also historically been used in teas.

Chef Todd Allison says, “I use lemon juice to finish a lot of sauces and soups. The acid helps to intensify the flavors of the dish.” When juicing fresh lemons, Chef Allison recommends letting the lemons come down to room temperature if you’ve kept them refrigerated. This allows the juice to be extracted more easily.

First Course: Olives with Lemon, Fennel, and Black Pepper

These little salty bites are sure to kick off any meal with a bang. Toss olives with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, shaved fennel, a little bit of fresh squeezed lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and some fresh ground black pepper. Roast them in the oven or heat them on your stove over low to medium heat until they are warmed. Serve them warmed, and watch your guests gobble them up!

Second Course: Short Ribs with Chimi Churri Sauce Read the rest of this entry »

Not Just For Pies & Jam!

by: Casey Pukl

It was all hands on deck here when I issued a farm fresh pick of the week challenge: rhubarb. There was only one rule— no pies. Everything else was fair game. I’m so excited to share the amazingly tasty dishes and cocktails that our staff has come up with! Hopefully this will inspire you to do some experimenting with this tart and versatile root.

Chef Todd Allison had delicious ideas for a three-course meal using rhubarb from beginning to end. Not only is this meal refreshing, but it also highlights all of the different flavors of rhubarb. But before we get into the recipes, there’s one major note when using rhubarb: do NOT use the leaves. Only work with the stems, as the leaves are not meant to be consumed! Read the rest of this entry »

Anthology Continues to Keep It Fresh

by: Casey Pukl

Because of Executive Chef Todd Allison’s farm to table philosophy, our menu changes often.

This week, Chef Allison added a few new dishes to the menu, and I’d love to introduce you to them.

In our “small bites” category, Chef Allison has added a dish of Grilled Sausages & Mustard. This classic combo contains spicy Italian sausage, Spanish chorizo, and Allison’s housemade Sauerkraut.

In our “starters” category, we have three new noteworthy additions. The first is our Octopus Carpaccio served with shaved cucumber, radish salad, and topped with a yuzu vinaigrette. Next is an incredible dish of Sake Steamed Black Mussels cooked with ginger, mint, basil, and hearts of palm. Words cannot express how much I love this Asian inspired dish. Our third addition to the starters category is a spicy Harissa Marinated Swordfish Skewer. These skewers are topped with a balsamic glaze, and served with a traditional Sicilian relish, also known as Eggplant Caponata. The relish is made with eggplant, capers, olives, anchovies, and tomato.

We also have added two new entrees that beverage manager, Marc Canzoneri, recommends pairing with some of our latest additions to the wine cellar.

Our Pan Roasted Sea Bass is served with baby carrots, English pea quinoa, and topped with Sherry butter. Marc recommends pairing this dish with our Conundrum White Blend. Conundrum is made with five different grapes; Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Viognier, and Semillon. This unique blend has elements of a buttery chardonnay, fruity notes of pineapple, peach, melon, and grapefruit, and aromas of vanilla and honeysuckle. What more could one ask for?

Lamb Chops? How about some Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chops served with sauteed fennel, fingerling potatoes, parsnip puree, and topped with a bing cherry demi-glace. Marc recommends pairing this dish with our latest Zinfandel addition— Tobin James “Ballistic” Zinfandel. This red is very fruit forward with subtle notes of cola and tobacco on the finish.

Stay tuned here for more updates, as we’ve got a ton of new wines and dishes coming your way in the next few weeks! While you’re salivating over the menu features, how about heading over to our calendar to pick out which shows you’ll come in for! We’ve also got an awesome playlist to preview some of our upcoming singer/songwriters, and as always, remember that Spotify is free!

Anthology’s Upcoming Shows

Spotify Preview of Upcoming Singer/Songwriters

Not Too Sweet, Not Too Tart, Just Right

by: Casey Pukl

I’m starting to think that there’s a little too much of the color orange in my life lately. Ever since we bought new bright orange vintage armchairs for our living room, I’ve been eating oranges, carrots, cheddar cheese, buying orange pants (admittedly a bad decision), and even sporting orange nail polish on my toes (a one day only affair). This week, I’m ending my “orange obsession” with our Farm Fresh Pick of the Week. Tangerines, for all intents and purposes, are slightly sweeter baby oranges that are easier to separate into slices, but don’t underestimate how incredible they can be across a wide variety of dishes. They’re also packed with vitamin C, beta-carotene, potassium, magnesium, and B1,2,and 3! For those of you who are still sticking to your New Year’s Resolution (which at this point is an estimated 41% of you), these rich little fruits can yield big results for your waistline and overall health.

Chef Todd Allison and General Manager, Warren Phelps, have teamed up this week to give you a few ideas to take your tangerines from the grove to your plate. Chef Allison has a few lighter options to combat all of those hearty holiday meals, while Warren has recommended some great wines to go with them.

Fire Up Your Breakfast

It’s the most important meal of the day, so spice it up! One of my personal favorite options for breakfast is oatmeal with peaches, tangerines, cinnamon, and coconut flakes. Cook your steel cut oats with your peach slices until the water is absorbed. Mix in your tangerine segments at the end, then top your bowl with cinnamon, a tiny bit of brown sugar, and shredded coconut flakes. Yum!

Color Up Your Salad Read the rest of this entry »

Anthology’s Brunch Menu Preview

by: Casey Pukl

There’s nothing I love more than brunch on a Sunday morning. What could be better than waking up, taking a shower (or not), and heading off to have someone else cook you breakfast and serve up bottomless mimosas and coffee?

Here at Anthology, the rest of the staff shares my passion for this delicious between-meals meal, and that’s why we rolled out our brand new Sunday brunch menu. For those of you who enjoy watching football, the game will be shown upstairs on our TV, and for those who prefer to keep Anthology as their musical destination, there will be a little of that downstairs as well. What could be better?

The food.

Chef Todd Allison has whipped up some new brunch items that I now can’t live without. Dungeness Crab Benedict is among the highlights, with it’s poached egg that sits so gently above a stack of crab cake, topped with a maltaise sauce that will make you wish you had room for a thousand more bites.

Another highlight is the Banana Nut Buttermilk Short Stack. These fluffy rounds of perfection are served up with candied walnuts, dark rum butter, oak barrel maple syrup, and a side of fresh fruit. The combination of the rum butter, maple syrup, and bananas is out of this world.

In the mood for the lunch side of brunch? Go for the Rosemary Lemon Roasted Chicken Panini. This panini has a house made dried tomato pesto on it that will bring you to your knees. Add some arugula, swiss cheese, and either a house salad or fries, and you can just enjoy yourself that little piece of heaven on a ciabatta roll.

Oh, and did I mention all of the fabtastic drinks our bar will be serving up?

I know we’ve already addressed our Lemonada and our Ramos Gin Fizz in my last post (see here), but can you wrap your mind around $10 bottomless mimosas? I know, I’m excited too!

You can also find Marc’s now famous Twenty/Twenty on our brunch menu! Miss my post on it? Check out Friday’s Farm Fresh Pick of the Week!

Brunch happens from 10:30AM-1:30PM every Sunday! Reservations are recommended, and you can view all the rest of the details here! See you on Sunday!

Soups, Sides, and Souffles, Oh My!

by: Casey Pukl

If you’ve been keeping up with the news this week, no doubt you’ve heard about the woman in Sweden who lost her wedding ring 16 years ago only to find it growing in her garden wrapped around a carrot this week! You can read the story here! To say the least, we were all pretty inspired by the story, and in honor of it, Chef Todd Allison and beverage manager, Marc Canzoneri have put together a full meal and cocktail featuring this delicious root vegetable!

For a starter, Chef Todd recommends one of his personal favorite dishes— Carrot Ginger Soup with Scallions. To make the soup, he recommends starting by sautéing some sliced onions in a little bit of butter until they are soft. Then add chicken broth, peeled and chopped carrots, and a bit of grated ginger (1-2 tablespoons). Cover and boil the mixture until the carrots are soft.

Once the carrots are soft, you can carefully blend the mixture. Be very careful when doing this. Blending hot liquids can be tricky, so be sure to vent the lid! Once blended, return the soup to the pan, add a little bit of crème and season to taste with a little salt, pepper, garlic, and whatever else you’d like. Add scallions on top before serving! Read the rest of this entry »

A Preview of Chef Todd Allison’s NYE Dishes

by: Casey Pukl

With all of the holiday entertaining that everyone has been up to, the last thing anyone wants to worry about is cooking yet another spectacular meal to ring in the new year. Fortunately for all of us, San Diego’s local restaurants have stepped up to the plate to take the pressure off, and there are some really spectacular menus floating around. Down in our kitchen, Chef Todd Allison has put together a four-course menu that is sure to be something special. If you’re still thinking about what to do for New Year’s Eve, check out some of the dishes you can look forward to here at Anthology!

 Chef Todd’s full menu has at least two options for the first three courses, and then one spectacular dessert to finish. I had the pleasure of tasting some of the items on the menu, and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

Start off your meal with an Endive and Apple Salad topped with golden raisins, bleu cheese, and candied walnuts. This salad pairs perfectly with a glass of our house champagne, and is an excellent start to the meal. Not only are the flavors fresh and bold, but the dish is full of festive color. This dish really highlights Chef Todd’s use of farm fresh ingredients.

The second option for the first course is a Salsify Chowder with parsley and paddlefish caviar. This chowder is hard to resist, and is great for those chilly nights we’ve been having!

Second course options include a Pan Roasted Pork Belly or Grilled Baja Prawns. Both dishes pack a huge amount of flavor into each savory bite.

For your entrée, try the Pan Roasted Local Halibut served with baby fennel, chantrelle mushrooms, and an olive oil potato fork mash. Halibut is a white fish that is similar to flounder, and has a fabulous buttery quality that perfectly complements the clean, bold flavor of fennel. Other entrée options include a Garlic Crusted Filet Mignon or Leek and Spinach Ravioli.

Dive into Chef Todd’s decadent Dark Chocolate Molten Cake for dessert. This warm, gooey cake is topped with a toasted homemade marshmallow and served with a graham Cracker Semi Freddo. This dessert is rich, delicious, and the perfect way to ring in 2012!

Tickets to our New Year’s Eve event move very quickly, so be sure to purchase your tickets as soon as possible! Rock cover band, The Trip, will keep the dance floor moving, and Chef Allison will most certainly keep the food coming! You can purchase tickets and get more information at the link below!

Tickets & More Information

The Perfect Holiday Meal Ingredient

by: Casey Pukl

The holidays are officially upon us. It’s getting down to crunch time. Just next weekend, none of us will be able to escape the sea of red and green decorations, Santa hats, twinkling lights, mountains of wrapping paper, the comforting sounds of Nat King Cole, or the stresses of hosting the big celebration.

Holiday entertaining can feel overwhelming— you’re trying to decorate the house, plan the menu, grocery shop, find wine pairings, prepare the food, the list just goes on. Fortunately for all of us, Chef Todd has come along to simplify the day with a tasty and festive menu that requires minimal prep, food shopping, and stress! We’re talking about beets this week!

Golden or crimson, these root veggies are the perfect addition to any holiday meal. Not only are the colors gorgeous, but they are easily used in both sweet and savory recipes.

Chef Todd suggests starting off your meal with a Golden Beet Carpaccio. Start off with some thinly sliced golden beets on the bottom of the plate. You can also use some red ones if you’d like. Then place some baby greens, or arugula, or even spinach on top of the beets. Top with walnuts, a little goat cheese, and some vinaigrette. Chef Todd usually uses a goat cheese vinaigrette, but you can also use a different one of your choosing. It doesn’t get any easier than that!

Pair this dish with a sparkling wine. Warren’s Pick: Roederer Estate, Brut Rose, Anderson Valley, NV

For your main course, Chef Todd suggests a Roasted Pork Loin on a bed of cubed red and golden beets, halved brussel sprouts, cubed red potatos, onions, and herbs. Season with a little salt and pepper, and add a few thinly sliced beets on top of the loin. Cook the loin to an internal temperature of about 150 degrees F, and then remove it from the oven and let it rest. The meat will continue to cook once it is removed from the oven, and will be ready between 155-160 degrees F.

Pair this dish with a creamy textured Chardonnay. Warren’s Pick: Nickel & Nickel, Nappa Valley, 2009

For dessert, what could be more festive than a Red Velvet Cake? Chef Todd recommends following a recipe that uses beets instead of red food coloring for a unique and rich flavor. One recipe he recommends is this one: 1920′s Original Waldorf-Astoria Red Velvet Cake. Not only is the color astonishingly rich, but the earthy flavor of the beets complements the cocoa perfectly.

Pair this cake with a Syrah (trust us on this one). Warren’s Pick: Earthquake, Lodi, 2006.

Stay tuned for nest week’s post, where Chef Todd and beverage manager, Marc Canzoneri help you navigate brunch for your overnight guests.

Creative Uses from Appetizers to Cocktails

by: Casey Pukl

There are so many great fall flavors, that I’m starting to think I have too many favorites. When I head into the kitchen to discuss the Farm Fresh Pick of the Week with Chef Todd, it can be tough for us to narrow down which ingredient to feature. This week, the stars aligned and our beverage manager, Marc Canzoneri, presented us with a phenomenal cocktail made with fresh apples. If only one would magically appear on my desk, it would truly be the greatest Friday of my life. It would’ve been a crime not to share it with you, so Chef Todd decided to help plan an entire meal from start to finish featuring apples!

Apples can give new life to any recipe- throw a few slices on a salad, bake them with a little cinnamon and sugar for dessert, coat them in caramel, or make a savory stuffing with apples, bread, walnuts, thyme, pears, and more. These crispy, sweet tarts pack a big punch that’s sure to please.

For this meal, Chef Todd recommends starting with an Endive and Apple salad. Throw in some golden raisins, bleu cheese, and candied walnuts, and voila! (Chef Todd actually loved this one so much that he decided to include it on our special New Year’s Eve menu!)

For a main course, Chef Todd recommends braising apple slices in a little white wine with some sautéed onions.

Season with some salt, pepper, a little cinnamon, and nutmeg. Serve the braised apples on top of a grilled pork chop, and prepare to be impressed. This recipe is not only incredibly easy, but balanced and comforting. It almost felt like a guilty pleasure.

Now, I’ve got to warn you. The finale I’m about to tell you about is both ridiculously addictive and really simple. Once you try it, it’ll be tough to forget. 

Chef Todd is currently featuring an apple crisp on our dessert menu that is every bit as sophisticated and classic as his food has always been. It’s the perfect ending to a meal. Todd adds cranberries to the crisp, and the topping is made of toasted oats and pecans. I can’t forget to add that there’s also a scoop of caramel swirl ice cream on top that is what puts this dessert over the edge.

Are you drooling yet? Because there’s more. I’ve got two words for you:

42^nd Street

Buffalo Trace Bourbon, muddled apples, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, cinnamon. Throw some ice in there, give it a shake, strain, and serve up. This drink is like a goldmine full of fall garnished with a cinnamon and sugar rim. It’s perfectly balanced; not too sweet, not too tart, just right.

If you’d prefer to have it hand crafted by a pro, be sure to come on down and have Eric (see right) make one for you. Look at how much fun he has muddling those apples! If you want to make it yourself, just be sure you have as much, if not more, fun than Eric.

As always, you can come in to taste the dishes featured from our menu, and be sure to send us your photos of your farm fresh experiments! Our Facebook page is always open, and we’d love to see what you come up with!

Chef Todd’s Thai Inspired Take

by: Casey Pukl

Key limes aren’t just for pie anymore— at least not in Chef Todd Allison’s kitchen. These little gems of tartness are currently in season at the local farmer’s market here in San Diego, and Todd has two great suggestions for how to use them that are bound to knock your dinner guests’ socks off. Best of all, he’s got you covered for both dinner and dessert.

Key Limes

Key Lime Marinated Prawn Kabobs

Kabobs are not only delicious, but they look impressive, colorful, and are great for any number of occassions. They can be used as an appetizer or an entree, and since they’re skewered, they work particularly well for large parties where there is no formal seating. To make Chef Todd’s kabobs, you’ll need to start by making your marinade. The beauty of the marinade is that it’s quick, easy, and packs a ton of flavor. You’ll need to juice your key limes first, then add salt, pepper, garlic, cilantro, mint, basil, ginger, fish sauce, and a little sesame oil. Marinate your prawns (peeled and deveined) in the mixture for about two hours.

While the prawns are marinating, you can cut up the additional ingredients for your kabobs. Chef Todd recommends using hearts of palm, green onions, red peppers, and snow peas as the additional veggies on your skewers. Read the rest of this entry »