Well, our September Dining Club went very well this past weekend.  A great time was had by all.  It was like a fabulous house party.  Good friends, delicious food, and lively conversation.

The food was very special, from the elegant lettuce and heirloom tomatoes from Little Compton to the lobster that was right off the boat Jason and Danielle in Gallilee.  The music was also quite nice, I picked up a couple of new CDs when I was in New York last week.

Oh, I forgot to tell you about the desserts.  We were serving blueberry crisp with whipped cream , grilled nectarine shortcake and brownie hot fudge sundaes.  They were delicious, except at the very end of the night.  A customer at the bar ordered the sundae, she was a very sweet girl.  She said to me, I don’t think I like this.  Can you taste this please?  And lo and behold, she was right.  It was a dark brown color, just like chocolate sauce, but no, it was our own BBQ sauce we were serving on the ribs.  It sure provided some laughs for everyone.  Oh, and that sweet girl was my daughter in law, Whitney, thank goodness!

The month of September has been full of private parties at 195Franklin.  Rehearsal Dinners, 40th Birthday Party, 70th Birthday Party,  Showers, and Corporate Meetings.

Our October Dining Club will be open on Friday the 16th and Saturday the 17th.  I will keep you posted on the menu, I haven’t decided yet.  You are always welcome to give your suggestions.

Keep enjoying our beautiful fall weather.  We deserve it!

Our very best,

Lynne and Ed

“I was out last night with our neighbors and they are all still talking about you grilled pizzas!  As much as I love ceasers and pizza at Al Forno’s – your ceaser and pizza is still better!  What a great menu for that kind of venue.  As always, i thank you for your help and expertise.  Not to mention your fabulous food and incredible staff!   Everything was, as I knew it would be, perfect.” – Katherine Pelson Graduation Party

“The party was perfect, just delicious. I love that you make everything so comfortable for everyone.” – Sue Murray Party

“Thank you so much.  The day was perfect- great food, perfect weather and lots of fun!  The chicken and all the ‘fixins’ were delicious.  I’m usually not a fan of potato salad but yours was fabulous!” – Paula Burke Wedding

Events we held in our space:

“Thank you so much for an incredible dinner! The ambiance, food & service were fantastic. We felt as though we were being taken care of by family!” – Gina Nasson Rehearsal Dinner

Preserved Lemons

We have been using preserved lemons in some of our dishes lately, and have received rave reviews. Such a wonderful addition to your summer dinners. Great with pasta. Hope you enjoy! Here is the recipe:

Preserved Lemons

8-10 lemons, scrubbed very clean

½ cup kosher salt, more if needed

Extra fresh squeezed lemon juice, if needed

Sterilized quart canning jar

Place 2 Tbsp of salt in the bottom of a sterilized jar

One by one, prepare the lemons in the following way: cut off any protruding stems, and cut ¼ inch off the tip of each lemon. Cut the lemons as if you were going to cut them in half lengthwise, starting from the tip, but do not cut all the way. Keep the lemon attached at the base. Make another cut in a similar manner, again attached at the base so the lemon Is now quartered.

Pry the lemons open and generously sprinkle salt all over the insides and outsides of the lemons.

Pack the lemons in the jar, squishing them down so the juice is extracted and the lemon juice rises up to the top of the jar. Fill up the jar, make sure top is covered with juice, add more fresh squeezed juice if necessary.

Top with a couple tablespoons of salt.

Seal the jar and let sit at room temperature for a couple of days. Turn the jar upside down occasionally.

Put in refrigerator and let set, again turning upside down occasionally, for at least 3 weeks, until lemon rinds soften.

To use, remove a lemon from the jar and rinse thoroughly in water to remove the salt. Discard the seeds before using, pulp too if desired.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

You can add spices to the lemons for preserving, some good ones are cloves, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, or bay leaf.

We just had our second monthly Private Dining Club event, and it was so much fun!  Delicious food! Great guests! Sangria so good that many of you asked for the recipe. The only thing missing was authentic guitar music… Next time we will be asking you to bring your guitars!

Our Sangria recipe:

Use medium-bodied wine such as Merlot or Zinfandel.

1 orange, sliced thin

1 lemon, sliced thin

½ cup raspberries

1 bottle of red wine

½ cup fresh orange juice

¼ cup orange liquor (Triple Sec)

¼ cup Cognac

Ed & I met Alexander in NYC Saturday. We had a great dinner at Raoul’s. Then to the Blue Note for a bit of jazz (not that great ). We said goodnight and headed for the subway. When we arrived, we were greeted with the most amazing piano music. It was a young man with a very old piano and an incredible talent. I watched the people respond to this young man. Warm smiles, some just amazed at what they were hearing. Just about all of them threw money into his bag. Ed commented, “what do you think he’s doing down here?” I must admit I’ve heard lots of music in those subway stations, but never the sound of a piano like that. During a bit of a pause, I asked “where are you from”? “Boston”, he said. “I’ve been here in NY 6 years now. I’m the Music Director for the Joffrey Ballet School” and he gave me his card. “Why do you play down here”, I asked. “It’s a way for me to reconnect people with the piano”. I just smiled. What a wonderful, fascinating young man. It’s just one of the reasons I love it in New York City. I need my fix of characters and real people!

The Crazy Piano Guy

]]> http://195franklin.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=110 0 http://195franklin.com/blog/?p=92 http://195franklin.com/blog/?p=92#comments Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:04:56 +0000 admin http://195franklin.com/blog/?p=92 “Truly a hidden gem!”

195 Franklin St Trattoria

Many varieties of small plates. So delicious and so much fun. A great way to sit with friends and sample many flavors of Spain. They will be accompanied by our famous sangria, mojitos, or one of our many wines.

It’s Been A Long Winter…

I honestly think March is the coldest month of all.

Come in and feel the warmth. Good tapas, great drinks, bright colors, music & lots of fun!

Menu

Albóndigas

Spanish meatballs made with pork, veal, and chorizo

Gambas Al Ajillo

Shrimp in garlic sauce served in sizzling casserole with grilled bread

Almejas Al Chipotle

Littleneck clams with roasted corn, smoked Mexican chilies and grilled corn bread

Vieiras Rellenos Jerez

Pan seared sea scallops on leek and manchego cheese stuffing with aged sherry butter

Pescado En Amarillo

Grilled marinated swordfish in saffron sauce

Banderillas de Carne

Grilled marinated sirloin skewers with “picada” dressing

Croquetas de Pollo en Chorizo

Fried chicken and chorizo croquette

Senora Eileens Empanadas

Filled with beef and catalán spices

Seats fill up quickly at our private dining club!
Please make your reservation today!

195 Franklin
401-253-9320
195 Franklin Street
Bristol, RI 02809
lynne.turnbull@195franklin.com

Our March Mexican Month was, as usual, lots of fun.  The food was delicious!  The Margaritas were perfect!  And the company was fun and interesting!  Take a look at the pictures.

Ingredients:

Best Quality Corned Beef (thinly sliced)

Swiss Cheese

Dijon mustard or Russian dressing

Sauerkraut optional

and here’s the “secret”:  THE BREAD:  Jewish Sissel Bread

The sad thing is  that there is only one bakery left that I know of around here that sells it anymore – Rainbow Bakery(800 Reservoir Avenue, Cranston, RI 02910 401-944-8180).  It is becoming a lost art, and we cannot let that happen!

Ed and I would like to take a moment to share some exciting news with you. We are, and always have been caterers first, so we are taking this opportunity to make Catering by C. Lynne Turnbull our dominant focus. Our facility at 195 Franklin Street will now be available for your private functions. Our warm and cozy atmosphere lends itself to a great party. We are thrilled to offer this space for your use, whether it is for a rehearsal, birthday party, cocktail party, client dinner, luncheon or any other occasion.

Also, on February 1, 2009, we opened our restaurant as a  Private Dining Facility. This private dining facility will be open for themed events such as Valentine’s Day, our famous Mexican night, cooking classes, et cetera. We will advertise these exclusive engagements via email and our website, so look for our monthly announcements to come. We will highlight our passion for great food, great wine, and your great company.

This new design will be invitation only. If you have friends that should be included in our events, please forward this information to them so they can be added to our list. We can also be reached at 401-253-9320 or via our website, 195franklin.com. You are very special to us, and we look forward to seeing you at our events.  Our next event will be “Authentic Mexican”, March 6th and 7th.

Warm regards,

Lynne and Ed