Small Plates

Have you noticed that all the trendy restaurants are offering “small plates”? If you aren’t abreast of this new food fad, it’s a sampling of dishes in very small amounts instead of the large, even giant-sized servings restaurants are usually guilty of serving. It’s a great idea, I think.

In July, I mentioned my “Cruise Diet” and shared my success with it during our vacation. A few years ago, I attended a weekend wedding in Kohler, Wisconsin and I am even more sure that the theory works. The small plate concept is a large part of the diet.

The wedding, by the way, was a fabulous 2-day affair. I had never been to Kohler and didn’t realize what an interesting place it is. It is almost spooky in its pristine streets and houses; rather like Stepford. The welcoming dinner on Saturday night was held in the Kohler Design Center. So we wined and dined among the bathroom fixtures. The food was served on several floors: main level had a bar, Wisconsin artisan cheese display, mini Sheboygan bratwurst, roasted garlic and horseradish crusted beef, a sirloin carving station and a pizza buffet. The whirlpool level had the band. The upper kitchens level had roasted chicken and tables for eating and the lower level had frozen custards.

On Sunday the wedding took place at 4:00 in the afternoon at The American Club, a beautiful old club-turned-hotel. The rooms, furnishings, chandeliers, courtyard gardens—everything—was elegant and opulent and the outdoor ceremony was held in perfect October weather.

However, since this column concerns itself mainly with food, it was the food that most impressed me. The dinner menu began with a tomato consommé which was like no tomato consommé that I have ever tasted or, for that matter, seen. It was clear, served in a shot glass, and had a tiny half grape tomato and a sprig of basil (also tiny) floating in it.
It was delicious.

The next course was a salad, followed by an “intermezzo”, a Meyer lemon sorbet. But the amount of sorbet was a tiny scoop, just enough to refresh your pallet and whet your appetite for the main course. What a civilized way to eat! Of course, we’d all have to have personal chefs and a maid or two for serving—but it really was very special.

Main course options were Beef tenderloin, Sea Bass or Mushroom ravioli and were all delicious, judging from the comments at our table.

The trend to make small amounts and more of them is not limited to the poshest restaurants or elaborate weddings. Right here in town, Oar D’oeuvres has the “small plate” concept wrapped up. Of course their desserts are hardly in the small category. But I like the idea of sampling more foods without filling up beyond capacity. And it’s more fun—that’s why the Cruise Diet works—eating becomes very pleasurable again; done at a much slower pace, without the need to stuff.

Tapas, sushi, dim sum, sampler plates--all are restaurant specialties, but what about the home scene? It really is an old idea, reworked. When I was growing up, my mother taught me the basic 6 as the meal plan: meat, starchy food, vegetable, salad, bread and dessert. In those days people ate a lot of pickles, olives, relishes, raw veggies, cottage cheese, applesauce, along side their main meal. But there was never a large serving of anything, because you couldn’t possibly eat that much (well, maybe, but it wasn’t quite as tempting). It was the retro version of small plates.

Here at the inn, we added a course at breakfast, but made the fruit and dessert courses really small. People can’t really eat a banquet at breakfast, but they seem to enjoy sampling lots of small, delicious courses. Newly popular but old fashioned desserts we are serving are chocolate pots de crème. I even found some cute little chocolate pots at the Red Wing Pottery Sales Room, just right for this dessert with handles and covers—but they are very small. It is a very rich dessert—easy to prepare. I give you Candlelight Inn’s version of the small plate.

Chocolate Pots de Crème (Makes 10 small desserts)

1 6-oz. package semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1 and one-fourth cups light cream
1 egg yolk
Dash salt
Sweetened raspberries
Whipped cream

In a heavy saucepan, combine chocolate and cream. Stir constantly over low heat
until blended and satin smooth. Mixture should be slightly thick. Do not allow to boil. Beat egg yolk with salt until thick and light. Gradually stir in chocolate mixture. Spoon into cups or small dessert dishes. Cover and chill at least 3 hours or until mixture is the consistency of pudding. When ready to serve, spoon some sweetened raspberries and their syrup over and top with a tiny curl of whipped cream.