Eat First

Pascale Bakehouse: Fayetteville's gain

 

What's my favorite thing about the new Pascale Bakehouse Cafe in Fayetteville?

Is it the freshly baked artisan breads, like baguettes, ciabatta, cracked wheat, semolina and raisin fennel?

Is it the biscotti, scones, muffins, croissants and oversized cookies?

Is it the cafe lunches, like sandwiches (on the homemade bread), soups, salad and quiche?

Bakehouse lunch: Chili topped with cheddar and a side of bread, $4.27.

Is it the open, relaxing space, with sunshine pouring in the windows?

The welcoming staff? The WiFi?

All of the above.

One of the things I like best about the new Pascale Bakehouse is the expanded offerings in the dessert case. You'll find everything from slices of cheesecake and carrot cake to full-size bette noir cake and rustic apple crostata.

Good things come in small packages, too: Witness the caramel shortbread square and Neapolitan (also known as Tri-Color), above. They're a sweet ending for a sweet price: $1.

Sweet!

Pascale Bakehouse Cafe is at 210 Brooklea Drive, Fayetteville (315-632-4242). Hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Lunch is served 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sunshine in a CNY salad bowl

We interrupt your regularly scheduled winter food programming -- soups, stews, macaroni and cheese, comforting casseroles, stick-to-your-ribs slow-cooker fare -- to bring you something cool, crisp and refreshing...

Something to awaken your taste buds...

A winter salad!

Oranges are one of my favorite fruits during our long, dark winters in Central New York. They brighten the plate visually and add flavor punch to foods. An added plus: Oranges contain Vitamin C, which is believed to reduce the severity of colds, speed the healing of wounds and help prevent heart disease and cancer.

Romaine lettuce, orange segments and toasted almonds are a winning combination. Toss in some some dried cranberries or dried cherries for more color and textural interest and sprinkle on some sesame seeds for subtle flavor and crunch. My ginger-soy-sesame vinaigrette works well on this salad and is a nice change of pace from our usual balsamic vinaigrette.

The salad is tasty as an accompaniment to a meal, but to make a main dish out of it add some broiled or pan-seared chicken that has been dry-rubbed or marinated overnight. Wegmans' Tangy marinade, available in the meat section of most stores, makes this REALLY easy.

This being winter, there is nothing very seasonal or local about this salad, but it sure is tasty.

Next time, I'm going to seek out romaine, Boston lettuce or a "salad bouquet'' from Ithaca's Finger Lakes Fresh. The grower of hydroponic produce makes it possible for us to keep it local, even in the off season(s).

PREP STEPS:

Pan-sear some chicken (optional). Make a green salad and top it as you like with orange segments, toasted almonds, dried cranberries/cherries and scallions. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

DRESSING: Combine 3 tablespoons canola oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (finely minced) and 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest (optional; finely minced) in a jar. Shake well to blend.

 

Dress the salad, tossing well. Divide between plates and top with seared chicken, if using.

Enjoy! 

Jo-Li-Me Cafe: a fresh idea at Chuck Hafner's

Bread pudding, pie and cannolis, oh my!

Think you have no reason to visit Chuck Hafner's in the wintertime? Think again.

Jo-Li-Me Fresh Garden Bakery and Cafe opened at the mega farm market and garden center in North Syracuse in November. Hafner's is closed for the season, so go now for coffee, breakfast, lunch or early supper -- it's bound to be P-A-C-K-E-D come spring and summer, when garden season arrives, bringing visitors by the car- and bus-load.

THE VIBE: Very Panera, but more open, warm and inviting, with wood beams and wood tables (some made from reclaimed wood from a 19th century barn), rustic decorative touches and lots of natural light.

THE MENU: So many baked goods: Bagels, Danish, muffins, croissants, cookies, cupcakes, brownies... shall I go on?

Looking for something more substantial? In the morning, they've got breakfast sandwiches and yogurt and granola parfaits. For lunch (and supper) they've got soups, salads, sandwiches, quiche (homemade), half-sandwich and soup-salad combos, etc. There are also specialty salads (antipasto chopped salad, chicken on field greens, etc.) and grilled sandwiches (like ham off the bone with brie, sliced apples and raspberry mayonnaise on pumpernickel).

Four soups are served each day and they are not homemade, according to a pleasant woman who greeted lunch visitors and answered questions about the menu when I visited last month. Soups arrive fresh each day, not frozen, she said.

CHOWING DOWN:  You can have a grilled chicken Caesar salad ($7.59) just about anywhere, but I figured a salad was a good bet at an eatery with the words "fresh" and "garden'' in its name, even if it's winter. The romaine was fresh and crisp and the chicken was tender and warm. The salad was topped with shaved Parmesan cheese and the citrusy-dressing was not overdone.

 

WHAT'S A VEGETARIAN GOING TO FIND? Plenty. How about a Greek (romaine, hummus, tomato, red onion, feta and Greek vinaigrette)  or Caprese (tomato, mozzarella and basil plus vinaigrette) piadine? Piadine are yet another kind of Italian sandwich, made with warm flatbread. You fold 'em up and eat 'em like a sandwich.

DESSERT: I would have shared something with someone, had I not been by myself, but a cookie, cupcake or cannoli just seemed wrong after a (relatively) healthy salad. A sample of Jo-Li-Me's hot chocolate, served in a tiny espresso cup, arrived just as I had decided NOT to indulge -- wouldn't you know?

LIQUID ASSETS: The cafe serves Paul de Lima coffee (which doesn't knock my socks off) and specialty coffee beverages, both hot and cold, are available as well. The smoothies, made with fresh fruit, low-fat milk and ice, sound delicious. A Creamsicle smoothie? That's dessert!

DAMAGES: $10 plus change for lunch.

NEXT TIME: I'm having a panini or a piadine and making sure I have company, so we can share things.

CLOSING THOUGHTS:  Jo-Li-Me has the potential to be a great lunch/supper spot during the Central New York growing season, when fresh produce from Chuck Hafner's is available for use in the kitchen. If it isn't doing so already, I hope Jo-Li-Me plays up recipes from Linda Hafner's new cookbook "Simple, Fresh and Healthy,'' which is for sale at the counter.

ABOUT THE NAME: Jo-Li-Me is operated by John Caveny (a nephew of Chuck Hafner), his wife Lisa and their daughter Meghan, hence the name Jo-Li-Me.

DETAILS:  Jo-Li-Me Cafe is at 7265 Buckley Road, North Syracuse (315-299-4451). Hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily until mid-March, at which time spring will be in the air (we hope!) and Chuck Hafner's will re-open for the season. As the days get longer, look for later hours (daily until 9 p.m.).