Bounty from the Farmer's Market, waiting to be turned into dinner.



Raspberry Gazpacho.



Salad of Haricots Verts with Chive Oil, Tomato Tartare, and Microgreens



Fava Bean Agnoletti with Curry Emulsion



Rabbit Rilette and Warm Baby Potatoes with Shallot Vinaigrette and Pickled Vegetables (carrots, green beans and red onion)



Bison Tenderloin with Beets, Blueberries and Fennel



Fresh Mozzarella, Banon Capriole, Fiore Sardo and Bleu d'Auvergne.
Plus pickled raisins, creamed raw honey, and sour cherry preserves.



Chocolate Layer Cake with Ganache Frosting and Edible Flowers, with Brandied Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream (it wouldn't be a birthday party without cake!)



Carbonated Cherries, Date Walnut Cake, and Rooibos-Orange Shortbread.

Fried Squash Blossoms with Goat Cheese-Chive Filling and Rhubarb Sauce


Seared Scallops with Asparagus Puree and Blue Elm Mushrooms

I almost had to rethink this dish on the fly, as there was no asparagus to be found at the market. But then I happened across a few spindly stalks at one stand. Goodbye, asparagus - see you next spring!


Lamb Chops with Mashed Fresh Peas and Saute of Pea Shoots, Radishes, and Peas


Salad of Red Leaf Lettuce, Arugula and Sorrel with Goat Cheese, Strawberries, and Balsamic Vinaigrette


Sweet Grass Dairy Tomme with Sour Cherry Preserves and Creamed Raw Honey


Strawberry Shortcake with Buttermilk Biscuits, Strawberry Sorbet and Whipped Cream

Squash & Sweet Potato Agnoletti with Fried Sage Leaves and Browned Butter

After my March dinner I'd stashed the remaining few agnoletti in my freezer, so I decided this would be our "goodbye winter" dish. The agnoletti look larger than they were, because the plate is smaller than you'd think!


Asparagus Soup

Picture it without the spoon, and with a couple of asparagus spears in the center, and those brown crispy shallots mounded jauntily, not spread throughout.


Salad of Spring Greens with French Breakfast Radishes and Chive Flowers

Featuring a nice peppery salad mix from Gardenworks, and dressed with a Banyuls vinaigrette.


"Peas and Carrots"

This recipe from the French Laundry Cookbook combines a carrot-ginger emulsion on the bottom, topped with a crepe filled with a lobster/mascarpone mixture, pea shoot salad on top of that, and a sprinkle of carrot powder.


Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb Chutney and Wheat Berry Risotto

The orange comes from squash blossoms, which added some needed brightness to this tasty but rather monochrome plate! I was really excited to see them at the market Saturday morning - had not been expecting them so early.


"Expressions of Cow" Cheese Course

Usually I mix things up, including sheep and goat's milk cheeses in the cheese course. But this time we just had four very different cow's milk cheeses, starting with a luscious Brillat Savarin, then Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Mahon, and a washed rind gruyere called Schwingerkase. Garnishes included gooseberry preserves, Michigan honey, and spicy quince.

Salad du Printemps

I completely forgot to take a picture of this light fruity dessert with rhubarb confit, candied fennel, oranges, strawberries, mascarpone sorbet, fennel oil, and a twisty cookie.



Chocolate Tuile Cup with Passion Fruit Jelly, Dried Rhubarb, Ginger-Rose Petal Mendiants

Tracklements smoked salmon with celeriac-apple slaw, sorrel and chives

A good winter meets spring dish, with the celeriac and apple from last fall's harvest combining with fresh herbs from my herb garden.


Homemade spaghetti with sauteed ramps and toasted breadcrumbs.


White bean soup with crispy kale, coppa, and truffle oil


Lamb chops with horseradish-mint-mustard-honey glaze, sauteed spinach, and pommes dauphine. Inspired by finding local horseradish at Arbor Farms.


Salad of spring lettuces, garden herbs, and Danish blue cheese, with balsamic vinaigrette.


Cheeses: Pave Sauvage ~ Fiore Sardo ~ Vacherin Fribourgeois

Garnishes: Cafe Japon raisin/nut baguette, Michigan creamed honey, spicy quince preserves, gooseberry preserves (Detroit grown at Garden Works, provided by Nick of F.O.O.D), spiced pecans provided by dinner guest Brian of Last One Eating.


Ile Flottante - Slow baked meringues with chocolate mousse center, chocolate tuile cookie, creme anglaise, chocolate shavings, mint oil, and a bit of sea salt.


Sweet goodbyes - strawberry pate de fruit, tarragon truffle, milk chocolate dipped candied grapefruit peel.