Pithivier, also know as Galette de Rois in France, is a traditional dessert make with sweetened puff pastry filled with almond cream, then baked to golden brown. Although it is famously served in France on January 6th to celebrate the 12th day of Christmas, we love it all year long because it is so good! Now at Le Pichet, while it lasts, try the version made by our pastry chef Drake Jones. Drake flavors the filling with a little rum and serves the galette with vanilla creme anglais. Yummy!
Both Café Presse and Le Pichet will be open regular hours on
Martin Luther King Jr Day, Monday January 21st. Hope to see you here!
Café Presse 7am to 2am everyday
Le Pichet 8am to Midnight everyday
New menu day means new desserts as well! Here are some photos of the new sweet additions…
Vanilla-walnut bread pudding, served warm with caramelized bananas and vanilla ice cream
Salad of Belgian, frisée and Castelfranco endives with tarragon, pine nuts, blood orange supremes, candied peel and blood orange vinaigrette
The new Winter menu at Café Presse started last Thursday with the traditional menu tasting for the staff. Here are some photos of the savory items that have been added for Winter
Salad of spinach, dandilion greens, red onion, roasted Delicata squash and croutons with a warm duck heart-shallot vinaigrette
House smoked duck breast on a salad of French lentils, frisée lettuce, macerated golden raisins, Delicata squash and Dijon mustard vinaigrette
Salad of lacinato kale, kohlrabi, pink grapefruit, creamy grapefruit dressing, Espelette pumpkin seeds and shaved sheep’s milk cheese
First step in making a pork belly roulade is to “butterfly” the belly so that it is twice as wide but half as thick.
Coming to the new winter menu at Cafe Presse that begins this Thursday, January 10, 2019:
Crispy sage rubbed pork belly roulade served with roasted apples, Jeruselem artichokes, endives, hazelnuts and aged sherry vinegar
To make the roulade, we start with belly from Berkshire pigs, a heritage bread known for the quality of its fat and for its flavor. To assure that the flavors of the sage-salt-black pepper rub reaches every part of the roulade, we open the belly up to twice its size but half its thickness in a process that is called “butterflying”. The rub is then applied generously, the seasoned belly is rolled and tied so that it will keep its shape during cooking.
The seasoned pork roulade is trussed to assure that it will keep its shape during long slow cooking
Preparations finished, the roulade is then cooked in a slow oven oven for hours until it is tender and unctuous inside and crispy golden on the outside. Yum!
Spice mixture used to rub pork belly for our house cured pancetta. The entire process takes over a week. including 5 days of air drying under refrideration
Work is well underway in preparation forthe new Winter 2019 menu that starts at Cafe Presse on Thurday January 10th. Here are a couple pictures of some of different steps that go into it.
Rounds of compound butter made with Bleu d’Auvergne cheese are ready to garnish our petit sirloin steak frites. The ingredients include sweet butter, garlic, lemon zest, and Worcestershire sauce
Duck hearts confit slowly in duck fat on the oven. These were marinated with salt, garlic and spices for a few days before cooking.
Seattle Eater’s Food Experts call Café Presse a “Go-To” restaurant….yes its there, way down at the bottom!
2019 Dates for the French Conversation Table at Café Presse:
January: 02, 16, 30 July: 03, 17, 31
February: 13, 27 August: 14, 28
March: 13, 27 September: 11, 25
April: 10, 24 October: 09, 23
May: 08, 22 November: 06, 20
June: 05, 19 December: 04, 18
Every second Wednesday from 4pm to 6pm, please join us for French conversation in the back room at Café Presse. At each meeting, a French speaking facilitator will be on hand to get the discussion rolling. The Conversation Table is free and open to French speakers of all levels. Hope to see you there!
And don’t forget that every day from 4pm to 6pm (including during the French Conversation Table!) you can enjoy our VinExpresse Happy Hour, when all in-house bottles of wine are available for take-out prices as well as special prices on wine-friendly snacks.
Axoa is a stalwart of good Basque country cooking. Our version is made in the style of the village of Espelette, with ground beef and veal simmered with sweet peppers, onions, garlic, tomato, thyme and Piment d’Espelette,served with pommes frites. Miam miam! Available while supply lasts.
Receive periodic e-mails on upcoming events at Le Pichet and Café Presse.
