My Dad nodded in approval.
Sometimes the menu just writes itself. This is one of those times.
I've been thinking a lot about the dining influences in my life and how they have affected me. This one has endured from when I was probably 12. My Dad and I visited Boston together, and because our last name is Micucci, we ate in the North End, a colorful Italian neighborhood.
That day, the festival of the Feast of St. Anthony had filled the streets, and Dad and I wove through the crowds to find a little hideaway called Stella's, a white tablecloth restaurant with only waiters. In those days we thought that was cool, because we were still sexist! With the wildness of the faithful painting the city streets, I sat inside at the table with my Dad. I felt sophisticated.
When it was time to order, I didn't want to appear childlike. I was particularly proud when I told the waiter that I would have the chicken livers and pappardelle. My dad nodded in approval. He ordered the clams with linguini. We had the simple salads of the day. We didn't have dessert because we had eaten too much bread, mopping up our sauces.
After dinner we spilled into the middle of the streets. The festival music crashed, but the mobs with their Boston/Italian dialect managed to overpower it. The aromas were intoxicating. One vendor sold fried pasta ribbons sprinkled with confectioners sugar, just like my Grandmother would would make. It had been ten minutes since dinner, and suddenly there was room for dessert after all.
This is the week of the Mt. Washington Hill Climb, when hundreds of runners take on the grueling 8 miles and the reservations are full of requests for pasta. Then Mr. Day (he's not a runner) calls to make a reservation and requests my pasta with mussels. He had it last year and he has been thinking about it ever since.
So here you go. Happy Father's Day Dad! Carbo loading for the runners! And Mr. Day, I hope this is how I made it last time :-)
This week's Menu
Call 603.466.5330 to Reserve Libby's or Walk-in to SAaLT PUB
3 course $28 serving Thursday -Sunday (small changes may occur)
BEGIN choose one
Baby Zucchini baked and stuffed with house ricotta on arugula salad with lemon caper vinaigrette
Roasted Beets on beet green salad with goat cheese & lime vinaigrette
Asparagus and Fiddlehead Soup with fresh pea arancini
ENTRÉE choose one
Green Garlic and Potato Gnocchi with duck braised in herbs & wine, greens sautéed with garlic
Chicken Livers, prosciutto, NH mushrooms, & caramelized shallots on pappardelle
Crispy Eggplant Stacks layered with lamb arrabiata, ricotta bechamel sauce & 4 cheeses
Spaghetti with mussels, herbs, garlic and wine or/littleneck clams +4
DESSERT choose one
Sardinian Rice Pudding with cardamom cookie Honey and orange panna cotta with fried pasta ribbons
#miccuci #MtWashingtonHillClimb #dessert #linguini #carbo #FathersDay