It’s About Time….

November 26, 2014

Sorry for the lag in communication! I’ve been reflecting on Thanksgiving (and how much we have to be thankful for) and with the whirlwind that has been the past few months, it seems to be a perfect time for an update on Simone’s.

We’ve been busy tending to our infant restaurant and savoring every moment and each and every guest that has walked through our doors. Thank you, thank you, thank YOU for helping to make our first several weeks filled with joy, pride and deliciousness. It has been our pleasure to reconnect with old friends and begin making new relationships as we continue to refine our dinner operation. I am so proud of how our staff is progressing and I know that we will continue to get better and better with each service period.

Below is a menu, err, a list of items of note, and if you make it to the end, you will be rewarded with a recipe for my favorite Cranberry Sauce.

On behalf of my family I would like to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving.

—Joe

Simone’s News!

We hope you love our new website as much as we do!
Thank you Maeve and David from Nami Studios as well as videographer Brandon Brown!

We will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. We wish our staff and friends a great holiday.

We are now open for Breakfast, Lunch and Brunch!
We have been working the kinks out for the past two weeks and every day is getting better. We will be open and serving our Brunch menu all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week. Of course we will be serving dinner as well….

Wine Dinner! On Monday 8 December
we are proud to host our second wine dinner at Simone’s! Once again we are partnering with our friends at Grapes & Grains in Barrington and we will present wines from Kermit Lynch’s excellent portfolio. We are excited that Fatima Pereira from Best Beverage will be here to share her incredible knowledge and passion. This is an evening not to be missed. Please call the restaurant (401-247-1200) for more information or to reserve a seat.

Plate4Good.
At Simone’s, we are passionate about giving back to the community that supports us, so we are thrilled to announce our newest partner for our Plate4Good program! Each quarter, we will feature a special menu item, the proceeds from which will benefit a local charity that is near and dear to the hearts of the Simone’s crew. It is our hope, that with the support of our guests, we’ll raise lots of money for lots of people in need.

For the remainder of this year, $3.00 of every order of Jonah Crabcakes served will benefit Good Neighbors, the only soup kitchen and food pantry in the East Bay area serving hot meals five days a week. Good Neighbors’ mission is to provide nourishing, tasty, and attractive meals, provide free clothing and hygiene products from donations, provide a comfortable setting where companionship can be fostered, and provide opportunities to encourage a spirit of good will in a warm, pleasant environment. It is the only soup kitchen and food pantry in the East Bay area serving hot meals five days a week. In 2013, Good Neighbors distributed 2,669 grocery bags and served 16,497 meals, 62% of which went to children; a large percentage of the families served by the food pantry are residents of Bristol and Warren. For more information, please visit www.goodneighborsri.org.

We are also proud to announce that we were able to raise more than $750 in just six weeks for our first recipient, Wholesome Wave, a food activist organization based in Bridgeport, CT. Thanks to everyone who supported Wholesome Wave!

Cooking Classes.
We will resume our cooking classes in late January 2015. I will publish a schedule in the next couple of weeks—and please know how much I am looking forward to seeing all of you in “class” once again!

Winter Hours.
Beginning Tuesday 2 December Simone’s will be open the following hours:

Dinner: Tuesdays - Saturdays from 5pm.
Dinner will be closed Sundays and Mondays.

Daytime: Wednesday - Friday: Breakfast will be served from 8-11am and Lunch from 11:30am - 2pm.
Brunch will be served on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from 8am - 1:30pm

Daytime will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Private Dining.
We are proud to offer our Wine Room for Private Events both Daytime and Nighttime. Our Wine Room can comfortably accommodate parties of up to 40 for sit-down service or up to 60 stand-up. Our Wine Room is available for booking seven days a week. Please call Simi or Joe with any questions about hosting a private party at Simone’s.

Now for the reward!

Cranberry Sauce with Raisins and Citrus

Serves—lots of guests!

1 ½ cups sugar

1 orange, scrubbed and cut into ¼” dice—skin and all

1 lime, scrubbed and cut into ¼” dice-skin and all

2 tbsp ginger, peeled and minced

2 bags cranberries

2 vanilla beans split down the center—optional

1 cup golden raisins

1 cup zante currants

1. This recipe involves caramelizing sugar which can be a bit risky. I recommend that you don’t have too many distractions while attempting this!

2. Place the sugar in a saucepan large enough to hold all of the ingredients. Add ¼ cup cold water, whisk to dissolve sugar and then set over medium-high heat.

3. Cook, stirring very gently with a wooden spoon until the water evaporates and the sugar turns a deep fragrant brown. Using a pastry brush moistened with water periodically brush the sides of the pan to make sure no sugar caramelizes prematurely.

4. When the sugar is brown, use abundant caution and add the minced citrus, ginger and vanilla bean (if you are using) all at once. The mixture will bubble and might spatter! Immediately stir the contents with the wooden spoon until the bubbling has subsided and any lumps have melted. Cook 2 minutes and then add the cranberries. Stir and cook until the cranberries begin “popping” and when about half of them have popped off the heat and stir in the raisins and currants.

5. Allow the mixture to cool and then store for up to 2 months tightly covered in your fridge.

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