Sisters...Couples...Friends..White Chocolate & French Toast!!

The Bistro celebrated it's 1st ever Valentine's Day Brunch & Dinner. I wasn't able to celebrate at The Bistro, as my little one would have been screaming, and that wouldn't have spelled ROMANCE or LOVE for any one involved. Not only did The Bistro go all out for dinner but they created a brunch after receiving requests from customers. Because that is how The Bistro rolls...customers ask...and they receive. The owners of Sister's Boutique located in Exton, enjoyed the brunch with their family, and the chefs were quite excited to cook and create such a wonderful event and memory for them.

Dinner was filled with romance, flowers, food, and LOVE. It wasn't a night only for couples, but it was also a night filled with the celebration of LOVE of friends, family and singles who felt The Bistro was a great place to celebrate and meet new friends. Now for the food! One of the night's biggest hits was the Tilapia and Jumbo Lump Crab, followed by the Chocolate Mousse, but the real fireworks in your mouth moment was the....drum roll please...White Chocolate with Orange Zest & Dessert French Toast topped with strawberries. Oh I can feel my waist band expanding as I type. No wonder GAP loves me, I keep buying new jeans after writing these blogs.

So now that we covered how The Bistro celebrated Valentine's Day...let's talk about the holiday itself. We go from The Turkey Carving to The Christmas Rush to The New Year's Champagne Toasts to being faced with a holiday that celebrates............... a feeling...LOVE. I think Valentine's Day is the only holiday that does that, celebrates how we feel. Think about it. We celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, and the such for religious reasons. Memorial Day, 4th of July etc, we celebrate to honor our country and service men and women. Halloween, St. Patrick's Day and many other holidays we celebrate fun whimsical characters and ancient beliefs. But Valentine's Day we celebrate a feeling...LOVE. It's kind of cool when you think about it. All the bad things that happen, and all the sad moments in life, we get a day that is about LOVE. We love people every day of every year but on this one day we feel the need to celebrate it above all other days. We go out and buy cards to say I Love You. Guys buy big boxes of heart shaped chocolates, and flowers. We make reservations to fancy restaurants and get all dressed up to celebrate LOVE. And women say every day that flowers are a waste of money, don't bother, but I love flowers, the more flowers I receive, the happier I am. They could be on every windowsill and every table in my house and I still would want more. They are amazing. I feel good when flowers are in my home. Check out all of Jillian's flowers! Lucky girl!! Honey if you are reading this...keep the flowers coming!

Some say they hate it. Their reasons vary from being single, to having bad past relationships that haunt them or stalk them depending on the guy or girl. Another big reason I hear is that it is too materialistic. I think most holidays are materialistic, but is that so bad? Is it bad that businesses go all out to make things for you to buy to say I love you? Because really would you have done it without being told to? Would most people do it on their own? Is it bad that restaurants make special entrees just for this one night? Wow, I am still thinking about that Dessert French Toast. This year with our daughter we did take out from a local restaurant and it was a 70 minute wait. I guess I think that means business is booming and that is good in this economy!

Some like myself get drunk on the romance and the bubbly we call Valentine's Day. I have come to enjoy it, more so now that I have my own family. I like celebrating LOVE. The love of my husband, my daughter, my parents, my family. I haven't been alone since I was 16 on Valentine's Day so I have to admit I am one of the lucky ones, and I guess I am pretty biased. It helps me remember that all the hard times I have throughout the year, LOVE conquers all and it is worth celebrating.

Next blog....if you are a single woman and looking for a Valentine of your own all year round....check it out. The Bistro is helping a local executive find LOVE!!! Interested in more and can't wait for the next blog...email us ourtownexton@aol.com for more information about how you can get a date with him.

Roasted Peppers & Dessert Bruschettas...Valentine's Day Prep Photos!!

Most of you have read all about our Valentine's Day Dinner Menu and I have blogged about how hard our chefs work on the menus to make them so tantalizing for you to enjoy. Just for a fun Friday night blog, I thought I would write about the food so many of you will be eating on Sunday here at The Bistro. I myself have not made reservations, as I have gained enough weight looking at all these foods, (inhaling the aroma through my screen). My doctor advised me to STAY AWAY..."but they have Dessert Bruschettas" I told him, he just frowned and walked away. (That lovely photos to the left is the start of "Dessert Bruschettas"

So to comply with my doctor I decided to blog with some photos of the chefs doing a "trial run" of Sundays' dinner, this after I put my reservation in for an online dinner via email. Wouldn't that be great?? To enjoy the aroma of food through email without the guilt of gaining a pound. We can figure out how to deep fry oreos but can't figure that out?

Check out the roasted peppers and the Dessert Bruschettas..which contain maple, chocolate and honey. Tonight these foods will be enjoyed by the staff and chefs to make sure they have the recipes down pat and combined to perfection.

We hope to see you here on Sunday, don't forget to call for a reservation
484-872-9873

These chefs do everything to make each meal a memory in your mouth!!

Happy Valentine's Day...Doctor :)

Ally Wilson

The Bistro at Our Town

www.thebistratourtown.com

Brunch Menu Enclosed--open with Caution!!

WARNING WARNING WARNING....after reading this you may do crazy and spontaneous things such as...calling all of your friends & family...driving like a mad person to The Bistro...ordering lots of food...and you may become addicted to The Bistro's delicious food. Proceed with caution...

The Bistro's Menu

Brunch
Eggs any Style…………………………….……….. $7.00
2 Eggs served w/Hash Browns and Bacon

Eggs n’ Pepper Sandwich……………………… $7.00
Roasted Peppers and Scrambled Eggs Topped with Provolone on Crusty Italian Bread

Scrambled Eggs & Cheese on Focaccia…….$8.00
Add Ham, Country Bacon or Italian Sausage $2.50

Frittata ~Made to Order ………………………..$7.50
3 Eggs Baked w/ choice of Cheese and Vegetables

Quiche Rustico ……………………………………..$7.50
Spaghetti, Eggs and Cheese blended and baked with a variety of Seasonal Vegetables

Crème Brulee French Toast…………………… $7.50
Add Bacon $1.50

Stuffed French Toast………………………………$7.50

Ricotta Cakes ……………………………………….$7.50
Pancakes Filled w/ Ricotta Cheese and Lemon

Ham and Cheese Scramble …………………….$6.00

Corned Beef Hash………………………………….$8.50

Sourdough w/ Poached Eggs, Ham and Hollandaise Sauce…………………………………$8.50

Farmers Plate……………………………………….$12.50
Fresh Italian Cheeses and Meats


Hors D’oeuvres
Soup & Salad ……………………………………….$6.50
Choice of Soup served with Crusty Italian Baguette & Small Salad

Cinnamon Sugar Fried Dough….……………$6.50

Bread Basket………………………………………..$7.00
Fresh Breads, Muffins, Cinnamon Rolls w/ Jam & Honey

Bruschetta Sampler…………………………….. $7.50


Stuffed Bistro Burgers
Grilled 8 oz Burgers served w/ Pomme Frites:
Vermont Aged Cheddar & Bacon served w/ Sun dried Tomato Mayonnaise....$8.50


Sandwiches
Gourmet Grill Cheese ……………………………$8.00
Baguette filled with:
(1) Mozzarella Cheese & a Homemade Pesto
(2)Provolone & a Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
Add Ham $2.50

Chicken Picatta Club …………………………….$8.50
Chicken w/ Lemon, Capers and Butter Layered

Gourmet Macaroni & Cheese
Macaroni and Cheese …………………………………….$6.50
Traditional- Five Cheese topped w/ Buttery Herb Croutons


Salads
Featuring Chicken Salad Chicks …………………….$7.50
White Meat Chicken Salad served on a Bed of Lettuce with Tomato Slices OR on a Fresh Croissant


Vegetables & Potatoes
Roasted Mixed Seasonal Vegetables…………………..$5.50

Valentine's Day Menu

Valentine’s Day Dinner Menu

Call today for your reservations available through 8pm February 14th

484-872-8793

Appetizers
(Choice of)
Jumbo Lump Crab Meat Parfait .15
Shrimp Scampi with a Blue Cheese Chipotle Dipping Sauce.12
Onion Soup with Fontana Cheese and Thyme .8
Fried Artichoke Hearts with a Garlic Aioli .7

Salad
Traditional Caesar .7
Arugula with Shaved Parmesan and Lemon Zest .7
Mixed Baby Greens .6

Entrees
Chicken Cacciatore over Homemade Linguini .12
Beef Bourguignon over Butter Noodles .18
Jumbo Lump Crabmeat stuffed Tilapia drizzled with a Lemon
Hollandaise Sauce .15
Vegetable Lasagna with a Béchamel Sauce .12

Vegetables
Zucchini Fritters .6
Roasted Kale with Garlic and Olive Oil .5
Roasted Asparagus .7
Baked Tomato’s with Croutons and Parmesan .6

Potatoes
Garlic Mashed .5
Fingerling with Rosemary and Garlic .5
Oven Roasted Pommes Frites .5

Desserts

Strawberry Tiramisu .9
Orange and Cream Cheese Bread Pudding drizzled with Honey & Whipped Cream .8
Dessert Brushctta Sampler .8

The Blizzard of 2010...a recap.

So before I start writing about the snow...I am going to close my eyes and duck, because most of you will want to pummel me with a snowball, real or virtual, I am sure you will find a way to do it through the computer.
I LOVE SNOW!! I LOVE SNOW!!

I can't get enough...the 4 feet of snow this area ended up with over the past week was a dream come true for me. I had the box of tissues out when it finally ended, like I was breaking up with a boyfriend or saying good bye to a beloved pet. I was begging God for just a little bit more, OK, ALOT more is what I really said. (ducking down and waiting for the barrage of snow and ice)....??? OK I said it, and am still alive, and guess what?? So are you...you survived the Blizzard of 2010!! And you are doing so well that you are able to read my blog :) WOOHOO!

It's not that I don't realize the severity of things that can and will come from a storm of this magnitude, it's that I think it's a beautiful display of nature. I think it truly makes me realize that in this universe that we live, we are not always in control. Nature is humbling. Nature challenges us, and makes us perform and live in a way that we aren't used to in our daily lives. Think about winter for a minute in this area. We like snow if we want to go skiing over a holiday weekend. We like an inch or so to take a beautiful winter picture of the kids. We like it Christmas morning after Santa has delivered all of his present because it makes a perfect Christmas memory, but other then that, OK clean it up and move on. I am the opposite, I hate when it melts. I hate when I start seeing the greenish brown grass peeking through what was once pure white snow. I hate going back to looking out my window and seeing browns and drab colors instead of glittery white magic! But I know this too is part of nature. It's nature's way of cleaning up after itself. See—it truly is amazing. It's like nature has it's own plowing and snow removal system, just a bit too slow for our fast paced life. Look out your window...notice the melting snow or ice, measure the difference between the drifts Thursday morning and now, they have shrunk, by the beautiful sun that is shining. All part of the plan.

Next will come Spring...and most will complain that we have too much rain. I have to admit I oddly enough I am not a big fan of rain but I love what rain creates...colorful pastel flowers, green lush grass and fruitful trees for us to enjoy all summer. Then comes Summer...and we will be wishing we had air conditioning and a little bit of ice to cool us off...ICE??? The very thing most just cursed and hated just a few short months before. Then onto autumn where Mother Nature never really seams to make up her mind...cool and crisp or warm and touch of summer. Again..we aren't in control of that either.
This colorful palette of seasons is why I love Chester County...we get a little bit of everything and no matter how humid and sticky I get in the summer, how many leaves I have to rake up in the fall, how horrible my hair is all spring from the drenching rains, or how much snow I get in my boots in the winter, I wouldn't trade it for the world. I choose to live right here, right in the middle of a wonderful community, where neighbors and strangers helped each other this past week dig out from this blizzard. Where I witnessed friends come together in person and online to pass the time while nature took it's course. Where the blizzard didn't stop people from getting married, it didn't stop babies from being born, and surely didn't stop people from celebrating life.
Maybe that is why “Nature” does the things that she does. It creates “time” that we all say we never have. We couldn't run to the store for a few extra things, couldn't go to the gym just for a minute, couldn't get that morning office routine done. It slowed us down, and was that really such a bad thing?? To bring old friends together, to reconnect parents with their kids during snow days, to allow a spouse time to make their loved ones a warm home cooked meal, for us to appreciate those people who go out in this weather, plow drivers, police, fireman, nurses, doctors, and so many more with little to no sleep and all while not getting to spend “time” with their families, and don't forget those teachers who finally got a little bit of a break, snow days show parents what teachers deal with every day x 25 kids!! Thank you teachers!! This one's for you.
So next time you start to see the snow fall...don't panic, don't scream, don't curse out the heavens, just think maybe when you asked for a little more “time” this week, this was nature's way of giving it to you.
Oh and by the way....apparently a lot of you asked for a bit more time next week....Snow is a coming Monday night!!!!! Enjoy it and your family!

Come out and enjoy a warm meal at The Bistro with our family and let us know how you feel about snow!! Check out our menu on our website, we have so many comfort foods that can really warm your belly and make all those bad snow memories melt away.

Many of you have asked....the Blizzard did shut us down for 2 days and cause us to have to reschedule some events, but it's ok...we survived and are open for business!!

Be Safe..

Snowflake Ally ;)

Next stop...Manhattan....in Exton??

So most of us love the fashion and style that comes out of New York but we hate traveling up there in the nightmarish traffic, and really who is kidding who...we have no idea where to go when we get there. We arrive, usually off the train unless you are courageous enough to try to brave the streets of NYC in a car, and after venturing out of the train station, or the parking garage, (again way too brave for me), we step out into the abyss of Manhattan. I love going to the city. Although, I look a bit ridiculous, walking around trying to blend into a city of fast talking, fast walking fashion experts. I must admit, even though I sport a trendy scarf and killer boots, the map and camera give me away as a tourist. Here in Chester County, born and raised, most of us think we are fashion savvy and we are..in our own suburban way. We have come a long way from only corn fields and cows, but is still isn't the fashion mecca that NYC is. So how great would it be if you could travel into Exton and get off and visit...Manhattan?? Enter stage left..Sisters Boutique. From now on, leave the camera and map home and drive down Rt 100 and visit these two sisters who truly know how to shop NYC style. And if you really must, get the train in Malvern and get off in Exton just to make it seem real.

These girls shop like crazy and all for...YOU! They travel to Manhattan and shop like it's their job...umm oh right it is! They know where and who to buy from. They have tons of glamorous and glitzy bling but also have conservative scarves and pearls for the less "showy" Chester County women. Worried about the NY price tag? Don't be..they have earrings from $12. Coats and sweaters range in price up through the a couple hundred dollar range, all of which definitely is more affordable then making this trek by yourself.

These girls know how to display the goods too..it's not like walking down Canal Street, where let's face it a lot of us have picked up a thing or two to save on "designer" label items, and after cleaning off the mustard and salt from the street vendors, we come home with what we thought was fashion savvy items. Who are we kidding?? This stuff is ridiculous. Walking into the boutique makes you feel like someone..it's upscale but affordable...it's trendy but classic...it's NYC but right here in Chester County. So you want to know more??

Stop in and visit Sisters Boutique...they are launching their Spring Collection:

February 9th 5pm-9pm.

They are calling it "Champagne & Chocolate" celebrating the Valentine's Day Season. But when talking fabulous accessories and clothes, do we really need to be reminded of rich delicious food...because I know for me all you had to say was "Pretzels and Bottled Water" and I would have been there..but again maybe that was why that designer dress didn't fit me.

So call your sisters and your friends and enjoy a fun night

shop....mingle...meet up with some friends and just enjoy a NY state of mind.

Sisters Boutique is located in the Fairfield House along Rt 100, one mile south of Rt 30 in Exton. It is the beautiful historic house next to the Toys R Us Shopping Center.

Oranges...Olives...Fresh Fish

Flour, Milk, Eggs, oops I got side tracked. I wasn't really writing my grocery list, I was talking about the oranges, olives and fresh fish featured Friday night at The Bistro's "Sicily Night".

This past Friday while traveling through Sicily, we picked fresh oranges and lounged on the golden sandy beaches of the Ragusa's coastline, (well there wasn't really beaches, but we can imagine), Nancy Mastrangelo not only enjoyed the ambiance of Sicily, she enjoyed knowing she was RETIRED! As Nancy put it "I couldn't have picked a better place to celebrate. The Kale was over the top" I am not sure if Nancy meant Sicily or The Bistro, but I have to imagine and hope she meant The Bistro.

We want to thank you Nancy for allowing The Bistro to be the place where you chose to spend your special night and we wish you the best in life's journey ahead.

Every day is special at The Bistro but sometimes they become extra special when customers celebrate life's most cherished days and events here with our family. If you have a special event that you would like to celebrate with us, please let us know, we would love to help make your event a memory!

As they say in Sicily...Celebriamo!!



The Bistro at Our Town offers On & Off Site Catering...Private Parties...Business Luncheons/Dinners...Showers and more...we invite you into our home and hope you invite us into your life! Call 484-872-8793 to reserve your party or inquire about our services.

And now back to groceries...onions, feta, basil, yogurt :)