From the Kitchen of : SUSAN M.

Our newest feature here at Cafe Drake is the introduction of a monthly guest columnist. Kicking things off with a hearty start is Ms. McKeever D., whom you've met many times before in these pages. Read below as Susan recalls a somewhat unusual, but delicious-sounding, dinner in Switzerland, and provides us lucky readers with a recipe to follow.

Greetings Café Drake aficionados and other web surfers with exceptional taste. When Drake asked me to contribute to Café Drake, I was excited to share a recipe and anecdote. While on vacation too long ago, I visited a great café in Geneva, Switzerland (Tivoli?). Upstairs in a cozy, candlelit room with burnt sienna plaster walls, my friend and I were seated next to two businessmen. They were the polar opposites of what not to wear to the office- one wearing a navy blazer with gold buttons and a silk ascot, the other wearing short sleeve polyester dress shirt with a brown tie. As we deliberated over what wine to order, the man with the ascot cordially offered the rest of their bottle of Black Opal cabernet, explaining it was their third bottle and they couldn’t finish it. We started talking with them in half English, half French and from what I gathered, the man with the silk ascot was a professional astrologist for large corporations (astronomist? No, he said astrologist). His friend was an industrial engineer. I was amazed that there was a niche in large corporations for astrologists at all, never mind one that provided for a good living. We’re definitely not in Kansas anymore, folks. Apparently, the Fortune 500 companies that were his clients, would hire him before making big business decisions; so much for intensive planning and good strategies in the free market. Why don’t they just flip a coin?! Anyway, the conversation deteriorated from there and we won’t even get into it about why. But, they did recommend the venison and the rabbit. Both were exceptional, but I think I liked the venison a ‘hare’ more..

Whether you are an astronomist or astrologist, this recipe will surely put you on the map as a gastronomist.

Venison in a Port, Boysenberry Reduction with Fennel Gnocchi
Makes 4 to 8 servings

8 tender venison chops (marinated at least for a few hours in salt, milk and red wine)
¼ lb butter
1 clove of garlic, diced
¼ teaspoon cumin
½ pound shitake mushrooms, sliced
1/3 to ½ cup of port wine
¾ cup of venison or beef stock
2 tablespoons boysenberry jam
salt and pepper to taste

Dredge the venison in flour, salt and pepper. Heat half the butter in a large, heavy skillet. In very hot skillet, brown the dredged venison, keeping the inside rare. Transfer to warm serving plate.
Add 2 more tablespoons of butter to skillet and sauté the garlic and mushrooms, adding salt and pepper as needed. Once wilted, add remaining ingredients, turn to low heat and stir, dissolving the brown particles clinging to the skillet. Serve the venison chops with a pat of melted butter on top and port, boysenberry reduction sauce.

Fennel Gnocchi

3 medium potatoes
2 egg yolks
½ t salt
¾ to 1 cup flour
2 T chopped fennel

Boil potatoes and mash. Add egg yolks, salt and fennel and blend in food processor. Add flour and mix and knead until smooth. Roll dough into ½ inch long diameter links and sprinkle with flour as needed to prevent stickiness. Cut with fork into 1 inch pieces. Boil in salted water for 5 minutes to cook. Serve with above venison.