Game for a Gamey Dinner, Anyone?

For those of you in Cafe Drake's neck of the woods (Northeast Corridor) simply read below and sigh in commiseration:

October - the beloved month that ends with all things we love spooky and promises annually the reintroduction in our lives of crisp and cool air, cashmere and Claret - disappointed majorly in 2007 with heat, humidity and constant drizzle. Upsides included still burgeoning greenmarkets and determined party hosts battling against the climate catastrophe. The few chilly days were taken full advantage of at Cafe Drake with autumnal meals and cozy nights under wool throws warmed by Calvados, cute friends and creamy kitty Sailor Page. Happily the month is going out appropriately, and we decided upon a simple weeknight dinner celebrating ingredients in season. David Sellers joined us (bottle of bubbly in hand - yea!) for a menu beginning with Maple Leaf cocktails (golden Dominican rum and orange juice doused with grenadine syrup to affect the color of fall foliage) and continuing through a starter course of Frissee Salad with Buttermilk-Parmesan Dressing and Roasted Asparagus. The powerful tasting entree was a bold platter of venison sausage (straight from the farm in Rockland County and deeply "wild" tasting, the deer flesh ground with the liver, spices and dried cherries), Yukon Gold roasted potatoes and pan-fried orchard-fresh apples. You'll be glad to know Sailor Page did not disappoint with his adventuresome taste buds and devoured the leftover tail-ends of the woodland sausage! As if we thought a cat counting curry as his favorite flavor profile would shy away from sylvan mammilia!