| Summer Greetings From Our Garden Patios! |
This month we’re introducing our new cocktail menu, available at Jacques’ Brasserie and upstairs at L’Auberge Chez François. I invite you to come in and enjoy a specialty cocktail with us on our patios or in the air-conditioned Bar Rouge at Jacques’ Brasserie.
Welcome Alex Bardsley, Our New Head Sommelier!
Created with the help of our new head sommelier Alex Bardsley, many of the cocktails on the menu feature fresh herbs that are grown here in our garden like thyme, sage, and purple basil. I’m a particular fan of the Shiso Collins, made with gin and the Japanese herb shiso.
This is the first year we’re growing shiso and its flavors of black pepper, mint, and citrus complement the gin to make a very light and refreshing cocktail.
Also on the new cocktail menu are five different drinks made with our house Crémant, a sparkling wine produced in Alsace that rivals the best champagnes in flavor and body.
 You can Click Here for the full cocktail menu. The Tomato Garden That Is Taking Over Great Falls! 
The tomatoes in the garden are still ripening as fast as we can use them. All of the tomatoes in our salads are coming directly from the garden and we never harvest the tomatoes more than a few hours before they arrive on your table. I’ve been asked by several diners about my secret for growing such vigorous plants.
Here are two tips: First, mix your coffee grounds into the soil. The coffee grounds add minerals and acidity to the soil, which tomatoes love, and the grounds attract beneficial earth worms to aerate the soil and create nutritious compost.
Second, when you first put your seedlings into the ground, put ½ teaspoon of Epsom salts around the base of the plant. The salts also add minerals and discourage fungal growth. Here is a video link to Chef Jacques TV on YouTube explaining how to make our simple but ever popular tomato salad (the recipe is printed below). As you will see, a fresh, vine-ripened tomato and a good vinaigrette are key to making a good tomato salad.
This Month’s Featured Purveyor: 
The next best thing to growing my ingredients on-site is sourcing produce from local, organic farms. Tuscarora Organic Growers, a cooperative of organic farmers based in Pennsylvania, supplies me with produce 12 months of the year and many of the vegetables on our menu come from their farms.
The farmers who make up Tuscarora Organic Growers are all located on the east coast and committed to organic, sustainable agriculture. These days I can have ingredients flown in from all over the world but when it comes to flavor and nutrition, the vegetable that travels the shortest distance from the farm to your plate is always the best. I’m very proud of the relationship between Tuscarora Organic Growers and L’Auberge Chez François.
June’s Monsieur François Sketch Winner!
I’m also happy to share this month’s winner of our contest for the best embellishment of Monsieur François’ profile: Congratulations to Don A. of Roseville, California. Don will receive a $200 gift certificate to L’Auberge Chez François.
I’m always pleased to receive feedback and suggestions from our customers. You can email me at chezlauberge@aol.com with any requests, questions, comments or suggestions. I hope all of you are enjoying the summer.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to hear about the latest restaurant news, events, and special dishes!
  Best Culinary Wishes,
Chef Jacques
Alsatian-Style Tomato Salad Recipe
4 ripe tomatoes
1 head of Boston or Bibb lettuce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of sugar (optional, use it if tomatoes are not fully ripe)
4 tablespoons finely chopped onions
4 tablespoons finely minced scallions
2 teaspoons finely chopped basil
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons prepared vinaigrette
Wash the tomatoes and lettuce, drain both well. Make a bed of lettuce on four individual salad plates. Remove the stems and thinly slice the tomatoes. Fan out the tomatoes over the lettuce. Season the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and pepper, and sugar, if desired. Top each tomato with 1 tablespoon onion, 1 tablespoon scallions, ½ teaspoon basil and ½ teaspoon parsley. Pour ½ teaspoon vinegar and 1 tablespoon vinaigrette over each serving.
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