Sunday Supper with Boss Mouse Cheese & Shorts Brewing

Sunday Suppers at the old firehouse have been gaining momentum, and I finally have a little more time to get over there and take a few photos. In addition to helping Paul as his official errand-runner and "whatever else needs to be done" person at the restaurant, and taking care of our daughter and our two sassy dogs, I am also ghost-writing a book. 380 pages so far, but I can't say more about that project. I am sworn to secrecy.

On the 18th of January, the restaurant teamed up with Sue Kurta, owner and cheese-maker of Boss Mouse Cheese, and Rachel Payne, Beer Liberator, with Short's Brewing, to dish out some fabulous food and libations to a full house.

Sue Kurta left her career in corporate finance in NYC to apprentice in Vermont, and she worked on a goat farm in Maine before purchasing a farm and moving to Kingsley, MI. In addition to raising her own animals, she makes cheese. Delicious cheese like Montasio, Swiss, cheddar, Parmesan, and Havarti. Her cheeses can be found at a few places around the area including the Blue Goat wine shop, Burritt's, The Cook's House, Little Fleet, Oryana, and Manny's. You can also find her at the Traverse City Farmers Market at Grand Traverse Commons in winter, or the Sara Hardy Farmers Market off Grandview Parkway during the summer ... but be prepared to fall in love. Sue is great fun, and her cheese is wonderful.

Rachel Payne (Beer Liberator, Short's Brewing);
Sue Kurta (Boss Mouse Cheese owner and cheese-maker);
and Chef Paul Carlson

Rachel Payne is fairly new to the Short's family, and relocated from Grand Rapids to Bellaire. Although she has worked in several restaurants and has has a degree in Hospitality Management under her belt, her passion is craft beer. Clearly. She is a smart, enthusiastic speaker, and so easy to talk to. For more about Michigan's own Short's Brewing Company, visit their terrific website.

While Paul, Noah Carlson, Mac Stinson, and Andrea Deibler were busy prepping in the kitchen, the clock struck 6 and our front of the house manager, Robin, introduced our guests and helped the waitstaff serve the first round of drinks. 

Introductions in the historic red firehouse in Suttons Bay, MI

Robin, Sue Kurta, and Rachel Payne at the bar

Everything the kitchen prepares, every single day, is made from scratch. Soup, for instance, is truly homemade each morning from simple, high quality ingredients. It does not come from a s*#co box or bag containing BHTs and who knows what else. People notice the difference, I hope--a big difference in taste, quality, and healthfulness.
The soft pretzels, which kicked off the first course with melted Boss Mouse cheddar beer cheese, were made from scratch. Flour, water, salt, yeast. That's it.

House made soft pretzels fresh out of the oven!

The pretzels (and cheddar beer cheese for dipping) were paired with Short's The Curl - Imperial American Pilsner. Next up: a grilled radicchio salad with citrus with Sue's fresh montasio. The second course was paired with Short's Space Rock - American Pale Ale.

 

The third course, served with Short's Good Humans - Double Brown Ale, consisted of a flaky beef cheek pasty (yes, we have roots in the UP and love, love those pasties) with caramelized onions and smoked butter. Rich but simple. Hearty. Perfect during a chilly winter night on the Leelanau Peninsula.

Beef cheek pasty just out of the oven

Plated pasties ready to head out of the kitchen

The fourth and final course was Andrea's beautiful lemon ricotta cheese cake with lemon whipped cream, toasted pistachios, and Hefeweizen-poached figs. This was served with Short's Snow Wheat - Hefeweizen!

The lemon ricotta cheese cake

A sincere thank you to Boss Mouse Cheese, Sue Kurta, Rachel Payne, and Short's Brewing Company for making this a wonderful evening for everyone!