I have been buying lettuce from Brian MacWhorter from close to 13 years.  Brian and his wife own  Butler Green Farms located on Bainbridge Island.

The way I know that the local growing season has started is when Brian calls me from Bainbridge and Merv Dykstra calls me from Yakima.

In addition to the greens we regularly receive from Brian, he also brings extraordinary strawberries, raspberries, fennel, fantastic basil and beautiful tomatoes.  We used Butler Green Farms strawberries this year as the dessert course for our annual Bastille Day prix fixe menu and the dish was sensational.

Here are a couple links with info about Brian’s farm as well as Brian himself.

Cheers,

Daisley

http://www.butlergreenfarms.com/

http://www.soundfood.org/sfcommunity/sflocalfood-/138-butler-green-farms.html

http://www.kitsapsun.com/photos/2010/may/31/111410/?enlarge=1

Once again the annual Bastille Day celebration at Campagne and Cafe Campagne was  just fantastic.  Folks in Post Alley gave their all in celebrating the revolution.  Diners upstairs  at Campagne enjoyed a set menu in a no less spirited atmosphere. Here are a  few shots of the beautiful lamb dish we served as part of the upstairs prix fixe menu. We gently roasted parsley and anchoide stuffed leg of lamb from Anderson Ranch in Oregon.  The roast was served atop assorted market vegetables.  We found the tiniest carrots at Stoney Plains Organic Farm’s stall at the University District Farmers Market as well as the baby russet potatoes.  Merv Dykstra from Yakima brought us those tender garlic cloves and Alm Hill Gardens was the source of the beautiful French breakfast radishes.

The markets are exploding with produce now and we are very excited about the rest of the season.  Merv will have tomatoes in a couple weeks and we will put them everywhere on the menus upstairs and downstairs until you say uncle.

Cheers,

Daisley

How about this for an EASY FRENCH experience.  We just started offering a $30 Bistro Menu every night upstairs at Campagne.  We have  a great selection of starters, entrees and desserts.  You get to choose a starter and an entree or an entree and a dessert.  I experienced very similar type of  menu offerings in Paris and throughout southern France on recent travels.  It’s just such a simple  and easy way to dine.  You do not have to make a big commitment to a three or four course meal.  It’s also quite flexible because sometimes we just want savory flavors and other times we are in the mood for a little something sweet.

Of course you are still welcome to order a la carte and organize a menu to suit your particlar cravings.

Randy and I just picked up some great tomatoes today from Billy’s at the University  District Farmers Market and we made a tasty gazpacho  for the soup du jour.  The gazpacho is also  served with a nice goat cheese crouton to help you on your journey to the bottom of the bowl.

Come on in and check it out,

Daisley