steamed mussles and crispy pork belly with basil fennel cream, grilledleek salad, and chamomile honey

Maine Mussles steamed in wine, butter, herbs.

Crispy pork belly.

Basil fennel cream.

Grilled leek-carrot-fennel salad

Chamomile-Rosemary Infused Honey

Micro Chives 

Micro Turnip Greens 

honey, beet, lemon and herbal tea infused medley

So, today is "Ground Hog Day," a holiday that seems completely obscure and unnecessary...however the origins of the "holiday" are really rather beautiful. The day has evolved through time...

IMBOLC: a Pagan celebration observing the half-way point between the Winter Solstice, and the Vernal Equinox; the re-awakening of the sun, and the prevailing victory of light over darkness in our days.

DAY OF SAINT BRIGHID: Brighid was a goddess associated with the celebration, until the Catholic Church got a hold of the whole shin-dig, and named her a Saint. It's the Christianized version of Imbolc. 

CANDLEMAS: The Christian holiday based on the Pagan Celebration Imbolc, but re-staged, as the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, as described in the Book of Luke. 

GROUND HOG DAY: A North American holiday, when Punxsutawney Phil, a Ground Hog, awakes from hibernation, and decides, with his shadow, how much longer winter will last..... 

For a holiday with so much history and such lovely origins (kinda got weird after the Pagans), I couldn't help but think all day about the sun re-awakening, and the earth budging from its icy covers. I wanted my special at work tonight to reflect how I feel about my favorite celestial body getting stronger, and eventually beckoning Spring. I thought about it for a while, and then it came to me: BEES. It's all about bees and honey and pollination and plants and oxygen and water and SUNLIGHT. So....honey all up in my special, along side a few earthy, vibrant themes that seemed appropriate. (LEMON & HERBAL TEAS)

Honey Glazed, Lemon Verbena Poached Baby Beets

Butter and Honey Braised Shallots

Fennel & Arugula Salad

Lemon-Chamomile Apple Sauce

Beet-White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Beet, Thyme & Verbena Infused Honey

Mint