Thanksgiving Dinner often asks us to dig deep into old family recipes or call upon our (often rusty) kitchen skills. You know you can nail Aunt Bea’s stuffing,
but can’t bake a pie to save your life.

Therein lies the niche of the A La Carte Thanksgiving Catering Menu offered this year at Southport Grocery & Cafe. Do-It-Yourself…as little or as much as you like.

Get a leg up in the kitchen with Urban Accents Gourmet Gobbler Kit ($16.00) or Gravy Goodness Mix ($4.95). Not quite sure what to do with a turkey baster?
We have whole oven-roasted, free-range turkeys, 10lbs. serves 6-8 ($60.00) or 14lbs. serves 8-10 ($75.00).

We all know side dishes are essential to Turkey Day. We offer a host of sides to mix and match with your own from sage-sausage stuffing ($15 small / $30 large) to
honey & herb braised carrots ($12 small / $24 large).

Whether it’s baking mixes from Barefoot Contessa or our own homemade pies, we can help you do-it-yourself. Just don’t ask us to do the dishes… You’re on your own there!

Here is our entire Thanksgiving Menu…

Starters

roasted butternut squash soup    $9.95 qt

ginger carrot bisque    $9.95 qt

artisanal cheese platter    $7.50 per serving, minimum 12 servings

mushroom & sun-dried tomato pockets   $24 dozen

green olive, goat cheese & walnuts on crostini   $24 dozen

brown onion, roasted chicken and tomato tart   $28 dozen

rosemary ham-gruyere-mustard palmier   $28 dozen

pear wedge & arugula wrapped in prosciutto   $28 dozen

mushroom & sun-dried tomato pockets   $24 dozen

poached shrimp salad on wonton   $28 dozen

smoked duck-lentil salad on lavosh   $28 dozen

Sides
Small serves 2-4 people; Large serves 4-6 people

fall fruit with vanilla vinaigrette   $10 small / $20 large

sage-sausage stuffing  $15 small / $30 large

sweet potato-parmesan puree  $12 small / $24 large

our red potato mash   $12 small / $24 large

house-made turkey gravy  $10 pint / $20 quart

honey & herb braised carrots  $12 small / $24 large

brussel sprout mushroom bake  $14 small / $28 large

ginger almond green beans $12 small / $24 large

Entrée

oven roasted, fresh, free-range turkey $60 10LB serves 6-8 /$75 14LB serves 8-10

Dessert

rustic apple oatmeal pie   $20 serves 6-8     
                             
maple pumpkin pie   $18 serves 6-8                                                

our famous cupcakes  - vanilla or chocolate  $2.25 each

dessert tray…cookies, brownies & biscotti    $3.50 per person, minimum 6 servings

From the Grocery

More than Gourmet Turkey Stock Base   $6.25

Urban Accents Gourmet Gobbler Kit  $16
(spiced brine, large brining bag & rub!)

Urban Accents Gravy Goodness Mix  $4.95

Urban Accents Sumptuous Stuffing Mix  $4.95

Barefoot Contessa Cranberry Harvest Muffin  $12.95

Stonewall Kitchen Pumpkin Pancake Mix  $8.50

Maggie & Mary Pumpkin Chiffon Mousse Mix  $4.75

Bea’s Pumpkin Butter  $6

Our House-Made Cranberry-Red Grape Sauce  $5.95
 
Our House Roasted Nuts  $10.95 lb - $16.95
Vanilla Walnuts
Cinnamon-Cayenne Cashews
Pecan Au Poivre
Sesame-Oregano Almonds-Pistachios

Place your orders by 4pm Sunday, Nov. 23rd. Final Pick-Up will be 7pm Wednesday, Nov. 26th. We will be closed Thanksgiving Day.

If we determined seasons solely by the weather, we might have to agree that Autumn came and went last week. All of a sudden it is Winter! However, the fact remains, that there are still
3 weeks until the last Fall holiday, Thanksgiving. That gives you plenty of time to try the New Fall Menu at Southport Grocery & Cafe.

For breakfast our menu takes a turn toward comfort. The Brisket & Gravy smothers house-smoked brisket gravy over a homemade biscuit and beneath fried eggs. Keeps you warm on cold Winter (read: Autumn) mornings.

As long as the leaves have fallen from the trees, it’s okay to eat gravy for breakfast!

When it’s cold outside, tuna salad doesn’t quite cut it. A Tuna Melt made with pan-seared albacore tuna sure does. Served straight from the oven and seaped with roasted red
pepper, green olive aioli & local butterkasse cheese, this delightful sandwich melts in your mouth.

What’s fresh? What’s local? These are the 2 main questions driving the changes in our seasonal menus. Whether it’s fresh root vegetables in our new Chop Salad
or local apples in our new Stuffed French Toast, it’s all Fall Menu fodder…

…even if it feels like Winter outside.

Two winners have been picked for our special cupcake promotion…Terri Doyle and Laura Eckhardt both won one dozen cupcakes.  Terri shared them with her friend that brought her to Southport Grocery, while Laura  and her husband decided to eat them all themselves…no, not all on one day!! 

This promotion is not over…stop in to get more information!!

Ginger-Carrot Bisque
5-6 servings

1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 large onion, diced
5 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 teaspoons garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons cup ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons honey
6 cups water
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
salt & white pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large pot and saute the onions, carrots, celery & garlic until soft. Add the grated ginger and cook until fragrant. Add the water & honey and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until carrots are thoroughly cooked.
Remove pot from heat and let soup cool slightly. Using your food processor or blender, puree soup until smooth, no large chunks!*
Return soup to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add coconut milk (feel free to add more if you want a creamier soup!), cayenne pepper, salt & pepper to taste. Enjoy!

*For a smoother texture pour your soup through a fine sieve after processing.

Our famous cupcakes are now available for purchase on-line to be shipped anywhere in the contiguous 48 United States!

Send a dozen little treats from Chicago to someone you love…or to yourself. We’re offering a dozen cupcakes in vanilla, chocolate or half of each for $45 plus shipping.

The latest in packaging technology allows us to freeze a fresh dozen cupcakes and then ship them overnight to your doorstep!

Can’t Decide on Vanilla or Chocolate…Order 6 of Each!

Click on the link below for more information on how to order your dozen cupcakes today…

http://www.southportgrocery.com/store/from-our-kitchen/a-dozen-of-our-famous-gourmet-cupcakes/prod_258.html

If you would like to order more than a dozen at a time please call our store at 773-665-0100.

Who says Halloween is just for kids?

Southport Grovery & Cafe has dedicated an adult candy-aisle for the sophisticated sweet tooth. The selection offers superior quality homages and twists on old classics.

Chicago’s own Whimsical Candy Company has created the next generation Milky Way. It’s signature La-Dee-Dahs ($4.99) are swirled nougat, caramel and chocolate.

Vosges, also based in Chicago, has updated the classic Reeses combination of peanut butter and chocolate in it’s trademark PB Bon Bon ($10 for 4 pc).

Malt flavoring harkens back to the days of soda shops. That’s what make’s the Retro Malted Milk Bar ($3.50) such a special treat, Whoppers for foodies!

The ultimate sign of change in the adult candy palettes may be the Pate de Fruit ($3.25 for 2 pc) by Charles Chocolates of San Francisco. These treats infused with 5 different wine varietals
make Dots look like the “boxed wine” of candy.

Glorious, old fashioned Heirloom Beans now available at Southport Grocery!

We were so intrigued when we saw Rancho Gordo’s heirloom beans featured in a recent foodie magazines, such as Saveur and Food and Wine, that we had to try them…and man are they delicious! Who knew beans could taste this good? All of Rancho Gordo’s beans are of heirloom varieties, indigenous to the Americas, and grown in Northern California. These tasty legumes are also grown in limited quantites to ensure quality and most importantly, freshness. There are so many varieties to choose from so we started with the 3 that seemed the most unique…the Vaquero Bean, Yellow Eye & Red Nightfall.

The Vaquero bean has beautiful black and white markings so not only do they taste great they look cool. They also create a dark black, ink like liquid when you cook them. Best used for chili, stews and pot beans.

The Yellow Eye Beans are creamy & dense and should replace the old, boring Great Northerns & Navy Beans. Best used in soups or your favorite vegetarian dishes.

The Red Nightfall Bean turn pink when you cook them but hold their shape well and melt in your mouth! Use these beans in your next batch of chili or serve along side some delicious BBQ.

If you are interested in ordering please call us…773-665-0100

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Southport Grocery & Cafe is proud to team up with the Lynn Sage Foundation as they unroll “Chicago’s In Good Taste,” a Chicago-based breast cancer research initiative.

For the rest of the month, you may elect to add $1 to your bill at over 50 participating restaurants in support of the Lynn Sage Foundation.

The Lynn Sage Foundation seeks to ensure every penny raised on this project can be spent directly on breast cancer research. Your $1 donation will contribute to research
work being done at Northwestern University.

For more information please click on Lynn Sage Foundation

We invite you to wine and dine for a good cause.

Fireworks popcorn is grown right here in the Midwest….in Port Washington, Wisconsin.  The variety of jewel toned kernels each have a distinctive taste and texture.  Mix a few varieties and have some fun!  Available at Southport Grocery….call us 773-665-0100.

As seen in Martha Stewart Living August 2008

Sugar Cookies
makes 4 dozen

1 cup powder sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup canola oil
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl mix together the powder sugar, flour, cream of tarter and salt.  Cream butter. Add canola oil, egg and vanilla. Mix. Add dry ingredients and mix again until dough forms.
Roll dough into 1 inch balls, roll in granulated sugar, place on cookie sheet and press down on each cookie to slightly flatten.
Bake 8 minutes until cookies are set with a hint of color.