In the Kitchen
December 11, 2004 - Paul Constantine, Café Caprice
Chef Paul ConstantineWhen Chef Paul Constantine arrived in Austin in 1973 from a little town outside of Buffalo, New York, it was with the idea of creating music, not food. What better place to cultivate music than in Austin, Texas. Paul was an award-winning member of Paul Ray & The Cobras and then he later joined the Dan del Santo group and other Austin favorites. It was in Austin that he met his wife, Joni, who has joined him in his dream of a cozy, pleasant and inspiring dream of Café Caprice.
Paul made the switch from music to food seamlessly with repeated exposures to be artistic in creating dishes with his older brother, Alan, who inspired him to make it his profession. The chef of New Orleans' Delta Steam Ship Company, Alan often invited Paul down to visit and help him out in the kitchen. What followed was Paul's chance to study under The Courtyard's Gert Rausch for three years and then, Paul was offered a position at the Barton Creek Country Club's fine dining restaurant, Palm Court. He spent 10 years there perfecting his art.
When the much-loved Austin institution, Basil's Restaurant, closed its doors in the summer of 2003, Paul and Joni saw their chance to fulfill their life-long dream. "We didn't want to open a restaurant in a strip mall," said Joni. "We had looked for a long time. We really wanted a place with charm and soul, where people could feel comfortable and relaxed, and know they would be well taken care of. The little house was perfect, and we fell in love with it. It just feels like us."
And what occurs at Café Caprice is a bit of adventure and firm footing in traditional French methods. It's a method that seems to be working. Paul's dishes have been described as "true innovations" by the Austin Chronicle, and as "subtle and graceful, perfectly matching the ambience of the small bistro" by the Austin American Statesman. But Paul and Joni's attention to detail doesn't stop at the kitchen door. "Our top priority is making sure that everyone who comes here is comfortable and that they have a good time," adds Joni. "If everything on the table is pleasing, and people leave feeling like they've been taken care of, then we've done our job." (adapted from Café Caprice website, www.cafecaprice.com).
Café Caprice
900 West 10th Street
Austin, TX 78703
For reservations please call 512.477.5576.
We are fortunate to have Chef Paul make sure that we are well taken care of with a wonderful, yet simple market greens salad demonstration. Come at 10:30 a.m. to the Chef's Circle tent!
Warm Salad of Mushrooms and Winter Greens
Paul Constantine
Café Caprice
Mushrooms, cleaned and cut into quarters or 1/2 in pieces
Shallot, chopped
Greens, coarsely shredded (can be any kind – spinach, mustard, kale, turnip, etc.)
Olive oil
Butter sherry vinegar
Finely chopped herbs (sage, basil, etc)
Cracked black pepper
Kosher salt
Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat - add a good amount of olive oil - (quite a bit will be absorbed by the mushrooms) - allow oil to heat up, add mushrooms, sauté briefly, then add shallots, sauté till mushrooms are hot but not limp, add herbs and a good splash of sherry vinegar, reduce slightly, remove from heat and immediately stir in an ounce or two of butter - stir till emulsified, season.
Mound greens on a plate, spoon hot mushrooms on top, drizzling hot vinaigrette over greens - garnish with crisp fried polenta cubes, oven - crisped salami, prosciutto or pancetta.
posted December 10, 2004 | permanent link to this article
December 4, 2004
Taste the Place 10:00 - noonPersimmons and jerusalem artichokes are not something a lot of people have tried as a staple in their diets, but they are certainly staples in the Central Texas farm scene during this season. Try 'em! And you'll like 'em! Go to the Taste the Place tent. The persimmons are from Oasis Gardens and the artichokes are from Animal Farm.
posted December 2, 2004 | permanent link to this article
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