This month, we have exciting events to keep you entertained. Don’t miss our Greek Wine Dinner, and our Murder Mystery Night in October for a blend of gourmet dining and suspense. In Chef’s Corner, Executive Chef Jennifer Miller shares tips for using your fall harvest, and Through the Grapevine “Hops” over to offer a taste of Oktoberfest with the flavorful Old Nation lager. With special dinners and events filling up quickly, be sure to book your spot now for a memorable experience at Capital Prime.

 

Stay connected with us at Capital Prime for all the latest news and updates. We can't wait to see you soon!

 

September 2024 Newsletter

Chef's Corner: Harvest Month

Summer is wrapping up, and the leaves are soon changing colors, making way for the beautiful fall landscape. In the meantime, we are squaring up those gardens and getting ready for the cold months ahead. Crops are pushing out their last final push and the urgency of trying to preserve and use the bounty is now tasked ahead of us. You may be asking yourself, “what now?”, as you stare at piles of tomatoes, herbs, and whatever other bounty you have been blessed with this season. Let’s go over some fun ideas to stretch out your haul.

 

September is one of the best months to harvest crops and is traditionally known as the “Harvest Month”, or “Hearvest-monath”. The fall harvest moon is unique because it rises at nearly the same time every day for 3 evenings in a row, giving farmers extra moonlight to finish harvesting their crops late into the night. Traditionally, you will find fruits and vegetables such as onions, apples, raspberries, grapes, squash and tomatoes among many others in this harvest.

 

One of my favorite problems to have is too many tomatoes at the end of a gardening season. Anything with canned tomatoes is a favorite go-to for my family and I during the winter months. I usually start with a classic tomato sauce for future pasta dinners. I typically grow tomatoes that are meant for sauces, such as Roma, San Marzano or Cherry tomatoes. These tomatoes are less seedy and sweeter to balance the acidity of the sauce. Sometimes I can the sauce, sometimes I freeze it in quart containers. Whatever I do, they tend not to last as long as I’d like, as that is a family favorite in our house.

 

Another tomato option that I love to do is stew my tomatoes with herbs to store away for a quick meal base. These make a great base for soups or sauces. A classic Italian dish, Pappa Al Pomodoro (Italian Tomato and Bread Soup) is a great quick meal to use your canned San Marzano tomatoes. The dish involves stale bread, olive oil, garlic, basil and chicken or vegetable broth. Another great meal that I use those tomatoes for is pork chops and brown rice. I throw peppers, onions, stewed tomatoes and seared pork chops in a pressure cooker with rice, and Violà! This was a favorite growing up, and I often requested for birthdays.

When I harvest my herbs, I give them all a good chop and freeze some in olive oil, and some in water in ice cube trays so that I can easily add them to a sauce as it is finishing, or to start sautéing vegetables. Herbs are an essential meal elevator for me, as you all know, and this is a great way to bring the freshness of my summer garden to my winter plates. 

 

Talking about tomatoes, we cannot forget about salsa. If you are into canning, salsa works great for storing away for later. Especially if you already have a pressure cooker and don’t have to fight the fall rush to the store (they tend to be often sold out about this time of year, get it as soon as possible if you’re looking). One of the benefits of making your own salsa is choosing your own customized heat level. If you have a sensitive stomach, using salsas may be a gamble. My idea of “mild” may not be the other person’s “mild”, and the consequences can be great. If you happen to also have a freeze drier, my dad has introduced me to freeze dried salsa, which is absolutely delicious! It works great on eggs, or even just a little snack.

 

Whatever you do with your fall harvest, great work on completing your gardening season! I hope it was a success that leads to many months of comfort meals ahead. Hopefully your cupboards are full, as well as your bellies!

 

Cheers!

Through the Grapevine “Hops”

 

This exclamation is the traditional Bavarian saying for “it is tapped”, said for the tapping of the first beer barrel at the opening of Oktoberfest.

 

With summer coming to a close, we’re looking forward to another glorious Michigan fall.  We all know that means football, bonfires, watching the leaves change, apple cider, all things pumpkin and of course Oktoberfest! We’ve just received Old Nation’s Oktoberfest style lager and thought now is the perfect time to talk about it since Oktoberfest begins in a few short weeks. German Americans are one of the largest self-reported ancestral groups in the U.S.; correspondingly there are hundreds of Oktoberfest celebrations held all over the country.  With the rise of microbreweries, the festival has become popular with those of non-German descent and spread to areas that aren’t historically known for a large population of German Americans.

 

I was fascinated to learn Oktoberfest originated in Munich on the Theresienwiese, “Therese’s Fields”, named in honor of Crowned Princess Therese. The Crowned Prince and Princess  invited the citizens of Munich to attend their wedding festivities on October 12,1810 in front of the city gates. On their anniversary they decided to once again hold the celebration which later gave rise to the Oktoberfest tradition. Due to cold and rainy October weather, organizers eventually moved the celebration so that it would start in September back in 1872, favoring of the longer warmer days.  Not only did the organizers move up the start date, but they also extended the celebration from a five day event to span multiple weeks ending the first week of October.

 

Invariably a lager, Oktoberfest is either made specifically for serving at Oktoberfest or in the style of lagers that have traditionally been served there. It is important to understand that the beer has changed substantially since the first festival in 1810. The beer of Munich was a Dunkel style originally. Dunkel is German for “dark”, though it is worth noting that this brew is lighter in body than a stout. Dunkel’s are known for their malt-forward flavor profile, with notes of nuts, toffee, freshly baked bread, chocolate and licorice. In 1872, a Marzen style, known as “March beer”, had become popular. Marzen’s have a medium to full body, are rich in malt and have notes of toasted bread and biscuits. Today, as a result of using paler malts the popular style is similar to a Dortmunder. Hailing from the Dortmund region, this style of beer is light-bodied, crisp and easy to drink with a malt-accented flavor that balances sweetness and bitterness. With all the different seasonal options we get here in America, you may be surprised to learn that at the festival in Munich, only six breweries are permitted to serve their beers. Should you want to enjoy a beer from one of the official breweries, you should pick up a lager from; Paulaner, Spaten, Hacker-Pschorr, Augustiner-Bräu, Hofbräu, or Löwenbräu.

 

While there are many traditions at Munich Oktoberfest, and still many more traditions at the numerous festivals held all over the globe that extend beyond beer, I feel the need to leave something for all of you readers to discover on your own.
 

Prost!

Meet our Maître d’ Matthew Stevens!

 

Matthew has been with Capital Prime for over 6 years. He filled in during one holiday event and was offered a permanent position with Capital Prime that night.

 

When asked about his favorite thing at Capital Prime, Matthew didn’t miss a beat. He stated,

“I know it may sound like a common answer, but it is the people. From the owners to the staff and management, everyone works hard to build each other up and show how much they truly care for one another”.

 

Matthew is genuinely a people pleaser, from opening the front door, to making sure every guest's special occasions exceed their expectations. Matthew stated, “I want every single guest that walks through our doors to have a profoundly amazing evening and will do everything I can to make that happen”.

 

When not working at Capital Prime, Matthew loves outdoor camping and hiking. “Forests and beaches are always my happy place, and I aspire to eventually move to Australia”.

 

Matthew loves reading and writing and playing D&D.  “When I'm not at work, I am building cities and characters for my D&D group or planning the character I play in a campaign with work friends”.

 

When asked about his biggest accomplishment at Capital Prime, Matthew said “I have filled almost every role at Capital Prime for the front-of-the-house. From server assistant, host, server and now Maître d’. I've received recognition in each role, and I feel it has made me a well-rounded employee and help me better understand and prepare to execute actions in my current position”.

 

Matthew truly is our seating savant!!! Fitting all the reservations and timing into an intricate pattern that is perfectly balanced for impeccable service for our guests and employees. “Like all people, I am fallible” Matthew states, “but I relish the opportunity to receive constructive criticism and better myself in both life and my job at Capital Prime”.

 

Thank you Matthew for being an integral part our Capital Prime family, always giving your all with a positive attitude and smile.

Upcoming Events

Choose one of four fabulous Private Dining Rooms for a lunch or a dinner your guests will never forget! Peak events and times fill quickly, so make sure you call us at 517-37-PRIME to reserve the date for your event. 

HOURS
Monday-Thursday: 4pm-10pm
Friday: 4pm-11pm
Saturday: 2pm-11pm
Sunday: 2pm-9pm
Call (517) 37-PRIME for reservations