Doing the deed...again

Well, now that my head is clear and I haven't posted anything for a few days, my mind is exploding with things to write about.  Funny how that works. 

Last Sunday, Beth and I took a break from work and ventured out to Easthampton to do some work at Mockingbird Farm.  What kind of work you ask?  We worked the "chicken line."  This means we helped slaughter, eviscerate and bag the chickens for sale.  I have done this work before but never to sell, only for personal use.  I have to say that the process was pretty efficient, start to finish.  All the work is done on a mobile poultry processing unit that is available for rent.  Pretty cool.

First, the chicken is killed with an electric knife which shocks the bird so the bird doesn't feel the cut.  This is to prevent stressing of the chicken and is actually a very humane method of slaughter.  Then the bird is sent through a hot bath to loosen the feathers at the skin.  The next step is to defeather. Normally this is very time consuming, crappy job, but this fine unit had a tumbler that did all the defeathering in minutes...seconds even.  Then we put in work removing the viscera and organs, reserving everything that Pete could sell.  After the guts are removed, the bird is quickly iced down and eventually tagged and bagged.  All the parts that can get sold are packaged, weighed and labeled.  All the other parts are composted on the farm. 

This was a very cool process to be a part of, especially because of the attitude of all involved. Pete was very laid back, joking around and rocking out to a little White Snake blasting on the radio.  I think he set the general tone for everyone to work by.  Sure this was a very essential and slightly discerning act we were taking part in, but it's farming.  This is his farm and he makes it fun and interesting.  I respect that and it is why I love going out to Mockingbird.  That and I always leave with a cooler or two of delicious meats to cook, be it at the restaurant or at home.  It was very inspiring as well.  After being a part of the process the only way a felt comfortable preparing the chicken was a simple roast bird...

A little change

After reviewing the past few months of posts, I have decided to end the everyday posting.  While this has been a form of therapy, a source for inspiration and a platform for my politics and antics, it has at times felt too much like work.  There have been too many evenings that I have just written something for the sake of writing something (and it shows), usually after the fourteen-hour work days when I just want to go to sleep.  This does not mean I am ending the blog.  I will still post 2-3 times per week.  My hope is that this will give me time to put together more interesting posts and do away with the "tired rambling chef" posts.  A little change can be a good thing...

Partridge

Every now and then I put something on the menu with reservation but do it because I think it will be an interesting addition. Every now and then that item turns out to be the most poplar item on the menu. Usually it's an offal dish, this time it's the partridge. We are flip-flopping between wild scottish and farmed New York and Vermont birds. I was hesitant to serve them for two reasons. First, they aren't cheap and second, it is a gamey bird. Usually people stay away from the gamier flavors. Sometimes you just don't know until you put it on the menu. I never cease to be surprised...

Reputation

My newest hire in the kitchen is leaving us and while I am always disappointed when a hire doesn't work out, the response that I received from leaking the news was a bit overwhelming. I have a small stack of resumes on my desk from people who want to intern at BLG as well as a big folder on my email. Once word spread that a position was available, though I am not quite sure how it did, I have received numerous phone calls. This is a good feeling. It means we are doing interesting things, pertinent things. The best part of all this is that I reached out to a former employee to fill the spot and he was very excited to (re)accept. He is an exceptional cook, a great personality and an intelligent and hard working employee. This kid could very easily be a chef somewhere yet he was excited to be invited back to the Bistro. This is the reputation I always wanted to own, respecting and having the respect of our employees is just as important as to us as serving our customers...

Size matters

Tonight we went out for a drink to someplace in Hadley. We both ordered a cocktail and out came two drinks the size of big gulps. Old school cocktails seem to be making a comeback, but in a much larger size. I don't quite understand the new concept of the oversized martini/cocktail. I think I would rather have a few ounces less, enjoy a well made and manageable drink, and order a second if I need to than have one of these ridiculously large cocktails. At home we stil have (apparently) old school martini and highball glasses and we don't need any more booze than that. Now you can get a pint of beer or a pint of martini. When I ran bars, I would rather make a few less dollars per drink and maybe serve you a few more than one obscenely large "martini" and watch you sip it for an hour or two. My wife is reading this over my shoulder and she keeps murmuring something about me being 30 going on 60, maybe she is right...

Decisions

We finally got our hands on the lease we have been waiting so long for and have all the numbers we need to make some decisions. Decisions. Now we have to decide whether or not moving forward is an appropriate risk for us. This means lots of number crunching and forecasting. This means creating a lot of "what if" scenarios and "how could we" problem solving. This is the part of business that kind of sucks. Basically, how much do you trust yourself to make happen what you need to be successful? That is a lot to ask yourself...

Cochon 2011

Here is a photo tour of Sunday's 3rd Annual Cochon Dinner...after the champagne and pork fat gougeres we had:

Saucisse l'Ail (garlic sausage made from the neck)

#2 of the extra courses, liver toasts

Fromage de Tete Ravioli with sage beurre noisette

extra #3, ribs glazed in wild flower honey and dijon mustard

blood "crepe" with a soft-cooked egg and baby greens

Deep fried yes, but still soft-cooked

then we served crepinette of kidney and liver with maitake mushrooms and broth

extra #4, grilled and marinated hearts on pommes gaufrette

a classic of confit tongue with puy lentils and marinated vegetables

extra #5, BLT's (belly with tomato confit and romaine on brioche)

the final savory course was stuffed trotter with chestnuts, golden raisins and foie gras

unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of dessert, but you can see it in the background...just passed our kitchen refreshments.  flourless chocolate cake with bacon praline, vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce

All in all this was a ton of fun, start to finish.  I can't wait for next year...

Thinking of tomorrow

It doesn't matter how much I've prepared for tomorrow, tomorrow will still be busy and hectic. Tonight I just relax a little and try not to stay awake thinking of what need be done...

Fish Stew

I forgot to hit the publish button last night...

This time of year fish stew screams my name.  Whether it's one of the numerous styles of bouillabaisse, the real San Francisco treat Cioppino, or  Caldeirada de Peixe (Portuguese Fish Stew), I want it.  What happens when I want it?  I put it on the menu.  This year I did a little twist by making it Basques style, we add a sofrito of celery, onion, spicy peppers, tomatoes and smoked paprika.  This creates a rich, aromatic broth with a nice kick at the end.  We are using octopus and squid to give it a Mediterranean feel along with what ever fish is looking beautiful right now.  This is a dish to come in for.  I will post a picture with this post soon...

A step closer?

The landlord of the space we are interested in is supposed to have a lease draft in my hand by the time I meet with him on Saturday. I am pretty anxious about it but first I need to get through a busy weekend and all my wine dinner prep. It's actually a good thing we have so much going on this weekend, it helps to keep my mind off the second place for once...

PVG Fall Forum

I have been invited to speak at Pioneer Valley Grow's Fall Forum on the 27th.  Apparently they chose me because of my devotion as a business owner to building a healthy Pioneer Valley food system.  They thought of me because they feel I am not afraid to tell things like they are.  Bold move PVGrows, bold move...

Thanksgiving...already?

A friend of ours from Canada just celebrated Thanksgiving this past weekend and it turned our attention to the upcoming holiday.  When I was first living on my own, as a way to prove that I was really on my own I suppose, I used to celebrate the major holidays by myself.  That lasted a whole one time before I realized that holidays are lonely by yourself.  The next year I was determined to find something to do rather than just simply be by myself.  I brainstormed the best I could but in suburban Minnesota there is absolutely nothing to do, everything is closed that day.  So, I went to lunch at my favorite Chinese restaurant in Minneapolis (one of maybe three places open that day) and read the local rag with the hopes that I might find something to do, someplace that's open.   I came across a story of an inner-city soup kitchen that was serving a Thanksgiving dinner.  I had nothing better to do so I swung by and inquired if they needed an extra hand.  I ended up helping to feed dozens of people that day, a day far from wasted away in solitude.  I remember seeing people truly thankful that day, not because they had the opportunity to sit around a table and tell everyone so, because they were happy to be giving such a loving meal in a place that they didn't have to be alone.  That's when I realized the holidays aren't about celebrating anything, they are about being together.  What brings us together better than a good meal?  That is what the holidays mean to me and for once I am in a position to do more than just lend a hand.  This year we are trying to put together a meal at the restaurant for those who may not have anywhere to go or anyone to share it with.  I am sharing this as a means to help us reach people in need of some company this Thanksgiving. If you happen know anyone that needs just that, please have them contact us.  Thank you.

Bitter

Last night we went to dinner at one of our farms, The Kitchen Garden. They threw a sort of "pop-up restaurant" style dinner in their new winter greenhouse. They had two dishes with treviso raddicchio, one was a grilled and marinated with balsamic vinegar antipasti and the other was a post-meal salad of fresh radicchio in vinaigrette. Beth loved the former, but thought the latter was to bitter. My feelings were exactly opposite. As we tried arguing on who was correct, I remembered an interview with Ferran and Albert Adria where the discusses how we all taste things very differently. The specifically brought up bitterness and validated the issue with a test. They had five or so people taste this powder that apparently is extremely bitter but can only be detected by a small population. One of the tasters almost gagged by the bitterness and immediately ran for some water, no one else could taste it. I think that is incredibly interesting and really gives me a perspective to keep in mind...

Pickles

I finally broke into a batch of this years pickles. Outstanding. Everything we pickle seems to come out delicious. The pickling process is beyond interesting to me. Mall curing and preserving is. Taking one thing, adding a few natural ingredients, and Out comes this unbelievably delicious product that (in reasonable terms) doesn't go bad. If I could live on pickles...I would be bloated and tired and green, but I would be smiling...

Popcorn and comics

I think of this one every time I make popcorn...

Braise class

Tonight I taught my braise class at Different Drummer's Kitchen. This was a fun class and couldn't have come at a better time. It is freezing outside, literally, yet perfect weather for slow cooked foods. Now it's time to turn my focus towards our pig butchering demo and getting through the weekend...

A dinner out

Tonight I was fortunate to leave the restaurant before close and meet my wife (who had a much deserved night off) for dinner at Coco, Easthampton's new eatery.  We had a really nice evening.  It was nice to eat a place that serves honest food.  I think this is something the Pioneer Valley lacks.  There is a air of pride around the Valley that it hosts some the best restaurants outside of New York City.  I have heard almost these exact words from more than a few people.  While I believe at one time it was home to quite a restaurant scene, I think those days have past and we are on the verge of another run.  There is some good blood coming back into the area.  A good group of people who are willing to work hard and take pride in their food.  A group who still get excited about food and being in the business.  From what I saw today, this defines the owners of Coco.  They seemed to deeply care about the image of their place.  They seemed to understand that it is important to be present and actually working at their establishment.  And finally, they seemed to be truly excited and proud of the food they were serving and the the work they were doing.  We chatted with them for a minute and it was a delight to hear how excited they became after tasting one of their new dessert creations, olive oil ice cream...which was delicious by the way.  People seem to think that as a chef, when I go out to a place I either like it or I don't.  I rarely go to a place with the intention of judging it.  That doesn't mean that it doesn't happen though, I can be very judgmental.  

How do I define an honest restaurant?  Well, it starts with the owners, or chefs, or managers, or employees, or all of the above having pride with what they are doing.  Then it refers to the food itself.  Be it a fine dining restaurant, a street food cart or a casual lunch spot, it needs to be something people want to eat, made from good whole food, and made fresh from scratch.  Honesty is what I felt from Coco.  Sure there are things I loved and things I would do differently, but that doesn't make them right or wrong, good or bad.  That's what makes Bistro Les Gras, Bistro Les Gras and Coco, Coco.  Take the olive oil ice cream for instance.  I have thought about doing it before, but never as a dessert.  The types of olive oils I use at the restaurant are bold, spicy and/or grassy ones, rarely ever fruity.  Therefore the olive oil ice cream I would make lends itself to savory preparations.  They use a fruity, melony oil, which as it turns out, is perfect for a dessert ice cream.  This is why I love to eat at other restaurants, it's inspiring, interesting and fun.  It's somebody elses take on the same thing I do.

I am not saying that there aren't good restaurants in the Valley.  I am saying that there aren't as many as people in the Valley like to think.  While there are some really great places, there are too many that are are getting a free ride.  It is up to you as customers to push us and them to be better,  maybe then the Pioneer Valley will get back to it's legendary status as one New England's restaurant destination towns.  Coco is a very welcomed addition and I hope that they keep it up.

Now I have had a few glasses of wine and will probably wish I hadn't posted this in the morning, but I am glad I finally said it.  I want to be proud of the restaurants in the area, unfortunately, well, I'll stop there...

Butchering a pig

This coming Sunday we are set to do a pig butchering demonstration at the restaurant.  I am a little nervous because breaking down a large animal with a bone saw can be, well, not graceful.  I tend to struggle a little moving the heavy animal around and sometimes find myself in awkward positions trying to cut through certain bones.  Not enough so that I am nervous about doing the demonstration, but just enough to be a little self conscious. I suppose it doesn't help that I know there are numerous industry people interested in attending.  Oh well, all the better to keep focused on doing a professional job...

Getting ready

'Tis the season that Mondays become important days. Mondays are now the days we need to regroup from the weekend and to prepare for the week. Mondays in the summer were days in which we could lounge around in the mornings and enjoy a "normal" morning life. That's not to say we don't enjoy Mondays now though. Now Mondays become about work again, but we love what we do. In an odd way Mondays actually become more relaxing now, at least they now make the rest of the week more relaxing. Being prepared and getting that one day to get focused for the week makes a huge difference. Besides, if you have never enjoyed a quiet cup of coffee on a Monday in your own restaurant, well, I just can't explain it too you...

Sunday recap

This week I learned that my Minnesota Vikings are pretty bad this year. While I am not a huge football fan, I am a huge Vikings fan. I have turned my wife into a Vikings fan and now we religiously record the games and do our darndest to not hear any scores until we get a chNce to watch it. Then we have a good time watching our boys in purple find new ways to lose. What I should learn is to love a different team...

This is kind of cool. It's one of my cooks, we have a few pieces of his art hanging in the restaurant...

http://blog.shopfoe.com/news/2011/09/dan-tower’s-fav-animal-“hog-pssh-please-”/