Prix Fixe

FF: Scratch Noir...or something like that.

While this looked good in color, I think it looks even better in b&w. 

We're entering the final days of the current menu, August's menu will debut on Tuesday and from what I understand not much is sticking around from the current menu. Also, August 4th will be our 9th month in operation - chef was telling me we're over that "hump" for startup restaurants.

Honestly, I can't believe it's been 9 months. Not to sound cliche or anything; but it just seems like last week we opened the doors to the public. 

Amazing.

NFTL: Making it 'real'....

When people used to tell me they're quiting smoking, I respond with "No one likes a quitter" (with tongue planted firmly in cheek). I haven't been smoking as long as some people I know, yet long enough - since I was about 19 or so. Maybe it was peer pressure? or whatever it was, I'm 37 (going on 38 in August) - so if you do the math I've been smoking for just about twenty years or so.

In about 6 weeks that's going to change.

It's been decided that my last cigarette will be just before I head into the airport for the red-eye to New York. Chef is going to be on Iron Chef America (due to air later this year), so why not quit then? The trip is going to be a short one, but still - 6 or so hour flight, can't smoke. I'm going to be this is going to be one of the hardest things I've ever done, though I'm looking forward to it.

I'm sure as hell not getting any younger. 

I've been staring at a blinking curser for 20 plus minutes, why I'm not exactly sure. Maybe it's because I'm committing this to words - that to be honest is a bit nerve wracking. I've committed to this in my head yes, to a couple others verbally but for some reason typing it out - makes it more 'real'.

A lot has changed in the past year or so, even more so in just the last 6 months (btw, Scratch has now been open for 6 months.). For the first time in a long time, I'm ready and willing to make changes. I've been so focused for so long, that I had trouble letting people in. Which is I think is a main reason, yours truly has been single for so long. I've been letting things, places and people flash through my life, without so much as a glance.

To be honest, I feel like I've missed out on a lot - and I'm not willing to let that go on any longer. I can't, if I want growth as person, human being, chef - I need to let those 'other' things in and not let it flash by. I think this up coming trip to New York, is a step in the right direction.

OK, so enough with the Debbie Downer stuff huh?

So long story short, I'm quitting smoking and embarking on a new journey, one that I at some point I'd like to share it with. Whether it's friends or that 'someone' (yikes, cue the chick flick music). 

To all of that: Bring it!

Blue Fin Ban Smackdown...

That's right boys, girls...Daniel - today a vote was taken on a international ban on Blue Fin tuna while I'd love to report that this was voted in, I cannot. Today at the international wildlife summit in Qatar, it was voted down.

Only the United States, Norway and Kenya supported outright a proposal set forth last year by Monaco to the 175-nation Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). Monaco had sought an Appendix I listing for the species, which would have suspended exporting. 

The measure was defeated after scores of poor fishing nations joined Japan and Canada in opposing the measure, which they argued would devastate their fishing communities.

The European Union asked for a delay until May of next year to be able to address their fishermen's concerns and impact on their fishing. Japan of course said that it would take a reservation if the ban passed and would continue to import the species. This of course comes to no surprise to me, they have a thing for endangered species anyway.

If your not sure of the toll fishing is taking on the blue fin, peep this:

Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea have fallen by as much as 75 percent in recent years due to overfishing.

Remember what I said above about Japan:

Approximately 80 percent of all bluefin tuna landed in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea ends up in Japan to supply its sushi and sashimi restaurants. Bluefin tuna is one of the most sought-after seafood species, both in Japan and around the world, largely for the high price that it fetches from wholesalers and distributors.

Emphasis' above are all mine. 

Do I really need to say anything else? I guess I can leave it with this (for the time being anyway): Japan is going to do, what their going to do period., but as: chefs, restaurateur's and consumers is stop buying, eating or otherwise blue fin tuna. Support the ban, and to keep working until this gets done.

More Information:

Seafood Source 

Big Marine Fish

Seafood Watch

Too much focus..

...is there such a thing?

This is something I've been pondering for a while now, at first just fleeting thoughts. Now, I'll dwell on that particular subject and for the life of me can't come up with an answer. I can at times have laser like focus, so much that I shut out everything else around that is a disruption to the point of isolation at times.

It happened in radio, I latched on to it during a particular rough patch in my life - which drove me to thirteen years in the radio industry, never having a steady relationship and the ones I did come by just fed into this (and my very expanding ego at the time). I used to say that it's the crazy ones, you know the fixer upper projects that would seem to be attracted to me. And for the most part this is a correct assumption, but I know that part of it was me. 

Now I'm at a new point, in a fledgling career - and I have that same sort of focus. Though with this same kind of focus, I feel more confident in who I am as a person (and a cook) than any other time in my life (and this includes radio). It's this confidence that is leading me down and new and exciting path - one that I would eventually like to share with another person. There in lies the problem there is, finding the "one"' (good lord I sound like I need to go put my big boy shorts back on) who understands my focus, has it in themselves. We're talking passions that drive a person, that laser focus - but at the same time takes on a zen like approach (talk about grand opposites).

Actually the more I think about it, you can be both focused and take a laid back zen like approach. It's a tough balance but I've seen that it can be done, and one can achieve success with such attributes.

If you haven't been able to tell, a lot of this has been stream of thought, a bit confusing maybe? Or maybe it has to do with me now being in my late ass 30's and not getting any younger. I have a son, who lives too far away for my tastes, and don't see often enough. Though he is becoming one hell of a young man, and for one am proud to be his father. What has really made me proud is he'll be attending Gonzaga Prep for High School.

Ahem...lets move to a different subject shall we?

The other day during prep, Chef and I were going through our normal prep routines - a song popped up on Slacker and I made a comment about hating the song because I had played the crap out of it when I was in radio (which I do often, probably too much. Music is huge a memory trigger for me). Chef  mentioned that he was going to love the day when I had kitchen stories instead of radio stories to tell.

At the time I really didn't think about it (remember the focus?). It wasn't until the next day, when it hit me like a ton of bricks as I was getting ready for work. 

He was right, when I was I going to have more kitchen/food stories than that of my former career in radio?

W.W.T.K.D?

Figured a good way to start Monday is with a culinary moment of Zen.

"When you acknowledge, as you must, that there is no such thing as perfect food, only the idea of it, then the real purpose of striving towards perfection becomes clear: to make people happy. That's what cooking is all about."

It case you were wondering, the quote comes from Thomas Keller.

The journey, not the arrival matters.

...todays title brought to you by T.S. Elliot. 

One of the things I learned while making my way up and down the radio dial (WKRP, anyone?), is that you can never not network. If you don't, you're not going to last long. Suffice it to say, this (as I've found out, but really shouldn't have been much of a surprise to me..) is the same in the world of professional cooks. 

The more you connect with others in the industry, the better. 

Over last summer I started writing for the Food & Wine section of ThePortlander.com, my first idea and supposed regular column (it's not that I've been slacking, that's for sure) "Back Of The House" where I would interview a local chef and take the readers 'behind the curtain" - kind of like "Behind the Music" only not.

The first interview I did was with a chef I had been stalking following on Twitter, who at the time went by the handle of @BellyTimberPDX (that has since changed, more on that in a minute.). Chef David Seigl of Belly Timber, with the magic of aforementioned twitter I asked if he'd be my first (get your minds out of the gutter folks..)  he was more than happy to oblige. 

If you're interested in reading the interview click here: "Back Of The House: Chef David Seigl". 

Recently he (read: last week) left his post as executive chef of Belly Timber, and hit the road. He's decided it was time to get out roam, and as my understanding is - headed to Europe. He's charting his travels over at Executive Dishwasher, which I fully urge you to add to your RSS reader of choice. You can also follow him on Twitter under the same name as the blog: @ExecutiveDishwasher.

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving". - Lao-Tzu

Blog For Food

I'll be honest, I'm not one to jump on a lot of causes, but there are a few that are very near and dear to me. Share Our Strength is one that I completely believe in - and as I was trying to wade through the bog of death that is my google reader (I'm now at zero un-read, if you're keeping score at home and following on Twitter). This one is all about keepin' it right here in Oregon, the Oregon Food Bank needs you're help.

In the past year, the Oregon Food Bank has served record numbers this year - I really don't think I need to tell you why they have - with record numbers being served there are still people who are going without. With every dollar you donate to the OFB, it allows them to distribute five plus pounds of food for those in need.

The Pacific Northwest Cheese Project has put this together, and this will be running now through March 15th, and here's what you need to do to donate. First, click the image above (it will take you the OFB page). 

Here's what you do next: On the donation page type in "Blog For Food" in the "In Honor Of" section of the donation page. They're hoping to add the "Blog for Food" in the drop down, but right now typing it in is the best way to go.

Just remember for every dollar you donate, that's 5lbs of food.

Embarrassing.

I love Portland, the farm to table aspect, rising local cuisine, Slow Food and farmers markets. But yet when I take a look at the Oregonian Food Day section, it makes my blood boil at times. What I read yesterday made me embarrassed for the town and state I take a lot of pride in.

The writers of food day were asked to reveal what they have in their pantries, this one is what set me off.

Bouillon cubes: When a recipe calls for stock, the standard note is "preferably homemade." Like most Americans, I'm as likely to have quarts of homemade stock on hand as I am a few extra white truffles. That's why I love bouillon cubes. They're cheap, retro-riffic and don't take up much space. Sure, they have a funky yellow tinge, but these salty cubes put my mind at ease when a bean soup or grain pilaf needs a little extra something. Plus they come in a parade of fun international variations, such as Latin American chipotle or Southeast Asian curry, depending on where you shop. Sara Bir

The emphasis is all mine, mine I say!

Some of this just reeks of being lazy, which you have been conditioned for through years and years of being shown how to minimize the time spent in the kitchen. From 30 minute crapmeals, to short cuts that would include the aforementioned bouillon cubes. I bet you didn't  realize that those bouillon cubes contain a lot of sodium. 

In fact it ranks second highest on the list - right underneath table salt (and it's listed twice). I also don't care for the way she lumps everyone in together "Like most Americans.." - really? Maybe some of the people she knows, but I know that most I know either do their own, or used the boxed stuff. 

Table 1. Sodium Content of Selected Foods

Foods	Sodium Content mg per 100g or 3.5 ounces
Table salt	39,300 mg
Chicken bouillon cubes	16,300 mg
Soy sauce	7,120 mg
Minestrone soup, dry (pkt)	6,400 mg
Tomato soup, dry (pkt)	3,100 mg
Bacon, back, grilled	2,700 mg
Table salt	2,300 mg per teaspoon
Black bean sauce	2,150 mg
Smoked salmon	1,880 mg
Salami	1,800 mg
Pretzels	1,720 mg
Cornflakes	1,100 mg
Hard cheese	1,000 mg
Tortilla chips	850 mg
Potato chips	850 mg
Margarine (average)	800 mg
Butter regular, (average)	750 mg

Emphasis is once again mine.

I have no use for 'table salt' and really neither should you.

Don't get me wrong, I use salt every day in cooking at the restaurant and at home - but I use kosher salt or one of the many other salts (I'm a finishing salt junkie..). Kosher salt to season the dish, and some sel gris or another such salt to finish it right before it hits the table.

Also have you ever stopped to think that when you're at one of the finer dining establishments in town, there isn't a salt or pepper shaker to be found? That because if the chef and the line cooks do their jobs, your dinner will be perfectly salted for sure. Salt helps bring out the flavor of the food, to have it 'pop' is another.

Like salads..every time I make one - I salt the greens first - before so much of a drop of dressing is added. I dress the greens, taste for salt - add a pinch if needed - and blammo a very tasty salad. 

I wouldn't ever think, not to do this either at home or at work.

The Dream.

You know the one right?

Where your prep list keeps growing and growing all the while nothing seems to be getting done. Everyone around is moving at light speed - while you feel mired in the muck while underwater. The chef keeps glaring at  you, so you try to push yourself - and you know deep in the pit of your stomach that you deserve the ass chewing you're about to receive. Even your knife skills seem to have gone in the crapper.

When I was in radio it was the same dream, just the venue was different. Ten seconds left on a song, you go to pull your next cd and *poof* it's not there. So you reach for another, empty and another, same result as before. This continues until the song in the player runs out, you go to key the mic and it wont turn on. Even worse the mic turns on but as you go to speak, naturally nothing comes out.

Then you wake up, still feeling the anxiety of the dream.

Of course there is a waking version of the same dream, only the prep list doesn't get any longer- but still, fast isn't fast enough and it throws your whole night off kilter. You feel as though you've been in the weeds since you walked in the door, and spend all night fighting your way out.

The only thing we can do as cooks is push forward. 

I would like to give a hat tip to Kari from Anticiplate (@anticiplate on twitter) who's tweet sparked this here post.

Adios 2009!

That seems like forever ago. Yet only 8 or so months ago.

You don't think I'd pass over one final post in '09 did ya? What a wacky year this has been, from finishing up Culinary School to landing a gig and everything in between. I've seemed to have picked up momentum in the waning moments of 2009. I'm looking forward to use that momentum to plow forward into 2010.

I have at least one project in the works, I can't say what really yet - but it's exciting. Things at the restaurant are happening at a fast pace - and will only prove to get faster after the first of the year.  This is the first time in a very long time that I've looked forward going into the new year.

Excuse me while I try to explain something, in the only other way I know how - baseball.

2009 was a .500 season, good but not great and could be improved upon. I feel already that 2010 could be the season, there have been a few additions and subtractions that can help the ball club (and by ball club, I mean moi). I can't tell you how excited I am about things and doors opening up.

Oh and P.S. - If you have a Kindle you can subscribe to this here blog. The link to the store front is in the sidebar, only took a couple hours for it to be up and running.