Today's title brought to you by the and only Wil Wheaton. He posted it on twitter (@wilw if you are so inclined), and I don't know why - maybe cause I was a bit rummy as it was late - and Tuesdays = Monday for me (so my mental dex roll was horrid).
Anyways, I found it quite funny, and have decided that Notes From The Line's titles will be random movie quotes and other nonsense that will have no relation to the post at hand, or maybe it will.
Welcome to how my brain works (well sorta..)
The Dead Weather
We don't always have music going on in the kitchen, and during prep it's usually Pandora. But chef turned me on to a new band, Jack White's newest side project (what, he's got like a bajillion different 'side' projects) and from what chef was telling me it also included the lead singer from Portishead.
After doing some research (read: Google-fu), we were wrong. Her name is Alison Mosshart, lead singer of a band called "The Kills", she also sang with White's other project "The Racontuers" not to mention doing a couple songs with the "Arctic Monkeys" . "Horehound" is bluesy, crunchy and haunting at times.
At first blush I wasn't sure what to think, but with the entire album on repeat on my iPod touch during Saturday nights service, I was convinced. Take it from a guy who listened to music and had to make choices about what songs would make it on the air - this is friggin' great.
It's available through iTunes or whatever medium you choose, the point here is - beg, borrow, buy; whatever you need to do and pick this gem of a album up.
Trust me.... you wont be sorry.
The ole Uncle Charlie
For those not into baseball "Uncle Charlie" is slang for a curveball - which for the most part are pretty damn hard to hit. Well, depending on the pitcher - if you're the Mets' Oliver Perez you just sit on that sucker and wait for it to be presented to you on a hanger and mash it out of park.
(get used to the baseball analogies, pitchers and catchers have started to report)
Saturday night is our Friday night, as we're closed on Sunday and Mondays. And yes even though Sunday was Valentines day - we still weren't open. Beside it being a normal day we're closed it was Chef's wedding anniversary, so that was another major factor in not being open.
(See..there I go getting side tracked again...)
I arrived Saturday afternoon already running my prep list through my head, blinders on and ready to push through Saturday night service and enjoy my two days of rest. So focused was I, that I just started going about my work (setting up my station etc. etc.) once I clocked in.
Then the following conversation with chef took place:
Chef: Don't worry I got mise handled.
Me: Ok? [insert Spock like eyebrow lift]
Chef: I want you to make fudgy brownies.
Me: ..........
I felt a lump in my throat.
The look of abject horror on my face belied my usually calm exterior (ha! right...). If you know me at all, baking and desserts in general aren't really my thing - in both making and consuming of said desserts. If I know they're coming, it makes it easier (isn't that the point?), but not knowing or seeing it coming through me for a loop.
To be honest up to this point the only brownies I've ever made - fudgy or otherwise came straight out the box. Me and Duncan Hines are tight. After having a little refresher on ratio's, which for the dyslexic in me is a pain in the ass to keep the #'s straight - and went for it.
The lesson here kids is this: A chef could call on you to do something A. Spur of the moment and B. Way frakkin' out of your comfort zone. You need to be prepared for this (unlike I was - which to me is irritating), working with blinders is great when you need to push through prep.
But (there's always a but isn't there?) don't be surprised if chef decides to throw you the old "Uncle Charlie".
And when it does come? Knock it out of the friggin' park.