kitchen Angst!

Whenever It’s slow at the restaurant, and I get board, I turn to my interest of making up a new dish or improving on an old staple. The staff loves these days…I cook a lot, and they eat it all!

Today it was national drop it in the fryer day!! Thats always a big hit!!

This time I focused on the all American breakfast, I fried bacon in a pancake batter, Oh yea!!

Then I fried Chicken apple sausage links on sticks like mini breakfast corn dogs, even better!!

After this I turned to the more ambitious ideas bouncing around in my head like deep fried eggs? I first soft boiled the eggs so only the whites were cooked, then chilled them down, peeled them, dusted them with flour, and battered them again with a pancake batter and into the fryer they went!! When they came out the batter was a golden brown, and the yolk was still a bit runny, not my best idea but very interesting!! I think if I poached the egg first then battered it, I might like it more! Next time…

Next came the toast! After toasting my bread I slathered it with jam and you guessed it…It got dredged in batter and into the oil It went!!! This was a winner all around, crispy, sweet loveliness!!

The hash was a bit tricky at first. I wanted to make deep fried potato hash, not potato fritters! It took a while, but I soon got the amount of hash-to-batter ratio down I think! Forming them into patties helped create the illusion as well!

Well there you have it, My “new way to die happy”! A fully deep fried breakfast! I your ever hungover, and not afraid of dying from congestive heart failure, look me up, and I’ll be more than happy to fix you a Deep Fried Country Breakfast… With all the trimmings of course!

All I ask is that you don’t give your doctor my name!!

James

My favorite radio station here just went off the air last week, and I am not pleased!

indy 103.1 has left the air waves to become an Internet only radio station, This is great for them, and me when I can listen to them on my computer, but not while I am at work! Now I have to find another radio station that plays songs I like, and puts me in a good mood during the day! A happy chef’s food tastes better, so this is an important thing to worry about in the kitchen! I have only the first half of my day to control the dial, At 11am or 11:30 the Latinos get it and It’s all Latin all afternoon! While I have learned most of the songs, There not my Ideal for cooking too! If I’m not happy with my early morning selection I end up in a bad mood all day, therefor the food will suffer! I have had some regular customers come to me and say that they could tell when I was in “a bad way” because the food didn’t have It’s usual does of love!! This is really disturbing to me, I know that cooking, and eating is a very emotional thing but professionally I want to be “on” all the time!

Music plays a huge part in our state of mind, and therefor determines how we preform! If you are listening to music that makes you nervous, your guests will taste the Angst in the food! I don’t care what music it is! Indy made me happy even when the song reminded me of something sad in my life!! An old friend that was always right! Now, my friend is gone and I’m walking these streets alone! I need a new friend!!!! I’m an old punk rocker at heart so It’s hard to find a radio station that fits my needs and desires, as well as doesn’t anger the Latins in the kitchen! I think my only hope is to get my laptop fixed so I can again listen to 103.1 and please us all once again! wish me luck!

James

I want to explore the reason We, as Chefs are a single bunch! I feel I have a good outlook on this subject. I am a chef and single! I have been in relationships that ( looked as though) would go the the distance, but never have. I feel this is because of the never ending need for me to put my kitchen, or staff first. It is hard for me to put anything, or anyone ( other than my job) first in my life. When I do, It is all I do. I think I become too smothering, I focus on the relationship, instead of the love that brought it to be. I focus on keeping it running smoothly ( like my kitchen ), instead of keeping it alive. I can’t focus on the passion, only the the details! This KILLS all the the spontaneity. I have only myself to blame. I want nothing more than “to be in love, and share a life with someone”. I don’t ever see It happening for me though. One, I am a very independent spirit. Also I am too demanding! I am very loyal and demanding at the same time, I am Honest to a fault, I cannot lie. I expect the same from my partner. This is ( in my experience ) to much to ask! I am a “Great friend” but not a “good lover”this makes me sad! I have come close, but never reached that point where someone else has loved me as much as I loved them! I don’t think I will ever get to that point, but I will always dream!!!!

My last beau told me ( as He was breaking my heart)  that I was a “good man”… even though I knew He meant well, this was a devastating blow!! Your a good man Charlie Brown rang through my ears, and in my head!! He just called me Charlie Brown! The one that got the ball pulled away at the last moment! Never found true love! And always ended up alone, with even His dog feeling bad for Him! When would it be my turn to find the bliss others have found? Or at least the relationship that someone else is willing to work on as much as I am? When will I become Linus, not Charlie!?

I have struggled with this for some time now. I love fully! I need to be loved fully! I want Prince Charming to ride up and whisk me away to never never land! I need romance! I need to feel as loved, as I love! I need to know that My love is matched!

I understand that this may be asking too much, But I can’t be the best man again, I need to be THE MAN! I can’t settle for I might, or I will.

I need… I Do! 

A good man… I know I am!

I need to be THE MAN!

I don’t care where you are, I will move anywhere for this love!! Even to Croatia! All I ask is that you love me, as much I love you!!

James

For those of you that know me, you know I have two “myspace” accounts, one “Facebook” account, and I’m on skype, twitter, and many other sites that I try to keep up with as much as I can!

I have found it difficult to keep up with all of my online activities lately! My blog has really taken a blow, so much so that I am no longer getting paid my “per post” rate anymore! I know I ‘m not alone in this downgrade, however it has made me consider giving it up all together! My favorite blog cohorts have also been hit hard and I feel It is just to much to try and keep plugging my way through with little or no results! I love writing, that’s not the issue, It’s just trying to keep up my numbers ( U. V.s ) is a tough thing in these times! I have to pay my rent not serf the net, and some days I just don’t feel motivated to write about my life! I know I have a great and loyal fan base, but according to the powers that be that’s not enough! I may understand the business end of it, but I feel they have lost the community aspect of it! “It takes a village” and I thought this was just that… a village, not a competition! Some of my friends have also lost there standing here, and feel as I that it is getting too hard to please everyone else first! My friends on Facebook just read me the riot act about not writing more! My response to them was that I was no longer getting out of it, what I started it for! They responded… you started it for the wrong reasons then!!

I think I get it now, I may have started this as a money making venture, but it has turned into something much more!! I may not like that, but it is the truth! I may never make another dime… but I promise to keep writing! If not here, somewhere! For now the Angst will continue!! I will do my best to write daily again, about things you want to read, or know! please if you have any ideas or suggestions for me let me know!!

I will follow any lead you give me!!

James

I have always enjoyed growing my own herbs, tomatoes, and even vegetables at times, even for the restaurant. I have often designed my specials around what I harvested that day! While I was working in Minneapolis, MN. at the Loring cafe I grew my own purple potatoes right out front in our outdoor seating area! I also had my little herb garden there as well. Every day I would go out and take 10 minutes weeding, tending to the garden and thinking about what I wanted to fix for a special. I would dig up enough potatoes for the night, clip my herbs and answer all the questions asked of me by the patrons sitting near by! There were always a lot of questions, people found it oddly amazing that I grew my own potatoes, and most of them were intrigued enough to return for dinner and enjoy my creation, bragging to their friends that they had seen me dig the potatoes out of the ground just hours ago! This was dinner as theater, at it’s finest!! I did hate it when they would request me at the table, I always tried to pretend I was to busy, but the server  would usually insist I go! My S.A.D. really doesn’t kick in as bad when I’m in my cooking costume so I could manage okay, but I still hated going out in the dinning room!

Now to my leading question! I had someone recently make a snide comment about how chefs all grow their own herbs and veggies, like it was some kind of social statement that we were better than the average man!

I said: No, we just like fresh produce and love seeing the dish through from start to finish!

They replied: sounds pompous to me! The herbs in the market aren’t fresh enough for you?

No, I responded: There too expensive! Herbs are nothing more than tasty weeds, why not grow your own?

As you can see I didn’t make a friend that day, however I just might have put someone in their place on proper etiquette.

In this day and age anything we can do to save some money is well worth the time and effort I say! Grow your own and save that money for something else!

Frugal Wins!!!

James

Friganice are another type of Croatian fritter, only these are easier to prepare and require less oil to fry. They are more along the lines of a doughy thick pancake.

Ingredients:

1 egg

1/2 kg flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

one glass ( 8oz. ) milk

1 teaspoon vanilla sugar

combine all the ingredients in a bowl and fry in about 2 in. of oil, until golden on one side, flip, and finish cooking ( about 4 to 6 minutes on each side ). Remove from the oil, let them drain, and dust heavily with powdered sugar. And Now ENJOY!!

now as I said yesterday these recipes were given to me in the Croatian way of writing recipes, I have done my best to translate them into a form that Americans can follow. I haven’t had the time to test them out on my own, so they may need some tweaking. As I get into the kitchen and try them, I will keep you posted on any changes that I my come across, likewise If you try them and find you are having trouble… PLEASE LET ME KNOW! I would love the feed back, and any advice or adjustments that you may find necessary.

My friends favorite meal is Pasticada with Gnocchi: A national Dalmatian dish using veal that has been soaked in vinegar for a few days before prepared. I want to bring this to you soon as well, This is a fine example of a dish that is more regional, and less International, just my cup of tea!

I am planning a trip to visit Him and the area in May of this year, I will be eating my way through as much of the region as I can, I promise to share my discoveries with you as I go! He has also promised at least a day trip to Venice, Italy, A city I have always wanted to see. May won’t come quick enough for me I’m afraid.

James

In a recent discussion with my Friend in Croatia, I found myself again on the subject of food. I am always wanting authentic recipes to import, and introduce to the American public! We started talking about Fritule ( Fritters, to all you Americans out there).   I have Apple Fritters on my brunch menu,  so I was intrigued about how they differ… if at all. He was kind enough to give me some recipes to share with you!

Now they write recipes differently then we do, and they use the metric system so I will have to translate as best I can for you. I will first give you the ingredients as they were given to me, then I will do my best to translate them into an American style.

Croatia

Fritule:

2 Yogurt

2 eggs

6 spoons sugar

some rum

almonds

raisins

lemon peel ( or orange peel )

20 to 26 spoons of flour

1  packet of baking powder

mineral water

Soak the raisins in the rum and let set. Chop the almonds fine. and combine all the ingredients.

To cook:

In a large pot add about a liter of oil ( sunflower oil ) on med heat, heat the oil until the batter bubbles when it is dropped in. with two spoons drop the batter into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides ( you will need to turn them over half way through ). Remove form the oil, let them drain, and dust with powdered sugar just before serving. Serve warm.

Now some helpful hints to decipher this recipe!

1 Yogurt is 200g, so 200g=7.054 oz.

a spoon is a Tablespoon

1 packet is 7g, so 7g=0.246 oz.

16 Tablespoons=1 cup

1 ounce= 30 grams

America

Fritters:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 & 1/4  cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

3 teaspoons salt

3 eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

1 granny smith apple ( diced )

sift all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, in a small bowl beat the eggs in the milk, add the wet to the dry mixing with a wooden spoon or spatula. mix in the apples and reserve

To cook:

In a large pot add about 1 quart of oil ( vegetable oil ), on medium heat bring the oil to 325 degrees F., using two spoons drop the batter into the oil and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 10 to 12 minutes, ( turn them over half way through ). Remove from the oil and let drain, dust with powdered sugar just before serving, serve warm!

As you can see these two examples are very similar, with just minor differences. this shows us that food is much more universal and blended together than we may have believed. I know in my limited travels, I have found that I was more shocked by the similarities, than the differences!

He has given me more recipes that I wish to share with you soon!

Until then I’m off to discover more great foods from far away lands!

James

Most people don’t think that using a different hand, changes anything. Well I’m here to tell you IT DOES!

I really didn’t understand it myself, until I had the opportunity to work in a “left-handed” kitchen! Yes I worked in a kitchen totally set up for a south paw!!!! My boss and the owner was lefty as well so He set it up the way He wanted and didn’t care if a person how was right-handed came in and had a hard time!

It was His kitchen, so they would have to deal for a change!!!

I loved it, I couldn’t believe how much easier my life was! Everything I had always struggled with in the past was a breeze here. It sounds odd but even the placement of the refrigerators, or how the doors open, make a HUGE difference and most can be adjusted for those of us using the wrong hand. The can opener was in the right place for me, I no longer hit my knuckles on the wall while using it. The stove was positioned so that I could get to everything and still have my cutting board on the left side of my station!! I was in Heaven!

From that point on it was our joke that you had to not only have tattoo’s to work in our kitchen, you had to be left-handed as well! We pulled it off for a while, I think we were in business for just over a year before we got our first right-handed cook. And boy was it fun to watch him struggle… He kept bitching…Why can’t we move this?, why is that there?, I hate this set up, this kitchen is all ass-backwards!! I hate you guys!!!!! We would just laugh and say “get over it, we did for years!”

Now to go a bit deeper into the whole thing. I have a few knives that have left-handed handles, but their hard to find.  however when you hone your blade, the hand you hold it in determines which side is going to be more sharp! If a right-handed chef picks up my knife and tries to use it they will think it’s dull, I love this, It keeps them from ever grabbing my tools! Even after I show them that when I use it, it is as sharp as theirs they have a hard time believing that it makes such a difference.

Now days you can find just about anything made for us lefties, but as I said they are not always easy to come across! Most stores just don’t stock them!

I found this great site that offers a wide range of things for all of us south paws! ( You will also find other links to more sites on there )!

Well I hope I’ve opened your eyes a bit wider, and maybe taught you something.

I really just wanted to rant about being back in a right-handed kitchen!!

James

On the 3rd, I discussed all the recessive genes I have been blessed with, and as melissan stated in here comment, Yes I am “a recessive gene gone wild”! However of all these qualities, only one influences my daily life!
Being a South paw ( left handed ) has affected me more than even I realized, until I started Culinary school. In my first year butchery class, my very french instructor, acted like He had never met someone who used there left hand before. He had no idea how to show me how to butcher a whole fish, or anything else for that matter. I was left to my own devices to watch Him and reverse it, this was very frustrating for me and I would get so angry, I would just ask for Him to go slower and allow me to study what his hands were doing. We did get along well, but we were both aggravated at best! Once I would get it down, I would have to show Him, and explain the whys of my every move, this meant I had to learn to do everything with both my left and right hand, so I could explain how they were the same, Just different! This was my downfall at school!! After that class I got the reputation of being the doubting Thomas of the year! Needing to know why for everything, I also had to return to butchery class every block and give demonstrations on left handed techniques. For a student with S.A.D. that just wanted to fade into the background this was a nightmare!
I did learn a lot about the differences, between right, and left handers., but I was thrust into a spotlight that I couldn’t turn off for two years!

In every block ( class )  I was the one that got the extra homework…a book report on the differences between real butter and margarine,  Why you start your potatoes in cold water when you want to boil them, or why something sticks to your pan as your sauteing it, and how to prevent it from happening!

OUCH!!!! ENOUGH!!! I just want to be a regular student!

I did get a first rate education, and now I am grateful to my instructors for forcing me out of my comfort zone,  and helping me learn to deal with my S.A.D. even though they had no idea that’s what they were doing.
Tomorrow I will talk about the present, and how this has helped me succeed in my profession!
till then,
James

My family tree held on to all the recessive genes and dumped them all in one nut… ME!

Talk about being an odd ball! I love it though, I just wish I hadn’t been so outgoing, and loud as a kid. I wanted to talk about everything, being the youngest of three, this caused more problems for me, I was always being told to “shut up, that I was stupid”, and that “I would never be anything”! Well I guess I believed them enough to make it so! That’s how S.A.D. starts most of the time… a traumatic time in your childhood.

I have now realized this and am working on getting over those feelings of worthlessness, however they do still creep into my daily life… if I’m not careful! Even though I have recently gone through a devastating break up, I found someone new that loves me! I wont lie, I’m scared… “once bitten” as they say! But I refuse to allow the downfalls of my past to control my future! I will move on!!!! more slowly than before, and with an added since of self worth but that is what growth is all about. I have to realize that I am worth the love that is being shown too me! That my love for them is only half the equation. If it isn’t equal, It’s not worth my time!  This is a  hard thing to see, but with time I will figure it out… and make millions off my book!

The Heart is an amazing thing, even while it is broken, it can find love!! I never thought it true, but it is! I only hope this time it doesn’t end, or if it does… it wont ruin me for life! Through hardship, comes pleasure, so maybe this is just that for me! I have been nothing but  honest with my new Beau ( and He with me ) now only time and understanding will tell! He knows I have to take it slow, so we will!

No drugs involved!

just understanding, and proper communication!

James