The first night of the new dessert menu for Carlyle…well…it kicked ass.  The Car Bomb was of course the big seller, closely followed by The Deep Fried Caramel Apple Bread Pudding.  I was really happy with how the Cheesecake Three Ways went out, it was a study in cheesy custard.  We only sold two Velvet Elvis, but it was so great to hear the chef call it out across the kitchen, and to see dessert go out with bacon on it.  When the runner picked it up I called “Elvis has left the kitchen!”  The Rosemary Pinenut Tartlette was the sleeper, but a guest told the owner it was “damn good.”  I also put out a special order Apple Pie, for which we charged an exorbitant price.  The menu was so well recieved by the staff and guests it almost made me forget about this.

My buddy Matt Peasner set me up with this burger because he thought I might eat it easier with my tender healing wrist.  As soon as he brought it into the kitchen and gave it to me, three people (including two sous chefs) said “OOOOH I want one!!” Case and point…first thing you eat with is your eyes.  Matt is a solid cook, who has also dabbled in pastry, and he never leaves the restaurant without making sure I’ve eaten.  Rock on Peasner!!

So I’ll be heading back to work on Wednesday.  I’m feeling about 87% arm/wrist efficiency,  and 75% arm strength,  but 110% readiness to get back to work.  I’ll only be part time until mid-November, and will have to look for other ways to generate revenue.  A second and third job will be in order to help me get back on my feet, and start saving for Kate and I’s trip Europe in April.  I’m hoping to heal up enough for some mid or late season snowboarding as well.

Remember the clarified butter that Jaybill and I made to poach pork loin?  Well,  when we got some ultra-delicious looking lamb sausage from New Seasons, so did we.  After poaching about twenty minutes in 140 degree butter these babies were bursting with  buttery goodness.   So we lightly browned them, then devoured them.  This is the first time we made sausage that Jaybill was only able to eat one.  I on the other hand, ate two, and then butter poached bacon the following morning.  When I die way too young from massive heart failure, it will be with a big smile on my face.

Are you a chef or cook with exciting ideas about food?  Have you ever wondered what it would take to set up a blog showcasing your beautifully delicious food?  Could that blog be part of a community where other chefs like you can exchange ideas?  Can you could send pictures, directly from your phone of  specials or ideas to the web? Yes, you can.  And we can help. Diana Cicco of Food Arts magazine writes that “A blog is a low cost way to build word of mouth and buzz about your restaurant or yourself.”   A blog can also be a useful way of brainstorming with other chefs, and spreading knowledge and passion about food.   We can bulid a website featuring a blog, recipes, pictures that you can easily update from phone, home, or restaurant.   Imagine you were opening a new place,  or developing an exciting new menu, you could get customers excited about the food before they even ate it.  A simple text message could quickly post to your site, creating buzz on the web about all your culinary adventures.  These blogs will all link together to form a community where users can access a wealth of information.  Sound interesting?  Right now we are searching for some talented people to make up our core users, chefs who are willing to publish rich content about food and kitchen life.    Respond to this post, or email me at mrjeffmccarthy(at)yahoo(dot)com for more info.

There’s nothing  to do when you get hurt but crack a beer, take some drugs, go into the cave and pop in Goonies.  The cave is where you pull the shades, shut the lights, turn off your phone. and stay there till the next day. You might also go to the cave with a really bad hangover.   Its also where One Eyed Willy hangs out, in his boat, waiting for YOU to come and steal his treasure.

No, this isn’t about the thing with the butter and the guniea pig, so dont get excited.  Sometimes when I look at food being prepared or served I think: That is Food Porn.  Seeing a pig rotate slowly rotate over a hot fire, watching someone fold whip cream into eggs and choclolate, a case of red peppers cut up into a perfect julienne, are all great examples. This pig spun over hot coals for 27 hours.  Then I ate an eyeball.