A lot of people get depressed after the holidays, but I get happy.  The toughest, busiest time of the year has passed, and I don’t have to worry about it for another year.  The New Years Eve dessert is done (Chocolate 4 Ways, above.) and the 200+ diners (at Roux) are happily fed.   And of course in a few days I’ll be starting my new job at Ten-01.   Already the excitement is building, and people are talking.  It’s been a crazy couple of months since I broke my wrist, shit, since I’ve been in Portland.  I really hope to settle in to this new job and concentrate on becoming a better chef.  I’ve resolved in the new year to focus hard on the things that matter most to me, and to weed out the things that are bogging me down.  I’ll be 29 this year, time to grow up.  I’d like to send a big mrjeffmccarthy.com shout out to Papa Haydyn, Fenouil, Lucier, 503 Carlyle, Roux, Genoa, and any other place I may have forgotten that I interviewed, staged, or worked at since arriving to this great city in May.  All the great chefs and people I have met have given me an interesting understanding of what a small pond we’re all swimming in here in Portland.   Also big ups to my sweetie-pie, Kate, for always being there and always supporting me through these transitional times.  Likewise mad props to Jaybill and Keri, for being understanding whenever I came up short on rent.  I love y’all (sniff.)

This here is Jen.  She and I are pastry assistants at Fenouil.  I don’t often get to work with her because we cover one anothers off-days, and shifts over-lap infrequently.  I always look forward to seeing her, we have such fun in the kitchen together, and a like-mindedness about pastry.  Her chocolate work is some of the best I have seen in my career, the snap on her temper is spot on every time, and she comes up with some interesting flavor combinations for her truffles and candies.  Chef Pascal recently asked her to start selling her chocolates retail through the restaurant.  I hope they get that going.  When Jen and I work together, the tasks become backround to the banter, which is more often than not conveyed in a brittish accent.  So Happy Birthday Jen, you are so much more than a crazy-cat lady…you rock!! More Blood for the Master!!

It all started last night, I forgot both my keys and phone at work, then I couldn’t sleep, ended up watching a horrible early morning movie.  After I finally got to sleep I woke up to late, realized I didn’t have my keys…and had to ride my bike to work under rain-heavy skies.  When I got there…it was locked…after waiting ten minutes, Bruce let me in and when I found my phone, I had several messages.  Two of which messages hinted toward how I had not shown up for shifts at Fenouil and that my job there was on the line!! Apparently I had misread the schedule and was looking at the wrong week!!! Damn it!! After much phone deliberation I sped over there on my bike to hash it all out and try and keep my job.  Which I did (whew.)  On my way back to Carlyle, however, in the pouring rain, I slipped-out on a street car track and crashed my bike!!! And of course threw out my bad wrist to catch myself!!  So my entire painful shift of new menu prep and dinner desserts was done with one hand, and one severely swollen hand/wrist!! I hope I didn’t re-break the fucker!!  Sheesh!! WWSMD?

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!!

Cooking for a living can be a really tough job.  The hours are long,  pay is low, and the prep monotonous.  If you work for a good house, however, the rewards can be…delicious.  Pictured above is a typical daily diet for me while I’m at work.  On the left, was my lunch of grilled salmon with fingerling potatoes, spinach and yellow pepper salad, and some kind of rich butter sauce which I slurped up to fast to define.  On the right, dinner, a mid-rare Kobe tri-tip with grilled asparagus and “Kobe Sauce, ” which is made from two kinds of stock and reduced with some kind of wine.  Sure, I don’t eat like this everyday, and when I do, I usually have to scarf it down over a garbage pail as I’m running to pull something from the oven.  But hey, I eat well.  The free coffee is also a perk.

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.