Victor the “Flair Quitter”

January 22, 2010 at 7:50 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

It’s no secret that in the culinary industry, employees sometimes come and go faster than the urinal cakes get changed in the men’s restroom. Waitrons are expected to work for tips, they’re forced to work weekends and holidays, must deal with surly kitchen staff and they live with the realization that there really are no valid employment advancment opportunities to speak of. Often times, the waitron will be fair and honest with the employer when resigning (sometimes they even give a full two weeks notice), while at other times they simply stop showing up to work and screen their calls until the employer finally gets the hint. There does exist, however, the legendary “flair quitter.”

Meet Victor. Victor was one of the most dedicated waiters I’ve ever had the privilage to work with but unfortunately, he became a pawn in a restaurant group takeover that resulted in him (as well as the rest of us) having to deal with a new owner who was busy killing the restaurant with his strange business ethics and behavior. I plan to talk about him at great length in a later post, but in a nutshell, he tried changing the menu from authentic Italian to Lebonese, and fired virtually my entire kitchen staff to make room for his cooks (they never showed up). When the restaurant was a successful neighborhood Italian joint, Victor was the lead waiter/FOH manager, but once the new owner (let’s call him Arturo) started to make his changes, the customers vanished and Victor was quickly demoted to simply being “waiter.” He was upset with what was happening, and he and I talked at great length many times about the fate of the restaurant and the ways Arturo was running it into the ground. Beyond just firing 80% of the staff and trying to force a bunch of loyal Italian customers to eat schwerma and lentils, he was too cheap to put his elderly mother in a home or even elderly day-care. That meant that “Momma” was parked on table 39 from ten a.m. when Arturo arrived until two a.m. the next morning. Of course, she did take the occasional potty-break and one of Victor’s new job responsibilities included taking her for her mid-afternoon stroll around the parking lot before dinner service. Being the “yes-man” that he was, he approached this uncomfortable and awkward task with aplomb and professional courtesy – however, Momma didn’t like him at all. Even though she didn’t speak English, she made it aware with her body language that she hated Victor. I do have to hand it to Victor, though, if it were myself in that situation I would have put my foot down long before. One fateful Saturday afternoon, Arturo called Victor into the office and demoted him to bus-boy. Even though Victor had exhibited extreme adaptability to any situation and had planned to stick it out until the restaurant group realized that Arturo needed to go, enough was enough. Directly following the meeting, Arturo had the nerve to remind Victor that Momma needed her afternoon walk. Before Victor went to Momma’s table, though, he came to me in the kitchen and asked if he could have a steak – any type of steak. Assuming he was hungry, I asked him how he wanted it cooked (through all the B.S., I fed Victor… he deserved at least that much). He told me that he just wanted a raw steak, and the bigger the better. I asked what he was up to and he just repeated that he needed a raw steak immediately so out of morbid curiousity, I gave him one of the 14 ounce rib-eyes I had cut for dinner service. I then watched in horror as he put half of it between his belt and his pants effectively covering his crotch. He then walked out to table 39 with this raw bloody hunk of meat flapping around and right in front of Momma, put his hands on his hips, thrust out his pelvis and yelled in a loud booming voice, “MY NAME IS BEEF-PANTS!” before grabbing the piece of meat and slapping it down on the table. Momma was visibly shocked and Victor put his hands on the table, leaned in and looked her straight in the face and said “How do you say ‘I quit’ in Lebonese?” Arturo, meanwhile, had seen all of this transpire and started after Victor yelling about how he was fired and how he’d never work anywhere again. Victor walked calmly to the door all the while with Arturo’s screaming obscenities behind him. Once Victor reached the door, he turned around and grabbed Arturo’s face with his two hands and planted a kiss right on his lips. Arturo went ballistic at that point and started screaming all sorts of derogatory things about homosexuals (Victor wasn’t gay by the way, just pushed WAY too far) and less than a month later, Arturo disappeared in the middle of the night with half of the leased restaurant equipment leaving all the employees without jobs (or their final paychecks). I guess that if you’re planning to quit, you should really plan it out so that nobody ever forgets! Victor and I lost touch a few years back but he is still famous in this town for being the best “flair quitter” ever. Victor, I salute you today!

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On Masturbation and Food…

January 3, 2010 at 12:20 am · Filed under Uncategorized

Warning: This blog entry is rated PG-13, so unless you’re older than the cheese in my fridge, please leave now…

I hope everyone had a great New Years and woke up remembering at least parts of the celebration! In the Chef Delaney household, we had friends and family over for appetizers, drinks and Blu-ray movies on our new 46″ LCD flatscreen. Overall, a great evening with excellent food and wine. I made my famous Thai chicken satay, prosciutto stuffed jumbo mushrooms, cabbage spring rolls with rooster sauce, prosciutto wrapped asparagus in puff pastry, rosemary-garlic sirloin skewers in an aged balsamic marinade and some wonderful “stinky” cheese from California’s famous Cowboy Creamery in Point Reyes. Everyone loved the food, the libations were flowing freely and I even got to see the look of shock on my Grandmother’s face when she saw a naked Chinese man jump out of a car trunk in high-def on the movie ‘The Hangover’.

As I was falling asleep last night though, I remembered that I hadn’t updated this blog for awhile. I brainstormed a bit about what would be interesting to write about and came up with a very interesting subject – masturbation and food. Not using food to masturbate mind you (I can’t help but think about cucumbers and bananas), but rather how the negative attitudes toward masturbation has influenced certain food products that you’ll probably find in your pantry even today. Less than a century ago there existed Scientists and Doctors who believed that diet could affect one’s libido,  and being that giving in to carnal pleasures was deemed as sinful and unhealthy behavior, they strived to create foods that would “nourish the body without encouraging the devil’s desires.” – J.H. Kellogg.

Today, this type of attitude is laughable but we only have to look back a few hundred years to see the same type of thinkers burning innocent women at the stake. Thankfully, we now know that lust is not controlled by what we eat (though perfectly seared fois gras does give me a chubby) and we are therefore free to enjoy any foods available without pissing off the Pope. That said, here a few historical examples of how diet has been influenced by the fear of masturbation…

The Apple – I’m sure you’re all familiar with the story of a certain woman, a snake and an apple tree. If not, go get the bible and start reading. We’ll wait… In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were free to eat whatever they wanted with the exception of one thing – fruit from the tree of wisdom. Of course, Adam and Eve were only two years old at the time they were told this and being the two-year old brats that they were, had to go against authority thus condemning humanity to a life of STD’s, taxes and Pauly Shore movies. Seriously, they had to have only been in their terrible twos. Why would God put this pressure on them in the first place? “Hey guys, be all free and stuff… oh, but don’t eat the apples, okay?” I’m sure Eve adjusted her fig-leaf diaper and shouted “MINE!” God should have been a more attentive parent… but that’s another blog entirely. How exactly did the tree of wisdom become an apple tree? Only the earliest theological scholars know for sure but one thing is for sure; throughout history, there have been a number of religions that have stigmatized the apple. They believed that after Adam and Eve had both eaten of the apple, they became aware of their nakedness. Funny how at first they hid but ultimately went on to fuck like rabbits to seed the children of Abraham. I know it’s not exactly masturbation but apparently the apple did get the ball rolling. Not only that, but because of the apple, we can all consider ourselves the product of inbreeding – think about it.

Grandma’s Easy Applesauce:

• 8 Cups Peeled and Chopped Tart Apples
• 1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
• 2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp Ground Nutmeg

In a large saucepan, cook all ingredients together over medium-low heat until apples are tender (about 30 minutes). Remove from heat and mash with a potato masher or blend in a food processor for smoother applesauce. Serve hot or chilled. Yields about 6 servings.

The Graham Cracker – Ever had s’mores? Those deliciously sweet snacks you make while camping? Would you believe that one of the main ingredients in s’mores was created by a Presbyterian Minister almost 200 years ago with the idea that it would keep children from masturbating? The graham cracker was named after it’s creator, Rev. Sylvester Graham in 1829 and beared little resemblance to the tasty treat we know it as today. Rev. Graham believed that a bland diet could curb off unhealthy carnal urges and save souls. Originally, the graham cracker was made using a mixture of unbleached fine ground white flour with coarse ground wheat bran (called Graham flour) and contained honey instead of sugar. It was his theory that a bland diet paired with an unexcitable lifestyle would help children supress their sexual urges until they were too old and sedentary to give a shit. Unfortunately, many of his charges still found the opportunity and urge to do what nature makes it so easy to do when bored out your skull. It’s not unfortunate that they were masturbating; it’s just tragic that they were caught. If Rev. Graham’s diet regimens and sermons couldn’t cast out the demonic desires of the flesh, the offender would find themselves subjected to barbaric devices affectionately referred to as “genital cuffs” and possible mutilation. But hey, it’s better than going blind, right?

Graham Cracker Pie Crust:

• 6 Tbsp Softened Butter
• 24 Graham Crackers
• 1/4 Sugar
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 Tsp Allspice or Nutmeg
• Appr. 2 Cups Dried Beans (To pre-bake pie shell)

In a food processor or blender, pulse the graham crackers, butter, sugar, vanilla extract and allspice or nutmeg until blended. Once finished, press into the bottom and sides of a 9″ pie dish to form crust. Press a sheet of foil onto the crust pressing to shape and fill with dry beans. Bake in a 350 degree oven for ten minutes and remove to cool. Use for your favorite pies and enjoy!

Kellogg’s Corn Flakes – Another fun character was a Dr. by the name of John Harvey Kellogg. Guess what he invented? Here’s a clue: it wasn’t easy-cheese. Dr. Kellogg invented what has become one of the most popular breakfast cereals to ever hit the shelves and the history is fascinating. Unlike the graham cracker, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes are produced exactly the same as when they were first created in 1894 and were only served at the Battle Creek Sanitarium where Dr. Kellogg was the Superintendant. Dr. Kellogg believed that masturbation was an unhealthy practice not so much for religious reasons but rather for the mania and insanity it seemed to create in mental patients. He believed that a strict regimen of enemas, vegetarian diet and abstinance from alcohol, tobacco and most importantly masturbation could cure even the most mentally unbalanced of patients. His methods were not as extreme as the scary-as-hell Rev. Graham, but the thought of having to endure yogurt enemas every day still gives me the heebie-jeebies!

Corn Flake Breading for Chicken:

• 2 Cups Kellogg’s Corn Flakes
• 1/2 Cup Bleached Four
• 1/4 Cup Corn-meal
• 2 Tbsp Corn Starch
• 1 Tbsp BBQ Spice Rub
• 1 Tsp Salt

Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and pulse until blended. Dredge quartered chicken pieces first in flour, than buttermilk and then the corn flake breading. Fry as you would normally cook fried chicken.

Now that we’ve talked a bit about foods that cause you not to masturbate, how about those that supposedly do? Well guess what guys? There really are no foods that act as an aphrodisiac. Sure, certain foods can get you in the mood but psychologically speaking, if you’re getting horny while eating strawberries or oysters, it’s because your brain is realeasing hormones due to outside influences… like nakedness? Or the hope of nakedness? Or the remote possibility of nakedness? Or “Damned, it’s been a long time since I had some nakedness!”? Food has nothing to do with it though a diet high in saturated fats CAN supress sexual performance but that’s only because high blood pressure and heart disease are setting in. That’s not what Dr. Kellogg had in mind at all! The notion that diet can somehow affect your libido is bullshit and as long as you maintain a healthy lifestyle and have good mental stability, go to town on yourself! Masturbation is not unhealthy (though I wouldn’t recommend doing it at the dinner table), but always remember what some people had to go through for you to be able to enjoy those graham crackers…

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Barbecue – Who gets the credit?

December 16, 2009 at 10:40 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

Barbecue – A word that has become synonymous with smoky sauces, backyard pool parties, tail-gating and those quirky “Kiss The Chef” aprons. When most people hear the word Barbecue, they see an image of the suburbanite baby-boomer stacking Kingsford briquettes into his Weber, lighting it up and burning a pack of Ballparks… the typical nuclear family of the fifties.

Ask any good cook though, and they may tell you about the sweet vinegar based sauce that makes North Carolina pulled-pork so tasty. Or perhaps they’ll rave about the way you can cut a slow-smoked Texas brisket with a plastic spoon. Some will sing the praises of the dry-rubbed Memphis BBQ and extoll the virtues of adding the sauce (mopping) at the very end. Even more may brag about the mustardy tang of a traditional northeast deep-pit beef BBQ. Whatever the story may be, most people agree that barbecue means American.

And now for a pre-history lesson. Barbecue contains two key elements – meat and fire (something the cave-men were doing long before tail-fins on Cadillacs and the Donna Reed Show).

Because pre-modern man figured out early on that roasting meat over a fire not only reduced the likelihood of illness but actually made food taste better, rising civilizations throughout the globe developed essentially the same style of early cooking – take a piece of meat, subject it to fire and eat it once it gets darker.

The current method of barbecuing is thought to have derived from the Caribbean’s early version of cooking called barabicu, and the current spelling of the word is likely to have been picked up by the first Spanish settlers. Meanwhile, across the Gulf of Mexico, the early Meztesos and South American tribes had their own version of fire-cooking called barbacoa that involved burying a wrapped cut of meat (traditionally goat) in a hole and then building a fire over it to heat up and cook the buried meat. This same cooking style has been found in use everywhere from the Polynesian islands, New Zealand & Australia, parts of Africa, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, China and variations of early “deep-pit” barbecue can be found virtually anywhere meat is consumed.

So, if barbecue developed simultaneously throughout the world, who gets the credit? The correct answer is… there is no correct answer! The general concensus is that the latin-american barbacoa was the first recognized form of fire-cooking but, though they were historically the first culture to be recognized “q-ers”, cave drawings have proven otherwise.

Whatever the case may be, barbecue takes us back to our primal element – back to the time when our only fear was being eaten by a saber-toothed tiger. I take comfort knowing that barbecue has lasted through the ages. It’s good to know that one day my great-great-great-great-grandchildren will be consuming meat that’s been cooked with fire. I’m just hoping someone will still be passing along my famous Smoked Peach & Chipotle BBQ Sauce recipe…

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What the hell IS figgy pudding anyways?!

December 12, 2009 at 4:39 am · Filed under Uncategorized

Allright… yippee-freakin-yay… It’s that time of the year when all my favorite radio stations break out the Christmas music and play it non-stop. Now don’t get me wrong – I’m all for Christmas music. I just hate it when I’m subjected to it when I should be listening to something actually worth listening to. I guess I might just have to break down and get that ipod docking station before next Christmas…
One song that seems to be played to death is ‘We wish you a merry Christmas.’ It’s a fine song but it gets old fast. However, there is one line that always makes me scratch my neanderthal-ish head. “Bring us some figgy-pudding.” Never mind that they’re putting demands on their host… I mean refusing to leave until they get some?! What are they, Royalty?! And the REAL question, of course is

What the hell IS figgy pudding anyways?!

This was driving me nuts so I did what any good journalist would do and googled it. It turns out that figgy pudding is actually more of a steamed cake than a custard and takes more than three hours to cook. I guess those guests are planning to stay awhile…

Figgy pudding is an English dessert recipe that was developed in the fifteenth century and was a popular Christmas menu item. The name is misleading though as figgy pudding may or may NOT contain figs and was often times made with carrots instead. Several variations of the ancient recipe exist but a common element is the steaming method used to cook it. Typically, the batter would be put into a cast-iron kettle that was then placed inside a bigger kettle with a cushion of water between the two (think bain-marie). Then, both kettles were covered tightly with a cloth soaked in creme and placed over a low fire to cook. The cloth would have to be splashed with creme at regular intervals to avoid scorching and the fire would have to be just hot enough to not burn the bottom of the mixture. After three hours or so the kettle would be removed and allowed to cool and would usually be served in a bowl and sprinkled with cinnamon and/or nutmeg. Almost like a medieval bread pudding…

On my quest of figgy pudding enlightenment, I ran across tons of recipes that tried to stay true to the original cooking technique but seeing that I have niether a pot-au-fue kettle or a fire-pit in my kitchen, I decided to tweak the recipe a bit and make it more approachable for today’s home cook. I DID stay true to the ingredients (though suet is not the easiest thing to find). So now that the mystery of figgy pudding is solved, here’s an easy adaptation for you to try this Christmas. Cooking time is still a bit long so you may want to make it a day in advance but mine turned out pretty tasty actually…

Christmas Figgy Pudding

Ingredients:

–         ½ cup salted butter or suet (kidney fat)

–         1 cup molasses

–         6 whole eggs

–         2 cups finely minced sugar figs

–         1 cup crème fraiche or buttermilk

–         ½ cup chopped walnuts

–         ¼ cup pureed carrots

–         3 cups sifted flour

–         ½ tsp baking soda

–         1 tsp lemon zest

–         ¼ tsp cinnamon

–         ¼ tsp nutmeg

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and crème fraiche (or buttermilk) together until fully incorporated. Beat in the butter (or suet), carrot puree, walnuts, figs, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest. In a separate bowl, sift the flour and baking soda together. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Fold in the molasses taking care not to over-mix (you want the molasses to be “marbled” through the batter). Spoon the mixture into a greased and floured 7” x 11” glass baking dish. Place the dish into a 9” x 13” glass baking dish and fill the space between the two pans almost to the top with cold water. Tightly wrap the entire set-up with tented heavy-duty foil and cook on the top rack of a 225 degree oven for about 1 ½ hour. Allow to cool and serve.

There you have it folks. Chef Delaney signing off for the weekend but if you have a burning desire to talk to me, hit me up on facebook and become a fan!

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