Christmas in the NW...

Merry Christmas to all of you readers, followers and enthusiasts of this blog. And even to those that are not. It is a wonderful thing for me to not to have work on Xmas day...something that I have done almost my whole entire career. There have been a few times that I was lucky enough to be in a place that was closed, but usually and mostly a huge sacrifice for my family. Today is sunny and chilly in Seattle, yet magical, and after last year's snow storm a few days prior keeping everyone at bay(and hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue lost) a welcomed sight. Today is a day that one should not work, although I realize that things must muscle forward and there is a need for people at gas stations, grocery stores, patrolling the streets and manning the hospitals etc for us to survive in a sense, but you get my drift. Cooking during these times are fun and soothing for the soul. They allow for one's creativity to shine and be expressed in a different light, outside that of the "restaurant". And although I have not cooked yet since being off,(other than a simple panzanella salad) I look forward to it with great anticipation! So, here is wishing you all a great time at home(or not) with you and yours, searching for your own souls' soothingness and stimulation of creativity. Happy holidays, good times and good cooking...

Inertia of Chaos...

That is what I have dubbed the “energy of the moment” in the kitchen this month. That, and the name of my future metal band…yea right! You never know. Maybe for my sons perhaps. The inertia as it is, does happen quite rapidly and like clockwork each day and at times seems to almost flow out of control…totally with a mind of its own! That is the chaotic part of it all. Controlled chaos for sure. We are surely grateful for the business we have had thus far and we all know that this year has been extremely tough on most everyone, regardless of business. Up until the middle of August, it seemed very dismal and uninspiring to say the least with not much light in sight. No craft. No r&d. No creative process and relatively no inspiration. Sheer work with less bodies than we should to do it right. What has saved us however is the desire, motivation and professionalism to succeed and the determination to find new inspiration for our chosen field in the midst of the madness. At any given time one would wonder which restaurant will be shuttered next? Which chef will swallow that proverbial 45? Watching our resources very sharply and without unnecessary “slush”, we persevered and weathered the storm. Now, as we see ourselves immersed in the throws of hoards of mouth-watering folks ready for great food and libations, we are excited and thankful, albeit not as seasoned as we would like to be. It is so mentally hard to be in the middle of a busy service and see out of the corner of your eye, a team member f* something up and not be able to go fix it or coach them through it. We rely on many and we expect great results and passion from all, but in the end the reality is, not everybody shares the same level of passion. Everybody is busy…everybody is trying to just get through another day…and everybody is doing the best they can~ hopefully.
That is where the inertia of chaos comes into play. Watching it unravel is exhilarating and trying to control it is even more so. The food though of late has been tasty as we are in the heart of winter cooking. Very, very savory. We started several new menus right at the beginning of December. Here are some snapshots of the dishes and tastes….at least of what I recall...

*Apple-Oat Dumplings with Douglas Fir Honey and Smoked Pecans
*Venison Hash, Wild Mushrooms, Onion Soubise
*Scallops & Braised Pork Belly Sous Vide, Brown Butter Potatoes, Leeks and Parsnip Jam
*Mostarda Brushed Wild Sea Bass, Black Olive-Pumpkin Polenta, Spaghetti Squash and Quince
*Anson Mills Polenta, Hedgehog Mushrooms, Brussel Sprout-Walnut-Caramelized Garlic
*Parsnip-Golden Raisin Soup
*Braised Shortrib & Horseradish Terrine, Mustard Crème Fraiche, Apples and Walnuts
*Ahi Tuna Rolls with Mango, Hearts of Palm, Yuzu Kosho Marinade and Citrus Dressing
*Seared Scallops, Chive Spatzle, Persimmons-Almond Compote, Vadouvan Butter
*King Salmon Sous Vide, Butternut Squash, Citrus Salad, Tangerine Jus
*Praline Chocolate “Pave”, Figs, Hazelnuts and Praline Ice Cream
*Warm Apple “Crunch”, Cinnamon-Oat Streusel and Douglas Fir Ice Cream