This kid can pick some peaches

Don't even try to mess.

Piper and Jen picking peaches

Yesterday we went to Fredericksburg, Jen had a photo assignment to shoot peach-picking and a swap meet, so we tagged along.  Marcel picked some gorgeous peaches that Jen and I are going to use for cobblers.

Piper ran around between the trees, picking up old pits and throwing them.  She's got quite an arm now.  Also, she found three horses ("big dogs") so we watched them eat for a while.  Piper kept pointing at nice patches of grass for them to eat, but they didn't take her up on her offer.  If I was a horse, I'd trust her grass recommendations. 

Candied jalapenos in progress

Rusko "Hold On"

Rusko is insane.  This track is super mellow, rad but doesn't get into what he can really do.  I read that he's working with Madonna and some other deep-pocketed fools, so you know Rusko's getting paid.  Check him out.

Marcel and I taking pictures of each other

Po Po "Bummer Summer"

Po Po-Bummer Summer by maddecent

Being on leave from school, I have more time to post music here too.  Jen can tell you, I am now obsessed with anything/everything Mad Decent puts out.  Po Po's no exception.  Check it. 

I love this pic of Mar reading

He's the man.  Loves these Warriors books.

Beans pt 2

Well Piper's got strep, she slept most the afternoon so I knocked out poached shredded chicken, beef short ribs, salsa, tostadas, and the rest of the beans.

Jen's on her way home and I'll put it all together, so far it all seems flavorful, the salsa is crazy good.  The chicken from Bayless' book could have mo flava, I think using mirepoix rather than only onions would boost it up some.  Today though I wanted to set a baseline so I could understand the recipes then set about modifying them to my liking. 

I love cooking chicken, breaking down and cooking chicken.  Going from raw whole bird

My housemate

Pretty damn cute for having strep.

Beans from the Bayless book

Piper's home from daycare all week, plus she's got some throat thing.  We're pretty much homebound today, so it's a perfect day to work with the Rick Bayless book I've been meaning to cook from for a long time.

I intend to make chicken tostadas for dinner tonight, I soaked beans overnight and they're simmering now.  Should be done by the time we go to the pediatrician.  When we get back piper will nap (knock on wood) and I'll poach and shred the chicken, as well as make salsa. 
I'd like to do the beans refried but I need to taste them from the basic recipe first to see how it went, what I can change.  I'm taking notes throughout, because I'd like to nail these Bayless recipes and make them my own.

Also bought masa and corn husks yesterday, so I can practice tamales at least once on this time off from work.  Marcel also wants stuffed shells, so I'll rock that for him tomorrow.

Back to basics

Dinner with the fam.

Leave of absence

Culinary school is not for the faint of heart.
Last week was a Dickens week: best of times, worst of times.  The Ventana program was wonderful; I am enjoying having actual customers, working as a service team, learning the menu, wine pairings (which red goes best with the bone marrow salad, for instance).  The place is top-notch, unique, challenging.  Our chef instructor is ideal for this block, loves the industry and has a true passion for service (and upselling).  Has taught us much about liquor cost control already, which I need to know.  He also has a million restaurant stories, many of them entertaining and wholly depraved.

Last week was also the week my day job demands and family needs were offically stretched too thin.  I'm getting behind in work, and the crew at home really needed a break.  Which is a giant understatement.  It was a kind of crossroads: barrel on and wrap up the program and possibly cause some resentment, or find a way to slow it down and restore the quality of life for everyone.  We have been going nonstop since Feb 15 - and honestly the months leading up to the 15th weren't exactly chill, because I was training for/running a marathon.

So I talked to Chef Jason at my externship-in-waiting, talked to my day job boss, and yesterday worked it out with the school administration: I am now on leave of absence from school until August 20.  This pushes back my graduation date 6 weeks.  An enormous weight has been lifted from the family, and already things are more flexible and relaxed.  It was clearly the right call.  I texted my friends in the program, who will now graduate before me, and let them know.  We'll have to get together for a happy hour.  When I return, I'll be with students I don't know - but culinary school forces quick bonds with one another, I've seen it happen over and over for months, no one stands alone, unless he is a sociopath with a glass eye. 

But even the glass eye guy made friends quick.  And the cokey mascara guy.  And the blue electrical tape on the glasses guy...  So I should be okay come August 20. 

Piper at Mi Tierra, waiting for a table

Front of house

Maitre d.  This is what my world looks like.

Next week's Bastille Day celebration

note the price: $17.89...which I guess is the year the Bastille was stormed...?

Notes from day 1

First off, apologies.  Last night's class was 7 1/2 hrs and there's no way I can write/remember that much info in a post.  I wish I could because it's awesome stuff.  Let me say that although I came into this block with a shit attitude due to the whole 3:30 thing as soon as we got in there I fell in love with it.  I was jittery all night, so excited.

Facts:
30 students, half in front of house, half in back of house.  We flop (swap) in 3 weeks, I'm currently front of house.
Front of house positions: server, busser, maitre d, sommelier, expo.  I'm maitre d til next Monday, then we all rotate.
I'm one of three students with front of house experience, all others are tormented by having to talk to customers.
We serve real customers from 5:30-8:30, tues-fri.  Slower during evenings although we do have reservations for every night.
Two chef instructors.  Ours, chef paul, seems very very smart.  Looking forward to learning from him.
Nightly at 5 we have family meal.  The students in the dishpit make us family meal using product from the walk-in that isn't being used.  Last night we had chicken thighs and legs and polenta with snap peas.
We open at 6 tonight, a deuce reservation.  Chef said we should all be a bit nervous...

Ventana front of house

I'll be spending the next 6 weeks of my life here.

First night of Ventana

Break's over and we are about to suit up again for work.  I'm dashing off this email before I leave my day job, and tonight we start Ventana, the on-premise restaurant at school.  As per usual, I know nothing about what I am getting myself into: will I wait tables first, how is this structured, what's the day look like, why in the hell did we need to get there two hours early, etc. 

I am looking forward to it!  A little nervous, in fact.  Not sure why.  Six weeks left at school, then six weeks at Fino, then it's back to life as usual, whatever that is.  Of the six weeks at school, only three will be spent in my white coats.  That means in three weeks I will have five school chef's coats, and nowhere to wear them.  I think I'll use them around the house when I am perfecting my recipes for our restaurant.  Hell, I might wear them mowing the lawn -- they weren't cheap! 

But it's really winding down, at least it is to me.  Feels different.  As long as I can stay rested and keep enjoying the process, I still think I have a lot to learn.  In fact, with 12 weeks in restaurant environments, this will probably be the most educational part of the program.

(This is also my first day of leaving the day job at 3pm, in order to make class time of 3:30.  This feels bizarre.  I'm fortunate.)