Going to the Laundry, Supperclub!

okay, so I have been laggin in posting back here because this has been a busy week. I'm actually working M-F this week because Cindy and I are going to celebrate valentines this weekend at the laundry. Yay! I am so psyched not to have to work this weekend. We actually both get to getaway and just do and worry about NOTHING! In case you're wondering, we are also planning to hit up Bouchon, Zuzu, and Taylor's. One more shift to go!

As for Supperclub, let's tentatively set the date for Sunday, March 4. I believe Jessica had mentioned she would volunteer to setup the first menu. Let's limit this first "trial" dinner to 10 guests so we can work out some unexpected kinks that inevitably come up. Here are some questions I have for us:

- Suggested donation for meals = ??? (First one can be less)
- Dish- and Flat-wares? How will they be paid for? Should each of us be responsible for buying our own? Should it be group ownership?
- Membership Fees? These can be used to pay for dish- and flat-wares and/or cooking equipment.
- Avg # of Guests per Dinner?
- Who is interested in actually being part of the group? So far, I only have Jessica, Liz, and myself. I am sure JED is interested, but he hasnt never posted here. JED, if you are interested, let us know. Anyone else?

Can someone please tell Kenji? I keep sending him invites and he hasnt signed up yet. He would probably be interested also.

I am free most mornings and afternoons to discuss the details of supperclub. Let me know when you guys are free and we can go grab lunch or something.

When is Supper ready???

Okay Richard I'm ready to start this supper club. My day to day routine feels so mundane right now, that i need something to look forward to before I go crazy. How about end of February or early March? Will that give you enough time to come up with a menu? You did say the person hosting is in charge of creating a menu right? And we're the helpers? Sounds good to me - All aboard!!!

Update:
Got my first taste of catering on Saturday. Didn't really like it. Did a lot of heavy lifting and now my biceps, and shoulders are oh so sore. Since it was my first run through I got stuck ripping the plastic off of dishes and wiping down the salad plates, not my idea of fun.
Also, working in a bakeshop makes me feel like a robot. I don't know how much more of this I can take. I just ain't feeling this place.

Greetings from Anaheim!

Howdy everyone! This post coming to you from Anaheim, CA. Posted by both Nat and Mary. We're going to share our adventures with you today.

First off, young guys in cars love us. We were headed up to Pasadena when all of a sudden we see a guy sticking his head out the window and waving madly at us. We don't know when they spotted us, but they wanted us to pull alongside them in the next lane. We laughed and ignored the plea. They looked young, but I guess it's good that we can still attract the young men. Woohoo. We're hot.

So why were we headed to Pasadena...well upon Jessica's prior blog she declared that we must stop at Pies 'n Burgers if ever in the area. And that we did. We gorged on burgers spilling with sauce and the crispiest french fries ever. To top it off we ended the meal with extra large quarters of pie. Mary chose the coconut cream and Nat had the banana cream because she thought she could get her daily dose of potasium. The people who surrounded us were sharing slices of pie and looking over at our table in wonder and amazement at how these girls could possibly eat so much food. We rolled out of the diner satisifed and ever so pleased with the delicious meal. Thanks for the hint Jess!

As we fought the oncoming food coma, we headed over to Santa Monica to wander. We walked up and down the 3rd Street Promenade, enjoying some sun and the street music. Yeah, nothing happened there. So here's the story that we will tell. We saw two fishy guys in a brief exchange and have decided that it was a drug deal going down. Yes, right in front of us! Whatever, don't ask. I'm a little buzzed.

Well of course we walked off the food so we decided that we should fill our bellies with drink...the alcoholic kind of course. We took the trek to Long Beach and found a restaurant with at least fifty beers on tap. We chose Blue Moon for starters and nibbled on appetizers. Well one beer won't satisfy our hearty spirits so we next sipped HoeGarddens (Mary describes it as flowery and Nat finds it a bit spicy, not hot spicy but the "ew I just chewed a fly" kind of spicy) Nat was embarassed when she ordered the beer stressing the HOE in hoegarden and the waitress responded with the correct pronounciation WHOgarden. Whatever. We sat on the deck watching a cloudy sunset sharing beautiful vibrant conversation and decided that the year 2007 demands a trip to Vegas and early 2008 is the year for Belize. And if anyone can get their act together up north, Nat promises that she will drive up for a night of crazy fun CCSF reunion. So plan something people and let's do it right...

So now here we are, back at the hotel, drinking wine and eating kettle corn. Yes, it is a bit early to be "home" but hey, Mary wants to drink too, and as good of a driver as she is, she's not willing to drink and drive out here, in her rental car, amongst this maze of freeways. Hey, wine is wine and it's good no matter where you are. Oh, and we're out. Gotta go get more. Ciao!

M-F.....9-5

I knew there must have been a good reason as to why we haven't heard a peep outta you Richard. I'm totally feeling you on the work situation tho. I'm telling myself to stick it out for at least 6 months before moving on. But waking up at 4am everyday and working my ass off in that kitchen is kinda getting to me. Today was better but only becuz it was a slow day. But I don't know if I can keep working like this?!? Maybe we should all apply to Google or Guggenheimer...something corporate??? and work the M-F shifts and get some much needed benefits. We're all college grads here, we should be able to put our brains together and come up with a genuis plan....Right??? UGHHHHHHHHHH!

My right index finger is hurting from scooping 10 sheet pans of 5x7 cookie dough. Stupid old fashion ice cream scoopers! UGHH!

I like the supperclub idea....Natalie, wanna come back up and vent with us?!?

Learning Curves, Oversights, and Dinner

Hey everyone. Someone please get Jed to accept my invitation so he can start blogging here. Also, someone please send me kenji's email addy so I can send him an invitation. I'm glad to see Liz and Naturally posting, keep them coming - we want to know what everyone else is up to also!

Now I know I was super excited to go back to work at Piperade and to only have one job. I love the food there, and I love working with the people. However, I am starting to have second thoughts. I know I am still learning, and that the curve can be steep at times, but it has been harder than I thought it would be adjusting. It is so much busier on most nights than it was when I was doing my externship. I have a lot more things to get done now also - make sauces, make stocks, make family meal, etc. To top it all off, I rarely see Cindy at all anymore. I get to work before she gets off work, i get home and she is already asleep, she's out the door while I am still sleeping.

I hate saying this, but maybe this job just wasn't for me. I mean, I'll learn the work related portion of it, and I will increase my speed, but maybe I can't live working nights like that. Not while she is working opposite schedules. I am not built that way, not mentally, not emotionally, not anything...

I really don't know why I thought it would be different. I keep telling myself to just dedicate myself at least one year, and I can do whatever afterwards. It's still early, so maybe it'll get better, but who knows.

I have an idea...
We, as a group, should start a supperclub. We should all get together at least once a month, and cook a menu created by one of us, who will act as the "executive chef" for that meal. That person would be responsible for putting together a menu, direction for each dish on that menu, sourcing hard to get ingredients, bla bla bla. We would need a space that can accomodate friends or family or both, and that has a kitchen we could cook out of. Let me know what you guys think.

Let's meet up for lunch sometime soon and we can actually get this started... and don't forget, someone direct jed to my invite to this blog and someone send me kenji's email addy!!! Thanks

Fingers are numb...

I use to think that 1st semester bakeshop was so tough and that Chef made us work our asses off, but after spending two full weeks in P.A. I think this beats it. I woke up one morning with my hand and fingers sore, swollen, and numb. You know that's gotta be bad. Anyways, I'm slowing getting use to my morning routine, although I still feel slow and clumsy. I hate working in small confined spaces. Believe it or not, but my nasty school jacket has gotten nastier. It rubs up against the wooden benches and I can't for the life of me get rid of those stains - Sean what's your secret??? And they don't provide us with aprons...Ughhhh!!!... I'm so over that place. I should just put in my notice now!

Today's my Sunday and I just spend the whole afternoon waiting for my car to get serviced. At least that's finally out of the way.
I'm also working my first catering event this weekend at City Hall. Some Gala something something. Hopefully I have more fun there. Okay peace out.
Richard: no updates???? What's goin on at Piperade dude?? Are they working you to death???

Dream job?

So I have been offered my first official job but the kind request has been denied. I sent my resume to a bakery and the owner was actually hiring (yes this is shocking, turns out bakeries are rarely hiring) and I interviewed this morning. The place is called 'L'artiste Patisserie' and I went to the web site and was instantly impressed. Well this impression did not last long once I entered the bakery. The shelves were nearing empty and there was still fruit cake leftover for sale from the holidays! I mean I know that fruitcake flavors develop with age but come on, this ain't no fine wine! I met with the owner for a brief interview (I didnt even have to work for a try-out nor did he ask for references) and said the position was for a part-time Pastry Chef, none of that assistant title that I am used to. I would be the sole pastry chef at the place. He showed me the kitchen and bascially told me that I had the job as long as I wanted it (he did have one more interview that day).
Something just didnt seem right. It was all too easy. No try-out. No competition. No reference check. No nothing.
He said he would get back to me this afternoon so I had time to mull it over in my head. Memories of the pearls of wisdom that the Nazi chef who visited our Hirose class came flooding in. I remember exactly what he said about taking a position that you may not be ready for. He said that it may look great on a resume but when put into practice you may fall short. Wouldn't be great to leave culinary school and have a position of Pastry Chef? Wow. But I realized I still need to be trained, I need guidance so that I can get better. How else can I evaluate my performance if no one is there breathing down my neck, telling me I did or did not do something properly?
So as if you cant tell, I turned down the position. It wasn't a tough decision just based on the weird vibe I got from the place. I mean maybe there is no pastry chef right now and they are desperate. But I couldn't take it. I am still searching for something perfect for me. It may take longer than I hope but I'll find it.