Make dat money!!!

Alright. I think I figured it out to a point where I can explain the weekend in a little bit of an insiders detail. I think, and I stress the word "think", that I can explain in the basic raw form what it takes (took) to manage an evening of Food. I should also stress the word "manage" because, I might as well have been on the clock. There is so much that goes into this kind of thing. Menu, prep, cooking, serving, cleaning - That's the core... Music, plates, people, timing... It takes a lot to make an evening just "happen".

It started a few weeks back when I wanted to do a meal in the style of Spanish\Mediterranean Tapas. Tapas, for those of you from Lakota, is where you have lots of little appetizer size entrees that everyone picks at. After about a week of research - IE: I sit at Panera drinking coffee reading books and articles all afternoon - I came up with a menu that looked a little like this -


Sangria
Coffee
Wines (Brought by guests)
Port (1994 Vintage)

Herbed Foccacia
Nan Bread

spicy Marinated Olives
Plate - Provolone, Prosciutto, and Artichoke Hearts
Fried Calamari

Cold Eggplant Torte
Tournedos & Mushrooms in Balsamic Vinegar
Sausage Stuffed Peppers
Shrimp Scampi

Mini Canolis
Lemon Biscotti Cookies
Strawberries macerated in Balsamic Vinegar

One Cheesecake for Anne


This whole thing got started because I love restaurants like Poco Piatti and Cafe Felix. The tournedos were inspired, directly, by a dish at Cafe Felix. So now I'm determined to do this thing. I kept fine tuning the menu till I got it right and when Monday rolled around it all got put into motion.

On Monday, Baxter and I went looking for Squid and Wine. Turns out, almost nobody sells squid. I found it, frozen, at Giant Eagle in Perrysburg. Next we headed to The Vineyard in Toledo and got some Cheap Red Wine (That's the brand name and it makes great Sangria or Tomato Sauce) and some Crane Lake. We stopped at Port Royal and had some Tatianas (Rum dipped cigars) and coffee then made our way back to BG. Thus ending Day One.

The rest of the week was more planning and behind-the-scenes work. I cleaned my carpets, made a hip Nu-Disco mix CD, and got supplies ready for the Big Night.

Nu-Skool Diss-Go Danze Funk-aye
Redbone - Come & Get Your Love
The Avalanches - Since I Left You
Daft Punk - One More Time
Blondie - Heart of Glass
Elton John & Kiki Dee - Don't Go Breakin' My Heart
Andy Kim - Rock Me Gently
Cardigans - Love Fool
Van McCoy - The Hustle
The O'Jays - Used to be my girl
Daft Punk - Cresentdolls
Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing
Barry White - Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe
Boz Scaggs - Lowdown
Fun Lovin' Criminals - Love Unlimited
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Don't Leave Me This Way (Dim's Re-edit)
THICKE - When I Get You Alone
Tony Orlando & Dawn - Knock Three Times
Alive & Kicking - Tighter & Tighter


On Thursday, Baxter and I went and got most of the food for the gig. I went ahead and got started doing some basic prep work and got my kitchen together. I sharpened my chef's knife and got all my food organized. Once I got all that out of the way, I baked up a cheesecake for Anne. When we went to see Dawn of The Dead a while back she said I had to make her one. Who am I to not follow orders?

On Friday, I worked a whole day, came home and started getting the food together. I started by Going to Belville and getting the meat. (2 Lbs. Top Sirloin) When I got home, I marinated the Olives, baked off the Eggplant Torte, got my Lemon Biscotti dough made, piped onto baking sheets, and into the fridge, and trimmed the beef. Funny how it works, but you get a pound of Top Sirloin and there is a lot that goes into to prepping it into Tournedos. I started by trimming off all the fatty-fat-fat, then cut the actual meat into 2 oz. portions. Now's the fun part. Those little pieces aren't perfect round medallions. I learned that the "proper" way to make filets and tournedos is to take a cheesecloth, wrap it around the beef and tighten it, then press down firmly on the meat with the side of a heavy chef's knife. So I did.

I marinated my nice little tournedos in balsamic Vinegar, Jack Daniels Mustard, Olive Oil and specially selected herbs.

After I got all that out of the way. I went over to Jeb's and had homemade tacos. They were SO good. Jeb and I went over to El Zarrape after dinner and had fried cheesecakes and Tequila. Now,I hate Tequila but man oh man was this some good shit. I hit the wall though. When we were done I had to get home and go to bed. I had been up since 4:45am and needed to sleep.

On Saturday, I worked till 2:00 at the Grill, got home, and got started working. I made my bed and baked off the biscotti cookies. Baxter got on the clock at 4:00 and the first thing we did was fix my stove top. Don't ask... Anyways, the first thing we did was got the strawberries started and the cookies glazed. We made the tomato sauce for the Calamari and got the sauce for the Calamari going. We listened to some Wu Tang, Misfits (Project 1950), Dean Martin, and a custom mix I had with Rhythm Heritage, Hotei, Overseer and The Crystal Method on it. We got the Sangria started, then filled the canolis, then got the general situation organized. I got the plates and napkins out, then put out the candles, got the corkscrew out, displayed the wine nicely and put away all my written prep lists and recipies. We made up the scampi and stuffed the peppers, then we breaded the calamari and finished making the sangria. Before we knew it, 8:00 was on our asses like Tommy Lee Jones with a Badge.

Anne showed up first, and my God she looked so good. That can be trouble for me because the prettier the woman, the harder it is for me to look then in the eyes. I dunno, I'm an idiot. Anyways, Anne brought a nice merlot and Katie (Justin's Katie) brought a Yellow Tail Shiraz. Kristy and Tom showed up 20 minutes late (Smiles ya'll!) but carrying a nice spanish-red. Apparently the ONLY Spanish wine in all of Krogers...

Justin and I started by frying up the calamri, which only took like 25 seconds or so. I freeked. I was expecting it to take at least 3-5 minutes but no! I got the Scampi in the oven under the broiler and Baxter hit the grill with the peppers and the tournedos. I got the Balsamic sauce and the mushrooms going while Katie, Anne, and Kristy & Tom talked quietly. Katie turned down the stereo when Blondie was on, and as we all know - that's a no-no.

The entrees went out and Baxter and I sat down to eat.

The table was full. All these different items with exotic flavors and odd presentations but so damned good. (I hope Anne liked it...) We ate and I kept running the list down in my head. Everything has a meaning and everything has a purpose. The plates were out and cleaned, the glasses polished clear of water stains, carpets swept, porch light was on, candles lit, mix-cd creating a nice atmosphere, wines uncorked to breath... I was keeping cool, but just barely.

Dessert came around and Baxter was very excited. We did some dishes, got coffee started, and started preparing the final presentation. While Justin arranged the strawberries on a nice white plate, I finshed the Balsamic Vinegar sauce. We got the coffee cups out, took out the canolis and biscottis, and finished the strawberries. We took everything into the living room and sat listening to The Dead Walk in BG among ambient candlelight. The desserts, which I thought I had too much of, were all gone very quickly. Baxter and I drank espresso while Kristy and Tom had coffee and Anne and Katie finished off the wine.

Now comes the euphoria.
It's That feeling that's a mix of exhaustion, happiness, laughing too much, a full stomach of glorious food-stuff, and sitting next to a beautiful woman. We finished off the evening by talking and playing the Emo-Band-Name-Game. I also brought out the "10 Best Meals Ever" game (an idea I skanked from Edwards' wife) and that got some interesting results.

The night ended with Baxter and Katie leaving, followed by Anne (with her cheesecake), and Jeb, Kristy, Tom and I talking about "the signals". Jeb thinks I don't want to admit that they are there and Kristy thinks it's all about me making the first move. Then I realized Anne had accidentally left her jacket behind. That got the sauces in my head simmering...

I wound up going to bed around 1:30 or so and had some interesting dreams. I saw a lot of people and had some wild moments that made no sense. I even heard some music that I've become obsessed with recently. So weird.

Sunday, yesterday, I cleaned the house and called Anne about her jacket. I wound up going to Mad Hatter and picked up a copy of B.O.C. live on vinyl. Score! I spent the rest of the day tooling around with my thoughts in a hodge podge of love and respect and creativity. It's a great feeling, accomplishment that is... Who knows where tomorrow will take me, all I can ask is that God guide me and help me through all this stuff. It's like I said yesterday: What's important is that I felt the touch of God... GOD got involved...

What's important is that I felt the touch of God... GOD got involved...
- Samuel L. Jackson

I should write more about last night, but I can't. I don't have it all together upstairs yet - "Upstairs" being my head and all the shit going on inside of it for those of you from Lakota...

Baxter and I cooked and it was glorious. Fried calamari, Tournedos in Balsamic Vinegar, mini canolis and lemon biscotti just to name a few items. It was Spanish\Mediterranean Tapas and it was glorious. Wild flavors and exotic dishes...

I cleaned up the house this morning and then had breakfast at El Zarrape with Kristy and Tom. They have great Heuvos con Chorizo at El-Z. Speaking of the Zarrape, Jeb and I went over there the other night for Tequila and cheesecake and it was fucking AMAZING! Changed my life...


"Alabama? Talk about Darwin's Waiting Room..."
- Dennis Miller

"I think I just go and buy a bottle of Cristal..."
- Me
"Yeah, or you could buy a car..."
- Tom in Response

"Smells like a Geisha..."
- Justin on Geisha brand squid

Barry White... Saved my life...

I woke up early. Well before 6:00am... I'm a rough one to deal with before 8:00am, even with coffee, and here I am waking up before the farmers? Aww, piss on that...

I pull myself out of bed and try to get the dizzy-johnny-want-sleepy feeling to go away. I brush my teeth and put on my jeans and my boots. I grab my bag and my minidisc recorder and head out the back door. It was breezy but slightly warm this morning for the walk to work. Of all things, I listened to the song "Milkshake" as I trekked up towards the Grill. (Damn right, it's better than yours...)

Today was an early day because I had to make the infamous Apple Crumb Pie.

10 Apples, cored, peeled and sliced thin...
Lots of sugar and flour and cinnamon...
The Super Secret Grill Pie Crust...

By the time I got started on the pie I had two cups of coffee in me and I still wasn't with it. I stood there coring the apples just pre-day-dreaming about love and responsibility and all this other shit that makes no sense - which I chalk up to being nothing more than a case of my being up WAY to fuckin' early. I noticed, however, as I sliced the apples into coin-thin pieces, that there was some great music on this morning. I first noticed it when I heard Never Been To Spain by Three Dog Night. I LOVE that song. Something about it gets in my head and won't let go of my thoughts. This song was followed immediately by Make it with you by Bread, and Hurdy Gurdy Man by Donovan. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I heard Come and Get Your Love by Redbone. I just did my strut carrying out the pie -this gorgeous work of art- to the oven for baking. I suddenly felt so good. Full of energy and zeal.

Again, I realized what God put me on this planet to do.


"Well I've never been to Heaven, but I've been to Oklahoma...
They tell me I was born there...
But I really don't remember...
Oklahoma?
Or Arizona?
What does it matter?"
- Three Dog Night

...That's when you thought you heard her say: Good Girls Don't, But I Do...
- The Knack

It's been another long week. Working with Larry has proven a little more trying than first expected, but I think all will be well when things calm down. Yesterday and today, however, were not two of my more favorite days in recent memory. But to prove that I'm not always complaining about shit, I shall now list off some cool stuff that happened recently...

First off, You know how you get crappy music stuck in your head sometimes? Well, this week I got a song stuck in my head and it was a really COOL song. It's not often that you can just smile and be happy about the song stuck in your head, but just about all week I've had Little Willy by Sweet running through my head. I wound up putting it on my minidisc recorder and have been listening to it over and over.

Then, on Tuesday, Jeb and I went to Linens & Things in Perrysburg and I got a nice set of Calphalon saute pans cheap. Boo Ya Gramma... Then to make things truly illustrious, Jeb and I went to Pier 1 to find something he left behind and guess who was there?

On Wednesday, Justin and his Wife came over for dinner and we finished off a bottle of scotch. Then on Friday night I went over to his place and we smoked our pipes and had a nice bottle of Chianti while listening to Miles Davis and Portishead.

Today, although not a more fulfilling day, has been nice. I worked the floor at the Grill and made a few bucks in tips (although not something I want to do regularly.) and tonight I'll be going to see Kill Bill Vol. 2. KB-V.1 was amazing and I'm really looking forward to seeing how this bad-boy ends. In the meantime, Five Songs for a Hefty Workweek:


Sweet - Little Willy
The Spinners - I'll Be Around
The Crystal Method - P.H.D.
The Knack - Good Girls Don't
Tragically Hip - Grace, Too

I don't give a good fuck WHAT you do to Nader! Just make it look like an accident...
- John Kerry (Allegedly...)

Today was my last day working with Linda.

It's hard to say why, but this is tearing me up inside. All the good things in my life, no matter how trivial, always seem to be "leaving". I know that's not really the way it is, but it still feels like it. This has been the best 9 months of my life in a LONG time, and now it's already over.

I gave Linda a hug before I left work and she said I had to look out for Larry (which I will...) but it was still so hard to just accept it. Next week she just won't be there.


I made an Ann Arbor run with Baxter yesterday. Quick and dirty... We got there in 57 minutes and hit the streets looking for adventure. Actually, he was looking for a backpack (for his trip to Africa - Don't get me started on that one...) and I'm a sucker for Skool Kids in Exile. I get almost all my good vinyl there and yesterday was no exception. I found a nice 12" of the band Fingathing. They're cool. It's just a DJ and a guy with a Stand-Up Bass. After Bivouac\Skool Kids, we headed down towards Cafe Felix then back towards Urban Outfitters. We stopped at the Jerusalem Garden restaurant for dinner (Turkish Coffee! Yay!!!) then went to Barnes & Nobel for pastries and coffee on our way back to Toledo. We listened to a lot of good music during the ride including, but not limited to, Misfits, Saint vs Sinner, Nas, Nilsson, Oaky (Paul Oakenfold for those of you from Lakota), Overseer, Jimmy Eat World, and a bunch more. RoadTrips -for me- are always defined, for some cosmic reason, by the music you play when you're on the haul. There is nothing like tear-assing up 475North listening to The Crystal Method doing "Name of the Game" and Wild Cherry doing "Play That Funky Music". It's all about the music, man...

This weekend is Easter and I hope you all have a good one. I have my own reasons for loving this holiday (This guy named Jesus...) but even if it means nothing to you, just show a little love to those around you. It doesn't take any religion or special reasons it's just... right...

Peace, love, and red meat ya'll...

I didn't lie! I was publishing Fiction with my mouth!
- Homer Simpson


For those of you who never saw the pics of Jeb and I helping Kristy and Tom... umm... "move in" to their apartment, here: http://www.gopherboy.com/album/Digi_Days/08-13-03/0006.jpg

For those of you who are my Mother and refuse to believe I CAN act normal in public, Here: http://nuintari.net/gallery/index.php?pageType=folder&currDir=./under_new_mismanagement
(I'm the dork in the bandana...)


It's been a long day.

Linda is in the final stages of training Larry and it's turning out that he's a really nice\good guy. I hope I'm not jinxing myself by saying that outloud\blogging but I'm really diggin' his style. He "gets" my type of humor.
Linda was kind of playful today too. A lot of mock-strangulation of me by her and, in a very Mackinac-esque way, I left the bathroom in Ruin right before she went in there. She was a lot of fun today. I guess the burden is finally lifting up off of her and I'm glad for that. She needs to finally catch a break.

I was up early after not being able to sleep at all last night. 5:00am comes mighty early for the naturally nocturnal but I press on, drink lots of coffee and haul some major A through the workday. I had lunch with Jeb after work, then went to Panera to have one last cup of coffee and read up on some basic principals of a Tapas meal. After that, I came home and threw in Discovery by Daft Punk and my head filled with thousands of ideas for new music. (sigh) I need a new soundcard soon though. I wish my SBLive! hadn't died, as life would be a lot easier right now. None the less, I shall achieve Low-Latency soon enough. Oh yes!

Right now I'm listening to "Baba O'Riely" by The Who. Not the 70's-rock-out version, but a very cool orchestrated version. (The one I mixed with Jeb for his wedding - Kristen walked down the isle to it...) It's a beautiful song and sometimes it helps me out of a rut, especially when I'm at a loss for writing new music. I did, however, create the start of a new song based off of a sample of "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" by Bob Segar. (The Chorus\Flange effect in Reason 2.5 is my new friend and lover...)

Alright ya'll. I gotta go warm up for this years Play-ah Hate-ah Ball.
Later...

"It's only TEENAGE WASTELAND!!!"
- The Who (Baba O'Riely)

I don't know why exactly, but this song needs to be quoted. If you know it, you're good people... If not, well, f**k ya then...



She walks by moonlight...
No one really knows...
Enchanted Starlight...
Never going home...

I know she's goin' down knowin'...
Everybody knows...
SHES SO GOOD....

Doin' well for others...
She doesn't really know...
The powers are all within her...
When she takes off her clothes...

I know she's goin' down knowin'...
Everybody knows...
SHES SO GOOD!!!


From "SHE" by KISS


Sorry folks. Just needed a little rock-out action tonight and this was what it was. Dealwitityah...

You didn't think it was going to be THAT easy did you?

You know... For a second there... Yeah, I kinda did...
- Kill Bill Vol. I


In one weeks time, I've... well, you see... Okay, it goes like this...

On Monday, I worked with Jake and he informed me of The News which was that Linda has finally sold off the Grill. I was disappointed by this, honestly. The first time is several years where I actually like my boss; and my boss -incidentally- is not shady as all-fuck and she is now leaving after only 8 months under her management. (sigh) It's hard to explain, really. Linda has kicked my ass since I started there in July. When George fired me last year, I was at my end. I was like Peter in Office Space only a LOT more destructive and apathetic. I just didn't care about anything when it came to working and when I started at the Grill, Linda changed all that. She is tough, fun and practical. She doesn't get cute and try and woo you then call you and your friends "pathetic losers" behind your back. If she doesn't like you, you Know it...

So I've started working with the new owner Larry. Nice enough guy, really... He just doesn't seem to be tough enough though. Kitchen work is brutal. 9 Hours a day (usually) standing behind a F-hot grill with orders flying at you 6 days a week? I'm wondering if Larry is a crier...

That story is open ended right now. There is a lot more to say but I'm not going to elaborate any further until I've observed more of the "details".


Jeb and I have taken a new turn in our music too. Like all the really good artists, nothing is too "weird" for us. With that being said, Jeb and I have started a concept project of Muzak. That's right, Muzak... Jeb and I have started producing symphonic "elevator" versions of several songs including "You were meant for me" by Jewel, "All I want is You" by U2, "Don't go breakin' my heart" by Elton John & Kiki Dee and "Raindrops keep fallin' on my head" by BJ Thomas. (That one's just for you Troy...) but those are just the start. Jeb and I spent a good 4 hours this week spitting out ideas for songs and the quest has begun. My goal is to really go "out there" with this. I'd like to do "Insane in the Brain" by Cypress Hill but I can't find the proper MIDI file. Other ideas, so far, are as follows...

Ice Cube - Ghetto Vet
Jimi Hendrix - Hey Joe
Steelers Wheel - Stuck in the middle with you
Jackson 5 - I want you back
Vicki Lawrence - The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia
Misfits - Hybrid Moments
Daft Punk - Harder Better Faster Stronger
Fatboy Slim - Yamama (OR) The Rockafella Skank
NWA - Stright Outta Compton


The ideas are endless, really... I personally like the version of "Because I Love you" by the DC5 that has been started. Smooth like dat...

And for those of you who refuse to believe my life is one big cosmic comedy, I managed to run into both the EX-Dreamgirl and the Panera Girl in less than one week. Wow. Just when you think things can't get more confusing for me, I have to see those two. The EX-Dreamgirl isn't really that big of a deal, she's just really cute and I stop thinkin' good-like when I see her. The Panera Girl though, that's a tough one to dealwith. Cute, smart, and amusing. She's not crazy though, so of course there is no reason to even THINK anything could have happened with her. There was this one day I was at Cosmo's last year and I was super-fuckin-pissed at George because I was getting slammed and he was dicking around getting in my way and slowing up My groove when The Panera Girl came in, saw I was upset, and decided to Tap-Dance for me just to make me smile. She was (is) cool like dat... Funny post-script to that story, the Ex-Dreamgirl was waiting in line when the Panera Girl did her dance-thing for me and I accidentally said something to the PG like "You're the coolest customer ever... I wish everyone else in here was as un-annoying as you..." and got a nasty kinda look from the EX-DG. Funny how things like that stick out in someone's mind, you know?

I went and saw "Hellboy" last night and it was good. Ron Perlman was great with the one-liners and the action was pretty good. And that you Jesus for NOT making me endure the preview for "Soul Plane" again. (Scoff) That just looks like THE worst movie ever. Although, I could be very wrong, I mean... How could a movie with Snoop Dog, Method Man, Tom Arnold and that annoying chick from The Parkers fail?
I'm also disgusted that this week I've found that Jerry Orbach is quitting Law & Order to move his character over to the new L&O spin-off, Trial By Jury. That and all the voice-actors for The Simpsons are on strike. Hey FOX! Pay them already! I don't this stress, you know? (Sheesh!)

Alright, I'm off to make a new Mix-CD. It's gonna be good too. Stuff like Overseer, Misfits, Iggy & The Stooges, Fluke, and Lionheart. Kind of a techy-punk angle for working in the kitchen, you dig? (I'll put up the track listing as soon as I get it done...)

Ciao Mah-fuhs...