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I get it

I felt like saying thanks last night… I wrote Jeff Blank an e-mail and told him how he has inspired me. It was awesome to receive a response from him so quickly.

I was telling Elise last night after I sent this e-mail to Jeff that being a chef has to be such a rewarding job. I think of it not much unlike being a doctor. There is a finite balance among art and science. There are so many rewards and so many failures.

I’d love to be a chef.

On Apr 8, 2005, at 7:35 AM, Jeff Blank wrote:

Josh,
What a tribute ….Thank you…I will pass this on to Robert. It is rewarding to know that our love for food & cooking is understood & appreciated. It makes the effort all worth it. Thanks for “getting it”

COOK FEARLESSLY

Jeff

P.S. The new book will be out this June

—–Original Message—–
From: Josh Janicek
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2005 9:47 PM
To: jeffreyblank@something.com
Subject: Thank you!!!

Jeff,

I received an e-mail announcement for the cooking class on April 17th. I wish I could attend but will be out of town that weekend.

I also wanted to say thank you for the wonderful class you held at your house back in January. That Sunday afternoon was one of the best days of my life!

I used to work at the Austin Country Club as a banquet captain. After a few months I buddied up with the chefs (back then it was Jim McNeil, Jim Sicher and Ron Cook). I showed an interest in the back of the house and helped out whenever I could. I never officially ‘worked’ in the kitchen but I made sure to bug the hell out of them… “what is that? what’s in that sauce? how did you cook that?”

I would get home late at night after working a banquet and be so inspired. I began trying out my own ‘culinary endeavors’ shortly thereafter. I screwed up A LOT of meals trying to play chef. That was six years ago. Since then I’ve become a lot more comfortable in trying new things in the kitchen.

A few years ago I took my wife to Hudson’s on the Bend to celebrate her getting a new job. It was our first time at the restaurant and we both absolutely loved the food, service and atmosphere. My wife bought me the ‘Cooking Fearlessly’ cookbook and a gift certificate to your cooking class for my birthday a year later. That was one of the best gifts I’ve ever received.

Since then we’ve been back to the restaurant many times and have loved every meal.

After many sliced fingers, burned food, broken plates, fires, jalapeno oil in the eye, etc. etc., I really enjoy cooking and, more importantly, enjoy cooking fearlessly – and I don’t think I’m too shabby for an amateur!!

Again, thanks for the many great meals and, more importantly, the inspiration!

Best regards,

Josh Janicek

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Hudson\’s April cooking class

Chef Blank is having a cooking class at his house on Sunday, April 17th. I want to go so badly. I’m going to have to limit myself to once a year.

If you’re in the Austin area, I can’t emphasize how awesome an experience it is to attend one of these cooking classes. Click here to sign up. It’ll put you back $125 so forego paying your utility and phone bill this month if you have to!!

    – Buffalo Quail Riding Jalapeno Cheese Grits –
    Pecan Wood Smoked Buffalo Quail riding atop Spicy Jalapeno Bleu Cheese Grits

    – Toasted Pecan Coriander Crusted Goat Cheese Salad –
    Candied Pecan Crusted Goat Cheese atop Mixed Field Greens with Blackberry Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

    – Hot and Crunchy Ruby Trout –
    Hot and Crunchy Ruby Trout Swimming in a Pool of Mango Habanero Aioli Splashed with Ancho Sauce Chillin next to Toasted Pearl Cous Cous

    – Flaming Burro Bananas –
    Flaming Bananas in a Spiced Tuaca Fire Drizzled over Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

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Thundercloud Subs and Stormy Customer Service

So you know that rule about receiving bad service? If you have good service you tell one person, but if you have bad service you tell six. Well, I’m going to tell everyone who reads our website (and I’m pretty sure it’s a lot more than six) that I had bad service at Thundercloud Subs. I got home from work tonight and Josh had printed out a flyer from their website that someone had sent him via email today. Apparently they’re running a 30th Anniversary sale and everyday for a month they have a sandwich on special. Today’s sandwich was Roast Beef and Avocado for $2.99. Regular price is $5.19. The “special” is supposed to be the price the sandwich was when they first opened thirty years ago. Now those of you that know me know how I love a good sale, deal or coupon so it didn’t take much to convince me that we should get dinner from Thundercloud. A side note to this is that Josh was the one to suggest we get dinner from there. He doesn’t ordinarily like Thundercloud (ask him about it), but I do. Since I rarely dine out without Josh (eating at El Arroyo doesn’t count) I thought this would be a great opportunity to reintroduce Thundercloud to him.

I arrived at the store and walked in with a family of four. They politely motioned for me to go in front of them and when I told the clerk I’d like the special she quickly responded, “Oh. Didn’t you see the sign on the door? We’re out of the special.”

Since the door was held open for me I did not see the sign so I stepped aside to call Josh for his alternative choice. I got back in line as the family of four was finishing their order just in time to hear the employee making the sandwiches tell the employee at the register, “Don’t sell anymore avocado. We’re out of it.”

Shoot. Strike two. The sandwich I always get is the Veggie Delite…it comes with avocado. That’s okay. I’m willing to try something new so I make a choice for Josh and a new one for myself. I get back up to the counter and ask the employee if they will substitute something comparable for the price of the special. Before I could finish my sentence she blurted out, “No. It’s only while supplies last.”

I debate a moment and realize I don’t really feel like ordering two meals full price…that whole bate-and-switch thing came to mind. Get them in the door for a special and then tell them you’re out of it, but you have something else that’s more expensive available.

I step back again, look over my flyer and realize nowhere on it does it say “only while supplies last.” I walk back to the counter and say to the employee, “I’m sorry. I don’t see anywhere on here where it says only while supplies last.”

She halfway rolls her eyes and says, “It says it on the door. It’s not my rule. That’s just how it is.”

I tell her, “I understand that, but since I drove all the way here only to be disappointed could they not make one exception by substituting one sandwich?”

Again she shook her head and made more excuses of how she just works there and she has no clout and it’s her manager’s rules, blah, blah, blah. I interrupted her and said, “Since they are his rules may I speak with your manager?” “He’s not here.” “May I speak with the manager on duty?”

Again rolling her eyes she took out a piece of paper and proceeded to write down a phone number. “There isn’t one here, but you can call the corporate office and they will take care of it.”

I took the paper, walked outside to check the sign on the door and called the number. By-the-way, nowhere on the door was there a sign that said “only while supplies last.” The office was closed for the day so I left a message. I told them I work in the food industry and know what good customer service is and didn’t feel the situation was handled well. I also told them I thought their advertisement wasn’t very good/misleading. I then told them that if someone would like to resolve the situation they could call me at my daytime number. I hope someone does call because I’d like to hear their reaction when I answer the phone, “El Arroyo Catering.” It’s not that I wasn’t willing to pay an extra $3.00 for a sandwich, or that I had a huge problem with having to change my selection, it was the way I was treated and the unwillingness to satisfy my needs. So I’ll wait to see if I receive a phone call from the main office tomorrow. I know if it was my boss who received the phone call he would make every effort to satisfy the customer and rectify the situation. We’ll see if Thundercloud has the same perspective.

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Half of a caterpillar

Last night I went to the grocery store to buy ingredients for my Arrabiata Alfredo Pie. I picked up a jar of pepperoncinis as I figured they’d go great with the pasta pie. I love pepperoncinis – always have, always will. They make for great pickle spit.

I was instantly reminded of a time when my next door neighbor ordered Papa John’s pizza one afternoon. When you order pizza from Papa John’s, you receive two pepperoncini peppers. I had a great next door neighbor when I was a living in my one bedroom bachelor pad back at the Bristol Method. Her name was Christy and we became really good friends.

Christy called me one afternoon and asked if I wanted to go in on a pizza order from Papa John’s. I said “thanks but no thanks, I just ate lunch.”

The next thing I remember was a scream from next door. Then the phone rang. Christy was still screaming on the phone… “Josh, help… come over, quick!” I thought she’d seen a ghost, cut off her finger or found Bob Saget in her bathroom.

Being the good neighbor that I was, I quickly ran next door and barged through the front door, ready to battle Bob Saget. I heard Christy coughing in the bathroom. I saw an open box of pizza on the living room floor. I ran to the bathroom to find my neighbor in a fit of laughter and tears.

She told me to go into the living room and look inside the pizza box. I opened said box and looked for Bob Saget. He wasn’t there. Christy came into the room and held in front of me a bitten into pepperoncini pepper.

There it was, what Christy had freaked out about – a half eaten caterpillar. My neighbor ate half of a caterpillar! After I was done laughing, I called Papa John’s on her behalf and made a formal complaint. Christy received a free large supreme pizza voucher.

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Arrabiata Alfredo Pie

Last night I felt the need to cook comfort food. I threw a twist on classic fettucini alfredo.

    Arrabiata Alfredo Pie

    Sauce
    1 part butter
    3 parts heavy cream

    Melt butter in pot, add cream, bring to a boil and reduce heat.

    Extras
    Few cloves garlic, crushed & chopped
    Fistfull of fresh basil, chiffonade
    Mushrooms, sliced
    Prosciutto, slided
    Mozzerella & Provalone cheese, grated
    Parmesan cheese
    Crushed red pepper
    1 egg, beaten

    Cook fettuccini, drain and cool.
    Add all of your extras into pot with pasta. Stir in sauce. Add Parmesan cheese to the point where it seems just like Alfredo. Throw in a few fist fulls of mozzerella and provalone (these are all exact measurements, by the way).

    Put ingredients in a buttered baking dish and cook at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

    Cut and serve like a pie. If you really want to make it healthy, drizzle some additional alfredo sauce over the top. Clos du Bois is a great wine accompaniment.

Gooey, creamy, cheesy, tasty, artery-clogging Italian comfort food.


Arrabiata Alfredo Pie

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Giss\’s, Quail and friends

Elise and I went to Giss’s Cafe for dinner on Friday night. We had read a good review by Dale Rice and wanted to support a neighborhood restaurant. We met the owner, he asked us how our dinner was and we didn’t have the heart to say “Ehhhh…”

I had the fried catfish and Elise had the chicken pot pie. The service was great and since Giss’s Cafe is in the process of getting their liquor license, Elise was treated to a free glass of wine (if you don’t have a license, you can serve booze for free!). My catfish was okay. I’m used Friday night catfish fries at Crossroads Tavern back home. Elise’s pot pie was very bland.

After dinner we drove over to Hollywood Video and picked up “Closer” and “The Incredibles”. Both were awesome movies.

Elise and I worked in the yard Saturday morning before Elise had to go to work. Shortly before returning from work, I prepped stuffed quail for our dinner.

Prepping stuffed quail

    Smoked Stuffed Texas Quail with an Ancho Ginger Honey Sauce on top of Texas Wild Rice and Pumpkin Seeds

    Quail
    Stuff quail with venison and pork sausage and cilantro, wrap quail in two strips of bacon.
    Smoke quail on grill until internal temperature is 170 degrees.

    Sauce
    Sautee onions, carrots and garlic until carmelized.
    Add 1.5 C. veal stock (my new best friend)
    Soy sauce
    Ginger
    Add reconstitituted ancho, sandia and chipotle peppers
    Cilantro
    Blend in blender or use boat motor
    Add honey to desired sweetness

    Smoked Stuffed Texas Quail

Elise and I went to meet Adrian and Holly at the Lucky Lounge for a couple drinks.

After deciding we didn’t want to spend too much money and yell over one another, we drove out to Kirk and Lanessa’s where we raised hell and had a shocking good time.

The change in time made for Elise and I getting home at almost 4 a.m. Elise had to work today so I slept in and mowed the yard.

Another fun weekend that blew by too quickly.

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BSOD

I think I might have switched this morning (if you don’t know me and stumbled across this website, you might be looking for this).

I’m browsing while importing a 10 MB file into iMovie and listening to my music in iTunes. Open I have Photoshop, Illustrator, Quicktime, Mail, iChat, Word, iMovie, iTunes and iTunes Catalog. If I was using the Windows box with the same programs running in the office, the smoke alarm would probably have the fire department over here.

Before deciding where we were going for dinner this evening Elise was composing an e-mail.

I said “Elise, let’s go, I’m hungry.”

She tried to save her e-mail as a draft. She got the blue screen of death. I just bought this nice laptop for Elise for Christmas and replaced common Microsoft software with Firefox, Thunderbird and Open Office…

I said: “If you want, I can buy another Mac… for you…”

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I\’ll drive on over, with my comb-over

I cannot get “I Walked with a Zombie” out of my head. I can’t get a few other songs out of my head either but I’ve been told I’m not a liberty to discuss.

Work was horrible today. I spent the first seven hours on payroll and AR. Usually Friday’s aren’t too bad. Elise e-mailed me a simple message midday to tell me she loved me and I didn’t have time to write back to at least say ‘ditto’. I finally got around to returning her e-mail at 2 a.m. this morning.

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Al dente snot

I made a Mediterranean heirloom salad for Easter. I turned said salad into a cold “meal” salad by adding a pound of cooked spiral pasta.

I’ve been picking at this salad almost every day for lunch. I brought it with me to work today and noticed that the salad had become bland despite the balsamic vinegar, garlic and basil that I used.

I decided to add a little salt. Today’s lunch was ruined. I was left with a tupperware bowl full of al dente snot.

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10 months of commuting

I’ve been commuting to Marble Falls from south Austin every workday since early June of last year. It’s approximately 50 miles one way. It’s a nice drive because I don’t contend with much traffic and I travel through the Texas hill country. Sometimes I dread the drive, but most often it’s a chance for me to wake up, unwind, practice my air guitar, talk on the phone, do crossword puzzles, take a nap, trim my toenails and work on my fictional memoire that focuses on the socioeconomical uprising of Uganda and the impact it has on foreign exchange in northern Europe and the cost of Yu-Gi-Oh trading cards in rural (population being 3,125 voters or less) convenience stores in the contigious United States.

I’ve seen a lot of changes along Hwy 71. I’ve felt a lot as well. I’ve been through a Summer, Fall, Winter and now Spring. I’ve driven home with the A/C cranked under the bright Texas sun in a black truck with gray vinyl seats. I’ve left work at five o’clock as the sun was going down during the winter and shivered for the first 15 minutes of my commute home as the engine became warm and gradually lended its heat to the blowing heater. I’ve seen deer dart across the highway. I’ve seen more deer carcasses (among other animals) than I’ve seen growing up in the country and in all of my days hunting. I’ve hit a deer on the way home. I’ve seen the aftermath of three head-on collisions. I’ve seen a jackknifed 18-wheeler that had constricted a Ford pickup truck in a freak accident. I’ve driven past much death. Everyday I drive by two roadside flower memorials for two motorcycle cops that died recently on the road.

My wife doesn’t like my commute. I do. It gives me the opportunity to think. And to pass wind before I get to the office. That’s hard to do during the ferocious Texas Winter month because you don’t feel much like rolling down the window.

I pass real estate billboards. “Landrush!!! Hurry and buy now before they’re all gone!” I don’t think a lot has been sold in the ten months that I’ve been driving by. I’ve been watching the construction of the new Galleria that’s being built on 71 in Bee Caves. I’ve been stalled at 71 and 620 because of Willy Nelson, Los Lonely Boys and Norah Jones concerts at The Backyard. Although a normally listless commute, there is activity.

I’ve seen business grow and fail. One by the name of Buddy’s Burgers stands out in my mind. I watched Buddy’s Burgers grow from the ground up. One day I drove by and there were bulldozers plowing down trees. Then the backhoes digging. Then the bulldozers cleared a gravel driveway. Then the foundation. Then the brick. Plumbing, electricity, gas, etc. etc.

To sound like I know what I’m talking about, I’m going to say that there are three R’s that apply to “location location location”: Real estate, Retail and Restaurants. I’m sure you could also include hairy moles and your place in line for William Hung concert tickets when it comes to location, but that’s not what I’m getting at.

Buddy decided to build Buddy’s Burgers in the middle of nowhere. The spot he chose is just a little north of the hopping town of Spicewood (population 348 and no Yu-Gi-Oh trading cards). He built a limestone shack from which to sell, what I would assume, would be Buddy Burgers. I never stopped by for a Buddy Burger because 1) the speed limit is 70 mph in front of his shop and 2) I think this was a cash and carry establishment. I don’t crave a Buddy Burger at 8 a.m. or 6 p.m., I don’t carry cash and I’m leary about buying a food from a shack the size of an apartment bathroom in the middle of nowhere that has one truck (I’m sure it was Buddy’s) in the parking lot.

Around Christmas time ol’ Buddy had a big, hand painted ‘NOW OPEN’ sign painted on a large piece of particle board that was propped against a saw horse and had lined it with white Christmas lights. I didn’t stop for a Buddy Burger. I don’t think anyone else did either.

Now that Spring has sprung, the Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes have canvased the roadsides and the grass and trees are lush with greens and pinks, there are no patrons of Buddy’s Burgers. Buddy’s truck is no longer in the gravel parking lot. The ‘NOW OPEN’ sign has been long since been blown over. Now there is a shell of ill-conceived little business meant to serve greasy-spooned comfort.

I wish I would have screeched to a halt and slid into the gravel lot to try a Buddy Burger. Buddy was probably one of those guys who would have told me “Don’t worry about it, you can bring me cash tomorrow.”

Cash tomorrow = location location location. And Yu-Gi-Oh cards, of course.