Can You Take the Heat?

Actually, this situation in the Careme Room is, despite the advertisement, somewhat unrealistic -- most restaurants keep a pretty regular menu for a season, or at least, for a week. This week, we're cooking one menu today and tomorrow (with a separate "soul food" menu today for a prospective client); on Thursday, we have two parties of 50 each, (different menus for each event); and on Friday, it's the Grand Buffet, something completely different yet again. So, rather than being a "typical" restaurant experience, we have what's more like a "condensed" experience. But as we've learned, you got to watch the pot carefully -- if you reduce it too much, you end up with burnt stock.

Sara took her menu competency today, so she was gone for a couple of hours this morning, and both Kristina and Miggi were under the weather, though present. But we held things together and erred in only a couple of things (that we'll be able to fix tomorrow): we started the lobster mashed potatoes way too early, and I didn't make enough porcini beurre blanc. Actually, I made plenty, but I spilled a bunch. It was an accident. I'll try really hard not to repeat that one tomorrow.

Actually, the best thing that happened today was the cornbread. Chef Glenn asked yesterday for a recipe (for inclusion in the aforementioned "soul food" menu), and I brought in the one that I made in Chef Patricio's class. I used Chef Glenn's special cast iron skillet, and it turned out perfectly. One of the waiters told me after service that he'd asked the guests if there was something that they'd particularly enjoyed about their meal, and they said it was the cornbread. I told you -- it's a winner!