Steve Petrone
TVWBB Platinum Member
Now Rita I am sure you can hang with the best.
Ever wonder how good your Q really is?
- Thread starter Steve Petrone
- Start date
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
I'm not thrilled with the pics but beggars can't be choosers. The host took pics but only a few came out (the camera is being returned today, apparently). They are not horrible but there are only two and neither shows the food off all that well, the angle being too oblique. However--
The apps, clockwise from upper right: chilled shrimp dipped in remoulade, a briouat of poached game hen, hard-boiled egg, parsley and toasted almonds with a sauce of yogurt and mango chutney, a briouat of tomato, Turkish apricot, goat cheese, raz el hanout with a sauce of reduced tomato juice, Dijon and honey, a chunk of chilled smoked salmon on a romaine leaf with a cucumber sauce, a cornmeal-cherry-thyme biscuit with a filling of fried cheese and pineapple-aji amarillo jam (dark orange, just oozing out of the biscuit). Not shown, fried plantain chips (unripe plantain sliced very thinly lengthwise, fried in peanut oil till crisp, lightly salted).
Dinner, a pulled pork sandwich with two sauces (I also used a vinegar finishing sauce sprinkled on during pulling), the orange sauce on the left of the pork is the fruit sauce (mango, pineapple, guava, grapefruit, tangerine, lime, tamarind, pomegranate, fresh tomato, onion, garlic, ginger) and the deep red one next to it is the KC-style; a slaw of white cabbage, jicama, mirliton, cuke, mango, minced ripe jal with a dressing of tangerine, lime, crema and shallot; sweetpotato-apple torte wedge, green beans with minced ham hock.
More later. Ranch work while the weather is beautiful. Tonight, I think, rubbed lamb leg, grilled, with some sort of reduction, with roasted plantain and some sort of drizzle and some sort of green beans. Gotta use up the plantains and the beans I have...
The apps, clockwise from upper right: chilled shrimp dipped in remoulade, a briouat of poached game hen, hard-boiled egg, parsley and toasted almonds with a sauce of yogurt and mango chutney, a briouat of tomato, Turkish apricot, goat cheese, raz el hanout with a sauce of reduced tomato juice, Dijon and honey, a chunk of chilled smoked salmon on a romaine leaf with a cucumber sauce, a cornmeal-cherry-thyme biscuit with a filling of fried cheese and pineapple-aji amarillo jam (dark orange, just oozing out of the biscuit). Not shown, fried plantain chips (unripe plantain sliced very thinly lengthwise, fried in peanut oil till crisp, lightly salted).
Dinner, a pulled pork sandwich with two sauces (I also used a vinegar finishing sauce sprinkled on during pulling), the orange sauce on the left of the pork is the fruit sauce (mango, pineapple, guava, grapefruit, tangerine, lime, tamarind, pomegranate, fresh tomato, onion, garlic, ginger) and the deep red one next to it is the KC-style; a slaw of white cabbage, jicama, mirliton, cuke, mango, minced ripe jal with a dressing of tangerine, lime, crema and shallot; sweetpotato-apple torte wedge, green beans with minced ham hock.
More later. Ranch work while the weather is beautiful. Tonight, I think, rubbed lamb leg, grilled, with some sort of reduction, with roasted plantain and some sort of drizzle and some sort of green beans. Gotta use up the plantains and the beans I have...
Rom Prakash
TVWBB Member
I just did my son's 2nd Birthday Party and the day before I did my dad's birthday party. I'm a fair novice to BBQ compared to most of the people here, but I know how to cook, and IMHO am fairly good to adapt to knew techniques.
Even though some people may wonder why I have become passionate about BBQ (to many of them they equate it to throwing some chickens on the grill, and burning it by basting with KC Masterpiece every 20 minutes) after being pretty good at other dishes, they are amazed by the results. My son's party was the first time I was able to BBQ for more than my immediate family and they were really impressed.
They couldn't believe that the butts took 19 hours to cook however. I also got a comment that "I don't know what you do to your chicken, ours never comes out like that on the grill". I explained a little bit about the R2D2 device sitting on my patio, but I still think that it was lost on them.
For my dad's birthday I fried a turkey (my first) to prepare for Thanksgiving -- yes, he was the guinea pig! I made the stock by hand for the gravy, as well as the mashed potatoes, and pretty much everything else except for the rolls. My brother's fiancee mentioned how 'fresh' everything tasted. I was stupefied.
To me it was nothing major. Spent an extra half hour probably rather than using off the shelf stuff. But it shows the really slow decline of our prepared foods these days.
It's sort of like the old adage of boiling a frog. Raise the temps slowly and it won't notice it is being boiled to death. Raise it all at once and it will jump out of the pot.
Our *purchased/processed* food has been getting worse so steadily, most consumers don't even notice.
I went to Albertson's the other day and saw that they had a case of Ribeye steaks for $3.99/lb near the entrance way with a guy manning the iced steaks. I asked him, "What grade are those steaks?" as they didn't look all that impressive to my eye. He said, "What do you mean?". I explained a little about the grading of meat to see if that would set off any neurons in his head. He had no clue. I noticed none of the beef in the store had a grade. Just "Blue Ribbon" or some such nonsense.
But as others have mentioned, there is a glimmer of hope. I think shows on the Food Network (esp. things like Iron Chef) have really helped fuel a resurgence of interest in food. I am so happy we live in the age of the Internet.
Would I have even known about the WSM if there wasn't the net? I doubt it, I was always interested in smokers but my local BBQ's Galore doesn't even have the WSM on the floor! All they have are the MEGA grills that are larger than a 50's Cadillac. Oh and a BGE. They have some rusty looking offset pit in the front of the store, but it looks really poorly put together.
And in my neck of the woods good BBQ is really rare.
Hats off to this site and others like it, I believe that they are responsible in large part fo the resurgence of a food culture!
Even though some people may wonder why I have become passionate about BBQ (to many of them they equate it to throwing some chickens on the grill, and burning it by basting with KC Masterpiece every 20 minutes) after being pretty good at other dishes, they are amazed by the results. My son's party was the first time I was able to BBQ for more than my immediate family and they were really impressed.
They couldn't believe that the butts took 19 hours to cook however. I also got a comment that "I don't know what you do to your chicken, ours never comes out like that on the grill". I explained a little bit about the R2D2 device sitting on my patio, but I still think that it was lost on them.
For my dad's birthday I fried a turkey (my first) to prepare for Thanksgiving -- yes, he was the guinea pig! I made the stock by hand for the gravy, as well as the mashed potatoes, and pretty much everything else except for the rolls. My brother's fiancee mentioned how 'fresh' everything tasted. I was stupefied.
To me it was nothing major. Spent an extra half hour probably rather than using off the shelf stuff. But it shows the really slow decline of our prepared foods these days.
It's sort of like the old adage of boiling a frog. Raise the temps slowly and it won't notice it is being boiled to death. Raise it all at once and it will jump out of the pot.
Our *purchased/processed* food has been getting worse so steadily, most consumers don't even notice.
I went to Albertson's the other day and saw that they had a case of Ribeye steaks for $3.99/lb near the entrance way with a guy manning the iced steaks. I asked him, "What grade are those steaks?" as they didn't look all that impressive to my eye. He said, "What do you mean?". I explained a little about the grading of meat to see if that would set off any neurons in his head. He had no clue. I noticed none of the beef in the store had a grade. Just "Blue Ribbon" or some such nonsense.
But as others have mentioned, there is a glimmer of hope. I think shows on the Food Network (esp. things like Iron Chef) have really helped fuel a resurgence of interest in food. I am so happy we live in the age of the Internet.
Would I have even known about the WSM if there wasn't the net? I doubt it, I was always interested in smokers but my local BBQ's Galore doesn't even have the WSM on the floor! All they have are the MEGA grills that are larger than a 50's Cadillac. Oh and a BGE. They have some rusty looking offset pit in the front of the store, but it looks really poorly put together.
And in my neck of the woods good BBQ is really rare.
Hats off to this site and others like it, I believe that they are responsible in large part fo the resurgence of a food culture!
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Rom--Hear, hear to the resurgence of food culture. It's slow, but at least happening in a limited way in many areas and perhaps a little more in many others.
Yes, j, the bird's-eye view flattens everything out. Disappointing.
Paul--Yup, two friends having a joint birthday party. They asked me to do it and wanted a quote. Because of this thread I decided to plan the menu and figure up the quote as I would normally so I could report on my process, despite deciding to give them the whole thing as my gift.
Craig-- It's essentially one of the sauces I often do for salmon but with grated cuke (salted and strained to remove excess water first) added. Yogurt with mayo and a little sour cream, Dijon, lemon (I use powdered zest), crushed green peppercorns, dill, white pepper. Then the cuke added.
Al--I am both. Though I cook at home of course, the majority of my for-hire food is elsewhere. This means I end up using a wide variety of equipment in a wide variety of kitchen settings. Makes for interesting (and sometimes frustrating) approaches to events.
Rita--I did a few things Thursday evening and all else on Friday.
******
I base my billing on the time I think will be involved (which is what makes small parties much more expensive on a per person basis than large parties). For many smaller parties I compensate by doing food that requires significantly less time (it's far easier, e.g., to do fast a la minute pan sauces for a party of 4 or 6 than a party of 30 and, of course, easier to cook items like grilled tri-tip, lamb sirloin, duck breast, etc., that require fairly short times on the grill, relatively short rests, and quick slicing and plating (I always plate for parties less than 12 and nearly always for parties up to 16).
I figure into the mix the fact that I will be working alone. There are times when I will have help serving but that's usually it.
In addition to the time I think will be involved I add the food costs. Though I give the client a single figure it is a combination of time (@ $55/hour for most hours for most parties; higher for some of the hours if they will be especially intense) and the cost of the food. Food costs include everything and that means I charge for a bottle of sherry vinegar even if I am using only a few tablespoons, a bag of onions even if I'll use just three. This does two things: First, I will overbuy some items in order to have a selection from which to choose; second, the excess (which I keep) covers, in a way, the items I use from my pantry or carry with me when I am on the road--spices, herbs, dried peppers, that sort of thing.
I sketch out a menu in my head with several variations but I know pretty much that those variations will come in (money-wise) at roughly the same cost. If there are 'exotic' possibilities that would be more costly then I figure in those higher costs. From shopping regularly I have a good idea of what costs are likely to be and simply total these costs in my head. I round everything up and if I need to ballpark I ballpark on the high side. Nothing can kill profit faster than underestimating costs--or the time involved. For items like basic produce--onions, romaine, tomatoes, etc.--I ballpark on the high side a single figure that will be high enough to more than cover all and allow me to overbuy where needed. E.g., I bought $7.50 worth of beautiful tomatoes in case I changed my mind on any item and dedcided to replace one with something requiring more tomatoes but didn't in the end. The 5 remaining tomatoes: part of my profit. For high-end produce items--chanterelles, fresh hearts of palm, raspberries--I'll add a figure on top of my basic produce figure.
For this party I estimated $250 for food and 10 hours labor for a quote of $800. I estimated time like this: for the butt, 3 hours (1 prep, 1 cook, 1 finish); 1 hour for each app except the salmon (a total of 4 hours); 1 hour for the salmon; sides at 2 hours total.
The food estimate: $70 for butts, $30 salmon, $45 shrimp, $45 produce, $15 butter and oil, $10 filo/flour/sweeteners (I always buy 2 pkgs even though I figured on needing less than one--you can lose 30-50% of a filo pkg if it thaws and sticks; didn't happen so the extra pakg is profit); $10 yogurt/crema/milk; $10 cheap wine. This $235 total I rounded up to $250.
Actual figures: I got a better price than expected on the butts and spent $40 and they were huge. I knew I would not need 3 after all the apps but I cooked three and kept the smallest one for my freezer (profit). I got decent prices on salmon and 21-25 shrimp so the total for all food excluding spices/herbs/pantry stuff was $210. Actual hands-on hours were 11.5 (not including the reheating/set-up time at the party which normally I bill for but was making that a freebie as I was also a guest and these are close friends; if this wasn't the case I would have added 1.5 hours to the original quote). The actual time of 11.5 hours, though longer than the 10 I used for the quote, worked out fine as I built in enough overage to compensate. I have a whole butt, a hunk of salmon, excess tomatoes, plantains, cheap wine, onions, garlic, a few fruits, yogurt, etc., here at the house so, adding that in, I think I did all right.
How and why I decided to make this menu, where I figured in flexibility in process and result, and what changes I made and why in another post soon.
Yes, j, the bird's-eye view flattens everything out. Disappointing.
Paul--Yup, two friends having a joint birthday party. They asked me to do it and wanted a quote. Because of this thread I decided to plan the menu and figure up the quote as I would normally so I could report on my process, despite deciding to give them the whole thing as my gift.
Craig-- It's essentially one of the sauces I often do for salmon but with grated cuke (salted and strained to remove excess water first) added. Yogurt with mayo and a little sour cream, Dijon, lemon (I use powdered zest), crushed green peppercorns, dill, white pepper. Then the cuke added.
Al--I am both. Though I cook at home of course, the majority of my for-hire food is elsewhere. This means I end up using a wide variety of equipment in a wide variety of kitchen settings. Makes for interesting (and sometimes frustrating) approaches to events.
Rita--I did a few things Thursday evening and all else on Friday.
******
I base my billing on the time I think will be involved (which is what makes small parties much more expensive on a per person basis than large parties). For many smaller parties I compensate by doing food that requires significantly less time (it's far easier, e.g., to do fast a la minute pan sauces for a party of 4 or 6 than a party of 30 and, of course, easier to cook items like grilled tri-tip, lamb sirloin, duck breast, etc., that require fairly short times on the grill, relatively short rests, and quick slicing and plating (I always plate for parties less than 12 and nearly always for parties up to 16).
I figure into the mix the fact that I will be working alone. There are times when I will have help serving but that's usually it.
In addition to the time I think will be involved I add the food costs. Though I give the client a single figure it is a combination of time (@ $55/hour for most hours for most parties; higher for some of the hours if they will be especially intense) and the cost of the food. Food costs include everything and that means I charge for a bottle of sherry vinegar even if I am using only a few tablespoons, a bag of onions even if I'll use just three. This does two things: First, I will overbuy some items in order to have a selection from which to choose; second, the excess (which I keep) covers, in a way, the items I use from my pantry or carry with me when I am on the road--spices, herbs, dried peppers, that sort of thing.
I sketch out a menu in my head with several variations but I know pretty much that those variations will come in (money-wise) at roughly the same cost. If there are 'exotic' possibilities that would be more costly then I figure in those higher costs. From shopping regularly I have a good idea of what costs are likely to be and simply total these costs in my head. I round everything up and if I need to ballpark I ballpark on the high side. Nothing can kill profit faster than underestimating costs--or the time involved. For items like basic produce--onions, romaine, tomatoes, etc.--I ballpark on the high side a single figure that will be high enough to more than cover all and allow me to overbuy where needed. E.g., I bought $7.50 worth of beautiful tomatoes in case I changed my mind on any item and dedcided to replace one with something requiring more tomatoes but didn't in the end. The 5 remaining tomatoes: part of my profit. For high-end produce items--chanterelles, fresh hearts of palm, raspberries--I'll add a figure on top of my basic produce figure.
For this party I estimated $250 for food and 10 hours labor for a quote of $800. I estimated time like this: for the butt, 3 hours (1 prep, 1 cook, 1 finish); 1 hour for each app except the salmon (a total of 4 hours); 1 hour for the salmon; sides at 2 hours total.
The food estimate: $70 for butts, $30 salmon, $45 shrimp, $45 produce, $15 butter and oil, $10 filo/flour/sweeteners (I always buy 2 pkgs even though I figured on needing less than one--you can lose 30-50% of a filo pkg if it thaws and sticks; didn't happen so the extra pakg is profit); $10 yogurt/crema/milk; $10 cheap wine. This $235 total I rounded up to $250.
Actual figures: I got a better price than expected on the butts and spent $40 and they were huge. I knew I would not need 3 after all the apps but I cooked three and kept the smallest one for my freezer (profit). I got decent prices on salmon and 21-25 shrimp so the total for all food excluding spices/herbs/pantry stuff was $210. Actual hands-on hours were 11.5 (not including the reheating/set-up time at the party which normally I bill for but was making that a freebie as I was also a guest and these are close friends; if this wasn't the case I would have added 1.5 hours to the original quote). The actual time of 11.5 hours, though longer than the 10 I used for the quote, worked out fine as I built in enough overage to compensate. I have a whole butt, a hunk of salmon, excess tomatoes, plantains, cheap wine, onions, garlic, a few fruits, yogurt, etc., here at the house so, adding that in, I think I did all right.
How and why I decided to make this menu, where I figured in flexibility in process and result, and what changes I made and why in another post soon.
Steve Petrone
TVWBB Platinum Member
Kevin, this is fascinating. There is a book in here somewhere.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Returning to the hows and whys---
When I plan food for a party there are several things I cover but the first two concern what equipment I will have to work with (in this case easy to figure out since I could cook at home, often for me not the case) and what amount of time I have for purchasing prep and cooking. Next is what re-heat capabilities I will have on site, how I'll transport food (in which containers? all cold and reheat the hot on arrival or do I need to arrive with the cold food cold and the hot food hot?) and transport time, and my anticipated arrival time and the lag between that time and host's desired serve time. Even if I cook on site or the distance between cooking location and serving location is short and the plan is to arrive with everything at temp and ready to go I still check on reheat capability on site and, if limited, will bring at least some reheat or keep-hot equipment of my own. I also find out about fridge space on site but virtually always pack food in ways that will keep it at temp for a long time--even if the plan is to arrive and serve quickly. Plans have a way of falling apart (the guest of honor is delayed, e.g.), and one can refrain from pulling out one's hair in frustration if as many potential pitfalls as possible are anticipated and accommodated ahead of time. One can go crazy trying to anticipate every 'what-if' scenario--don't--but keep in mind that if there are delays (traffic, weather, a host's last minute changes) you'll maintain your sanity and will be able to think clearly and react well if you know the food is okay.
A few things to remember depending on venue: If the site is someone's home assume that they will have no fridge space! If the site is at a church, community center or the like it's best to check out the equipment yourself ahead of time, if possible, unless you can be sure of the reliability of your information source. Check out hot and cold water availability. Church secretaries or community center personnel might know what equipment is available but cannot always be relied on to know what equipment actually works. I have made site visits and discovered one burner of a six-burner cooktop working, fridges that work but are left turned off when not needed (make arrangements to have equipment turned on ahead of time if this is the case), hot water heaters off and not accessible to outsiders, etc. If you are unable to visit the site yourself then at the very least get an equipment inventory, ask (beg, plead) that the equipment be checked to be sure it is working, and ask if anything is kept turned off when not in use. If you are able to see the site first then visit, take notes and, if you can, sketch out the layout of the kitchen with equipment and their locations and the locations of electrical outlets. This can make planning easier as it gives you a visual to which you can refer later.
Of course, if your operation is self-contained most of this might not be a concern but water and electric availability is often desired regardless.
Since I was cooking at home, equipment and availability was a non-issue for me this time. Though the party was originally scheduled for Saturday (I expected to be back in Fla on Tues) it was changed to Friday and I was notified just before I arrived home; still plenty of time.
Menu: As noted upthread I wasn't asked for anything in particular nor did I proffer suggestions--my favorite scenario as I can virtually do whatever I wish within the budget (if there is one) or within any other constraints placed upon me or that I may place on myself. In this case, though I had time it was not unlimited; more than half the expected guests were unknown to me; most of the guests would be under 30 years old and an even greater percentage had never left our country county much. Thus, to most, their 'best' food encounters have been at Applebee's, Chili's and Olive Garden. (For me, this is more challenging.)
I do slow-cooked meats on more occasions than not if I can. Several reasons for this: Most people don't do slow-cooked meats themselves; if cooking outside it frees the inside oven(s); they are very versatile--change the rub and/or sauce(s) and/or procedure and you have an entirely different feel to the meal. When travelling and cooking somewhere where no smoker or grill is available I often do slow braises for the same reasons--short ribs, chuck, butt, shanks, etc. If there is time I'll do the braise the day before as so often braises are better the next day. For gigs where I might do whole beef tenderloins or rib roasts, or lobsters or other shorter cook foods, I often still do a low/slow as an app or first course--jerk pork on tostones, pulled pork on corn-red bell pepper pancakes, lamb shoulder in filo--because they can really set the meal off.
Though I can appreciate the quality ingredients flown in from hither and yon, artistry, time and manpower that goes into, say, dinner for two at Guy Savoy's new place in Vegas (with wine and tip--~$1000) I much prefer food that is more accessible and since I work alone most of the time lots of fussing with plate artistry is out of the question. Still, when I do sit-down multi-course dinners (which I do more than anything) I plan plating right from the get-go. Choosing sides and/or appropriate garnishes from the beginning keeps the focus where it needs to be. Errors or omissions become apparent early on if the meal is designed from the beginning by focusing on the appearance and flavors of the various items on the plate, how they'll work together in taste, texture and appearance, and I do nothing but keep this interrelatedness in mind when I develop the main course menu and presentation. Merely changing the look of a side dish by altering its plating, or changing its texture by altering cooking procedure or by adding or eliminating an ingredient in the recipe is enough to suitably alter the plate's end result and allow all on the plate to work together better. I like the items on the plate to be able to be mixed on the fork and eaten together though it seems fewer people eat this way than once was the case. It's how I eat and it's how I design menus and plates. But even if others don't eat that way I still find they appreciate a meal with interesting complements and contrasts much more than one of too-similar flavors and/or textures. Maybe it's a subconscious thing.
A bit more on menus and flexibility soon.
When I plan food for a party there are several things I cover but the first two concern what equipment I will have to work with (in this case easy to figure out since I could cook at home, often for me not the case) and what amount of time I have for purchasing prep and cooking. Next is what re-heat capabilities I will have on site, how I'll transport food (in which containers? all cold and reheat the hot on arrival or do I need to arrive with the cold food cold and the hot food hot?) and transport time, and my anticipated arrival time and the lag between that time and host's desired serve time. Even if I cook on site or the distance between cooking location and serving location is short and the plan is to arrive with everything at temp and ready to go I still check on reheat capability on site and, if limited, will bring at least some reheat or keep-hot equipment of my own. I also find out about fridge space on site but virtually always pack food in ways that will keep it at temp for a long time--even if the plan is to arrive and serve quickly. Plans have a way of falling apart (the guest of honor is delayed, e.g.), and one can refrain from pulling out one's hair in frustration if as many potential pitfalls as possible are anticipated and accommodated ahead of time. One can go crazy trying to anticipate every 'what-if' scenario--don't--but keep in mind that if there are delays (traffic, weather, a host's last minute changes) you'll maintain your sanity and will be able to think clearly and react well if you know the food is okay.
A few things to remember depending on venue: If the site is someone's home assume that they will have no fridge space! If the site is at a church, community center or the like it's best to check out the equipment yourself ahead of time, if possible, unless you can be sure of the reliability of your information source. Check out hot and cold water availability. Church secretaries or community center personnel might know what equipment is available but cannot always be relied on to know what equipment actually works. I have made site visits and discovered one burner of a six-burner cooktop working, fridges that work but are left turned off when not needed (make arrangements to have equipment turned on ahead of time if this is the case), hot water heaters off and not accessible to outsiders, etc. If you are unable to visit the site yourself then at the very least get an equipment inventory, ask (beg, plead) that the equipment be checked to be sure it is working, and ask if anything is kept turned off when not in use. If you are able to see the site first then visit, take notes and, if you can, sketch out the layout of the kitchen with equipment and their locations and the locations of electrical outlets. This can make planning easier as it gives you a visual to which you can refer later.
Of course, if your operation is self-contained most of this might not be a concern but water and electric availability is often desired regardless.
Since I was cooking at home, equipment and availability was a non-issue for me this time. Though the party was originally scheduled for Saturday (I expected to be back in Fla on Tues) it was changed to Friday and I was notified just before I arrived home; still plenty of time.
Menu: As noted upthread I wasn't asked for anything in particular nor did I proffer suggestions--my favorite scenario as I can virtually do whatever I wish within the budget (if there is one) or within any other constraints placed upon me or that I may place on myself. In this case, though I had time it was not unlimited; more than half the expected guests were unknown to me; most of the guests would be under 30 years old and an even greater percentage had never left our country county much. Thus, to most, their 'best' food encounters have been at Applebee's, Chili's and Olive Garden. (For me, this is more challenging.)
I do slow-cooked meats on more occasions than not if I can. Several reasons for this: Most people don't do slow-cooked meats themselves; if cooking outside it frees the inside oven(s); they are very versatile--change the rub and/or sauce(s) and/or procedure and you have an entirely different feel to the meal. When travelling and cooking somewhere where no smoker or grill is available I often do slow braises for the same reasons--short ribs, chuck, butt, shanks, etc. If there is time I'll do the braise the day before as so often braises are better the next day. For gigs where I might do whole beef tenderloins or rib roasts, or lobsters or other shorter cook foods, I often still do a low/slow as an app or first course--jerk pork on tostones, pulled pork on corn-red bell pepper pancakes, lamb shoulder in filo--because they can really set the meal off.
Though I can appreciate the quality ingredients flown in from hither and yon, artistry, time and manpower that goes into, say, dinner for two at Guy Savoy's new place in Vegas (with wine and tip--~$1000) I much prefer food that is more accessible and since I work alone most of the time lots of fussing with plate artistry is out of the question. Still, when I do sit-down multi-course dinners (which I do more than anything) I plan plating right from the get-go. Choosing sides and/or appropriate garnishes from the beginning keeps the focus where it needs to be. Errors or omissions become apparent early on if the meal is designed from the beginning by focusing on the appearance and flavors of the various items on the plate, how they'll work together in taste, texture and appearance, and I do nothing but keep this interrelatedness in mind when I develop the main course menu and presentation. Merely changing the look of a side dish by altering its plating, or changing its texture by altering cooking procedure or by adding or eliminating an ingredient in the recipe is enough to suitably alter the plate's end result and allow all on the plate to work together better. I like the items on the plate to be able to be mixed on the fork and eaten together though it seems fewer people eat this way than once was the case. It's how I eat and it's how I design menus and plates. But even if others don't eat that way I still find they appreciate a meal with interesting complements and contrasts much more than one of too-similar flavors and/or textures. Maybe it's a subconscious thing.
A bit more on menus and flexibility soon.
Jane Cherry
TVWBB All-Star
I too, am a food snob, and so are all my clients! I am definitely not cheap to hire, but when asked to do a Thxgiving party for 20 for this Sunday, I wonder what I am doing here posting! I've got work to do, and as Rita said, you never start early enough.
Cooking is tedious, time consuming work. Attention to detail, attention to your ingredients make all the difference and allow people to savor your work.
I went to a BBQ hosted by a local car dealer here before a U of A football game. This 'caterer's' food was the absolute worst I had ever eaten. The tri tip, when bitten into the sandwich, came out in one entire piece. The sauce was KC Masterpiece. The potato and macaroni salads were premade grocery store, and the burgers and dogs were brainless. Honestly, there are people making a living doing this stuff, and personally, I would be ashamed. The problem is, people don't know the difference.
When polled about best restaurants, the average person will usually pick a chain. Outback and Olive Garden now outweigh independent, self owned propietary establishments where artistry can be found.
Yeah, people think I'm expensive for what I charge, but look at the time I put in and look at what you get. The people who pay my fees look at food as an art and an important time to be together. They also may be following some unusual eating plan which makes things easier on their health.
And Kevin, you KNOW it isn't always the goal of high end caterers. Need I mention Crab Cakes?????
Cooking is tedious, time consuming work. Attention to detail, attention to your ingredients make all the difference and allow people to savor your work.
I went to a BBQ hosted by a local car dealer here before a U of A football game. This 'caterer's' food was the absolute worst I had ever eaten. The tri tip, when bitten into the sandwich, came out in one entire piece. The sauce was KC Masterpiece. The potato and macaroni salads were premade grocery store, and the burgers and dogs were brainless. Honestly, there are people making a living doing this stuff, and personally, I would be ashamed. The problem is, people don't know the difference.
When polled about best restaurants, the average person will usually pick a chain. Outback and Olive Garden now outweigh independent, self owned propietary establishments where artistry can be found.
Yeah, people think I'm expensive for what I charge, but look at the time I put in and look at what you get. The people who pay my fees look at food as an art and an important time to be together. They also may be following some unusual eating plan which makes things easier on their health.
And Kevin, you KNOW it isn't always the goal of high end caterers. Need I mention Crab Cakes?????
David Collier
TVWBB Fan
My whole BBQ cooking experience was and is motivated and learned from this site. Being from central North Carolina, my friends and family are pretty sharp when recognizing good BBQ. After practicing from this site, everyone that I have shared Renown Mr Brown pulled pork with..raves about it!!!! I will Quote Mike S...."Always follow the directions and the tips in the at TVWB.COM and you can't go wrong!" AND THAT IS THE TRUTH! MY wife has not purchased BBQ from a restaurant since I have started smoking with my WSM in the past 2 years! She says she knows it can't compete with us!! ROCK ON TVWB!!!!