T.J. and Jesse

Everyone in the restaurant business knows that the most important position in the kitchen, and one of the most tedious, is the dish washer. During the day we are very fortunate to have LaVonte Johnson on the job as Porter, who we featured in an earlier post. For dinner service, we have a revolving crew of staff that tirelessly attend to this back of the back of the house job, and while they may come and go, we never fail to appreciate them and make sure to feed them very, very well.

The pot-washer comes in at 4PM to face a large stack of assorted dirty, greasy sauce pots, roasting pans, rondos and sheet pans that have been used by the cooks in preparation for dinner. The dish person comes in at 6PM, after service has begun, and runs racks of dishes, silverware and glassware through the dish machine. They work together - the dish guy helping the pot guy more often than not. And when they hear one of the guys on the line yell "Pick UP!", that means run around to the line and get the pans they've been using during service. Or someone might call out "We need plates", which tells the dish guy to hustle over a stack of clean plates or bowls for the oven.

They do this all night long, until the end of service, when things get really rough for the pot washer. As the cooks break down their lines, they take all of the used cooking gear to the pot sink to be cleaned, dried and put away for the next use. The piles of pots can cover the back table in pretty short order and always looks to be a rather daunting task. Eventually everything gets cleaned and put away, after which the pair sweep and mop their end of the kitchen, take out the trash and the recycle and call it a night. They are always the last staff out the door at the end of the day. They work very, very hard.

The two fellows pictured above are quite a pair, working three shifts together every week. On the left, TJ is a recent Queen Anne's County graduate who lives in Chester Harbor. He's been working here since May of last year, three or four shifts a week, all year round. Jesse, who will be a senior at Kent County this fall and lives just north of Kennedyville, inherited the spot from his brother a few months ago. Both boys are tremendous workers, with hilarious personalities; they are two very important cogs in the BT wheel.

As Promised, Blueberry Pie

Ala mode. Of course.

FYI - SBF Steaks

We are currently carrying a limited supply of St. Brigid's Farm's grass fed steaks and ground beef for retail sale. There aren't very many of any one cut, and don't forget, these are Jersey steers we're talking here, not big Angus, but the flavor is unbeatable, and then there's the health benefits, eh?! Prices range from $4 a pound for the ground beef to $19 for the NY strips. The steaks are cut 3/4 of a pound to a pound. Better than driving to the Butcher Block in Annapolis, I'd say.

The Sticky Maze of Credit Card Processing

PCI DSS is what got this whole thing started. A letter from our current credit card processor, Global Payments, alerted me to the fact that we are not compliant with the current rules regarding credit card security and fraud prevention, at least according to their WebSite's "risk analysis", which is run by a company which will scan your system and determine what you need to do for a fee of $180 a month. This prompted us to look into switching, which in turn has revealed a host of other complications.

After talking to a couple other Hospitality Merchants in Chestertown - many of whom are as confused as I am at figuring out the whole credit card processing thing and what all the fees are for - and discussing options with a couple of competing processors, I decided we would probably switch to First Data. This was mostly due to the National Restaurant Association's "Take Charge" program from First Data which includes compliance with the PCI DSS (oh, in case you are wondering what this acronym stands for: Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) for less than $100 a month. Right now Global is charging us $10.00 month as a "non-compliant" merchant...not to mention the statement fee, the higher charge for Reward and Business Cards, the higher charge for manually entered cards, the transaction fees, the "EDC Vend 3" fee, which even the First Data rep couldn't explain. Will everything be all sweetness and light with a change to another processor? Definitely not, but at least we will be a little more aware of what we are getting into and how to read the lingo. I know I am already a lot more careful at reading the contract and all the small print - this is how I know what sort of penalties we'll face if we break our Three-year contract with Global. It's been an educational year for us thus far, in the world of legalese, and I'm glad I've been paying a little attention.

Anyway, the fact is, according to Digital Dining's original set up, we already are largely compliant. We don't/can't store any customer's credit card data for more than 30 days - and only the last four digits until then. We have a firewall and a security/anti-virus system on the computer. We restrict access to cardholder data. While I imagine with the recent new rules in place, there is more we will do (or face fines from our processor), I don't think we have to let our current processor dictate where we go for (paid) help.

This is some dry stuff, eh? See, not all is fun and games in the world of the restaurateur...

A Day and a Night in Manhattan

Our whirlwind trip to New York City this weekend - taking the 8AM train out of Wilmington on Sunday morning, and returning on the 1PM the next day - was absolutely fantastic. We are so lucky to be so close - and yet so far away - from New York. It is always so exciting to get off the train and walk out onto the street at Madison Square Garden and look around you. Could there be any place much different than our back yard, where we were three hours earlier?

We were there for the 55th annual Fancy Food Show at the Jacob Javits. We've never been to this trade show before; usually we go to the Hotel/Motel/Restaurant Show that is normally held in November. The Fancy Food Show is geared more toward the retail end of the food industry, but we found some useful products, and got a lot out of our 6 hours of walking the aisles. It was a huge (HUGE) show and we wore our legs out, pretty much. The pictures above show us on a much needed break. But it was a blast. We tasted more cheese, more salami, more Iberico ham, more chocolate and olives (well, Kevin tasted the olives) than you can begin to imagine. We picked up samples of gummi bears and health bars; got information about specialty soft drinks, including artisanal tonic waters; we talked about sea salts and mushrooms and micro-greens. It was amazing, the number of vendors there showing off their wares. One booth was marketing a cocktail that came in two separate cans - mixer in one, liquor in another - that you bought as a set and mixed yourself. There was so much chocolate to taste that Kevin actually started saying "no thanks", if you can believe that! And the Iberico ham and prosciutto that were there for the tasting - oh my goodness, I've never eaten so much cured pork! (Sort of ironic too, given where we ended up later in the evening...) It was a terrific venue for exposure to new ideas and products, although a little overwhelming - we barely finished one floor, let alone get to the second - to cover in the length of time we had. Still, we'd go again.

The D'Artagnan booth was tasting all sorts of cured meats, including the above pictured dogs of all types. We love D'Artaganan, as you may remember from previous posts, and the next picture is my coup...

Supposedly a picture of Kevin, the woman in the background was who I was really after - the founder and owner of D'Artagnan, the famous Ariane Daguin. She was at a table in the center of the display with several others, while her three musketeers rambled around the whole set up. We showed our picture to a rep, and he was quite impressed with our subtlety...even gave us a D'Artagnon pin for our collection! I suppose this is pretty esoteric for those not in the food business, but it made our day. (We are rubes, after all!)

Anyway, after the show, of course, we must eat. We started at Gramercy Tavern, where we planned to have a drink and a snack and then walk to a couple other places in the neighborhood. The plans changed when the first place we had headed to was closed, and after we mentioned this to a lady sitting next to us at the Gramercy bar, she guided us into a different direction. At the Gramercy we had cocktails - Kevin's being a "Sloe Storm", a very tasty concoction of Sloe gin, Goslings rum, ginger and lime, mine being Grey Goose on the rocks - and appetizers. The winning choice was the cauliflower with capers, almonds and raisins. Being that we are getting that tremendous cauliflower from Redman's right now, this might become a special on our own menu in the near future.

From this bar we headed to our adviser's choice for tapas- Casa Mona. However, there being an hour wait for a table, we went next door to Pete's Tavern. Not the most exciting choice - think a Manhattan Bluebird - it is a historic bar nonetheless and we appreciated that experience. But now we were stuck...where to next? I had a list of places with me, one of which was right down the street - Bar Jamon. We headed there, finding that it is the sort of sister restaurant to the tapas place we couldn't get into earlier! And what a New York Experience this Mario Batali owned spot is. Two long tables are all there are for seating, each perhaps fitting in ten or twelve people, front to back. There's a large mirror at the back of the space, so it seems a little larger that it is, but it is pretty tiny in reality. The food all comes from the counter area, where we took the last two standing room only spots, and started to watch the scene around us. It was incredible. No way would this ever fly in Chestertown, but this place was rocking. We had some beets with blue cheese, the marinated calamari and the pickled sardines. I was not a big fan of the last dish. We did not bother to order any of the ham or salamis, since we'd done our duty by that at the show earlier, but it was wild watching the guy slice it on the ancient slicer. He did everything, from get the drinks, take the order, prepare the plates of food. I felt like we were in another country, not just another state, in this crazy busy jammed up noisy space with such good food and wine being provided within the chaos.

We left there in fine spirits, after a couple glasses of rose from the quartinos they use for wine service, (and at $9 a glass, a relative bargain) and headed for the Gramercy Park Hotel, where we had been told we might be able to get into the Rooftop Garden. This Ian Shrager hotel is quite exclusive - and when you see the huge Andy Warhol painting behind the reception desk, you can only imagine what the room rates are. If they are anything like the drink prices, we'll never be staying there. However, some one does - the doorman allowed that yes, we could go up to the roof, that he would "key us up" and we should "just act like guests". And you know what, the guests of this hotel have a pretty nice venue up there on that roof. It's like a huge conservatory, set up as a living room. Glassed in and full of exotic, leafy plants, the furnishings are an array of retro and chic porch furniture, including the fire engine red glider we chose. The cheapest glass of wine was a pinot grigio at $15. I went a bit higher and spent a whopping $19 on a glass of rose...Kevin's coffee was $9...the almond cake we shared was $13... I suppose that a superb venue such as this can command superior pricing and create this insulated environment for the people who really wouldn't want to hang out a Pete's Tavern anyway. Myself, I'd rather not. Still, it is quite a lovely spot and once I got past the sticker shock, I appreciated the artistry that made it so.

We walked back to our hotel from the oasis that is Gramercy Park and dropped our tired bodies into bed. After a trip to Kalustyan's on Monday, we made our way to Koreatown for lunch and then on the train for home. What a weekend! Can't wait to go back!

Matt Cousineau, Father of Three

Remember this fellow? The tall one holding the pink baby? Matt Cousineau was an employee at the Kennedyville Inn, back when he was a Washington College student. He worked in the dining room and later worked the line with Kevin as well; somehow he parlayed that experience into his current vocation as a French Teacher. A terrific young man, we've continued to keep in touch over the years. Not hard, since his folks live right up the street, but still, it doesn't happen all that often. He and his wife - whom he met in Chicago I believe - stopped in with the two new additions to their family this morning. Sophie (in pink of course) and Sebastian joined their older sister (by two years) Charlotte five months ago. Apparently it's been quite an adventure - Matt and Laure came in for dinner last night, Matt sporting a polo shirt that said "I've got twins, what's your excuse?"

We Heart Rosé

Rosé wines are among my personal favorites, winter and especially summer. I prefer my red wines a little on the cool side anyway, so a full-bodied rosé wine is, to me, the perfect compromise between white and red in the warmer months. Yet despite my personal preferences, I have historically found all rosé wines to be a very, very hard sell among our wine drinking customers. Except for a few, most have eschewed the pink stuff, and forced me to be fairly alone in the consumption of our annual case or two. Until this year.

I don't know what has happened - more publicity, better wines or what - but this season so far we have gone through over three cases of several rosés and are well into the next two, with more on deck. I couldn't be happier to have my habit supported by our wine drinking community and I promise to keep them coming.

The Washington Post has done it's share to promote rosés. The past two dining sections have included wine columns discussing these seasonal - for most people - wines of summer. The first focused on "old world" selections; this week the columnist wrote about wines from the so-called "new world", including California, Chile and Virginia. And his first choice? None other than the rosé we just included on our wine list last week - the Alexander Valley Rosé of Sangiovese from Sonoma. And it is delicious. But we enjoyed as well the Crios Rosé of Malbec, which Robert Parker included in his weekly Wine Buys column a few weeks back, giving it a score of 90. The first rosé of this summer was my favorite so far, in very limited (gone) supply - the Soter Rosé of Pinot Noir. Now that was a terrific bottle to start the season with - I know, because Kevin and I drank the last bottle with the first meal of the summer on our porch a few weeks ago!

Finally, it appears rosé has been welcomed on board. Thank you!

Funny story to end with - week before last, while we were still serving the Crios on our wine list, (although I had bought a case of the Alexander Valley from Bacchus, after tasting it with the salesperson, Kazie) a couple came into the bar, and when I asked them what did they want, the woman said "I'll have a glass of the Alexander Valley rosé". I just stood there and thought, wait a minute, I do have that wine but it's not even out of the box yet...turns out she was the North East Rep for the Alexander Valley Vineyards, in town for a family event, and knew from Kazie that we had bought a case. They ended up with the Crios, but she must be pretty happy with that listing in the Post this week, eh? (Of course I cannot locate her card on my (messy) desk, but when I do I will give her full credit!)

Fruits and Vegetables

Potatoes from Redman Farms (despite what the recycled box proclaims!)
come through the back door this morning, courtesy of Bill Kelly.

They are accompanied by some of the whitest cauliflower you have ever seen.

What a beautiful sight.

And another beautiful sight - what we did with yesterdays raspberry pickings:
black raspberry cream brulee...is there anything better?

When will we start getting corn and tomatoes, hungry minds want to know!

Black Raspberry Jam

Summer in a Jar!

When it Rains it Pours

Not sure I'll be able to pick any raspberries today...and at the moment it's coming down even harder than this earlier shot depicts. I sure hope there's not a whole lot of weddings today...
The timing couldn't be worse for the acres and acres of wheat just readying for harvest either. Oh well, at least summer starts tomorrow...doesn't it?

What We Eat

People are always expressing envy to me, regarding what they imagine I must eat all the time. "How do you keep your weight down, with all this wonderful food?" they might ask. Little do they know, Kevin and I are not noshing on shrimp and crabcakes every day. We might have a sample of a prototype menu item, along with all the rest of the staff occassionally, but rarely a full entree. I have been known to enjoy (very much) the oyster fritter (whenever possible). But eating what the customers eat? Doesn't happen. If we get any protein tossed our way, you can be sure it's because it's not suitable for the guests!

Our day usually begins at 7:30, or a little earlier if we've motivated. We'll get started at whatever needs starting first - put the water on for the iced tea, start boning chickens while the kitchen is cool, make the pie, start the bread dough. Eventually one of us starts "breakfast". This generally very hearty meal can be anything from the open-faced avocado/pickle/hot pepper/cheese melt pictured above, to a bowl of pasta with asparagus and garlic, to a steaming plate of chilaquiles (my personal favorite). If I am making the breakfast pasta, I almost always put cream in it, especially if it is spinach and garlic. Sandwiches are not unusual, and definitely the selection when I have to eat at my desk - once again, see above photo.

And of course we often have a dessert after breakfast - this morning it's a bowl of our black raspberries dowsed with whipped cream. (I actually saved mine for later, since that sandwich was pretty filling!) We'll have a sample of a new cake perhaps, or a piece of too-old-to-serve something. Pie is the breakfast dessert of choice, of course, and we always make sure we save a piece for that purpose! (A pie cut into 9 pieces generally offers only 7 to the dining public.)

Kevin has to sort of nibble his way through the rest of the day, tasting, tasting, tasting. He might make himself something after lunch, and then again, he might not. Unless I order something from the menu at the end of dinner service (like the aforementioned oyster fritter), I am on my own for the mid-day meal, usually eaten around 3PM. I can make myself a salad or maybe there's some chicken wings from the chickens that have been roasted for the staff. This time of year I like to make a batch of deviled eggs for everyone, myself included. Occasionally I'll just have a cup of soup and a couple buttered croutons and call it supper. Once they start showing up at Cathy's stand, a big piece of icy watermelon is all I need.

It's not as romantic as some might think, the behind the scenes meals. But you know what, it's still pretty damn good, and you can be sure that I certainly am not losing any weight!

Headline News in Chestertown

Chestertown Gets New
Three-Way Stop Sign!

Everyone who reads this must understand how the seemingly littlest things become big news here in Kent County. The latest is at our end of High Street, where Route 291 (commonly known as "the bypass") intersects with High Street (also known as Route 20, at this part anyway). The confusion at this intersection has long been a source of annoyance to drivers along the route - and also a source of fender benders, due to the lack of the use of signal lights and the misunderstanding of the meaning of "yield". (Why don't people know what it means to "yield"? This drives me crazy.) So we've been punished with a three way stop sign, basically as a traffic "calmer", if you ask me. Just because people don't know how to use a turn signal or how to yield, we all have to suffer. Kevin was here at the office on Monday and said that the traffic was backed up to Flatland Road, from the Rock Hall direction.

However, the jury is still out. We might like it. We realize we now have a land mark for people asking for directions to Brooks Tavern! If coming from the East or North, we can tell them "just after the three-way stop"! It worked tonight! So what if it makes it harder to turn left out of our lot? We are very happy to have some way to help people find our restaurant, always a difficult proposition, considering we have virtually no signage to direct them.

And eventually they'll have a round-about put in, won't they? In a few years, eh?

Here's what the newly launched Chestertown Spy says about it. And yes, we are/are not easier to get to...

Raspberries and Rain

As I sit in the office, listing to the pounding rain on the roof, I worry about my raspberry crop. The days and days of sunless weather and drizzly skies make everyone sour and blue. Time for haiku.

Rain falls day to day
Washing the raspberries clean.
Can we pick them wet?

Raspberry creme brulee this weekend, and hopefully another pie. I can't find any information that says picking them wet is a bad thing, so I'm just going to put on my rain suit and do it!

We're Gonna Miss You, Butch!

Frank - who is on the left - just called to say his buddy Butch - who is on the right - was killed Friday night when he fell in front of a train in Harford County, where he lived. How awful. What a good guy. Hard to imagine that he won't be coming in for his big to-go cup of coffee on Thursday. Frank is going to be lonely in that truck now...

As promised, a black raspberry pie for tonight...
and probably another one for tomorrow night,
if I can keep up with the picking!
I don't think there is much better than raspberry pie,
except maybe sour cherry!

Black Raspberries

We may be devastated by the loss of our sour cherry crop this year, but the black raspberries are looking to make up for it. I've already picked two quarts - for us to eat - and it would appear that a pie should be in the oven early next week, followed by jam and more. The plants are a little crowded, which makes picking a little "prickly", but certainly worth the effort.