Wednesday, October 14, 2015

THE CARNIVAL IS OVER? NOT FOR MY GENERATION, IT ISN'T!!!



To me there’s something incredibly seductive about restaurant kitchens.  I fell under their spell years ago. Willingly, I was seduced by the unique aroma of cold rooms and glistening stainless steel bench tops; the heat emanating from sturdy, solid ranges laden with simmering hot pots filled with mysterious ingredients. Even the challenges of surviving slippery oil-splattered floors didn’t deter my infatuation. I knew I had to be part of that weird, wonderful world.  When I stepped into commercial kitchens – restaurant kitchens - I felt alive! A thrill ran down my spine. Like the power of Niagara Falls, my adrenalin started flowing! I was charmed,intrigued and captivated!

Hours spent setting up the mise en place; getting all the ingredients needed for service ready, close at hand; set out in order on the work bench for easy access.  Chopping, par-cooking, trimming, making sure nothing is left to chance or forgotten as the countdown begins.

Akin to curtains rising upon a stage show, the doors of the restaurant open. The diners stream in.  Their orders take over the kitchen, glaring at you, hanging off spikes above the ranges. Docket after order-filled docket demanding your attention.

The spell is broken.  Reality hits, waiting for no one! It’s all systems go!  If you don’t have the preparation completed, the mise en place in place, the restaurant may as well remain closed.  All hell will break loose otherwise!  You’ll be so behind the eight-ball, you’ll never catch up.  Disaster lies ahead – just beyond the kitchen door! 

One’s focus remains intent, unbroken until the last meal is served.

After a few years of dangerous manoeuvering kitchen workers unconsciously adopt a special kitchen gait. I’m sure I did, even if no one else did!

It’s an extremely stressful, but rewarding job - one not for the faint-hearted.  When the pressure is on, the pressure is on; not dissimilar to a pressure cooker!

I loved my years spent cooking in restaurants, and also the time I spent waiting tables in restaurants.  I'm not a trained chef.  Because of my interest, I taught myself by watching, reading, listening, asking questions of the chefs I worked with when I waited on tables.  The hospitality industry intrigued me. I wanted to play a part in it...so I did...on many different levels.

These days I prefer to watch from afar…from my sofa, as competitors on “My Kitchen Rules” or “MasterChef” battle it out, trying to beat the clock and each other. Sometimes watching the pressure they put upon themselves brings back many memories and at times, I can feel the knot in my stomach beginning to form, until I tell myself...I'm here...and they are there!!

And I also prefer rare occasions like the one I enjoyed yesterday.  Hassle-free, I sat back sharing a leisurely lunch in the company of a good friend. We spent a couple of hours at a busy local eatery enjoying the restaurant’s fare where, no doubt, behind the scenes the pace was far more hectic than that at our table.

My friend and I sat a little way away from the madding crowd, outside overlooking a free-form pond surrounded by rolling, verdant fields. A gentle breeze barely disturbed the leaves on the trees and the clear blue sky above, unsullied by powder puff clouds dotted here and there framed the scene. A family of wood ducks floated upon the pond’s surface looking as if they didn’t have a care in the world.  Their mood was contagious!

Music from the Sixties played softly in the background. It caused fond reflection on the days of our youth.  The Sixties were a magical mystery tour; it was such an enjoyable ride that took us into the Seventies. (And now I really am in the Seventies)!!

To quote Bob Dylan: “People today are still living off the table scraps of the Sixties. They are still being passed around -- the music and the ideas.”

In the Seventies more great music flowed freely…and some wonderful recipes were discovered and became fashionable. 

Coquilles St. Jacques: Boil and mash 500g potatoes with butter and a little milk/cream. Simmer large scallops in milk for a couple of minutes. Put scallops in their shells; pipe mashed potato around edges of shells.  Melt a little butter in pan; stir in 28g plain flour (making a roux); cook gently, stirring, 3mins; gradually add milk for scallops and a little more if required; cook until sauce thickens; add 1tbl white wine or dry sherry; season. Mask scallops with sauce; sprinkle with dry breadcrumbs and grated cheese; place under grill until crisp and brown on top. Garnish with parsley and lemon.


Coq au Vin: Heat 2tbs x-virgin olive oil into heavy-based ovenproof pot over medium heat; add 2c chopped bacon and 1 chopped medium onion; cook, stirring, until both are softened and then remove, draining well.  Cut 2x2kg chickens into 8 pieces each. Fry the chicken in batches until all the pieces are evenly browned, then return them all to the pot with the bacon and onion. Remove the pot from the heat and add 5tbs brandy. Carefully ignite, standing well back until the flames subside; then return the pot to the heat.  Preheat the oven to 140°C. Tie a few sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary , 2 bay leave and parsley into bundle; add to pot with 3 crushed garlic cloves, 1tbs tomato puree, 1tbs lemon juice, 1tbs sugar and 1 bottle of full-bodied, dry red wine. Cover with lid; cook in oven for 2 to 2-1/2 hours until chicken is very tender.About 30 minutes before the chicken finishes cooking, melt 1tbs butter and 2tbs oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add 350g pickling onions or shallots; fry for 10 to 15 minutes until they are golden brown and soft; transfer to a plate. Add 350g button mushrooms to the pan; toss so they are just cooked and coloured.  Blend the 2tbs butter and 2tbs flour together in a small bowl. Remove a few pieces of the cooked chicken to make room to stir in the beurre manié. Add this in small amounts, stirring after each addition so that the sauce remains smooth.  When all the beurre manié has been incorporated return the chicken together with the onions/shallots and mushrooms. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle the top generously with the parsley and serve from the pot.

Sukiyaki: Cut 250g rump or sirloin thickly. Mix together 3tbls beef stock, 2-6tbsl soy sauce, 2tbl sugar and 1/2tbl saki or sherry (add soy sauce gradually, tasting frequently to get desired taste). Cook 170g rice separately; keep hot. Heat 1tbl oil in large frying pan; brown meat on both sides; add half the sauce to meat; push meat to one side of pan; add 1 sliced onion, 1 sliced leek and 113g shredded cabbage; cook gently for 3mins. Add remaining sauce, 113g finely-shredded mushrooms and 113g spinach; cook further 3mins. Beat and season 2 eggs; heat in separate pan, stirring until slightly thickened, but not set. Add hot meat and vegetables to this; serve with rice; serves 2-3.

Crêpes Suzette: Sieve 113g plain flour, pinch salt; beat in 2 eggs, and then enough milk for thick batter (about 235ml); beat hard; stand for short time (the batter, and you, if you like); add a little more liquid if too thick. Add 1/2tbs oil or melted butter just before cooking. A little sugar can be added to flour for a sweet crepe. Fill each crepe with a filling of: 113g butter, 113g sugar, grated rind of 2 oranges and a little curacao or Grand Marnier. Fold crepes into four over the filling; place them onto a very hot dish. Mix together juice of 2 oranges, 1tbls curacao or Grand Marnier and a little sugar; heat in pan; pour over hot crepes; ignite before serving.   (Along with Creme Brulee and Creme Caramels, these are still a favourite dessert of mine).

36 comments:

  1. That's incredible how you feel about Restaurant kitchens...can't say I do feel the same. We are all different. I love to cook certain foods, always hope I can get something different when going to eat at a restaurant other than what I would cook at home..

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    1. Hi there Margaret...yes we all are different with our own quirkiness, which is probably a good thing for many, many reasons! :)

      Thanks for popping by. :)

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  2. The font is the same, just differently sized.
    I love restaurant kitchens too, but for a slightly different reason. Oddly enough, I enjoy dishwashing. For me there's nothing more satisfying than the gleam and sparkle of freshly cleaned crockery, glassware, pots and countertops. Just don't be asking me to do the floors.
    I've always thought I was the only one who saw a restaurant kitchen akin to a stage show. The pre-preparation, the preparation, finally the show! A well orchestrated kitchen, in full production mode, (the show, if you will), is a joy to behold.
    "special kitchen gait" the dance of the kitchen is a unique ballet all its own. When staff become long-term and become used to each other's idiosyncracies, the dance is perfected, even with wait staff in the dining area, who move quickly, dodging, twisting, all done smoothly with not a single mishap.

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    1. Hey River! You understand! I'm glad someone understands what I wrote...about how I felt. Commercial kitchens are a special world of their own, that's for sure. It is like a stage show...and the show must go on, regardless!

      And, I do go through moments of missing them when I watch the shows like those I mentioned in my post. There is a strange "romance" about restaurant kitchens...even with all the madness that goes on in them...and wow...there certainly are many moments of madness! lol

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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    2. I just fixed the print, River...for whatever reason parts of my post had swung into arial by its own free will....so I forced it back into Times! :)

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  3. Commercial kitchens have (and need) a choreography all of their own. And it is an underrated ballet too.
    More and more restaurant kitchens are open - in full view of the public and I find it fascinating.

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    1. Hey EC....the first eatery I worked in, part-time a couple and sometimes more nights per week as a second job back in 1969 and 1970..."The Pelican Tavern... the kitchen was open and the diners could see all the action. I waited on tables. And on the Saturday afternoons, I'd assist the owner/chef, Mr. Kyriol Wypow with the preparation. I learned a lot from him...and he really lit the flame to my interest in the industry.

      Speed and the art of having eyes not only at the front and back of one's head are needed in kitchens! lol

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  4. If I ever came to visit, you'd have to roll me out the door!

    I've managed restaurants and helped... including in the kitchen.... but was never a chef. The closest I've come was being cook and kitchen manager at a posh sorority. I miss my girls, and some of them even keep in touch. =)

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    1. Hi Jacqueline...then you, too, understand what I'm saying. They're a different world. Not only did I learn so much about food preparation etc., while working in commercial kitchens...I learned how to curse, too - and how to move in rhythm to the words! lol

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  5. love that kitchen, the food all looks so delicious, been years since I had a crepe suzette, still have my special cooking pan, now to find out if I can make them gluten free

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    1. Hi Linda...the stainless steel gets me every time! I love it!

      Here's a gluten-free crepe suzette recipe for you -

      GLUTEN-FREE CREPES SUZETTE
      For the crepes:
      4 large organic free-range eggs
      3/4 cup almond milk
      1/4 cup sifted coconut flour
      1 tablespoon buckwheat flour
      1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
      Optional: 1 teaspoon stevia
      Pinch of salt
      Cold-pressed coconut or extra virgin olive oil, for frying (or use a little butter if you prefer it)
      For the orange sauce:
      1 tablespoon coconut oil
      200ml freshly squeezed orange juice
      1 tablespoon orange zest
      1 tablespoon lemon juice
      1-1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
      Optional: 1 teaspoon stevia
      To make the crepes: Place eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk together with the almond milk. Add in the coconut and buckwheat flours, vanilla essence, stevia and salt, and whisk until well combined. Set aside, allowing the coconut flour to soak and absorb the liquid.
      To make the orange sauce: In a small saucepan, bring all the orange sauce ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes (mine took quite a bit longer than that) to caramelise, stirring occasionally.
      To cook the crepes: Heat a non-stick frypan over a moderately high heat and add a little coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil (personally I love a little dab of butter). Pour a little of the crepe mixture in (about half a cup), tilting the pan to create a thin round, even crepe. When bubbles start to appear across the crepe, carefully place a spatula under the crepe and flip to cook the other side (don’t worry if you get any tears – it won’t matter as you’ll be folding them anyway).
      Assembly: Once all crepes are cooked, fold them in half and then in half again, arrange on serving plates and serve immediately with orange sauce. If serving for dessert, you might like to add a dollop of mascarpone or, if having for breakfast, try with some thick Greek yoghurt.

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  6. While watching cooking reality shows on TV, I can feel the tension. Everything has to be a masterpiece. One has to have a certain temperment to survive those kitchens. They are fun to watch, but I am sure that my heart could not handle such an environment. Good for you for not only surviving but for enjoying it all.

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    1. Hi Arleen...when the pressure is on in kitchens, it certainly is on. There is no time or room for the faint-hearted! lol

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  7. I have never been behind the restaurant of a kitchen - but I do love to watch the kitchen shows on television.

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    1. Hi there Sandie...I became curious about what when on behind the scenes when I was in my early 20s. I had a full-time job during the week, but the lure of making some extra money part-time at night by working tables in a little eatery was impossible to ignore...and the story began...

      Thanks for popping by. :)

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  8. You write Soooo Wonderfully about your Passion...it reminds me that, THAT, is what life is all about. Feeling passionate about something and no matter how hard it is----you MUST do it---like Breathing!

    The food looks so very scrumptious, Lee.....YUM, YUM, YUM!

    As always, a very fascinating wonderfully written post, my dear.

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    1. Hey there Naomi....If I hadn't jumped into the deep end, I would've missed out on so much fun, and all the challenges that came along with doing so.

      Thanks for you kind comments, Naomi. You take good care of yourself...I hope all is well with you. :)

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  9. I have the greatest admiration for anyone who can make a restaurant work. I was in one the other day with a large party of people, and the place was crowded. But the staff just kept turning up with marvellous plates of food, just what everyone had ordered, beautifully presented. Seemed like magic to me! :)

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    1. Hi Jenny...It does become a bit like a conveyor belt of a well-oiled machine...or it should be. Team work is so important...and what happens in the kitchen, should stay in the kitchen...except, of course, the plates of food!!!

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  10. I was beginning to worry about there being something wrong, with you not publishing anything in over a week and not coming by my way. I am glad that there appears to be nothing to it. I sure hope I have not done something wrong.

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    1. Hey Jerry...sorry....No....I've been busy with a few things and time has just slipped away on me without me noticing. I usually only post once a week...and the week got away on me. :)

      You've done nothing wrong...not that I know of it...do you want to confess anything? :)

      I hope all is well with you and Arlynda...I'll pop over to your blog in a moment.

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  11. The pressure of a restaurant kitchen never seemed like something I could handle when I have watched Master Chef. I would feel physically ill just watching, but I can imagine the high in finishing a service at the end of a night, having waited tables through uni. So glad you had a lovely relaxing lunch.

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    1. G'day Carol...It always did take a while to "come down" after the day/night's end...having to step out of one world into another.

      Yes...the lunch was very nice....I don't do that often these days, not often at all...but It was a nice break from the norm. thanks for coming by. :)

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  12. My grandson the chef, loves the kitchen. I only hope the Navy doesn't ruin that love. He seems to enjoy cooking for his fellow sailors but not often are meals left to his imagination.

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    1. Hi Annie...I'm glad you grandson loves what he's doing. He's cooking for a tough audience, but he will learn so much, not only about cooking and the behaviour of others, but about himself, too. Good for him! :)

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  13. Another evocative post Lee. You give your readers a sense of the pressure behind the scenes of a working restaurant and also a sense of the passion that you had for the job. Surely a necessary ingredient in any successful eatery.

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    1. Hey there Yorkie...you have to be on your toes in more ways than one. A happy diner is a happy diner...and a happy kitchen is a happy kitchen and makes for a happy diner. Both are necessary ingredients! :)

      Thanks for popping in. :)

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  15. Just a beautiful post, Lee. I, too, had an enjoyable lunch and glass of beautiful wine yesterday with friends while we were visiting the Pacific Coast Quilt Show. And I remarked at the table that I could never be a wait person or a cook in the back. They were scurrying around like crazy but when they appeared at your table they seemed the embodiment of decorum and politeness. And the lunch was outstanding!

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    1. Thank you, Moutain Thyme. :)

      Yep...it's a crazy world the world of hospitality/restaurants/kitchens. I think one has to be a little crazy to be in it...to survive it! lol

      It is true...I freely admit it...I'm crazy!!

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  16. Cooking? That's wot women were made for!

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    1. Okay, Mr. Ad-Man...I'll meet you in a restaurant kitchen and show you how it's done! I wonder how long you'd last! lol

      Thanks for popping in. :)

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  17. Ahhh, the food of the sixties! I have such fond memories of going out to dinner in those days when you actually got a plate of tasty food !! I remember we used to save up for a month when we were first married and then go to the "Coronation (Motel) " on Coronation Drive where they served wonderful food and Coquilles St Jacques was a favourite of mine as were Crepes Suzettes served at the table.

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    1. Hi Helsie...I know/knew the Coronation Hotel well...I lived at Toowong so it was close to my neighbourhood.

      Every time (which was once every week) I dined at the Matthew Flinders Restaurant in the Gateway Hotel (both of which no longer exist) I always had Crepe Suzettes because Luciano, the waiter cooked them at the table...and I always had his Steak Diane, too, for the same reason; and because he did both so well. He was a lovely fellow...Italian, of course. I was a regular (with a friend) at the restaurant in 1973-74.

      Eventually Luciano opened his own restaurant in The Valley..called "Lucky's". I visited it one night in 1987 when I was in Brisbane on business when I was managing the resort on Hinchinbrook Island and Luciano recognised me immediately. I was so thrilled that he'd remembered me. He was a very charming, competent chef and host.

      When I was working on tables at "Scaramouche", Coquilles St. Jacques were a very popular entree....again that was in the mid-70s when they were so popular. I still love them, not that I've had them for a while.

      Thanks for coming by., Helsie. )

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  18. I love the way you describe your lunch with a friend. It sounds lovely and makes me wish I could be there, too.

    And I'm salivating over those food images, while eating my sad desk lunch of spinach salad. :) The Coq au Vin - oh my.

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  19. G'day Lynn...I don't socialise much these days...but the lunch was very pleasant indeed. You would've been most welcome. Thanks for coming by. :)

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