Installment # 5 of Diary of a madwoman uh, I mean chef, in the throes of opening a restaurant…

                Still in phase one!  After a failed attempt to replace the kitchen flooring with self adhesive tiles, it became necessary to hire a professional.  Gustavo came highly recommended, arrived on time and worked after hours which meant, as a side job, the labor rate for my job was lower than the usual, which, of course, was fine by me.  The floor, thus far installed by Gustavo by Monday night, was looking great, smooth and sealed, just the way the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) expected it.  I did, however, have one problem with Gustavo.  Gustavo’s command of the English language is somewhat poor, poor enough that I did not understand him correctly when he answered my question as to how long before I could walk on the floor.  

               I had been waiting for the fire chief and the third party fire suppression certification people for some time and they were expected the next morning.  Gustavo ensured me that with the heat set at 78 overnight, the floor would be dry the next day.  “Tomorrow”, I repeated to make sure that I understood.  “Jes”, he answered, shaking his head in the affirmative.  I left that evening with the heat cranked up to 78, confident that when I returned the next morning, the glue would be dry.

                I am still not sure exactly where the communication broke down, but what I do know is that when I arrived the next morning to host the fire chief and his party, the floor was no dryer than when I left the night before.  And, it was not until I was well into the middle of the kitchen and looked back toward the door that I realized that every tile on which I had walked, had moved away from the next, leaving gaps between the tiles and glue squishing from between.  Fortunately, the fire chief could see what he needed to see from the doorway.  Unfortunately for me, I spent the next two hours returning the tiles to their proper placement, peeling unidentifiable debris from the bottom of my sticky shoes, which on trying to leave, stuck unexpectedly to the door mat.  If it were not for my daily workout which includes balance exercises, I would surely have fallen face down as I attempted to get free, first one foot then the other, then back again to the first one.  Having watched Candid Camera in my youth, I laughed out loud, expecting to see Allen Funt burst through the door.   

                Two weeks later and the floor has begun to dry.  The infrastructure is finished.  We sadly said good-bye to our last contractor on Friday (we came to know them well) and phase two has officially begun---moving in!  Thus far, craigslist has provided us with coolers, furniture, stainless prep tables, steam table and finally, the perfect size sandwich station, 27 inches wide.  I say perfect, because everything at the Bull must be miniature in size in order to fit the 750 SF space.  But apparently small is in because the smaller the piece of equipment, the more desirable and therefore as supply and demand would have it, the fewer available and the higher the price.  But fortunately for us, although sad for the seller, there are always restaurants closing and good deals to be made.  If only it would stop raining!

                Today was a day to spend in my office catching up on bills, designing menus, brochures and coupons in preparation for the first marketing event for Beyond the Bull, a Mardi Gras theme fundraiser for Meals on Wheels, to take place on Friday, February 15, at the Anderson, SC Civic Center.  It will be a coming out party for the new kid on the block, so it is important that we get it right.  On the menu for tasting is a Louisiana Cajun Canard with LA white BBQ sauce, a Bull signature dipping sauce.  For those of you who are not fluent in French, it is duck (this one in meatball form) seasoned with Cajun spices and a vinegar-based white BBQ dipping sauce.  Recipe is below for you adventurous types who have access to duck.

                Now, how to prepare a whole rabbit for service at the Bull, hmmm---time to play with my food again.  As I have stated earlier, but it bears repeating, “I love my job!”

Louisiana Cajun Canard

with LA White BBQ Sauce

Makes 38 1 oz meat balls

1 lbs. ground duck 

1 egg

1/2 cup celery, brunois

1/2 cup yellow onion, brunois

1 green bell pepper, brunois

1 poblano pepper, brunois

ground thyme

salt

pepper

garlic granules

whole bay leaf

celery seed

ground cayenne

ground sweet paprika

For the dipping sauce

1 cup Dukes mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

mustard seed

salt

pepper

Buon Appetito e Buona Salute, Chef AngelaB.