Lazarus Awakes

It has taken me a long time to get over some of the last years disappointments.  I feel like I can once again breathe.  That is what Lazarus probably thought when Jesus gave him breath again.

Financially last year was a very good year for our business.  We continued our turn around from the dire days of late 2016 when I was nearly cast to the dirt and probably our company.

But every year brings its issues and its blessings. 2018 was a year mired in instability.  For various reasons, some documented on this blog, we found ourselves working out of four different commercial kitchens.  As one can imagine, the stress of it was quite substantial. I felt like a gypsy last year wondering around Dallas looking for a new place it seemed daily to work.

I am pleased to say we are now in a stable work environment and as a result, I believe we are providing for our clients at our highest level ever.

Looking back at last year now does come with some other disappointment. We always look forward to growth and new challenges. We journeyed on two courses last year and none have been rewarded thus far.

We traveled to Ireland last year on a culinary tour to bring back recipes, insights, culture and more to do a pop-up restaurant in our former culinary kitchen.  We thought this would be a great way of marketing ourselves to new and old clients and create a group that would grow and spread the word about our catering company.  We advertised on Facebook, we were written up in GuideLive of the Dallas Morning News.  We really felt like we were about to realize our vision for growing our catering business.  Alas, three weeks before our pop-up was going live, we received notice we and others had been kicked out of our kitchen because the company we leased from Pilotworks went belly up.  It was a massive blow to us. It was the perfect location to do pop-up restaurants and with its demise, so went our vision.

Secondly, we have a vision for a mobile Brazilian churrascaria to grow our business, especially in the corporate and wedding business.  It has been a vision of mine since 2017.  We visited Memphis and Miami to meet with competitor vendors to move our project along.  The dream isn't dead after meeting with both.  They are both unique but both come with serious pros and cons. We actually bought some equipment and have it on the ready, but feel we need to create from scratch the unit to do our dream up right.  I will fill you in as we progress.  

I am as of now prepared to get back on the saddle and write more on this blog for food reviews, recipes, culture, and life.  I can breathe again!

Kick in the Crotch

If you are a man, you know the feeling.



Imagine that happening three, four, five times in a week's period. That is what my nether region has felt like.  

Last Saturday our rented kitchen abruptly closed its doors.  The corporate email was received at 5pm'ish and was stamped effective immediately.  Needless to say, that was a round-house kick to the groin region. Here is the article...

https://www.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/2762952.jpg

All our possessions were locked inside the Pilotworks facility on Webbs Chapel and LBJ freeway.  I had to get them out.  I raced our family back from a soccer trip in Austin and headed to our former kitchen.  It was too late.  We were locked out.  Our access cards had been denied.  Panic set in, sheer utter panic.  WTF were we going to do? How were we going to continue our business with no place to operate out of, how was I going to bring in the funds to feed my family and provide a living for them?  So many thoughts, all unpleasant were spiraling out of control in my mind. 

Depressed and wishing only of sharp pointed objects, we got into our car and were just driving off when we saw security driving towards us.  I jumped out of the car and flagged the security guard down.  I was prepared to lay in front of the vehicle like the protesting bloke in Tiananman Square 20 years ago.



Luckily, it didn't come to that as it was raining and miserable outside.  I did my best acting job and begged her to let us into Pilotworks.  I think the tear rolling down my cheek did the trick.  I looked pathetic and my tepid masculinity needed some testosterone boost.  But the ends justified the means and she opened the door to us.  I called my folks to bring their cars so we could load up.

A few hours later we had our last possessions and our last memory of what was a great culinary playground.  During this time I was dialing all my food friends in the industry and to the kitchens available around town.  I was amazed of all the people that were willing to help us out and 24 hours later we had moved into our new kitchen at the Cookline in Plano, owned and operated by Renee and Kevin!  What a blessing they were to us. We had found a home and were able to not miss a beat and began cooking for our clients on Monday without skipping a beat.

Unfortunately, kick to the crotch dos!  



Our pop up restaurant Slainte that was to be unveiled Friday the 26th at the Pilotworks facility is now scratched.  My idea of traveling to new places to uncover the food of distant lands and bring back these ideas and memories to the people of Dallas and to our client and friends has gone up in smoke.

So disappointing on so many levels.  To be frank I wasn't thrilled with the lack of response to this one night launch of Slainte.  The interest I believed would be there never rose to the level I expected.  This is a meat and potatoes town. It isn't New York, Chicago, or San Francisco.  It shouldn't be a surprise to me as Dallas was voted the 31st food city in America.  Pretty bad for the 6th most populated metropolitan area in the United States.  https://www.guidelive.com/food-and-drink/2018/10/09/dallas-named-no-31-best-foodie-city-united-states-wallet-hub-plano-105
It is Dallas, where mostly steakhouses and tex-mex thrive.  I wanted to bring something new and fresh but not many were gain for it.  We still would have had a great night, but as of now this endeavor is over.  Maybe a Lazarus moment for Slainte is to come, but for now, my energy and emotion has been sucked out of me along with my month's rent and deposit to Pilotworks.

And to add insult to injury I had a blowout on my car this past week and my wife had a flat tire at 4.30am as we are trying to deliver breakfast for two hundred in Garland.  This has been our week!



I will recover from this as will our business.  Not sure I can have any more children, but that is another story.  I was going to leave my last part of my culinary trip for this coming Friday, but as it is now a no-go I will finish my trip to Ireland on this blog.  So stay tuned and Slainte!

Save The Date - 10/26/18 "Slainte" Pop Up Restaurant

October 26, 2018

Slainte Pop Up Restaurant Menu

Amuse Bouche

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Smoked Duck Cornetto with Lavender Rhubarb Jam

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Starter

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Guinness Cured Irish Salmon atop of Soda Bread Crostini with Kerry Gold Horseradish Spread

-

Soup

-

Irish Potato Vichyssoise with Fried Leak, Chive Oil, and Salmon Roe

-

Palate Cleanser

-

Gunpowder Irish Gin Granita with Edible Flowers

-

Entrée

-

Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Mint Salsa Verde

Pea Puree with Roasted Shallots, Roasted Gem Lettuce, and Irish Cheddar Potato Scallion Croquette

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Dessert

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Warm Irish Rice Pudding with Raspberry Coulis and Chocolate Nibs

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$89.99  pp

including Gratuity

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Come and Experience the Food and Soul of Ireland from Chef Stephen Martin's Summer Experience in the Emerald Isle 

Location - Pilot Works -Dallas

October 26, 2018 

7.00pm

11830 Webb Chapel Rd #1200, Dallas, TX 75234

Seating is Limited

Please RSVP to 469.450.1814 or Email us at order@gogourmetcatering.com

www.gogourmetcatering.com

Dingle and Inch

Dingle and Inch sounds like some new Disease, but it fact it is two lovely places outside the Ring of Kerry hugging the Atlantic Coast.  You can take the plethora of tour buses to this area if driving on the left, down terrifying narrow roads unnerves you or you can do like me and risk life and limb to do it myself. 

First stop was Inch beach. It is a lovely long beach that is soft on the feet but firm enough for cars to drive on it.  I think I am most definitely wrong, but Chariot's of Fire could have been filmed here.  I can envision the timeless scene as the men of British Olympic team waded through the surf like Greek Gods as they trained for the Summer Olympics.  Though on the chilly side, it was so peaceful and serene you barely noticed the briskness.   It was one of my favorite beaches I have been to in the British Isles. It was unspoiled and surrounded by marvelous hills that sprsng from the water.

We had a lovely walk along the beach and breathed in the salty sea air.  Not much does better for the soul than this.

Just down the coastline is the town of Dingle.  It is a well known tourist town but not too touristy if you know what I a mean.  They had a Michelin starred restaurant I wanted to eat at, but found it was bloody closed for lunch, even though they were purportedly open.  Very disappointing.  So we did what we always do when we have no clue where to eat; ask a local.

Irish Herb Crusted Lamb with Mint Salsa Verde

This dish will be featured in my "Pop Up "Slainte" Restaurant.  This recipe is not scientific so measurements are not exact.  It is to taste...

- Rack of Lamb preferably Irish (New Zealand, Welsh, English or Australian Lamb also fine)
- Season with Salt and Pepper and smear Chops in a Dijon Mustard
- Bread Crumbs- A cup or two pulsed finely in food processor
- Add Chopped Parsley, Chives, Salt Pepper and Lemon Zest
-  Combine ingredients and toast in nonstick pan with a 4-6 oz butter
-When the butter is incorporated and the bread crumb mixture begins to smell toasty remove to cool
-After cooling, pack mixture around the lamb chops and let rest
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Salsa Verde
- Chop equals amounts of parsley, basil, mint, chives and tarragon (about 1/2 a cup each)
- Take Jalapeno or Serrano pepper and remove seeds and finely mince.            - Zest a 1/4 cup of lemons
- Open a small Anchovies tin and place all ingredients in Blender
- Add 1/3 Cup of Lemon Juice
 - Blend ingredients 
Drizzle XV Olive Oil into blender until a nice sauce is formed
- Taste for more acidity, salt or pepper, or more XV Olive Oil 
Leave at room temperature

Place Herb Crusted Lamb in Oven in roasting pan - top rack preferably
Cook for around 20 mins until internal temperature reaches between 125-129 degrees.  Remove from oven.  Let rest for 5 minutes.  Cut chops two chops per portion.  Arrange on plate and serve Salsa Verde next to Lamb Chops

Bon Appetit 
 

Killarney

 

Put this place on your bucket list.  You will thank me later.  On the West Coast of Ireland is the County Kerry.  Killarney and Dingle and other lovely towns that reside around what is know as the Ring of Kerry.  An an interesting fact I came across.  You will notice many towns begin with 'KIL".  Well in Gaelic that means church.  So each town with that name has a church in it! 

It's unspoiled nature, babbling streams, beautiful valleys and soaring landscape make it in my eye's mind,the Irish Garden of Eden. You breathe the air and you are intoxicated.   If you are keeping up with the blog you probably know I have a thing for Irish butter, well this is the place a lot of it is produced.  You will see it even in some finer grocery markets in the states, Kerry Gold.  You can see why the food taste so bloody good.  Take a look at what the cows and the sheep are eating.  Some of earth's finest vegetation!

We started off the morning at the Killarney Park Hotel, in the heart of the city center. 

It is a wonderful hotel with lovely rooms, great staff and of course great food.  It is also very accommodating to the American tourist which is another huge plus for the hotel. We had a long day ahead of us so we stocked up on a big breakfast in the handsome dining room.




I tried the local smoked salmon and the delicious Kerry buttered scrambled eggs.  My daughter had an oldie but a goody.   Two soft boiled eggs with soldier toast points.  A classic staple from my youth.  We also engaged in their freshly baked loaves of bread and the Kerry butter as well the traditional Irish breakfast staples of black and white pudding and Irish rashers.  We stuffed our selves silly and were now ready to begin the day's journey!

We took a horse carriage ride through The Dunloe Pass,  Our horse, Betty was an old lady and didn't quite seem to be in the mood to haul or Texas asses through the pass.  At a few points we had to do some serious incline walking because Betty just couldn't do it.

Even though we had the slowest horse in the group, we didn't mind. It gave us more time to enjoy the stunning scenery.  We went up the Dunloe pass, which is very narrow and windy.  This was not for the faint of heart.  There were quite a few times we had to veer off to allow a car to nestle by us.  The ride took a few hours and then we were taken to Muckross lake where we took a motor boat back towards Killarney and Ross Castle.  It was quite an amazing day and found it a great way to see the beauty of County Kerry.

We were quite hungry when we arrived back at the hotel.  So we decided to eat at the hotel.  We were in for a real treat.

I am sorry to do this to you, but take a look at this above and don't tell me this doesn't look amazing.  Local caught lobster with truffled Kerry drawn butter, rocket and Shaved Parmesan salad with the tastiest Irish chips.  OMG!!!! Amazing...

Guinness Cured Salmon

Guinness Cured Salmon

Whole Side of Irish or Atlantic Salmon

Cup of Salt 

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup Toasted Coriander

1/2 Cup of Fresh Dill Chopped

Chopped Cup of Lemon and Lime Rinds

Cup of Fresh Lemon and Lime Juice

Bottle of Guinness Stout

Place in Pan - Mix Ingredients Together And Cover the Salmon in the Mixture - Get Dirty with It

Cover with Plastic Wrap - Leave in Fridge for 24 hours

Flip Salmon Over and Smother Ingredients Over It

Set Aside for Another 24 Hours in Fridge

After 48 Hours Rinse of Salt Mixture and Thinly Slice

Bon Appetite!

Wish I Could Share

 

Let me tell you if you haven't made my Guinness Soda Bread you are missing out.  Too lazy to make, I will have some for you at my pop up Irish Restaurant in October!

Side Trek

Traveling is like life.  You make plans and then life or chance changes your path.  Before we left the beautiful Kildare county, we ran into a lovely lady on the grounds of the K Club.  We struck up a conversation and I mentioned I was a chef in Dallas.  She had visited Dallas the year prior to meet her friends.  So our conversation lasted with so much common ground.  She was absolutely lovely and very friendly.  We talked about why we came to Ireland for a food tour and discover my culinary roots.  We talked about our itinerary and that we were going to Killarney the next day to discover the food on the west coast of Ireland.  She said we must first detour and go to Cork and visit the English Market.  It was a must see for someone like myself that thinks 24/7 about food. I didn't know about it, actually never heard about.  She explained it is situated in the heart of Cork City.  It is a roofed market and has been trading since 1788.  It was developed and is still owned by the Cork City Council. It is the oldest municipal market of it's kind in the world. I was sold.  Family we are off to Cork!

 Cork is located on the southwest coast of Ireland.  It is connected to the sea by Cork Harbor and the lovely River Lee flows through its city center.  It is a university town and also a large sea port brimming with activity.  The drive from Kildare was about three hours.  The roads were never busy and the emerald landscape never tired.  It was the easiest car trip I had ever made and quite possibly the most enjoyable.  Finding the English Market was a bit of a struggle.  Finding street parking in Cork is a task in futility.  You have to park in one of the large parking garages nestled throughout the city.  That ensures a good walk because they are always located far away from where you need to go.  For us, it wasn't much of a problem.  Exploring a new city is always exhilarating.  Using google maps my son led the way.  We hovered down windy streets.  The city was bustling. At this point we had not been to downtown Dublin so this was the busiest place we had visited.  We finally found the English Market.  It was huge arcade of vendors, selling everything from olives, to local breads and cheeses to Irish saddles of lamb and Irish made sausages.

The vendors were so friendly and informative.  They were so proud of their products and it showed.  Eager to give samples and explain anything you might have a questions about. Would give any consumer great confidence in buying there.  I loved the smell there.  Earthy smells from freshly baked bread, the fresh smell of delicious cut meat, the perfume of fresh produce.  It tickled the senses.  I had been to food halls when I was younger.  There was a fish market in Liverpool we would visit with my grandmother and I always loved the smell of the sea in there and of the smoked fishes.  It was always a delightful treat to visit there.  The English Market brought back those type of memories. Though I wanted to buy the whole market up, we still had a journey to to Killarnery so we got a few artisan pastries.  There wasn't a restaurant in the Hall so we asked one of the vendors where we could grab lunch that utilized the markets provisions.  They directed to a cute restaurant, The Spitjack, that was only a five minute walk away.

 

 The food was really nice, especially the Traditional Irish Porchetta.  So damn good. I am not just saying this to say it, but the food tastes so much better in Ireland, cleaner and healthier tasting.  It doesn't taste like it just cam off a Sysco Food truck.  It taste like it just came from a farm, which in this case it did.  Again the food was simple, but prepared well with not a lot of fuss.  Let the product speak for itself.  

We had one last stroll back and came across of all things The Butter Museum.  We had just missed the beginning of a butter class they were offering but they allowed us back there and we watched the art of butter making.  Again I will emphasize, potatoes and butter.  Ireland does this better than any place else.  I mean who else devotes an entire museum to butter.  Amazing!!!!  We did get to nosh on some of the creamiest and velvety butter one could imagine.  What a perfect way to end our surprise visit to Cork!

Greatest Chef Ever? Passes Away

Joël Robuchon has more Michelin stars than any other chef in history.  He opened his first restaurant, Jasmin, in 1981.  He was the contemporary to many fine chefs, like Gordon Ramsey which he argued was one of his most talented but frustrating chefs.  They often came to verbal blows, but one time Ramsey was just a little to snarky for Robuchon's liking so he threw a plate at him.  (I would have just clobbered him with my fist!)

He is best known in the states for his namesake restaurant in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.  I never made it to his restaurants but it was always a dream of mine.  His food was meticulously prepared and he didn't accept anything but excellence.  The food world lost another titan of the industry.  Au revoir mon frere! We will still enjoy the recipes and the legacies you left behind. 

https://www.eater.com/2018/8/6/17655280/reaction-chefs-joel-robuchon-death-gordon-ramsay

Menu for Irish Pop Up Restaurant

Coming Soon:

Irish Pop Up Restaurant "Slainte!"

Stay Tuned for the Date.  We will be hosting our first Pop Up Restaurant at our new home at Pilot Works Dallas.  Learn about Ireland its food and the flavors of the Emerald Isle.  It will be BYOB and seating will be limited.  

Keep Visiting the Blog for Updates on the Event or call us at 469.450.1814 or check on us out at Gogourmetcatering.com!

Irish Pop Up Tasting Menu

Amuse Bouche

-

Smoked Duck Cornetto with Lavender Rhubarb Jam

-

Starter

-

Guinness Cured Irish Salmon atop of Soda Bread Crostini with Kerry Gold Horseradish Spread

-

Soup

-

Irish Potato Vichyssoise with Fried Leak, Chive Oil and Salmon Roe

-

Palate Cleanser

-

Gunpowder Irish Gin Granita with Edible Flowers

-

Entrée

-

Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Mint Salsa Verde

Pea Puree with Roasted Shallots, Roasted Gem Lettuce, and Irish Cheddar Potato Scallion Croquette

-

Dessert

-

Warm Irish Rice Pudding with Raspberry Coulis and Chocolate Nibs

Howth You Lived?

Howth Summit is a gorgeous peak on the East Coast of Ireland on the outskirts of Dublin.  Directly across the Irish Sea is my family home of Liverpool.  They say Liverpool is Ireland's second capital.  My mum's side of the family all came from Ireland.  My grandmother was born in Ireland.  Don't know why it took me so long to get here, but this island has just cast a spell on me.  I am enchanted with its people, its landscape and of course its food.

It's always a challenge when you have to form a plan for the day with three other distinct voices.  My daughter had a friend that visited Howth and according to my daughter it was a must visit.  I asked why?  She said it would be a great Instagram picture! Social media strikes again! I quickly did some research and found it to be a beautiful place with something to interest me as well, great seafood!

Finding the summit was no easy task. I think we circled the peninsula twice before we found a Pub named the Howth Summit Pub.  We figured it was nearby and soon found it.  There were miles of walking trails from the top of the summit to the base where with cold Irish sea lapped along the jagged rocks. 18 months ago I would have died trying to walk this, but with new lease on life, a new mechanical mitral valve, pacemaker and by the grace of God I was able to meander the hills, keeping up with the rest of the family.  The air was crisp, but the sun kept it from being uncomfortable.  It was a magnificent day.  We built up quite an appetite after the climb back up.  We scurried down the narrow roads, always remembering to stay left, back to the town center and the port.  Something had caught my eye on the way up to the Howth summit and I knew I had to take the family there.

Beschoff Bros. is a local legend in Dublin.  It has several locations now on the eastern seaboard of Ireland.  It's history goes back a hundred years when Ivan Beschoff, a maritime sailor for the Tsar of Russia after serving as a deckhand on the Battleship Potemkin emigrated to Ireland.  More here http://www.beshoffbros.com/history/. It's a great family story that keeps growing year by year as the next generation Beschoff's carry on Ivan's legacy.  They have their own fleet of fishing boats that catch their fresh fish for their stores right the port of Howth.  They had several types of white fish to choose from, haddock, cod, plaice, hake.  I chose the haddock, which is a bit oilier and probably the stronger flavored of the others.  My wife and kids stuck with mild moist cod.  Let me tell you something it was everything and more than what you could have hoped for, no let down.  It was crispy and light. The fish was sweet and tasted as fresh as the sea.  The chips were also great especially with some Malt vinegar, a condiment that is required for this Irish delight.  Because of today's stiffer health regulations, you can't serve fish and chips in newspaper, but nevertheless we enjoyed the experience with no silverware and ate at a quaint park bench overlooking the port.

Howth is a great spot and well worth a day trip if you visit Ireland.  We took the scenic way back to the K Club in Kildare and stopped at the Cliff at Lyons.  It was only a quick stop, but as was told by a local a must stop. It was a beautiful place in Kildare on the canal.  Small bungalows and cottages, beautiful manicured gardens and ponds with flowering lillies lined the property. Let me tell you it was stunning.  It was the private residence of Ryannair Founder, who turned it into a lovely boutique hotel.  https://cliffatlyons.ie/.  I would like to stay a night there on our next trip to Ireland and recommend you do as well.

The fresh sea air and jet leg had wiped us out.  We retired back to the hotel and a nap.  We had decided we didn't want to go back out and wanted to just stay in, but didn't want to have a real fancy dinner again.  We decided to eat at the club house which is for members of the K Club gold course.  It was a nice casual restaurant with a great view of the golf course.  It was also perfect timing to watch the world cup as well!

Below is a picture of the small menu.

I really don't know what is more exciting eating a meal that you think will be excellent and is or eating a dish that you think will be okay and you find out is utterly fantastic and unexpected.  I think the latter for me.  Let me first off state, I am stealing this dish for my catering menu.  Pan Fried Hake with Grilled Leaks, Curried Raisins & Cauliflower with Noisette Butter.  Not only is it a real looker the flavor combinations that on the surface seemed unconvincing was mind blowing.  This was unexpected.  As you can tell from the menu, this was a menu designed not for the foodaphile, but for the everyday man.  But I think the boss allowed for the chef to show his true worth with one dish.  Thank God he did because it was one of my all time favorites!  Well done Chef!