Failure

We failed our final inspection.  Eleven failures.  But not to worry.  All will be tidied up by Monday, and a re-final will be attempted (and passed) Tuesday.  Same goes for the health department inspection Tuesday.  So Wednesday we will have all the rules, regulations, hoop jumping, T-crossing, i dotting, fee paying - silliness completed. (Until some unbeknowst to us public entity demands forms, fees, and more hoop jumping... opening a business is the fastest way to joining the Libertarian Party.)  Unless you count the beer/wine license which is still working its way through dark and murky government channels.

First all employee meeting today, which consisted of ten minutes of form filling out, five minutes of rambling and confusing "leadership talk", and two hours of intensive cleaning.  Monday we start delivery service for businesses (permit to cook in our storefront still in limbo, the cooking will be done at our catering kitchen).

This really is happening... Becca walked through the sandwich shop kitchen today and said "Frances, look around, here is your college tuition".  I wonder if its jc or university grade?

With all the crazi-ness of getting the storefront ready the catering keeps on ticking.  A luncheon for the Blue Mountain Action Council, dinner for Stores Online, and the pic above dinner at Waters Winery.

For Waters Winery we did five courses: a roasted pear and greens salad, sauteed scallops and apples and quatre epices spices, cauliflower soup and duxelle cream, and the main of beef tenderloin with red wine reduction sauce, brussels, yukons sauteed in clarified butter and brussel sprouts, patisserie dessert... quite yummy.

Cheers

Your Mile is My Inch

Lots of people still have lots to do.  But its getting closer.  Deliveries start Monday November the 2nd. 

It may not look like it, but we are really close... at least that is what I keep telling myself.

Cheers

primer to floor color

Cheers

Progress

Logo on the door. 

Floor color to primer color

Cheers

dun Dun Dun DUUUNNN... the menu

Here is the menu, so far, pricing is semi-accurate, as is the ingredient list.  Of course a lot will change as the official week of full blown test cooking arrives.  Monday November 2nd we begin delivery service only.  So if you want a sandwich you are going to have to call one in.  Here is the number 509-522-9991.

hot ones
meatball, hoagie roll, roast garlic marinara, whole milk mozzarella, garlic 6.95
pastrami, house cured sauerkraut, russian dressing, swiss cheese 7.95
porchetta pork loin, aioli, lettuce * 6.95

panini ones
turkey, bacon, provolone 6.35
italian meats, sun dried tomato spread, whole milk mozzarella 6.35
portabella mushroom, roasted red peppers, basil, provolone 6.35

cold ones
italian hoagie, mortadella, sopprasetta, salami, coppa, 7.95
mama lils peppers, shredded lettuce, provolone, oil and vinegar
rotisserie turkey, avocado, green leaf lettuce, provolone 6.95
flank steak medium, chimichurri, mama lils peppers 7.95
roast beef, blue cheese, caramelized onions green leaf lettuce 6.95
grilled chicken, basil mayonnaise, tomato, green leaf lettuce 6.95
veggie, hummus, cucumber, feta, kalamata olives, red peppers, sprouts 6.95
garden delight, seasonal vegetables, changes often

salad ones
caesar, chopped romaine, croutons, parmesan, (add grilled chicken) 5.95 / 7.75
green leaf, roasted pears, blue cheese, candied nuts, vinaigrette 5.95 / 7.75
(add rotisserie turkey or sautéed chicken)
spinach, provolone, toasted almonds, sun dried tomatoes, 5.95
roasted onions, balsamic dressing
mixed green, carrots, cucumber, red peppers (choice of dressing) 4.95

hot liquid ones
two soups made daily, always one vegetarian (6 oz, 10 oz) 3.50 / 5.00

sugar ones
double chocolate brownies 1.25
chocolate chip cookie, coconut cookie, pecan chocolate tartlets 1.10

Cheers

Progress... still progress

The drywall is done, hvac goes in a couple of days, finish plumbing next week, concrete patching in a day or so, big equipment comes next week, and we interviewed for employees yesterday.  So many nice folks, I wish we had more positions to fill, its going to be hard to select our opening crew.

This weekend we did a few smaller events: a 40th birthday party at Mannina Cellars, a drop off dinner for some Whitman folk, box lunches for a bunch of geologists on a wine terrior field trip, and a wine dinner at Dunham Cellars for a group from Seattle.  Here is a photo of the soup at Dunham, pureed cauliflower (actually quite light, chicken stock and half and half, no cream) with a mushroom duxelle cream, truffle salt, and cauliflower croutons.  Pretty yummy.

Sandwich shop menu is coming along nicely.  Three paninis, two hot sandwiches, seven cold sandwiches, three salads, and two soups (rotating daily).  Soups aren't quite this elaborate, soups for the storefront fall more in the cauliflower, beer, cheese category of soup making.  Sample menus to businesses that call in deliveries go out this week.

Cheers

Progress, Inch by Inch

Slowly but surely we are getting there.  If you walk by the storefront it still looks a long ways off, but its not really.  This week the ac unit is installed, drywall gets done, and concrete patching finished.  Rough plumbing is done, electrical is almost entirely complete, and we got it painted Sunday.
 

We even are getting ready to hire folks.  All the chairs and tables have been purchased.  Big equipment shows up end of October... and well, you know... then I guess its time to open the doors. 

Wedding Season is Officially Over

The wedding rehearsals and receptions are all finished up for 2009.  Yeah! Another successful year of feeding newlyweds and their loved ones great food on their first day of holy matrimony. 

Since we last checked in we gave sustenance to Sasha and her loved one, Janel and her baseball loving Brent, aviation inspired Jerry and Janet, NY NY living Sheri and Erick, Kristina and her beau, and Seattle-ites Cindy and Seth.  All totalled 22 receptions and rehearsal dinners from May 31st to October 3rd.

Other recent catering fun has included a Macy's appetizer party for happy shoppers, feeding Democrats (this company will gladly feed Republicans as well), feeding Masons (will also feed Odd Fellows, Eagles, Shriners, and all other special clubs), snacks for Kerloo Cellars coming out party, Sheep to Shawl at the Kirkman House, a cooking class for Whitman Sorority girls, and another lovely dinner at Reininger.

Palmares: A few recent customer comments.
"I didn’t get a chance to see you before you left, but wanted you to know how much we enjoyed the lamb lunch. It was heavenly! Thanks for hitting another one out of the ballpark!" - Kirsten

"John,  The dinner was fabulous. And, let me tell you, this group isn't always easy to please. Everyone was still raving about it today. You NAILED the tenderloin. It was perfectly cooked. The vegetables were fresh and amazing and the dessert was totally yummy!  Thank you for making Kurt's birthday wonderful!  If you ever need a testimony for a client, let me know."
- Jennifer

"John I meant to email you last Friday - our lunch was AMAZING! Everyone gave you 'high 5's' - thanks so much. It tasted great - just my kind of food - fresh, wholesome! Your presentation was nice too." - Laurien

"That was the best lamb we have ever had!" - Mary Jane Fehrenbacher (She grows the lamb, I cooked it for Sheep to Shawl, her lamb is really spectacular, it is what I bring to any wine dinner we do lamb for, truly special stuff)

"I heard that Jen’s party was delightful as I knew it would be. I just wanted to say thank you again so much for making it a special evening for the girls. They loved the “lesson” and I understand that the food was outstanding as well." - Sara

Even got quoted in the paper from the Sheep to Shawl luncheon:
The owner and operator of Graze Catering was serving braised and grilled lamb with a Harissa sauce.  “I love it. I absolutely love it. It is probably one of my favorite meats to work with. And it’s a great local product,” Lastoskie said, noting Fehrenbacher’s lamb goes great with local syrahs.

Now that the Summer is over, and the slower days and cooler weather have returned, it is time to finally get down to business and get this storefront rolling. 

First step: buy lots and lots of stuff.... and then go back for more.

Cheers