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| Like Santa Claus and Leprecans... once a year. |
|
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| Normandy Rye |
03.15.10 Patty's Day is comin' up and I felt I would do my part and bake up some rye
for y'all. Cheers!
Warehouse Gourmet News Flash!!!
Dateline: Feb. 28, 2010
Paul
is not dead and neither is Melinda! Obsurd yes, but word on the street in downtown Hanover this
week would suggest otherwise. We found out Saturday evening around 6:30 PM.
Back
in 1969 Paul McCartney loaned his Mini Cooper to a friend, and he crashed it. Rumors spread that Paul was dead. Some
suggested that The Beatles found a look-alike to fill in for Paul as early as 1966 and told no one.
On
Saturday we invited our friend Chris, his family and friends into our home, to celebrate the life of, and mourn the recent
passing of his sister. It's always great to see Chris but this occasion was bittersweet.
Our
dining room is not yet open for business, and perhaps the mention of the memorial service being held here, and a possible
photo with the obituary could have confused someone. And the rest is small-town scuttlebut history.
Melinda
is alive and well... so we gave her the rest of the day off anyway... to be sure.
2/12/10 So there I was with my tongue
stuck to this flagpole in the middle of the playground and... I have crawed out from
under the massive snowdrift in front of the warehouse. After tunneling throughout the downtown I returned home and was
able to get back to work. Seriously,
I've been standing around the past few days with my thumb up my Hobart waiting for this weather to break (or go totally berserk).
I did my duty and shovled lots of snow, as did Min and Sin. Sin did lots; piled up loads of white stuff and then
came in and sauteed chicken and baked bread. Everyone here has adjusted to the weather and produced so life is good
and super cool.
Nothin' like reading old news...
02/05/10
Wow,
it's been a while. Snow is falling and I can't help but to say,
"thanks". Thanks to the gods of weather that stir things up.
I love snow. Better yet, I love to watch snow fall. I love to walk
in snow, the marshmallow feeling of dragging my legs and feet through fluffy
whiteness that I cannot control... I can only hope to maintain.
We
closed an hour or so early tonight because of the snow... to protect our night
time drivers (me) and also our customers (you) from venturing out into the
blizzard. My last delivery was at 6:00 PM and it was piling up! If
you crawl by the warehouse and you are starving, we will accomodate you as a
concerned neighbor.
Jan. 15, 2010 Happy New Year Everybody!
Been away for a while but now we're back in the kitchen cookin' up the good stuff.
First
and foremost, I'd like to take this oppurtunity to say thanks. Thanks to those here at the warehouse behind the scenes:
Pat, Lamar and Ethel are family members who keep things rolling on a daily basis, cooking, prepping taking orders and making
deliveries.
Sin Rabe, the newest addition to our funny little family has been
an asset in many ways. Basically everyone starts at the dish station, sweep and mop floors - and clean man, clean. Also,
Sin has been sharing the dough mixing and bread baking duties and doing a damn good job of it.
Months
ago Sin shared with us a disclaimer taken from his website designed to stave off pirates and intellectual property thieves.
Go to the About Us page and click on the link that starts off with "site contents..." You see, we had no clue about disclaimers
but Sin does so he shared his words with us and we are very grateful. In addition to his kitchen duties this resourceful
young turk has a business of his own designing websites. In fact he is working on the second incarnation of my art site,
artistruth.net.
To check out his work, or to contact him go to blueaeon.com. The guy really
knows his stuff when it comes to computers and I am impressed with the speed at which he is picking up the baking duties here.
(if I could only get him to adhere to Bigfoot's rule...)
That's blueaeon.com
Moving on. We would be nowhere here (and
would have lots of extra food lying around) if not for you, our customers. Last year you helped us grow again. You
came out to the borough council meetings to support us, and you offered words of encouragement to remind us that we heading
in the right direction and that all of our hard work is appreciated.
Although
I work in the back kitchen, (usually chained under the Vulcan) I get to meet most of our customers. Sometimes cooking
and delivering in the same motion I get a chance to briefly speak to our new friends Scott and Karen Roland. We spent
a lot of time discussing our town, the new restaurant and their stake in the community as well. The Rolands have a great
investment in Hanover by running Blue Ridge Holding Company. They own several rental properties (including Sin's apartment).
They're great people and conscientious landlords. Check out their site at blueridgeholdings.com.
That's blueridgeholdings.com
So, thank you all... thanks for reading the blog, eating our food and for all your support over the years. We
are serving new customers all the time that tell us they never heard of us and are surprised that we are in our fifth year.
We don't advertise in the newspaper, radio, or TV because we know that word of mouth is best... we rely on you to tell
your friends when you have great food.
Melinda creates our menu and
our weekly specials, and she keeps a keen eye on everything that goes out the door. We all trust her to lead us, teach
us and direct the kitchen. I feel only optimism for this year and the future our restaurant. Change is in the
air for PA Ave. and there's a lot of work to do in the next few months. Stay tuned for updates on the new dining room,
stay cool, keep warm and show your community all the love you can muster. Namaste, dear friends...k
12.09.09 Congrats to Michael Voltaggio for winning Top Chef. If you don't watch, too bad. If
you do, perhaps you can relate to my relateable experience. I am a younger brother too, of three years plus, striving
to reach or surpass my older brother. I used to work for my older brother and I know how hard he
works to be where he is today. He is a great friend and teacher. Top chef is a great show and I will miss it almost
as much as I miss my life as an artist... the one I hope to find soon. Bravo, Michael. k
12.08.09 Friends, hungry people and art lovers, lend me your ears... lend me your eyes and I will show you the
new Hanover! This is the new regime, a happy crowd of people, a collection of hungry souls that look to the future,
those who come here to get a glimpse of what is and what can be.On Saturday night past, we
produced an art show of modest proportions but of maximum effect. The show on Saturday was a
great success! Our gallery/Dining Room was packed. Music was playing. Food and drink were circling the room
like incense of the gods! Smiles and laughter filled the air as neighbors, customers, friends and family gathered to
celebrate life and the beauty of art and humanity. I am humbled to say that several friends from my art school days
stopped by to celebrate with us and wish me well. Thank you all.
12/7/09
Art @ TheWarehouse Bistro will be open to the public for viewing through the end of December. Visit!
|
| Art @ TheWarehouse Bistro 12.05.09 |
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| Art @ TheWarehouse Bistro 12.05.09 |
|
| Yummy Food @ TheWarehouse Bistro Art Show |
Dec.
1, 2009 I believe in the truth of art. That's why we have set up the restaurant dining room as an art gallery.
Art is Truth Studio is the name I have given to the second floor of the Warehouse. The power and beauty of art
shines brightly from these walls. Hope to see you here on Dec. 5th. k
November 21, 2009 Again, thank you for all of your support at
the Hanover Borough Council Meeting. If you have any questions, just stop by...
The days are flying by like so many autumn leaves that have fallen from our trees... Pennsylvania Avenue has no trees
really - unless you count the junipers that Melinda planted years ago. I grew up surrounded by trees and grass and corn
fields.
4 Artists at the Warehouse Bistro Dec.
5, 2009 8 - 11PM @ the Warehouse Gourmet Dining Room Gallery 7
PA AVE, Hanover, PA
Visit
the Warehouse and view fine visual art by 4 vital local visual artists! Meet the artists and enjoy tasty refreshments.
Keith Stambaugh - paintings Melinda Stambaugh - paintings Eric Sheaffer - paintings Sin Rabe - altered digital photography
RSVP to:
warehousegourmet@earthlink.net
Nov 4, 2009 If life has taught me anything, it has taught me this... let your wife edit your blogs late at night...
listen to people who you know are smarter and more experienced... and that we are all equal and worthy of respect.
Family,
friends, customers and even some people we didn't know came out to speak on our behalf. Tonight was beautiful,
wonderful. Thanks again, K.
November
1st
Our
dilemma is a philosophical conflict between who will use this piece of land to
it's highest potential. Would it
be best for the Borough to pave the area up to Our Warehouse and then ignore it
as they have in the past? Or,
would it be best for us to use the 15 foot strip of land and have a fun, cool
little restaurant down here?
Just over the weekend, 3 ladies drove the whole way from
York to dine at our restaurant.
They loved the website and said the food looked awesome! However, they didn't stay because we don't have a dining room. This
happens a lot. Proof: Warehouse Gourmet will attract out-of-towners. Warehouse Gourmet
is becoming a
destination. We love it.
Oct 29,2009, Autumn is here, that's for sure. Just the smell in the air. The coolness of the breeze...the relentless greyness
surrounding our town, with rain and wind... a test for us all in the best days of our lives.
We catered our biggest wedding ever last weekend. Outdoors in the elements, a test for our crew, a test for our guests
as well... the mud that welled up between the tables and around the buffet table was no match for the spirit of the partiers.
TimelineWarehouse Gourmet Trying To Open
the Sit-Down Bistro
March, 2008
Hanover Borough signs our design plan and allows
construction of the sit-down bistro and outdoor ramp/deck. We begin our renovations.
A couple of months
later…
Hanover Borough realizes they own the land where we plan to
build the ramp and deck.
They retract their decision. (We knew they owned the land. We thought their signature was absolute and allowed us to
begin building the ramp and deck.)
November,
2008
We want to buy the land in front of Our Warehouse to build
the ramp and deck, but Hanover Borough refuses. They want to lease the land to us. This leased area now includes land for 6 on-site parking
spaces (2,257 square feet). Along
with a handicapped ramp, they say we now need 6 parking spaces to officially
open our sit-down restaurant.
April,
2009
We receive the proposed lease agreement. We do not sign
because the price is too
high. Also, they want us to start
paying immediately, but Hanover Borough has until December 2010 to build the
parking area. There are design
problems and inappropriate wording in the lease agreement, too.
Summer,
2009
We hear no counter-offer from Borough Council. We go back
to our original idea to try
and buy the land from the Hanover Borough. This land is located in a neglected area of town and we feel
we can revitalize the space ourselves.
September
17, 2009
Hanover Borough Council offers to sell the land to us in a
“Closed Bid”. They set the value
of the land (2,457 square feet) at $8,000 plus $160.00 transfer tax, plus
$200.00 advertising costs, plus $2,000 subdivision cost. Totaling: $10,360.00. We refuse.
We cannot buy under a “Closed Bid”
deal. Someone else could bid
higher than us (without us knowing) and buy the land.
We also know Borough Council is planning to build a parking
lot along the new Pennsylvania Avenue scheduled for 2010. We will not need 6
on-site parking
spaces. However, there is yet to
be an official vote on this point.
October
14, 2009
A month goes by and we still have not heard a counter offer.
Keith goes before Borough Council and asks for an easement to use 15’ by 63’
(945 square feet) in front of Our Warehouse to build the ramp and deck. For 100
years, there has been an informal easement. Let’s make it formal. John Gerkin says no. Deb Hoff says an easement is problematic due to liability.
October
15, 2009
Melinda has the
idea to simply purchase the 15’ by 63” (945 square feet) directly in front of
The Warehouse for $1,499. (Any land for sale under $1,500 does not have to go
into a “Closed Bid”). She presents
the idea to Bruce Rebert and asks him to present the idea to Borough Council.
October
23, 2009
Keith and Melinda each speak to Bruce Rebert on the
phone. He tells us the Finance
Committee no longer wants to sell any land to us. However, 2 Borough Council Members were missing from this
“vote.”
October
24, 2009
We receive a letter from Bruce Rebert stating “Council
expressed no interest in selling the alleyway area, as shown on your map. You’ll
remember they never wanted to
sell, but preferred to lease. That
came through very clearly in their sale discussions.”
At this point, we are very
confused. Didn’t Borough Council
offer to sell us land in the September 17th letter?
So, what are we to do
next?
First: Borough Council
wanted to lease 2,457 square feet of land to us.
We
refused because the cost was too high.
Next: They wanted to sell
us the 2,457 square
feet of land in a
“Closed Bid” where someone else could possibly out-bid us.
We had to refuse.
Then: They will not allow
an easement to use
the land.
Bear in mind, all owners of Our Warehouse over
the past 100 years have used the land for free.
Now: We offer to buy 945
square feet for $1,499,
and we are still refused.
| look familiar? |
|
| We want this land ...and we want it now! |
Oct 22, 2009 I don't know...where would you start if you were me? Close your eyes for a moment and imagine that there are
a few ultra conservative right wing crazy people holding the welfare and future of your family hostage. Silent hostility,
by acting totally reactionary and mostly removed from any sense of community...any sense of "Let's work this out together
and make a great neighborhood, yeah, let's make Hanover really great together!"
I've lived in this building for the past 13 years and every time I go before Hanover Borough Council I feel like an alien...I'm
not sure if there is an inherent flaw in the small town political system, or if the flaw is in the leadership of the council
itself. There are some members however who are progressive thinkers. My hopes are that they will grab the mic and get a
voice... maybe even change the mind of one of their "elder statesmen" at the other end of the table.
But I digress. I am ready. I am ready to end this nonsense and get on with the business of cooking and serving great
food.
On Nov. 4th we're going back to the boro to state our case. Since the council freaked out when I asked them for an easement
to build our deck and ramp, we decided to try to buy the space and remove any liability issue , etc.
So we ask you to pencil us in for Nov 4th. Bring a sixpack and some chicken and when you get there, tell 'em Keith sent
you!
Click here for the short story. http://www.my- response.net/
Oct 14, 2009 ... I wish I had written this.
If I didn't try, how would I know, how would I know If I didn't try, how would I know, how would I know Sometimes I think I must be crazy for doing this (Think I'm never gonna win) But how would I know
it's a losing cause If I didn't try, if I didn't try If
I didn't try, if I didn't try
If I didn't care,
nothing would hurt, nothing would hurt If I didn't care, hope for the best, expect the
worst Sometimes it feels like my whole life has been leading to this (Wish that I could hide somewhere) But how would I know how it feels to live If I didn't care, if I didn't care If I didn't care, if I didn't
care
Sometimes I think I must be crazy for doing
this (You can never run away) But how would I know
it's a losing cause If I didn't try, if I didn't try If I didn't try, if I didn't try
... So
if you must know, that was the lyrics from the Utopia song " If I Didn't Try" from the album Oblivion. Please don't
sue me Todd.
I went to the Borough meeting tonight. I asked to be granted an easement to build a deck and ramp.
I expressed my discontent with the way they conduct business.
What we have here is a failure to communicate... it's an
ideological war being fought by two sides: on one hand we have some trying to milk every cent out of us for a piece
of land Hanover Borough has basically forgotten and neglected... until now! And on the other hand we have us, Warehouse
Gourmet, trying to make this little part of town a destination.
I was told by certain council members that they are just looking out for their constituents. And that there is
a liability issue. And that they have bent over backwards for us by offering to sell us this land for fair market value
and that they have offered us this sweet lease agreement - my butt!
later, k
|
| Ready for the guests... |
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| Beef & Turkey Grillin', Saturday, September 26th |
|
| Melinda & Beth at Work |
|
| Keith & Sin (pronounced "seen"!) |
Sept. 4, 2009 Well then, it's nice to be back and pecking away at the old keyboard again. Lots has happened in the past few
weeks... tomato season is still hanging on and I am happy to say that the Stambaugh crop has given much to to our menu. My
mother has been bringing baskets upon baskets here over the past month- who knows when it will end!
The Borough has been calling US the past week. Perhaps they have something important to say or discuss. We agreed to
meet with them Tuesday of next week- at an undisclosed location ( I invited 007 and The Green Lantern to hang in the shadows
in case things get outta hand!)
Aug 13, 2009 What type of town do you want to call home? Would it perhaps be a clone of clones?
A veritable reflection of prefab America, a Disney version of what Hanover would be if it were designed by advertizing
executives?
What if...? what if Hanover had a pulse, a personality, maybe even
a pretty face? What if people came to Hanover for a reason, as a destination. Come watch children playing in the
park, take a trip to the lake , eat great food and then see a great show... made a day of it - then stay overnight at a cool
B&B! Utopia can be here. Call it what you will. This is our town. Let's save it before it goes
sour...before it goes stale. Let's redesign this pregnant hamlet, "this town needs an enema". (so sayeth the Penguin) Melinda and I are fighting for a change in this neighborhood. Aug 13, 2009 Hello,
my name is Keith and I am an artist. Hello, my name is Keith and I am trying to open a restaurant... or, Hello, my name is
Keith and I am a snarky SOB and should not be allowed to speak in public, let alone express personal and professional grievences
in a public forum such as the emminent Borough Council Chambers.
Ok,
so, since I was dissuaded from bringing my case before the council, again, I have chosen to take my case, Our Case, to the
Council from a different angle. I'll explain later, so as not to jump the shark and blow the surprise........ word up
Mr. B.
This is my statement, and I'm sticking to it...
My name is Keith Stambaugh and I am here with my wife Melinda
and friends. Melinda and I are owners of Warehouse Gourmet & Catering Co. We come here tonight as business
owners, as residents of Hanover, and as your neighbors.
I was here representing our business a couple of times last year. We requested a zoning change
along Pennsylvania Avenue where our warehouse and catering business reside. We greatly appreciate you changing the residential
zoning back to its original business zoning so we can open our sit-down dining room. We also asked to obtain a variance
regarding the minimum number of parking spaces for our parking lot. You allowed that as well. We now only need
5 parking spaces directly connected to our building instead of 8 parking spaces.
It is the parking lot issue that has become an impasse in the growth of our business. In
order to open our in-house dining, we need 5 onsite parking spaces. However, we do not own the land directly in front
of our building. Last year we asked the Borough to sell us this small piece of land, but you refused. Instead,
you want us to lease this land from you.
After waiting for 5 months, the Borough finally offered us a lease agreement on April 30th of this
year.
We cannot sign this for several reasons:
1) The Lease Agreement Price.
Parking that has been free for customers, employees and ourselves would now cost my company $135.00 per month.
Plus, we are asked to pay property taxes on a piece of land we do not own. At this rate, in less than 20 years, we will
have paid more for this small piece of dirt and gravel than I paid for the entire building.
In addition, we are asked to start paying on this lease agreement immediately,
yet the Borough has until December of 2010 to build the street and parking lot.
2) The Parking Lot Design.
The Borough asked us to submit a workable parking area design. The Borough’s version of the parking area design that was returned
to us bore little resemblance to our original design. Some elements of their design are just plain wrong. The
utility pole located on their plan was removed at least two years ago. Also, the handicapped parking space they added
goes right against our building completely blocking an existing doorway. And, this handicapped space leaves no sight
distance to pull out into the alley.
Our design contains green spaces for planting, a wrought iron fence for privacy and security, deck,
handicapped ramp and an open space for people to mingle on the premises while waiting for a table. Our design for the
rest of the street also added 11 new off-street parking spaces.
Each time I went before Borough Council or the Planning Commission, I was asked to revise my plans
for the next meeting. Eventually in a phone conversation, Ron Orndorff suggested that I stop coming to meetings regarding
the design issue so as not to stir up trouble.
3) The Lease Agreement Terms. We feel it is bad business to enter into a lease agreement of this kind. The terms of the Borough’s lease
agreement are ambiguous and verbose. Also, there are some terms that are just plain ridiculous. For example, the
lease agreement gives the Borough the right to kick down our door, storm the building and sell off our possessions if they
feel we are in default. (copy of lease agreement is included in this communication packet.)
4) Owning vs. Leasing. Personally,
we would never lease a car, equipment or even restaurant space. We want to own the bit of land in front of our warehouse.
5) Free Space for over 100 years. The owners of this warehouse have used the land in front of this warehouse, for free, for over 100 years. In the past 13 years that I
personally have owned this property, it was maintained solely by my wife and me. We shovel the snow that the Borough
plows into our cars after each snowstorm. We salt the ice in the winter. We deal with the low lying puddles of water
in summer. I buy and add fine gravel and sand to this property to cut down on mud in the parking area.
Melinda has planted vegetables, herbs, flowers and juniper trees that frame our entrance. As noted
in the picture, Melinda grew a 180 square foot vegetable garden for 3 years and nobody objected. Recently, we set up
a 10 ft. by 20 ft. tent which stayed on the property for the entire summer. It stands now as I speak. And, noone
from the Borough has given it any objection.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adverse Possession
The owners of this warehouse have used the land in front as their own for over 100 years.
From parking their horses and buggies, to parking for the ribbon factory, to loading and unloading a century of goods, to
us growing our vegetables and parking our cars, past history of usage and stewardship should allow us ownership.
We do understand the Borough does not subscribe to adverse possession. However, we feel the
piece of land in question should be transferred to us. If the Borough will not transfer ownership through adverse possession,
then we feel the Borough should make a symbolic gesture and sell us the property for a nominal fee.
After having our realtor appraise the property, we are told that the 3000 sq. ft. lot directly in
front of our warehouse has No Marketable Value as a Building Lot. In Hanover, you cannot build on a lot less than 5000 square feet. Therefore, if you
cannot build on this piece of land, what good is it to anyone? It’s is not useful to anyone. It is
only useful to us. It is only useful for our restaurant parking lot.
Bruce Rebert has brought up the fact that the lot in question actually extends the whole way to
High Street. I asked if someone bought the entire property to High Street, could they place a new building right
in front of us? Yes, he said. But he suggested we would be given “some room” to get into and out of
our warehouse. We have a growing and thriving business, why would he or any other borough member want to “block
us in” with another building so we cannot run our business?
-----------------------------------------------------------
Community
We feel this is an opportunity for the Borough to promote a spirit of encouragement to small businesses.
Downtown Hanover is struggling. A gesture, such as selling this otherwise useless property to us, symbolizes the Borough’s
willingness to entice businesses to Downtown. It would help prove to everyone that the Hanover Borough will work with
small businesses.
We believe the Hanover Borough needs to exhibit a paradigm shift in the way they treat small businesses.
If “breaks” are given to the big Wal-mart subsidiaries and new chain restaurants, then perhaps a few “breaks”
can be given to the little guy, too.
And, Small businesses create jobs. In the current economy, jobs are being lost on a daily
basis. Any opportunity to create jobs in the Downtown Area should be welcomed by the Borough. Once our dining
room opens, we will need to hire anywhere from 10-15 full and part time employees.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Our Roots
My family and I have a vested interest in Hanover. We grew up in Hanover. We own
the Warehouse property. We have been in business here for 4 years and have shown steady growth each year. (even
during this recession). We have proven our business is viable and desired. Our customers ask on a daily basis
“When is your Bistro going to Open?”
And yet, most Hanoverians do not know we exist. We are thriving in the downtown area.
We are thriving without the Golden Mile exposure. We ARE NOT moving to the Golden Mile. We cherish our old warehouse.
The beauty of the building has given us our name. We have been painstakingly renovating since I bought the property
in 1996. We live here and this is our life.
-------------------------------------------
Conclusion
In conclusion, we wonder, what efficient governing body would restrain a growing, small local business?
Certain members of Borough Council have complained that we have been asking too much. And, some are complaining that
we will probably ask for more in the future. For example, “If they are asking for a 30 seat dining room now, who’s
to say they won’t ask for a 40 seat dining room in the near future?” This thought pattern is destructive
instead of constructive. We want to grow. It is natural for a small business to grow. We certainly hope
all Borough Council Members favor this growth. Plain and simple: Our Growth Leads to Hanover’s Growth.
We now ask:
Please come visit our Bistro and view, first-hand, the small lot we have been discussing.
We are eager to share our creative ideas with You!
Aug 3, 2009. My phone died yesterday. We catered a wonderful wedding Saturday. Somehow my phone absorbed too
much water and went south, permanently. I needed a reason to buy a new phone, and voilà! Suddenly I'm a iPhoner?! Cool...
Wish me luck... Much love, k
July 29, 2009 Caution: the following material contains mature content that could be considered
offensive to some readers.
Aug. 5th is off! Don't read this.
Every
now and then I write things that may or may not be considered offensive. Things that may or may not have any direct
bearing to my current situation. If you are reading this you either made a wrong turn on the super highway or you came
here for a reason.
I care about my life and my family as much as anyone can
be expected. I'm excited to write that I have built a beautiful restaurant - firstly for my wife, Melinda - secondly
for me - and then for everyone else.
So,
check it out. I called this place yesterday and spoke to the main man. I asked him to be put on the agenda for
next weeks meeting. He said that I should stop in the office and tell them... but, I just told you??? Anyway,
so I made an appointment to speak with him today to fill him in with the agenda of our presentation.
So
I met with him today, and, well, basically I could scream expletives until I pass out. I could chew nails and spit fire
and drain my blood and drown this man in it for his condesention.
I
was told that next weeks meeting was cancelled because of lack of business! But, but,... but I am your business!!! I
pay your salary mr. man!!! I'm sorry but am I boring you? Am I annoying you?
July
30, 2009 To some people the world
is black and white... this is the way it is, don't bend the rules, don't question my authority, this is my toy and you can't
play with it irregardless of the fact that I buried it in the back yard under a pile of dog poop! later...
As
you can guess, I'm a bit upset. Our days here at the Warehouse are long and grueling. Contrary to the recession the
world is in, we have been rather busy. I'm glad we're busy because it shows that people love our food and also that
not everyone has stooped to the fast food default. Our customers are loyal and very supportive. And I thank you
for that!
There's been an ongoing struggle here that you may be aware
of - hence my angst! We have been trying to open a dining room here for the past two years. In order to open the
restaurant for sit-down business we need an on-site parking area. Included in this parking area we need space for a
45 foot handicap ramp and a deck for alfresco dining. Sounds simple enough. However, we don't own the property in front
of our building - it's owned by the Borough.
At this point you may
wish to mentally cue the music to your favorite horror movie - if you can't think of one, I'd suggest either Jaws or the Twilight
Zone.
So, for the past two years I have been going
to council meetings, planning commission meetings and meeting with the borough manager and engineer to come to some
sort of agreement that would allow us to utilize this land so we can open. I have also enlisted the services of a real
estate broker, an attorney and a land surveyor.
Did I mention that the Borough
already issued us a permit to build on the property two years ago! I would have started building a deck and ramp until
(long story short) someone at the Borough just happened to notice that they actually own the land.
Up
until now, Pennsylvania Avenue has been a free-for-all regarding parking: free for junk cars, old boats, abandoned semi trailers,
broken down race cars and regular visits from local bar patrons buying, selling or using drugs and a course of freestyle urinators.
(try telling a drunk to stop pissing in
front of your house some night - it's fun for the whole family!)
So
after being denied the oppurtunity to purchase the land from the Borough, we were offered a lease agreement.
Ah
yes, a lease agreement. The quintescential opportunity to coallese and cavort with the Borough - to be partners, protecting
valuable community property, blah, blah blah...
Like little Timmy hiding
at the top of the steps Christmas eve I waited patiently for "Santa's" arrival. And waited, and waited, and WAITED!!!
Christmas never came! It took
the Borough 6 months to send us the agreement! SIX MONTHS!
As
far as lease agreements go, this one is a doosie. It has all the verbose legalese you would expect from a document dated,
perhaps from the turn of the, say, 19th century. In addition to asking us to pay $135/month for the lot, they want us
to pay property taxes on the land as well! Does the phrase "kiss my grits" ring a bell?
So
I call my lawyer... just to make sure that this is as big a piece of crap that I thought it to be. He agreed. We even
joked about the part where the Borough has the right to bust down my doors and sell our stuff if they feel we have defaulted
on the lease payments, such being one day late on a payment.
This
is a one-way document with the Borough having all the power - and we have none - no rights... nada. Someone said it
sounds like extortion... hmmm, extortion.
Suddenly, I'm speachless.
Thanks for listening. k
July
23, 2009 Life is good. Great, even! It's 10:38 PM and raining like mad. The plants are happy again
and I have a few hours off to relax and regroup.
Time off with cool air filtering through this old building brings
ions of life. Absorb this heat and blow out the back windows. Moments of relief. Exit poached heat of my braised
brain and leave me hope for the new day tomorrow.
July 9, 2009, There's nothing
like a weeks vacation to make me feel like I want another weeks vacation... seriously, Melinda and I had a great time on
our week off and away from the warehouse.
It started with 2 nights on Chincoteague island. The weather was great the ocean was exciting and Chincoteague island
was like visiting Mayberry. Quiet, peaceful and a great place to get away from it all. The nightlife there consists of avoiding
mosquitos.
We left the island and spent a
night in Atlantic city. I won $116 at the first slot machine I played, cashed out and celebrated with a $10 dollar scotch.
We checked out the Borgata late that night... cool place, expensive... a $13 dollar taxi ride to and from the Sheradon...
so much for my winnings.
Upward and
onward to NYC baby! Our first stay at a "boutique" hotel, The Hotel John Williams, midtown, one block from The Garden and
the Empire State. Super cool, we got a penthouse suite with a terrace, OH YEAH! On the corner of Madison Ave and 31st ST.
Starring at the Empire State building late at night
was cool. They light up the upper two levels red, white and the tower blue. Awesome. The city is a bit more sparce over
the 4th than usual... until we headed over to the west side to see the fireworks. We took the subway to Hell's Kitchen to
see the spectacle, and straight to a martini bar. As it turns out, the streets were so packed with strollers, kids and moms
and dads that we soon realized we should have stayed and had 2 martinis!
Food in the city can be really amazing. Balthazar is an old bistro in SoHo. We had a Foie gras and chicken liver
mousse that was served with red onion confit and grilled sourdough bread which was amazing, sinfully delicious, incredible.
I've
learned a lot about dining out while traveling over the years. Avoid chains or anything that looks like a tourist location.
(which leaves out most food in Atlantic City except for uber expensive places like the Borgata)
When we're on vacation we take our food very seriously. We look for the places that are usually packed with people,
places the locals eat. No self respecting New Yorker would be caught dead at Hooters (eating lunch).
Also,
if you walk by a place and the chef /owner is sitting at the bar eating lunch keep walking. We had perhaps the best gyro
and falaffel ever at a greasy little place in the west village. No big flashing sign just great food. Chow for now. k
| Legally it's call Adverse Possession. |
|
| Squatters Rights... 100 years runnin' |
June 12, 2009 If imitation was the greatest form of flattery, then even more imitation
is the newest form of flattery. Hi folks. Did ya miss me??? It's late, and as my ire rises throughout my workday I'm reminded
of various quotes I read (in a local magazine) just today.
Four years ago Melinda and I wrote a page for our website titled "About Us", under the heading, "Our Mission". On
that page we described how our concept of a dining experience is that "Warehouse Gourmet promotes the lifestyle of intelligent
handmade food and slowing down a bit to savor a great meal". It goes on and on...
You know, it's funny to read something
that we wrote four years ago repeated almost verbatum in a article that we received in the mail just today. I will admit that Melinda wrote 93% of that page and that I "borrowed" the "intelligent food" quote from Depak Chopra...
but point being, the "slow food" movement (which has been around forever, and is less of a movement but more of a desire to
find great food and enjoy it's flavors) has been around since the French masters decided that enjoying great food is expected
and not a perverse character flaw... which may lead to such things like dancing... or worse yet, sex... or big, wide, smiling
heavy sighs...
The big picture here is that in Downtown
Hanover we should all work together for all businesses to succeed. We believe that all restaurants in Hanover should survive.
The more the better. All of us are different. We all have our individual strengths and unique things to offer. The more
hungry people we can bring to our little town the more we can all thrive. That said, contact your Borough Council Man or
Woman and convince them to allow us to buy the decrepit piece of dirt in front our building that keeps us from opening our
restaurant to the public! We need a parking lot to open! It is bad business to lease when you can buy!
This may seem like a riddle, but those of you who know and love our
food, and the trials we are going through will understand. I give thanks for every order that rings into our little cell
phone each day. And I look forward to the day when all of our customers can walk through our newly constucted front door
and sit down to the sound of flowing water from our waterwall and just chill ... and take it slowly... and savor the flavors
of Warehouse Gourmet.. the little bistro that could... down by the tracks...
| Keith's Waterwall Design |
|
| Brian's Headache |
June 11.9, 2009 All apologies, to those who go to my blog on a daily, weekly or most likely yearly basis to get the poop on the Warehouse dust.
I have been working my nutmegs to the bone to get this place ready for public address. Sorry, no new artisan breads to brag
about, no new desserts (except for
an amazing great strawberry cheesecake that I'm quite happy about), Just keeping up with the political
BS and finding ways to keep our "Master epoxy, master mechanical analretenoligist, and master obsessive, best right hand manologist"
Brian Hayes in check.
Seriously speaking,
Brian has been a blessing, a great friend, a well of knowledge, and a nice guy. He's actually going to be our new chef...
as soon as...
|
| Moo and the New Pew |
|
| Must have some fun... |
|
| Vulcan Moving Day |
|
| Cheers to a Great Day's Work |
March 17, It's St. Patty's Day! It's been a while but I've been kinda busy. Busy working on the new dining room and also busy baking a new rye
bread for the day o' the Irish.
| Normandy Rye |
|
| Lighter and softer than my New York Rye. |
Feb. 24, 2009 I'm not Anthony Bourdain, but I do eat, I write a bit and I'm ready for more...
Warehouse Gourmet was created and formed out of the need to preserve our
beautiful old building, in our small town of Hanover, to fuel the bellies of Hanovarians. To preserve the history of Juliea
Child as an American spy to work for the doctrines of America and the "Western Way" as much as I am here today to express
the greatness of our goat cheese and apple salad and our sour dough ciabatta homemade bread.
As a restaurant, we have a tendency to promote the history of a world gone bye and to share with our friends, a cuisine,
a dish that, to a certain current clientelle may be familliar, or even may be lost. We fire it up and bring it back because
it should remain, and sustain, and not be lost.
This week Melinda makes
a Borscht! Red beets in the sense of true flavor and true history.
If
you have never had borscht, it is time!
Personally, I never liked
beets until I had her Borscht. Food Porn, healthy to the max! Chase the dragon and just try it!
Jan. 14, 2009 Ah yes, 2008 has withered away and skidded off the road into 2009, killing skads of small, scampering
woodland creatures in it's path...economic roadkill... makes us all sad. Hope.
Last year was good for us though.
We worked hard, made lots of great food, paid our bills and basically survived another hard-working year here in the kitchen.
We installed replacement windows on the front and alley side of the warehouse. Also, I installed two ADA compliant restrooms
that could easily seat a table of 6 plus a "guest of honor".
I don't really have too much to say these days so I haven't been writing. Sure, I have
opinions on lots of things, like the election (that went well), our outgoing President (who is leaving 8 years too late) and
the fact that jobs are dying like hops on the vine... but I choose not to write about this stuff. So if my page is blank
and old, well, sorry...perhaps it matches my expression at Merlin's coffee shop at 10 in the morning.
| Our Chocolate Lovers Dessert tray |
|
| Our reach-in frige |
|
11.07.08 Remember a few years ago when all the cool kids were saying "catch you on the flip side" as they turned
and rolled out of sight. Well, the groovy old days are back, kinda... and you can catch us, visa vie, Melinda and I, and
a review of our restaurant in "The Flip Side". An entertainment and dining insert to this Thursday night's Evening Sun, The
Flip Side reviews restaurants, bands and fun and cool events happening in our area.
Our newest, bestest food critic friend Jess called us last week to inform us that one day last week she sneeked into
our restaurant during normal business hours, ordered food, departed quietly, ate the food, then decided that, by golly, it
was worth writing about. Jess, thanks for a great review. ( if only I had a heads up and perhaps time to do my hair, re-apply
deodorant or at least shave or somethin' before the photographer stopped by ...) Oh well.
It's great to be recognized by the local media. And as the past
few months have tumbled by like so many fall leaves, I myself have recognized a few things. I have noticed that Hanover is
filled with people of great goodwill. It seems that wherever I go there are people wishing us well and congratulating us
in each step of our journey to opening the Bistro. I feel like I'm starting a tree farm and we're all hangin' around waiting
for this rascal to grow up.
11.03.08 Please vote. I will, and I know Melinda will
too. I'm not tellin' who I will vote for but I will tell you I am not one of the 4-8% of undecided voters. However, I will
say that if J.W. Gitt were running for leader of the free world I would have voted for him and his party - as I will this
year. So there.
Political affiliation
aside, I would like to say thanks to everyone who has sent well wishes and words of encouragement regarding the rezoning etc.
Since I work in the "back of house" these days I don't see or speak to very many of our customers. It seems that everywhere
I go I get words of encouragement and congrats on the Borough's decision to give us the go-ahead. Hanover is filled with
wonderful folks who stand by us. We could not be happier for all of the reassurance - for all of the people who have stood
by us. Thanks !
On a different note altogether,
in a twisted kind of way, I'd like to say thanks to those who did not buy last week's dinner special. It was pan seared porkloin
with rosemary, coupled with a port wine and fig sauce. You see, Eric, Brian and I picked the figs fresh... late one night...
after some of Eric's port, some of my vodka, and some of Brian's Krupnic... anything for the restaurant, right... within reason...
and the law, of course. Anyway, what you don't buy I get to eat over the weekend. Big, heavy sigh, eyes rolled back in memory
of total pork-fig-port heaven!
I started baking Country Bread again. It's good too, damn good I must say. For Thanksgiving I will be baking savory
Pumpkin Bread as well. The pumpkin bread has pumpkin seeds, cumin and the secret ingredient ------ baked sweet potatoes. Since
sweet potatoes have more flavor than pumpkin (especially when they are baked) they go in the mix with the roasted pumpkin
seeds, etc. and wow!
Hmmm, perhaps I have said too much, so for all of you other bakers out
there, when you read this, the secret is out, for what it is worth... good luck... so you start with 2 pounds of Garnet or
Jewel yams and 230 grams of white starter and...
10/22/08Mission Accomplished! Yes, by George, we have done it! We are legit!!!!! And truly with the help of some very special, unsolicited friends
who have come to our aid... our community of friends, neighbors, customers, a truly dedicated journalist, and a group of community
servants who, for no other reason than to do their jobs have made a decision to allow us to open a sit-down restaurant.
Thank you Bonnie and Ray. Your appearance alone Monday night, and
your kind words were helpful, and perhaps the tipping point of community input we needed to convince the zoning board that
someone likes our food enough to take time out of their lives to support us in a public forum. And Ray, the fact that you
walk here to pick up your food speaks volumes... you can park yourself in my dining room (or our new parling lot) anytime
you wish... Again, thanks.
Patty.
Whenever Melinda makes Gazpacho I will think of you. Actually, when I pick up a newspaper I will look for your by-line and
thank you for your skill and persistence and hard work in covering our quest. I will also know that when it's late and I'm
baking, you are working too, covering a story with carefully crafted words while I form loaves of carefully crafted dough.
Borough council, thanks. Bruce, thank you too. Thanks for hearing
my speeches. Thanks for your patience. Thanks for allowing me to find reassurance in the process and effectiveness of our
local government.
And thank you, Melinda. You always believed.
It has been your faith and belief in your menu, and all of us, that has kept me and our entire kitchen going each day. It
is your leadership and insight that has made The Warehouse a force to be reckoned with in our town.
So, now
it's all on me. There's no one to blame anymore. The "man" no longer oppresses us... or ever had (other than local zoning
regulations) for that matter. I must rise up and... you know, do something... like get my work done... do what I told Melinda
I would do. It's time to build this restaurant. Fulfill my vision. Complete my design... RA, RA, saw, nail, screw...glue,
paint, varnish... level that floor, coat that wall, build that door...counter this, wire that... YIKES!!!
Bake the bread, saute the shrimp... the cheesecakes... come first, and when the dining room
is done and ready, it is done, and ready, ready for a hungry public, our wonderful customers. Brunch. I really shouldn't say, but brunch is mine, all mine, well, sort of... eggs, I
love 'em... bread and eggs, salty, savory, cheese and eggs hot off the grill. Out of the oven and ready for serve'n... I've
said too much. Butter and eggs... and cheese, pesto, tomatoes, maybe
something unorthodox and radical... k
disregard that last part... for the next few months...
...and yet the latest article by Patty Poist regarding us and the Borough
Read the Evening Sun Article written by Patty Poist 9/4/08...
Click here for another Warehouse Gourmet editorial in the 8/27 Evening Sun.
Click here to read Patty Poist's story of our quest 8/24
| bread is cool... |
|
| Sourdough potato dill bread |
Hi
everybody, Keith here, and this is my page. It may or may not relate to the restaurant and catering business per se, but
like it or not I'm steeped in it. When I'm able to escape from the grip of the "hot box" on the first floor of our warehouse
I may choose to share PG versions of my most intimate thoughts and grizzly gripes... hence...
10.3.08 Happy Birthday Melinda!!! Happy Anniversary to us... the WGCC. We're the three year old new kids on the
block. Fresh young dumplings, set off into the world, striving for culinary adventure. It's as though the vinaigrette of
the life blood of love of food itself courses through us daily.
Food sustains and brings us together as a community
and as one big family. I could gush, but I digress... have a great weekend and I'll see ya Tuesday.
Sept 18, 2008 While we wait for the decision of our fate... at least the fate of our restaurant I have little to say except that
we have been busy cooking and serving food to the deserving customers that keep calling us on a daily basis.
If you follow this blog at all you may recognize the name Todd Rundgren.
He is a musician who turns 60 this month. An inspiring musician who I have grown up with and because of. And since I have
little to say right now except that I have been working upstairs at the warehouse, actually on non restaurant related activities...
actually I have been building a new bedroom and playing my old vinyl LP's.
On of my favorites from 1978 was an album named " The Hermit of Mink Hollow" by Todd. The first song on side 2 is
named "Bread", and being a baker of sorts I thought I'd share it with you.
Bread
Sleeping at night in a plaster
board box Scratching the earth with the nails on my fingers And the ground pukes up rocks and rocks and more rocks And when the seeds finally reach
the ground It's all been for nothing
I hear the cries of the children at night I watch their faces grow sallow
with hunger Who draws the line between what's wrong and right And when I ask them what my life is for It's all been for nothing
Save your regrets for the dead But for the
living, Give them love and give them bread One more hungry
mouth to be fed Remember the living Give them love,
give them bread
Standing in the light of the
kitchen screen door Like some kind of untouchable stuck in Calcutta I almost forget what I'm standing here for And I don't know what to do but
I know I won't leave with nothing
Where are the days when life was carefree Why must I suffer this, what
was my crime Begging or thievery, which shall it be Is there no other choice for me I can't leave with nothing
Save your regrets for the dead But for the
living, Give them love, and give them bread One more hungry
mouth to be fed Remember the living Give them love
them bread.
9.11.08 The anniversary... A sad day. Today is another day and we move
forward the same way we did 7 years ago on this day. I remember exactly where I was that day about 9 A.M. I was listening
to Howard Stern as I pulled into the driveway of a house painting client. I sat in the driveway at the property and listened
to the radio in my work van.
I entered the
house and stood there transfixed on the TV as Eric, Patrick and I all-but-gagged on the TV footage of what was happening in
New York City just moments before.
The rest is
history ...
12:42A.M. 9/4/08You gotta fight,for parrrrrking!
Hard work pays
off! My father taught me that.
Joss Stone crones that I'm a dirty, dirty man. Had enough of the RNC convention
and it's time to do some laundry. Hey, Joss Stone says so, so...
Tonight's meeting went great. The borough seems to be on our side. Seriously, they do... and that makes me so happy
I can't stand it. Mrs. Deb., your words rang fine and true. Thank you. Perhaps you'll won't have to picket the Borough building
after all... stay at home and gain your strength.
2:34 PM Wed. Sept 3, 2008 It's late, I'm tired and I think I finally nailed this beast of a speech. If you have nothing better to do tomorrow
night than to watch me lay down my bread bakin', ass-kickin' mojo on the next group of Borough folk- please come out! You
will be entertained, sort of I guess, and maybe you'll get a chance to meet the Mayor, a nice man who gave us his support
last month. I know in my heart that if we could just serve them Melinda's soup, one of her salads and a chunk of my bread
they would melt into submission... but where's the challenge in that. Instead, they get a seriously abridged version of my
twisted yet passionate thoughts, slightly stammered perhaps, in my own quirky special way. Would you expect less...
It is great to see such an outpouring
of support from our community, both for us and all small independent businesses in the Hanover area. Our country and our
community was not formed by the WalMarts of the world or any of the other big box stores that have been putting great stores
like Tanger's and Thoman's out of business. We will miss them when they're gone.
Perhaps we don't even know what we are missing... and that's the problem. Small businesses deserve the opportunity be a part
of their community - entrepreneurs should be encouraged to jump out there and make their mark. Remember the American Dream!
Who celebrates when WalMart makes another billion in annual profits?... other than the hard working WalMart employees.
(sorry about the cut and paste
above)
|
| Chocolate Lover's Dessert Bites/Miniature Handmade Brioche Sandwiches w/ Tarragon Chicken Salad |
Aug 26, 2008 Last week we finally were able to schedule a meeting with Patty
Poist, an excellent reporter from the Evening Sun. She was at the Borough Council meeting the week before where I gave my
plea to the mayor and the rest of the council members.
First of all, Patty, we love you. Your story was concise, straight forward and one that J.W. Gitt himself would have
been proud to put in his paper (The Gazette and Daily) 50 or more years ago. Also, to photographer James Robinson, nice photo...
although, does my cook shirt make me look fat? I guess a little but...
Anyway, I do read the newspaper these days to see what is going in our little town: which way are we going as a community?
can I help Melinda finish the crossword puzzle? has total anarchy broken out in Wirt Park? is all of our hard work being
noticed, or am I still a slave to my dreams of being happily self employed, as an artist, an artisan, a father and husband...
as a Neo-Utopian trying to silently bend my part of the world into a true democracy.
Melinda, Pat, Lamar, and I work very hard to keep our restaurant at peak performance with great food that is prepared
and delivered with utmost care and focus. We all work hard and I feel we all do a great job!
To me, I think, what is life?... other than the opportunity to work hard
and prosper?... a twist on Spock's credo but a good one still. I'm not a chef or a Boulanger or Patissier, yet I make some
bread and desserts that I'm very proud of. It's not really pride, it's more of a product of years of hard work... and an
ego the size of a walnut.
So, here we
are, fighting for our right to party, or to throw a party. And that's all we want to do... serve food out of our home. Our
kitchen is inspected, check! our food is clean and safe, check! we have emergency lights, check! and two ADA sized restrooms
in which we could serve a family of eight, check!
If you click on the link above you will find the article. A well placed and timely one that also has a
section of comments. I am stymied... stricken dumb by the outpour of honesty and sincerity. Anonymous folks, customers most
likely, that took the time to have a voice! That's democracy in action. Thank you...
Aug 22, 2008 Every four years I watch sports because I'm a good American. I stay up late to watch and all. It's
the only exercise I get, really. We're all gold, baby!
8:56 PM Spoiler Alert! We won, We Won!!!...No we didn't win, but we didn't
loose either. A low score by the Czek judge didn't help the cause... but the female
judge from Morraco was quite endearing... I think I saw a little tear in her eye, she was moved.
Turns out, the Borough Council has nothing to do with our quest for restaurantivity.
However, the mayor was there and he was very gracious by saying that he is glad we are expanding our business and that we
have decided to stay in Hanover. You know what they say... if you can make it in Hanover, you can make it anywhere.
Now we wait. September 3rd we take this dog and pony show to the Borough
Planning Commission. Be there at 7PM and I'll buy you a beer afterword. (offer applies to the first 3 people I recognize...3
drink max.) I never did understand the scoring system.
11:39 PM Late Breaking News!
... there's a big truck outside that has been idling outside our door for the past 10 hours. I disqualified him for ignorance.
GGGGGRRRRRRRrr! Dude, park yer rig somewhere else, your neighbors have to sleep!!!... I love everybody... and our
cats. g'nite...
Wed. August 13, 2008 Tonight we are going to the Hanover Borough Council Meeting at the borough office on Frederick
street. The meeting starts at 7:30 PM. If you have nothing better to do and want to support us in our plea for the opportunity
to some day soon open our restaurant, please stop by. The following narrative is my address to the council.
Good evening and thank you for the
opportunity to speak tonight. I’d
also like to thank and offer my respect to Bruce
Rebert, Ron Orndorf and
John
Houston for their help through the years and most recently in our quest to open
this restaurant.
My name is
Keith Stambaugh and I am here with my wife Melinda to discuss a few points
regarding our property
and the proposed expansion
of our business.
We live at 7 PA
Ave.
where we run our off-site
catering and delivery business, where we hope to include a“real
restaurant”…, one with just 8
or 9 tables…a place where families and all people who love great
food can come together as
a community… and enjoy a great meal… the best homemade soups…great
salads and wraps… and of course, my homemade, sourdough breads…
Our desire is
to run an actual, old
school,
family restaurant… a
bistro… from our home! And I hope, we
can all work together to achieve
this.
My wife and I
opened Warehouse Gourmet, & Catering Company in October of 2005 under a
home occupation permit, issued
by the Borough. Our first
reason to be here tonight is to request re-zoning of our property
so
that we can open a sit- down
restaurant with carry-out food in the warehouse. Our second
topic of consideration would be our ideas regarding the new street design
for PA Ave. and a proposed
right-of-way, placed directly
in front of our building. Our third topic
would be a request for leniency regarding the number of required on-site
parking spaces. Which, of course is contingent upon a
favorable response to topics 1 & 2, I just mentioned. In
1996 I
purchased the property at 7 PA Ave as a place to live and run my business. If
you are familiar with the
warehouse, it is truly a tribute
to turn of the 20th century architecture in Hanover. Unfortunately,
the property is limited to the footprint of the building with no front or
backyard and no parking. The
warehouse was built 100 years ago obviously with a need for parking. This is an interesting point because at
the time of construction, one can
only assume that there must have been some sort of agreement, or understanding
between the owner of this building and the
borough; perhaps the borough said, “ Hey, there’s plenty of room here, don’t
worry about it; park your horse and wagon
right in front and all
is well”. For the past 12
years, I have owned and operated four different businesses in this
warehouse. My employees and I
have always parked in front of the
building. And I imagine that every
previous owner and employee who worked out of this warehouse over
the past100
years has used and maintained this
parking area. As you see, there is a quiet and proud
history of stewardship with this sixty foot wide strip
of bumpy and
crumbling asphalt and gravel,
which lies directly in front of our building. Now, as a restaurant big trucks
pull up to our building on a
regular basis to deliver our food.
In March of
this year, we were granted a building permit to build a deck and handicapped
ramp which would connect
to the building. With our
permit
proudly displayed in a front window we
began construction on
the interior, hanging
firewall and
plastering, and installing two ADA compliant restrooms.
Weeks
later, the Borough engineer
determined that our proposed deck and ramp were located on Borough
property…which brings us here today to discuss our situation.
Our desired
outcome in this scenario would ultimately be:
… to be
re-zoned so we may do sit-down and carry-out restaurant business in our
building
… to be granted
ownership of the parcel of property directly in front our building, out to the
new curb
… for the
Borough to change the proposed R/W to access the property next door, perhaps
off the street, perpendicular to PA
Ave.
… also we would
ask for the opportunity to create as many parking spaces as possible directly
in front of the property, and
utilize the newly created
street-side parking to
fulfill zoning requirements.
We realize this
may seem like a lot to ask for from a relatively new business… and that our motives are merely self
serving. However , we
are nearing
the beginning of our fourth year as caterers and as a delivery
restaurant. Almost from the
day we
opened, and every day over the past year our customers have asked us, “when can
we come and sit down and eat at your restaurant”. Yes, we are trying to make a living. At the same time we provide a valuable
service for the people in our community and to many local businesses.
The truth is,
PA Ave. and the neighboring blocks along Franklin and High Streets are
changing, Hanover is
changing and not necessarily for the better. (Tanger’s is leaving… and Wirt Park these days… looks
like a
playground for thugs). I
don’t see
it all, but I see enough… I have lived in this building for the past twelve
years and I have seen more than my share of dealers, druggies and drunks - more physical violence and lewd
activity than I care to.
This is my
town… this is my home… the best thing I can do for my community is to
create a space of well-being… an oasis of legitimate activity that reminds people to behave
themselves in this
side of town.
When you bring
life, and culture to an environment ,
beauty is created, and
things grow… We have
customers that want to come to Hanover Borough, spend money, eat our food… and
then tell their friends
that it’s cool to come to Hanover… great shoes, great chips and…thanks to (my
wife), and the Shepherd
Mansion, great food!
Thank you.
August 4, 2008 Holy Crap, it's August 4th already!
If we don't open this Bistro soon, the martians win... Full disclosure is great for first dates and R rated
movies that you watch at home, but, I don't want to talk about the hold-up in the Bistro project. I really don't. I
do to a few, but I'll
stop... 'lest I pop! Good night and good luck. k
July 22, 2008 We're back, and after today's lunch
service apparently you missed us. It's good to be back on line in the kitchen, the phone ringing off the hook, rushing to
and fro, filling orders for Hanover's most discriminating "foodies".
Three
weeks is a long time for us to shut down, and although we were closed for daily business we worked every day of our vacation.
I plastered and primed and painted the walls and ceilings of the new dining room and restrooms. Melinda scrubbed the remaining
brick wall that will soon be clear-coated and she also rewrote both of our menus as well as the website. She also hacked
away at our bamboo forest like a crazed Paul Bunyan in short shorts.
Melinda also twisted my arm and shocked the "Full Moon Japanese Restaurant" by having
us hang a new show of my art on their dining room walls. Now they even have artwork in their restrooms as well... paintings
to pee by, you could say...
July 3, 2008 Dearest
Jenny, I write this to you now in hope that you are well and that I will return to you soon.
July 3, 1863 Dearest Esther, please disregard the previous letter delivered
to you, as it's a sham, a fake, a fraud ... I certainly didn't write it... she don't mean nothin' to me... I mean I don't
even know her... who-so-ever she she is.
Life's been strange, I mean I don't even know how to
explain what I've been goin' thru... I feel as tho' I been possessed, like my mind isn't my own.
I started out this day to visit you at the school in Gettysburgtown as I hoped, then things went all weird
and bizarre. I boarded the carriage as planned in Union Mills. When we passed the Devil's Triangle rock there was a flash
of light... my senses were all discompensensed and shifted, as if time jumped, or stood still, like a newspaper flutterin'
in the wind, unable to be read.
The next I knew, I was sitten flatfooted in a field... the field
where I died, and was reborn to the man I know this day. When my mind could work again I saw men on horses...
I couldn't make out much but I saw a skurmish... men fightin'
men and bein' brutal.
There was a lull in the fightin' and a man told me to serve the
"shrimp". I stood aghast, yet held my composure, dipt' my hands into the white box and skewered the miniature fish-things
and did as he said.
They starred, and acted as though I belonged there... I played along, waiting for my moment to escape...
A man blew a bugle, for some reason... and then they came... sabers a rattlin', canons a blastin' and
blood was spilt'... or was it?
They stank up the place with burn't gunpowder and turkey legs (what strange
things to put in a canon I thought) but I withstood the borage and stared in disbelief... How could they torture us so...
Oh, the humanity!!!
Then a measure of disbelief struck me like a mini-ball to the
temple...
This life is unreal!... are we part of a circus affair? a sideshow? the science fiction stories
I had read in the Charlotte Chronicle?... was I part of a faux... a farce... a staging of a life to come, or a foreshadowing
of future events? ... I ate a roast beef and wasabi sandwich and questioned my fate. Beer bread,
I pondered, how thoughtful...
As the day passed and the
sun died away I held steady with my abductors. They intrigued me with their seemingly irrational behavior...
The End...
| A sage among our sage... |
|
| Say a prayer that we all don't die in this heat! |
June 6, 2008 I was wondering, has everyone been on a fast the past week and all of
a sudden decided to call us for food. Thanks! And secondly, thanks... I mean, this week has been jam packed, with our kitchen
being so busy that I could have lost a finger in the slicer and barely known it... think about it, 10% less time clipping
my nails!
Seriously
folks, it has been a whirly, wacky, week; so busy that I had very little time to work on the bistro. I was able to schedule
a meeting with my cousin Steve, our plumber. His crew will be here Monday to rough in the water lines and drains for our
new restrooms. 7:30 A.M. is way too early for me to wake up - why can't plumbers have restauranteur hours?
What's up with the photo you may ask? Well, in the midst of sending
out food for all of our hungry neighbors, I went out to Min's garden to pick some sage to garnish a tray and I met this little
guy (a pup of a praying mantis) and his sister (too shy for a photo) and he posed long enough for me to catch a pic. If you
check the scale of the image he is actually only 1/2" long! We hit this plant really hard this week but it didn't seem to
mind. It's like the ridiculous nature of signs that say "keep off the grass"... the grass expects it... it lives to be walked
on (especially in bare feet) no sneakers on this mantis... A sage among sages...
June 4, 2008 Hi folks,
welcome to my acceptance rally... yes, even though I have been asked to be Barack's running mate for V.P. on the Democratic
ticket, I must respectfully decline. Yes, it is quite flattering to be asked to be a truly useless #2, I have carefully weighed
my options and I realize that it is more important to be master (well, #2) of my own domain, than to be a silent partner with
a big paycheck. I mean, D.C. is cool and all but I truly feel that Hanover needs me. My cats do, that's for sure... and
who else would keep the local lumber yards in the black.
Speaking of lumber yards, I've been doin' some buildin' and boy am I excited. As the
dining room has progressed I have digressed into an artistic diatribe of my own. I figured, since we will soon have two cool-ass
restrooms, big enough to have a teleconference with several world leaders- without a courtesy flush... I am working on a
water feature. Roughly 4' X 8' , made of copper and an old window from the original Hanover Shoe building. Nothing like
the sound of running water to create even more running water... so, while I'm escaping the kitchen now and then to saw and
solder this and that I still find time to saute taragon chicken, bake Pennsylvania Avenue's favorite tarts and the York County's
only brioche north of the Sheppard Mansion.* (I don't really know if that last statement is true, but it sounded good!) Later
,K
5.17.08 Each moment,
each day, each encounter is truly a rare and precious jewel. "Red is grey and yellow white, but we decide which is right,
and which is illusion"... Psychedelic rhymes from years gone by... words to live by.
"I think everyday should be Saturday", she said, as we gobbled down
Al & Bob's Late Night Pizza. I grunted and nodded something that may have registered "yeah".
| Keith and Morpheus in NYC |
|
| ...at the warehouse. If you take the blue pill... |
|
| Take the red pill!!! |
May 6, 2008 Just got back from the matrix and rejoined
the real world once again. I like it here... no agents to run from, deal with, wrestle with and ultimately destroy... I mean,
who has time to deal with crazy agents who copy and replicate themselves and become an ultimate menace to others... if you
haven't seen the entire Matrix trilogy lately, this might not make sense. But if you
have the "gift", like Neo, no worries.
So much for news from the matrix,
and now for news from the inner core of the real world... the Warehouse. I've been jacked in and been jammin' for weeks...
freeing minds and working my muscles into a warm, soft, fleshy pulp. Wiring emergency lights and exit signs is fun but then
comes the firewall drywall to hang and tape and then the zen-like drudgery of skim coating. I skim coat everything... I'm
actually gonna skim coat my mom for Mother's Day... she's a good sport.
While working in the new dining room I've been watching some movies,
can 'ya guess, The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions... 2 or 3 times each... what???
But the matrix has it's own perverse curiosities.
Like, why would Smith take all of Neo's purity and strength and use it for his own selfish purposes? How cliche... Who would
know such things... only the oracle...
It's funny how things are all interrelated and connected. Seriously, if I were a sci-fi
writer I couldn't write better stuff. The real world is truly stranger than the matrix. I'm a die-hard X Files fan too so
I am interested in revealing the truth. I Want to Believe... and I believe that only those who actually own the poster do.
| Melinda's Cevice, with squid, shrimp & crab |
|
Mar. 29, 2008, 3:15 A.M. When you make up your mind to produce great food and serve it up to the public, you realize it's too late... to late to go half way, too late to perpetuate the norm, too late
to turn back. For those of us who have taste buds, and minds of our own, there is an appreciation for all of those great
cooks and chefs who have come before us and paved the way for all of us to enjoy foods of all kinds - the finer things in
life - the kiss of the most beautiful woman - that perfect bite - the death row meal we eat now... as free men and women.
We opened our restaurant, decided to prepare,
serve and sell food for many reasons, yet tonight, I realize it may be that we have chosen to be a vehicle. Somehow, Melinda definitely is a vehicle
of food. I am certain she has chosen this path before she landed here in this life. Perhaps she has always been a cook or
a chef - lifetimes before. Her passion and talent grows each day, with each event we cater - tonight she proved it again.
Three hours ago we returned from a wedding reception party we catered
for old friends. They desired an authentic Spanish tapas party and with Melinda's design and production we delivered.
| Artisan cheeses, quince paste, tapenade and breads |
|
In addition
to lots of great canapes with olive tapenade, shrimp scampi, caramelized onion and manchego cheese, curried crab salad on
endive, we passed trays of sauteed gingered shrimp, grilled lamb kabobs, and sauteed scallops with a delicious saffron butter
sauce. Word on the street... we rocked the house! Congratulations Will and Kristine. We wish you a lifetime of love and
happiness.
| Homemade bread sticks w/honey and serrano ham |
|
March 26, 2008 Ladies and gentlemen, the eagle has landed... well, maybe the eagle's
chick. We now have a building permit to proceed with our master plan!!! Our plans have been approved and it's full speed
ahead like the proverbial herd of turtles into intensive renovation. The fuse on the dynamite is ready to light and that
bathroom wall has got to go. Gotta make room for that menagerie
of toilet grab bars. By the way, I've already received thank-you cards from the local skateboard punks for yet another handrail
and ramp to grind. I hear that they're actually scheduling the next X Games on our new ramp for the week we plan to go on
vacation next. Also, I'd like to thank our architect Chris Restak for his skill and knowledge in helping us get to first
base.
| Ian demos the old foam ceiling. |
|
March 19, 2008 Saint Patty's is over and the collective swelling of "Irish
brains" is subsiding. I for one, did not participate in the ritual debauchery... Actually I prefer to perform most of my
rituals at home - but that's nun-yer business...
When I was a child, I looked like a child, I spoke as a child, I didn't know better. But now I'm a man, I look like
a man, I'm old as a man... and I should know better... Words
from the Bible mixed with Todd Rundgren, but words, true as they can be.
What does this mean now? As the years roll by and disappear into the next, and the next, we aim for actions and results
that are more eloquent and somehow more learned. More appropriate and more relevant ; refined and poignant. We should know
better! We should! So, how do we do that? How do we act in ways that display our wisdom? How do we display wisdom?
Our thoughts,
words and actions comprise our life and shape our karma. We create history that is recorded in the "VCR's" of our friends,
neighbors, families and back yards. The stuff that sticks in your "crawl" is real.
It's the stuff that shuts us up, and makes us talk, the stuff that has meaning. Start thinking, or continue thinking...
Vote on April 22.
Greetings
freekazoids, break on thru to the other side... I-tunes is the best... music at your fingertips. The Doors... are the best of the best. Where does this come from... who cares, it's cool.
Question is...? Who
do you support in the clutch? Support yourself.
So, if your keeping score, we won. We will always
win because we have the answers.
February 25, 2008, Oscar Night Yea!!! Once Won an Oscar!
Feb. 22, 2008 ... 12:30 A.M. The day is over, the snow is falling and we look forward to a busy day tomorrow. Snow and freezing water doesn't
keep people from being hungry - it just keeps them at home. It's a delightful, personal time to spend with the ones we love.
Enjoy a nice bottle of wine (or two) and share the joy of the privacy and a warm space. Call for food, or nuke some popcorn...
who cares, fill yer belly and live like there's no yesterday , or tomorrow...I bet you remember.
| Thursday's' Sandwich Trays... |
|
| Lots of tasty meat & bread... |
Feb. 20, 2008 There was a lunar eclipse tonight.
Took some pics... shoveled some snow ... with a broom... Perhaps the question is... are we living in the shadow, or in
the light? k
Feb. 18, 2008 Happy New Year... technically it is
a new year, and as long as we're on speaking terms I will say this, and explain. We are only partially into the new year
and I am still in good spirits. "Down and Out In Paris and London", left me contemplative for a bit but I realize mostly
that I am glad I live now instead of then. Perhaps I lived then and I don't remember. Or perhaps I'm just happy to live
now...
Melinda and
I run this restaurant. I bake fresh bread, make our desserts (Pat makes some too) , cook most of our hot food and I also
make deliveries. I wash my hands a thousand times a day and I take my job and responsibility very seriously. I have a lot
to learn and process - I have desires. One of my greatest desires is to write like Anthony Bourdain or even like kw, but
what are the chances. I'm a small town dude with less experience than them. At least I have my point of view. I could write
the same words as kw but they would not mean the same thing. If I were to say "all is one", it would sound like mindless
drivel. Ya get my drift. I do the best I can with what I have to work with and I try to learn. It is what it is... or so
they say...
Feb. 6, 2008 Been reading
"Down and Out in Paris and London", by George Orwell... trying hard not to be depressed. It's suggested reading by Anthony
Bourdain. I suppose that if you still want to be in the restaurant business after reading this book, you're doing well -
or a hopeless case, I don't know. Unlike the main character in this book I am well fed (and gaining), have a job that I can
sink my teeth into and be challenged, and I don't sleep in boarding houses with dirty, smelly vagrants... hmm...unless you're
counting our cats...
Jan 31, 2008 What you
see is what you get. I snapped this pic as my dessert tray of mini cannolis and peanut butter bars were going out the door
today. Everything happens so fast usually, we have no opportunity to record it.
J an. 28, 2008 Hurray! Got plans
back from Chris our architect. Checked them out... twice even, and soon we will be making the "Big Submission" of our plans
to the powers that be. Thank you "powers that be", in advance, for approving our plans.
Jan. 23, 2008 I've been reading a lot lately. Two books by Anthony Bourdain; "Bone in the Throat", and "Gone
Bamboo", two great novels. Also, some books suggested by my son Nate; Ken Wilbur's, "A Brief History of Everything" which
reveals and explains more about mankind and human consciousness than most of us can even attempt to comprehend. Nate loaned
me his copy which I read and loaned to Brian Hayes. Knowing Brian, he will devour it and we'll pass it on. (unless Nate reads
this and comes back from Seoul and demands it back.) I think Nate read this book, all five hundred and some pages, in about
2 or 3 days over his Thanksgiving break. It took me about 2 months to hack through that monster... well worth it.
So, I asked Nate for more books by Ken Wilbur.
He suggested One Taste, a daily journal, of sorts, that gives insight into the stuff that goes through this man's mind, some
amusing personal moments- the man is brilliant, he describes how, by taking an integral approach to spirituality, we can transform
our level of consciousness, step beyond the trappings of the mundane world, come back and enjoy it even more... we are always,
already. I-I, I'll shut up now 'cause I'll just wreck the ending...
Jan. 15, 2008 Did 'ya miss us? We're finally back
on-line after a torturous week. And here's why. A new iMac knocked on our door the other day and insisted we donate our
old iMac, (the one that looks like a volleyball mating with a laptop) to the Smithsonian. Or move it to the studio for the
cats to use...
Mr. Mac and i, and Melinda are very happy together, so here we go. Aside
from the usual pain-in-the-ass setup bugaboos and file transfer stuff. No biggie really. Plug in the DSL and, "cool it works".
All is well. For about two days and then... nothin'... no internet, bad DSL, it's gotta be. We ordered a new DSL with a
speed upgrade. Hook it up and nothing. I spent three hours on the phone with techies, even drove to the Apple Store in Towson
to talk with "the Geniuses".
Two hours ago I called Embark, waited 15 minutes
for a techie. In Two minutes he figured it out and we're back in business. Thanks Anthony, wherever you are.
All my fault. Well partially...That's all I have to say about that.
So, we had
a few days off after New Year's and decided to go for the best dining experience to date. I'm talking about Sydney, in East Berlin. I had the Duck, Melinda the Scallops... foie gras, our
first foie gras... superb. The duck, the scallops... cooked and seasoned perfectly... two super plates. Oysters on the half
shell, delicious cevice. No dessert but a flight of 10 - 40 year old Ports. Props to cousin/chef Matt back in the kitchen.
I hope you had a great time out west in the snow, a much deserved vacation I'm sure.
Hey, we're
back and jammin' into the new year. There's lots to do this year and it all starts right now. Major changes are happening
here at the warehouse. I should hear back from the borough (or somebody) this week actually, regarding the bistro design.
Jan. 5, 2008. Ok, Ok, so I forgot to publish my last blog 'til now... and I know it's many day's later and all, but, ...
sorry, I've been busy...and stuff. So, shoot me.
1.05.08 It's a new year and all is well. A few days off and then today we worked again. On a daily basis we prepare
alot of food for alot of people. It's romantic after the food goes out and I watch the guests enjoy their evening. The earlier
part, the baking and the cooking, it's totally different. Ask any cook about the adrenelin, the rush of the kitchen.
2007 Keith's Blog
12.29.07 Forrest, Forrest Gump. If you've seen it, you'll understand and if you haven't you should. A brilliant movie,
great story... and if you're a sappy, pseudo sentimental kinda person like me you'll smile and drip a happy tear here and
there throughout the movie.
I'm not into the "chick flick" scene ( I've never even seen Beaches) but I like a good movie that makes you
think and dream and recall all those great feelings and scenes that pile up over the years.
I grew up in a great time in American history... the "Pigeon Hills" 1961. Yeah, I'm a country boy but I ain't
no hick. What the hell is a hick anyway? But Forrest Gump had the edge. He was impaired, as it would seem to the outside
world. A little slow perhaps. And although results matter to a degree, it was the journey that was beautiful, the journey
mattered, beautiful and strangely romantic.
As far as I know, I wasn't born slightly retarded like Forrest, but sometimes I feel that I grew up a little slow. Not
totally innocent and ignorant but perhaps just one synapse (or ten) away from feeling like I really understood this life.
Like, I just realized why gangsters hug each other when they meet...I think it's so they can check out who's packin' heat.
Anyway, the heat I'm packin' these days is an old Vulcan we bought at a sale at a synagogue in York three years ago before
we even opened.
So as this year winds down and I take a moment in retrospect, I think how fortunate I am to be here in Hanover in this
gorgeous warehouse. Warm and fuzzy, yeah whatever. Point being, twenty years ago I left the 9 to 5 world of cable tv and
sit down dinners at the dining room table and dove into a world of darkness... I've walked through the crazy, scary forrest
and have seen a sunrise of hope and excitement. Life is great, I feel awake now, more focused. This has been a good groove.
It's like, I've been made... the making has been fun. K
12/12/07 No truffles today for Keith, boohoo. But, I was able to send out lots of great food. I put my three new truffles
on a dessert tray for the first time today. This week I made goat cheese, Raspberry, and Grand Marnier truffles. The Belgian
chocolate I use for our desserts is truly super delicious. Great chocolate does melt in your hands by the way!
12.11.07 AM Truffles. I need truffles. I've never had "real truffles". Of course I've had my own chocolate truffles;
the ones that take forever to temper the chocolate, add flavorful goodness, chill, shape, chill, dip and thread and then sell
for a buck 33 each. Sorry folks, Hershey choc doesn't quite cut it so - BUY THE GOOD STUFF! Seriously... or else.
Anyway, I want truffles, I want to taste the earthy pleasure, the foreign goodness. Pan seared foie gras with no guilt.
Most of us eat animals, why not their happily fattened livers... Does a clam have any greater freedom or responsibility than
a duck? Ask ken Wilber, I don't know. Ask my son Nate, he would know... or give you an answer you'd have to process for
the next week.
Nathan enables me to stretch my mind. He feeds me the good food- food for my soul, for my mind... and I feed him our
red thai curry and asian pasta salad. Nate, I miss our conversations, and your ability to serve me exactly what I need.
Years ago, Ken Wilbur wrote a book he named " A Brief History of Everything". When he was home this fall, Nate
gave me his freshly read copy to read. Two months later I finished the book. Two days ago I finished it and promptly started
over reading the book, hopefully this time with a preunderstanding of all the big words, concepts that stretch the mind and
a reaquaitance of the soul that has been stifeled during the ultra "flatland" of current administrations. If you
hunger for the truth, read Ken Wilbur. Skip over the Chia Pet, and anything at WalMart (of course) and Read, Ken Wilbur.
Happy Holidays Nate, I miss you.
12.9.07 First if all, to dispell a rumor, the answer is no. NO we are not out of business and YES we are totally busy.
It's kinda funny, one of our customers who booked a party came in to put down a deposit and was quite pleased to hear that
the rumor was false. And, while our happy customer is on self invested damage control we journey onward. I won't mention
names but we have tracked down the source... and I know a guy from Jersey who can take care of things like this... he mentioned
somethin' about a pair of pliers and a blow torch... I have learned something from watching the Godfather about 20 times or
more.
11/26/07 Allrighty then... Thanksgiving and Black Friday have come and gone and my digestive system is finally done screaming
"uncle". Melinda sent out some great sides for turkey day last week and I made pumpkin cheesecakes and pumpkin
bread. The response has been great and we've been getting inquiries about what we're serving for Christmas.
10.31.07 It's been a while, been busy. Here's some pics from our surprise 50th Birthday party for my brother Doug.
Halloween/costume parties are the greatest, and we had a great one for Doug, who was quite surprised. I wish I had a camera
when he came in but I was sauteing shrimp at the time.
10.4.07 So, Hung won Top Chef. My bread got baked and the majority has been eaten. We were kinda rooting for Dale but Hung
is a better technical chef, whatever.
Today is Melinda's birthday and it is also the 2nd birthday for Warehouse Gourmet!!! I'm not sure but I think that translates
into 20 in restaurant years. I know I feel about 20 years older...
If you drive by the Warehouse you won't see banners, balloons or other festive regailia. We're just not like that. From
the start we have relied on "word of mouth" from our customers.
10.3.07 It's 10:13 PM here and we're watching the Top Chef finale as I wait for my dough to ferment.
10:37 PM Tomorrow, Oct. 4 is Melinda's birthday and it would be great for her to receive some birthday greetings
from her customers. You don't have to say much, just hey, I hear you're older now, etc...
9.27.07 When asked about creating a marble sculpture, Michelangelo answered (and I paraphrase here of course), "the
image is already here, I just need to remove the extra material"! So where is the Bistro, you may ask? I'm still removing
extra material folks. I'm shaving away at the red tape.
Seriously folks, in the mean while, enjoy the free delivery and Melinda's great food until we can "legally lore you"
into our brick house where you can sit down and savor bistro fare unlike anywhere in Hanovare............
9.24.07 If you've read the home page explaination of "Where's the Bistro", then you got half the story of where
we are in this time and space. This is the time and this is the space where we come together to eat and greet and live together
as human citizens.
I write this blog as a total player in the food game and as a man who's life is all but consumed in the food arena.
I cook each day and bake 'til I'm ready to pass out and I write this blog as a "heart on my sleve" serving of "Keith
Stew". Keith stew may be inedible but if you log on, it's unavoidable. Eat it or avoid it but here I am and here we
are, still jamming away at this new place, getting bids on decks, ramps, new windows, paving and curbing, an awning, or two
perhaps and fresh bread for every days' sandwiches and soups.
How does this life progress and how do I progress from "Abstract Artist on the Lamb" to baker of the daily
bread to contractor dessert course. And then some... There's easy stuff and tough stuff and things I'd rather sub-out- to-
those I'd rather pay for than delve upon myself.
9/11/07 So, the rage has subsided and I have come to the realization that our master plan has been put on hold. It's kinda
like calling the IRS, or the electric company to adjust one of their mistakes... being infallible and all... by the way,
my call to the Pope is still on hold too.
Yet, on a pleasant note, I made my first Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding yesterday and it is superb! Today I also made
a Chocolate Anglaise to pour over it and LOOK OUT! Damn it's GOOD! Take that L and I.!!!
9/4/07 "When it gets hot like this you know what I like to do... I keep my undies in the icebox!" Thanks Marilyn,
but I don't think frozen boxers will help much with the phone call I got this morning... regarding the Bistro project.
As fate would have it, what seemed like a simple submission of a site plan, electrical and plumbing plan has now become
a full blown Labor and Industry bag of red tape. The info I got months ago regarding us not having to comply with ADA regulations
was inacurate to say the least. In plain words, it could take a bit longer to have our dining room ready for service than
we expected. It may cost thousands more than anticipated and Melinda's beautiful herb garden out front will probably be upstaged
by a 44 foot long handicap ramp. I'd be more than happy to pull the kitchen staff from their duties to carry anyone in the
door that couldn't climb our steps.
I may be a bit unorthodox with most of my life but I am a purest when it comes to my warehouse. And is it necessary for
a dining room of 30 people to have two restrooms? Seriously folks... just go before you leave home and wait your turn if
the door's locked while you're here.
Todays news has me a bit perturbed because we now have to hire an architect to submit our plans. I don't mind hiring
professionals to do things that I can do myself, it's the part of paying them that hurts. By all rights shouldn't the owners
of commercial buildings have to hire a professional Artist to acquire and hang artwork in their spaces. If our government
in all of their beaurocratic wisdom is really concerned with our welfare they would issue citations for bad art in public
places! I"m not naming names Hanover restaurants but...you know who you are.
When Melinda and I were in France we stopped into a small bistro down the street from the Picasso museum. It was a beautiful
old place with a horseshoe bar in the front and a small dining room in the back. As we sat there and enjoyed ourselves in
this tiny cramped room full of people I felt something furry brush my leg. Then I saw a tail and realized that someone's
dog was enjoying himself too...in a civilized society where the government has allowed it's people (at least in the restaurant
realm) to rule themselves...Lucky dog.
8.27.07 Gerald, you have been gone for a couple of weeks and we miss you. Nelo and Axel we miss you too. And by the way
Gerald, when you read this, and I hope you will, please seach out the recipe for the curried mussels at the Clichy's Tavern,
on Rue de Clichy around the bend from the Moulon Rougue (forgive the spelling of course).
Anywho, ladies and gents, I am hard at work on the new dining room, and the proposal for the Boro. Min is working on
the new menus - is there ever a moment when she is not working on new menus! It's her job here and better her than me...
For the first time in my life I do what I'm told and rightly so. Melinda has the vision for the future of this restaurant
and I follow and support her because she knows her stuff... food!
I know how to spackle a fractured drywall joint and paint a brick wall.. and I can bake the best damn sourdough Ciabatta
in this town... maybe I should stop there, but I digress ...
8.15.07 "Where's the love"? Right here. It's the fact that I know you're out there, and I do!... and I know you're
hoping for great food, honest, handmade food. It's summer and everyone is scattered before the kids go back to school. The
bistro is coming along swimmingly, (a term for slow) and all is well. I've been sponge-cleaning and clear-coating the bistro
walls for the last week and it's looking really cool. It looks the same as ever but the walls don't rub off - they're sealed,
period.
Gerald, I miss you. I haven't had a mojito since you left our continent.
The Hanover Chamber of Commerce 2007 membership directory came out today and we had a feature page. Melissa did a great
job with her article. She is great and we love the Chamber.
| From left: Axel, Kent and Gerald, the drywall crew |
|
7.23.07 It's good to be back and it's great to be alive and kickin'. We had a break, a bit of a vacation and days and weeks
of hard work to follow. The week before the 4th of July Min and I drove to New York and ate our way from Midtown thru the
East Village and SoHo to Greenwich, into Chelsea and Union Square and back to the gyro cart at 53rd and 6th Ave in front of
the Hilton where we stayed. We ate at Les Halles, Anthony Bourdain's restaurant, drank and dreamed at Balthazar, an amazing
bistro and bakery in SoHo, had kobe beef tartar at Japonica near the NYU area, and were disapointed with the food at the
Uber nightspot, Tao. Starbucks sucked as usual, and MOMA was as great as ever.
Dean and Deluca was a great inspiration as always, and I saw my first $40 loaf of bread... it was... ok...probably worth
$38, max. Anyway, we ate and drank as much as possible until we had to cab our way back to our room each night and collapse.
The Art Bar in the Village was a fun place to hide at the end of the night and the service was smooth... cab ride home
of course... gin and tonics are very filling...
Ray's Pizza in the East Village on St. Mark's is a must, must, must. The best in the city. We also had a great Ceveche
and sushi somewhere nearbye, the name of which alludes me.
Since we have been back from the City I have been busy working on the new dining room for our Chamber of Commerce Mixer
Saturday night.
The floor pic above was an in progress pic of the floor in the new dining room area of the new bistro. My knees still
hurt and my back is healing fine, thank you... later, k
6.30.07 Today is my dad's birthday, so, Happy Birthday Dad! You're the man I now hope to be... I read you now more than
ever. I think your blood pressure is fine. Please live forever. If your internet worked, I know you would know that I feel
the same way about you too, mom.
It's a misty moment here for me folks...
We're leaving town for a few days to revisit our other hometown of NYC and I'm not sure what to wear. This white snappy
cookshirt is so comfortable that I, I'll miss it, or, them- I've got a pile of 'em... it just feels natural now. Years ago
I was always wrapped in some painted, psychodelic freak out tee shirt from some crazy Screaming Peacock company.
Eric Sheaffer and I painted the best skull shirts ever. We wore what we painted... like painted warriors, like warrior
painters. We worked together for years and loved and hated every minute of it. There is so much more for us here my friend.
Living wise... k
I'm outta here, for three whole days... don't worry, Pat's feeding the cats. The neighborhood watch is in place. The
local authorities have been notified and the mote has been filled with fresh alligators.
See ya'll next week. I'm not answerin', so don't bother callin'... love ya'll, k
6/22/07 P.M.
Mrs. Deb, thank you so much; you did it again and you wouldn't let me return the favor. I love the book already and the
flours (you sent me flours!) will be put to good use. Like it or not, you will benefit from each of them as I promise to
send you a portion of the products... if they don't turn out, well, I'll send them too... maybe you could use a new doorstop
for your place...
you're the best,
Sincerely, k
6/22/07 A.M. Mrs. Deb, you are tooooo much! The cheese was heavenly, godly, ungodly, decadent and delicious. Thank you
so much for the sweeeeet gift. If only the rest of our customers were such the same... just kidding, I usually don't solicit
gifts and gift giving... but, until you've tasted this particular cheese from Vermont, you really don't know what incredible
foods your friends are eating behind closed doors. There are only five or six people (that is, if you've told your husband)
that understand that last sentence... sorry folks, it is a very, big, world.........................................................
k
6/18/07 Where does the time go? It's mid June, stinkin' hot and I haven't really done anything considered lots of fun yet
this year... (that I care to speak of) excluding catching last nights last ten minutes of The Simple Life on TV. But, you
know what I mean, what happened to the days of carefree waundering the countryside in search of the best place to go swimming
in a stream or stopping to cool off under a bridge. I'm not into public pools and driving to the beach is a serious investment
of time and gasoline. Maybe I should just dig out the basement sump hole and wait for the next hard rain to fill it up..."stay
away from the sump pump little Billy or it'll suck you up and spit you into the street"...
Time passes and our circumstances of life change as we accept responsibility. I truly enjoyed the irresponsibility of
youth (and middle age for that matter) but now I work for freedom. Not the kind that George W. blabs about but the kind that
takes you back to your roots. The kind that draws me back to the rainforest, or the woods, living the simple life again...
perhaps Paris...but without Paris Hilton. k
6/7/7 So there I was, leg stuck in a giant razor clam, hands coated with dough ... then I woke up... and it was time to go
to work again...
The nice thing is that we're going to take some time off over July 4th. Sorry folks, it'll be Mc' Damons or the Wiener
Shop for a couple of days... not tomorrow, some week in July, I hope...k
5/29/07 AN ESSAY
Good questions. I'll try to be brief.
Basically, bread can be made with just flour and water. But if you want your bread to rise and have a fluffy interior
crumb, and not a thin shingle-like creature, you need a leavening agent such as active dry yeast or a natural "starter".
I use both types depending on the type of bread I choose to produce for a certain application.
The Sourdough Ciabatta we use as our "white bread" for most of our sandwiches is made from my sourdough starter.
The starter is much like a science project of bubbling goo. A happy little family of wild yeast and bacteria yearning to
be fed (flour and water) on a strict schedule. It's friendly yeast and bacteria, not like the kind that lives on the leather
inner sole of my sandals. Thank God!
Wild yeast is found everywhere in nature. It's on flour, the water, in the air, the white dusty stuff on grapes, and
even the white coating of your tongue when you wake in the morning. Wild yeast... Hurray!
The culture can be started very easily. Mix flour and water in a container. Wrap a pound of grapes in cheesecloth, give
'em a good squeeze and drop in the container and swish them around. After two days you have the founding of a new civilization
- one that lives souly to sacrifice itself for the good of bread. Remove the grapes and feed three times a day... for the
rest of your life, easy. You want the best rye bread ever?... start mixing rye flour into the starter and in three or four
days you have a rye starter. If you're not going to bake for a while, the starter can be frozen to keep it dormant for a
few months.
Natural starter has many benefits in bread baking. Incredible flavor, a crisp flavorful crust, an irregular, chewey interior
crumb and also, the starter acts as a natural preservative too - how cool is that?
Recipes, fermenting and proofing times vary. For instance, my Brioche Sandwich buns are made with active dry yeast, whole
milk, water, lots of butter, sugar, flour, eggs and a pinch of salt. The dough is refrigerated overnight to slowly ferment.
The wild yeast culture of a natural starter when maintained provides an endless supply of the basic ingredient needed
to bake great bread. I mix it with flour, water, olive oil and some salt and create a great Ciabatta. Add some fresh dill
or rosemary, shredded baked potato or wheat germ and you've got great flavored bread. Sourdough is a distinct flavor, some
find it strong, some simply love it... and some still buy Wonder bread, go figure.
If different types of yeast were folk lore characters, sourdough starter would be the tortoise and active dry yeast would
be the hare. Sourdough breads are slow to rise, taking extra time to develop flavor from the flour and starter. Conversely,
breads made from active dry yeast ferment and rise quickly. A.D. yeast breads have a short halflife - plus, they taste like
yeast, unless you disguise (enhance) it. Add some flavor please... I add olive oil, sundried tomatoes and pecorino romano
cheese, some sauteed onions and garlic and a touch of balsamic vinegar.
Bread baking is trickey and not for the faint of heart. A batch of overproofed loves can crush your ego like the burnt
toast of your first honeymoon breakfast when you wake up to find your waterbed sprung a leak and the heater went out sometime
during the night. There are many secrets and techniques learned, tried and experienced, proprietary and unmentioned, with
time and excruciating effort that I have mentioned here. A baker walks alone. Naked like the aborigine, chasing a wort hog
with a homemade bow and arrow - overly dramatized perhaps, but until you've been there you'll never know... happy baking,
and good luck...K
5/25/07 Before your Tiramisu gets coated with that delicious rum laced frosting it gets soaked with my special blend of a
mocha rum cocktail. Rum in the cake, rum in the glaze and rum in the frosting... I think my cake has a drinking problem...
mix it up, brush it on , no problem. That's why Tiramisu in Italian translates as "pick me up"... great for power
luches with the boss! So, wait for the boss to go back for seconds first.
5/25/07 Say hello to my little friend... his or her name is, well I don't know actually. But I think he is taking on
the role of night watchman here at the warehouse. Since we work in the kitchen all day there's little time for daytime yard
work. We found this little cridder last night around 11 PM. She "hung out" with us while I helped Melinda plant
a tree out front. Such a cool, peaceful little thing. After about an hour he apparently got bored and glided to the ground
and scampered away. And we thought all the wild life around here hung out at the Franklin House... K
5.9.07 I sent this pic to a friend tonight... after 2 hours of typing the recipe for my Ciabatta... note the spelling...
if you're gonna sell it, ya gotta spell it right... the pic was to show how the dough looks when it is ready to bake ...
I wish him luck. The first time is like flying without a net, but he has shoulder pads... he's a chef and he can handle it...
and he knows, ya gotta bake 'yer own bread... phffftt!
k
5.5.07 It's Saturday night and the week is almost over. The Orange Cake is long gone with some folks calling back for
seconds. One of our favorite customers said it reminded her of the French bistros in Montreal... cool...
5.1.07 Back again, (and sticky from ankle to elbow) here's my Orange cake with Bavarian Cream... Whoa!!! This should be sold
by the gram...
Camera phones do come in handy.
4.30.07 Yesterday was Sunday and usually it's our day off but not this time. We shopped at Restaurant Depot down in Baltimore
to buy food stuffs for the coming week. It's always nice to get out of town if only for a few hours - and even if we are
working. Min usually drives and I read cook books on the way down. Ya gotta love a woman who loves to drive.
We just purchased some new books: Anthony Bourdains "Nasty Bits", which kinda takes over where "Kitchen
Confidential" left off, good, funny writing by a lifer chef who now travels the world and reports back via his Travel
Channel show "No Reservations". Check it out Monday nights at 10 PM. And no, I don't get a kickback... Also,
Anthony Bourdains "Le Halles Cookbook" which contains french bistro recipes from his restaurant on Park Ave. in
NYC. More good stuff... still no kickbacks.
Also we got another book on french bistro cooking which takes recipes from some of Frances best bistros. This week I'm
doing an orange layer cake with bavarian cream - it's quite beautiful in the photos and sounds delicious... wish me luck.
K
You may have noticed that I haven't been writing much and that there are no pictures (I like pictures), anyway, I have
been working on the warehouse, recovering from daily exhaustion, also our digital camera has been on the fritz. Did I mention
the witness protection program thing... uhhh, well, nevermind...K
4.14.07 The sky is falling, the end is near, it's raining frogs and locusts, and the Grim Reaper is rapping at my door...
actually, it's only the Tax Man. I'm not sure which is worse. It's only money after all. But frogs legs would be mighty
tastey about this time of year.
Fortunately for us we are very busy this month.
3.24.07 And so spring is here. Technically, legally, and by all rights spring is here. The streams and lakes are thawing
and thank goodness the water wheel at the Shriver Grist Mill is turning again. To make a long story short, last week I bought
out all of the rye flour in Hanover. I cleaned out Allen's Natural Foods and the new Giant and then I remembered a nice
man who stopped by the kitchen at Christmas time. He's a miller, not a Miller, but a man who grinds natural grains into flour.
I called him Thursday and mystically he said he just happened to be grinding rye flour the next day and that he would stop
by and deliver what I needed that same day! Imagine, fresh flour from the mill to the bakery the same day. Perhaps this
is the way it should be...I am blessed in many ways... my promise to all is to continue to earn this blessing. K
3/7/07 It's 12:51 AM and it's not snowing, yet. Never trust a groundhog, regardless of how famous he is. In two weeks it'll
be spring and we can all rejoice.
Anyway, in the interest of full disclosure I must mention a minor change regarding our sandwich bread. When we first
started making sandwiches I baked an Italian Ciabatta and also the Brioche sandwich buns. The Brioche buns are still on the
menu but if you've notice the Italian Ciabatta has been replaced by a Sourdough Ciabatta. I feel the sourdough has more flavor,
and if you're gonna eat bread it should have great flavor. Also, you may have noticed a slight change in the Sourdough Ciabatta
over the past two weeks. One characteristic of Sourdough Ciabatta is large holes in the interior crumb. This comes from
a high water content - and also, the high water content makes for a flatter loaf. Unfortunately, flat loaves make funny shaped
sandwiches - and stuff falls out of the holes. So, I added more flour and took out some water. Now our sandwiches are taller
, and a bit less holy... I feel much better now. Later, K
2.25.07 "You should be kissed, and kissed often..."
"Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!"
That's what I do on my day off. I sit and vegg... TCM runs the best movies. It's Oscar week and "Gone With the
Wind" was on today. Four hours of mind bending cinematic history. Much better than "Anaconda" and it's sequel.
Oh, to have the stones to like Rhett... A big caraffe of brandy helps too...
I also worked on the plan for the new bistro too, then we ate chinese food and watched the Oscars... and we walked in
the snow and threw some snowballs. You may now yawn. Nighty night, America.
| Our "Dagwood" Super Bowl Special sandwich |
|
2/11/07 OK, let see a show of hands from those who "don't" cut their own hair. Be honest... yeah, probably a good
idea. Well, I do and, that's all I have to say about that... did I mention I'm baking Bailey's cheesecakes this week - with
a new haircut.
2/10/07 So, if the Super Bowl celebrations are all about excess; eating too much, drinking too much and screaming at the
TV until your flat screen is covered in beer slobber and traces of onion dip, then thank goodness there's Valentines Day -
one for the ladies. It gives us a chance as a civilized culture to show our sensitive side, an intuitive and kinder, gentler
part of us that's not totally overcome by the commercial trappings of a capitalist society run amuck... yeah, right, as
if edible undies and diamond earings ever had anything to do with love... it's all about leverage, or cleavage perhaps, greenbacks
for sure, strange and perverse... they feed us anything but the truth and make sure we're so fat with consumer goods that
we can't move out of the way of the next attack... Ahh, but I digress. I love holidays because I'm your basic nonconsumer.
As an artistic sort, I make my own fun and keep myself amused. I do what I need to do, I eat, I sleep and I work, and I
do it all over again, each day.
So, then ladies and gents I am compelled to finish this rant on a civilized note. I feel we don't need more fuzzy little
chew toys that wag their tails to the tune of "Love is a Battlefield" or "Love Hurts" or whatever. What
I'm saying is lets get real. Lets get back to what holidays are really all about. Let's get together with our family and
friends and be real. Share times with the ones we love and eat real food, make a hand-made valentine for our lovers and let
them know it. Show the ones we love that we gave serious thought to our actions. Not just an easy-out that was on our way
to Wal-Mart-or something we found at Wal-Mart. Be original. Be Real. Bring home the best food. Or better yet, stay home
and have it delivered... Chances are, Melinda and/or I made the food, and either I or Melinda's dad delivered your food
- real people that you recognize and trust to bring you the best food that you will find in Hanover. That's what I believe...and
I'm sticking to it. K
2.5.07 Uhhh... Happy New Year, or somethin'. Firstly, all is well, we survived Christmas, New Year's and the monthlong hangover
I call January.
OK, since my beard grows faster than I type, I will give the highlights of the past two months in an abrieviated form:
I have now substituded Sourdough Ciabatta for Italian Ciabatta in our sandwiches, we are not moving to the Hanover Shoe Building,
AND YES, we are in the planning and building stages of creating a sit-down Bistro here at the warehouse!
Keith's Blog 2006
12.27.06 Surviving another Christmas season is top on my priority list and so far so good. It's been an exceptional holiday
time for us here - food flying everywhere and landing in all the right places. We've been putting out lots of great food
lately and it's a good feeling to keep up and get all of our food out on time, hot and looking and tasting great.
If you've never had one of our canapes, well, I'm sorry...
12/16/06 I don't know where this came from, but I was just having some breakfast and bread popped into mind. A specific
bread that is made by Rose's pizza shop across from Delone. Before we started the restaurant and years ago when Melinda worked
as a waitress I had to fend for myself at dinner time. One of my favorite meals was a hot tuna boat from Rose's and I was
always impressed by the homemade sub rolls they used. It's been a while since I've eaten there but I'm sure they're still
as good.
12/13/06 What you are about to read may surprise you. It surprised me when I read it... Last night I had a dream that I
went into a room. I went to the computer and typed, seemingly for hours. I woke up and went to my "real" computer
and there it was... and I have to live with it.
12/12/06 Have you seen "The Lost Room"? If you have, or haven't, I think I live there. Anyway, Who's afraid
of the big, bad bread"? If you have been here a year ago, I've come leaps and bounds from last year. I've grown and
proofed. I've fermented my own Self and I've become a man of bread. I can bake bread now - bread that transcends your basic
yeasty concoction that is found at the Giant or Weis or Panera. You see, our town hasn't had a bakery for years... until
now.
This may sound rather forward, somewhat pompus, even foolish or pressed beyond belief... yet I must say that I have been
baking bread that is truly great; bread that makes me stand up and say WOW, bread that would make our Forefathers proud.
This bread makes me proud, happy, excited and ready to bake more.
I bake each and every day to serve our customers at our restaurant. And I give it away with each soup and salad we serve...
that's business as usual...
11/27/06 So, where did the year go? Thanksgiving is past and we're heading towards Christmas and New Year's like a runaway
sleigh full of Tickle Me Elmo's. As a happy nonconsumer I'm content to hang out here in the warehouse baking bread, cooking
and making deliveries. I avoid the malls at all cost and don't even get me started on Wal Mart.
Since Melinda and I totally exhausted the entire "Six Feet Under" series on DVD, my latest obsession is a cocktail
of the first season of "24" and an incredible movie titled "What the Bleep(#%$@#^) Do We Know?". It's
about quantum physics and the nature of life. It raises questions, answers a few and then raises even more. So when you're
at the video store navigating through "The Santa Clause 13" and Lindsay Lohan's latest lack luster offering, look
for it... you may find yourself as obsessed as I am.
11/10/06 Thank you, thank you, thank you! There's so much to be thankful for that I just don't know where to start.
I sold two paintings recently! (Apparently Hell isn't going to freeze over afterall.) The first one was sold out of
our reception area to one of my favorite customers.
The second painting sold was hanging with several others at The Full Moon Japanese Restaurant south of Hanover. If you
haven't eaten there yet, I highly recommend their food. Melinda and I have had sushi in almost every city we travel through
and I feel confident in saying that their's is among the best, if not the best. The owners Moon and Tao are great people
and dear friends. I'll be hanging more paintings at the restaurant soon in order to fill the space.
10/18/06 pm , almost AM, We're doing the Chamber party tomorrow and my mind is packed...
10/18/06 Greetings bloggites! I can barely hold back the excitement; the Project Runway Finale is in the midst and who
knows what will happen. Top Chef, who knows...Anyway, my point here is that Life is a crazy, busy, funky mix of design, style
and integrity...One day you're in, and the next day you're out... Blah, blah, blah, such bullsh!t! LIFE is not an event.
Life is the mix, the culmination of everything from day one 'til the end, then it starts over again. It goes on and on.
Don't judge me on today, don't judge me at all - " judge not, and ye shall not be judged". Yet, assess the obvious
and get the obvious. "You want the obvious, you get the obvious"... That's what I say... thanks Todd... I follow
my mentor and I say that life is more important than TV and more important than POP culture. Life is everyday, and in every
way we do our absolute best to be the best we can be. Min says this is over the top, but I say, this is me and this is my
space , and I say I love you all. Use your lemon juice... and knock 'em dead... hi Billy, I miss you man...
Case closed. K
Write me with whatever. K
Congrats, Jeffrey...I picked you to win... and you did, Bravo...!
Melinda makes me food that is steps beyond all the above . Praise the kitchen... K Warehouse Kitchen, yes...
10/16/06 Hi folks, did you know we have a blog fan in South Korea? Actually he is my son Nathan and he is there and he actually
reads my blog instead of watching CNN to check what is happening in the US. Shouldn't everyone? Anywhat..., hi Nate, Namaste,
I know you are well, and I wish you the best. Thanks for the offering...
Potato dill bread is new and the "Yeasty Beasty" keeps on feeding... like a hungry little monster that begs
to be fed as much as "Bellie". At least my starter doesn't jump on the bed each morning and bite my toes...
October 4, 2006 Happy Birthday to Us! Yes, we are officially one year old today. And Melinda is one year older also.
As you may know, Melinda is the brains of the group here and it just so happened that we opened on her birthday one year ago
today. Cheers to all !
September 4, 2006 The 11th annual Chili Cookoff has come and gone and all that remains among most of yesterdays attendees
and contestants is probably a good case of heartburn and the lingering hangover from too much super spicy chili and too many
visits to the beer truck.
Fortunately for me and the rest of the "Warehouse" crew, we were too busy serving less caustic eats to our customers
than to gobble down the firey red stuff and gussel down drafts.
| Melinda making Goat Cheese and Apple Salads |
|
This is our first year vending at the Cookoff and actually our first outdoor vending experience. Years ago when I sold my
Screaming Peacock tee shirts at the event I would spend days in advance painting and printing shirts that I hoped would sell
to the happy masses. How many skull shirts do I paint? How many Beer Nut shirts do I print? How many people will rummage
through my racks and call out in disgust, " why don't you do more shirts in 3, 4 and 5XL sizes?" (I guess for the
same reason they don't drink Lite Beer.)
It was a great day for us and we sold lots of food. Had I had the foresight to realize that people in the chili and beer
scenario would be craving sweets, we could have sold twice as many brownies and cheesecakes. Next year we will be ready!
Maybe chocolate beer ... hmmmm.
| Lamar sauteed Shrimp w/ Ginger Scallion Sauce. |
|
Although I didn't have much oppurtunity to walk through around and check out the rest of the vendors and chili cooks, I'm
guessing that we were the only ones selling crab fondue, gingered shrimp and goat cheese salads. I did overhear someone saying
that Melinda's Gazpacho Soup was better than most salsas. Maybe next year I'll hand out Rolaids for those who eat too much
chili before they get to our tent. k
| Proteens drummer Steve Saul and Ian hanging out. |
|
Finally, I'm glad my son Ian was able to make it to the Cookoff. He was a great help selling drinks and food. He and I never
heard the Kelly Bell Band and we both thought they were really fun. Also as a punk rock enthusiast and an aspiring drummer
he was able to meet the "Steves" from the Proteens - he's a big fan of their music and they're both great guys.
The Chili Cookoff is always a great homecoming for lots of our friends who have waundered out of town and come back to eat
chili drink beer and catch up on old times. It's always a fun time, we hope to see you there next year.
August 21 Blogger's note:
Have you ever worked so many days in a row that you just can't take it anymore... one more day, one more hour and you'll
loose it and go running into the street with a dough scrapper and a chef's knife, apron hanging down around your ankles, clouds
of flour pouring off your body like you're running on fire from a burning building... just wondering.
Anyway, we left town Saturday night for some much needed R&R. We layed on the beach, jumped in the ocean and ate
some good food... the second honeymoon is over and we're back to business as usual.
So, in an unprecedented breach of the sanctity of my page I hand the next few lines to Melinda:
Thank you everyone for the orders 'cause we love feeding you! It's been such a great busy couple of weeks, Keith and I
decided to close a little early to leave for the beach on Saturday night. Not only because the need for a vacation, but it's
probably the last vacation 'til after New Year's Day!
And thanks so much for the support during the Bon-Ton Grand Opening Events. It's great for the shoppers of Hanover to
taste our food and word of mouth advertising is the best!
See you at the Chili Cookoff in two weeks. We were asked to sell our food at the event and of course we said yes!
And I know it's early in the season, but please start thinking about your holiday parties. People are really digging
our food and dates are already being booked in advavnce.
The updated catering menu just keeps growing. Keith is now making profiteroles. They're little puffs of pastry to fill
w/ anything you like! Great stuff.
And don't forget to tell everyone about Warehouse Kitchen. The homey meatloaf and mashed potatoes everyone still calls
about. My mom is in charge of that new subsidiary. Great food we all grew up on in this area, delivered! Just call us for
the info.
8/3/06 Could it possibly get any hotter? Sorry folks but I just cut my typing finger so this entry will be "cut "
short. Caio!
7/22/06 Many thanks... to our new neighbor Bobbi who is a former employee of Wilbur Chocolate and a truly sweet woman. She
turned me on to the best chocolate I've ever experienced. She brought me Wilbur Buds in milk and semi sweet chocolate and
also Wilbur's Dutch Cocoa. I'm looking forward to baking with the dutch cocoa and hope to make it part of our menu ASAP!
The floor in the new kichen is now done! Next is the plumbing for two sinks and gas line for the stoves and ovens.
7/18/06 I was just thinking... if I ever started another band, I'd like to name it " The Amazing BLT's"... though
I'm not exactly sure why...
7/16/06 Melinda's aunt Deannie once called her the ugliest cat she's even scene. But we thought she was purrfectly beautiful
and adopted her. Actually she showed up under our porch one day and sat there and cried and meowed for hours and hours.
As day turned into night and the rain came down steadily, we decided she was not going to leave so we took her in. We thought
she was a calico ( and named her Callie) but then realized she's actually a tortie and as she grew she "grew" into
the name "Belly" and it stuck.
This photo is our young "Belly". She's quite bigger now...
OK, sentimentality aside I'd like to say that I love our cats... but not enough to allow them in our kitchen. As our
kitchen grows the "habitat" for our four legged friends diminishes. We live in a warehouse and there's plenty of
room for them to roam so I'm not really worried.
7/12/06 I'm baaack! Did ya miss me? Actually, I never left but I've been way busy- kinda burnt, exhausted, lost in a haze
of drywall, brick dust, building permits and latex paint. Still baking bread, sauteeing shrimp, breading mega chicken tenders
and waking up each and every morning with the youngest of my Cyborg Army biting my toes, telling me that she needs a new can
of wet food to keep her from going into aniphalactic shock by 9 AM.
The new kitchen is nearly done. Yes, I needed to build another kitchen - partially because the first kitchen was not
big enough and mainly because I'm truly insane... actually we needed more prep area and felt there was a need to for more
refrigeration and a desire to create a "back of house". Oh yeah, plus a small thing we created which we call "Warehouse
Kitchen". It's a home-style food delivery restaurant which focuses on serving those who can't get enough of the good
'ol meat loaf and ham and bean soup.
5/9/06 My New Hero! The man who has saved my life, my wife, my sanity,... No, not Tony Bourdain. Matt Bortner. Yes, Matt
Bortner, Melinda's cousin, our new part-time Sous Chef and all around great guy. I thank you for adding your expertise,
a truly smoothe move...for teaching me about life in the kitchen... For the past two weeks Matt has been the man behind
the scenes who has carried on the movement... the hope of serving great food, packed-up and delivered.
Chef Bortner brings a new energy, a new life to our kitchen, much needed to keep this thing rolling smoothly...
5.1.06 Keep it fresh, make it fun and enjoy every second... food, family, friends ... all is life.
Eckert Tolle once stated, " There is one life, and we are all forms of life". Our connection is very obvious,
perfectly simple and simply perfect.
This said, it's a perfect place (and time) to say hello to my oldest son, Nathan. Namaste.
It's late but I promise actual photos of the Cyborg Army and the progress of the new kitchen. Thanks to all who read
the blog and stop by the restaurant. I'm still learning this business, and I have great teachers... thanks! K.
| Cyborg Army Cats, Bears, Moo and Belly. |
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5/09/06 No wonder the new kitchen isn't done... I think I heard them disgussing going union too.
April 15, 2006 Forgive me friends for I have slacked! It's been over a month since my last entry and what is a blog without
words and thoughts thrown on the page like so much flour across the dough board.
I've been a tad busy as you can imagine, baking breads everyday, doing our desserts ( Even washing a few dishes here and
there! ) and whatever else comes down the pike. WE have been busy ! Wonderfully slammin' crazy busy! Have I said this before?
We're even busier than the last time I said this. (Side note: If you can read between the lines, pat yourself on the back
because, yes, we are looking for good help. Email me to find out more details)
Anyway, I've had a side project to keep me busy...
3/5/06 Wow, last night we "took the night off" from our normal Saturday night duties to make the scene at the 2006
"Winter's Palette" food show and party at the Gettysburg Hotel Ballroom. We served lots of great food, ate lots
of great food and met lots of great people. We served Sauted Gingered Shrimp, Yellow Curry Chicken Salad and Buffalo Chicken
Wraps bites, lots of our breads and Chambord Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. Our Pesto Cream Cheese Terrine was a big hit served
on my Country Bread.
Here's a shout out to Fabio, owner and chef of the Tex Diner and Steakhouse in Gettysburg. His Stuffed Chicken Breast
was absolutely amazing. We had a fun time discussing similarities and differences of our Tiramisu recipes... he uses lady
fingers, whereas I bake a Pan di Spagna (sponge sheetcake). The jury is still out as to who's is better ... he gets points
for being Italian... and good looking.
Also, hello to Chef Charles and Corine the "Wine Nazi" from the Herr Tavern, really nice people... and the lamb
was outstanding.
02/27/06 Check us out at the "Winter's Pallet" this weekend - call for details. We're throwing a party for 400
of our new best friends! My Cyborg Army is slacking off a bit and The Kitchen project is yet to be completed, yet we trudge
on... The new mixer is up and running though... meaning, our 20 quart Hobart is ready to rock and roll through some serious
dough. K
02/20/06 I just finished reading Anthony Bourdain's book, "Kitchen Confidential". It's an autobiographical account
of his life as a chef in the underbelly of the restaurant scene in New York City. Hold on to your aprons kids, this is not
for anyone with a weak stomach regarding the real goings on behind the kitchen doors and along the lines of perhaps some
of your favorite restaurants in New York - and maybe even our beloved little town of Hanover.
02/08/06 Sun-Dried Tomato Bread... my new art.
Did I tell ya I started a new kitchen. The Kitchen is growing like dough rising in a bowl. We knead more space to expand
our bakery and to accomodate our catering demands. I like to build and I like to bake... life is great!
2/1/06 So here I am, hanging in my lair, developing my own Cyborg Army to mix and bake all of my bread, build a new kitchen,
and... pet the cat when he jumps on me...pour me wine Cleopatra! ... watch TV for me too, so I don't have to... Except for
the Daily Show. I'll handle that one.
Anyway, the Cyborg Army seems like a good idea. Kinda like a cross between Terminator 3 and My Fair Lady. We're at the
crossroads of potential explosive growth and all I can think of is a day off to read, vegetate, sleep and eat.
I haven't written lately because we have been very busy. The great part of the story is the fact that we have been producing
absolutely great food for lots of people in Hanover since we've opened and we grow everyday. Each day is a new experience
and a new challenge. I'm a relative newbie to the restaurant biz anyway. As a painter I used to work alone, with a quiet
prowess and a "strange kind of pride"... there was plenty of room for "Artistic License". There's no
place to hide here...no fudge factor. It's great or it's not. Melinda runs a tight ship... and so do I. Later, K
Check out my Bread
There's a lot to consider here, and I'm all over it. This is my life, I chose this. K
| The warehouse before I painted the last 3 windows |
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Our great friend Billy Sneeringer gave us a freezer ...'cause he's a really cool guy.
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