Have a great year in 2009 everyone!
Thanks for taking an interest ,
Steven
1 hour ago
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Should a Waiter Have The Right To Refuse To Wait On a Table?
The other night I had this table come and it was the second straight time I had to serve them. They are rude , oblivious to the fact that there are actually other people in the restaurant that have to be served as well , and when they order this one lady will order for the 11 of them. It is like serving 6 tables because every time you go there with something they want something else.
The other guests in your section watch you run around like crazy for them so really all they want to do is just get up and leave as soon as they have finished their main course. I think partly because they just feel bad seeing me run around for these people.
The woman even calls the managers bitches and they are constantly complaining. The food order never comes out right. Etc..etc...etc...
Now because the restaurant is not privately owned and is a chain restaurant we basically have to put up with this abuse whether we like them or not. They continue to come and complain and treat the servers and management like they own the place.
Now I almost lost it the other night with them and I swear if I have to serve them again I will really make the service so slow with them that they will really get upset. But that wouldn't be professional. But what I would like to do with these people of Arabic descent is just start talking about where they come from and that I have been to places like Jordan , Dubai , Egypt , Muscat , Oman , Saudia Arabia. The guy , her husband who complains , every time he comes asks me how I like it here in Canada.
I am going to lose it if he ask me one more time. I think what I might do is ask him how he likes it here and that he should be lucky he is here but I cannot do that because that is sounding prejudiced.
So the next time they come in should I have the right to ask , if they are seated in my section , if I can take a pass and let someone else serve them?
Because if I have to serve them again I will really not make their meal very enjoyable and truthfully I have never felt this mean toward some people in a very long time. Places I have worked previously these people would not be even allowed through the door. Their manners are completely trash!
Any thoughts???
The other guests in your section watch you run around like crazy for them so really all they want to do is just get up and leave as soon as they have finished their main course. I think partly because they just feel bad seeing me run around for these people.
The woman even calls the managers bitches and they are constantly complaining. The food order never comes out right. Etc..etc...etc...
Now because the restaurant is not privately owned and is a chain restaurant we basically have to put up with this abuse whether we like them or not. They continue to come and complain and treat the servers and management like they own the place.
Now I almost lost it the other night with them and I swear if I have to serve them again I will really make the service so slow with them that they will really get upset. But that wouldn't be professional. But what I would like to do with these people of Arabic descent is just start talking about where they come from and that I have been to places like Jordan , Dubai , Egypt , Muscat , Oman , Saudia Arabia. The guy , her husband who complains , every time he comes asks me how I like it here in Canada.
I am going to lose it if he ask me one more time. I think what I might do is ask him how he likes it here and that he should be lucky he is here but I cannot do that because that is sounding prejudiced.
So the next time they come in should I have the right to ask , if they are seated in my section , if I can take a pass and let someone else serve them?
Because if I have to serve them again I will really not make their meal very enjoyable and truthfully I have never felt this mean toward some people in a very long time. Places I have worked previously these people would not be even allowed through the door. Their manners are completely trash!
Any thoughts???
St.Petersburg Russia 1992
During my first contract with Renaissance Cruises I worked on two ships that enable me to see over 20 countries during a 6 month contract. During the Scandinavian portion of the contract we visited places like Stockholm , Copenhagen , Helsinki , and Taillin but there was one stop that was really exciting for me and that was St. Petersburg.
In the morning we docked in this city and it was real neat to be in a country where just a few years earlier the fall of Communism occurred. I remember talking hockey with the immigration guy at the bottom of the gangplank and taking a walk about the city during the afternoon. Also since we were there during the summer how long a day it was before night fall.
The guests would have an early dinner and be out by 9 then we would set up quickly and head to the Chyka bar. Unfortunately there was a midnight curfew for the crew because of some prior incident that happened with a crew member on another cruise ship who never made it back to the ship and went missing. Perhaps Russia isn't the safest place for foreigners to be wandering the streets at night.
In any case I remember when 11:50 came and we had to make a beeline for the ship. It was so light out it looked as bright as 7:30 in the evening back home.
There was a lot of action with plenty of people everywhere but everything looked so old. The architecture was beautiful but the roads were all full of potholes and the cars were all pretty used looking.
But just being there and thinking about all the country's history and what it was now embarking on was really interesting. It is a place I will not forget.
In the morning we docked in this city and it was real neat to be in a country where just a few years earlier the fall of Communism occurred. I remember talking hockey with the immigration guy at the bottom of the gangplank and taking a walk about the city during the afternoon. Also since we were there during the summer how long a day it was before night fall.
The guests would have an early dinner and be out by 9 then we would set up quickly and head to the Chyka bar. Unfortunately there was a midnight curfew for the crew because of some prior incident that happened with a crew member on another cruise ship who never made it back to the ship and went missing. Perhaps Russia isn't the safest place for foreigners to be wandering the streets at night.
In any case I remember when 11:50 came and we had to make a beeline for the ship. It was so light out it looked as bright as 7:30 in the evening back home.
There was a lot of action with plenty of people everywhere but everything looked so old. The architecture was beautiful but the roads were all full of potholes and the cars were all pretty used looking.
But just being there and thinking about all the country's history and what it was now embarking on was really interesting. It is a place I will not forget.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Cognac And How It All Started
A couple of weeks ago we talked about eau de vie that were distilled from fruits such as Kirsch. Now this week we will talk about eau de vie distilled from wine. The Dutch term " Brandewijn " is used to describe what is know as " burnt wine" when heat is applied to wine in a still. This term became known as brandy.
Brandies are made as mentioned earlier anywhere wine is made and the most famous of all brandies comes from Cognac in France where strict rules and attention to quality have set the standards for other brandies elsewhere in the world.
Delimited in May 1909 , the Cognac area in France lies inland from the Bay of Biscay and follows along the Charente river until it flows into the Atlantic Ocean near La Rochelle. Forming rings around the town of Cognac there are 6 zones that make up the following appellations.
The two best areas known for making the best Cognac is the Grande Champagne and the Petite Champagne.
Grande Champagne is known for making the most delicate and fragrant Cognac that can take up to 15 years maturation in casks before revealing their exceptional quality. The soil is full of chalk and limestone which is the best suited for making the best Cognac.
Petite Champagne has soil that has less chalk so it's cognac tends to age more quickly and mellow sooner. It's cognac tends to be lighter bodied as well in comparison to those in Grande Champagne.
Distillation of cognac began around the 1620s when farmers began to distill wine that was not being sold. The government of the day was imposing heavy taxes on table wines causing people to stop buying wine altogether , so the farmer in order to save space and good wine from going bad, started distilling it. This crude , coarse wine became popular with the Dutch and Scandinavian salt merchants of the time.
Realizing that taxation was levied on bulk and not on the alcohol strength , people decided to boil the wine increasing the alcohol strength and at the same time making it easy to transport. Calling it brandewijn or burnt wine a following started of people who rather preferred this spirit compared to old table wine. Rich traders began distilleries in the region such as Martell who came from Jersey to start one in 1715 and Hennessey from Ireland in 1765. By 1830 cognac was being exported worldwide both in bottle and cask.
The main grape for making cognac is Ugni Blanc with some Colombard and Folle Blanche. The Ugni Blanc makes up to 90% of the cognac distilled.
When pressed these grapes make for an unpleasant , harsh , acidic wine that is barely drinkable and has only 7 to 10 per cent alcohol by volume. But this high level of acidity is great for killing any microorganisms that would spoil the wine , and the low level of alcohol guarantees a higher volume of wine is required so that flavouring compounds through distillation will make the cognac more flavourful and enriched. It takes about 10 bottles of wine to make 1 bottle of Cognac.
Some reasons Cognac is so special is due to it's geographical location.
1. The soil best suited for cognac is chalk and limestone with some pebbles , clay , and sand.
2. The climate is heavily influenced by the Gulf Stream and Atlantic producing enough rain in the Spring and Fall to kill any diseases on the vine. The annual average temperature is only 12 C or 54 F.
3. The right grapes grow in the area to produce great cognac.
4. Vinification technique used here ensure that the grapes are left in their natural state without any racking , clarification , or maturing before distillation.
5. Distilled in a pot still , the finished product is guaranteed a high standard of quality and character just because , as opposed to a patent still , the flavouring elements and aromatic compounds are pretty much left untouched adding to the spirit.
6. When ageing , local Limousin oak is used that is special to Cognac. This oak contributes to the tannin , aroma , colour , flavour and mellowness to the spirit as well as some oxidation to further develop the bouquet.
Other notable attributes include the warehouses and cellars where cognac ages do provide the consistent temperatures needed over long periods of time and of course the master blender himself that puts it all together when bottling occurs.
Next week I will continue on how Cognac is made and some other informational tidbits.
Brandies are made as mentioned earlier anywhere wine is made and the most famous of all brandies comes from Cognac in France where strict rules and attention to quality have set the standards for other brandies elsewhere in the world.
Delimited in May 1909 , the Cognac area in France lies inland from the Bay of Biscay and follows along the Charente river until it flows into the Atlantic Ocean near La Rochelle. Forming rings around the town of Cognac there are 6 zones that make up the following appellations.
The two best areas known for making the best Cognac is the Grande Champagne and the Petite Champagne.
Grande Champagne is known for making the most delicate and fragrant Cognac that can take up to 15 years maturation in casks before revealing their exceptional quality. The soil is full of chalk and limestone which is the best suited for making the best Cognac.
Petite Champagne has soil that has less chalk so it's cognac tends to age more quickly and mellow sooner. It's cognac tends to be lighter bodied as well in comparison to those in Grande Champagne.
Distillation of cognac began around the 1620s when farmers began to distill wine that was not being sold. The government of the day was imposing heavy taxes on table wines causing people to stop buying wine altogether , so the farmer in order to save space and good wine from going bad, started distilling it. This crude , coarse wine became popular with the Dutch and Scandinavian salt merchants of the time.
Realizing that taxation was levied on bulk and not on the alcohol strength , people decided to boil the wine increasing the alcohol strength and at the same time making it easy to transport. Calling it brandewijn or burnt wine a following started of people who rather preferred this spirit compared to old table wine. Rich traders began distilleries in the region such as Martell who came from Jersey to start one in 1715 and Hennessey from Ireland in 1765. By 1830 cognac was being exported worldwide both in bottle and cask.
The main grape for making cognac is Ugni Blanc with some Colombard and Folle Blanche. The Ugni Blanc makes up to 90% of the cognac distilled.
When pressed these grapes make for an unpleasant , harsh , acidic wine that is barely drinkable and has only 7 to 10 per cent alcohol by volume. But this high level of acidity is great for killing any microorganisms that would spoil the wine , and the low level of alcohol guarantees a higher volume of wine is required so that flavouring compounds through distillation will make the cognac more flavourful and enriched. It takes about 10 bottles of wine to make 1 bottle of Cognac.
Some reasons Cognac is so special is due to it's geographical location.
1. The soil best suited for cognac is chalk and limestone with some pebbles , clay , and sand.
2. The climate is heavily influenced by the Gulf Stream and Atlantic producing enough rain in the Spring and Fall to kill any diseases on the vine. The annual average temperature is only 12 C or 54 F.
3. The right grapes grow in the area to produce great cognac.
4. Vinification technique used here ensure that the grapes are left in their natural state without any racking , clarification , or maturing before distillation.
5. Distilled in a pot still , the finished product is guaranteed a high standard of quality and character just because , as opposed to a patent still , the flavouring elements and aromatic compounds are pretty much left untouched adding to the spirit.
6. When ageing , local Limousin oak is used that is special to Cognac. This oak contributes to the tannin , aroma , colour , flavour and mellowness to the spirit as well as some oxidation to further develop the bouquet.
Other notable attributes include the warehouses and cellars where cognac ages do provide the consistent temperatures needed over long periods of time and of course the master blender himself that puts it all together when bottling occurs.
Next week I will continue on how Cognac is made and some other informational tidbits.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Disco... Disco Duck....Disco.....Disco Duck
Just offhand that you have not been following this blog on Mondays , what I am doing weekly , except for last week , is trying to go through every place I have ever worked in this business. Two weeks ago is when I let the night club manager count my cash and ran off with a lot of my tips and I couldn't work for that guy anymore. Now of course I have learned my lesson well and never let anyone count my cash at the end of the night. Forget it!
A few days after leaving the Bristol Place I found myself a neat head bartending job at Club 5444 at the Ramada Inn Hotel in Mississauga just near the Toronto Airport. I cannot remember if I had called or just answered an ad but when I went for the interview they had just fired everyone and were in desperate need of some honest people. I was their guy.
It was the Spring of 1981 and disco was at it's peak. I would head to work around 5 , set up , and the doors would open at 7PM and it was just a party from then on. I would work about 5-6 nights a week and make some really good coin. It was a big stand up bar so the weekends two of us would serve the bar patrons and another would do the service bar.
The dance floor was right in the middle of the room with a big light show going on. The discotheque had two floors with couches and sofas and cushions so anyone could get lost with their sweetheart if they wanted to.
The manager was a guy called Jack and he loved his Rye and Cokes. Plenty of them. The DJ was a guy Jeff who loved his Screwdrivers. When he would send someone over for a drink I would take the orange juice and fill the glass 3/4 full and pour about 3 oz of vodka right on top. Same with Jack's Rye and Coke. The bartenders all had a drink going. I would dance behind the bar with my hands in my vest pocket and kick my legs up like a cheer leader especially when my favourite disco song came on called , " Get On Up and Do It Again."
It was party central and at the end of the night when everyone went home by 1:30 a few of us would stay back for a few and I would end up handing in the deposit about 3 in the morning. Then we would go out for a bite to eat and when I saw the sun coming up I figured I sure as heck better get going home to my room cause in a few hours I would have to be getting up again to do it all over.
The funny thing is with all the boozing going on how is it that when we did inventory at month's end there was never any discussion about beverage cost. Every month I would do the inventory and everything was fine. Now no one ever stole bottles but the amount of drinking that everyone was doing was a bit much.
Well unknowingly this is what was happening. There was a price list that I never really paid attention to. A beer was this much and a shot was this much and that I knew but whenever anyone ordered a cocktail like a Black Russian or Sling I would charge them $3.30 for it. I just did that cause it was consistent and I knew where the key was in the NCR machine. What I didn't realize at the time that most of the drinks I was charging $3.30 for were actually $2.75! Some but not many were actually $3.30. Premium brands I would charge more for as well.
I remember what happened one time is we hired this bartender and since I was in charge of training them I would tell them this is what the price was of something. Well one time during her first shift she looked at the price list and charged $2.75 for something we had been charging $3.30 for. The customer says to me listen how come it is this and I have been paying that. I said don't worry it is $3.30 and that it was just a mistake but we will give it to you this time for $2.75. I took the girl aside and said listen don't follow that price list cause it doesn't make sense just if there is two liquors in it charge them $3.30 and you will not be confused. She trusted me and charged that amount afterwards.
Am I proud of what I did? Not at all! What did I know? I was a Head Bartender who did inventory , made requisitions , trained others upon hiring , cut lemon and limes , and made drinks. I didn't know anything about costs. I knew about keeping a par stock but other than that I was just doing something that I thought made sense. It was easy and no one picked up on it.
So what happened is after 6 months of doing the disco I was getting a bit burned out and me and this other girl I was working with were thinking of moving in together downtown. Ah yes where the action is the heart of the city , Toronto. She was heading to Vancouver for a holiday and she would move in where I was moving in Toronto. She suggested Hyde Park area so I moved closeby and left the Ramada to work downtown.
Well there is a sucker born every minute and this time I was one of them. She never came back. It is always just as well.
But a funny thing happened to my friends at the Ramada when I left. I went back a couple of months later and Jack grabs me with a drink in his hand and says , "listen the bar costs is way up but I don't understand it , nothings changed!" I reply that they have to stop drinking so much. He is begging me to come back at this point. Meanwhile I head to the bar where the girl I had trained earlier was happy to see me. After about 15 Rye and 7ups that were on the house I start to thinking it is the free drinks but now she says they are being strict with the prices now. That was a aha moment.
A month later everyone got canned. Jack was told to fire all the bar staff and he refused so he got turfed as well. He was devoted Jack was , and a great guy too.
It was a sad moment but I learned something about beverage costs during this job. I was what you call learning by trial and error. Not something I recommend.
See you next week when things get hairy.....
So far,
Hilton Hotel
Willows Inn
Holiday Inn
Credit Valley Golf Club
Bristol Place Hotel
Ramada Inn
A few days after leaving the Bristol Place I found myself a neat head bartending job at Club 5444 at the Ramada Inn Hotel in Mississauga just near the Toronto Airport. I cannot remember if I had called or just answered an ad but when I went for the interview they had just fired everyone and were in desperate need of some honest people. I was their guy.
It was the Spring of 1981 and disco was at it's peak. I would head to work around 5 , set up , and the doors would open at 7PM and it was just a party from then on. I would work about 5-6 nights a week and make some really good coin. It was a big stand up bar so the weekends two of us would serve the bar patrons and another would do the service bar.
The dance floor was right in the middle of the room with a big light show going on. The discotheque had two floors with couches and sofas and cushions so anyone could get lost with their sweetheart if they wanted to.
The manager was a guy called Jack and he loved his Rye and Cokes. Plenty of them. The DJ was a guy Jeff who loved his Screwdrivers. When he would send someone over for a drink I would take the orange juice and fill the glass 3/4 full and pour about 3 oz of vodka right on top. Same with Jack's Rye and Coke. The bartenders all had a drink going. I would dance behind the bar with my hands in my vest pocket and kick my legs up like a cheer leader especially when my favourite disco song came on called , " Get On Up and Do It Again."
It was party central and at the end of the night when everyone went home by 1:30 a few of us would stay back for a few and I would end up handing in the deposit about 3 in the morning. Then we would go out for a bite to eat and when I saw the sun coming up I figured I sure as heck better get going home to my room cause in a few hours I would have to be getting up again to do it all over.
The funny thing is with all the boozing going on how is it that when we did inventory at month's end there was never any discussion about beverage cost. Every month I would do the inventory and everything was fine. Now no one ever stole bottles but the amount of drinking that everyone was doing was a bit much.
Well unknowingly this is what was happening. There was a price list that I never really paid attention to. A beer was this much and a shot was this much and that I knew but whenever anyone ordered a cocktail like a Black Russian or Sling I would charge them $3.30 for it. I just did that cause it was consistent and I knew where the key was in the NCR machine. What I didn't realize at the time that most of the drinks I was charging $3.30 for were actually $2.75! Some but not many were actually $3.30. Premium brands I would charge more for as well.
I remember what happened one time is we hired this bartender and since I was in charge of training them I would tell them this is what the price was of something. Well one time during her first shift she looked at the price list and charged $2.75 for something we had been charging $3.30 for. The customer says to me listen how come it is this and I have been paying that. I said don't worry it is $3.30 and that it was just a mistake but we will give it to you this time for $2.75. I took the girl aside and said listen don't follow that price list cause it doesn't make sense just if there is two liquors in it charge them $3.30 and you will not be confused. She trusted me and charged that amount afterwards.
Am I proud of what I did? Not at all! What did I know? I was a Head Bartender who did inventory , made requisitions , trained others upon hiring , cut lemon and limes , and made drinks. I didn't know anything about costs. I knew about keeping a par stock but other than that I was just doing something that I thought made sense. It was easy and no one picked up on it.
So what happened is after 6 months of doing the disco I was getting a bit burned out and me and this other girl I was working with were thinking of moving in together downtown. Ah yes where the action is the heart of the city , Toronto. She was heading to Vancouver for a holiday and she would move in where I was moving in Toronto. She suggested Hyde Park area so I moved closeby and left the Ramada to work downtown.
Well there is a sucker born every minute and this time I was one of them. She never came back. It is always just as well.
But a funny thing happened to my friends at the Ramada when I left. I went back a couple of months later and Jack grabs me with a drink in his hand and says , "listen the bar costs is way up but I don't understand it , nothings changed!" I reply that they have to stop drinking so much. He is begging me to come back at this point. Meanwhile I head to the bar where the girl I had trained earlier was happy to see me. After about 15 Rye and 7ups that were on the house I start to thinking it is the free drinks but now she says they are being strict with the prices now. That was a aha moment.
A month later everyone got canned. Jack was told to fire all the bar staff and he refused so he got turfed as well. He was devoted Jack was , and a great guy too.
It was a sad moment but I learned something about beverage costs during this job. I was what you call learning by trial and error. Not something I recommend.
See you next week when things get hairy.....
So far,
Hilton Hotel
Willows Inn
Holiday Inn
Credit Valley Golf Club
Bristol Place Hotel
Ramada Inn
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
If You Are Not Doing This Right Now You Are Not Making Enough Money
Everybody should be making great money this time of year no matter what because people are in the spirit of giving but as a waiter or bartender to open up their wallets even more you have to do this one thing this time of year.
When you present the tab at the end of the meal look the person directly in the eye and sincerely wish him or her a very Merry Christmas and a safe one with their friends and family and after that thank the table and wish them the same as a group.
It is not like you have to but if you sincerely wish the best for others they will naturally feel the same toward you. This time of year is truly a no brainer as this is the best time for everyone and everyone needs that wish from others.
It brightens their experience dining at your establishment and also brightens you up as well adding to the festive spirit.
Next Monday I continue with my job history.
A good holiday to everyone.
When you present the tab at the end of the meal look the person directly in the eye and sincerely wish him or her a very Merry Christmas and a safe one with their friends and family and after that thank the table and wish them the same as a group.
It is not like you have to but if you sincerely wish the best for others they will naturally feel the same toward you. This time of year is truly a no brainer as this is the best time for everyone and everyone needs that wish from others.
It brightens their experience dining at your establishment and also brightens you up as well adding to the festive spirit.
Next Monday I continue with my job history.
A good holiday to everyone.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Merry Christmas to All
Wishing everyone out there a great holiday and thank you for reading. Be safe and have lots of fun. Taking a week off as I will be too busy eating and making merry.
My next post will be on Monday, December 29th.
Steven
My next post will be on Monday, December 29th.
Steven
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Gotta Love It!
Back after 4 days off. Worked 5.5 hours and walked out with $185. If only every night was like that. Just 3 more work nights till Christmas. Easy money and not too many hours.
People are spending money and sitting and enjoying themselves for a change rather than eating and running.
People are spending money and sitting and enjoying themselves for a change rather than eating and running.
Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo is one of those grapes that does well in one part of the world and that is about it. In California and Australia they are trying to introduce the grape but neither match where it's home is in a corner of northwest Italy in an area known as Piedmont.
Flanking the town of Alba is where you will find the stars of the grape , Barolo and Barbaresco. Barolo being the powerful and long lived one while Barbaresco the gentler version and not as long lived. These wines are so popular within Italy they were the first to be elevated to the DOCG level which is a step up from DOC.
The name itself is said to be derived from the word "nebbia" which means fog that rises from the warmer valley in late October when the grapes are picked.
Because of the long growing season necessary to ripen Nebbiolo as it is an early budder and late ripener it is planted on south-facing slopes at the highest altitude possible. This ensures that conditions are cool for the grape throughout the growing season so it has the time to fully develop. The long autumns does much to ensure that the high acid of the grape is met with as much ripeness as possible. Additional sunlight from the south facing slope does much to ensure ripeness along with some Cabernet Sauvignon that is being tried out in the area.
Highly resistant to parasites the main problem with growing Nebbiolo is coulure which occurs after bud break when barely formed berries dry up and drop to the ground due to a lack of essential nutrients caused by wet and dry conditions in the Spring.
Nebbiolo makes for a tough wine with it's high acidity , tannin , and dry extract. To tame the wine the winemaker has to be skilled and know what he is doing. Fermentation can last up to two weeks with the skins submerged to give the wine even more colour and tannins.
The wine has to be aged for many years to soften it and it usually is done in Slovenian oak so as not to give the wine too much wood tannins and leave the fruit tannins to dominate.
Even after 10 years in cask the wines are a deep colour with a noticeable orange rim caused by a slight oxidation while it was aged in oak. Full of acid and with some noticeable tannin you will still get on the nose some violets , dried fruit and herb , truffles and tar , and even some prunes and dark chocolate. Truffles being grown in Piedmont and featured in local cuisine makes for a perfect food match.
Big dishes such as game stew and rich beef dishes are matches for the big Barolos , while the lighter , more perfumed Barbaresco would go good with a rare roast beef dish , or liver and kidneys.
Hope you enjoyed this post on Nebbiolo....
Flanking the town of Alba is where you will find the stars of the grape , Barolo and Barbaresco. Barolo being the powerful and long lived one while Barbaresco the gentler version and not as long lived. These wines are so popular within Italy they were the first to be elevated to the DOCG level which is a step up from DOC.
The name itself is said to be derived from the word "nebbia" which means fog that rises from the warmer valley in late October when the grapes are picked.
Because of the long growing season necessary to ripen Nebbiolo as it is an early budder and late ripener it is planted on south-facing slopes at the highest altitude possible. This ensures that conditions are cool for the grape throughout the growing season so it has the time to fully develop. The long autumns does much to ensure that the high acid of the grape is met with as much ripeness as possible. Additional sunlight from the south facing slope does much to ensure ripeness along with some Cabernet Sauvignon that is being tried out in the area.
Highly resistant to parasites the main problem with growing Nebbiolo is coulure which occurs after bud break when barely formed berries dry up and drop to the ground due to a lack of essential nutrients caused by wet and dry conditions in the Spring.
Nebbiolo makes for a tough wine with it's high acidity , tannin , and dry extract. To tame the wine the winemaker has to be skilled and know what he is doing. Fermentation can last up to two weeks with the skins submerged to give the wine even more colour and tannins.
The wine has to be aged for many years to soften it and it usually is done in Slovenian oak so as not to give the wine too much wood tannins and leave the fruit tannins to dominate.
Even after 10 years in cask the wines are a deep colour with a noticeable orange rim caused by a slight oxidation while it was aged in oak. Full of acid and with some noticeable tannin you will still get on the nose some violets , dried fruit and herb , truffles and tar , and even some prunes and dark chocolate. Truffles being grown in Piedmont and featured in local cuisine makes for a perfect food match.
Big dishes such as game stew and rich beef dishes are matches for the big Barolos , while the lighter , more perfumed Barbaresco would go good with a rare roast beef dish , or liver and kidneys.
Hope you enjoyed this post on Nebbiolo....
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Myrtle Beach - South Carolina 1994
When I was a kid I had the chance to go with my parents on trips to Myrtle Beach , a favourite spot for all Canadians who hanker for a beach , lots of restaurants , and a nightlife to boot.
I always thought about the day I would be able to visit this great beach on my own without having to follow other people around and just be able to do my own thing. Well the opportunity happened after my second contract on the ship when one of the waiters I worked with had a condo in Myrtle Beach. We were leaving the ship at the same time so I got his address and phone number before I left and promised he would see me shortly banging on his door. It seemed like at least he was throwing out an invitation to come down and visit so I took his word.
I arrived and called him but it must have been bad timing cause he and his wife were having a bit of difficulty and having visitors was not a good time. Here it was in June and as you might expect the hotels and inns were booked pretty much everywhere. He drove me around to a few places and then luckily I landed a hotel room two blocks up from the beach and fully equipped.
With a VIP pass to a dance club he gave me and a goodbye , I commenced on a glorious 6 week vacation in Myrtle Beach.
My daily schedule went something like this for 6 weeks.
Wake up.
Grab the morning newspaper.
Have a coffee.
Go for a walk along the beach.
Have breakfast with a big thermos of coffee and eggs and bacon for $2.99
Get ready to go to the beach.
From about 11 to 4 swim and jump in the water and soak in the rays.
Head back to the hotel , change and head out for happy hour.
Hit a restaurant which there were plenty of.
Then hit the nightclub.
For 6 weeks that was all I did. Two things stand out for me that I remember was the World Cup of Soccer was going on in the States at the time and one time when I headed to Happy Hour OJ was making a run for it in his Bronco.
I haven't been back since but maybe one day when the kids are a bit older I will take everyone down there to check it out so that they too when they are on their own will know a good spot to go in the sunny south to have some fun.
I always thought about the day I would be able to visit this great beach on my own without having to follow other people around and just be able to do my own thing. Well the opportunity happened after my second contract on the ship when one of the waiters I worked with had a condo in Myrtle Beach. We were leaving the ship at the same time so I got his address and phone number before I left and promised he would see me shortly banging on his door. It seemed like at least he was throwing out an invitation to come down and visit so I took his word.
I arrived and called him but it must have been bad timing cause he and his wife were having a bit of difficulty and having visitors was not a good time. Here it was in June and as you might expect the hotels and inns were booked pretty much everywhere. He drove me around to a few places and then luckily I landed a hotel room two blocks up from the beach and fully equipped.
With a VIP pass to a dance club he gave me and a goodbye , I commenced on a glorious 6 week vacation in Myrtle Beach.
My daily schedule went something like this for 6 weeks.
Wake up.
Grab the morning newspaper.
Have a coffee.
Go for a walk along the beach.
Have breakfast with a big thermos of coffee and eggs and bacon for $2.99
Get ready to go to the beach.
From about 11 to 4 swim and jump in the water and soak in the rays.
Head back to the hotel , change and head out for happy hour.
Hit a restaurant which there were plenty of.
Then hit the nightclub.
For 6 weeks that was all I did. Two things stand out for me that I remember was the World Cup of Soccer was going on in the States at the time and one time when I headed to Happy Hour OJ was making a run for it in his Bronco.
I haven't been back since but maybe one day when the kids are a bit older I will take everyone down there to check it out so that they too when they are on their own will know a good spot to go in the sunny south to have some fun.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Gin
Gin has an interesting history that not a lot of people know about , and because there is not a slew of cocktails you can make from it other than your martinis , pink lady , and having it with tonic I thought perhaps a discussion on how gin got started and the different types of gin available would be insightful for a post. So here it goes.....
Credit for the discovery of gin goes to Holland and a Dutch pharmacist named Franciscus de la Boe who was a professor at the University of Leyden in Holland. Knowing that juniper berries had a diuretic value that was able to flush out someone's urine system so that the kidneys and bladder could remain healthy , he concocted a medicinal tonic combining extract from the berry and grain spirit calling it genievere which was French for juniper. Later on the British anglicized the word and called it genever. All this took place in the mid 1600's during which time gin became so popular it became known as Dutch courage when the 30 years' war took place and the Brit soldiers would drink some before going into battle.
It appears it became so popular that the British were walking around in a stupor because it was cheap and plentiful. Even the pharmacists of the day would sell some terrible versions of it in medicine bottles and call it colic water or gripe water.
It became so bad the consumption of gin that finally in 1751 the Tippling Act forbade grocery stores , jailkeepers , and owners of workhouses from selling the stuff. Only people licensed could sell the gin which reduced the consumption of it significantly.
As professional distillers entered the fray and began to make great improvements in Gin there became 3 main spheres of production within England. That being Plymouth , Bristol , and London.
During the 1880's Americans began making gin based mixed drinks. Then in the 1920's cocktails featuring gin came into fashion.
In dry gin you may find some or all of the following ; juniper berries , cardamon , cinammon , coriander , angelica , oranges , lemons , cassia bark , orris roots , and liquorice. Each distillery has it's own recipe which is the reason for different brand names having their own unique taste.
Dry gin is the best for making with cocktails as it has a flavour that does not overpower the other ingredients as opposed to Dutch gin which has a noticeable malty aroma and taste.
If you have ever tried De Kuyper Gin or Genever gin in that green bottle you will know what I mean. It is highly aromatic and the taste is one you have to like or hate. There is no in between. Some Dutch gin unlike dry gin is even aged in oak to make it in my opinion even more undrinkable. One thing is certain the popularity of the Dutch gin has long since passed so much so that for many years in every bar I have worked have not found a bottle of it anywhere. The last time I saw one was a private english club I worked in during the mid 80's. But perhaps over the Atlantic in the UK there still exist many in the pubs located everywhere.
Some different gins out there include the following.
Sloe Gin - sloe is the fruit of the blackthorn steeped in gin with some sugar syrup and almonds added to it. Reminds me of a drink called a Sloe Gin Fizz which I have never made.
Fruit Gins - in the Netherlands some gins are flavoured with lemon , orange , or blackcurrant which have a certain crowd it caters to.
London Gin - this is the one that most people drink both in England and North America.
Plymouth Gin - this gin can only be made in Black Friars Distillery in Plymouth England. It is heavy with Juniper berries and is the standard gin used in the Pink Gin cocktail which is a shot of gin and a few drops of angostura bitters in it to colour it. At that club I mentioned above where I worked I served this one.
German Gin - Heavily flavoured similar to Dutch gin a brand name familiar to most is Steinhager.
Old Tom Gin - made in Scotland it is a sweetened london gin made by adding glycerine or sugar syrup to the finished product.
Dutch gin - as described above it is heavy and pungent to the taste because of the quantity of malt used in the distillation process.
My favourite gin drink of all time , you ask?
Why the Pink Lady of course.
1 oz Dry Gin
3 oz 10% Cream
Dash of Grenadine
Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake it.
Strain in sour glass and garnish with a cherry.
Serve with a straw.
Until next week...... Have a safe one.
Credit for the discovery of gin goes to Holland and a Dutch pharmacist named Franciscus de la Boe who was a professor at the University of Leyden in Holland. Knowing that juniper berries had a diuretic value that was able to flush out someone's urine system so that the kidneys and bladder could remain healthy , he concocted a medicinal tonic combining extract from the berry and grain spirit calling it genievere which was French for juniper. Later on the British anglicized the word and called it genever. All this took place in the mid 1600's during which time gin became so popular it became known as Dutch courage when the 30 years' war took place and the Brit soldiers would drink some before going into battle.
It appears it became so popular that the British were walking around in a stupor because it was cheap and plentiful. Even the pharmacists of the day would sell some terrible versions of it in medicine bottles and call it colic water or gripe water.
It became so bad the consumption of gin that finally in 1751 the Tippling Act forbade grocery stores , jailkeepers , and owners of workhouses from selling the stuff. Only people licensed could sell the gin which reduced the consumption of it significantly.
As professional distillers entered the fray and began to make great improvements in Gin there became 3 main spheres of production within England. That being Plymouth , Bristol , and London.
During the 1880's Americans began making gin based mixed drinks. Then in the 1920's cocktails featuring gin came into fashion.
In dry gin you may find some or all of the following ; juniper berries , cardamon , cinammon , coriander , angelica , oranges , lemons , cassia bark , orris roots , and liquorice. Each distillery has it's own recipe which is the reason for different brand names having their own unique taste.
Dry gin is the best for making with cocktails as it has a flavour that does not overpower the other ingredients as opposed to Dutch gin which has a noticeable malty aroma and taste.
If you have ever tried De Kuyper Gin or Genever gin in that green bottle you will know what I mean. It is highly aromatic and the taste is one you have to like or hate. There is no in between. Some Dutch gin unlike dry gin is even aged in oak to make it in my opinion even more undrinkable. One thing is certain the popularity of the Dutch gin has long since passed so much so that for many years in every bar I have worked have not found a bottle of it anywhere. The last time I saw one was a private english club I worked in during the mid 80's. But perhaps over the Atlantic in the UK there still exist many in the pubs located everywhere.
Some different gins out there include the following.
Sloe Gin - sloe is the fruit of the blackthorn steeped in gin with some sugar syrup and almonds added to it. Reminds me of a drink called a Sloe Gin Fizz which I have never made.
Fruit Gins - in the Netherlands some gins are flavoured with lemon , orange , or blackcurrant which have a certain crowd it caters to.
London Gin - this is the one that most people drink both in England and North America.
Plymouth Gin - this gin can only be made in Black Friars Distillery in Plymouth England. It is heavy with Juniper berries and is the standard gin used in the Pink Gin cocktail which is a shot of gin and a few drops of angostura bitters in it to colour it. At that club I mentioned above where I worked I served this one.
German Gin - Heavily flavoured similar to Dutch gin a brand name familiar to most is Steinhager.
Old Tom Gin - made in Scotland it is a sweetened london gin made by adding glycerine or sugar syrup to the finished product.
Dutch gin - as described above it is heavy and pungent to the taste because of the quantity of malt used in the distillation process.
My favourite gin drink of all time , you ask?
Why the Pink Lady of course.
1 oz Dry Gin
3 oz 10% Cream
Dash of Grenadine
Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake it.
Strain in sour glass and garnish with a cherry.
Serve with a straw.
Until next week...... Have a safe one.
Monday, December 15, 2008
A Valuable Lesson Learned
So on we go continuing to move up the ladder of the bartending trade when I left you last Monday working at a fine spot as a Head Bartender called the Credit Valley Golf Club where I was hired by the Food and Beverage Manager who was the husband of someone with whom I worked with a about a year before.
I introduced a simple par stock system there where an empty bottle would be replaced by a full bottle to keep the numbers of each kind of liquor the same throughout the days. It was easy to see if something was out of wack this way. For instance , if there was one empty rye bottle but there were two missing on the shelf where did the other one go was the question. Usually we would be able to track it down especially when there were big functions and many bottles went out to the banquet bar. So mistakes were avoided and some form of cost was maintained and although I wasn't privy to such information everyone was delighted by the effort I was putting forth.
I got my personal life a bit in order with a place of my own , albeit , just a room and all my belongings in one place. I was settling in or so I thought.......
About 4 months into the job the F and B Manager who hired me quit over a disagreement with the GM. I could see this happening as it was building up and my friend just didn't get along with the guy although I to this day am not quite clear as to why. But when he left he did say that wherever he was going he was going to bring me along with him. I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing when he said it. I just bade him farewell and thanked him for the job at the Golf Club.
A few weeks later I get a call from him and now he is a fine dining waiter at the Zachary Restaurant in the Bristol Place Hotel. This is like a 4 Diamond Restaurant with heavy hitters eating there so it didn't come to any surprise for me that he would land something like that with his experience. But here is the reason for his call and that is Dr. Livingstons lounge - nightclub upstairs is looking for a bartender and would I be interested because he is going to use his weight and all to get me an interview for this job.
They were looking for someone with at least 5 year's experience but he says not to worry cause I can do it. Well I didn't at first think the same way because I had up to then less than a year and none of it working in an environment like this one.
But to check it out I went for the interview with the head bartender who was in charge of all the bars in the hotel and in a couple of days got a call that I was hired.
I left the golf club and thanked them very much for the 6 months I spent there and headed to the Bristol Place. It was late 1980 and the disco was all the rage. I studied and worked hard on the recipes and had made a lot of mixed , shaken , and stirred drinks in the year since I graduated from the course.
There was the smell and sweat of money in this place. The bar had about 11 stools plus there was an area behind the bar that could take in another 15-20 people who had to get their drink from me. On a Friday and Saturday night this place was jammed. The service bartender would be serving 3 waitresses and I would be doing the stool bar. It was full of characters with big bucks. There was one guy who would be running a tab and when it got busiest he would ask me to buy the bar a round and put it on his bill. That was plenty of drinks. People would be hanging over the cash register to order from me. It was non-stop. I used to make these 3 oz martinis and the price was $3.85 for one.
My sales on a Friday night or Saturday from the bar would be over a $1000. Back in 1980 that was a bit. At least for me it was. The tips were great and my skills as a bartender were multiplied 10 fold working in a place like that.
I worked lunches too and I had a way to get the rum and coke to the chef to get a good NY Steak cooked up for me for dinner. At the bar there was the tray used for dirty glasses and there was this busser named Jose who would signal to me the chef wanted his rum and coke. So I would pour about 4 oz of white rum and just color it with coke and put it somewhere on the tray. I would signal to the busser it was done and he would pick up the tray and carry it to the back and nourish the chef. The problem was he would never be happy with just one and so I would get my steak after two or three of these. Finally one day he got so hammered he got a warning. Served him right the greedy SOB!
Anyway a couple of months later after having started there the Head Bartender got fired. I think the reason was he just drank too much. The first inventory I did with him he drank a bottle of Haig Pinch Single Malt Scotch , you know the funny shaped bottle. He would just guzzle the stuff.
I didn't worry though as I was quite happy there and enjoying that adrenaline rush during the evenings and especially Friday and Saturday when the live band would come in and do their disco dance music thing. I was getting friendly with some of the waitresses and the future looked bright.
Well as so often happens at least early on to me I had to learn from my mistakes and this one was a doozy! The new manager of Dr. Livingstons on a busy Saturday night decided to do me a favor and asked me if he could help me close and as there was always a massive clean up I obliged. Well before I could think fast enough he made a bee line for the till and started to do a read and do my cash. After which he said here it is and good night.
When the service bartender and I counted up our tips it worked out to about $40 each. We were shattered and madder than hell. I let what no one should ever let anyone do and that is let someone count your cash the end of the night. My lesson learned and the creep was going to pay.
He was in denial and I had no proof so I had to tell my friend in the DR I couldn't work for this asshole anymore and I worked the next shift and never went back. I couldn't face him. The other stool bartender had left just a day before and so when I left he was in a hole.
I didn't leave without a job though as all I had to do was make a couple of calls but I was down , real down after letting that guy do what he did. I was learning on the go but it was painful.
The job which was supposed to last for quite a while lasted just 3 months. So in just about 14 months the job list was already this much.
Hilton
Willows Inn
Holiday Inn
Credit Valley Golf Club
Bristol Place Hotel
????????????????
I introduced a simple par stock system there where an empty bottle would be replaced by a full bottle to keep the numbers of each kind of liquor the same throughout the days. It was easy to see if something was out of wack this way. For instance , if there was one empty rye bottle but there were two missing on the shelf where did the other one go was the question. Usually we would be able to track it down especially when there were big functions and many bottles went out to the banquet bar. So mistakes were avoided and some form of cost was maintained and although I wasn't privy to such information everyone was delighted by the effort I was putting forth.
I got my personal life a bit in order with a place of my own , albeit , just a room and all my belongings in one place. I was settling in or so I thought.......
About 4 months into the job the F and B Manager who hired me quit over a disagreement with the GM. I could see this happening as it was building up and my friend just didn't get along with the guy although I to this day am not quite clear as to why. But when he left he did say that wherever he was going he was going to bring me along with him. I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing when he said it. I just bade him farewell and thanked him for the job at the Golf Club.
A few weeks later I get a call from him and now he is a fine dining waiter at the Zachary Restaurant in the Bristol Place Hotel. This is like a 4 Diamond Restaurant with heavy hitters eating there so it didn't come to any surprise for me that he would land something like that with his experience. But here is the reason for his call and that is Dr. Livingstons lounge - nightclub upstairs is looking for a bartender and would I be interested because he is going to use his weight and all to get me an interview for this job.
They were looking for someone with at least 5 year's experience but he says not to worry cause I can do it. Well I didn't at first think the same way because I had up to then less than a year and none of it working in an environment like this one.
But to check it out I went for the interview with the head bartender who was in charge of all the bars in the hotel and in a couple of days got a call that I was hired.
I left the golf club and thanked them very much for the 6 months I spent there and headed to the Bristol Place. It was late 1980 and the disco was all the rage. I studied and worked hard on the recipes and had made a lot of mixed , shaken , and stirred drinks in the year since I graduated from the course.
There was the smell and sweat of money in this place. The bar had about 11 stools plus there was an area behind the bar that could take in another 15-20 people who had to get their drink from me. On a Friday and Saturday night this place was jammed. The service bartender would be serving 3 waitresses and I would be doing the stool bar. It was full of characters with big bucks. There was one guy who would be running a tab and when it got busiest he would ask me to buy the bar a round and put it on his bill. That was plenty of drinks. People would be hanging over the cash register to order from me. It was non-stop. I used to make these 3 oz martinis and the price was $3.85 for one.
My sales on a Friday night or Saturday from the bar would be over a $1000. Back in 1980 that was a bit. At least for me it was. The tips were great and my skills as a bartender were multiplied 10 fold working in a place like that.
I worked lunches too and I had a way to get the rum and coke to the chef to get a good NY Steak cooked up for me for dinner. At the bar there was the tray used for dirty glasses and there was this busser named Jose who would signal to me the chef wanted his rum and coke. So I would pour about 4 oz of white rum and just color it with coke and put it somewhere on the tray. I would signal to the busser it was done and he would pick up the tray and carry it to the back and nourish the chef. The problem was he would never be happy with just one and so I would get my steak after two or three of these. Finally one day he got so hammered he got a warning. Served him right the greedy SOB!
Anyway a couple of months later after having started there the Head Bartender got fired. I think the reason was he just drank too much. The first inventory I did with him he drank a bottle of Haig Pinch Single Malt Scotch , you know the funny shaped bottle. He would just guzzle the stuff.
I didn't worry though as I was quite happy there and enjoying that adrenaline rush during the evenings and especially Friday and Saturday when the live band would come in and do their disco dance music thing. I was getting friendly with some of the waitresses and the future looked bright.
Well as so often happens at least early on to me I had to learn from my mistakes and this one was a doozy! The new manager of Dr. Livingstons on a busy Saturday night decided to do me a favor and asked me if he could help me close and as there was always a massive clean up I obliged. Well before I could think fast enough he made a bee line for the till and started to do a read and do my cash. After which he said here it is and good night.
When the service bartender and I counted up our tips it worked out to about $40 each. We were shattered and madder than hell. I let what no one should ever let anyone do and that is let someone count your cash the end of the night. My lesson learned and the creep was going to pay.
He was in denial and I had no proof so I had to tell my friend in the DR I couldn't work for this asshole anymore and I worked the next shift and never went back. I couldn't face him. The other stool bartender had left just a day before and so when I left he was in a hole.
I didn't leave without a job though as all I had to do was make a couple of calls but I was down , real down after letting that guy do what he did. I was learning on the go but it was painful.
The job which was supposed to last for quite a while lasted just 3 months. So in just about 14 months the job list was already this much.
Hilton
Willows Inn
Holiday Inn
Credit Valley Golf Club
Bristol Place Hotel
????????????????
Sunday, December 14, 2008
So Where Does All The Money Go?
This month has been different to say the least and I am actually enjoying it. You see I only work evenings and no lunches. Now you may think I am losing money on the deal and I have to admit I am but the one big thing that is different is I get a chance to actually see what it is like leading up to Christmas from an normal prospective.
In previous years right up till the 23rd or 24th I would work lunch and dinner with maybe a day off a week trying to make as much money as I could satisfying the owner's request that there be absolutely no time off granted because all hands were needed on deck. You would then work till you couldn't stand anymore then come Christmas collapse into bed with more aches and pains than you could imagine probably taking years off your life in the process all to make the almighty buck while other people were all being festive.
The truth is we only live once and when you are gone you will be replaced by some other moron.
Tell me why should waiters or bartenders this time of year not get a chance to enjoy the time of year outside of work as well? Where does it say it is mandatory that service personnel have to work 80 hours a week when you know that when things slow down and you need the money the owner is all set to cut your hours down to nothing to save their skin.
Fortunately I have found a place to work where they actually do care about if you have a life outside of work or not. Yes I am off till Thursday and then they gave me Saturday off as well. Maybe it is a stretch and I will try to pick up the shift on Saturday but I will say this that with the time off I have , I am really not missing going in and working 12-14 hour shifts straight through.
Far from being old but long enough to realize , I have found that no matter how much money you make in December after a while it just becomes a little pointless because a year from now you will find you will have the same amount of money at the beginning of December as you did the year before.
So what the hell happened to all the great money! I will guarantee one thing that next December I will have the same amount as I did this month at the beginning. Nothing ! Unless we as waiters do something else differently it will always be the same.
I love waitering and I love teaching and I love spending time with my family and to do all that I needed to get the month of December balanced out.
So here is my thought on December that unless you love working 80 hours a week during this month and love every moment of it , which I know most don't because they are held at gunpoint to work every hour , try to make a change for next year. See about finding just a one shift waiter job. Not only will you start to see a more positive outlook on the December business but your personal life will reach dizzying new heights. It may open up other avenues that you hadn't had the time to investigate before.
Then you can look forward to next December as just another month and not something that has the sole purpose of depriving us of some of life's great experiences. Really , less is more!
As Manuel in his Well Done Fillet Blog says , Choose Life!
In previous years right up till the 23rd or 24th I would work lunch and dinner with maybe a day off a week trying to make as much money as I could satisfying the owner's request that there be absolutely no time off granted because all hands were needed on deck. You would then work till you couldn't stand anymore then come Christmas collapse into bed with more aches and pains than you could imagine probably taking years off your life in the process all to make the almighty buck while other people were all being festive.
The truth is we only live once and when you are gone you will be replaced by some other moron.
Tell me why should waiters or bartenders this time of year not get a chance to enjoy the time of year outside of work as well? Where does it say it is mandatory that service personnel have to work 80 hours a week when you know that when things slow down and you need the money the owner is all set to cut your hours down to nothing to save their skin.
Fortunately I have found a place to work where they actually do care about if you have a life outside of work or not. Yes I am off till Thursday and then they gave me Saturday off as well. Maybe it is a stretch and I will try to pick up the shift on Saturday but I will say this that with the time off I have , I am really not missing going in and working 12-14 hour shifts straight through.
Far from being old but long enough to realize , I have found that no matter how much money you make in December after a while it just becomes a little pointless because a year from now you will find you will have the same amount of money at the beginning of December as you did the year before.
So what the hell happened to all the great money! I will guarantee one thing that next December I will have the same amount as I did this month at the beginning. Nothing ! Unless we as waiters do something else differently it will always be the same.
I love waitering and I love teaching and I love spending time with my family and to do all that I needed to get the month of December balanced out.
So here is my thought on December that unless you love working 80 hours a week during this month and love every moment of it , which I know most don't because they are held at gunpoint to work every hour , try to make a change for next year. See about finding just a one shift waiter job. Not only will you start to see a more positive outlook on the December business but your personal life will reach dizzying new heights. It may open up other avenues that you hadn't had the time to investigate before.
Then you can look forward to next December as just another month and not something that has the sole purpose of depriving us of some of life's great experiences. Really , less is more!
As Manuel in his Well Done Fillet Blog says , Choose Life!
Friday, December 12, 2008
I Am Gone On My Day Off
Last Saturday was rather busy and I noticed that a waiter had come in to dine on their day off.
I have always praticed not to go anywhere near where I work during my days off. Always been like that especially when I started bartending. Never fraternize with your guests , besides hasn't anyone got anything better to do than eat on their day off where they work?
Forget the discount!
What says you???????????
I have always praticed not to go anywhere near where I work during my days off. Always been like that especially when I started bartending. Never fraternize with your guests , besides hasn't anyone got anything better to do than eat on their day off where they work?
Forget the discount!
What says you???????????
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Tempranillo
When you think of Rioja wines from Spain this grape variety comes to mind right away. It is the major grape variety in Rioja wines blended with Grenacha ( Grenache ) , Mazuelo , and Graciano. The latter being the most important because it makes the Rioja long lived , aromatic , and a delicate character.
You see Tempranillo alone does not age well because it has very low acidity so while an all Tempranillo Rioja may keep it's colour it would lose it's liveliness and fruit after a few years.
The Tempranillo grape ripens early , a good two weeks before it's counterpart Grenacha so it's growth cycle is short. Therefore , although it is defined as a Rioja grape it thrives only in the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa subregions where it is cooler than the hotter Rioja Baja subregion where Grenacha rules.
It also needs a lot of the rain that comes to the region throughout the year where it is grown which makes it susceptible to downy mildew , and anthracnose which is when lesions appear on the leafs. In contrast to where it is hot during the growing season and Grenacha is grown with high alcohol content , Tempranillo has to grow in a cooler region that extends the growing season as long as possible. The finished product is lower in alcohol , low acidity , but good colour.
Marques de Riscal from Rioja will usually spice up his Rioja wines with Cabernet Sauvignon and Graciano grapes. Some growers are mixing up these different grape varieties as soon as when they are growing in the vineyard , let alone the production process.
The soils it grows well in are deep calcareous or sandy clay with much better results when the grape is grown on slopes. In the Rioja too, soils tend to be low in phosphorous.
Known as Tinta Roriz in Portugal it is found in Port and table wines from the Duero Region , and in Argentina it is an important grape variety but the quality is leaner and not highly regarded.
Tempranillo is aged in American oak which is far stronger than the oak used in Burgundy. Unoaked , it is ripe and fruity but not particularly distinctive.
The oaked has the vanilla bouquet , plums , black cherry , strawberry on the nose while some wines from the Rioja region may even have tomato puree or ketchup chips as well.
I neglected to mention another region in Spain which grows good Tempranillo , or locally called Tinto Fino , which is the Ribera del Duero region where full bodied wines go well with goose and game dishes.
The finest wines from Rioja go well with a leg of lamb or roast pork and an oak matured Rioja has a pairing with mushrooms that is hard for many wines to pull off. Some Crianza lightly oaked wines can go well with some curries too. Rioja is generally a food friendly wine due to the low alcohol and softness that comes with it from the vanilla and fruit.
On the palate I have always enjoyed a Rioja just because I find it engulfs the mouth and the finish is quite good. There is no spot on the palate left wondering where it's share of the wine disappeared to.
This is my post on Tempranillo. Hope you enjoyed this one...
You see Tempranillo alone does not age well because it has very low acidity so while an all Tempranillo Rioja may keep it's colour it would lose it's liveliness and fruit after a few years.
The Tempranillo grape ripens early , a good two weeks before it's counterpart Grenacha so it's growth cycle is short. Therefore , although it is defined as a Rioja grape it thrives only in the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa subregions where it is cooler than the hotter Rioja Baja subregion where Grenacha rules.
It also needs a lot of the rain that comes to the region throughout the year where it is grown which makes it susceptible to downy mildew , and anthracnose which is when lesions appear on the leafs. In contrast to where it is hot during the growing season and Grenacha is grown with high alcohol content , Tempranillo has to grow in a cooler region that extends the growing season as long as possible. The finished product is lower in alcohol , low acidity , but good colour.
Marques de Riscal from Rioja will usually spice up his Rioja wines with Cabernet Sauvignon and Graciano grapes. Some growers are mixing up these different grape varieties as soon as when they are growing in the vineyard , let alone the production process.
The soils it grows well in are deep calcareous or sandy clay with much better results when the grape is grown on slopes. In the Rioja too, soils tend to be low in phosphorous.
Known as Tinta Roriz in Portugal it is found in Port and table wines from the Duero Region , and in Argentina it is an important grape variety but the quality is leaner and not highly regarded.
Tempranillo is aged in American oak which is far stronger than the oak used in Burgundy. Unoaked , it is ripe and fruity but not particularly distinctive.
The oaked has the vanilla bouquet , plums , black cherry , strawberry on the nose while some wines from the Rioja region may even have tomato puree or ketchup chips as well.
I neglected to mention another region in Spain which grows good Tempranillo , or locally called Tinto Fino , which is the Ribera del Duero region where full bodied wines go well with goose and game dishes.
The finest wines from Rioja go well with a leg of lamb or roast pork and an oak matured Rioja has a pairing with mushrooms that is hard for many wines to pull off. Some Crianza lightly oaked wines can go well with some curries too. Rioja is generally a food friendly wine due to the low alcohol and softness that comes with it from the vanilla and fruit.
On the palate I have always enjoyed a Rioja just because I find it engulfs the mouth and the finish is quite good. There is no spot on the palate left wondering where it's share of the wine disappeared to.
This is my post on Tempranillo. Hope you enjoyed this one...
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Hedonism - Negril Jamaica 1985
Travel day today takes us to Negril , Jamaica where for one week it was party , party , party.
I had 3 weeks off in July from work and it had been a little too long since I treated myself to a nice top notch vacation. Beginning around the early to mid - eighties the term super club was being kicked around as one of those places you go to where everything is included. Unlike Club Med even the liquor was included and some sports etc.. So I decided on the second week of my vacation to go to Hedonism in Negril which was one of the first ones to open. Sandals and Couples all followed suit at about the same time. But Hedonism like the word suggest was living life to hedonistic pleasure and it was a strictly singles resort.
As soon as the jet landed and we were in the van heading to the resort the club GOs I will call them were filling us up with Rum Punch. As soon as we got there we were headed to the bar where there were hors d'oeuvres and more alcohol to be consumed. Behind the bar was a real eye opener though as it was the pool. Not a pool that you jump in from the bar but a pool you could see the swimmers all underwater. Now I don't want to get into graphic detail but what these men and women were doing in the water well.........I just about choked on my shrimp cocktail.
Hedonism along with the moves the opposite sexes were doing on one another stood out for me for a couple of reasons.
It was the only time I have ever done Para - Sailing. Now what that is when you are attached to a line behind a speedboat and when it gets taut you take a couple of steps and whoosh you are up in the air like a glider. Sort of hang gliding but without the wings but a kite instead.
Well I managed to do this the hard way. I am on the beach and the guy in the boat says when you feel the line get tight take a couple of steps then away you go. But what I did instead was start running before the line was tight enough and I ended up running in the water trying to leap into the air. So at this point the harness whips me back and I am backwards skidding on the water thinking I am done for. Finally after what seemed like an eternity the speed of the boat whipped me around and I was airborne. It was great. But what a welt I had on my neck where the harness rubbed when I was bouncing off the water.
It was also the first time and I cannot remember if I did it again I did nude sunbathing and swimming. I think it was the only time.
On a day excursion went to Dunn River Falls and another night went to Rick's Cafe to see the sunset over the Caribean. Quite beautiful.
All in all I have to say it was quite a time during that week and lucky I had a week still to go on my vacation cause I needed that just to recuperate.
I had 3 weeks off in July from work and it had been a little too long since I treated myself to a nice top notch vacation. Beginning around the early to mid - eighties the term super club was being kicked around as one of those places you go to where everything is included. Unlike Club Med even the liquor was included and some sports etc.. So I decided on the second week of my vacation to go to Hedonism in Negril which was one of the first ones to open. Sandals and Couples all followed suit at about the same time. But Hedonism like the word suggest was living life to hedonistic pleasure and it was a strictly singles resort.
As soon as the jet landed and we were in the van heading to the resort the club GOs I will call them were filling us up with Rum Punch. As soon as we got there we were headed to the bar where there were hors d'oeuvres and more alcohol to be consumed. Behind the bar was a real eye opener though as it was the pool. Not a pool that you jump in from the bar but a pool you could see the swimmers all underwater. Now I don't want to get into graphic detail but what these men and women were doing in the water well.........I just about choked on my shrimp cocktail.
Hedonism along with the moves the opposite sexes were doing on one another stood out for me for a couple of reasons.
It was the only time I have ever done Para - Sailing. Now what that is when you are attached to a line behind a speedboat and when it gets taut you take a couple of steps and whoosh you are up in the air like a glider. Sort of hang gliding but without the wings but a kite instead.
Well I managed to do this the hard way. I am on the beach and the guy in the boat says when you feel the line get tight take a couple of steps then away you go. But what I did instead was start running before the line was tight enough and I ended up running in the water trying to leap into the air. So at this point the harness whips me back and I am backwards skidding on the water thinking I am done for. Finally after what seemed like an eternity the speed of the boat whipped me around and I was airborne. It was great. But what a welt I had on my neck where the harness rubbed when I was bouncing off the water.
It was also the first time and I cannot remember if I did it again I did nude sunbathing and swimming. I think it was the only time.
On a day excursion went to Dunn River Falls and another night went to Rick's Cafe to see the sunset over the Caribean. Quite beautiful.
All in all I have to say it was quite a time during that week and lucky I had a week still to go on my vacation cause I needed that just to recuperate.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Eaux de Vies
So just to throw a wrench into the cocktail portion of the week I am going to talk about eaux de vies which you will find stowed away somewhere probably where your dry sherries and juices are found depending on how big your fridge is.
Eaux de Vies when translated mean water of life and it is the purest forms of alcohol you will find. The colour is always white as eaux de vies are not aged in wood.
How these white eaux de vies are made is the chosen fruit is mashed into a pulp and yeast is added to it to start the fermentation , then it is double distilled in pot stills to retain the characteristics of the fruit chosen. The brandy added is white of course due to it not being aged in wood. After the double distillation they are either stored in glass containers or bottled to preserve it's freshness.
When fruits such as plums or cherries with pits are used about 1/3 of the crushed stone is added to the juice giving a bitter almond taste or tang to the finished product.
Some soft fruits where the sugar level is low are often macerated in alcohol before distillation such as raspberries and strawberries to impart more flavour.
Other soft fruits such as blackcurrant are left to macerate in a neutral spirit for weeks slowly extracting the flavours creating no need for distillation. They will retain the colour. Such as Cassis. These are not generally regarded as eaux de vies but fruit based liqueurs.
In Germany where many eaux de vies come from along with France and Switzerland there are two words used. They are Wasser and Geist.
Wasser means the spirit was produced from fermented fruit juice and then distilled whereas Geist means the fruit was macerated in alcohol and then distilled. Remember macerated more or less means soaked in.
Some popular examples of eaux de vies and where they come from are as follows;
Quetsch Blue Plum France
Poire William Williams Pear France , Germany and Switzerland
Mirabelle Yellow Plum France
Kirschwasser Cherry Germany and Switzerland
Framboise Raspberry France
Edbeergeist Strawberry Germany and Switzerland
Slivovitz Blue Plum Bosnia and Serbia
They are pretty potent and usually served after dinner with an espresso to match the strength. I have not really acquired a taste for them as such. They are not the sweet fruit based liqueurs I prefer and the eaux de vies are generally not popular to North Americans.
I did not include Grappa although I could have as this is also a clear liqueur that is stored in the same place where the above are found in the refrigerator but this is not made from fruit but the remaining pomace left in the barrel after the free run juice is racked to make the real good wine. This is the bottom of the barrel so to speak. So I excluded it. You have to like it for sure. Personally for me it's like drinking something that is just alcohol.
Hope you like this brief explanation on those eaux de vies that are sitting by themselves in the fridge and usually only requisitioned for a couple of ounces by the kitchen to make a special dessert for the evening's service. In fact few places on this side of the ocean carry any at all.
Eaux de Vies when translated mean water of life and it is the purest forms of alcohol you will find. The colour is always white as eaux de vies are not aged in wood.
How these white eaux de vies are made is the chosen fruit is mashed into a pulp and yeast is added to it to start the fermentation , then it is double distilled in pot stills to retain the characteristics of the fruit chosen. The brandy added is white of course due to it not being aged in wood. After the double distillation they are either stored in glass containers or bottled to preserve it's freshness.
When fruits such as plums or cherries with pits are used about 1/3 of the crushed stone is added to the juice giving a bitter almond taste or tang to the finished product.
Some soft fruits where the sugar level is low are often macerated in alcohol before distillation such as raspberries and strawberries to impart more flavour.
Other soft fruits such as blackcurrant are left to macerate in a neutral spirit for weeks slowly extracting the flavours creating no need for distillation. They will retain the colour. Such as Cassis. These are not generally regarded as eaux de vies but fruit based liqueurs.
In Germany where many eaux de vies come from along with France and Switzerland there are two words used. They are Wasser and Geist.
Wasser means the spirit was produced from fermented fruit juice and then distilled whereas Geist means the fruit was macerated in alcohol and then distilled. Remember macerated more or less means soaked in.
Some popular examples of eaux de vies and where they come from are as follows;
Quetsch Blue Plum France
Poire William Williams Pear France , Germany and Switzerland
Mirabelle Yellow Plum France
Kirschwasser Cherry Germany and Switzerland
Framboise Raspberry France
Edbeergeist Strawberry Germany and Switzerland
Slivovitz Blue Plum Bosnia and Serbia
They are pretty potent and usually served after dinner with an espresso to match the strength. I have not really acquired a taste for them as such. They are not the sweet fruit based liqueurs I prefer and the eaux de vies are generally not popular to North Americans.
I did not include Grappa although I could have as this is also a clear liqueur that is stored in the same place where the above are found in the refrigerator but this is not made from fruit but the remaining pomace left in the barrel after the free run juice is racked to make the real good wine. This is the bottom of the barrel so to speak. So I excluded it. You have to like it for sure. Personally for me it's like drinking something that is just alcohol.
Hope you like this brief explanation on those eaux de vies that are sitting by themselves in the fridge and usually only requisitioned for a couple of ounces by the kitchen to make a special dessert for the evening's service. In fact few places on this side of the ocean carry any at all.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Don't Kid Yourself - It's Who You Know
So there I was working at the Holiday Inn Roofgarden Restaurant where I was learning all the tricks of the trade as a service bartender serving drinks to seasoned veterans of the waitering profession.
Without my car and bussing it to work I longed for my car back in Montreal which was supposed to be getting fixed. When I called my stepfather he said the car was ready and all I had to do was get back there and pick it up. Not an easy thing to do as the only day off I had was Saturday returning back Sunday brunch.
So after work Friday afternoon I grabbed a Greyhound bus early in the evening to get to Montreal so I could get the car and drive away. As it turned out it was one of those long stop at every town bus rides and I arrived there early morning. I hardly slept and felt like crap. I knocked on the door and my stepfather wasn't home. Apparently he was somewhere but no one knew where. I needed the keys that was all as it was going to be a turn around of 5-6 hours and I wanted to get a sleep before work the next lunch.
I finally met up with him and he says listen the rad should be okay as he added some rad sealant. Great I thought and it didn't cost me much money.
So I started out and not a half hour later steam starts coming out of the hood. I phone him and gave him the royal treatment lambasting him for not taking it into a shop and getting the rad changed. I would have covered it. So I had to make the decision should I stay or should I go?
I needed to work so I decided to go on. It took me many stops to let the rad cool down and add more water to it so I could continue. After the 12 hour trip and exhausted the Monday I took the car into the garage and they replaced the radiator. They commented on just how good the car held up. It was an Olds Delta 88 455 under the hood. Quite a car! While that was getting fixed I bussed it into work that day. If there is a poignant moment in all this my stepfather and mother separated and that was one of the last times I saw my stepfather.
Anyway I had to add the info about the car. Meanwhile about 3 weeks into the Holiday Inn I got a call from a woman I used to work with while making Maalox ( the antacid pill ) and she says to me her husband works at this golf course and is the F and B Manager and he is looking for a Head Bartender. It was a great spot called the Credit Valley Golf Club and the nice thing about it was I would be able to run the bar and make my own schedule and serve members who were all round pretty decent. It was a fairly good hourly wage and more hours. Good food and a chance to make some drinks again at a stool bar and serve the wait staff at the same time.
Off I went after giving my two week's notice to work at a golf club. Yes it seemed like I was jumping around a bit but I had to jump to find a spot where I could make some money. I did just that. I worked 4 double shifts and two lunches one week and the other week the other bartender would do the same. It seemed like one week all I would do is work and the other it seemed like I never worked. But the hours added up and if you wanted to work more you could to get some overtime.
I served some big name football players there and Oscar Peterson's wife who I remember drank Ballantines and Soda in a tall glass. The food I ate was plentiful and the beer I drank was plentiful as well. In fact , everybody use to drink the draft there. One month , inventory was way out of wack when they noticed we had gone through a few kegs and only 20 draft beers were accounted for during the month! I had to stop encouraging the drinking of draft.
I started to smoke cigarettes as well but it was only other people's who used to write an IOU to borrow cigarettes from the bar supply that was only allowed for members. So I borrowed a few of them during the time working there. At the end of the month the staff would return all the packs they borrowed so inventory would be right.
The F and B Manager was okay with the above so what was I to say. If your boss says it is okay and not to worry then I guess I will not. Here I have been bartending for a few months and I have seen drinking waiters and bosses. I was getting to be a drinker myself.
All these things would lead shortly to another move and a lesson learned for a green horn like myself 6 months later.
Jobs so far....
Hilton Hotel - barboy 4 Saturdays
Willows Inn - bartender and waiter 2 weeks
Holiday Inn - service bartender - 1 month
Credit Valley Golf Club - Head Bartender - 6 months
Without my car and bussing it to work I longed for my car back in Montreal which was supposed to be getting fixed. When I called my stepfather he said the car was ready and all I had to do was get back there and pick it up. Not an easy thing to do as the only day off I had was Saturday returning back Sunday brunch.
So after work Friday afternoon I grabbed a Greyhound bus early in the evening to get to Montreal so I could get the car and drive away. As it turned out it was one of those long stop at every town bus rides and I arrived there early morning. I hardly slept and felt like crap. I knocked on the door and my stepfather wasn't home. Apparently he was somewhere but no one knew where. I needed the keys that was all as it was going to be a turn around of 5-6 hours and I wanted to get a sleep before work the next lunch.
I finally met up with him and he says listen the rad should be okay as he added some rad sealant. Great I thought and it didn't cost me much money.
So I started out and not a half hour later steam starts coming out of the hood. I phone him and gave him the royal treatment lambasting him for not taking it into a shop and getting the rad changed. I would have covered it. So I had to make the decision should I stay or should I go?
I needed to work so I decided to go on. It took me many stops to let the rad cool down and add more water to it so I could continue. After the 12 hour trip and exhausted the Monday I took the car into the garage and they replaced the radiator. They commented on just how good the car held up. It was an Olds Delta 88 455 under the hood. Quite a car! While that was getting fixed I bussed it into work that day. If there is a poignant moment in all this my stepfather and mother separated and that was one of the last times I saw my stepfather.
Anyway I had to add the info about the car. Meanwhile about 3 weeks into the Holiday Inn I got a call from a woman I used to work with while making Maalox ( the antacid pill ) and she says to me her husband works at this golf course and is the F and B Manager and he is looking for a Head Bartender. It was a great spot called the Credit Valley Golf Club and the nice thing about it was I would be able to run the bar and make my own schedule and serve members who were all round pretty decent. It was a fairly good hourly wage and more hours. Good food and a chance to make some drinks again at a stool bar and serve the wait staff at the same time.
Off I went after giving my two week's notice to work at a golf club. Yes it seemed like I was jumping around a bit but I had to jump to find a spot where I could make some money. I did just that. I worked 4 double shifts and two lunches one week and the other week the other bartender would do the same. It seemed like one week all I would do is work and the other it seemed like I never worked. But the hours added up and if you wanted to work more you could to get some overtime.
I served some big name football players there and Oscar Peterson's wife who I remember drank Ballantines and Soda in a tall glass. The food I ate was plentiful and the beer I drank was plentiful as well. In fact , everybody use to drink the draft there. One month , inventory was way out of wack when they noticed we had gone through a few kegs and only 20 draft beers were accounted for during the month! I had to stop encouraging the drinking of draft.
I started to smoke cigarettes as well but it was only other people's who used to write an IOU to borrow cigarettes from the bar supply that was only allowed for members. So I borrowed a few of them during the time working there. At the end of the month the staff would return all the packs they borrowed so inventory would be right.
The F and B Manager was okay with the above so what was I to say. If your boss says it is okay and not to worry then I guess I will not. Here I have been bartending for a few months and I have seen drinking waiters and bosses. I was getting to be a drinker myself.
All these things would lead shortly to another move and a lesson learned for a green horn like myself 6 months later.
Jobs so far....
Hilton Hotel - barboy 4 Saturdays
Willows Inn - bartender and waiter 2 weeks
Holiday Inn - service bartender - 1 month
Credit Valley Golf Club - Head Bartender - 6 months
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Is It The Desire to Look Good or Greed or Both
Last night was busy. Our policy in the restaurant is not to take any reservations on Friday and Saturday night. I have a very small section as there are a lot of servers on so I get a 3 top and the other tables are joined together to make an 8 top.
Some people are seated at the big table from the bar with their drinks. There is nothing I can do as we are all waiting for the remainder of the people to come and join. My hands are tied. I have a 3 top of women enjoying each other's company and this table which probably waited about 15-20 minutes for the rest of the party to arrive except for one person.
They say they will not wait so I get a drink order for the people who just sat down. When I come back the 8th person arrives so I go and get his drink. Finally I can take their order.
I punch it in and the meal goes accordingly. The new Manager comes to me and she tells me I need that table. I reply they have dessert menus so they may order dessert. She walks away looking a bit **** off. They do order dessert and she comes over and ask me if I have billed them yet. No they are having desserts. Well it was like someone who had a stroke.
Well I got the no acknowledgement from her the rest of the night. Well I am sorry but I am not throwing the bill at a table to screw up my tip without finishing the service. She later found another spot to put them. She had to turn some tables around which I guess she would rather have not done but hey with a no reservation policy people should be ready to wait when they arrive in big numbers.
The truth is this time of year when we get fairly big tables the people do not want to eat and run like they normally would. They are dining with friends they haven't seen in a while , or there is a family get together going on , or they are just co - workers going out and eating like kings cause the boss is paying for it. All good reasons to not want to rush.
As it turned out , they were very happy as were my other tables last night and it showed in my gratuities.
If I have campers especially this time of year so be it. Run up the bill and get a decent tip.
If there is only one thing I do not like when it comes to management is one who wants to jam the rafters and have me bill a table quickly and give them the bum's rush. It is greed at it's best and really self serving so one can look good.
Especially when there is a no reservation policy on Fridays and Saturdays anyway.
Some people are seated at the big table from the bar with their drinks. There is nothing I can do as we are all waiting for the remainder of the people to come and join. My hands are tied. I have a 3 top of women enjoying each other's company and this table which probably waited about 15-20 minutes for the rest of the party to arrive except for one person.
They say they will not wait so I get a drink order for the people who just sat down. When I come back the 8th person arrives so I go and get his drink. Finally I can take their order.
I punch it in and the meal goes accordingly. The new Manager comes to me and she tells me I need that table. I reply they have dessert menus so they may order dessert. She walks away looking a bit **** off. They do order dessert and she comes over and ask me if I have billed them yet. No they are having desserts. Well it was like someone who had a stroke.
Well I got the no acknowledgement from her the rest of the night. Well I am sorry but I am not throwing the bill at a table to screw up my tip without finishing the service. She later found another spot to put them. She had to turn some tables around which I guess she would rather have not done but hey with a no reservation policy people should be ready to wait when they arrive in big numbers.
The truth is this time of year when we get fairly big tables the people do not want to eat and run like they normally would. They are dining with friends they haven't seen in a while , or there is a family get together going on , or they are just co - workers going out and eating like kings cause the boss is paying for it. All good reasons to not want to rush.
As it turned out , they were very happy as were my other tables last night and it showed in my gratuities.
If I have campers especially this time of year so be it. Run up the bill and get a decent tip.
If there is only one thing I do not like when it comes to management is one who wants to jam the rafters and have me bill a table quickly and give them the bum's rush. It is greed at it's best and really self serving so one can look good.
Especially when there is a no reservation policy on Fridays and Saturdays anyway.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Managers and Long Hours are for Single People
Lately at work there has been a few changes. Last week our GM left after working in the same spot for 7 years. It wasn't his choice as the head office required him at another restaurant located an hour away cause they needed help there. I think if he had a choice he would have preferred to stay.
Last night the Kitchen Manager who was assigned to open another restaurant nearby about 6 months ago got it up and running well then all of a sudden he is back at our restaurant due to the fact the kitchen manager was promoted to GM to replace the one that is leaving. I talked to him last night and he wasn't too thrilled about leaving his baby that he helped open after such a short time.
Then another supervisor that works with us has given her notice due to the fact that she is having issues getting custody of her child just due to the fifty hour work weeks she is putting in and the questioning as to whether she would have any time for her child should she win custody.
My neighbour who works in another chain restaurant said that is the way it is working in the corporate restaurant climate. When they transfer you somewhere and you refuse , they just buy you out and say you don't have a job anymore.That happened to one of the managers where he worked.
So as far as working in corporate and being a supervisor and moving up to manager the best prerequisite would be to just be single and younger.
I will just stick to getting the teaching career going and being a waiter and having some time for my family.
Last night the Kitchen Manager who was assigned to open another restaurant nearby about 6 months ago got it up and running well then all of a sudden he is back at our restaurant due to the fact the kitchen manager was promoted to GM to replace the one that is leaving. I talked to him last night and he wasn't too thrilled about leaving his baby that he helped open after such a short time.
Then another supervisor that works with us has given her notice due to the fact that she is having issues getting custody of her child just due to the fifty hour work weeks she is putting in and the questioning as to whether she would have any time for her child should she win custody.
My neighbour who works in another chain restaurant said that is the way it is working in the corporate restaurant climate. When they transfer you somewhere and you refuse , they just buy you out and say you don't have a job anymore.That happened to one of the managers where he worked.
So as far as working in corporate and being a supervisor and moving up to manager the best prerequisite would be to just be single and younger.
I will just stick to getting the teaching career going and being a waiter and having some time for my family.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Sangiovese
I bought a bottle of Chianti Classico a few days ago so this week why not talk about a grape variety where , except for a few plantings in California where the finished product is varily expensive and Argentina who are experimenting with it as well , Italy is it's home.
At least one time in our lives as wine drinkers we have tried a glass of Chianti. The times I have tried Chianti has been a hit or miss which comes from the fact that there are really good ones out there and some real bad ones. The trick with Chianti is check who makes it , if it is from Antinori or Peppoli you are on the right track.
Sangiovese is a grape that has many clones out there all due to the fact that the vitner has been experimenting with this difficult grape trying to see if they can get a wine that will contain 100% Sangiovese. Most Chiantis are allowed to have some Cabernet Sauvignon added to the mix to add some weight , longevity , and bouquet to the finished product. Cheaper Chianti has some Italian native white wine grapes added to it like Trebbiano or Malvasia. Sangiovese is a grape whose colour fades quickly due to lack of pigment caused by it's thin skin. It's rim develops an orange colour quickly which is one of trademarks of this grape. Hence , the addition of Cab.
Before I go further I will tell the story of how the Super Tuscan wines evolved. The DOC which is like the Appelation Controlee in France had strict guidelines as to what grapes could be used. No grapes not native to Italy could be used. Native grape varieties as mentioned above with the exception of Cabernet Sauvignon were only allowed. The only way to get around this was to make a wine that was granted a lesser status than DOC and that was Vini da Tavola or translated , plain table wine.
Antinori picked up on this and decided to blend the Bordeaux variety Cabernet Sauvignon to Sangiovese during fermentation. He added 20% Cab and called the wine Tignanello and sold it as a vini da tavola. It became so popular it outsold many wines granted the coveted DOC label. Other wines then were adding some Cabernet to the Sangiovese grape and this resulted in lesser classified wines under the table wine label to outsell the higher ranked wines. The outcome was a big embarassment to the Italian wine regulators so they had to make a new classification to include this group of Super Tuscans in. This status was the IGT category. Along with DOC there is a higher one called the DOCG ranking. So it is all confusing isn't it?
However I digress, back to Sangiovese. There are two major clones of Sangiovese. One being Sangiovese Grosso that is used in Brunello di Montalcino which is the more fuller bodied wine and the lesser quality one , Sangiovese Piccolo.
The grape is late ripening so it needs a long growing season which is why you will never see this grape in North America unless it is California. It is very resistant to diseases but in wet times can be prone to rot. It needs a lot of sun.
The best soil upon which it grows in Tuscany is locally called galestro which is a rock and schist combination. Other soils are of gravel , limestone , and clay predominate elsewhere. Sangiovese needs warmth and these soils are the best for retaining heat.
Wines with up to 100% Sangiovese are aged in new oak barrels where you have less oxidation effect on the wine. Some Chianti Classico Riserva wines are aged in this fashion.
How a good Chianti is produced is you need a dry long growing season first of all. Or the wine becomes too light coloured , the sugars never reach their maximum and as it has a relatively high acidity and quite tannic the wine becomes very astringent.
After fermentation , Sangiovese is subject to prolong maceration to extract as much colour and pigment as possible. So you see why Cabernet , Merlot , or Colorino is added to a Sangiovese wine.
The trademark on the nose you will not find with any other wine are tea leaves. Also you may be able to detect some sour cherry and wet straw in Chianti. Violets and spice are others.
Foods that match well with Chianti are grilled and roasted meats with a herb element added to them. Wild boar , hare , and game birds are some of the dishes that will go good with a Chianti Classico.
This is a brief post on Sangiovese. I will not exacerbate you the reader with more details but it is a subject that is not easy to understand. Just remember that this grape is becoming more and more drinkable without all the other grapes due to the winemakers introducing new techniques.
A big difference from 30 years ago when Chianti was just a bulk wine , astringent , full of acid and not very drinkable. Nowadays you see more fruit , smoothness , and round feeling in the mouth so that it is much more palatable and enjoyable for the consumer. You are now finding a balance between it's high acidity and tannin adding to a nice finish in the mouth.
I hope I have been of some help in understanding this difficult grape........
Till next Thursday when I will talk of another grape variety , take care wine lovers and check for the sour cherry and tea leaves when you take in the bouquet of a Chianti.
At least one time in our lives as wine drinkers we have tried a glass of Chianti. The times I have tried Chianti has been a hit or miss which comes from the fact that there are really good ones out there and some real bad ones. The trick with Chianti is check who makes it , if it is from Antinori or Peppoli you are on the right track.
Sangiovese is a grape that has many clones out there all due to the fact that the vitner has been experimenting with this difficult grape trying to see if they can get a wine that will contain 100% Sangiovese. Most Chiantis are allowed to have some Cabernet Sauvignon added to the mix to add some weight , longevity , and bouquet to the finished product. Cheaper Chianti has some Italian native white wine grapes added to it like Trebbiano or Malvasia. Sangiovese is a grape whose colour fades quickly due to lack of pigment caused by it's thin skin. It's rim develops an orange colour quickly which is one of trademarks of this grape. Hence , the addition of Cab.
Before I go further I will tell the story of how the Super Tuscan wines evolved. The DOC which is like the Appelation Controlee in France had strict guidelines as to what grapes could be used. No grapes not native to Italy could be used. Native grape varieties as mentioned above with the exception of Cabernet Sauvignon were only allowed. The only way to get around this was to make a wine that was granted a lesser status than DOC and that was Vini da Tavola or translated , plain table wine.
Antinori picked up on this and decided to blend the Bordeaux variety Cabernet Sauvignon to Sangiovese during fermentation. He added 20% Cab and called the wine Tignanello and sold it as a vini da tavola. It became so popular it outsold many wines granted the coveted DOC label. Other wines then were adding some Cabernet to the Sangiovese grape and this resulted in lesser classified wines under the table wine label to outsell the higher ranked wines. The outcome was a big embarassment to the Italian wine regulators so they had to make a new classification to include this group of Super Tuscans in. This status was the IGT category. Along with DOC there is a higher one called the DOCG ranking. So it is all confusing isn't it?
However I digress, back to Sangiovese. There are two major clones of Sangiovese. One being Sangiovese Grosso that is used in Brunello di Montalcino which is the more fuller bodied wine and the lesser quality one , Sangiovese Piccolo.
The grape is late ripening so it needs a long growing season which is why you will never see this grape in North America unless it is California. It is very resistant to diseases but in wet times can be prone to rot. It needs a lot of sun.
The best soil upon which it grows in Tuscany is locally called galestro which is a rock and schist combination. Other soils are of gravel , limestone , and clay predominate elsewhere. Sangiovese needs warmth and these soils are the best for retaining heat.
Wines with up to 100% Sangiovese are aged in new oak barrels where you have less oxidation effect on the wine. Some Chianti Classico Riserva wines are aged in this fashion.
How a good Chianti is produced is you need a dry long growing season first of all. Or the wine becomes too light coloured , the sugars never reach their maximum and as it has a relatively high acidity and quite tannic the wine becomes very astringent.
After fermentation , Sangiovese is subject to prolong maceration to extract as much colour and pigment as possible. So you see why Cabernet , Merlot , or Colorino is added to a Sangiovese wine.
The trademark on the nose you will not find with any other wine are tea leaves. Also you may be able to detect some sour cherry and wet straw in Chianti. Violets and spice are others.
Foods that match well with Chianti are grilled and roasted meats with a herb element added to them. Wild boar , hare , and game birds are some of the dishes that will go good with a Chianti Classico.
This is a brief post on Sangiovese. I will not exacerbate you the reader with more details but it is a subject that is not easy to understand. Just remember that this grape is becoming more and more drinkable without all the other grapes due to the winemakers introducing new techniques.
A big difference from 30 years ago when Chianti was just a bulk wine , astringent , full of acid and not very drinkable. Nowadays you see more fruit , smoothness , and round feeling in the mouth so that it is much more palatable and enjoyable for the consumer. You are now finding a balance between it's high acidity and tannin adding to a nice finish in the mouth.
I hope I have been of some help in understanding this difficult grape........
Till next Thursday when I will talk of another grape variety , take care wine lovers and check for the sour cherry and tea leaves when you take in the bouquet of a Chianti.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Taj Mahal Hotel - Mumbai 1995
The news last week of what happened in Mumbai was disturbing to all watching the scenes of panic , fires going on , and tat tat tat sounds from guns going off. So it was an easy choice for me to choose Mumbai or what was then Bombay to be the travel spot this week.
When we were doing the 5 week cruise from Piraeus Greece to Singapore , Bombay was the port which began week 4 of our transition into Asia where we would spend the winter doing 10 day cruises between Bali and Singapore. It was a day in December when we arrived at the port of Bombay.
I was a Maitre'd on the cruise ship and the first thing I was told by others was watch out for the Indian port authorites and customs because they would look for anything wrong in your inventory that you would declare so they could use the mistake in order to scoff a bottle of Johnny Walker Black from you or a carton of cigarettes. I remember for that and all of the ports we went to in India we had to make sure our inventory was exact and that when we counted everything that we made sure we just had what we needed and the stores were locked up and no one was allowed in to get anything without first notifying me or the bar manager. If the authorities decided to do a quick count of the bar and it did not balance with the sheet then the blackmail began. Give me this or you do not get clearance....
So India was a big headache for that and I do remember one customs official saying , please sir one bottle of JWB for me please sir one bottle please if you would be so kind... I did not give him no bottle nosirreee or next thing you know his friends would be coming along quickly upon the news their friend managed a bottle.
The loading was light that day so I got a quick tour of Bombay. We went to a house that Ghandi had lived in while in Bombay and I saw what was an open air laundry where people from all around would come to wash their clothes on washboards and you could see for blocks all the clothes hanging up on lines.
The one thing about Bombay is the people. Huge numbers of people everywhere living on corners , in buildings , tents , whatever you could think of. And the traffic was beep , beep , beep all the time. Bicycles and cars dodging one another.
This brings me to the Taj Mahal hotel which we saw was terrorized and on fire with many hostages inside. Where it is located it looks out at the Indian Ocean. It is a jewel of Indian architecture and I remember walking in the lobby and everything was elegant and the smell of money permeated the air. Then you walk across the street and there is a market where all the beggars are. What a contrast!
A scene where you have a beggar with a monkey on a leash and he is making it do tricks by slapping it with a stick , or , what was even more terrible to watch was this guy had a garter snake and a rat duke it out with one another till there was a clear winner for entertainment. He would break it up then put the snake in a bag and the rodent was on a leash so he would settle it down with his stick. There were bites and blood on the rat from all the skirmishes. There was more but I was too disgusted to hang around.
So you had the Taj Mahal hotel , a symbol of wealth and this square which represented the lowest class of society side by side. Then the vast Indian Ocean next to all this.
After all what happened last week I am happy to have gone when I did. What with what is going on in Thailand and now in India my thirst for going back anytime soon is out the window.
When we were doing the 5 week cruise from Piraeus Greece to Singapore , Bombay was the port which began week 4 of our transition into Asia where we would spend the winter doing 10 day cruises between Bali and Singapore. It was a day in December when we arrived at the port of Bombay.
I was a Maitre'd on the cruise ship and the first thing I was told by others was watch out for the Indian port authorites and customs because they would look for anything wrong in your inventory that you would declare so they could use the mistake in order to scoff a bottle of Johnny Walker Black from you or a carton of cigarettes. I remember for that and all of the ports we went to in India we had to make sure our inventory was exact and that when we counted everything that we made sure we just had what we needed and the stores were locked up and no one was allowed in to get anything without first notifying me or the bar manager. If the authorities decided to do a quick count of the bar and it did not balance with the sheet then the blackmail began. Give me this or you do not get clearance....
So India was a big headache for that and I do remember one customs official saying , please sir one bottle of JWB for me please sir one bottle please if you would be so kind... I did not give him no bottle nosirreee or next thing you know his friends would be coming along quickly upon the news their friend managed a bottle.
The loading was light that day so I got a quick tour of Bombay. We went to a house that Ghandi had lived in while in Bombay and I saw what was an open air laundry where people from all around would come to wash their clothes on washboards and you could see for blocks all the clothes hanging up on lines.
The one thing about Bombay is the people. Huge numbers of people everywhere living on corners , in buildings , tents , whatever you could think of. And the traffic was beep , beep , beep all the time. Bicycles and cars dodging one another.
This brings me to the Taj Mahal hotel which we saw was terrorized and on fire with many hostages inside. Where it is located it looks out at the Indian Ocean. It is a jewel of Indian architecture and I remember walking in the lobby and everything was elegant and the smell of money permeated the air. Then you walk across the street and there is a market where all the beggars are. What a contrast!
A scene where you have a beggar with a monkey on a leash and he is making it do tricks by slapping it with a stick , or , what was even more terrible to watch was this guy had a garter snake and a rat duke it out with one another till there was a clear winner for entertainment. He would break it up then put the snake in a bag and the rodent was on a leash so he would settle it down with his stick. There were bites and blood on the rat from all the skirmishes. There was more but I was too disgusted to hang around.
So you had the Taj Mahal hotel , a symbol of wealth and this square which represented the lowest class of society side by side. Then the vast Indian Ocean next to all this.
After all what happened last week I am happy to have gone when I did. What with what is going on in Thailand and now in India my thirst for going back anytime soon is out the window.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Christmas Cocktails
Since it is near the season I have decided to pass on these drink recipes I did on TV last week. Then next week we will do something else. The TV show went extremely well and they want me back closer to when the next courses start in mid - January to do some wine tastings on some grape varietals. My goal is to wait part time and teach more in 2009. I really like it and it is less tiresome on the body and the hours are more manageable , plus the pay is good and consistent. Also with a family one can look toward the medical benefit aspect to it as well.
Anyway here they are , they were all a big hit and once I get the demos on You Tube I will pass them on.
Christmas Cocktail
1oz Southern Comfort
1oz Godiva White Chocolate Liquer
Put in Highball with ice and fill with Egg Nog
Sprinkle Chocolate Shavings on Top
The Poinsetta
In a chilled flute glass
Pour 3/4 oz Triple Sec
Pour 2 1/2 oz Champagne or Cava
Top up with Cranberry Juice
Anti - Freeze
1/2 oz White or Green Creme de Menthe
1/2 oz Irish Cream
Fill Mug with Hot Chocolate
Top with Whip Cream
Sprinkle Chocolate Shavings on Top
Cabin Fever
1oz Peppermint Schnapps
Fill Mug with Hot Chocolate
Top with Whip Cream
Sprinkle Chocolate Shavings on Top
Chocolate Martini ( A different version )
1oz Godiva Liquer
1oz White Creme de Cacao
1/2 oz Vodka
Splash of Peppermint Schnapps
3 oz 10% cream
Shake and strain into Cocktail glass
Top with Chocolate Sprinkles
Try them at home. I know I did and liked them all. Any surprise?????
Any cocktails for Christmas that you can pass along that you like , please do so.
Anyway here they are , they were all a big hit and once I get the demos on You Tube I will pass them on.
Christmas Cocktail
1oz Southern Comfort
1oz Godiva White Chocolate Liquer
Put in Highball with ice and fill with Egg Nog
Sprinkle Chocolate Shavings on Top
The Poinsetta
In a chilled flute glass
Pour 3/4 oz Triple Sec
Pour 2 1/2 oz Champagne or Cava
Top up with Cranberry Juice
Anti - Freeze
1/2 oz White or Green Creme de Menthe
1/2 oz Irish Cream
Fill Mug with Hot Chocolate
Top with Whip Cream
Sprinkle Chocolate Shavings on Top
Cabin Fever
1oz Peppermint Schnapps
Fill Mug with Hot Chocolate
Top with Whip Cream
Sprinkle Chocolate Shavings on Top
Chocolate Martini ( A different version )
1oz Godiva Liquer
1oz White Creme de Cacao
1/2 oz Vodka
Splash of Peppermint Schnapps
3 oz 10% cream
Shake and strain into Cocktail glass
Top with Chocolate Sprinkles
Try them at home. I know I did and liked them all. Any surprise?????
Any cocktails for Christmas that you can pass along that you like , please do so.
Monday, December 1, 2008
If You Want Success - Double Your Rate of Failure
So to continue from last week I gave up my comfy shipper receiver going nowhere job to become a bartender-waiter at the Willow Inn in Hudson Quebec where everyone spoke English and I need not worry about the lack of French I knew. I was hired by the owner Scott who was in the bartending class and where I left off was my try out night when everybody got sick and fights broke out and well , it was a memorable first night.
My first shift on the schedule a couple of weeks later was a lunch. Now the supervisor said that I will be working the floor taking orders and it would be pretty fast and he would be there to give me a hand. Now I don't remember much of that first shift except for the fact that if anyone saw me work they would have thought I wouldn't last another day. Customers complaining where their food order had gone , table mix ups , people leaving upset , in other words a total disaster.
I don't know what I was thinking but I guess a lack of training might have been a contributing factor. I was literally thrown to the wolves that lunch and later on found myself working the slowest shifts behind the bar after that busy lunch. I guess the manager on duty decided to bring me along a bit slower. With no experience and the dismal showing I had on my first day the only reason they kept me on was because of the owner. But I was getting better or so I thought.
Little did I know that Scott was already planning to sell the Willows and as he mentioned upon saying good bye and good luck he was happy to give me a shot before he moved on. He moved on a month after I got started and to my disappointment not a couple of days later I was told by the new people they wouldn't be keeping me and that I was no longer needed there.
I guess in a way I wasn't surprised but I felt like I was coming along. So after a month's experience at a pub I had to go out and find another job.
Now my French was not good at all but I tried to get find some work in Montreal and the West Island where English is predominantly spoken but to no avail. Now I had to make a decision. Do I move back to where I lived just northwest of Toronto to continue this job hunt?
I did exactly that. However , my car was broken and I still had to give a couple of month's notice at my apartment. So what I had to do was pretty much put my stuff in a locker downstairs in the apartment and have my step-father help me out with fixing the car. It was a radiator problem and I was hoping with his mechanical expertise he would be able to save me a bit of money.
Leaving on a train to stay at my stepbrother's in a place called Brampton with a couple of suitcases I was anxious to find a spot cause my savings were shot.
I hit the airport strip where only a year or two before I was going to all the discotheques. Finally the Holiday Inn Roofgarden Restaurant was needing a Service Bartender for some lunches and some slower evening shifts. This would be good. It would hone my skills as a Bartender. I would just concentrate on serving waiters getting experience and practice making the drinks and developing some speed in the meantime.
I came in frequently to watch the other service bartender do his stuff and he showed me all the tricks. I was pretty scared really. This was a big step and I was working with 50 year olds and the maitre'd was a Mr. Pompodoulous or something like that. A Greek for sure he was.
Now what I remember most about this job and why I was so scared ******** is I worked with these waiters who were like I guess they would be 80 years old now. Loads of experience and they would help me out. But the thing was is they would always be asking me to pour them a shot or make them a drink.
Knowing the maitre'd had warned me about only serving drinks that were punched up and not to serve the waiters I refused at first. But as a service bartender I made no tips. It was an hourly wage that was all. So when the waiters , all European and with names like Paulo , Emilio , and Manuel , were flogging 1,2, and 5 dollar bills in front of my face if I poured them a drink I found it tempting.
They would say don't worry I will drink it fast and then they would put it right out in the open in full view so everyone could see. Then they would order a drink and tell me to drink it! What am I going to do I thought , then I would bend down and hide underneath the speed rail and gulp it back so I could get rid of it. Shots of Remy Martin , Rusty Nails , Stingers , Scotches of all kinds I would pass on for some extra dough.
They must have been roaring in laughter going back into the dining room relaying the news to the maitre'd. He never once came back to check. He knew what was going on. I think he knew I was so green that if he did walk in when all this was going on he would have burst out in laughter at my horrified expression. That was 1980 and that was what it was like in those days. A drinkfest everywhere you worked.
I was scared of the waiters , the Maitre'd , losing my job , thinking of getting my car back and what belongings I had left behind in Montreal all at the same time. The stupid long tedious Airport Bus that would take me back to my stepbrother's in Brampton.
What was about to happen next was a big break. Stay tuned for next Monday.
So far the jobs are :
Hilton - barboy 4 Saturdays
Willow Inn - 1 month
Holiday Inn - ?
My first shift on the schedule a couple of weeks later was a lunch. Now the supervisor said that I will be working the floor taking orders and it would be pretty fast and he would be there to give me a hand. Now I don't remember much of that first shift except for the fact that if anyone saw me work they would have thought I wouldn't last another day. Customers complaining where their food order had gone , table mix ups , people leaving upset , in other words a total disaster.
I don't know what I was thinking but I guess a lack of training might have been a contributing factor. I was literally thrown to the wolves that lunch and later on found myself working the slowest shifts behind the bar after that busy lunch. I guess the manager on duty decided to bring me along a bit slower. With no experience and the dismal showing I had on my first day the only reason they kept me on was because of the owner. But I was getting better or so I thought.
Little did I know that Scott was already planning to sell the Willows and as he mentioned upon saying good bye and good luck he was happy to give me a shot before he moved on. He moved on a month after I got started and to my disappointment not a couple of days later I was told by the new people they wouldn't be keeping me and that I was no longer needed there.
I guess in a way I wasn't surprised but I felt like I was coming along. So after a month's experience at a pub I had to go out and find another job.
Now my French was not good at all but I tried to get find some work in Montreal and the West Island where English is predominantly spoken but to no avail. Now I had to make a decision. Do I move back to where I lived just northwest of Toronto to continue this job hunt?
I did exactly that. However , my car was broken and I still had to give a couple of month's notice at my apartment. So what I had to do was pretty much put my stuff in a locker downstairs in the apartment and have my step-father help me out with fixing the car. It was a radiator problem and I was hoping with his mechanical expertise he would be able to save me a bit of money.
Leaving on a train to stay at my stepbrother's in a place called Brampton with a couple of suitcases I was anxious to find a spot cause my savings were shot.
I hit the airport strip where only a year or two before I was going to all the discotheques. Finally the Holiday Inn Roofgarden Restaurant was needing a Service Bartender for some lunches and some slower evening shifts. This would be good. It would hone my skills as a Bartender. I would just concentrate on serving waiters getting experience and practice making the drinks and developing some speed in the meantime.
I came in frequently to watch the other service bartender do his stuff and he showed me all the tricks. I was pretty scared really. This was a big step and I was working with 50 year olds and the maitre'd was a Mr. Pompodoulous or something like that. A Greek for sure he was.
Now what I remember most about this job and why I was so scared ******** is I worked with these waiters who were like I guess they would be 80 years old now. Loads of experience and they would help me out. But the thing was is they would always be asking me to pour them a shot or make them a drink.
Knowing the maitre'd had warned me about only serving drinks that were punched up and not to serve the waiters I refused at first. But as a service bartender I made no tips. It was an hourly wage that was all. So when the waiters , all European and with names like Paulo , Emilio , and Manuel , were flogging 1,2, and 5 dollar bills in front of my face if I poured them a drink I found it tempting.
They would say don't worry I will drink it fast and then they would put it right out in the open in full view so everyone could see. Then they would order a drink and tell me to drink it! What am I going to do I thought , then I would bend down and hide underneath the speed rail and gulp it back so I could get rid of it. Shots of Remy Martin , Rusty Nails , Stingers , Scotches of all kinds I would pass on for some extra dough.
They must have been roaring in laughter going back into the dining room relaying the news to the maitre'd. He never once came back to check. He knew what was going on. I think he knew I was so green that if he did walk in when all this was going on he would have burst out in laughter at my horrified expression. That was 1980 and that was what it was like in those days. A drinkfest everywhere you worked.
I was scared of the waiters , the Maitre'd , losing my job , thinking of getting my car back and what belongings I had left behind in Montreal all at the same time. The stupid long tedious Airport Bus that would take me back to my stepbrother's in Brampton.
What was about to happen next was a big break. Stay tuned for next Monday.
So far the jobs are :
Hilton - barboy 4 Saturdays
Willow Inn - 1 month
Holiday Inn - ?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
