Baggage

I understand we all have baggage, I have baggage too …but u have to learn to unpack…go through your bags…throw some things away.. salvage what you can (what you can learn) and buy new things. .in other words leave the past in the past and move on! You’ll be happier for it in the long run!….

Wordz

My challenge

Choices

We’ll I’m sitting here on he steps inside my job wondering how long will I be able to keep this up. I’ve been working virtually none stop for the past month and it’s starting to take it’s toll on me. I know every chef salivates over the thought of one day becoming an Executive Chef, it’s the ultimate culmination of your career along with owning your own concept but the first dream is being an Executive chef. Well this definitely isn’t my first time being an Executive Chef, I’ve even ran a chain of restaurants but I was younger then and I could work the 60+ hours a week. I was single and if I wasn’t the person I was dating was very understanding, especially since I made enough that he didn’t have to work lol. But, looking at the scope if work that I face weekly it has become almost insurmountable. It probably wouldn’t be as hard if I had a team of we’ll qualified cooks, prep cooks and dishwashers but I definitely don’t. I call myself giving back by hiring people that I knew from former jobs and giving them an opportunity to earn more money in a smaller concept. But I was very wrong because they knew me their work ethic was dismissed and they felt as if they could do whatever. I went against my normal hiring practices which is to hire Hispanics and yeah I know it seems racist but I have always had great experienced with them. They are a very hardworking group of people and they complain very little. They actually love the work they do and their not simply there to garner a check. (Which I abhor). Creating great rood requires a passion that a lot of people don’t have. It also requires you to be able to adhere to the menu that has already been created without reproach. Nevertheless, when I hired my own kind they seemed to want to do it their way or change what I have worked diligently to create. I have always been the kind of chef who welcomes creativity and…yes creativity does have it place. But when there is a prescribed menu it should be done the same way every time. This creates menu integrity. I want my customers to have the same experience each time that they come to an establishment where I am the head chef.
I digress working with some cooks disheartens you, when you feel like you have to be in the building to ensure quality, it’s not worth it. Well I decided to get rid of them.

Keep in mind I have always been of the mindset that when I realize I don’t need you I tell you immediately whether or not I have a replacement in mind because I feel it’s fair to you and better for me, especially if quality of your work product is the chief concern

We’ll in doing so I kinda shot myself in the foot, having to work even longer hours until I get the new staff trained. The only great thing about this is that I live in New York so I have an almost limitless pool of cooks, dishwashers and prep cooks to choose from.

So I know the storms will pass soon..it’s just riding through that has gotten me disheartened. I am not a quitter and I have only ever been fired from a job twice in my life and one of then was here in Ny. Each time I knew it was coming and I knew exactly why. Although, I am not the most devout Christian I have and do read the bible and I am quite familiar with his promises. I got this job after my previous employer absconded with the payroll and left all of his employees broke and jobless..I was distraught and I really didn’t know what to do. I hadn’t even poked for a job yet I was still depressed. Then out of the blue I receive a phone call about a soups chef position, and I knew it was God, and low and behold I interviewed NAND was offered the head chefs position. All I could think of was what God has said in Romans 8:28 and I’m paraphrasing

What God has for you is for you!

…and all I could do was shout. And when we talked money I just threw out number not really knowing what head chefs make in Ny and she didn’t even blink…

So I guess you’re wondering why I told you this story, well sometimes life throws you a curve ball and it curves so far to the left of right that you have difficulty trying to keep your eye so it so you can catch it… Bbt I’m here to tell you know matter what tried to impede your vision don’t take your eyes off the ball… Because through adversity you garner strength and through strength mixed with a lil faith(that of a mustard seed) you can overcome any obstacle because he said he will never out more on you than you can bare. So stand fast my brethren and keep you eyes on the ball and when you catch it you hold on to it…because that’s your Victory. Take care of yourselves and all of your blessings. and as always keep remembering to Laugh everyday so hard that your side hurt, Learn as much as you can from every source you can. Love so hard that your loose yourself in it. Live everyday as if it’s your last, and lastly water your feet so that you Grow….

Bourbon Peach Cobbler

So you guys know how I love to cook with bourbon .. So here is a lil collaboration I’m sure you fellow bourbon lovers will appreciate…

Have a great Sunday!

Bourbon Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

8 peaches, peeled and sliced (6 to 8 cups)

1/4 cup bourbon

3/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 sticks cold unsalted butter

3/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing

1 quart vanilla-bean ice cream, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the peaches, bourbon, 1/4 cup sugar, the cornstarch and cinnamon in a large bowl and toss to coat.

Sift the flour, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, the baking powder and salt into a bowl. Cut 1 1/2 sticks of the butter into small pieces; add to the flour mixture and cut it in with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Pour in the cream and mix just until the dough comes together. Don’t overwork; the dough should be slightly sticky but manageable.

Melt the remaining 1/2 stick butter in a10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add the peach mixture and cook gently until heated through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart baking dish (or leave in the skillet). Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls over the warm peaches. (There can be gaps because the dough will puff up and spread as it bakes.) Brush the top with some heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar and a little extra cinnamon.

Bake in the oven on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) until the cobbler is browned and the fruit is bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with the ice cream.

Life lessons

So it has become increasing apparent that I don’t really make good choices when it comes to the people I fall for. I really don’t know what it is but what I do know is that I have a type…and maybe that type is what brings about my downfall..In love that is…

(Background)
I met this guy let’s call him stagey, about a year ago when, I was recovering from yet another break up. So in my infinite wisdom (lol) I decided to get onto a web dating app and find someone to take my mind off of my current situation. So as I’m cruising the site (in my Phaedra Parks voice) I find this really attractive, young, seemingly masculine dude. So after looking at his profile more than once and studying his pictures (in the age of catfishing you can never be to thorough) I decided to finally hit him up. So after a couple of days of back and forth banter we decided to meet or shall I say hook-up, because honestly all I really wanted was a night of meaningless sex with someone I didn’t really care about nor did I have to worry about their feelings. So on the day that we decided to meet I traveled all the way to Manhattan, to the Staten Island ferry to meet him ( he had no clue about how to get to bk, where I lived). Once I saw him in person I was taken aback his pictures did him no justice he was the proverbial Adonis or Atleast I thought so…and we’ll I thought to myself here we go again. So as we made small talk he suggested we go for a walk along the pier and just talk, which if thought was very sweet , romantic even..and as we walked I could feel him pulling me in closer and closer to him.

“I was trying to fight the urge to slip and fall but to no avail he had sucker punched me while I was down and we’ll I was totally enamored by him. “

He just had this innocence and sweetness about him that made me want to learn more.. So I did ..we ended up going back to my place and of course to my credit we did have the hot sex I was wanting, but when it was over and we laid in each other’s arms. He was holding me so tightly that you couldn’t even tell where he ended and I began…I found myself floating.(and yeah I know this is cray cray)

“I couldn’t believe it maybe…just maybe my New York luck had been broken, because I had been here for four year but had never dated a native of ny, if you were gonna be mines you definitely had to be from the south.”

So as I fell asleep in his arms and he in mines I drifted off into the happily ever after dream I was so fond of..the place where I went a lot in my dreams only because I couldn’t ever be there for long in real life… I awoke to him gently kissing me on my forehead telling me to wake up, it was time for me to go to work and he had to go home. So I pulled myself together to jump in the shower, and as I walked to the bathroom (which was literally across the hall)
he was right behind me and jumped in with me..it was so unexpected that I was speechless for the entire time, meanwhile he bathed me and his self gently kissing me and caressing me…I just didn’t know what to think, I had no idea that this man or anyone for that matter could make me feel so special. It was an amazing feeling…so as we got dressed and left for the train, luckily we were both headed the same way but when I got off at my stop I felt a small sadness…and I’m sure he noticed it but never said a word…

We had been kicking it everyday, and it was really starting to feel like I had found me someone to love…the feeling was amazing…simply amazing and then the other shoe dropped… Instead of seeing each other everyday it was turning into every other day and then every week and then finally to not at all.. I was lost didn’t really understand why he had left me heartbroken.

Now to his credit I must admit that he was DL and that his family didn’t know about him and they had started asking questions about where he was all the time and who he was with and why he was always in Brooklyn…his mother assumed he had gotten back with his ex girlfriend (really like frfr..I could tell he was gay, and I’m sure his mom could she was in major denial..and so was he)

I should’ve known not to take this seriously because I already knew what it meant to date a DL guy it’s like you live your whole entire life based on secrecy. But nevertheless, I took a chance and well I had fallen so I still believe it was worth it….

So it’s now been almost a year and guess who finds me on fb and hits me up…? HIM….., I just couldn’t believe it , I didn’t really even know how to feel..even just the thought of him made my body tingle and my heart flutter…what do I do..do I ignore him, do I reply..idk..I just don’t know…omg…..

We’ll I’m sure you guessed that I did answer him ..lol and we started back talking and I didn’t even ask why he had disappeared and to be honest I didn’t care..I missed the way he made me feel, and I was glad he returned so again I set my self up for a fall.

Guess by now you’re wondering why I told you this story. We’ll for one I want to remember how good he made me feel..especially on those lonely nights when there is no one to hold me…but I also was a say..

We can’t always predict who is going to be good for us, but what we can do is no matter who it is or where it leads you…enjoy the ride, learn what you need to learn.. Be it from him/her or from yourself about what your willing to accept..or maybe just that every now and then..you just need to let go, embrace life and just have fun… Everything in life doesn’t necessarily have to have a purpose and every relationship isn’t gonna end in your Happily Ever After, but what you will know (again in my n my Phaedra Parks voice,)
is that life is what you make it so get out there and have some fun…

“Live everyday likes it’s your last, Laugh so hard your sides ache, Love so hard that you forget what it feel like to be hurt and Learn as much as you can about yourself and your world as you can!”

Take care of yourselves…and all of your blessings….

Cajun Beer & Ginger Ale battered Shrimp Po’ Boy with Mango Salsa

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Decided to to Spring up my menu today by adding a po’boy sandwich. It’s been a long tiresome and brutal winter here in New York, so I’m forcing my menu into Spring hopefully the weather will follow my lead.

Everyone likes a seafood sandwich especially one that gives you the crispy crunch of fried foods with a light aioli and a spring helping of fruit and veggies. Pretty much all you need to change your mood from winter to spring.

When I was a young boy I would love how the food changed from thick hearty soups and sandwiches to light breezy foods because it was just to hot to sit down and and gorge on steak and potatoes. This refreshing take on the New Orleans po’boy sandwich is a great start. Hopefully you’ll enjoy making this for your friends and/or family since it’s pretty easy to prepare and hey anything that gets you in and out of that hot kitchen quickly while still satisfying your appetite is A ok with me. Enjoy the recipe..

1lb shrimp peeled and deveined (can be fresh or frozen)
1/2c Tequila
5T Old Bay
s&P to taste

3 large eggs
1/2 whole lemon
1T mustard
3T old bay seasoning
6 cloves of confeit garlic
1/2c white distilled vinegar
2c canola oil

4 large tomatoes
1large mango
1 medium yellow onion
1/4c honey
1t cinnamon
1/2 bunch of cilantro
3T hot sauce

3c shredded lettuce

4c all purpose flour
1T garlic powder
3T sugar
1/4 c hot pickle juice
3T hot sauce
1 16 oz beer
1 16 oz ginger ale

Marinate the shrimp in the tequila, old bay and S&P place in refrigerator for until you finish preparing the other parts to your dish.

In a blender place eggs, mustard, garlic, vinegar, old bay and squeeze the lemon half blend on high adding the canola oil slowly until emulsified… Refrigerate

Small dice the onions, mango and core and small dice the tomatoes. Ruff chop the cilantro . In a bowl mix all the chopped ingredients with honey, hot sauce and cinnamon. Refrigerate

In a bowl place 2c of flour, garlic powder, sugar, pickle juice and hot sauce add 16oz of beer and ginger ale whisk until fully incorporated..should be very loose.

In another bowl place the remaining cups of flour 1t of salt and pepper .

Dredge the shrimp in the flour then the beer and ginger batter then the flour again and drop in my fryer or pan of oil enough so that the shrimp will float and cook evenly.. Once done place on a paper towel and salt .

Assemble sandwiches on a hoagie or amoroso roll. Enjoy

Hopefully you’ll enjoy my take on this classic New Orleans Po’boy sandwich. Once you’ve made it leave a comment on how it turned out and stay tuned for more recipes…until next time take care of yourselves and all of your blessings…and remember great food + great friends and family = a great time!

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Chef Kevyn Button, resides in Queens , Ny
Kevyn76@outlook.com