Management 101

Sometimes, certain things happen throughout the normal course of your life that, when viewed as a single event, seem to be not particularly important. However, after reflection that can only be gained after the fact, can you have the insight that each of the small nuggets of happenings we call life actually form a much bigger picture. The last few months have been a perfect example of this for me.

Recently, I have been experiencing the polar ends of every situation I have encountered. One moment, I am full of big picture thoughts of success and harmony only to be smacked with the crushing scepter of self doubt and discord. As anyone who has children can attest, it is absolutely possible to experience profound moments of each of these feelings in a shockingly short period of time.

Assuming your professional personality is merely an extension of your personal being and assuming you give a shit about your staff, it is quite normal to experience these same disparate feelings in the workplace.   Managing staff is hard.  Managing staff is dirty work.  The art of managing a crew to both produce the results you need AND have them not revolt on you requires a perfect balance of finesse, brute force and political tact that many strive to accomplish but few actually do.

The last few weeks have been a test in all things management both professionally and personally.  While we have experienced many successes, these wins have not come without a price.  High production, long hours, new personalities and a few personal problems all mix to create situations that, with hindsight, you wish you handled better. 

I have always worked under the mantra that you can learn as much from studying your challenges as you learn from mimicing successes.  When I was younger, my focus was almost exclusively on the final product.  Now, with age, I am equally interested in the process.  I believe this is how you build relationships for the long term.

Marginal management decisions are hard to come back from...opinions are made and feelings are hurt.  I learned a lot this last few weeks.  I genuinely enjoyed the spoils of winning but also experienced the displeasure a marginal decision can lead to.  There is more to the end result.  Sometimes the process IS the end result.

I know you cant win 'em all but I can sure try. 

Culinary Foundations: Hand Made Butter

As I am getting settled into my new home and life, hopefully, is slowing down a bit, I got the urge to do some actual cooking in my new kitchen.  Usually when I cook at home, my 6 year old sous chef is my only companion.  At 6 she usually spends her time chopping, pouring, mixing, stirring and telling me what to do.

While dinner was cooking my wife and oldest daughter started talking about butter.  I have only made butter a few times before, including once in a mason jar. My oldest, having recently started taking interest in amateur photography, proposed I make some butter and she would document the process in photo.  That being said, I should give partial authorship, and total photo credit, to my daughter Cameron.



My Daughter, Cameron


Homemade butter really only has two ingredients.  Cream and Salt.  For our impromptu little project I used one quart of heavy whipping cream and a few pinches of kosher salt.  In case you didn't know, any butter made from pasteurized cream is call sweet cream butter.  Sweet Cream Butter (salted or not) is the predominant type of butter used in the Unites States.  Actually, there is a wide range of butter or butter products available commercially nowadays.  Generally, and without getting too technical, you can purchase cultured (European style) or Sweet Cream Butter.  Sweet cream butter is labeled as such not because it is sweetened with sugar but because, compared to the very mildly fermented taste of cultured butter, it is relatively sweet tasting.  Of course, with any discussion about food, there are endless variants and production methods which make up the wide variety butter products available at the grocery store.

Basic sweet cream butter is fairly simple and straightforward to make.  All you really need is a whisk and a bowl but you will see by the pictures I started with a stick whisk but then quickly realized that I needed the power of the stand mixer to get the job done.  I also used some cheesecloth to help wash the butter and to shape it.

Depending on factors such as butterfat content, types of and proportion of butterfat and other variables, you should expect to yield about 50% butter and 50% buttermilk (an awesome byproduct of butter making but nothing like the cultured buttermilk you are used to buying) when you are finished. 



Tools for the job;  Heavy cream, bowl, whisk, cheesecloth...and salt.



Some butter recipes call for a chilled bowl and room temperature
cream or a room temp bowl and chilled cream.
It doesn't really matter.  Bowl meet cream.

Start by whisking the cream slowly so as not to make a mess.

Very quickly air will be mixed with the cream and will begin to
increase dramatically in volume.

A great deal of whisking is needed.

more whisking...

At this point the cream is taking on stiff peaks.  Just like whipped cream
only we will keep whisking until the buttermilk and butterfat separate.

keep whisking.  This phase will feel like it is taking longer
than it should.



I placed the whipped cream into a stand mixer, turned it on high
and after a few minutes you can see that the whipped cream is
starting to break.  At this point, it begins to look a bit
 like curdled milk.

Close up view of the butterfat granules beginning to pull out
of the buttermilk.

...another...

Here you will see that the butter is starting to pull completely
into the whisk.  Once most of the butter as collected into the
whisk you will be ready for the next step.

Close up of the butter completely separated from the cream. 
You can see the buttermilk coming off the butter as the whisk is
pulled from the bowl.



Pull the butter from the whisk and gently separate the butter in
a shallow dish.  Sprinkle the butter with a little kosher salt.

Prepare a large piece of cheesecloth, 3 or 4 layers thick.
Place the butter into the cheesecloth and wrap it around the butter.

If your tap water is relatively cold, rinse the cheesecloth wrapped
butter under running water.  You want to rinse and squeeze as much
as the buttermilk out of the butter as possible.  The more buttermilk
removed, the longer the butter will last without going rancid.

 

Rinsed butter.  At this point, the butter is technically finished.

I take another piece of cheesecloth, doubled up, to help form
the butter into a log. 

After the general size of the log is formed, tie off one end of
the cheesecloth with butcher's twine.

With one end tied, twist the butter tight against the knot
so that you have a tight, compact log.

Completed butter log!  I like to age the butter in the fridge
for a couple days before use. 

Now that you have seen, in pictures, how to make butter at home, give it a shot.



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Late Summer Salmon

Grilled Wild Salmon with Fresh Aparagus, Caramelized Shallots and Cherry Tomato-Chive Relish.

That is all.

Reflections on the Past Year...Not Culinary Related

As we enter this last week of 2012, I find myself reflecting on the ending year and planning out the next.  Looking back on the year makes me realize just how important my family is.  Death, divorce, health scares, health triumphs, funny episodes, scary times, difficult decisions and failed plans have all swirled together 'perfect storm' style to force me to slow down and reflect on what is really important.  My family, from my children to my ancestors' past, is the absolute most important part of my life.  2012 has made me appreciate trivial tasks such as the quiet time a short car ride with my wife provides, the wonder my youngest experiences when making cheese-pie (cheesecake), the unique conversations (and subsequent twists) I have with my son, and the realization that helping my oldest rehab yet another knee surgery may be the last time she presents herself as actually needing my help.  Through the lens of 2012, these everyday life happenings have given me new perspective and wisdom. 

While not always perfect, I try to keep every event in proper perspective.  Is there something I can do to effect change?  Will this help me see what is most important?  Does this make me happy or does it cause me stress?  Does your problem really have anything to do with me?...These are all questions I try to force myself to answer whenever life is starting to get difficult...Does it lead me down the right path?  Not always.  More often than not though, I like to feel my path is headed straight.

I have been a big fan of the TED talks and find myself returning many times to this particular presentation by Ric Elias on the things he learned when his plane crashed.  I hope it you find it as thought provoking as I.

I have no idea what 2013 will bring to me or my family.  I do know that whatever life throws our way, we will emerge stronger and more resolute than ever.  People will change...most for the better...new experiences will present themselves...and thats OK.  I look forward to the journey. 

Happy Holidays

Just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.  If you celebrate a different holiday, I hope it was joy filled and everything you had imagined.


If you are looking for a quick holiday recipe for a last minute party, try making Eggnog.  The folks over at ExpertVillage on Youtube posted this video:

Also, while you are at it, make a couple last minute gifts in your spare time:

Celebrity Farming

One of my morning routines is I troll the interwebs for interesting food and culinary articles.  This morning, I came across an interesting blog post on Huffington Post about the rising popularity of farming within the American food scene.  For reasons yet to be disclosed, I am very interested in this subject.

I urge you to read the post.

The Era of the Celebrity Farmer  by Catherine Gustafson

I'm Back!

It certainly has been quite a long time since I have posted.  While the reasons are many and I will perhaps write a bit about my absence in future posts, I want to get right back to posting. 

A little while back, we catered a wonderful dinner for the Hoogland Center for the Arts.  It was their annual fundraising gala.  Here are a couple pictures from the meal.



Shaved Parma Ham with Watercress-Fennel Salad, Smoked Tomato Coulis, Roasted Garlic and Olives

 

 

 

 

Vanilla Bean Custard with Fresh Berries and Rioja Syrup.  Served in a Caramel Basket

That is all for now.  I am making it a priority to post with greater regularity.