Larissa and Chef

A couple weeks ago I was approached by a customer who had informed me that they were an integral part in supporting an exchange student that was taking some culinary classes in Dodgeville (the little town next to ours) and asked if Larissa could "trail" me as a job shadow for something that she was doing for school...I was all over it, I thought that it would be a lot of fun...

Larissa and the sponsors had come for lunch one day and I met her for the first time and told her she oughta be ready, because my world is an unpredictable one...she showed up on Wednesday, October 8th and we had a blast....

It was kind of humbling for me because with Larissa I was trying some things that I have not tried before (like making Italian Flat Bread), and I screwed up a couple, just not getting the product that I had imagined in my head, so with my little "job shadow" I made some mistakes and we figured it out in the long run, which was a lot of fun...I guess from my perspective it was pretty awesome because I don't know everything...I might have an idea that I would like to have materialize, but I don't know everything and sometimes it is just a shot in the dark with the things that I would like to accomplish...she was a victim of this...and I loved it...

This is who I am and this is what I do...

Although I would love to think that I am the great chef that I am, it is all hit and miss when it comes to experimenting with stuff, especially when it comes to baking...

The Italian Flat Bread turned out awesome, it was just about discovering the technique that was going to express the product that I had in mind...

The mind is a terrible thing to waste...

So although Larissa was just with me for three hours we had made a batch of Italian Flat Bread, I showed her my Cheesecake recipe and she made a ton of my pizza doughs...

She really rocked on the pizza...was pretty impressed with her....

In knowing that she was from Brazil, me in my ignorant internationalism, I spoke to her in Spanish only realizing that her English was broken and she spoke Portugese...boy did I feel like an idiot thinking that she understood my Spanish....that must have gone on for like an hour before I realized that she spoke Portugese...what a dummy I felt like....

Anyway...for being a 16 year old young lady I was very pleased with how quick she picked stuff up and the product that she eventually produced....fast learners and good teachers?????? Nah, maybe just a fast learner.....

Thanks Larissa, you Rock...

Hugz,

Chef

Dave Pounds a 24 Ounce Ribeye....

One of the latest Cheffy Fan's wanted Chef to cook him a monster of a steak like the one that Geno and Little Mitch ate...I didn't have any of the 34 ouncers left but he was happy that I would cut him as big of a ribeye that he wanted so David settled for a 26 ounce Ribeye and thus making him the next contestant on Cheffy's Wall of Shame...

What a fat boy that little ribeye became...

Ha ha...moments like this that I really love my job....

Just a lot of pics, got some catching up to do....

Cornish Festival and more pics

We were involved in the Cornish Festival this year with me doing Mineral Point's "Taste of Point" which was a tremendous success...

Taste of Point

Tennessee Pulled Pork Sandwiches on House Made Rolls

Miniature Pasties with a Tarragon-Roasted Garlic Crust

British Rollmops-(pickled herring scented cream cheese with roasted garlic wrapped in Phyllo)

Spotted Dick-A traditional Cornish Dessert, served with Madagascar Vanilla Custard

Unfortunately I did not get any pics from me and Joe hanging out in Library Park for the Taste of Point but here are some pics of some of the food that we did for the Festival Weekend plus a couple of our staples off our menu...

The Wild and Wacky World of Chef Mike

Pleasing the World One Palate at a Time...

Come hungry...Leave Happy

Grilling up a Rosti for Our Tenderloin Dish

The Inevitable Pasty with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce

Sauteed Chicken Breast in a White Wine-Lemon and Garlic Sauce with assorted garden vegetables accompanied by Saffron Rice

Pan Fried European Lake Perch with a Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce

Seared Airline Chicken Breast topped with Roasted Red Pepper, Garlic, Artichokes and Kalamatta Olives with Roasted Butternut Squash and Saffron Rice

Crispy Catfish with Caper Remoulade, assorted garden veggies over Pesto Mashed Potatoes

Beef Tenderloin Rosti topped with a Madiera-Wild Mushroom Demi-Glace accompanied by a Roasted Butternut Squash

Chicken Parmesan with Sketti and Marinara

Will have some more pics in the days to come including the second guy to polish off one of Chef's 32 plus ounce Top Sirloins...

Hugz,

The Wild and Wacky World of Me

I Can't Believe I Ate the Whole Thing!!!

My Buddy Geno took it as dare from Chef about eating a 34 oz Top Sirloin

Needless to say...the guy was quite full!!!!

Ha ha

Way to Go Geno....

This is why I love this town.....

Man!!! Do I freaking love this town and my job!!!!

The Beef doesn't get much Fresher

Eat Local Baby!!!!

The Milk Doesn't Get Any Creamier!!!

My Sous Chef's Expression Can't Get Any more Classic....

I love Shopping in Southwestern Wisconsin!!!!

Eat Local!!!!

Eat Local Challenge

This weekend we are joining forces with Local Fare and Rink DaVee from Shooting Star Farms and offering a five course Prix Fixe menu based on Local Foods for the "Eat Local Challenge"

Here is the hype...


The Eat Local Challenge

The Walker House with the support of our local farms (especially Rink, Jenny and Charlie of Shooting Star Farms) will host a special menu from Thursday, September 11th through
Sunday, September 14th to join forces with Local Fare to help promote local farms
and the "Eat Local" philosophy.

The "Eat Local Challenge" is to challenge communities throughout SW Wisconsin to spend 10% of their food budget in purchasing local food and supporting local fare.

Local Fare has joined with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and other organizations to promote awareness of the benefits and delights to be found in consuming local food.

Chef Michael Hayes has created and designed a Prix Fixe Five Course dinner utilizing six local area farms which runs through Sunday, September 14th, 2008

Support your local farms, community and businesses!!!

And the menu is....


First

Smoked Cheddar Fondue with Walker Bread

Hook’s Medium Cheddar
Maple Leaf Smoked Cheddar
Pecatonica Farms Greenbush Italian Sausage
Blue Marble Milk

Second

Chicken Wings

Tossed in a honey-smoked jalapeno butter sauce or
Sweet Honey-Licker Sauce

Chicken Wings-Jordandal Farms
Klein’s Bee Farm Honey

Third

Mesclun Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes

All of our produce used this evening comes
from Shooting Star Farms

Entree

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apple Chutney
Pesto Cheddar Potatoes
Roasted Beet and Eggplant Saute
Balsamic Tomatoes

Pecatonica Farms Pork Tenderloin
Shooting Star Farms Basil, Beets, Eggplant and Tomatoes
Hook’s Cheddar
Blue Marble Milk

Finale

Raspberry Sorbet on a bed of Crème Anglais

Bure’s Berry Patch Raspberries

Thanks to the following people responsible for growing and loving the foods that Chef was able to prepare for his friends this weekend…

Cuz their soil ain’t dirt!!!

Rink, Jenny and Charlie of Shooting Star Farms
The Carr Family of Pecatonica Farms
Eric and Carrie Johnson of Jordandal Farms
The Hook Family of Hook’s Cheese
Cathy of Bures Berry Patch
Toad Klein of Klein’s Bee Farm
Blue Marble Dairy Farm
And of course, Our Mother Earth