Blue Oyster Cult - Agents of Fortune

Santana - Abraxas

Chicken Soup

Stuff you will need:

1. 1/2 of a medium sized white onion, diced
2. 1 can of cream of chicken
3. 1 can of cream of mushroom
4. 1 can of vegetable broth
5. 1 can of chicken broth
6. 2 large garlic cloves, diced
7. 3 medium sized carrots, chopped
8. 3 stalks of celery, chopped
9. 1/2 of a cup heavy whipping cream
10. 2 medium sized potatoes or 1/2 cauliflower head, chopped
11. 1 jalapeño, fire roasted and diced
12. 4 chicken thighs
13. 2 cups diced cabbage

• In a stock pot, place chicken at the bottom of the pot and cover with water. Water line must be one inch above chicken. Add about a tablespoon of salt, pepper, and black peppercorn. Simmer till chicken is cooked almost all of the way through. Pull chicken out and remove bones and cartilage, set aside. Save 2 cups of the water from the stock pot.
• Pour in the 2 cups of water and all of the cans in the pot. Most broth and cream of cans will tell you to add water per can. Follow those instructions as well.
• Add vegetables and simmer for at least 3 hours. About 15 minutes from being done, add the whipping cream and cabbage.
• Add extra salt and pepper to taste
• Enjoy!

Long time, no see

Season's greetings. Rather than get into some long winded explanation of why I haven't posted anything, let's just say working two full time jobs takes it toll on anyone. However, I come bearing good news: I'm starting to do pop-ups again! The next menu is soup (potato, black bean, and rosemary chicken with wild rice). The following link is the Facebook URL to the event, which is a public one. Copy, paste, invite some friends, and share away!

https://www.facebook.com/events/1209207685862995/

What the fuck is a pop-up?

     What is a pop-up? A fine question that I've had the pleasure of answering over the past few weeks. The mad chefs behind these nomadic food stands are just people interested in sharing their love for food whenever and where ever they can. Some of us do a fixed menu and some of us do rotating menus, both of which present their own challenges but I'm getting ahead of myself. The name itself has a somewhat silly application to that act in which chefs literally pop up at bars or parties with food for sell. Now, some of this is planned weeks and months ahead of time in which the bar or location of the event and the chef (and sometimes crew) have some sort of a deal worked out where both the bar and the food stand will see some profits come in. Some bars ask for a small percentage sales while most understand that if people eat food while drinking...they will drink more. Everyone wins!
     Fixed menu pop-ups are, simply put, a food stand with a consistent menu. Rotating menus are basically a menu that changes every single pop-up or some amount of time decided among those involved in operations. Both menus, as I said, present issues: With a fixed menu, there is always the fear that people might get used to what you do. Doing a pop-up in cities like Detroit, you have to know that there is competition and it's real. Keeping interest isn't easy, thus chefs/cooks are constantly improving their staple dish or menu. Rotating menus are difficult per planning the pop-up, logistics, and the legality of what you can and can't cook "on site" (at the bar). Believe it or not, there are some things you're not allowed to do, by law. So as to not incriminate anyone or anything, some people just want good food and quite often, they get it for cheap. Rotating menus are dangerous in the sense that whatever new items you offer, you have to do it well so as to get people excited about coming back next week or to the next pop-up.
     Ask anyone that does a pop-up. It's not easy, it can be both frustrating and a strain on finances. There are nights where you might go home with leftovers for the next two days and anger in your heart. There are those nights where some know-it-all comes in and critiques your work, even thought no one asked him to. You'll leave equipment at home or there will be issues with one place and you'll have to move the location of the pop-up on the fly. Things happen on this side of the folding table or bar. So why do it if these very real and very frightening things are possibilities? Simple. When you see someone take a bite of your food, they close their eyes and chew slowly before saying "holy fucking shit!" or when other, more established, chefs come through and give you props on this, that and the other. That's why we do this and will continue to do this in dives, backyards, or anywhere with a power source and running water.

Long time, no see...('King of The Road' hot sauce recipe)

     It's been a minute and, for that, I apologize. Let me fill you in on a few things that have been going on since I last published an article. First, I'm proud to announce that my pop-up, Five Bones, is off and running. The most recent event I did, $1 taco night, was a major success. Not sure if I had mentioned this ever but I actually work at a bar/venue and a BBQ joint, both of which are in Ferndale, Michigan  (The Loving Touch and Zeke's). Hopefully, I will get a couple of days to myself in the next week or so and will have something to put out there for your consumption!


     In the meantime, please enjoy this recipe for a great hot sauce...

King Of The Road (dedicated to Fu Manchu, one of my favorite bands)

Things you need:

• Mason Jar (10-16 ounce)
• 3 habanero peppers (chopped, seeds in)
• olive oil
• pan (to saute peppers and garlic)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 3 slices of onion (about as wide as your thumb nail)
• salt
• fresh cracked black peppercorn
• pinch of cinnamon
• mango
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• a decent sized pot
• stove
• blender
• wooden spoon to stir
• stove (of course)

1. In a skillet or pan, heat about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add peppers, onion, and garlic. Stir ingredients over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Cooking these ingredients adds a lot of flavor.
2. Cut open mango, remove pit. How much mango you add is up to you but, per the heat of the habanero peppers, I tend to add 3/4ths of the entire mango and eat the rest.
3. In a blender, add mango and the veggies you just had in the pan or skillet. While blending, add 2/3rds of a teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon on the black peppercorn, a pinch of cinnamon, and honey to the mixture. Blend for roughly 6 minutes total.
4. Pour mixture into mason jar and store in fridge. To really bring out the heat, let it sit for at least 12 hours. 

     *Goes well with pork or soyrizo tacos!

Reverend Bob's Smokehouse

There has been a surge in homemade sauces (hot and otherwise) in my circle of friends. While we are all a little competitive (mostly with otherselves and not one another), we're all interested in helping one another out by sharing tips and tricks. Most of us are learning by the seat of our pants while other have been at it for some time. In the realm of hot sauces, some people have a tendency to go for heat while others go for complex flavors. One dear friend of mine, Bob Baldwin, is onto something truly special. Bob has taken simple ingredients (some of which he grew) and made other worldly sauce that has 0 paralell…at least here in Michigan anyways but I'm willing to admit this stuff could rank amongst the best hot sauces from around North America. Bob was kind enough to take time out of creating pure gold sauce and harvesting hot pepper seeds to answer a few questions about what he's up to and what's next for Reverend Bob's Smokehouse. 

What made you get into making sauces?

I had a bunch of jalapeños in the fridge that we're going to go bad so I thought smoking them and blending them into a sauce so they didn't go to waste. It was close to holiday time so I figured I could give it as gifts to friends. Those friends liked it so much that I decided to sell a few jars at a holiday market at Corktown Tavern. It was a hit so I decided to give it a go as a small business.

How key is the smoker in making sauce?

The smoker just adds a lot of flavor and acts as a natural preservative. Who doesn't like smoked stuff? The smoker I am using belonged to my brother who passed away so I am calling the jalapeño sauce Eddies blend.

I really like the serrano sauce. Could you tell me a little bit about the process?

That blend was a prototype but it got good reviews on the first run that I will be making more soon. My buddy Doop really digs Serrano so I wanted to make this one for him. He was a big help when my dad was in hospice so this is a little thanks to him. I might call it outlaw blend. The process is pretty straight forward. Smoke chilies and carrots, run them through a food processor, add water, vinegar, celery seed, salt and orange juice.

Who is Skelly?

Skelly is my better half. My source of endless smiles and laughter. I got her when I lived in Milwaukee away from friends and family and she kept me entertained and sane. She is my companion so often that if I go out without her I get dirty looks for not bringing her with me.

What other flavors are on the horizon?

It will be a while before I get into another blend but I have some ideas involving roasted red pepper, tomato and lemon.