Maintaining momentum...

I am coasting a bit this week, and I feel a little uncomfortable about it. I should drag Brion down to East Bay Restaurant Supply and get my hood designed so I can stick it into the building/health department file. I feel like I am not doing anything useful today. I did go track down the full checklist for the Health Department submission and sent David his part of the list.

I could go start scouting equipment, but I feel like it's kind of a waste of time since I can't buy anything for a couple more weeks and the turn over is pretty high in the used supply places. I also don't want to pay for anything until I have a lease signed. So it is hard to justify applying for the business license, beer/wine license etc. It makes me feel like I might jinx things if I do anything before having an actual lease.

Stan is working on getting the lease fixed. I am tempted to just ask Hagen to do it for me, but I've already stepped on toes in the past with the Broker and Landlord, which delayed things quite a bit, so now I am paranoid about it.

The steps are (between now and the end of Feb):

Sign the Lease
Apply for Beer/Wine
Apply for Business License in Martinez
Get hood designed
Finish lighting plan
Finish gathering items on Health Department checklist
Make ingredient list for all cured salami (for HAACP plan)

From March 1 to opening day

Apply to Health Department for pemit/license
Buy equipment (especially the stuff that has to be built in)
Meet with Stein about menu tweaking
Meet with Dave about colors finishes
Get building permit
(insert flurry of activity involved with remodeling space, which is still somewhat nebulous as of now)
Organize product testing and plating critique
Make ordering list for food staples and other items needed to prep food for opening week

I know this list should be ten times longer...

I feel at loose ends... I will feel better if I set deadlines for everything. My back is still killing me. I pinched a nerve... I am totally hopped up on muscle relaxers! And I am sad I am not going to Pebble with the rest of the kids this week.

Last weekend I worked on some product. I made the goat sausages, hot smoked them and packed them in the whey. I did not really like the inital flavor as much as I woudl have liked, but the texture and consistency is good. The hot smoked pastrami came out great tho! I am also curing a fleshy white fish from Canada in coriander and juniper for hot smoking later in the week for this same client.

so for the Viking reinactment group I have finished:

Pickled Beets in horseradish
Pickled eggs
Pickled fennel
Pickled carrots
Fermented Cabbage
Fermented Fennel
Smoked goat sausages in whey
Salted dried pork shoulder
Dry cured sausages with Fennel and wine
Salted dried beef
Stock for the stew
Fried smelt in whey with dill
Fresh cheese

Still need to do:
Make the stew and freeze it
Hot smoke the fish

I think that is it?