Colorado Winefest Weekend - Also Soup Kitchen Duty

 

So the third weekend in September finds the Colorado Mountain Winefest
in full swing. And the weekend presents a great opportunity for money
making in putting on fine dining events. This year we had been planning
for quite some time, Five Courses on Friday night for 125 people, Nine
Courses for Saturday night with strolling strings for entertainment and
finally the 10 AM to 3 PM brunch for Sunday morning. Our third year at
it so we booked solid in three days. In spite of pricing at $104.00, $115
and $85 respectively we sold out in no time.



A problem arises when I realized it is also my weekend to cook at the
local soup kitchen, Catholic Outreach, in Grand Junction. I do not look
at volunteering as something that I do when it is convenient for me. So
when I took this weekend on, I took it on. Last time I had to miss while
at Chimney Park Bistro for the Chef2chef.net Scholarship Fund Raiser, I
had Al fill in for me. The volunteer coordinator appreciates that very
much. It does not dump the problem in her lap. This time Al is part of
the weekend brigade of loony chefs burning the food for all our dinners
for the weekend. What to do? The volunteer coordinator tells me she will
take care of it and do sandwiches. I explain to her that I will take
care of getting the meal out, somehow. Plan one, bring the stuff to my
kitchen and prepare it then send it over to the soup kitchen. Great Al
will help, Mike will help, and we will get it finished in no time.
Problem, ran out of time Wednesday, ran out of time Thursday, Ran out of
time Friday. SOOOOOOooooooooo what is a chef to do! What we always do
hammer it out!



I formulate a plan in the part of my head that still works at 2:30 AM
Saturday, if I am in the soup kitchen at 6 am, I know this time of the
year I am only feeding about 165 or so. I already know I have a load of
hamburger that was donated, a ton of onions coming off the fields and
about 8 cases of mushrooms came in to the stores. I also have corn lots
and lots of corn. And this time of the year fruit is everywhere. So menu
you building while dreaming the answer comes:



Quick to build

Must use Beef, corn, onions, mushrooms, and potato.

Has to be able to be finished without me onsite.



Ah a no brainer from my youth....... Sheppard's Pie!



That and a green and fruit salad should do nicely.



This kitchen contains a device I love to play with, but never have
actually used until early this year when I started volunteering down at
the soup kitchen.



A Tilt Skillet. 30 gallon jobber with electric lift. I have been making
friends with this equipment over time, fajitas, burritos, lasagna almost
anything can be made in quantity in this wonderful piece of equipment.



So ground meat in, browned and drained, onions added, mushrooms added,
seasoned. Ready to go, at the same time potatoes made, and corn heated.
Stack of four inch hotel pans sprayed with release. Shovel in the ground
beef, spread it, corn and other assorted veggies and spread, top with
mashers and spread, place them in the convection at 325 F. Calibrate
thermometer and teach volunteer how to temp the pies. Please pull at 155
F and place into the ovens under the range. I have them set to hold at
150 F. Ok I have to go cook another dinner, thanks for coming in all of
you and I will see you next month!



Out the door I head. Not bad and it is only 8:15 AM plenty of time to
spend getting the nine course together for this evening!



I just wanted to point out with this story that to many times I see
people who volunteer, but really mean "if I have the time I will try and
help out." I don't believe in that thinking, I think if you say you will
do it, short of death you should see it through. Whether that is making
sure you have cover when you can not make it, or setting the alarm early
after a 3 AM arrival home, you get the job done because you gave your
word you would. And the homeless or whomever you are helping out should
not be secondary, they are a priority just like any other customer!



Til will talk again make up a Sheppard's pie and have a classic meal. It
warms up for seconds a day later real well.



Chef Bob Ballantyne

The Cowboy and The Rose Catering

Grand Junction, Colorado