Opinions Are Like Assholes.....

When I first read Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential" I remember thinking to myself "wow this guy is awsome! A harsh, honest albeit angry look at what a cooks life is really like" When Bourdain's show "No Reservations" came on the air it was smart,edgy,and funny. What happened to that guy? With Bourdain's chain smoking snarky disposition we never had to guess what was on his mind....Now you can't really advocate a guy to KEEP smoking though you have to admit that was part of the mystique. And it seems to me that the further you get Bourdain away from the kitchen the less of a chef he seems to remain. He just seems like another tired washed up food critic. Thoughts? Anyone?

The Milton Creamery

Last week I overheard an instructor of mine talking about a place in Milton,Ia that made their own cheese out of locally acquired cows milk. This fit right along with the project that I'm working on for the place that I work , the Bridge View Center, in Ottumwa, Ia. That is to design a menu that utilizes locally, and sustainble foods. You might say "easier said than done" in an area like southeast Iowa that seems to suck off the teat of the Machine and is nurtured by the crap that passes for food nowadays. So I decided to do some investiagting. And lo and behold I found some very interesting things on this Mennonite family owned cheese making facility.
Having just announced that they were the 2009 recipitants of the Wisconsin Cheese Board's white cheddar category I thought this a good time to visit them and see what makes good cheese great.
Owned and operated by Rufus and Jane Musser, you couldn't ask for nicer and more down to earth folks. Walking in I was immedieatly greeted by Jane who with her traditional Mennonite dress and bonnet greeted me warmly and offered me samples of both their award winning cheeses (The Prairie Breeze) and also samples of the Prairie Rose. Soon Rufus came out and I knew immediately that I was going to like him. very personable and likeable fellow he quickly ushered me on a tour of the facility. Jane runs the gift shop and all front of the house operations, whereas Rufus is the "marketing guy" and probably considered the face of the business, while Gailen (Rufus and Jane's son one of 5 kids) is the Head Cheese Maker (pun intended) Though Rufus does jump in and make cheese when he's not on the road making deliveries,demos,and all around other marketing stuffs. Rufus's tour was not just enthusiastic it was all very educational. From a guy that started making cheese in his kitchen to a guy that essentially made a leap of faith into the very Big Boy Market of cheese making...You just cant help but think "wow this guy really did it" The proverbial American Dream come true. Not with out hard work,a good banker,and lots of faith mind you. As Gailen said to me quite fondly"Some days you wonder if you're crazy and other days you know you are" What with their thick Pennsylvania Dutch accents and their simpler ways of living not only do they put out a damn fine cheese but they are in a very real sense to me a very enviable type of people.

The Anti Sheeple Movement!!

That's right people!! Finally I have gotten around to creating a "virtual soap box" for my left winged politics and anti social rants!! Now while I'd like to maintain a culinary blog and communication portal for all you serious foodies and food service professionals out there I will from time time take shots at the people that have limited vision and want to "conserve" our culture!! Instead of people that want to "conserve" our culture I maintain that they just want to "strangle" our culture with their negative views towards food,society,religion,and well just about anything that will incite oooo dare I say it? Change.
There was a time not so long ago that I was one of the sheeple. That guy that pulled into the Mcdonald's drive thru and ordered a Big and Nasty with extra "cheese". After I came through culinary school my eyes were opened. It's not about differant foods. It's about differant mind sets. As my instructor and mentor Chef Gordon always says "you must change the way people think before you can change the way people eat". But how do you do that in a town like Ottumwa,Iowa? A town that has relied on the industrialization of corn and soybeans! If it wasn't for soda pop and food additives this community wouldn't exist on the scale it does. And pretty soon with the advent of internet,television,cellular phones etc it hasn't increased our awareness its actually decreased it by lulling people into a false sense of security and the herd mentality!! Maybe there is no hope but at this point I'm not prepared to give up. I have visited local goat cheese producers,Artisan meat producers, and a local cheese maker all of which I will be giving props too in up and coming blogs!! Join now!! The Revoloution has begun!!