Tag: recipes

The Art of ‘WichCraft, Pt 5: Delivering The Goods

“I thought I had an appetite for destruction, but all I wanted was a club sandwich” – Homer

I admitted in a previous part that I was neither much of a fan of bread or grilled cheese, the all-American sandwich. Here is another dirty little secret for you; I didn’t even like mustard at the time I tasted my first midnight snack, but it worked and I loved it. That might have been what planted the seed of ingredients and flavor profiles that would influence my craft to come. So what is it about a well-constructed sandwich that makes a mustard hater enjoy mustard?

Is it the combination of flavors, the type of meat in the middle, the bread, the fried egg? Is all the above true?

So, then, what makes a perfect sandwich? The first criteria is that the finished product must be greater than the sum of its parts. In other words, everything in the middle must have a role and add to, not dominate or diminish. That said, there is no middle without the bread. How important is bread? Well, it’s the first point of contact so its responsibility is raised high above the bar. It must deliver the goods, contain the goods, protect the goods… You get the idea; the bread is the vehicle that delivers the package, yet doesn’t leave it at the door step and drive away. No, the bread remains for the entire journey, so it better be good.

There is nothing worse than a package that doesn’t deliver, whether it’s too tough to open, smashed in transit, or crumbled on take off, ruining the meal before it is started. I have had far too many of these and much too many that actually have the taste and texture of an actual cardboard package. I simply can’t even count how many awful meals I’ve had all due to bad bread. Be it stale, be it frail, if the bread can’t perform whatever lies between is irrelevant; the meal is done.

The art of ‘WichCraft is so simple yet so complex. It requires vision, creativity, design, architecture, and cohesion. But most of all it requires some thoughtfulness and a little common sense. Why? Because no matter how well thought out, how well planned, how well constructed, if the vessel doesn’t work, it all breaks down. 

We have all had that breakdown on the side of a plate, right? It’s awful, isn’t it?

It makes you ask, how does this happen? What kind of an idiot can’t make a fucking sandwich? Well, all kinds of idiots I guess because I have had far too many crappy sandwiches. Common sense; don’t use stale bread, don’t use frail bread. Don’t use too much and don’t use too little. Don’t use bread that can’t make the delivery! Is there anything worse than a sandwich that completely falls apart an inch before the first bite? How about a sandwich with bread so hard it cuts the roof of your mouth like too much Captain Crunch? It’s really not that hard, just use good, fresh bread.

To that point, dare I say bread is the most important component of a sandwich?

I do not dare say anything at this point in our little journey for I have only just begun to slice into it. I will say, however, everything has a role in crafting the perfect sandwich. All components have a reason and must play well with others and do their part. 

So then,  what is the star of a sandwich? Does bread hold the lead or just a supporting role?

Let’s look in the middle before I answer that.

Talk Soon,
Kevin
@coldfire_kev
@coldfire.coffee
@coldfire_hotsauce
kevin@coldfirecoffee.com

The Art of ‘WichCraft, Pt.3: Family Traditions

I grew up with a pretty close family that spent holidays and special occasions together. The meal and the food served was always very central to any occasion.

“I once went to a restaurant and ordered a chicken salad sandwich and an egg salad sandwich to see which would come first.” – Fuad Alakbarov, Exodus 

Let me return to a more current history, and of course,  sandwiches. If you recall from part 1, three of my most vivid memories from childhood involve food. I do have more than three vivid memories from childhood, and not all involve food, but many do.

Why is that? Is it because of the multiple senses involved that strengthen the memory? Is it the emotions attached to the events occurring when consuming the food? Is it the people that are there when the food is consumed, adding to the intensity of the shared experience? Or perhaps it is that I am just that obsessed with food?  If it is the latter, I would ask how I acquired this obsession? When did I acquire it? Maybe it is simply a combination of it all. Whatever the case, cause, and origin, I have a deep love for food, and those that I share it with make it even better.

So, let me take you back a bit in time. I grew up with a pretty close family that spent holidays and special occasions together. The meal and the food served was always very central to any occasion. From the Easter ham to the Thanksgiving family stuffing, to the Christmas Eve Seafood to the Corned Beef & Cabbage on St Patrick’s Day. For the most part, these meals were the same every year. They were traditional. Some of the traditions  started before my time and were passed through the generations. Others were started by my generation. To this day we still have the meal on many holidays and our kids now share the love, and obsession, of the holiday menu. The meals that changed annually were typically Easter & Christmas Day, which in itself became a tradition.

Let me not forget about the birthday dinners. As a child it was always about “what do you want for your birthday”, “what do you want to do?” That evolved into “what do you want for your birthday dinner”? The birthday celebrant was given the privilege to choose the menu to be cooked for them on the Sunday Dinner closest to their birthday. 

Sunday dinners, another long-standing tradition, provide enough memories to fill a hefty book. The food, the family, and the friends – what fond memories.

Many of the friends and family are no longer with us but the memories remain, as fond as ever. My great Uncle John, who would join us Sundays after Tata Ann passed away. My Uncle Dave with his eyebrows, cigars, financial advice, and Roquefort Steak. Uncle Gary with his jokes, infectious laughter, and shenanigans. Grandma and Grandpa Janich with his stories and her artichoke dip.  The list goes on as my parent’s home was an open, safe place for all to join. Anyone could enter and join us as there was always an open seat with the guarantee of a warm meal and a hot cup of coffee, and maybe a little something sweet.

I simply can’t express the love, the gratitude, the flavors, the aromas, the tradition, and the history that the meals and those people created for me.

This has to be the reason I love food and love to create it and share it with others even more. Our home has become the host, the place where most celebrations take place, Sunday dinners continue, where there is always an open, and most importantly, where the traditions continue to live and grow.

What does this have to do with sandwiches? I am afraid I have rambled on for too long so I’ll have to explain next time. 

Talk Soon,
Kevin
@coldfire_kev
@coldfire.coffee
@coldfire_hotsauce
kevin@coldfirecoffee.com

The Art of ‘WichCraft, Pt.2: From Wence Came The ‘Wich?

Just think of all the things you can do without letting hunger stop you. You can hike, you can fish, you can even gamble if you wish.

“Sandwiches are wonderful. You don’t need a spoon or a plate” -Paul Lynde 

Before I get too deep or find myself, sandwiched between my thoughts from which I cannot escape, I would like to give thanks where thanks are due.

To whom do I thank for such a practical and delicious creation? There is often a debate on who invented the sandwich, but the consensus gives credit to the 4th Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu in 1762. Well then, John, your nobleness, thank you for your contribution to the culinary world.

I am quite sure that many civilisations prior to the time of our noble earl of Sandwich used a breadlike vehicle or two to eat their food but our friend John Montagu gets the credit.

The story has it that our nobleman was quite the profligate and gambler; I like him already. This story excites me more than an ancient tribe in loin cloth consuming the spoils of their hunt between two starchy, carby ancient grainy type things. So, it is said that our gambler was on a twenty four hour run at the table and became hungry. Understandable, that’s a long time to do anything without food. Our 4th Earl asked the cook to prepare food he could eat that would not hinder his gambling. What was presented was two pieces of toast with sliced meat in between. Genius!

That really begs the questions, did John really invent the sandwich or did the cook? For the sake of diplomacy, I will thank them both – Thank John Montagu and the nameless cook that satisfieth his hunger.

Just think of all the things you can do without letting hunger stop you. You can hike, you can fish, you can even gamble if you wish. You make your own and drive straight through, or grab one from the drive-through. Whatever it is you want to do, you can do it better with a sandwich or two.

So, to whomever invented the sandwich I am eternally grateful. If they never did, who knows what I would have walked in on my dad and uncle making for a midnight snack that fateful night. The bite that started it all could have been a disgusting bowl of porridge! My dad was known to enjoy a bowl of that too.  For now, I will thank you Earl of Sandwich John Montagu, for your gambling addiction that eventually led to my love for one the greatest foods of all, and the spark that lit the fire that would eventually ignite my passion to cook.

Talk Soon,
Kevin
@coldfire_kev
@coldfire.coffee
@coldfire_hotsauce
kevin@coldfirecoffee.com

The Art of ‘Wichcraft, Part 1: Love at First Bite

“Tell the cook of this restaurant with my compliments that these are the very worst sandwiches in the whole world, and that, when I ask for a watercress sandwich, I do not mean a loaf with a field in the middle of it.” – Oscar Wilde

Banging, clanging, banter, and laughter…
The sounds carrying down the hall…
Followed by the brilliant aroma of something cooking.
I awake to sounds and smells, confused by the darkness.
I roll out of bed and tip toe down the hall…
Sleep maintains its grip on me, is this a dream?
The sizzles reverberate like an echo from an amp set to 11…
The laughter, louder and louder as the hallway ends.
I round the corner and peek…
“Hey kiddo, want a bite?”

What a fond and familiar scene, my dad and his younger brother, my Uncle Gary…Laughing and eating at the table in the middle of the night. Masters of the midnight snack with laughter so contagious, if only it could be packaged & sold. Yes! I want a bite and how I long to awaken once again to those two in the middle of the night.

How pivotal was that midnight bite in the course of my life I really don’t know. That was more than four decades ago but that might have been the start of it all. It was crunchy, it was messy, it was spicy, and it was absolutely delicious. It might have been the best thing I had eaten in my short life at that time. Was it simply that all things taste better late at night? Or was it the fact that my dad had mastered the craft? Which craft do you ask? The art ‘wichcraft.

In the spirit of full disclosure, similar events have taken place multiple times. So, the exact sandwich of this night escapes me but I can say this… EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT!

The lightly toasted bread had the perfect crunch and provided stability for its precious cargo. A light coating of mayo & mustard to compliment the meat,perfectly fried bologna. That alone might have proved enough for most, but not for my dad. No, there were crisp dill pickle slices, a thin slice of cheese, slightly melted and…a fried egg?! OH MY! Served on a little plate with potato chips and a bottle of hot sauce. It. Was. On

There are three vivid food memories I have from childhood, this being one. One of the others also involved my dad – he would make me soft boiled eggs for breakfast and serve them in what I thought were little candle holders.He would crack the top off and give me butter, worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce – yum! The other was eating lunch at My Aunt Doris’s home in Berkley, CA (my great, great aunt might I add). She made the most amazing cheesy, open faced sandwiches…yes sandwiches again… They were simply amazing. One visit she let me help her and I learned how to make them. They weren’t the first thing I learned to make, scrambled eggs were, but sandwiches became my “thing” – my first “thing” that I can recall. They became a favorite midnight snack over the years; a real treat was making a sandwich inspired by one of these memories.

Starting to see a theme? Sandwiches, eggs, and hot sauce? I’ll dive deeper later but for now it is all about sandwiches. They are one the simplest yet most complex forms of food. I know what you’re thinking, just hear me out. Anyone can make a sandwich right? Right. Everyone can make a sandwich, but not everyone can make a good sandwich. In my experience, very few can make a perfect sandwich, and there is nothing worse than a bad sandwich. There is simply no excuse for a bad sandwich!

I learned quite a few things from my dad over the years. One of the most important is that laughter is the best medicine. My Dad and Uncle Gary sure knew how to have a good laugh. Boy, was it contagious! Another related to my theme here is that hot sauce elevates just about any meal. And of course, a fried egg makes just about anything better, especially left overs.

The making of a perfect sandwich is truly an art:the art of ‘Wich Craft. My dad mastered that art and passed it on to me. Stay tuned for more on my love of sandwiches, cooking, eggs, and hot sauce in this multi-part series. But, first, I will take you on a little journey into the history of sandwiches.

Talk Soon,
Kevin
@coldfire_kev
@coldfire.coffee
@coldfire_hotsauce
ShopColdFire.Com
kevin@coldfirecoffee.com

To Defy The Laws Of Tradition Part 1: What does it all mean?

“To defy the laws of tradition. It’s a crusade only of the brave.” – Les Claypool, Primus

What does it mean to be brave? What are traditions? What are the laws of tradition?  What is a crusade? How does one defy the laws of tradition? These are the questions running through my head when I read the opening quote. I guess to answer those questions literally I have to break each word down and define them. Not on my own, of course, there are dictionaries for that. Let me take them in the order they appear in the quote from this fine Primus song…

Defy – verb

1: to confront with assured power of resistance
2: to resist attempts at
3: to challenge to do something considered impossible

Law – noun

1: a binding custom or practice of a community: a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority

Tradition – noun

1a: an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior

1b: a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable

Crusade – noun

1: a remedial enterprise undertaken with zeal and enthusiasm

Brave – noun

1: one with mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty: one who is brave

Brave – adjective

1: having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty: having or showing courage

Great. Now that I know what all these words mean let me attempt to answer the questions being spun by the squirrels in my head.

What does it mean to be brave?

The dictionary defines it pretty well but I like simplicity so I will say it means to be courageous.

What are traditions?

Again, the definition above is pretty clear I will just add for the context of this article, a standard way or method of doing things.

What are the laws of tradition?

I will interpret this as the rules or guidelines that govern an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior as commonly accepted by a group or body of people.

What is a crusade?

For simplicity, let’s just call it a passionate mission.

Now, what does this have to do with anything and why am I thinking about it? Besides that fact that I am gearing up to see Primus tomorrow for the first time in years, I have been thinking a lot about the what, how, and why I cook, bake, and create as of late. The business is in transition right now. We are getting ready to expand into a production kitchen and we have been experimenting with a variety of desserts to create a menu for the new kitchen.

During this process it came to me that I like to take traditional desserts or dishes and put my own twist on them. Not always just minor twists. Some are reconstructing the entire recipe, essentially making a new and different recipe all together.

I don’t do this to be unique or different, necessarily. Oftentimes I simply do this out of laziness. I don’t want to have to keep looking at a recipe. That involves getting the recipe and continuing to reference it while I am cooking. That just breaks up my flow and continuity. I would much rather commit it to memory or create my own version that I memorize. He latter is the result of the rebellious side of me that wants to do things my way and defy the laws of tradition.

This has been a theme throughout my life and is just part of my nature and the way in which I am wired. Sometimes it works out and other times it completely backfires. At the end of the day it is much more exciting to me and nourishing for my soul to create. Whether it’s a recipe, a blog post, a logo, or anything in between I am much happier living in the creative space. It is often about the creative process rather than the finished product.

Stay tuned as I go through my start up and life escapades answering what it means to defy the laws of tradition. I bet you thought I forgot about that last question and was just rambling on and on talking “the balls off a rhinosaurus” didn’t you? Call me bizarre…see you next time.

Psst! I wrap up the End series in a few weeks. We are getting close to finalizing a deal.

Talk Soon,

Kevin W @LEAP272
Owner-Operator

You have to leap if you want to live