12/16/2012
I almost forgot how fun it is to live in the country during winter snow storms. Woke up yesterday morning at 2:00 am to begin a Christmas Breakfast Catering only to see the moon shining on a white, stunningly beautiful landscape along with the music of bugling Elk. Time to go out to my kitchen and start the breakfast so I can be finished early for the 40 mile drive to deliver as the roads might be bad. First problem encountered, the snow drifted with the high winds and I can’t get out of my front door! Not a problem as I remember the back door is sliding glass which gets me out and on my way to my Catering Kitchen but once outside I realize my coat has needed to be replaced for a couple years. Note to self, Buy a new coat and better boots.
Once in the kitchen it didn’t take long for 4 convection ovens and all six stove burners to make it toasty, a little Christmas music set the mood and cooking begins. Breakfast is easy till my fantastic client added Cheese Blintz w/ Blackberry Compote and Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise which need to be made as close to serving as possible along with all the other staples. 100 eggs poached and chilled, check, 100 crepes done and filling made the day before along with the Cowboy potatoes, life is good. Potatoes in the tilt skillet to warm and scrambled eggs ready to follow for their turn, then the second roadblock, no lights, no electricity. My first thought was did I pay the bill but then realized nobody at the electric company would shut off your lights at 3am. Trusty flashlight in hand I trekked back to the house and gathered a box full of Kerosene Lamps all county folk have and took them back to the kitchen to realize the electric is back on with a smile. Lights back off a few minutes later and Lanterns work great, everything finished and loaded by 5:50 am to head a short 40 miles where I can setup and make the sauces onsite for the 8:30 breakfast, YES!
Only 10 miles of County dirt road then I-40 the rest of the way seems simple in thought but a white out snowstorm and no tracks on the road make the first 10 miles a knuckle whitening hour ride only to see one partial lane on I-40 with trucks backed up for miles. I took my place in line and rather than stress or do something stupid I think of ways to apologize for being late or hope everyone else will be later. I arrived at the Catering location at 8am leaving me ½ hour to setup, heat chafing dishes and chilled eggs, make sauces which would be impossible without the help of my clients and their secretaries. It would have been hard to imagine the assistant to the County Manager would stir my Hollandaise so it would not break nor another assistant carve and platter fresh sweet breads and Danish and another who actually hired me help unload and setup, but I appreciate their help and commitment.
With all the trials and tribulations everyone was served by 9:15 which was 45 minutes late to my embarrassment and the stress of Lynn but Coconino County has first class employees who made sure to assist me to make it happen and I thank you. While I was the broken cog in the wheel today you stepped up to make it a success with the County Manager in his speech saying this was the best Holiday breakfast he had in his 12 years being there. Thanks, you folks are special. Merry Christmas
