Monday, November 16, 2009

I’m Just Givin Thanks, Man...

"After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relatives."

-
Oscar Wilde

I always get excited (and as I get older, nostalgic) this time of year. Thanksgiving is the kickoff of the holiday season, and that means one thing and one thing only to me; family. I am fortunate enough to be a member of a good ol’ fashion Southern family. For those of you not familiar, my sincerest sympathies cuz there ain't no family like a good ol' Southern family. Down South, our blood is thicker than glue. In fact, ask me where my passion for cooking comes from, and I will answer you in two words; Sunday Supper.

Growing up, Thanksgiving meant running around in the backyard with my cousins, watching Cowboys football with my Dad and uncles, and of course eating eating AND eating. I am fortunate to have cousins that are close in age with me, and our close bonds that exists today is a direct reflection of those special times. We grew up together over those meals. As adults, we have looked after each other because of those meals. Heartbreak, personal struggles, finishing school, finding jobs, military deployment, raising families. Whatever it was, we have always done it with the love and support of each other.

As we have grown up, the times that all of us are together have lessened. I may see one cousin this weekend, another the next, but all at the same time, only the holidays. This will be the second consecutive Thanksgiving that I will be hugging a cousin goodbye before he leaves to fight in Afghanistan. Hayden last year, Weston this year.


He would do anything for me, give me the shirt off his back, take a bullet for me, follow me to hell. Name the expression, and its true. I love my family, and I give thanks for for what they mean to me, and what I mean to them.

Josh, Allison, Weston, Hayden, and Alex – I Love You Guys. See ya'll in about a week. Hayden – be safe and we’ll do it all again next year.

Friday, November 13, 2009

i guess i am on a french kick...

So tonight we catered a party at One Arts Plaza for our friends Emily and Matt.  They live in one of the penthouse apartments in this magnificent building, along with Logan and Mulberry (their dog and cat respectively).

WOW, what a view, what a scene, what a city!  I cannot tell you how proud I am to live in Dallas.  You have read (or if you haven't, go back and read the previous post) how much I love the culture of Paris.  I can honestly say, Dallas is doing some VERY French things.  I AM PROUD of what is going on downtown.  With the help of  Ms. Lucy Crow Billingsly (who loves the Parigi peach cobbler, BTW), downtown Dallas is turning in to the most amazing arts district in the country.

The view from our venue looked over the Winspear Opera House, the Wyly Theatre, and the Booker T. Washington School for the Performing Arts, along with the ancient Methodist Church that is being built back to its original glory.  IT IS ABOUT TIME, DALLAS! Awesome!

I left the party at about 6:59 in the good hands of our staff, Rosie, Chris and Wesley.  It was a beautiful evening, and I rolled down the windows.  The sounds of the church bells from Cathedral Guadalupe were ringing like Notre Dame!  There was traffic.  I didn't care...there were church bells!  Once again, I was transported.

Bisous!  Janice
Janice

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Some days are French-er than others...

Living in Dallas, one might not think of the similarities our great city has to Paris.  I say pish-posh.  You can work to have a French experience here if you try.

My favorite city in the world is Paris, France.  I love the food, the history, the culture, the architecture, and the people.  Yes, the people, too!

Yesterday, I felt very French.  It started out that I wore heels.  Those of you who know me, know that I wear my clogs way too much.  They're comfy, reliable, and easy to slip on.  But, they are not the most feminine shoe.  Being a French woman is all about being feminine.

Secondly, I spent time at our Global Headquarters.  The Parigi global headquarters are located in The Argyle apartments across the street from Parigi.  It is also known as the pied a terre.  French for, "foot on the ground", a pied a terre is a small living unit usually located in a large city some distance away from an individual's primary residence.  In our case, it is part office, part test kitchen, part Secret Sunday Supper venue, and part guest house.

Roger and I spend our Christmas in Paris each year.  We rent an apartment, and really try to pretend we are French, if just for the week.  We have decorated the pied a terre in the style of the apartments in which we stay.  Think chandeliers, gilded mirrors, gently used furniture, an old gated elevator, and a city vibe, given the location.  More to come on this little gem in future blogs.

The third thing that happened to make my day feel French was these three ladies that came in for a bite yesterday afternoon.  They were dressed in their Muslim headscarves, and spoke very little English.  Not sure where they were from, but communicating with them in English was not an easy task.  Finally I asked, "parlez vous Francaise?"  Upon which one of the ladies replied, "oui."  From there, we were able to get the order placed, and served them pommes frites, soupe au legume et poulet, and soupe au tomate et creme.  Now, I don't speak French well, but man, I gotta tell you, it was cool to be able to find a way to communicate, and doing it in French was really exciting for me.

Lastly, my French day concluded with a trip to Eatzi's for bread.  In Paris, people walk everywhere, and you see them carrying their baguettes with them, usually with the tip of it broken off because it takes serious self control to not take a nibble when  you get it from the boulangerie.  Anyway, walking to and from Eatzi's with my baguette in hand, the busy street cars whizzing by, and walking back into that precious little cafe called Parigi, I was transported.  With a skip in my step, a smile on my face, I thought, this ain't so bad.  I may not live in Paris, but Paris can live in me, and I can let my imagination take me there without too much work.

So next time you are longing to be in Paris, but the time or ticket prices won't allow it, come see us at Parigi.  We will help take you there.

à bientôt...janice

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Food and Art

"When you feel like you have made something that has meant enough to someone for them to really bring themselves to it, and pour themselves into it, and make something out of it that you really could never have intended - I really believe that fifty percent of art is the perception of the listener... When you make something that wasn't there ten minutes ago, I feel like that puts you closer to something bigger than you."

--Jeff Tweedy


As chefs, we romanticize the idea that our motivations are purely intrinsic. Unlike the waitstaff, we don't necessarily interact with the guests. Therefore, we have removed ourselves from the feedback and reactions they have of our food. We don't need a pat on the back because we are confident enough in ourselves. Well, that's a lie...

Whether we like it or not, we measure ourselves by our plates. In actuality, we thrive on it. It's an obsession akin to the mad rush at the news stand when the latest issue of US Weekly pops up - who's getting divorced, who cheated, what's Beyonce wearing to the Grammys?! We wanna know it all. Just as a pro golfer can tell you the weather conditions, green speeds, and club selection of every shot, of every hole they have ever played in their career, a chef can identify every plate and every bowl from their life in a kitchen. Thirteen years of cooking and thousands of plates later, I can tell you what you and everyone at your table ate on any given night - what substitutions were made, what the steak temperatures were, how long it took me to get the food to the table, and of course, what was left on the plates when they came back. ALL OF THEM!

It took me a long time to appreciate the art of cooking. Sure, people would refer to me as an artist all the time, but I thought they were silly. Don't they know that I just peel potatoes and boil water for a living? And I'm not even the fastest potato peeler person in the kitchen! And artist? Heck, I couldn't even paint my name if given a blank canvas and a weeks worth of drawing classes.

Over time, however, the comparisons have become too obvious for me to ignore. Every plate, every menu, every nightly special; the reality is, I am "painting" my plates. I strive for each plate to be a masterpiece. I am putting a piece of myself in every plate that I touch, allowing for any and all to make their own interpretations.

It is a bond I share with everyone that comes into the restaurant. Food, similar to other artforms, can transcend you to a time and place gone by. It can invoke feeling and emotion for you that the chef could have never purposefully intended - grits like Grandma's, spaghetti just like Mama's.

The plate is my canvas. Food is my medium, though some (Janice) would say its pickling.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Salisbury Steak-a-thon

Today we made Salisbury Steak.  Why would we do this, you might ask?  Sounded homey, and we have never done it before, so why not?

Ground beef, and onions, and bread crumbs, and mushrooms, and eggs...oh my! 

My first memory of this dish was when I was a child in some daycare kind of thing.  I remember really liking it.  It was mild, not too beefy...thinking back it tasted like veal, but God knows I didn't know what veal tasted like when I was 5ish.  I am pretty sure that was a frozen dinner then, but the ones we made today were a far cry from frozen.  Adding the demi, more mushrooms, and serving it over mashed potatoes...yummy!
 
So, my question is this:  Is Salisbury Steak retro enough to be cool?  I would love your thoughts on this. 

I love it how things go out, and come back in.  Look at Deviled Eggs.  We put them on our menu for a fun little bite, and now they are one of our most requested apps.  Who knew?  Now, granted, Jose is doing some pretty amazing things with the deviled eggs...think guacamole, think smoked salmon with capers, think pesto.  So, they are tricked out deviled eggs, but they are still deviled eggs.

Tell me what you think, and what are some of your favorite foods that we could update and bring back.

Blog soon,
Janice

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Life as a bar back

Last night I had the pleasure of working with Robert behind the bar.   Dressed like a server in all black, not chef attire, it was kind of interesting to hear people who didn't know who I was, make comments on the menu, the art, and each other.  It's a little like being a fly on the wall.  Thankfully I didn't get swatted.

We are really excited about building our bar business.  We have a small bar to begin with, so it's not going to grow massively, but we are going to have some fun experimenting with new drinks, new garnishes, and the like.

I went to this place in Chicago called The Violet Hour. http://www.theviolethour.com/  Amazing.  They make their own bitters, ice cubes that are specific to the drink they are serving, and carry no major label spirits.  Only small batch, boutique vodkas, gins, etc.  That is dedication.  You feel as if you have stepped back in time to the roaring 20s.  Check it out next time you are there.

So, tonight, I think I am going to do a repeat performance.  Help Lacy out behind the bar.  Who knows what nuggets of wisdom I may pick up from our patrons.  Can't wait to find out.

Cheers!
Janice

Thursday, November 5, 2009

hi-hoe the dairy-oh...to market we will go

Chad and I are headed to the annual Friends of the Farmers Market Hoedown.  We will be serving up Sloppy "Bo" sandwiches...kind of like a Sloppy Jo, but made with Bolognese sauce...using sausage from Dallas based Old World Sausage Company...http://dfmfriends.org/hoedown.html 
Check it out!