Reviewers

Rant time...

Whilst I am all for people having an opinion about where they have eaten and what they have eaten, I strongly believe that they still need to have a back round about what they saying about it. 

Most of the time you read and see and hear comments like "I don't usually eat that sort of thing, but thought I would give it a go. Well I guess that is the reason I don't eat that sort of thing"  Whereas if someone had a bit of no-how and sense in what they were eating and writing, then firstly, they wouldn't order a dish that they don't enjoy!!! and secondly, comments should be more on the line of "because of the reputation of the restaurant and chef, I thought I would try my luck at (insert dish here) again.  The (___) was cooked to perfection, well seasoned and had a perfect contrast of flavour and texture, however, as good as this dish was (and my guest thoroughly enjoyed it), it didn't convert me, so now I can stop this obsession of mine."

If those first lot of people wish to make their observations, why can they not do the decent thing and run it through the restaurant that they dined at, and seek permission to publish it publicly?

I do have to have a good laugh tho when I read reviews on sites like menumania and dineout, those people who loved there food and meals but only score it a 6 or 7... what gives?!?

Ahhh.... Rant over....

Cook Well, Eat Well, and leave the cleaning up to someone else...
Logan

Reflect - Retrack - React

Where have I been?
Where am I going?
How am I going to get there?

Some 'simple' questions to ponder...

I do know that...

• I am going to take and enjoy time with the family ... 
• Suzy is going to have the time to finish her thesis ...
• Enjoy a wine or four ...
• Perfect my bread ...

Eventually I will have to return to full time work.  Before I do tho I have a few ideas that could be of interest for a while (whilst I wait for that "perfect" job comes along... if it even exists!!)

• Do you want a private dinner party in the comfort of your own home?
• Special 'ambassador' evening at your restaurant, with menu and wine/beer matches by an ambassador chef?
• Does your friend/chef need a holiday?
• Or as Liddy kindly suggested, do you want to organise a 'masterclass' of your own... group of friends learning tips and techniques suitable for the home

So in other words, I'm "free-lancing" how cool it that!

Cook well, eat well, and leave the cleaning up to someone else
Logan

PS if you know anyone who wants to get in touch with me... chefloganmcpherson@hotmail.co.nz

bread round 2

Was at the Otago Farmers Market this Saturday morning, greeted by beautiful sunshine and a some awesome stall owners.

Was hoping to get some of Kevin's delicious gluten free bread at Lievito bakery, but sadly he wasn't there. I mean, how mean is that to leave poor Taylor waiting another week for her toast!!

Instead I walked out with 2 1/2 doz free range eggs, some curds from Evensdale cheese, a packet of Cardrona Merino lamb shanks (will save that for the cold days ahead), along with a couple of other little treats for me and my helper.

Anyway, back to the bread....
Another round today, and well, with mixed success...
Tried to make

• french stick - not round and crusty outside with deliciously light textured middle - solutions very hot oven to start things off me thinks
• sourdough loaf - actually turned out reasonably well,
• and two pull-apart's flavoured with the curds and spinach from the garden. - whilst these were over-proved, and HUGE, have good flavour and a reasonable texture 

Will take a couple of days to get through this lot, in the mean time, bottle feijoas, make a green tomato relish from the last of the tomatoes still on the vine, a cauliflower pickle, and a chicken and pumpkin risotto for dinner with a glass or two of.... Rhone maybe :-)

Cook well, eat well, and leave the cleaning up to someone else
Logan

Bread, bread, glorious bread

So you remember how i was going to resurrect my sourdough....

Sneak Peak at the Starter

The Bubbling Broth

Shaping

Proved and Ready for Over

Oven

Cooked and Cooling

The Taste Test

Don't know why i stopped making bread, so pleasurable

Cook well, eat well, and leave someone else to clean up

Logan

Oil in a Blender

Well well well....


Firstly hello....


So after all the shit that went down, I can't wait to learn from the events that occurred, realise what has happened is NOT my fault, and start to focus on the future.

First step, try to get a good nights sleep, really world, if I could only need 5 hours of decent sleep, nothing worse than your mind working over and over and over about shit that is beyond control or comprehension.

Next, enjoy time with the whanau. One tired, and recently, under appreciated wife who has been there supporting me (and the family), time for me to look after her, and two energetic, impressionable girls, with bundles of energy looking for escape.

Then its on to me, refocus and rebuild.  I get an opportunity to really decide where all this is going, what I am going to do about it.  First step (after watching river cottage) the sourdough is being resurrected. I'll let you know who it turns out....

To sum up. Life at the moment is like a mayonnaise in the blender, too much oil (crap/ill/heavy/tasteless sludge/comments/feeling) has been added and is on the verge of splitting, time to readjust.

Cook well, eat well, and leave the cleaning up to someone else.
Logan