Earlier this evening I decided to stop serving my smoked meat for about a week until the meat properly cures. Based on what I saw this afternoon, the meat simply isn’t curing long enough. And we won’t have turkey either until Friday. I am a victim of my own excess. Or lack of excess. I figured we’d be busy. I didn’t think we’d be this busy.
My timing is almost as bad as my forecasting skills. The NOW review is out tonight and its alright. Could have been much worse given the things that happen in the first two weeks you’re open. And it will get better. Our people are finding their feet and learning their table numbers. Unfortunately, inexperience, injuries and some significant equipment problems have made the start-up a serious challenge.
I take full responsibility. We are doing our best. I am sorry for those who travel distances only to be deprived of a taste of my smoked meat. People travel? Its true and they’re not happily disappointed. This evening I picked up a copy of the October Gourmet Magazine. Page 18. Chai! That’s me. In Gourmet. ”Zane Caplansky,” it says with a huge capital Z “had a modest goal.” that’s true. I did. Being in Gourmet was never one of those goals. But it sure feel nice. And it brings with it the need for more smoked meat. And not just any smoked meat. Sax reminds me in his story that I refused to buy someone’s else’s pre-cured product and steam/slice it as if it was my own. He’s right. I won’t budge on quality. Look at the Victor Tavares photo of me. Does it look like I’d settle for less than the best for you?
By this time tomorrow I hope to have the new smoker purchased (at great expense to management) and within two weeks I hope these scarcity issues will be a thing of the past. Until then, please forgive me. I am sorry to disappoint you and yours. I hope you can see that no one wants me to have the best smoked meat possible more than I do.
And, if possible, take a moment to imagine what my life will be like over then next four days. Steven Davey says I’m “one lucky guy.” Thanks to him, Ruth Reichl and Sax, I’m going to be asking hordes of people for forgiveness. Better that than feed them under-cured meat and have them never return. These are better problems than most restaurants have. Maybe Steven Davey is right. Except my luck is hard won.
