October 2007 Archives

I always feel, like so many other bloggers, to start my blog with this unnecessary need to apologize for not blogging more often. Then I realized I could just have a blog dedicated to the blogging of apologies for not blogging; then apologize for them. I also have been thinking about posting blogs at the same time with Daniel and lil', linking each other to the other's blog, so that the reader just goes in complete circles between the three. But due to time, it has not happened - my apologies.

Hiding in the kitchen lately, I have left a lot of people wondering where I went.
Why have they not seen my shiny face at the cafes? My answer: Much Work. My days consist of going to the kitchen at 4:30 in the morning, baking, delivering, roasting, stirring, mashing, lifting, ordering, training and fielding the one million calls I get from five a.m. until I finally have to stop answering (usually around 3). After I leave the kitchen, I have Cash and Carry, mail, deposits, schedules and any other loose ends to wrap up. Since Robin has left, I assumed it would be just a matter of streamlining; it has been a matter of hiring, firing, ending friendships with employees and being so fucking tired that I can not see the people who are the most important to me - my Peeps.

But I am sure the many thousands who are reading this are wondering "What the Hell keeps this man motivated?". And the answer is the creative outlet which is the food and the desire to learn how to do this without Robin. At at the moment, I feel like I am beginning to win a bit, and my attention is now slowly turning to how to make the Half and Half work without Robin and I being there everyday.

So some of the things I have been doing in that kitchen:
Half and Half Snackers: Buttermilk/Sage Scones with Wedge of Pit Ham
Buttermilk Pies
Shaker Lemon Pies
Apple Chevre Scones
Bran Muffins with Local Prunes
Red Quinoa with Sweet Potatoes and Mushrooms
Chcicken Hazelnut Salad with Gala Apples
and A Pear, Cheddar, Dijon and Bacon Grilled Cheese

But the two things I have been most proud of are Vegan. The first was a a sandwich with sweet potatoes, molasses/dijon roasted tempeh and braised kale. The other was a Cubano with molasses/rum roasted tempeh, vegan aioli, pickled onions, pickled peppers and avocados.

I wish to conclude by A) giving the kids at the Half and Half a very big thanks and I think that they are really starting to learn how to make the place work without us and B) a big, giant apology.

Biggy

Hello everyone! I'm not going to issue a litany of apologies for not blogging, because that's become routine. I am going to say that I am really I'm really pleased and just a tad envious of the blogging the Little Red Bike Cafeis doing. There's just a palpable difference when people really put there hearts into something that they've built themselves. It makes me wistful for the early days of Half & Half when every day felt like we were playing store.

Unfortunately, sometimes you have to work really hard to keep things simple and pure. As many of you reading this now know I am no longer working in the cafes and I'm trying my hand in the world of advertising. My work is smack in the middle of Half & Half and Acorn, so I'm able to go into each place almost every day for americanos and sandwiches--for quality control purposes, of course. In many ways, it's a dream come true--I get to hang out at my beloved hangouts without having to do the dishes. But don't get the inside work-jokes, and I can't make my own espresso. And as an avowed control freak, I've been forced to "let go," as much as our employees might disagree with that.

Tonight, I was going through a week's worth of mail from Half & Half and I came upon a small, handwritten envelope, sent from a local address. After a while, you get to be an expert in reading envelopes and knowing what's going to be a health insurance scam and what's going to be a torn-out page from a Bible, and this envelope fell into neither category. There was a check for $25 and a note that read:

"Dear Half & Half,
I was at your SW Oak location today at around 5 and I tried to pay with a card that was declined. While I was trying to contact customer service for my card to figure out what went wrong, a young lady working there insisted on making my drink and bringing me the food I had ordered even though she had no reason to think I would be able to pay. I was very impressed with the openness and trusting way I was told "you can always owe us." I don't know the young lady's name or her male co-worker's, who was also very nice to me. Anyway...I thought I would take the opportunity to say "thanks" to Half and Half...Thanks for helping Portland be my favorite city, {name withheld}. "

I read this letter and was reminded what was great about small business. You make your own rules, and their consequences tell a story. You can make these rules restrictions; no cell phones, $5 minimums, restroom is for customers only,etc... Or they can be rules like, say 'hey' to everyone who walks in the door like they could become a friend, and be reasonable, and help make Portland everyone's favorite city. So, tonight I kind of miss my old job (though I won't at 4:30 am, when I will still be asleep) but I'll go to bed feeling like I did something right. Yay.