Ohio Beverage Monthly

Page 15

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/13 2:37 PM

CHeFsCORNeR

Summer is here!

take advantage of the Fresh Produce By ChEF BriaN DUFFy

W

oo hoo!!! i see green..... So april & may have passed us, led us into the gradual warming of the earth. the seeds are starting to sprout and the trees are gaining their newly sprouted Canopys back. the days are longer and the sun is shining upon our heads as we sit and listen to the world renew it self. Wait... it's been cold as crap, april and may were like February and march, cold and gray, with the occasional burst of sun!! ha ha ha, thanks mother Nature, every now and then we all like a joke! the end of may and beginning of June are looking better, and that brings my food excitement to a new level. the level in which we can look forward to the spring veggies and greens that get their beautiful colors from the sun. and the favors, so bright and vibrant, the thoughts of fresh greens, fresh herbs and veggies that have laid dormant for a long while. i get so excited because this time of the year is all about new menu items, not the stuff that weve had to use to keep our winter fur or "girth". We get to back off of the cabbage, potatoes, turnips, rutabagas and the like. We now get to use such items as fresh peas, asparagus, zucchini, squash... aye aye aye.. i could go on forever! But we need to think of the way that we cook. the way that we don't look around to find and utilize the local people that work so hard around us to create these handcrafted local & SEaSONal veggies. i despise sitting at a restaurant and looking at the menu and seeing the words "veggie Du Jour" which i can almost guarantee was the same yesterday as well as the same next week.. zucchini, squash, carrots and

www.ohiobeveragemonthly.com

red peppers. ladies and gents at one point in my irish pubs i banned zucchini and squash for an entire summer. i wanted my chefs to use their brains and not just their ordering voice when it came to the produce guy. think about creating a dish and paying attention to every component in the dish. Not just "center of the plate" but the starch and the vegetable as well. imagine if you had some great local asparagus and you did something as simple as smoking them and then grilling them for a dish or even a qUiCK 30 second blanch and wrapping them with bacon (really quick dish because the reheat is about 60 seconds in a convection). Or, if you have to do a

medley step out of the box and stay away from the bag. get into your farmers and your purveyors brains. ask away my friends... you'll be pleasantly surprised. For a great site to help you in your search for all things local, including farmers check out www.localharvest. org

about Brian Duffy Chef Brian Duffy is a celebrated veteran of the hospitality business. his experience has spanned over 25 years from owning, operating and running successful culinary programs in multi million dollar operations and restaurant groups to the president of his own consulting firm, CBD Solution, which specializes in redefining the economics of food service as well as educating the masses on the successful practices of running your own establishment. CBD Solution is a group that is focused on the operations, standards and procedures that aid in the successful ability to run a business. the education of the staff as well as simplifying the managements ability to run successful shifts on a consistent basis. CBDS is available for consulting throughout the world, currently assisting clients from hawaii to Canada and all throughout the United States. Chef Brian Duffy and CBD Solution can be reached at Consult@ CBDSolution.com.

Brian Duffy ~~ FB me @ BrianDuffyChef ~~ tweet me @Chefbriduff ~~ Blog with me @ Chefbrianduffy ~~See me @ Chefbrianduffy.com ~~ about me @ Chefbriduff

OhiO BEvEragE mONthly JUNE 2013 15


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