May 19, 2010

Logistics, shmolistics


What's that buddhist adage? "You can't know true happiness until you know true suffering". Not to sound melodramatic but the way things have been going around here, I'm halfway expecting Nirvana. I'll even settle for Kurt reincarnate. That light at the end of the tunnel is probably just another train, or a spark of a shotgun shell at the other end of the barrel. Too soon? ...too soon. Seriously though, who'd've thunk that trying to put together a pig roast would be so much trouble?

So the time has come to take the pigs to slaughter. To recap, we've been raising two Duroc pigs for the restaurant since January. We've since added chickens which I will get to later. Doobie is well over 200lbs and Mr. Wiggle is just getting there. Wiggles is going to slaughter this coming Friday. Steve Russell from Edible Blue Ridge Magazine will be accompanying Jarrett to document the event. He'll be roasted and toasted on Monday May 24th at Montfair in Crozet. Originally, the plan was to have it out on the farm where they were raised with a few hundred of our closest friends and family but alas, the farm got sold. Jarrett was told that he could still hold the event but had to be off the property by the end of May. Then the date got pushed up from memorial day weekend to the week before. Then the landlord said there could only be 30 people with only five overnight guests. Then it could only be from 1-5pm, 2 beers max per person no overnight guests. Any attempt to deviate from these parameters will be met with arrest.

This week has been a scramble to find a venue for the event and to move Doobie, the chickens and the shiitake logs to a new location. Fortunately Jarrett's neighbor, Bob, has been so kind as to allow us to move the operation on his property for the time being. As for the venue, we thought about Blenheim Vineyards (too expensive), Kirk Hughes house (NIMBY), Local Food Hub farm ex Best of What's Around (too far). Finally settled on Montfair in Crozet. Beautiful setting, nice drive, indoor facilities, affordable, all around easy going people. Now that I said it, it doesn't sound as stressful as I made it out to be, but if you were me, you'd know that it was. If.

Anyway, if anyone wants to come give me a call at the restaurant.

Oh yeah, the restaurant. Zinc has been seeing more business thanks to some really positive reviews on Chowhound and SuzySays. Thank you so much for your support! We're gearing up for graduation weekend then it's more work work work. Pig roast on Monday May 24th, Nutrition + local food workshop/seminar at Clay Fitness with Laura Glassow on Wednesday May 26th, a bunch of wedding rehearsals, Doobie to slaughter, chickens ready, yeesh! A lot of work for Chef Justin as he will also be teaching a class at Charlottesville Cooking School in the next month.

Kudos to Revolutionary Soup and their press on getting a farm up and running. Soon enough, this will be the mainstream. Let's hope. You saw it here first kids.

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