Glorious 12th
Aug
12
Written by:
12/08/2010 20:01
Sometimes others highlight that I neglect to learn from my mistakes but this day every year I like to highlight that I have. The reason is that always on the 12th August I try to escape from the hotel and island and today was no different. The reason is historical as it is the Glorious 12th and some time ago I thought it would be good to not only serve Grouse on the day that the season starts- today - and even better was that I invited the local press to join us.
However this was a great plan not thought through. Firstly the bird really needs to hang so that it begins to age before its cooked so eating on the day It is shot would not be ideal, secondly whilst the west highland grouse is possible it is also dwindling to such a level that locating and then cacthing is a huge challenge and not one which we could count on due to the pressure. So I arranged for grouse to be delivered from a different region and with time against us the van arrived in the late afternoon with dinner closing in quickly.
Having stood on the back door panicking that I was to be let down I was so thrilled to see the delivery that I confidently strode into the kitchen clutching the birds and handed them to the open mouthed kitchen staff. However they were not aghast at my success in getting birds but dumbfounded because they had never seen the birds in real life and certainly had no clue how to pluck or draw them. Not giving up I then retreated to the back door with the birds followed by a chef with a book. He sat on a stool and guided me through the plucking, I sat on a stool with a black bag and bird in hand and started the operation.
Feathers, fluff and fury filled the air. As I finished each bird I looked up and asked if the chef had understood how to do it and consistently he shook his head and asked for another demonstration. Two hours later with diners arriving I completed the plucking the came the instructed drawing and skinning, again a new experience and by now lots of promises never to do this again. The good news was that all was completed in the nick of time although it was touch and go, the bad news was that no one else had learnt how to do it, if they had they had hidden it,and my whole afternoon had been a simple lesson learnt. So no August 12 is get out of town day or never mention the grouse day!!
2 comments so far...
Re: Glorious 12th
The words BELLYACHE and GRIPE come to mind. Not sure that would apply to your comments your the consumer's reaction after eating!
By Michael on
13/08/2010 07:58
|
Re: Glorious 12th
The good news was that everybody had a great evening and enjoyed the dinner if not apprecaite the hard work behind the scenes but it was a lucky escape and I am learning that if your lucky once its not worth testing if this is along term winning streak. Much like golf after the perfect drive over the bunkers down the fairway and onto the green next to the pin, you quickly walk on and do not put down another ball just to see if it was skill or luck!!
By Beppo on
13/08/2010 10:39
|