It's been a really long time since I've really wanted to sit down and write. Let's see what the litany of excuses are THIS time:
I spent the past year (during Covid) opening a restaurant as the executive chef. We started out gangbusters in the summer of '20, then the shutdowns began. We survived the winter, and came back stronger than ever in the spring, but because of some physical limitations, and a smattering of other factors, I decided it was in my best interest to step off the line. I'm currently walking dogs with my wife, Lisa, and her business, Animalhouse Services.
One of those physical issues was a very painful, arthritic left thumb and wrist. I'm a lefty, so that kind of sucks. I am currently wearing a brace as I type. As my father always says, "getting old is not for sissies".
I promise to do better. Start cooking at home again. Take pictures. Share recipes. All that fun blog stuff. But right now, I need to get some of what is careening around my brain down on paper. This past year has given me even more perspective into the fragility of life. Between the pandemic, the chaos of the presidential election, the insurrection on January 6th, and now, the ransomware hacks, my level of existential dread has gone through the roof. I see hatred, division, greed and judgement everywhere. I'm trying to figure out how to navigate this world of random mask rules. I mean, I'm still wearing my mask in stores. I don't understand how people can truly believe that vaccines are a government plot. And I won't even go there with the dude who thinks he's still president.
I want to talk about the precarious state of the global food supply chain, all the way from the farm/ocean/processing facility to our plates. Just a little light chitchat on a Sunday afternoon. Having just been responsible for sourcing, pricing and ordering all of the supplies for a restaurant, I have had more of an inside track as to what is going on. And of course you are all aware of the dearth of restaurant and hospitality employees. So much of it can be blamed on Covid. There is no stop along the supply chain that isn't affected. Let's pick something: crabmeat. Yes, we know that, no matter where it comes from, jumbo crabmeat is always expensive. And of course, it's supply and demand. Try to wrap your head around how many pounds/tons of crabmeat a hotel or large restaurant chain would buy, all across the world. Most of them would have a contract with the supply companies to buy it up in advance. Then, the rest of the world gets next. Now, throw in a pandemic. Watermen all over the world get sick; can't fish. Less crabs caught. Crabmeat shortage. Prices triple in less than a week. Restaurant owners need to decide whether to take their signature, wonderful crab cakes off the menu, raise the price, or just eat the difference, which, depending on how many they sell, could be a big hit in the wallet.
This scenario can be applied to produce as well. The growers, the harvesters, the processors, the transport-all affected by labor shortages due to Covid. Poultry plants, meat processing plants, where workers stand elbow to elbow, all crushed by the virus. And then, just when we think we are getting close to being able to get back to full production, some jackasses with Cheeto-stained fingers, sitting in a dark room somewhere in Russia, come up with a ransomware hack that virtually shuts down the world's largest distributor of meat and poultry, completely interrupting the supply chain. Suddenly, no chicken wings! No steaks! No chicken breasts!
And what does the average American do? They bitch about it, that's what. They bitch because they can't get what they want. Either the shelves are empty in the market, or the price is through the roof, or it costs more at their favorite restaurant, and they take it as a personal affront. I mean, I can finally go back out again, and now I have to pay more for my meal??
I need to step back for a second and take a breath.
Ok, I'm back.
HOLY CRAP that was a long breath. It took a month!
Well, things haven't gotten all that much better since I started this rant. There are still massive food and labor shortages in the food industry, people have become godzilla guests, screaming at the staff, and now, the Delta Variant of Covid is gonna put us all back in masks.
But, the good news is: I've started putting pictures of my food back on the Food Happens Facebook page. And...I've started a fun, and hopefully eventually profitable new hobby. That's the subject of the next few blogposts, so don't go away, dear readers!
I'll be back tomorrow. Or the next day. I promise.
Oh, and it's summer, so get yourselves to a local farmer's market, support your local growers/producers, and eat those delicious fruits and vegetables while they're at their peak!
No comments:
Post a Comment