Is Dessert an after thought???

So I ask you, "Is Dessert and after thought for you?" Or are you one that always plans on indulging your sweet tooth?

Well you can bet I'm a planner, I always "plan" on dessert! I was a pastry chef for a period of time in my career. I don't necessarily enjoy making desserts but I can when I need to and I definitely enjoy eating them!  I have also passed on this art to one of my employees and taught her the ways. I think we have a solid core dessert menu. Pictured above is our Chocolate Carmel Tart! It is what it is!!! I myself can only handle 2-3 bites. But I have customers that order whole tarts to take home with them! Thick chocolate crust, thick house made caramel, and rich chocolate ganache finishes it off. You know love was put into this on the first bite!

That being said, My husband I were discussing our recent "date night out" meal last night. Everything was great at this establishment, But I asked my husband what he thought of dessert? He said ok, and then asked me. I said we only get out once a month for dinner else ware and I look forward to going all out cause it is our night to be served, enjoy, and be baby free! But dessert at a few of the most recent places have been a little disappointing. Not that they are bad, just that there was so much effort put into the amazing savory food and then we get the final course of our experience and it has been a little bit of a  let down, like dessert was just an after thought. Like these places know they have to offer it but it isn't executed to the extent of the savory dishes. My husband commented that dessert is the last thing to leave a taste in our mouth about the experience, I was like exactly!! It's like when I tell my bartenders to make sure to say goodbye to our guests, as the diners pass by to exit. The customer service and food presentation and taste shouldn't be over till those guest exit the building!!  

With this all being said it has inspired me to add a feature dessert weekly just to step it up another notch! Get your sweet tooth ready folks!!

The Next Generation & the "Teach" leading them in the Right Direction!!

I had the pleasure of talking to this class at our local High school this past Monday!!

Go West Bend West!! Sorry East students, but West is my alma mater almost 20 years ago! 

Yeek, so many moons ago.

So, I never took any of the "foods" classes, that's what they were called back then, when I graced the halls of WBW. Maybe I should have, would have been an easy A since I had been working in restaurants since I was 14. That just shows I wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed back then! Well I didn't really care about much in high school like most teenagers then, and today. Well, I thought, until this crew on Monday. My thoughts were a bit renewed after I spent all but an hour with these 14 students and their teacher. I went in to this "culinary class" to speak to them about sustainability. I always digress when speaking. My dad told me to make sure I had an outline before I went. I didn't. That's like telling me to use a recipe for something other than baking, Ha, doesn't happen. I don't follow directions well!

 

These kids on the other hand listened to what I had to say. Asked great questions. Interacted with each other with mutual respect for everyone in the room. I have to say it couldn't have been a better group of kids!! (sorry guys I call anyone younger than me kids. Some of my employees that have grown up at the café and are now in their 20's are still called "my Kids")

 

The teacher for this class I have grown a friendship with over the last 8 years. She taught some of the "kids" that still work for me today, and my nephew. She does an amazing job. It surely shined through on Monday to me!

 

During the Q&A of the hour she asked me what was the hardest thing I had to overcome in running the restaurant. It was crazy I didn't even have to think about it. Years ago I would have said dealing with horrible landlords and my restaurant flooding every time it rained, or the electricity being shut off cause the landlords didn't pay the bill. (I got that on my own meter after that) Or I could have said hoping enough people came in the door everyday just to pay the bills. But I didn't say any of that. I said, "myself".  I have spent the last 2 years retraining my brain to think totally different. I will make this place profitable and successful. I hope that message carried over to these 14 students. I never thought that this hour long chat would end with me hoping I got the message across that, 

You create what you believe you can do & Think Bigger than you think is possible!

(See dad I did pretty well without an outline!)

Thanks to Sally Heuer and the students of 5th period Culinary Arts.

P.S. I scored a new employee from the class too!! Bonus!!