New Information and Happenings
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Here are a few shots from the Deer farm. Again, if you don’t want to know where food comes from, don’t look.
Ilsa and IÂ
seconds after
transport to the shed
Josh and I skinning
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This is what happens when you accidentally stab the intestine. Edgar didn’t purge them……
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Breakdown
 
more to come.
Erik
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When I left you last, we had successfully slaughtered, bled, eviscerated and skinned two now famous does named Eva and Ilsa. Let me just rewind a bit to the moments just after the kill. I’m thinking back, in hindsight, to how I really felt after the cut. There was sort of a blur of haziness before the process,when I stood there, waiting, with the Buck Knife in hand…. followed by an amazing moment of complete clarity, understanding, compassion, respect, and admiration. (if anyone has any adverse reaction to slaughtering animals, or sees them as pets, don’t read on…..)
Looking down at her, I mean STRAIGHT into her eyes, I was immediately engulfed with what had just happened. I mean, watching her pupils dialate, feeling the hot blood on my hand, and the steam…..there were one or 2 conscious kicks from her…one of them almost ruining me. I could literally see her stop breathing, and the last breath was a pivotal moment in my career as a cook. Now, killing rabbits, fowl and hogs…..that’s a whole different story. Quick, easy….clean. Obviously the first is always the Bitch-Of-The-Bunch……(James Gandolfini, True Romance). However, after a few little critters pass at your hands, you become immune to any regret or remorse. It is part of the great circle of life, my friends, and I can guarantee most animals you see on any menu anywhere that reads “Farm Raised”, died in the hands of one individual.
Dan Millman wrote a book called “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior”. If you havent read it, get it. By no means is it a self help book, but more of a way to understand right here and now. Allusions to Eastern Philosophy, meditation, breathing…..as well as a great story and a character named Socrates. An aging gas station attendant who mentors a young gymnast. You have to read it to get it. And get it to read it. Anyway, there is a whole study of being in a moment…present tense. Life is a series of moments, and there are no ordinary moments. There is never nothing going on.
How does this connect with killing a deer? Simple. The moment she passed, there was nothing else going on in this world. I was focused on nothing but that. Throughout the course of a day, your brain creates thousands of random thoughts. Worries. Need to pay the electric bill? Movie overdue at Videoport? Will I be successful? Will I attain happiness? Damn, Bill Murray was great in Caddyshack….where did i leave that …..nevermind……..
As she passed, there was not one other thought in my mind. Blank screen. Nothing. For 15 years now, I have been dabbling in Eastern philosophy, Buddhism, meditation.  I have NEVER been able to clear my mind. Ever. Not even for a second. During those fleeting moments, there was only she and I. Of course, I realize that recounting this event, even thinking about it, is the antithesis of Zen Philosophy and practice, but I’m a cook who’s head is ALWAYS full of garbage. So bare with me, this is important.
The intensity of the moment was real. It was totally present tense, and she and I were the only things on the face of the earth. Naturally, when she almost kicked me where it counts, I snapped out of it. Back to reality. The question at hand, is do I need to kill an animal to achieve enlightenment? Probably not. Did I gain a new understanding of life and death???? Yes. Death is a simple transition. In Ilsa’s case, she will probably come back as a cook, and I, the animal she will kill. Whatever will be will be. I would rather be a male rabbit, but that is a different story…….
After both does were cleaned, there were two huge carcasses in the back of the pickup. I was tired. The process was tiring. Both phisically and mentally. There was blood everywhere. There was deer fur in my hair. It was raining. My hands smelled like animal. Josh and I both were covered in deer bits. As he and I were standing there, beat, bloody and smoking blood stained cigarettes, he looked at me and said……..
“Dude…….FUCK Top Chef………”
I just smiled in agreement. I had deer bits in my nose, a soaked Carhart sweatshirt, and almost 300 pounds of animal to break down.
The next installment will delve into the breakdown and processing, a lesson in Endurance Cooking, and grinding deermeat at 3:30 AM.Â
K and I are on our way to Montreal this weekend to relax. We have a reservation at Martin Picard’s ”Au Pied de Cochon”, the Mecca of over-indulgence.  We will eat 15,000 calories in three days, most of which will be foie gras. Godspeed to us. If we arent back by Wednesday, send the Mounties.
Erik
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With a puff of steam from her jugular vein, life left Ilsa…..her snout in my left hand, and Josh’s grandfather’s Buck Knife in my right. Gazing down into her huge black eyes, I knew when life left her, in a 3 foot circle of deep amber blood puddling around my boots, the steam and metallic odor engulfing my olfactory. I wiped the Buck Knife on my pants, took a look at her on the floor of the barn, and really needed a cigarette. I gave Josh his heirloom knife, and we nodded at each other silently as the warm slurry of Ilsa ran around our boots and filled the air with the pungent odor of….well, not of death….but the circle of life, and the fact that there is an actual food chain.Â
Taking an animal’s life digs deep into your ego….a sense of empowerment mixed with a flurry of emotions not known to anyone who hasn’t done it.Â
Joe and a bunch of us planned the Venison party about a month ago.. We had a connection with a certain restaurant in town to procure 2 farm raised does. Three days before we were to host 60+ people with a feast of venison, we were supposed to pick them up. We arrived, cash in hand, and were told, “Yeah, sorry. No deer.” A minimal explanation was given, but what did they care?
Immediately, the three of us went out to see J at 158 to have a “What the fuck are we going to do” pow-wow. J, J, C and I were on our cell phones to ANYONE who may know 2 deer personally, and C made the connection. A deer farm in Shapleigh.
We arrived after a few navigational problems, and Edgar proceeded to show us his Bio-Diesel rig he uses to transform cooking oil to fuel, for his autos, tractors, and heating. We walked past the pen of deer, who stared at us with apprehension, and soon went about their routine. Edgar brought us into a 30′X30′ barn, quadroned off with various sliding doors, pens and a scale with a drop-floor. 2 of his prized East German Red deer were in separate pens, calmly gazing at us, and greeting us…timidly, but still interested. We weighed them, with C at the helm………they are a hell of a lot bigger than white tails….one at 240, one at 280-ish.
Eva went down with a stun, and Josh cut her throat. Edgar dragged her out to the other barn with a tractor, and i opened my little Opinel blade to skin her. Josh and i worked her coat off with ease. In order to avoid any expulsion of waste, we cut around the bung, and tied it wth twine. The innards came out in one large lump, into two 5 gallon buckets. Thank god for twine….
In to the back of the iced up Chevy pick-up, with the kidneys, heart and liver in a bag. Hose off the tarp, and on to Ilsa.
There was a slight drizzle, and the chill in the air reminded me of mid-November. “Erik, are you ready?” The cue from Edgar rejuvinated me. Josh handed me his Buck knife. “It’s from my Grandfather….make sure you cut deep, dude….”
With that being said, I took the knife in my right hand, the leather sheath in the left…….Joe took the wooden plywood shield to block any kicking….(these does loved to kick….) After Ilsa was stunned, I went in with the blade…..one deep stab along with a slice across the neck, and her eyes glazed over, with seconds of life still in her. As the newly opened jugular allowed the blood to flow, her flailing slowed, and soon, nothing but nerves caused movement. Edgar hooked her up to the tractor, and dragged her out to the other barn to be regarded and cleaned. This time, I was in charge of the gutting.
Part two of my story continues tomorrow. On to the breakdown and the party….pics coming soon.
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Two months ago, a group of cooks and food lovers gathered for a feast of foie gras and other fine things. See “Foie Gras Deathmatch” below.
Howe can we live up to that? For “Deathmatch Part Deux”, happening this coming sunday, the theme is venison. Deer. Bambi. The Yearling. Bowseason is open here in Maine, and unfortunately, we don’t know anyone who has Bow Skills. However, we know some farms. And about 15 cooks to prepare about 20 different courses for about 70 people. Sorry folks, maximum capacity.Â
The events leading up to our venison connection are a little bit strange……I’ll let you know how it all goes after we go to the farm tomorrow, pick the two deer that look most delicious, kill them, bleed them, skin them, and break them down to the primal cuts to be dispersed between the 15 cooks preparing dishes for sunday.
Joe rented the Arcade game “Big Buck Hunter II”. We will be wearing some Hunter orange garb. Miller high Life even has a 30-pack of orange hunter cans, so you don’t shoot your friend when you are drinking frosty cold ones and shooting animals in the woods.
My hacksaw has new blades, the camera is charging, knives are sharpened, the pickup truck is secured. I’m way too excited for this. I’ll post again tomorrow night after the killing is done.
Yay Bambi
As mentioned in a previous post, I am presently beginning work on a newly leased space on the corner of Congress and State St. 190 State to be exact. Longfellow Square is an amazing location, and hopefully Evangeline and The “One Longfellow” venue across State St will bring some new faces to the corner. As well to each other.
In keeping with the H.W. Longfellow vibe, I have chosen Evangeline as the name of the venture. “Bandol” seemed a little bit inappropriate, based on the fact that, well….it won’t be Bandol. Granted, folks will still be able to get a Bandol experience (7 to 15 course Degustation menus), however, a three course a la carte menu will be the driving force. Evangeline will also have ample seats at the bar, maybe a dozen or so, for anything from the revolving chalkboard menu, up to the degustation menus. In fact, every seat in the house will be able to experience pretty much anything we have to offer. Bandol without borders. Still the inherent focus on the minutae of service, food and wine, but with, dare I say, a sexier side…..
Evangeline is a Longfellow poem. A sad tune….love…love lost….love searched for……love found….love lost again. And for anyone who doesn’t care about Longfellow, it is still a sexy name, no?
We will have a half dozen courses fit for 2 diners….(more on that later. dont want to give too much info now). Folks who want an app, main course, and cheese and/or dessert will be quite happy, as well as those who want to dig in to roasted marrow bones, rillettes, charcuterie, terrine de foie gras, or a platter of choucroute garni.Â
We’ll have caviar service and oysters as well. And steak frites, with the fries cooked in beef fat….naturally. I can’t seem to find a source for horse fat, which makes the best frites EVER (aside from the fries at Duckfat, which have no equal…..cheers to Rob, Andrew, and the staff at Duckfat for making my afternoon lunch a borderline addiction…..pulled pork and Morses sauerkraut paninni, fries and truffle ketchup. ) I usually chat with Sam and Don at Rabelais while the fries cook, and drool over the Meneau book that i will never be able to afford. Sigh…..and breathe in…….
The Wine Program is being devised by a guy who loves all things hedonistic, you know who you are….I hope. We are brewing up a decent list. (smirk….just wait…..) And for the cocktail lovers, we will have a short menu of house drinks, all deliberate, as well as an aperitif list. Beers (only 3) on tap. As well as some artwork from one of the most talented artists in town. Steve. Have you heard of him????? He loves way too much. You know…..Steve.
Feel free to send questions, comments and concerns. It will make the Evangeline experience just exactly perfect.
Erik
PS Ladle is open. Come get some soup. Open on Saturdays now.
11:30 to 3:30, M-Sat. Evening hours beginning in November