SUNDAY BRUNCHES

For over 28 years we have opened The Nordic Inn Memorial Day Weekend and closed for the year end of September.  There have been the odd years when we were open during the winter season or remained open into mid October because of fine weather and tourists.

I work 14 hours a day 7 days a week from the hour we first open the doors for business until we close.  This is not a living hell for me.  I love what I do for a living.

I have never worked a job that I did not like.   The years I made a living playing piano... I did not take on gigs that were not pleasant or paid me NOT a decent wage.  I simply would quit a job IF it meant some kind of anxiety and hell for me mentally, physically and spiritually.

Mind you, I do not escape from problems and challenges within the work place.  Work is work.  Work should and must reward us in ways that makes us happy.  Be it money, acclaim, self esteem.

I did not learn how to play piano easily.  I WORKED at it.  PRACTICED for hours beyond my own imagination.  I made mistakes.  Lots of wrong notes but sometimes one cannot learn the correct notes without hitting the wrong ones first!

One thing I WAS A TOTAL FAILURE AT:  SCHOOL WORK.  HOMEWORK as it is called!  I simply hated doing homework.  I would practice piano for hours instead of sitting with my books with pencil and paper at hand.   I loved listening to lectures in class at College and University, but the homework... OMG........  if the course was being taught by a charismatic teacher I could manage to retain their lectures inside my head, but IF NOT!  FAILURE.

Sorry, I am drifting off the subject of SUNDAY BRUNCHES.  Years ago I decided to make Sunday Mornings a special event within the restaurant.  Change the daily menu and offer a Brunch menu 'round 11 AM until 1:00 PM.  It was a success but like so many ideas that are so fun in the beginning they can turn into MONSTERS.

I always know when Sunday rolls around because on Saturday evening after the dinner hours I stay up prepping for SUNDAY BRUNCH.  Sunday Brunch at Brenthoven's can easily serve over a 100 plates.  I am a very small intimate restaurant and take pride in not rushing people over their meals, allowing space and time for every one's needs but Sundays can prove to be something of a ADVENTURE.

This year 2012 has been such a year of tragic and comedic adventures on SUNDAY BRUNCH'S.  I now call them:  SUNDAY CRUNCHES.  I will not bore one with all the details except for one event which I could not ever imagine would ever happen.

Picture a PERFECT SUMMER'S DAY...  Patio is full, inside the restaurant is FULL...  drinks, coffee are flowing... Sara is on both stations.  She is a brilliant waitress.  I have help in the kitchen even though orders are PILING UP LIKE BRICKS...  eggs are not cooking on the stove or on the grill.  French Toast is WET.  My hell, it has been on the grill for over 20 minutes!!!  Water will not boil for Eggs Benedict...  Sara is NOT SCREAMING, but WOULD LIKE TO, "WHERE IN HELL ARE MY ORDERS???????!!!!!!!##$%%^^&"  I am going crazy.

I AM OUT OF PROPANE.  In Western WY we use Propane tanks.  WTH?  We have people asking WHY?  We have people ANGRY?  We have un happy people.  I tell Sara, "You will have to tell them we are out of GAS!"  She is not in the least amused.  She is very kind to me but informs me SHE WILL NOT AND CAN NOT TELL PEOPLE TO GET UP AND LEAVE.  Matt, my "gofer" Sous chef in training says, (I'll tell 'um!)  he does!!!

Another Sara comes to my aid.  Sara Need.  She walks up to my service window and says, "Brent, Bill can fix most anything do you want him to look at the situation?"  "Sure Sara"  I have propane bottles I use on the patio on cold evenings... Billy Neeb saves my ass.  He used the flex tube from the big propane tank and connects it to the line going into my kitchen.  Eggs begin to sizzle, water finds it's bubbles, French Toast becomes crispy...  I owe the man a big favor.

We lost 30 some odd customers not out of anger, but we could not accommodate them.  I was a dead man walking when I went to bed after brunch and the evening dinner shift.

Every Sunday came with open smiling arms full of challenges.  The time the power went out.  Toasters will not work.  Coffee maker STOPS.  FANS.  Fans are a very important life source in a kitchen!

The Sunday a biker on the deck is having a heart attack.  He is 39 years old!  I thought it was my cooking!  He had suffered with heart problems from a very early age.  BUT WHY ON MY SUNDAY BRUNCH DAYS...

The Sundays I RAN OUT OF BACON!  WORST THING:  OUT OF HOME FRIED POTATOES. I make my home fries from real potatoes.  NOT FROZEN ETC.  The list is endless.

I believe it is a sign from the universe.  I must simply go BACK to normal breakfast on Sunday.  Lunch at 11:30 til 1:00 PM.

It is 10 minutes after 5 in the afternoon in QT.  Wine TIME.  I have many times said:  To Goodness and Wisdom we only make promises; we OBEY PAIN.  Well, my pain tells me no more Sunday Brunch just normal stuff!