Elbow grease and noodles

Working in a kitchen isn't all about cooking, drinking coffee and taking photos.

There's also a fair bit of cleaning to do on a regular basis, so today we gave the fridges a good clear out.

Johnny C and I were quite happy with our first coffee of the day but apparently the beans are too fresh so it's a bit volatile.

They really do taste best when you least expect to get one.

It's the element of surprise. When you ask for one somehow it's not the same.

After the fridges, Johnny C takes a quick breather while his noodles are cooking.

Coffees going to...?

The review was good and at least half of Auckland seems to have read it.

As a result, we've been so busy that David has devised a seating plan so we have half a chance of knowing where all those excellent coffees are going to.

Attempting to give you all what you've ordered all being part of our equally splendid service, I might add.

I shall take a moment now to make myself familiar with it for the inevitable stampede on Saturday.

Puddings and plums

Lots of baking on a Friday to see us through the weekend. Vanilla bread & butter puddings and sweet and savoury scones for a start.

Next week we're doing muffins and tarts with the lovely juicy Black Doris plums from the farmer's market up the road, so I'm going there first thing tomorrow to buy a load before they go.

Tomorrow we're being reviewed in the Weekend Herald on the Brunch page. They give you a mark out of 5 - it's rarely 5 though. We read them every week and now it's our turn! We'll let you know...

You know when Johnny C's around even if you can't see him

(and he can't see you).

Bagels and Dumplings

First thing today, before things properly kicked off, we trialled some new toppings for bagels.

It seemed only right and proper that we sit down, as if we were customers, and try them out with a coffee, to get a taste and feel for the whole experience.

We were quite impressed (though the service was pretty rubbish).

Later, before wrapping up the Saturday shift, Johnny C offered to cook up some homemade dumplings which he had in the freezer. They were a mix of minced pork, prawns and herbs wrapped in neat little parcels pinched together at the edges. Johnny’s girlfriend Theresa had made them (or rather, had helped Johnny make them).

I asked him what the secret behind dumplings were. He said there wasn’t one, so I have nothing to report on that score, however I can confirm that they burn very easily in a hot pan when left to their own devices while the duty cook is filling in his timesheet downstairs.

The idea is to fry them on one side, then add enough water to come one-third of the way up them. You then partially cover them so they steam, just until the water evaporates and they crisp up a bit again on the bottom. As we discovered, there is a fine line between attaining the golden crisp and turning them black.

Still, they were tasty with a good dunk of soy sauce. Even if they were a little charred.

Drink up quick

Today was Chicken Monday, the first of the year for me. It was worth the wait, just the smell of it roasting.

David had first go at the skin when he thought we weren't looking but in his defence he had paid for half of it, as he informed us.

Today we also learnt that if you leave your half-drunk coffee on the wrong side of the line (where the work-surface meets the beginning of the sink) then that's where the cup will end up - in the sink. Well, that's what happened to Andrew's coffee anyway.

When Andrew said he'd paid for half the coffee machine, he was told that's why he was only allowed half a cup.

I didn't pay for anything so I just kept quiet and got on with the washing-up.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Johnny C was mixing a suspicious looking powder into his muesli smoothie while he was making the clubs. More of this another time.

If you can't stand the heat...

... go and cool off in Berlin or Shanghai.

Yes, it's back to work finally after five weeks off and all I can say about the kitchen is this: it's HOT. Even when the oven's off.

7am breakfasts are cold muesli smoothies and Johnny K's "staff club" creations (crusts melded together with butter and scrapings of chicken mix).

Add the odd coffee thrown in for good measure, of course.

End of shift madness

You know it's time to go home when you make more mess than the devastation you're trying to clear up. These oats were nothing - you should have been there moments later when a family-size bag of white chocolate buttons decided to empty itself all over the floor (before my very eyes).

Next, there was a crash downstairs which turned out to be David (who rarely drops things, except during end of shift madness) dropping a pile of boxes.

That's what happens when you've been up for too long and the sum total of breakfast/lunch/dinner has been a club sandwich and a small lamington.

That's Saturdays for you. It's not surprising that we have to go for a beer after to get over it.

Johnny C ended the shift by wearing the croissants (which he was about to eat, not sell) on his head.