317-925-PLAY (7529) is the number to call..........

Well, my painting, hole drilling, shelf hanging and lowes trips are over (almost).  time for me to be a chef again.  I am opening the restaurant at 5:30 on Tuesday.
Then I will try to get some retail soups and salads put together the following week.  Or I may just make it happen sooner.

Here is the menu for the first 2 days.  I will try to keep it as close to the descriptions as possible, with the understanding that small tweaks and improvements may happen.  And remember now, this menu is the whole meal.  All inclusive.  Individual courses are not available.  We have used this format for a few trial runs and everyone has been super excited and pleased.  One less decision to make in an already crazy world!

See you all soon at RECESS

shrimp, avocado and black bean tostaditos

with citrus vinaigrette

celery root and mushroom bisque with

celery salt popcorn

crisp pork belly with ponzu pickled cucumbers,

radishes and wakame seaweed

pan roasted eye of the beef ribeye with oven roasted tomatoes, 
haricots verts, melted onions, 
horseradish potato puree


port and pear sorbet


($45 per person)

will it ever open?

We are trying our best to get this dude open. We are currently dealing with brand new computer hard drive crashes, back ordered plates and silverware and all the other general restaurant opening hurdles. Notice the stress, the bags under the eyes, the sleeplessness..... stay tuned, we will get it done!

How about some positive food talk. If we get it open, this might be the first menu. A little seafood inspiration.

Salad of peekytoe crab, cucumbers, radishes, apples, wakame seaweed and avocado,

sesame ponzu vinaigrette

***

Wild rice gnocchi, oyster mushrooms and baby bok choy,

thyme infused root vegetable nage

***

Wild striped bass with local potatoes, arugula, fennel and scallions,

caper mustard sauce pretending to be "hollandaise"

***

chocolate pot de creme

What's cookin?

Recess is hosting a staff holiday party for a friend of mine later this week. I wrote the menu with a Mexican theme. Here is what I am doing for them, and what would be a typical menu in the future at Recess (not necessarily always mexican, just a typical offereing). Yup, we are getting close..............

*oysters x 2*

fried oyster with chipotle remoulade

and a kumomoto oyster shot with a lime habanero mignonette

salad of cucumber, zucchini, arugula, pinenuts and cotija cheese,

cider vinaigrette

soup of chicken broth, chick peas, roasted poblanos

and a lot of cilantro

shrimp diablo with cumin crushed potatoes

fisher farms pork shank tacos with 2 salsas

{ verde & roja}

eggnog tres leches cake with peppermint whipped cream whipped cream

and toasted pecans

.......oh, by the way, Recess is always available for your group party needs. Just call and we will develop a menu together that meets YOUR needs

Tunnel Vision?

I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Food is coming!

Says it feels right this time
Turned it 'round and found the right line
“Good day to be alive, sir
Good day to be alive,” he says

Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel
Was just a freight train coming your way
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel
Was just a freight train coming your way

(Lyrics by Hetfield and Ulrich)

WANTED

I need file cabinets, and instead of buying new ones, I want to "recycle" any that you may have. I am willing to trade soup for steel. I especially need 2 drawer desk sized file cabinets. I also need a big ol' fashioned desk or two; the kind you might find in front of a classroom with a teacher sitting behind it. If you have any you are ready to part with, please contact me at gshardesty[at]gmail.com

Thanks and we will see you soon at RECESS

Update on Recess

Well a lot has happened in the past couple weeks. Gabe has been furloughed twice from rehab and continues to heal and get stronger. He has visited Recess both times and he looks awesome. We are getting closer and closer every day to a finished project. Stay tuned for updates on the dates.

The equipment showed up today and is resting nicely after the trip. It should be hooked up over the next few days. I have to say I am ready to put on my chef hat and shed the business start-up attire.

I believe we will begin by offering the Recess Take Away first. Given the busy and hectic schedules around the holidays and the events of the past month, I think it is best to ease into the fun. We will keep updates coming so everyone knows when food will be available, as well as any special dinners we might host spontaneously before the years end.

In the true spirit of what the Recess concept is all about, I was blessed over the past 10 days with an unbelievable display of community and friendship. I sent out an "e-mail SOS" for help and was rewarded with over 30 volunteers who came in and worked their tails off. They scraped, primed, they painted, scrubbed and they hauled. Nothing spectacular or glamorous, just lots of hard dirty work. I can't thank them all enough. Without their help, we are looking at the very minimum another 2 weeks to open.

Thanks again to Jen Tudor, Nancy Curless, Leslie Altavilla, Annmarie Deetes, Heidi Dilger, Ken Dilger, Tony Altavilla, Greg Bauwens, Abbi Merris, Nick Hammonds, Mike Sylvia, Ellen Krause, Matt McGregor, Marty Krause, Kim Gross, Sarah McGregor, Bruce Juntgen, Becky Juntgen, Dennis Twite, Helen Twite, Amy Cart, Chris Eley, Jack Stark, Susan Prebble, Curtis Witwer, Ashley Ritter, Jake Ritter, Ryan Hidinger, Jen Hidinger, Jeff Brown, Beth Dean, Chuck Dean, Joe Savone.....

.....and most importantly Gabe, Brooke, Mike and Ann Jordan. This is a family that has been rocked with heartache and challenges most of us would certainly succumb to. Yet there they were, lending a hand, determined to see this dream through. If that is not what community is all about, I don't know what is!

THANK YOU ALL

perspective.......

The past week has certainly been a very sad time at Recess. My partner Gabe Jordan was hospitalized Sunday with a gun shot to the back. It really puts everything into perspective when a senseless tragedy such as this occurs. For complete information on the story and to find out how you can help the Jordan family go to gabejordan.org

Please take the time to browse the site and discover just how special Gabe is. Loving father, husband, son, brother and friend. He is obviously an incredible man. Reading all the messages of love and encouragement he has received I am reminded why I chose Gabe to help me open this restaurant.

That being said, he is equally as strong and no doubt will fight hard to come back as strong as ever for his family. I know Recess won't feel complete until he comes back to work.

...thankfully Gabe was there that day to help me figure out this high tech piece of equipment