...notes from the nether cafe.

Eggs

2025-03-05T14:11:00.002-05:00

Fresh eggs from one of my favorite local farms.

Eggs. We stopped eating them, for now. Risk reduction and all.

I've never minded paying more for eggs, actually. I especially enjoy farm fresh eggs from the local farm market. They taste so much better. It's not about the price point for me.

It's about the avian flu.

So we'll pass, for now. I suppose this will become something farmers try to certify and assure the public, that their chickens are healthy and the eggs are fine. I will probably inquire sometime this spring season as to the health of the chickens at my favorite farm.

I'll share what I learn here, when I do.

© Dawn Nelson 2025

Movie Review: Mad Max (4-part series) / Batman Begins

2024-10-22T18:18:00.004-04:00

The Mad Max series is a bit hard to follow at times, but the cinematography is fantastic. The world building is quite incredible. It will make you think about how you will personally deal with the post-industrial fallout once civilization collapses.

2 thumbs up on HBO Max.

Batman Begins answers all the questions you didn't know you had. And yes, there are bats.

3 thumbs up on HBO Max.

Movie Review: Spy Game / Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

2024-10-20T19:47:00.002-04:00

Spy Game is a fun and 'make you really think' kind of thriller action adventure movie. Excellent soundtrack. A good movie for a few hours on a lazy late afternoon.

2 thumbs up on Netflix.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is a playful sequel with endearing characters. A good, cute movie.

2 thumbs up on Netflix.

Movie Review: Cinderella Man / Arthur

2024-10-19T19:55:00.003-04:00

Cinderella Man is definitely worth the 2 plus hours. This is the underdog story you've been waiting for. An interesting narrative and educational to boot.

2 thumbs up on Netflix.

Arthur is a silly romance amidst a Manhattan landscape, making it fairly cliche. This is saved by the quality of the cinematic landscapes and the fact that the romance is actually endearing.

2 thumbs up on Netflix.

Movie Reviews

2024-10-18T20:29:00.001-04:00

We've decided to hijack this blog for movie reviews.

We're still working on our reviews.

In the meantime, we highly recommend "How to Train Your Dragon".

Cheers!

A new year dawning

2024-01-01T23:28:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year 2024

Cranberry Something

2023-12-18T21:44:00.004-05:00

I found some fresh cranberries at the local farm stop and couldn't resist bringing some home. No real plan, just cranberries.

So today, I made a sauce of some kind, and it turned out well.

Rather sweet, in fact, likely perfect for crepes, but so far has only made it onto a cream cheese asiago bagel.

Here is the last stage of the reduction(?):

I suppose it is not exactly pretty. Very sweet, though, and a great first foray.

Every time I photograph something in my kitchen, I am reminded of how unphotogenic my kitchen actually is. Next place, studio kitchen.

Cheers :-)

Blue Oyster Mushrooms

2023-10-29T22:01:00.001-04:00

Sautéing the first batch of mushrooms.

I started growing my own gourmet mushrooms to see if it is something I would like to do. First as a culinary hobby and source of food, but potentially also as a small business.

So I sautéed some of the first batch tonight, in olive oil. I added a little bit of salt and pepper on the plate and realized I really like mushrooms as a food group.

Perhaps tomorrow I will add them to an omelet.

This first yield was 18 ounces from the mushroom kit I purchased from a local cultivator.

We shall see what the next yield brings.

Probably in a couple weeks, I reckon.

To be continued...

The sheer delight of grocery store sushi

2023-10-01T19:17:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I go out to work on my family's cottage in the woods. There isn't any electricity and consequently I usually do not prepare meals there.

Instead, I take a break and drive up to the local grocery store and get this highly nutritious array of flavor for a meal and enjoy it thoroughly.

I did this a lot for a season, and then forgot about it once I became mired in my regular work routine. When I suddenly remembered that this was a thing that I do, it was nice to indulge in something so simple.

The sushi are California rolls. The wasabi was unusually hot for some reason, but I ate it anyway because wasabi.

My friend will probably tell me it is fake wasabi but I don't care.

There are plenty more work days out there to be had, so I anticipate enjoying this brown bag lunch more than a few times in the future.

Coffee Karma

2023-09-24T11:20:00.000-04:00

Lately it's been a special blend of Hyperion coffee from Green Things Farm Collective.

It has taken me a minute to figure out the right brew strength for this blend, as it is more of a lighter medium roast that can easily be ruined if you brew it too strong (which I tend to do, as a French roast coffee geek).

I think I am getting there though. I do like black coffee, but not for this particular blend. So the other element of this story is the cream and sweetener. Of course I try to go with the locals -- local dairy and local honey as my cornerstones: Calder and Guernsey dairy farms, Lada natural honey.

Tea and tonic is another experiment of late. Someone recently mentioned brewing a kind of mushroom coffee/tea that made me think again about how to incorporate mushrooms into my operations (culinary, not psychedelic, sorry peeps ;-)). Mushroom tonic tea of some kind.

AND

A slow evolution of an omelet bar seems to be brewing as well. I am trying to show up to work early enough so I can make myself breakfast (because the likelihood of my next meal is not until dinner). It tends to be some form of eggs and toast. I think this week I will be adding mushrooms to the mix.

I think what I realized a while ago is that if I am always going to be struggling to get by, at the very least I should enjoy every single day of my life regardless.

So I shall.

Local eggs! From Webbed Foot Pines Farm.

Liquor Store Pizza

2023-09-14T19:45:00.000-04:00

I stopped at the local party store to see what they had for hot lunch items.

They had pizza by the slice that I am pretty sure was DiGiorno frozen pizza made in a fabulous pizza oven. They also had chicken strips and pork egg rolls.

I opted for the egg roll and slice of pizza. They were both actually pretty good. The egg roll was a bit crispy but satisfying enough. I might even go back for more.

A couple weeks ago I stopped in there for eggs and those have proven to be good as well.

It is basically an underappreciated bodega.

I like supporting them. They are the only store on this side of town.

Keeping it Simple

2023-09-04T11:08:00.000-04:00

These last few weeks I've started taking stock of everything I have in my kitchen but have no plan for. So now, I am dedicated to using what I have and reducing my grocery bill as much as possible.

Here is a flatbread I came up with yesterday that is surprisingly delicious:

1 part buckwheat flour
1.5 parts water
salt and pepper
whisk batter thoroughly
oil or butter in the pan
fry until cooked through and as crispy as desired
oregano or nutritional yeast as desired

I have since tried this bread on its own, with an egg cooked over medium, and with salsa and sour cream -- all simple and delightful. It is an easy way to make the bread I yearn for with various meals, and I can use the flour I already have on hand.

Up next: gluten free flour.

---

Localism revisited

2023-06-09T13:23:00.000-04:00

I am about to return to a more hyperlocal life once again. I am giddy, honestly.

One of my first tasks is to make our summer menu for home and source as much local food as possible. The rice part is always a challenge. I do like rice.

So much has changed since the last time I posted on this blog. In some ways, I am glad I didn't post. Letting some projects go fallow was exactly what I needed.

Here's to new horizons.

Maybe I will finally make that video on how I make grenadine.

The original pomegranate that never got its video heyday. Photo by author.

My First Sale of My Boozy Dessert!

2023-01-19T23:38:00.002-05:00

I just need to commemorate and celebrate that today I sold my first boozy dessert, the cinnamon whiskey ice cream.

Yay me.

Just fucking yay.

That is all.

Cheers,

Me.

The Sidecar

2023-01-10T14:01:00.000-05:00

I finally got around to making a sidecar, just as I was running out of brandy.

So I was careful to be very precise with my measurements. It turned out quite well.

Not up, just in my favorite Gibraltar rocks glass.

I used a recipe (#2) in my go-to reference book and made a quick small batch of sour mix with lemon juice, water, and brown cane sugar.

My makeshift workspace.

After several years of experimenting with different ideas, I've learned the best approach is to buy in small batch and be focused in my efforts. Still, sometimes I tend to slack so most of the brandy had already been allocated to hot toddies. Upon reflection, they were not really all that different from the sidecar. Which I guess actually makes the sidecar a toddy.

I am amused with my meandering way of realizing this simple fact.

Anyway, I will be making one or two more of these at work soon in proper cocktail glasses, served up with a sugared rim. I even have someone interested in trying it with me, which makes it all the more fun.

Salut!

Local Food Feature: Microgreens

2023-01-02T17:20:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week I stopped at the local food cooperative and found these microgreens that soon made it into nearly every dish I created for the next several days.

This particular selection are broccoli greens from Gopal's Pantry in Maybee, Michigan, which is "a small vegetable farm that specializes in hydroponic greens, herbs and microgreens."

Definitely worth the price, as they pack a lot of microgreens into that 2 ounce container.

Here are some dishes I've added them to:

- Salmon, chick pea and potato medley

- Cous Cous salad

- On a hamburger, along with parmesan cheese and English mustard

One of the things I like about farms that specialize in microgreens is that they will often offer a delivery service. Microgreens are best when super fresh.

A primary benefit of microgreens is that they are very nutrient dense. While different types of greens will differ in nutrient composition, they generally contain rich sources of potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium and copper (Healthline, 2018).

Be sure to stop by your local grocer or farm store and pick some up the next time you are out.

Salut!

When culinary creativity strikes

2023-01-01T12:53:00.000-05:00

I was working on a cranberry vodka drink when suddenly it happened.

The process of creation.

I realized I had ginger beer, pineapple juice, grapefruit juice, lime juice, ruby red grapefruit juice--and some basic tools to make the creative process easy to do. I even put sugar on a shot glass so I could share some samples.

The first one was called a Ginger Greyhound Cosmo. It was delicious.

After that it became an amalgamation of juice cocktails with Tito's. Overall, I think I made at least three distinctly unique compositions, although I would guess others have created similar recipes. It is difficult to create something truly original.

Nonetheless, I will continue to invent interesting things for the palate to enjoy. I don't usually use vodka, but it certainly makes for the ideal vehicle to calibrate unique mixtures of juice. There are two benefits to this: you can concoct excellent mocktails and cocktails. You can maximize potential menu offerings of both alcohol and non-alcohol drinks by taking time to experiment with juice.

So, this morning, I added some fresh pomegranate juice to some sparkling water. What I like about this especially is that there is no additional sweetener added. I juiced the pomegranate myself, so I know. It is nice to adjust to less sugar on the palate.

It is also nice to start with just two ingredients and learn how to appreciate the simplicity of flavor. Becoming familiar with the unique characteristics of each flavor allows you to build an instinctive knowledge of what would combine well. It makes it easier to create things on the fly and trust that what you produce will be good.

So I will continue to make fresh juice and subsequent syrups of the respective juice.

It is delicious fun.

The evolution of my cuisine

2022-12-31T22:51:00.002-05:00

I am getting better at synthesizing leftovers into interesting meals. Tonight it was: salmon, rice, chick peas, hash browns, broccoli, peppers and some other spices sautéed into a fanciful medley that was incredibly delicious.

Salmon rice and potato medley. Photo by author.

The best part is that there is still some left for tomorrow.

Quite fortunate, because I have some writing to do. Only an hour before deadline.

Reality Breaks Apart

2022-11-30T23:41:00.000-05:00

Well, friends. Let me tell you. Life at the nether café has been really f'ing difficult lately.

After having some ten days to myself to exalt in my existence (i.e. my covid vacation), I had to return to the land of toxic masculinity and male bravado and let me tell you, it is not only awful, it is worse than it has perhaps ever been for me at work.

I mean, there are some strong contenders, but right now, work is miserable. At least in the evening portion. It used to be fun, now it is the opposite of that. It is anti-fun.

And do you want to know why? Because some men are babies about having to regard women as equals with equal right to respect and domain.

So.

I think there are some changes overdue at my nether café.

Because if this is not fun, than I don't know what it's for at all.

Covid Tuesday

2022-10-26T14:33:00.000-04:00

Guess what? I have covid! I couldn't possibly pass up the chance to broadcast a Tuesday update while actually having covid, since the whole broadcast series was born during the boredom of quarantine so long ago.

This is officially my covid episode of the Tuesday series.

The main highlight is on my essay collection, the 0100 series, which can be found on my medium column at dawndotearth.medium.com

Cheers!

The Robots are Coming for Your Job

2022-10-15T11:57:00.002-04:00

Work.

It was the Friday of Labor Day weekend, well before the spatulas landed in the fryer.

The sink was broken and someone suggested a solution that would require an extraordinary degree of manual labor, tapping into the Cinderella style of working.

I had had it. I was done. How is this even legal? And on Labor Day weekend, no less!

But somehow, I still had not accomplished what I came here to do, so I stayed on. It's like a meditation. It's Zen work. and it pays the bills. So what's next? I keep learning as much as I can so I can set myself up for something better later on.

Later on. When will that be? There are rumors our jobs will be replaced by robots, and possibly sooner than we think once the new wage laws take effect. Forget about your raise, you're just going to lose your job instead.

This is terrifying.

Maybe this is why I am so adamant about bartending. It will be challenging to replace the skill and art of bartending with robots. Won't it?

---

Cinnamon Whiskey Ice Cream

2022-10-02T14:26:00.000-04:00

I'm working on a recipe for a boozy ice cream desert. I discovered that my swirls of whipped cream are not what they once were. Still, this was delicious:

My latest ice cream desert creation, silly and delicious.

Silly and Delicious

.5 oz. Fireball Whiskey

1 chocolate covered vanilla ice cream bar

1 reese's peanut butter cup (optional)

garnish with whipped cream and cherries (optional)

If you like these flavors, you will probably enjoy a version of this.

Cheers!

Gandy Dancer

2022-09-30T12:26:00.001-04:00

There is a term for a person who worked on building a rail line called a gandy dancer. I am not sure precisely all the work these folks would do, but it is a lovely phrase.

It is also this beautiful restaurant in the old train station, the Gandy Dancer:

The Gandy Dancer is nestled in on a brick road and old fieldstone building.

I stopped in recently to visit the bar because after nearly 20 years of living here, I realized I have never been inside this restaurant. So at the very least, I thought I might have a cocktail.

Well, a mocktail, actually, a black cherry palmer, and it was delicious. The bartender went the extra mile and brought me some warm bread and butter and crackers and salmon pate--also amazing. He said I am the first person to come visit him from my bar down the street, which I found surprising yet endearing.

I was also happy to discover that while it is fine dining, if you arrive in the middle of the afternoon, they don't seem to mind if you wear blue jeans (phew!).

I am looking forward to returning there again for another delightful experience at their Roundhouse Bar at the Gandy Dancer.

Life Behind the Bar

2022-09-16T13:22:00.002-04:00

When you realize you are one of the mules at work.

I seem to be at a crossroads of sorts.

My goal for the end of this year was to be ready to take the first exam for the US Bartenders' Guild mixology accreditation program as a spirits professional.

I am not sure that I am ready, but I have definitely learned a lot about cocktails and spirits in the past year. And certainly enough to know that I am very tired of being confined to a bar that has grandfathered in a clause that bartenders can wash all the front of house dishes.

Yes, that's correct, all the front of house dishes for a restaurant that can seat around 90 people at any given time.

So in between making cocktails, we wash dishes - a lot of them. It wouldn't be so sour if we earned as much as the servers on the floor, but at the end of the day, we don't. We make about a third of what the servers make, yet we seem to have the lion's share of labor. So as you might imagine, it is a recipe for demoralization.

Which brings me to pay equity for front of house. It seems the savvy thing to do would be to bump up the base pay for bartenders to bring parity to the pay scale. We could also increase the percentage of tips bartenders receive from the floor, which sounds good at 15%, but is actually 7.5% per bartender, as there are always two of us on shift. That's not much for making all the drinks and washing all the dishes.

But top management does not want to budge, so it is an uphill battle. Still, change may come by way of enforcement if a new minimum wage is legislated in early next year. That may be a boon, or it might have unintended negative consequences overall for front of house workers that might see their overall take home pay flatline well below what they are accustomed to making. We shall see.

What is certain is that the food and beverage industry has not fully recovered from pre-pandemic times, and may not ever. So for our front of house, it would be wise to redistribute percentages and base pay to ensure pay equity across the house.

Otherwise, staff turnover will only get worse over time.

these fkn dishes

2022-09-03T00:42:00.002-04:00

the cold water faucet is broken at work.

if you didn't already know, I tend bar at a place that makes us wash all front of house dishes. and it's.. awful.

Somehow, it managed to get worse on this Friday of labor day weekend.

a coworker thought it would be okay to ask me to partially handfill the dish sink because the cold water faucet is broken.

you know, multiple times throughout the night, while bartending.

I think I'm ready to find my next gig.

holy fucking hell.