Many years ago, we had a pesto on our menu.
I don’t recall how long ago, or whether it was chicken (probably), fish (maybe) or other. (I would know, except, our Sugar sync crashed and all our historical files disappeared, so I know longer can research old menus. So sad. Steve please… 🙂 )
I don’t know how the actual history of pesto–perhaps I’ll wiki that later–but I do remember that delicious and fresh-as-summer-green blend of ground basil, garlic, pignolia, olive oil and parmesan cheese being all the rage in, like, the 80’s. For some reason, pesto makes me think of the once popular “back in the day”, Silver Palate cookbook. Their recipe may have called for walnuts…it’s been awhile.
Anyway–that menu item, and hence, the pesto, may or may not have been the inspiration for our chef at that time who decided to use it in our “house butter”–a way to separate us from the others–our signature accompaniment to the locally baked, Portuguese white corn bread that we have brought complimentary to every table for, like, 20 years. (of course, the recipe was modified sans nuts, so we don’t have to worry about allergies and such)
The pesto was also a “natural” option to create a signature butter beyond it’s great flavor, because, in a restaurants pursuit of keeping products manageable, and fresh, and cost effective, we employ a second* “Rule of (3)” as often as we can–that is, production items (those items we handle beyond a “one off” non-perishable ingredient) get used a minimum of (3) times on a menu.
Haddock, for instance may be used as a baked lunch portion and/or dinner portion, as fish and chips, on tacos, maybe in a chowder, and so on. Menu science. Efficiency. Lower waste, more manageable cost.
But what I have found often happens in restaurants is, this; The Pesto Chicken stops being popular (if it ever was!), or, a new chef (or restless owner) decides to change to his or her favorite alternative recipe at that time, for example, “Sausalito” Grilled Chicken with black beans and salsa (true story), because after all, we have nachos and a really delicious salsa. Perhaps the pesto is now viewed as obsolete–like–“The 80’s called and they want their sauce back.” So, a change in menu occurs (constantly). And, the house butter stays the same, as the guests love it (and, we know how to make it consistently perfect…”let’s leave it alone.”) This cycle tends to happens, again and again on menus, through the years. Like, the restaurant starts a Sunday brunch (true story). Fried chicken and waffles get added (true story)–a hot and trending and delicious brunch item. The chef decides that maple-honey butter, melting over that crispy chicken and across the steamy, home made waffle, is a brilliant idea for the menu.
Who can argue with that logic!? Yum! And so it goes.
Then we take a step back and look. The menu now has pesto house butter, salsa chicken (or the latest iteration), honey-buttered chicken and waffles…and the ingredient list grows and grows, further from the required efficiencies once carefully designed. The order guide grows, the prep list grows, the inventory grows, the time it takes to do just about everything grows (order, receive, store, prep, manage, count, re order…), and the chef’s ability to deliver at a higher, more efficient standard wanes. With his or her patience…an important and often fragile state.
Announcing;
Cobblestones brand new, 20 years later, 2nd signature house “Honey butter!”
We really hope you love it.
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