DEJA VU, OUR STATUS GOES TO ENDANGERED
29th December 2020. Well here we go again, and this time level 3 is more draconian, because it has to be. You can always rely on the great herds of sheeples to royally cock things up for everyone. This is doubly sad as we did so well first time around back in April, May. So now when the evenings are sublime we have to try and pack an entire evening into 2 hours , putting unbearable strain on the kitchen staff. As things stand our very existence as a restaurant is under threat, and then Uncle Cyril, Gob bless his weary soul, is forced to bring us closer to the brink. Well it's been a really horrid year and it is ending horribly. If we make it through to the first quarter of 2021 and survive what is clearly going to be hard times ahead, it will be a little miracle. At least we managed to maintain a five star Trip advisor rating, made a lot of friends and made some great food along the way. So fellow friends and patrons, go into 2021 with great courage, great caution and keep hope alive. As long as we can, we will serve you all with all the passion we have, and with big hearts and much joy, whatever the outcome. Hallmarks that have always driven everything we do.
Happy New Year may not be entirely appropriate, so at least have a healthy New Year, and know that during 2021 we will defeat this unseen killer. To all those conspiracy assholes out there I can only say one thing. You would not be so arrogant if it was your family member dying alone and gasping for air in an isolated ICU ward. Dying alone and desperate to a horrid end. Get a life will you, and try some fact checking a;ready!!
Its been a wild and spectacular ride! See you all on the flip side! We will look back and be grateful Covid is finished, we simply have to!
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COMING SOON - WE EXPAND THE HERB GARDEN
LEVEL THREE - A POISONED CHALICE
As the lockdown bites deeper into our dwindling reserves, and the shared pie of delivery meals is pecked at by the over supply of Restaurants in Greyton, we felt we needed to be pro-active and find some new revenue streams. Selling assets that are 'supurflous to requirement' is silly, as not much has value at present. So we looked to the past, to times gone by and things we did well, and items that sold well. With this in mind we turned to places like the Greyton Baking Co of the past, and the many items we have hand made in our various Restaurant kitchens over the past two decades. And boy, what an adventure. Like going down memory lane we are remembering so much from the past. We are resolute to gradually add more items as time and funds allow. What has been even more interesting is to see the response from customers, and realize that some aspects of home made and hand made still resonate with them. Possibly its a revolt against the pervasive and crass consumer culture, and having to choose mass produced, chemically altered and impregnated foods. Perhaps this virus has just given us pause to reflect on the way we source what we eat. Many cultures still purchase a large part of their food ingredients from markets, from individual vendors and small producers, and whenever we have gone to Europe thats the first place we head to. There is something comforting and quite exciting about strolling around these age old equivalents of today's glass and chrome, sanitised and formula designed malls. The tactile way you can experience the items, the direct and personal contact, the smells, colours and sounds all around you. People have had time to reflect on many things these past 4 months, and we can only hope many will prefer to do things differently once the world returns to some normalcy. I look forward to the day when we again walk our streets freely, gather at the Saturday Morning Market and sit with pals having our morning coffee. Till then we trust you will try out our farm bread and retail items. They are made without chemicals, without preservatives and by hand, in our kitchen, with a sence of purpose, and passion.
The virus, a garden and the kitchen
Well hello to all our friends and clients. What a difference a virus makes! Having to change our entire strategy and way of doing business has been a great challenge, to say the least. We have chosen menu items that we feel translate well into deliveries, that stay hot longer, thus ensuring you get a good meal. This meant changing the kitchen layout a little, buying in a wide variety of take away packaging, and of course the personal protection equipment required by law. It has taken discipline and focus to constantly remind ourselves of all the risks, and it comes down largely to an exercise in due diligence.
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Our garden at the back of Blain On Main has been a great addition to our meals and it's a real privilage picking fresh organic herbs and veggies. All Alan's hard labour of love has resulted in a remarkable courtyard bursting with life and organic happiness. It's only a tiny 4.5 X 7m square, but as you can see from our photos, a wide variety of veggies and herbs in all manner of pots and bins. Winter planting is in full swing but the late Indian summer has meant some summer vegetables are still producing results. This can be a problem when space is limited and winter varieties must now be sown. Now!
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This pandemic has also brought out so many good things, and we as a family would like to thank the many friends and clients who have shown so much compassion and caring for us. As always, we are deeply touched and gratefull.
Though we are getting some orders, sadly not enough to enable us to call our staff back permanently. This means operating during the week as a family and using our loyal staff on weekends only. We hope that when the 'New Normal', (whatever that actually means), is well entrenched, consumers may start ordering more meals for home consumption. We are at the mercy of an increasingly confused political leadership, and no chrytall ball is good enough to see into their decision making, or lack thereof. So we take things day by day, make the best of this bizarre period, and continue to do what we believe in. Great food at a modest price! Be safe, socially distanced, and take care of yourselves.
