Magic Pennies, Popcorn & The Opening

Magic Pennies, Popcorn & The Opening

A letter from Chef James Noble

As I look back at the reflection from my phone screen as I’m typing the first round of my 7th newsletter, I’m reminded how old I am and how the last 50 years have loosened the jowls, deepened the wrinkles, and turned the temples grey.

I’m drafting this newsletter with Nancy safely in the arms of her Mum and knowing there will be no river report tomorrow and it upsets me a little.

I’m writing as I guess many writers do, knowing I only have 130 subscribers and 20% of them are my mum and I’m writing this newsletter sitting on a plane hurtling towards Chiang Mai with 9 days till my first paid table and my opening day full of apprehension and anxiety with a list as long a giraffe’s neck.

What scares me the most apart from all of it?

Well, let’s look at the above paragraphs again through the eyes of a person who looks at it from an Ikigai perspective.

Nancy is so happy to be with Mum for the holibobs, an unconditional love shown on arrival warms me and makes me feel fluffy, co-parenting can work, and we are wholeheartedly determined to do so and I’m sure the rain will behave itself with the river, so no report needed.

Am I old? Or have I experienced a filling life thus far and my face is full of laughter lines and cuteness and now sporting great hair colour that is now, I’m told, highly fashionable and called titanium and is valued around 6000 THB and 8 hours of my day to make if needed!

Before I started writing these weekly insights, I didn’t know 130 virtual people and didn’t know the strength and the many email addresses of my own mother’s love. Jennifer Noble, you’re stoic and my number one fan of which there aren’t enough words.

No one knows who’s reading so I continue shooting from the hip and wearing my heart on my sleeve gibberishly chatting about my week, my food, my world.

And finally, the hurtling plane is delivering me back safely to embrace the next 9 days and their challenges and surrounding myself with energy, positivity, and of course flavour with amazing people with the potential to meet a whole lot more.

Perspective, everything needs to be put into perspective.

I always remember this song from school.

It’s just like a magic penny, hold it tight and you won’t have any.
Lend it, spend it and you will have so many, they will roll all over the floor, for ….
Love is something if you give it away, give it away, give it away
Love is something if you give it away, you will end up having more.

So next time you’re at my restaurant be careful where you step.

So, the newsletters are shorter but are coming to you at a faster rate now so I hope you reply and drop by too and help me get to 200 mates!

LAUNCH UPDATE:
Menus ready- tried and tested, some deleted, some extended but all in all a great past week. Car parks are done - signage goes up in a few days and the whole team is in place. Uniforms are ironed, windows polished and a new sound system going in. We sold 10 “past knives “this week and are expecting our next Japanese shipment soonest.

The apparel range is here. Shoes, shirts- aprons and trousers all in earth tones or a point of difference colour if needed?

We have had some great visitors this week, lab rats that reported back 48 hours later, alive, and well, and with great comments.

Last week I got a few people telling me they missed my recipes. So as promised I’m sending two this week after I tell you the funniest thing.

The Young Entrepreneur: Nancy and her Popcorn-making School Project.

A buzz rang around our house for the last day of term, not only was the chicken heading south to be with mummy but she and her adored classmates were doing stalls, selling items, and learning mathematics through actual entrepreneurial skills, looking at margins, budgets and costs, real mathematics.

Nancy and I had our last strategy meeting the night before, we went over the figures and worked out the breakeven point, we discussed the best way to get the most from the investment and what she needed to do to push on with her team and make a profit.

Friday dawned, and we headed off to the bakery to get the whole class fuel for the morning proceedings, and croissants all around including the gluten-frees as Nancy was convinced they all needed one.

We had the marketing in hand, the presentation was ready, and we were good to go pot plant on hand for the natural edge over the other stalls.

A great turnout! I mingled with parents and fellow students self-promoting and peacocking to my fullest and then we were off, the welcome speeches done, and the stalls were officially open!!

I rushed to show Chicken and her team my support, first in the queue (if You don’t count the two kids, I pushed out of the way…)

And I ordered as loudly as possible 6 popcorn, please! Mixed flavours and 3 packets of crisps.

The chicken leaped into action- took the order and handed it to Leela, who handed it to Khun Peen in the flavour department who masterfully handed it to Ben, the chief popper. A huge cheer as the first order was in and they were off the mark.

I never to this hour have gotten my popcorn the stampede of one tubber’s quickly followed me and Ben got swamped and was in the weeds within minutes, the flavour department got confuddled and the packaging team was like rabbits in the headlights.

Never mind thought Nancy… I’ll take the orders, take the payment, and ride it out, her daddy’s daughter.

Debriefing and synopsis: no loss of life - fantastic food cost and a GOP anyone in the dragon’s den would be proud of and lots of stock left – riot avoided, as time ran out.

When asked if she would do it again - no way came the reply - huge hug and proudly said “I now know Daddy how hard you work, and I want to be a vet”

Got to love Nancy, I’ll miss her for 4 weeks, don’t ever change Chicken.

Back to the matter in hand, this week’s recipes.

How To Make The Perfect Hummus

It all starts with good chickpeas and a lot of soaking.

500 g chickpeas dried
3 liters of water
30 g Salt
200 g Comfit garlic
100 Lemon Juice
100 g good tahini
20 g Sumac

Soak and change the water 3 times for the chickpeas. We suggest overnight. Bring to the boil with the salt and boil for 1 hr with 1.5-liter water. Strain and take off the skins — a tedious job but worth it. Re-boil with the other water and no salt. Strain and let cool naturally — keep the water! Put into a blender and make a paste with the chickpea water — put into a bowl. Add tahini, chopped comfit garlic, and lemon juice.

Serve with a sprinkle of sumac and present with warm pitta and comfit garlic.

How to Make Pita Bread

1 cup warm water
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast, 1 packet
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus another 1 tsp to oil the bowl
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more to dust, measured correctly
1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Proof Yeast – In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, sugar, yeast, and whole wheat flour. Whisk and set aside for 15 minutes until foamy.

Add remaining flour, olive oil, and salt and stir until shaggy.

Knead – Turn out onto a clean surface and knead for 5 minutes. It will get less sticky as you knead. If it’s too sticky to knead, sprinkle with a little flour and continue kneading. The dough should be soft and tacky to the touch.

Proof Dough – Grease a clean mixing bowl 1 tsp olive oil. Add dough and turn to coat in oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm (100˚F) place 45 minutes, or at room temperature 90 minutes, until doubled in volume.

Preheat Oven – Once dough has doubled (if using oven method) preheat oven to 500˚F with a baking stone or inverted baking sheet on the bottom rack position and let stone heat up for at least 20 minutes.

Divide Dough – Punch dough down, transfer to a clean surface, and cut into 8 even pieces. Cup your hand around each dough ball and roll on the counter until you no longer see a dimple underneath. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and rest for 15 minutes to let gluten relax for easier rolling.

Roll Dough – Generously dust the work surface and dough ball and press gently into a disk with your fingertips to disperse bubbles. Roll dough balls to 7” wide and less than 1/4” thick. Make sure disks aren’t sticking to the counter. Keep rolled disks covered with a damp towel. Do not stack pitas. Let disks rest for 10 minutes before baking for better puffing.

Well, that’s me done, have a great week, try the recipes, and embrace life.

Think about actions and reactions and remember we don’t know everyone’s story so try and look at things in a 360-degree way and step back, breathe, and then deliver.

Much love from a wet wet wet Chiang Mai.

Oh, riddle me this, riddle me that just so you get annoyed with me.
“What is yours but mostly used by others”?
“What two things can you never eat for breakfast”?

Much love, off to cook now.

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