Alan Harding Cooks

STOP IN FOR SOME GRUB TONIGHT!

Friday, July 23, 2010

FOOD TRUCK OPEN FOR BUSINESS….THIS FRIDAY 7/23!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

So after three inspections and mucho dinero I, Alan Harding, am a fully licensed mobile food vendor. The hardest part of the whole process was the waiting, every time you fail an inspection you have a two week wait to get a new appointment. I passed on July 13 2010, let the games begin.

Stop by the HOT BIRD at 825 Atlantic Ave this Friday for some grub

Food Truck Menu version 1.0

Smashed Burger ( small Scoop) 4.00

Smashed Burger ( Lg. Scoop) 6.00

Schwag Dog 2.00

Good Dog 3.00

” Snappy” 4.00

Bratwurst 5.00

Hippie-wurst 5.00

Falafel dog 5.00 (deep fried)

Other things

Rice balls (4, deep fried) 5.00

Panelle Sandwich with roasted eggplant, peppers and basil ricotta 6.00

Soft Tacos with chili du jour and pico 5.00

Lobster “Summer Roll” with kimchee, mango and mint 9.00

Things that go with the above menu:

Juniper scented Kraut

Kimhee/kirby relish

Eddies pickles

Pico de Gallo

Cheese du jour

Nancy’s slaw

Potato salad , Chefs whim.

Really good bacon

All the other stuff, ya’ know

well, well. done fell in the well.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Jesus fucking Christ I would rather crawl across 200 ft. of razor sharp glass than post.

It is like a leech sucking my vital juices, This truck is tricky.

My final inspection is on June 29 @ 11:30 A.M.

Light a candle for me, AH.

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The shrinking truck

Friday, May 7, 2010

Got everything I need.

two burner electric stove
two basket fryer
convection oven
two 4 ft lowboy fridges
5 ft equipment stand
two compartment sink
2 ft griddle

Carver and I played around with the positioning and with all of the stuff efficiently arranged I find I will be cooking in a 4 ft square area. Not bad for a tugboat. Total cost 1000 bucks.

I went to the despot and picked up one sheet of 3/4 inch BC plywood and built a box at the end of the counter, this I will wrap in stainless steel and use as a access from the back for a 125 amp sub-panel and as a housing for the 20 amp on- demand water heater. We will have to find a spot in the under carriage for the 40 gallon water tank required by the D.O.H. which is ridiculous because I plan on having the water supplied on-site.

Tomorrow, if I can rent enough movies for the kids and get my Mothers day shopping done I will begin the electric work, not a bad days work for a cook, huh?

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hood-winked

Monday, May 3, 2010

I spent the better part of last week searching/ scavenging for parts for the FT. I had looked up a Chinese stainless steel fabricator to make the exhaust hood when I remembered a guy out in Bushwick who did the same thing, and as luck would have it I had given him a lot of business over the years. Steve Meichels at EGM on Flushing Ave. if you ever need anything made out of light gauge steel he is the man. He de-ciphered my cryptic and somewhat savage measurements and had the whole deal done in two days…now thats service! I brought the hood filters included back to my shop and attempted the installation. It was going great for a while until I realized that with the curve of the roof trusses the hood would be hanging 6″ too low, what now? Easy, cut the roof off! actually I only removed 25% of the back and was smart enough to leave tabs on the existing roof to have something to screw to. The new hood is practically flush with the roof and I was happy to see the natural curve of the aluminum body was not detrimentally affected. Next I have to find a blower to exhaust the heat and smoke that will be billowing into the sunny skies of Ft. Greene.

Bad news is the 1962 Carter carburator that came with the truck cannot be re-built the body was too pitted so I will have to source out in the days to come. Later this week I go out to Ditchek Bros. autobody supply to pick up my Aluminum polishing kit and if my luck holds out I will be polishing the FT to a high Airstream shine.

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Now hiring: Short cooks

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

After spending all day on restaurant row looking for used exhaust hoods and other assorted cooking junk I thought I hit paydirt. A brand new Viking exhaust hood with lights and everything, ready to go. It was designed for home use but stainless is stainless right? Normally I would have bought it on the spot but since I am being frugal (which goes hand in hand with broke) I thought I would take measurements, EXACTLY and see how it would look snugly ensconced in the back of the FT. 18″ overall height with a 27′ depth, I cut a template out of a piece of scrap plywood and put it in place. Bad news, way too tall I would have to sit on an ottoman or hassock to be able to cook. Maybe I could cut the roof away and stick half of it outside or hire little people, both sound good to me.

Tues. I pick up the sheet metal to patch the floor with my new riveter.

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Super-Stripper

Sunday, April 25, 2010

The label read AIRCRAFT-STRIPPER and it cost 42 bucks from the auto body supply store in Bed-Stuy. I needed the aircraft part of the equation because the truck was made by Grumman for Chevy in 1962. Grumman, in addition to making very fine canoes also manufactured airplanes and truck bodies. Anyway the chemicals were designed not to mar or pit the aluminum which was fine by me, however the shit burned me when it came in contact with my skin.

After eight hours and countless skinned knuckles we have a clean , workable palatte.

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I’m a cook, not a fucking typist.

Friday, April 23, 2010

It was going good for a while, I made the fucking Hermes, Greek god of messengers and miscreants, toga with feathers and a white christmas sparrow that I bisected to give Campbell -1 wing for each foot. I dropped off at Grandmas house so she could fit him for the toga…and Satchel could hang out with a mountain of Legos and the Cartoon Network. I fought my way back to Red Hook with only one half of a cigar to enjoy a much needed glass of wine at 9pm. The bathtub was black when I finished my evening soak and after seeing if the wound on the sole of my foot was infected (rusty dry wall screw) I repaired to my room to chronicle the days work on the FOOD TRUCK. Man, it was funny, all sorts of quips and observations. I was almost done when I realized I always blog in a window the size of a business card, so I thought I would try a button that would give me a full screen and WHAM it all disappeared. I will try again tomorrow after I find the shells and the address of mister fancy pants Wordpress “Howdy, Alan Harding, blow me.

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Nothing but a common weed…

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

There is nothing better the foraging for your dinner right in your backyard. In the Catskills the fist greenery that emerges after the seemingly endless winter happens to also be quite delicious. The wild leek (or ramp) and the common dandelion make a lovely spring dinner.

Wild Leek and Dandelion Creme sauce

Five handfuls chopped wild leeks, bulbs stems and some greens, mud removed.

Five cloves garlic sliced.

One large shallot sliced wafer thin.

salt and freshly ground black pepper

drizzle of truffle oil when the whole thing is done and on the table.

raw chopped Dandelion Greens, 2 handfuls.

Method:

In a skillet heat some EVOO and saute garlic and shallot briefly.
add leeks, greens and some lemon zest, s&p, saute.
de-glaze with wine, water or stock add a knob of butter to thicken, reserve until you make, roll out and cook the pasta.
When all is done add some heavy cream to your taste.
Little bacon would suit me fine too.

Pasta:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup semolina flour

2 eggs 1 egg yolk

pinch of salt

drizzle of EVOO

Method:

Make a volcano shape with flours sifted together
In the middle crack the eggs
Add salt and EVOO
Whisk eggs slowly adding flour until a thick paste forms
Add remaining flour to paste and begin to knead together
If needed add a drizzle of water and work in with thumbs
Knead until dough becomes firm but still elastic
Cover and let rest one hour
Roll out by hand or with a pasta maker
Cook, strain, toss with Wild Leek cream sauce and enjoy

Filed in On the Road, Recipes, Videos | Tagged dandelion, Leeks | Comments (1)

Smashing Pumpkins Wanna Be

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

I forget the song, but Billy Corrigan is tooling across the desert in an old ice cream truck/ step van, very cool. I have been a motorhead since way back starting with the Allis Chalmers mini bike that blew an engine ( You have to add oil?) and later moving on to a ‘67 Volks that was brush painted and had a STOP sign bolted to the rusty floor panels ( STOP signs are aluminum). My waning fascination with my “74 tii has been supplanted with a FOOD TRUCK, yep you heard right folks here’s the dope:

1962 Chevy Curbmaster “Kustard King”
Flat head 6 with a Carter updraft carb
Aluminum body perfectly straight.
Stainless interior, empty and clean
We think it will buff out like an Airstream

The truck will reside in the yard of the Frank’s newly opened HOT BIRD, on the corner of Clinton and Atlantic Avenues

Stay tuned for more. AH

Filed in On the Road | Tagged FOOD TRUCK, Hot Bird | Comments (6)