APOMO is an acronym that stands for "A Place Of My Own" and will be a restaurant in central Texas.Here I hope to record the progress of a dream coming true.
I am Helen Markow,I am the future owner and cook. I hesitate to use the word chef since I have never been to formal cooking school; although I have worked in the food industry since I was 16.
For the last 6 years I have owned an run my own Catering company, but the issues with renting space to cook in, and the schlepping around have burned me out. I want to cook and have people come to me, not be told what to cook, and drag it all over the place.
The concept is really nothing new. It will be a farm to table, nose to tail eatery. We will use locally sourced, seasonal, sustainably and humanely raised, organic produce and meats. I don't plan on adhering to one type or genre of cooking. My philosophy is "Local food, Global flavors."
What I can get from my garden( seen here if you zoom in) I will. Otherwise I'll use local organic farmers/suppliers.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=131+brushy+creek+trail+hutto+texas+78634&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x8644db5288a49151:0x6d1964b29f96b85b,131+Brushy+Creek+Trail,+Hutto,+TX+78634&gl=us&ei=OS0TToyoKOLW0QGJ1_GhDg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ8gEwAA
I love the idea of taking the freshest ingredients available, on a daily basis, and letting them speak for themselves with simple clean preparations. It's like every day is a basket challenge. Though I will probably utilize the challenge in the restaurant more on a weekly basis, with variations in the daily specials. Nothing we serve, from our bread to our meats will be made out of house. While I wait to find a spot (we are looking for second generation space, and investment funding) I am learning to make sausage, cure and butcher meats, and filet fish. I am learning to make cheese, and am experimenting with menu items and recipes. Cecelia(my daughter) is teaching herself pastry and bread making. I would really like to stage somewhere great to learn more quickly. That is probably the most frustrating (aside from not having the restaurant space) part. So much trial and error.
APOMO will also be certified green before opening. We will compost waste for our gardens, and recycle any oil for alternative fuel. Our dishwasher will sanitize with heat rather than chemicals, too. I plan on hosting a Soup Kitchen Sunday, which will provide a free meal to those who wish to partake. This will serve two purposes: one, to cut down on kitchen waste by utilizing perfectly edible, but not necessarily sale-able, and two, to provide volunteer opportunities for people wishing to serve in the community.
I have to battle the feeling that it will not happen soon enough, and just focus on the end goal, while I learn, learn, learn. There is so much. Until space is found, I'll document my recipe success's and failures, my visits to sites, and the ups and downs of it all.
More will be written later.
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