Eleven to eight, six days a week. That's what Mad Munch's new hours were that first summer, 2019. We'd go in around 10:30am & be out of there about twenty or thirty minutes after eight. They days went by at a gruelling pace at first, but we kept ourselves busy by learning some new tricks of the trade.
I finally got the Hobart slicer up & running. It was great. I literally picked up where I left off at Jimmy Johns, ten years earlier. Slicing 9 lb. Turkey Breasts, 12 lb. Tavern Hams, 6 lb Hard Salamis & large hunks of Roast Beef anywhere from 8-13 lbs. to boil in the French Onion Soup mix. It's a chore that I take great pride in & don't hate doing.
It's hard to explain, but slicing meats gives you a weird sense of accomplishment.
And, with the addition of the slicer, the meats were more fesh & about half the price of when I previously had to buy them pre-sliced. I bought a digital scale, weighed out the old portions we used & took notes to keep them the same.
Kate was busy perfecting her new tomato soup recipe. We knew we needed the staple soup to be a standout so I remember trying many variations before she hit the goldmine.
The secret?
"Butter," Kate would say.
She also was very excited to make her own large batches of Ranch dressing. That took some time as well, but she's what I'd call a "Ranch Connoisseur," so it was a labor of love.
Other house-made sauces would follow, once I got our brand new Dean deep fryer up & running. The first day I intended to debut it, I actually didn't buy enough oil to fill it up all the way, so I had to wait an extra day to grab another 35 lb. container from Smart & Final (my go-to spot for Mad Munch needs in a pinch).
After reading the owner's manual & getting the pilot lit, I was able to test our some hash brown patties & then some "Zesty Twister Fries" a.k.a. Curly Fries. I'd always been a huge fan of Curly Fries & at times would visit Arby's just for them. So, it was a no-brainer when choosing which shape/flavor of fried potatoes to sell as a side to our Cheezers.
Kate suggested we give them our own little touch by adding Old Bay Seasoning, a Maryland staple for seafood.
Our friend, Brad from Nomad Donuts in North Park, who'd recommended our health plans guy & architect, stopped by the moment I lifted our first basket of Curly Fries from the fryer. It was as if to bless our new fryer & welcome us into the new restaurant world of fried sides.
Soon, our "Curlz" became a major player in our Monday-Friday "Lunch Combo" which helped lured in many new customers who read it on the sidewalk "A" board outside our front door.
