One for the Market, Two for the Show

July 1, 2017:  It was way too early & already way hot too on the Saturday morning of the holiday weekend to be serving Cheezers under a tent.  Welcome back to market life, Kate & Zach.  

Our spot at the Scripps Ranch farmers market was next to a smoothie booth that was constantly crushing fruity green & purple potions from behind three full wind walls.  The buzz of mixing, pureeing & blending stretched from the 9AM start until well after one o'clock.

If that weren't enough, our booth faced the othe blue bloods of the market- the crepe guy.  Bebe's Crepes had a line for most of the morning & you could tell his adult customers had been eating his made-to-order crepes since they were kids.

On our other side was a small tent with live entertainment.  Around 10:30, they set up a guitar, mic & the equivalent of a karoake machine.  Their stage name was "Coffee & Creme."  He was Hispanic & she was white.  I thought the name was clever.  She did most of the singing & he played the guitar & sang.  

I'd never seen anything like that at a morning market.  Lunch markets & OB on Wednesdays had music but not full on karoake before noon.  And, I thought it was hard to get people to sing after midnight on Lower Broad in Nashville!

I could see why Bev, the market manager called it a "Family Friendly Weekly Festival."  A lot of the kids were curious about our snadwiches & we even made a little money that day.  But, it was an adjustment.

By the time we were breaking down, Kate was on the verge of tears.

"Promise me- this is only temporary," Kate said. "It can't go back to this life.  I can't."

"Don't worry, babe.  We'll get through it," I promised.

That night we decided to use a gift card to Shogun (an engagement gift) to help cheer us up.  We took public transit to Kearney Mesa, had a nice dinner & even hit a brewery afterwards.  

Something familiar in a time of transition to calm our nerves.

Advancing By New Leagues & Bounds

We were setup at Twisted Manzanita in Santee one afternoon when we were approached by Eva, who was a volunteer for son's baseball team, the Fletcher Hills Little League.

"You guy's food is the bomb.  Would you guys be interested in being a vendor at a little league baseball tournament in El Cajon?" she asked.

While Kate & I used to turn down these sort of gigs (where we weren't paid ahead of time), we decided to take a chance on this one.  Eva seemed cool & we needed to find more set-ups with breweries on the way out of our schedule.

"Sure.  When & where?" we asked.

The event was she was referring to was actually a PTA thing called the "Fletcher Hills Elementary Round-up."  There was a good crowd there next to the ball diamonds & we were able to sell around fifty Cheezers in the four hours we were there.  So, it was comparable to a decent farmers market but without having to pay a fee.

"You guys were a hit.  Everybody's was talking about the grilled cheese," Eva told us when we were breaking down.  "I can definitely get you guys back for the baseball season."

It was nice when you could get more business from getting out there, working hard & doing a good job.

A Couple of Firsts at Mission Point

We lucked into a catering gig one Saturday around lunchtime.  It was a one year old's birthday party at Mission Point Park, right across the river from OB.  The lady who booked us (the baby's mom) was a District Attorney in San Diego, so Kate & I were on our best behavior.

Mission Point Park has a large grass area & a nice parking lot which made our setup & break down easy.  The D.A. picked four different Cheezers for us to keep pumping out over the three hour window we were out there.  Around fifty friends & family showed up to the party & she paid us ahead of time.

The D.A's dad approached me while I was making Cheezers on the griddle.

"Excuse me.  Could you make me a grilled cheese on this gluten-free bread?" he asked holding two of the smallest slices of bread I'd ever seen.

"Uh, sure," I said.  

What could I say?  I couldn't tell him to piss off.  The D.A. could have my ass thrown into county lockup with one phone call.

"Which sandwich did you want?"  I pointed at the four cards with the names & descriptions of the sandwiches on the front table.

"Zach Daddy."

So, I stacked up the Roast Beef, Salami, Pepper Jack, Cheddar, Monterey Jack & Pepperoncinis on to the tiny crackers.  When it was done, Kate didn't even cut it, because that was impossible.  The bread was that small!

Aside from that little hiccup, the event went smoothly.  The D.A. gave us a fat tip & we packed up the Ford Escape & drove straight out to Burning Beard in El Cajon for a 3-8pm shift.

Gluten-free bread.  What a waste of time. 

Market Trekking Up North

When we got back home, I knew I needed to lock down some farmer's markets.  Kate & I had less than two months left to do breweries, so I looked over my list & marked the ones I wanted most.

One Tuesday while at Alesmith, I made a couple of Cheezers & drove them over to the market manager at the Mira Mesa farmer's market.  His name was Ron & he wasted no time ripping into the grilled cheeses.

"We have some open spaces right now," he said between bites.  "Just let me know the week of & I'll see if we got room for you."

Kate had emailed the Oceanside Sunset Market & one Monday I made four Cheezers & drove the hour north to drop them off.  Kathy was in charge of the market & being from the Midwest herself, she loved our sandwiches.  

"I don't make the call on which vendors we take.  You'll have to talk to Kim," she said.  Kathy lead me into a conference room where Kim was waiting.

"Well, Zach," he said.  "Your sandwiches are really good, but we already have a grilled cheese vendor.  They've been with us for a few years now.  Have you considered doing a different kind of food?"

"Not really.  We've been doing grilled cheese for over four years.  It's what we're known for."

"If you wanna do this market you'll have to branch out.  What about quesadillas?" he asked.

I played along, shook his hand & thanked him for there time.  I stopped off in Carlsbad on the way home & hiked a trail that went up high into a suburban neighborhood.  The whole time thinking what a waste of time the trip to Oceanside had been.

A couple weeks later, I planned a solo camping & hiking trip up to Palomar Mountain.  I left early on a Sunday morning so I could check out one of Ron's other markets in Leucadia.  It wasn't as big as Oceanside, but there was a lot more foot traffic than at Mira Mesa.  I said hi to Ron, snacked on a few free samples & drove on to Fry Creek campground.

In a just few short weeks, Mad Munch would be back amongst the tents, peddling Cheezers amid the hustle & bustle of tote bagging lookie-lous.  In the meantime, it was nice to take a walk down a trail in a grassy meadow with nobody in sight.    

One Thing's For Sure

"Flight's delayed," Kate said. "And I don't think we'll be able to make our connecting flight."

"What the hell are we supposed to do?" I asked.

"I don't know.  I've been trying to contact Southwest," she said.  "We might have to stay in Atlanta & catch the first flight out to Richmond tomorrow."

That was still fresh in my mind when we went through security at the San Diego airport.  Until, a TSA officer asked to randomly search my suitcase.

"Oh, umm, sure," I muttered & my heart began to race.  

Please don't pull out that little black box, I shouted out to him in my mind.  

Lucky for me, I packed in it the right compartment of my bag & Kate nor the security guy took it out.  We put our shoes back on, sat down & I took a deep breath.

"Ahh, yeah!" Kate yelled.

"What?"

"Bryce & Nicole live in Atlanta, & said we can stay with them tonight!"

Wow- dodged another bullet, I thought.  They were also friends from the Outside Lands San Francisco crew & happened to live steps from one of the MARTA light rail stops.  We got in late had a few drinks & crashed in the spare room.  

The next day, Kate & I walked to the Flying Biscuit for breakfast.  That's how you know you're in the South- the biscuits are the main event.  And, they did not disappoint.  It was one of the few times that I ate in Atlanta, but I would definitely go back.

We filled up, went back to the airport & flew into Richmond where Kate's friend Ashley drove us the five hours to Topsail Island.

The next morning after we got all settled in, I asked Kate to go for a walk & she agreed.  It was great.  Our rental house was right on the beach, so we literally walked out the back door, past the hot tub, on to the sand.  

It was still early with barely any clouds in the sky or any other people around.  We turned around some miles from the house when I went for the little black box.  The box was cheap that came with the ring. It pulled apart instead of snapped, like a clam shell.  I was working to get it out of my pocket without Kate noticing.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Nothing."

She walked ahead of me & finally I got it free.  When she turned around next, I was down on one knee.

"Kate, we've been together a long time & I know you're the one for me..."

"Oh my God!  What?  Oh my God!" she said.

The answer was yes.  

That's the advice I've always given anyone in the same situation- make sure that she'll say yes- that's all that matters.  

This is the re-enactment photo that we took later that day.  I think her friends were all just as shocked as she was when she came back with a beautiful diamond ring that was too small to wear.

Five Years Later

I couldn't sleep anymore that Monday morning.  The sun hadn't come up yet but I was too excited to dose off again.  I packed up my Camelbak & hopped in the Ford Escape, I was gonna take a walk somewhere.

I drove east on the 94 as the sun began to rise through the windshield.  I thought about how we were out of sourdough bread, how I'd purchased the perfect amount the week before & how we told our friend, Ben from L.A. that Mad munch would be closed all this week.

"We're going to Topsail Island," Kate told him at Belching Beaver on Saturday.  We hadn't seen Ben in nearly five years, the last time at Outside Lands in San Francisco.  Our first trip out of San Diego together.  "It's close to Wilmington.  We're meeting a bunch of my college friends there."  

I smiled about the ring that I bought from the pawn shop in Clairemont.  I knew the ring size was way too small & I didn't know Kate's ring size (she didn't wear rings) but the diamond was big & it was too nice to pass up.

"Once you give it to her, bring it back & we can get it sized for you," the lady at the pawn shop said.  It was in a small box tucked away in my rolly suitcase, waiting for that east coast beach stroll.       

I drove to the small village of Lake Morena & decided to hike a portion of the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail).  I took a side loop trail from there up & over Morena Butte.  From the top there was an impressive view of the lake & ithe county park where Kate & I almost camped for our friend Jax's birthday, until she vetoed it & left for somewhere we could make some noise out in the woods.  That was our first camping trip together.

After the hike, I stopped off at El Paso Taco Shop in Cameron Corners.  There's not a lot of places to eat out in that area & the last time I ate there it was great.  I ordered a burrito & a glass bottle of Mexican Coke.  The sun had warmed up nicely, so I sat under the the giant sombrero of a patio & took down my lunch.  I couldn't put it down once I started eating & finished it right there.  They still had it.

When I got home later, Kate showed me a Facebook memory on her phone.  It was of El Paso Taco Shop.  We had eaten there five years ago, to the day.  

The planets were lining up.  We went down to the beach at the end of our street & had a few drinks before sunset.  Kate checked in for our flight the next day.  Our flight to Richmond had a hour twenty layover in Atlanta, where Kate was born.

Never Judge a Man by His T-Shirt

"I found a place in OB that might be perfect for you guys,"  Robert told Kate over the phone.  "It's right off of Newport on Cable next to a bus stop." 

The rent & size of the space seemed doable so Kate pressed on.  

"Can we take a look at it?" she asked.

"Yeah, well there's a tenant still in there but can you meet me there today at two?" 

It was a Monday, so Kate & I were at home so we walked over to 1909 Cable Street.  The place had large windows that faced the street & one of the busiest bus stops in OB- the one people got on & off for Newport Avenue.  It had always been some sort of retail shop as long as I could remember & now it was called, "Loan Ranger Pawn."  I was checking out a $40 Coleman camping tent when Robert came in.

"Hey guys, thanks for meeting me on such short notice," he said.  There was another slightly taller guy wearing a T-shirt that depicted Abraham Lincoln smoking a bong on it.  I thought maybe he was Robert's son or relative.  He turned to him & us to give the rundown.

"So, these guys are three months behind on rent so Eli wants them out of here by the end of April," he said.  "It's 1,150 square foot & there is alley access."

"Does it have gas hookups?" the guy with the bong T-shirt asked.

"I'm not sure, we can go outside & look," Robert said.  We followed him down a narrow driveway & around back. 

"Well, I don't see any gas pipes," the guy said.  I stepped up closer & saw something.

"There.  What about those?  I think they filled them in," I said.

"Yeah, we definitely would need gas," the guy said.

"You could always put in your own lines.  I'm not sure how much that would cost to build-out," Robert said.  "But, he's only asking $2650 per month, so it's a pretty good deal."

"When's it available?" Kate asked.

"If everything goes as planned, May 1st."

But, we'd all soon find out that nothing really ever goes as planned.  Hell, we didn't even know we weren't the only ones checking out this space.  

"What kind of restaurant are you looking to open?" Kate asked the guy outside on the sidewalk afterwards.

"We do Italian-food, Sicilian actually," the guy said.  "It's my wife's grandma's old recipes.  How bout you?"

"Grilled cheese," I said.

"Nice, I think I've seen you guys at the Wednesday market," the guy said.  "We just moved here a couple months ago.  I'm Nicolai."  We each shook his hand & introduced ourselves. 

The next time we saw him was at the Scripps Ranch market & then at the OB market, serving pasta in a bread bowl with his wife, Cessarina.  

Years later, they did find a spot for their restaurant, over the hill on Voltaire Street, named after her.  It's one of the most popular Italian restaurants in all of San Diego.

A Crowded New Market Space

Things were changing in the spring of 2017.  Kate booked as many breweries & tasting rooms that she could before the new ordinance banning us from setting up at them went into effect in July.  

We blocked off a week in April to go visit Kate's college friends in North Carolina.  

I found a diamond ring on Craigslist one Monday & bought it at a pawn shop in Clairemont for just under $500.  Her dad had emailed me back, giving his full blessing to marry his daughter.  Kate was none the wiser.

I thought my cover was blown one day when our Mad Munch account received a strange email.  It turned out that my secret was still safe & the email was from another grilled cheese vendor who was looking for a catering quote.

It was a bogus catering request to try figure out our pricing.  We'll call them "C&B."  

C&B was starting out a business similar to ours & had heard a rumor that we were closing.  They were interested in buying us out.  It was an odd request that we turned down immediately.  I'm not sure if the pending ordinance had something to do with it, but we had no such plans.

Our business was gaining traction on the brewery scene but, were forced to shift back into farmers markets.  Apparently, C&B were just one of two other grilled cheese vendors looking to take some of that share.  

Mad Munch would have to differentiate from this new competition & find other ways to stand out from the crowd.                  

Pop-Up Brewery Prohibition

"Yeah, bad news.  It looks like we can't do breweries anymore," Kate said looking at her smart phone.  

"Intergalactic just emailed me back, it says, 'The city will issue citations to any food vendor that is not a food truck or trailer with an acceptable grade of C or better at any brewery, tasting room or urban winery in San Diego county.  This new ordinance will go into effect on July 1, 2017.'"

"Well, that's just great.  I guess we'll just have to go back to doing markets again," I said.

"No!" Kate yelled, almost sarcastically, but not really.  

We felt like we had already graduated from the farmers market hustle.  Besides the Wednesday OB "Farket" that remained on our schedule (& only 3 blocks from our house) we hadn't set up at any other market in close to 3 years.  It was so long ago, that Golden Hill, Point Loma & Kearny Mesa didn't exist anymore.

"We had to do something.  I'll go back out there & scout out some markets," I said.

"Go ahead.  I'm gonna talk to Robert about some spots for lease," Kate said.  "I only wanna do markets short-term.  The more short term, the better."

I made a list of markets to check out (above).  On April Fool's Day, I went to Little Italy (which is ironically the biggest market in San Diego) Poway, Scripps Ranch, City Heights & Rancho Penasquitos Saturday morning markets.  

We were setting up at Groundswell brewing in Santee later that day, so I had a few hours to do a walk through at each.  

Much like in 2012, I was able to talk to some of the managers & came up with a few conclusions:

• Little Italy: NO Open Spots (must take a $120 class before applying)
• Poway:  Talked to Suzanne (come back in July to see if there's an opening) ??
• Scripps Ranch:  Talked to Bev (Plenty of space, live music & $ to be made.  Fill out an app in June & you're in) YES
• City Heights: Still way too small.  NO
• Rancho Penasquitos: Tiny & Brand New.  Hard NO  

While I wasn't thrilled with waking up early again on Saturdays, but it appeared that Scripps Ranch & Poway were viable options in the future.  I had their info & would follow up.  

But, there was still every other day besides Wednesdays & Mondays (only one market in San Diego county about an hour's drive away) to find gigs for.  Kate & I had three months to figure it out. 

Dine-Out on Mondays to Find Out New To-Gos

On Mondays, Kate & I liked to eat out at different restaurants in OB for lunch or dinner.  

Places like OB Noodle House (Asian), Raglan (New Zealand), Sundara (Indian) Little Chef (Chinese Take-out), Ulivo (Italian), Thai Time & Mexican food at Nico's (burritos), Bravo's (nachos) & Hugo's (sit down plates).

It's a great way to support your local economy & try out different styles of food.

One of our favorites was Taika Sushi.  I never really got into sushi until I moved to California, but boy there's nothing better than munching on a roll filled with fresh fish & covered in spicy mayo.  Pair that with a cheap Kirin or Sapporo draft & you got yourself the perfect ending to a day off.   

Well, Kate & I would usually go to Lighthouse Ice Cream at the end of Newport & grab one of their famous Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches.  That's the icing on the cake.

One of these weeks, I don't remember which restaurant we were at, but we noticed they had nice takeout containers.  They were like a pizza box, only smaller & with thinner cardboard.  I think it was Kate that said, "Those would be perfect for our Cheezers."

So, the next week I bought a pack of them:  8" Chip Board (100ct).  The price per box wasn't too bad & it looked a lot better than a paper plate with a piece of aluminum foil wrapped over the top.  

I mean, we didn't want our orders (something a customer paid $8 for) to look like some leftovers they were taking home from a pot-luck, because that's what it was at the time.

You can learn a lot about your business by checking out your competitors.

Kate & I wanted to create Mad Munch stickers of our logo & slap them onto the new boxes.

"It's kind of expensive, though," I said, "Putting a twenty-five cent sticker on a box that costs us around ten."

"You're right.  What if we did a stamp instead?" Kate suggested.  "Then we'd only have to buy ink after we get the stamper.

Later that week, we were back at Belching Beaver & noticed they added stamps to their brown papers sacks for merch.

"Where did you get your stamp?" Kate asked Jarrod, the tasting room manager.  He went & grabbed the stamper to show us.

"Here, it looks like the company's called rubberstamps.net," he said.

We found their site & went with the 4.5" size & have been using it ever since.  Highly recommended.  They are actually made in Bettendorf, Iowa, one the Quad Cities, about an hour from where I grew up.     

Our friend Kim, enjoying a Cheezer at the OB Market while showing off our new logo stamp & box.

A Sublime St. Patrick's Day

I made it to Peoria, picked up my tux & met up with DP & his girl, Casey at Hooters, where we were drinking green beers & catching up.  My flip phone kept buzzing.  It was Kate each time, so I answered.

"I looked at a couple different storefronts in OB,"  she said.  I walked outside so I could hear better.  "There's a small place on Voltaire Street for $1500 a month but it used to a be an insurance agency, so we'd have to build it out."

"Voltaire?  I want a place on Newport.  That's where all the action's at," I said.

"Definitely, but there's nothing open right now," Kate said.  "I've been talking with this guy, Robert, who works for this guy Eli who owns like a ton of places in OB.  He's like everybody's landlord.  Anyway, Robert said he'll let me know if he finds anything under $2000 a month that's at least 300 square feet."

"Damn, nice work babe.  I gotta go though, DP's here.  Happy St. Patrick's Day," I said.

I was busy partying back home, while Kate was making moves.  

Later that day, I caught a lift from Borsch to the rehearsal dinner at Alexander's Steakhouse (one the best places to eat in Peoria, where you cook your own steaks).  

"So, I'm gonna propose to Kate," I said.  

"Nice.  That's awesome."  Borsch was a man of few words.

"I still gotta get a ring, though.  Where did you buy Emily's ring?" I asked.

"I just went to the jewelry store, you know the one in the mall."

"How much did you spend?" 

"I don't even remember.  Two grand maybe," he said.

"Well, I got like five hundo, so..." I said.

"Dude, you should check out the pawn shop," he said.  "I'm sure you got those out there in Cali, right?"

"Oh, yeah.  Good call, Borsch."  

"Down here at the pawn shop, it's the only place to shop,"  Borsch sang.  

"Man we used to listen to that Sublime album all the time," I said.     

F.B.I. Lunch, Lies, & Deception

A good friend of ours is in the F.B.I.  I'd tell you what her name is but that is confidential- just joking.  Our friend, Jackie, who's had many Cheezers over the years, thought our sandwiches would be great for lunch outside her office in Sorrento Valley.  

We had to get clearance to enter through a big mechanical gate & the guard inspected our Ford Escape with a long-handled mirror, but then it was just a regular set-up in a parking lot.  

Jackie's co-workers would walk down on their lunch break with their lanyards on, place & pay for their order with Kate & I'd grill 'em up.  Of course, the wind was a factor as it usually is around midday, but once we figured out where to bungee up the wind walls, we were good.

And so were the sales.  We set up there a few times over the years & it was a good date on the calendar when we had other plans for the night.  It worked out great when my flight back to Illinois for my buddies wedding was at 6pm & we could still work.  

Kate & I were out of there by 2pm & afterwards we grabbed some sandwiches at Rubicon Deli.  We like to see what different sandwich shops are doing with their menus & sometimes it'll spare some inspiration for ours.  We sat outside on a there patio in UTC & ate our sandwiches in the sunshine.

"You have everything packed & ready to go?" Kate asked.

"Yep, we gotta leave by 4:30," I said.

"Well here," Kate handed me some cash.  "You don't have to spend it all.  But that way you have it just in case."  

I stuffed the large bills in my wallet.  Five hundred dollars. 

"Thanks, yeah Ross & I might go to the Blackhawks game on Sunday," I said.   But, that was a lie.  I had no intention of going to the game.  Instead, I would watch the game at his house in Bolingbrook & pocket the money.  I was saving it up for a big purchase.

Scrap The Plans, but not The Plan

"I don't know if you guys heard already, but Tom & Troy decided they want to hire their chef at the Tavern in Vista to take over the OB kitchen project," Jarrod told us.  We were setup at Belching Beaver in North Park on a Saturday afternoon.

"Wow, OK.  Well, at least they finally got back to us," Kate said.

"Sorry, guys.  It sucks," he said. "I think they're making the wrong move here.  But, you know what?  You guys are probably better off doing your own thing anyway."

I think Jarrod was sincere about that.  I kind of had a feeling we weren't the right fit for their vision.  Especially when they wanted us to serve chicken wings.

"Damn, we were working on some wings, named after characters from the show, Wings,"  I explained.  "You know, Antonio Scarpache was gonna be an Italian version with Garlic & Parmesan & the Roy Biggins was gonna be BBQ."  

"Haha, yes!  See that's what I mean," Jarrod said.  "You guys are a lot more creative.  I'm sure you'll be fine on your own."

We both thanked him.  I made him a Zach Daddy & he poured us a couple pints.  

We didn't want the experience to sour our relationship with Beaver.  We'd spent a lot of hours selling Cheezers in their tasting room & if anything it gave us the confidence & knowledge to start looking at a brick in mortar for Mad Munch.

Now, we knew how much rent was going for, what equipment we'd need & what health department requirements we had to meet.  Also, we knew for certain, that OB was the only neighborhood to open up our first shop in.

A Great Idea Hiking in the Rain

After the holidays were over & it was 2017, I started going on hikes nearly every Monday.  My friend, Johnny, had given me a book with hundreds of hikes in San Diego county & there was always somewhere new to explore.

Sundays were always social watching football with friends, but Monday became more of a reset: time to reflect & recalibrate my life & our business.  And there are few better ways to clear your head than taking a nice relaxing walk, especially in the southern California back country.

One particular Monday, the weather was rainy & crappy so I decided to try a hike close by, within the city limits.  I had to get fitted for a tux to stand up in my buddy, Borch's wedding soon, so I squeezed in that errand on the way to Lopez Canyon.

There was a lot to think about that week.  

We'd had three meetings with the owners of Belching Beaver, but now the ball was in their court.  I showed them all of my kitchen sketches, researched & ballparked what our equipment & buildout costs would potentially be.  I was also putting together a business plan to try to obtain a loan.

There was also still the nagging issue of not being able to set-up at breweries after July 1.  Intergalactic Brewing was also concerned for their livelihood & emailed the county about the new ordinance.  They asked if there would be any type of grace period before they would inflict fines upon food vendors & the tasting rooms.  We were still waiting to hear back.

With all of that going on, I tried to think about something more positive like Borsch's wedding back home in March.  Kate wasn't going, we were trying to save money for this possible kitchen & I'd only be gone three days.  Besides, we had a couples trip coming up in April with her best friends from college in Topsail Island, North Carolina.  So, she was more excited about that anyway.

I kept walking on, with my hood up, getting sprinkled by drops underneath a canopy of trees in the canyon when I had flashbolt of an idea.

What if I proposed to Kate in North Carolina, on the beach, with all of her girlfriends there?  

Ah-ha...yes! 

I'd have to ask her dad first.  I had his business card- I could email him!  

I'd have to save up for a ring.  When I went back to Illinois in March I would take a bunch of cash with me- I could use that.

I flipped open my phone & looked at the calendar- April 27 was a Thursday, our second day in Topsail.  That was Mad Munch's fourth anniversary!  Oh, yeah!

I started walking much faster.  Now, I was on to something.                    

A Permanent Tasting Room Set-Up in OB?

Our name was being tossed around as the front-runner to build out & operate a kitchen in the back storage room of Belching Beaver's newest Ocean Beach location.  We caught wind of this one Friday night in December 2016, when we were set-up at their North Park tasting room.

Jarrod, the tasting room manager, had recommended us to Beaver's top brass.  He vouged for our grilled cheese & how we had been consistent vendors for the last two years at North Park.

"Are you guys interested?"  Jarrod asked.

"In OB?  Our own kitchen?  Connected to a bar on Newport?  Hell yeah, we are," I told him & a meeting was setup with the owners.

Our first meeting was at the OB tasting room.  Tom & Troy, the owners, showed us the space.  It wasn't much more than four bare walls & a light switch.  About 268 square feet with back door alley access.  No grease trap, exhaust hood, or any plumbing.

"Rent would be $400 a month, but you guys would be responsible for the build-out," Tom told us.

"Ok, & you guys are fine with us doing grilled cheese?" I asked.  

"Yeah, of course.  And we were thinking maybe you guys should do wings also," Troy said.  "Everybody loves chicken & they're real easy to fry up."

"Yeah, OK, well we could do something with wings," Kate said.  "What about the hours?"

"We'd want you to be open the same hours as us, of course.  Noon to 10pm."

"Ok, well we'll have to talk about it.  It's a great location," I said.  "Thanks for showing us the space."

"Sure, yeah take your time & let us know," Tom said.  "You won't find cheaper rent anywhere on Newport Avenue, that's for sure."  

We shook their hands & walked back to our house, floored by the thought of having our own place.  It was definitely an intriguing offer, but we had to do some recon.

Kate started reaching out to people with kitchens & calling empty commercial places that were "For Lease," to get an idea of what we were working with.

I began sketching blueprints in an old art school notepad with the dimensions I found online of the equipment we would need.  

Catering in North County

We packed up the Ford Escape & headed up to Escondido for a Aviation Themed Baby Shower.  It was the farthest we had ever traveled for a Mad Munch set-up but with catering you usually get the money up front & the price was right.

The expectant mother had over a hundred yes R.S.V.P.s for their backyard get-together.  They also had hot dogs & a taco vendor on hand, but the cocktails were flowing & guests were snacking.  

She paid us extra so that we had our full lineup of 8 Cheezers on hand as well as Kate's November Cheezer of the Month, Cheese Louise: her nod to Gouda Mac & Cheese in sandwich form.  Great for kids & easy for adults to order.

But, at most of the fancy gatherings we brought our full menu to, Totes MaGoats led the way in popularity.  Something about Goat Cheese Crumbles just makes people wanna try the Totes.  

About a month later we scored another catering gig.  This one was a spin off from the Reno Golf tournament in May.  One of the golfers enjoyed our grilled cheese so much, that he hired us to setup at Rowan Electric's company Christmas Party.

At this event, they picked four different cheezers: Zach Daddy, Tommy Applewood, OBC & Totes MaGoats.  Kate & I just kept cranking them out- much we did at the golf tournament.  I was on the griddle & Kate cut them into bite-sized morsels for guests to munch on.  There were raffles, contests & even a photo booth at this celebration up in Carlsbad. 

They cut us a check ahead of time & we later received a 1099 tax form in the new year.

Wonder Wiener Comradery

We criss-crossed paths with many pop-ups on the brewery tasting room circuit.  Kate made friends with Nicole & Doug, who lived right up our street in OB.  A couple that lived together & worked together just like Kate & I.  They operated a food-truck that was shaped like a giant hotdog.  

Their business was called Wonder Wiener & they did it as a side-hustle, much like we did at first.  They also had Mondays off like us & Nicole would join Kate & I at the beach most weeks.  It was cool to talk shop with someone else who knew what it was really like to be a pop-up food vendor.

And to be able to talk smack about some of the breweries.  I won't mention any names but we both liked setting up at Coronado, Bay City & Home Brew Mart.

"I did hear that the county is changing the rules for vendors," Nicole told us one week at the beach.  "Apparently, starting on July 1st [2017] we won't be able to setup at any breweries or urban wineries in San Diego county."

"What? That's crazy!  Where the hell are we gonna setup at?" Kate asked.  "I don't wanna do markets again."

"I don't know.  I don't see what the big deal is.  I mean is it because the health department can't inspect us."

"I'm sure it all comes down to money," I said.  "They probably realized how much food vendors are making & they want a cut of it."

At least we had over six months to figure out a "Plan B."  Kate & I both knew that brewery pop-up life wouldn't last forever.

Jimmy Johns Paid Internship

I embraced my work at Jimmy Johns with open arms.  By summer 2009, I was working about 44 hours a week & in the running to become one of the two "PICs" (Person In Charge) that would be selected by the boss of the franchise.

I hadn't been excited about a job in quite a while.  Some days, I worked the lunch shift on the cold table rang customers up at the register.  Other nights I wouldn't get home until around 4:30 in the morning, after a night full of answering phone calls, taking bicycle deliveries, making sandwiches & cleaning.

I took on any & every task I could.  Squeezing juice out of tuna to make tuna salad, slicing provolone & turkey, proofing & baking bread & even doing dishes.  

I couldn't get enough of it.  Looking back now, I think of it as a "Paid Internship" into the sandwich world.  I don't think I would have ever started up Mad Munch in San Diego without that eight months that I worked at JJ's downtown Orlando location.   

I had my own room & cheap rent with my college friends, Misty & Adam.  I hung out with their friends & also with many of my co-workers outside of work.  Many of them were under grads at the  University of Central Florida.  With me being at the ripe age of 25, I still had a lot in common with them.

It was a busy summer, delivering to downtown office buildings, bars & condos.  My check paid my rent & utilities while my tips always kept cash in my pocket.  Life was good hanging out at the pool or driving out to lounge out at Cocoa Beach on an off day.

Portlandia Food Pod City

Every once in a while, & when you can swing it, I feel that it's good to get away from your day-to-day life to find some inspiration in a completely different setting.  

That was our plan when we booked a weekend trip up to Portland in early October 2016.  Kate had never been to the Rose City & I had only passed through Oregon on a family Amtrak trip when I was ten.  

Her friend from high school, Christie, & her family picked us up at the airport & took us to the Mississippi Food Pod: an outdoor picnic area, surrounded by these one-room food shacks.  They were all lined up with their own signs, much like Kaaboo, but with wild combinations I would have never dreamed of.

This was like the outdoor version of the Food Halls that we see a lot of these days.

"White Elephant" was firing up plates of Fried Beef Jerky over White Rice with Crispy Egg Rolls.  "Bo Kwan's KOI Fusion," was piling up Kate's favorite sandwich, The Reuben, where you could pick your protein.  She got one with Pork & along with our White Elephant plate, grabbed one of the last open tables to nosh.

Kate & I always like to order different items & split everything so we can both try new stuff.  These two spots did not disappoint & it was a great way to kick off the food portion of our Portland "Food & Drink" excursion.  

Afterwards, Christie & the fam took us downtown to hit some breweries, because when you spent about four days a week at tasting rooms, you like to see how the other half lives.  We went to 10 Barrel, Rogue, Deschutes, & Base Camp just to name a few.  Like in San Diego, folks in Portland don't go thirsty.

Kate & I did a lot of recon to plot out our three days & three nights there.  It's good to have a blueprint of spots to checkout when in roam.  Without renting a car, we found our way around on public transit & the light rail to our base camp for the weekend, a Best Western just north of downtown.  

Sunday, we met up with my friend, J-Rod from Lincoln College & watched the Bears game at a cool Bears bar & actually won a tin sign in a raffle.  

Our friend, George from San Diego also happened to be in town & we met him at some pirate bar.

We found an awesome dive bar called "Reel M. Inn" that only had one guy working, who was pouring pitchers & frying some fantastic Fried Chicken & some of the best JoJo's (potato wedges) I've ever had.

Lardo was also a must on our list:

They do all different Pork Sandwiches & Dirty Fries.  It was amazing.  We also liked how they had to-go boxes, bags, napkins & utensils all on a shelf for customers to grab themselves.  We got two different sandwiches & couldn't eat it all, so we gladly put our leftovers in our backpack & headed over to Voodoo Donuts for dessert.  

And, what Portland trip would be complete without a visit to Powell's Bookstore?

"Just give me an hour in there," I told Kate.  I bought three great books to bring back to San Diego. 

A Boss Lineup & Kaaboo: Pozers

After Labor Day 2016, Kate & I were done working Sundays & Mondays.  We had regular Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday set up spots & could pretty much pick & choose where we wanted to be at Friday & Saturdays.  

It felt like we were finally in charge of our work lives.  Like we were the boss...

Every Thursday, Audrey decorated the board at Ballast Point Home Brew Mart with a cool advertisement.  

The next week, my intramural volleyball season ended & the Chicago Bears football season began.  Our social & work life balance was right on point.  We even saved up enough to take off an entire weekend in September to go to the Kaaboo Music & Arts Festival in Del Mar.

There was a whole group of Kaabooers that crashed at our friend, Jax's, place about a mile walk from the entrance gates.  We spent that weekend living the festival life, figuring out showtime conflicts, traversing food, drink & bathroom lines & keeping cool on the hot pavement.

To see Jimmy Buffett, Aerosmith & Cypress Hill at the same venue, within the same three days was worth the ticket price alone.  But, that was only the tip of the iceberg.  

One night, Kate & I discovered some hip-hop themed egg roll booth.  They fried up these giant egg rolls that were stuffed with Macaroni & Cheese, Sausage & Peppers, & Philly Cheese Steak respectively.  The names were, "The Biggie Smalls," "The 2Pac Shakur," & "The Jay-Z."    I don't remember which was which.  Our minds were blown by the concept.

"Think of how fast they can crank those out with the deep fryer," Kate said.  "You'd just roll up a ton of them ahead of time."

"Yeah, & look.  There's only two people back there working the booth," I said.  "We should totally do something like that."

And, we did.  About five years later, "Pozers," first appeared on our shop's menu.

Birthday Party Springboard to A Summer Escape

We received a catering request on our website & Kate soon followed up.  Vivian was having a birthday party around lunch time on a Saturday in August & we were glad to accommodate.  

Kate went back & forth with her over email to hammer out the details.  She asked her to pick four Cheezers from the seven on our menu at the time.  Vivian went with two vegetarian (OBC & Totes MaGoats) & two meaty options (Zach Daddy & Kater Taters).  

We got there early for the setup in a public park in the City Heights neighborhood of San Diego.  

"You guys do coffee?" a dad at the party asked.

"No, just grilled cheese, sodas & waters," I said.

"You guys should do coffee & sell your sandwiches at my kid's soccer games," he said.

We always get suggestions from attendees at catering setups.  They're always looking for something we don't offer even before they try what we make right in front of them.  I need to cut a hole in the top of a #10 can & put a sign on it that says, "Suggestion Box."  It'd be easier to dump out at the end.

Anyway, our food was a hit at the party & I was proud of how little Cheezer ingredients were leftover.  This was key because, along with our grill, coolers & pop-up tent, we had our camping tent, chairs & sleeping bags packed into Kate's Ford Escape.  

By around 2:30, we were on our way north to meet some friends outside of Idyllwild.  They had secured one of their favorite camping spots in a remote area on Friday afternoon & we were eager to pitch our tent & enjoy a few adult beverages.  We took in an amazing sunset from the edge of a cliff & sat around a propane fire pit telling stories well into the night.

While everyone departed the next morning back to San Diego, Kate & I went into Idyllwild had lunch & moved to another campground on Lake Perris.  It was nice splashing around the lake & listening to country music around a real campfire.  We had such a great time we weren't ready to go home yet.           

"It's too hot here, why don't we stop at a pool somewhere on the way home," Kate suggested.

After a quick online search, we found a cheap room at Harrah's in Valley Center & spent the rest of the afternoon in a lazy river.  When we went back up to our room, there was water leaking from a light fixture over the bath tub.  Someone came up to fix it & we ended getting a free room for another time.  I was sure glad we didn't go home that day.

Tuesday morning we checked out, drove to Smart & Final in Escondido to grab some essentials for Mad Munch & drove straight to Alesmith in Miramar for our Tuesday setup.  

It was the only time that Kate & I ever went from one Mad Munch gig to another without going home for three nights.  And, we didn't miss a beat.  I guess you don't know 'til you go!

The Second Reader Write-Up

Mad Munch has appeared in the San Diego Reader on four different occasions.  Our weekly paper (now only available digitally) has been informing us of events, concerts, shows, movies, weird news & local food for decades.  

In August 2016, a friend notified us that our name was yet again in their pages.  The author did a commentary on his pop-up food experience at Mission Brewery.  Here's a digital excerpt:

The author, Ed Bedford, interviewed us on the spot while he placed his order.  He was super nice & I feel like his article represented us well.  It really summed up our outfit at the time.  

It was also really cool to be on the same list as The Whiskey House, Jimmy's Famous (who I used to recommend to guests at the Best Western), El Nuevo Carrito (an old railcar turned diner in Barrio Logan) & The Joint (an OB staple for Happy Hour).

Check out the full article here:

https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2016/aug/03/feast-human-thing-going/    

Because T.W.T. Comes Before W.T.F?

"We should just set up there every week," Kate said.  "It'd save me from having to find places & we know that their good money spots." 

"Sounds good to me.  Which ones are you talking about?" I asked.

"Alesmith is usually pretty good.  I like when we're the only vendor there.  I bet she'd let me do Tuesdays & it'd be just us."   

Alesmith's outdoor setup on a Sunday with Mad Munch & the Tony Gwynn Food Truck.

"That'd be great.  It's an easy set up too." I said.  "Just back up the car & park right there."

"And I'll message Britt at Home Brew Mart," Kate said.  "That would be good for Thursdays."

"Yeah, that one's real close.  I like the short commute." I said.

That's how it happened.  Kate messaged our contacts & our new schedule was born:

Monday: OFF

Tuesday: Alesmith

Wednesday: OB Market

Thursday: Ballast Point Home Brew Mart

Friday: Rotating (Intergalactic, Bay City, Burning Beard, etc.)

Saturday: Rotating (Beaver, Coronado, Mission, etc.)

Sunday: Rotating until September, then OFF

Inside of the Home Brew Mart in Linda Vista.  We popped up our tent right outside the back roll-up garage door. 

Car Show Grilled Cheese Showcase

We got a referral from the Reno Golf outing to set up at a car show in Miramar.  It was on a Tuesday afternoon & we soon had a line of people waiting for a Cheezer.  There was probably close to five hundred people there.  

Mad Munch was one of only two food vendors.  The other was Dang Brothers, who used an old fire truck with a converted pizza oven to sling their pies.

"How long is it going to take?" a lady asked.

"Right now," Kate said. "Probably about forty minutes."

"Well, what about the congressman?" she asked.  

"Still, forty minutes," Kate answered.

As if someone with political pull could cut the line.  There's no favoritism when it comes to getting a grilled cheese.  It's always, first come, first served.  Kate & I still laugh about that quote.    

I had five or six sandwiches going on the griddle consistently for over an hour.  It was a mad dash to put them on a paper plate & Kate would yell out the person's name.  You wouldn't think people would be so hungry at a car show on a Tuesday night, but there was an open bar, so you do the math.

By the end, I cut off the grill & we both caught our breath.  We came out of the weeds with a pocket full of cash & a lighter cooler to load into the car.  

An All-American Afternoon

The New York Yankees were in town.  It was Fourth of July weekend.  

On Sunday the third, we popped up our tent in front of Mission Brewery which is in a really cool old brick Wonder Bread factory in East Village, downtown San Diego, steps from the Padres home, Petco Park.

Mission was a lot like setting up at Bay City.  If there was a game, there was a pregame crowd & the sales were great.  When there wasn't a game, it was pretty quiet there.  Kate would always refer to the schedule when booking dates at both tasting rooms.

The Yankees are one of the most popular baseball teams in America & they didn't play the Padres in San Diego very often, so it was quite a draw.  There's a lot more Yankees fans in southern California than you might imagine & they came out of the woodwork that day.

Kate & I setup around noon that day & got plenty of traffic before the 3:40 first pitch.  We had just rolled out July's Cheezer of the Month, the 7th Inning Stretch (pictured below) which was our grilled cheese take on a Chicago Hot Dog.  

A Vienna Beef Hot Dog, Celery Salt, Tomatoes, Onions, Yellow Mustard, Way-Too-Green Relish, & Sport Peppers imported from Chi-town fit the bill on this creation.  It was a concoction that Kate & I had been dreaming up for ages & July seemed like the perfect month to showcase it.           

I don't remember who won the game that day, but Mad Munch was a big hit.  We sold out of sourdough & had enough extra cash to attend the Homerun Derby at Petco Park eight days later.

A Home Run, A Swing, & A Miss

Mad Munch got invited back to Rancho Bernardo Golf Course for Reno Contracting's Charity Golf Tournament for the Warrior Foundation.  

As you can see, I was pretty excited about setting up for the second time on the links.  I was also pretty thrilled after we finished up the Thursday because Kate & I had the next five days off.

My cousin, Tory, was getting married back in central Illinois that Saturday & then Kate & I would be spending the next few days at a rental with my family up in Indiana dunes.  

It was the first wedding we had attended since our string of eight weddings in 2015, the year prior.  I felt a lot more confident about Mad Munch this summer.  It was pretty incredible how much more time & focus you had without juggling a forty hour a week day job that you didn't much care for.

-----

We got back to San Diego in time for the OB farmers market & then took on a few more tasting rooms.  Places like Groundswell, Benchmark, New English, Pour House, 32 North, Butcher & Pure Project.  Many of them were small time establishments, in their infancy just like us.

Pure Project was an up & coming brewery located in an office park in Miramar.  We setup there a few times & found ourselves there on Father's Day 2016.  It was a nice day, the beer was refreshing but the crowd was light.  I talked to my dad on the phone for almost an hour & paced around parking lot while our tent sat idle.  

That's how it is working for yourself.  You gotta pick & choose what you spend your time on & make the most out of your down time.

Wine, Over Sharing, & All That Jazz

After setting up at Culture for over a year, Friday nights were now filled with rotating breweries.  That is until one week Kate found a winery up north off of the 15 for us to pop up at.  

Bernardo Winery held an Art Walk on the first Friday of the month from 5-9pm.  We loaded up the Ford Escape one toasty June afternoon, battled through some rush hour traffic & began positioning the grill & side panels of our tent to best block the wind.

This was always the most tedious part of our tent setup.  That & sometimes figuring out where to unload & then park the car.  The host would usually give you a general area to post up, but then Kate & I had to figure out how to optimize our front table (customer window) along with the back of house kitchen (cold table & grill) all within our 100 square foot tent.

A lot of those new places just assumed we were a food truck, so when we arrived they were a bit surprised.  Especially at Bernardo Winery where we were one of three food vendors, but the only one not on wheels.  

That night we were next to a taco truck & a BBQ food truck.  I can't remember the name of the BBQ outfit but the guy was a hawker.  

"Get your tri-tip, brisket, pulled pork, & BBQ ribs, here!" he shouted about every two minutes.  The people mingling amongst a live jazz quartet with their cabernets probably didn't notice it as much as we did, right next to the truck.

"What do guys sell?" he asked.

"Grilled cheese," I told him.

"That sounds good.  I'm down to do a trade later, if you guys are interested."

"Sure, I like BBQ," I said reluctantly.

"Oh yeah, we got the best.  I just did a huge catering order in Escondido earlier," he said.  "I just hand them the keys & they pay me the cash- that's it."

We both nodded.  Sure, catering.  It sounded too good to be true.  Or maybe his BBQ really was the best, even though I'd never heard of them until that night.  

I didn't have much time to ponder it, because we got bombarded by some nicely dressed seniors who wanted to get their hands on the Totes MaGoats.  The wine was finally kicking in & it went on like that for a while.  We went through almost six loaves of Sourdough before things slowed down & I backed our Escape up to the tent.

"You guys like brisket & ribs?" he asked & sized up our black markerboard menu.  

"Oh yeah.  And what would you like?" I asked.

"I'm kind of plain I just do a regular grilled cheese," he said, but I saw his eyes lock onto the tray of bacon on the back table.  "And throw some bacon on there if you don't mind."

He came back a couple of minutes later with two styrofoam containers full of BBQ, mac n' cheese & coleslaw.  We thanked him, gave him a two Bacon Streets on paper plates covered with foil & were on our way. 

We set up at that winery a few more times during the summer, but we never saw him or his truck again.  His BBQ was pretty average in my opinion.  Maybe that had something to do with it, or maybe it was the loud hawking.

Rockstars Wanted (to make Sandwiches?)

With the rest of the money I hadn't burned up while living in Nashville, I decided to drive around the entirety of the Florida peninsula in January 2009.  

From Orlando to Amelia Island all the way down to Miami & Key West on A1A & back up through the Everglades, Fort Myers, Clearwater & Tampa around to Orlando again.  It was quite the one-man adventure that left my GMC Sonoma & I in search of money to keep the Florida dream alive & well.   

So, I moved into the spare room of my SIU friends, Misty & Adam's two-bedroom apartment & started looking for work.

I searched around Craigslist & after a one-day stint as a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman (that yielded $0), I was skeptical of a heading that read, "Calling All Rockstars."  

The paragraph below the heading offered more promise though, offering a trainable position, with plenty of growth potential at a brand new Jimmy John's sandwich shop opening in downtown Orlando.  I responded to the ad & went downtown for an open interview.

"So what are your strengths & your weaknesses?" Brian asked me between the sound of wailing saws.  

"I'm a good people person- ask anyone," I said.  "And...I'm not good at waking up early."

He laughed & took a look at my resume.  "So, you worked at a Sub Express...in Illinois.  You from there?" I nodded.

"My girlfriend grew up in Chicago.  I went to visit once.  It is cold as hell there," he said.

"Well, that's one reason I moved to the south," I said.  We talked about the weather for a while, Florida in winter, that kind of stuff.  I just kept pushing him off the subject of work, so he knew that I was a people-person after all.  

The key is to show plenty of enthusiasm for whatever you talk about in an interview.  And, it must have worked because he cut the conversation short & stood up.

"Well Zach, I'll be honest with ya, you're the kind of person that we're looking for to get this operation on the ground & running," he said.  "But, I still have to interview a lot more of candidates & talk to my boss.  Is this 309 number a good one to reach you?"

"Yep," I said.  We shook hands & I walked out of the bottom floor jobsite with a smile.  It was a bright & clear February day.  Is still had about twenty minutes left on the parking meter, so I wandered down Orange Avenue & over to Lake Eola.  

I had never worked downtown in a city before, with the hustle & bustle of city buses & traffic lights.  At age twenty-five, I felt right at home with the tall buildings, banks & parking garages.

Brian called me two days later & I started working at Jimmy John's two days after that.  On my first shift, we got our uniforms (two black t-shirts & a black baseball cap with "JJ" printed in red) & all twenty-five or thirty of us new hires, walked to several intersections & handed out free sandwich samples.

It was the first day of a job that would change the entire course of my life. 

From the Sand Court to Quartyard

Besides taking off work & going to shows here & there, Kate & I sacrificed a lot of Friday & Saturday nights with friends.  I grew to like to the industry hours, though & was no longer feeling the FOMO of the weekend.  

But when my neighbor, Dan, needed an extra player on his VAVI (local intramural sports organization) volleyball team I quickly agreed to play.

"Perfect.  It's $90 for the season, eight to ten weeks & we play Sundays at 10AM," Dan explained.  

Mad Munch still had dates on the calendar on Sundays through August, but this was sand beach volleyball, right at the end of our street, two & a half blocks away.

On our first week of the season, we were to setup at Quartyard in East Village, (downtown San Diego) about eight miles from home.  I figured I'd have plenty of time to get home an shower before our setup there at 4pm.

So, I got to bump, set, spike & serve in the sunshine for a couple hours before the teams were rewarded free pitchers at Mother's Saloon in OB.

"C'mon, Zach, we can't drink these pitchers by ourselves," Dan said.

"Sure," I agreed & walked over there with them.  A couple beers wouldn't hurt, right?  I was the new guy so I was trying to get to know my teammates.

We got through our pitchers but I got to talking shop with Jason, who was doing a campout music festival that he wanted Mad Munch to cater.  He grabbed me another pint, handed me a flyer & explained the details.  

"Well, I gotta be honest," I told him.  "Getting out there [back country San Diego] for two nights on a weekend might be tough.  And how many people are you expecting to show?"

"Over six-hundred," Jason said.

"Well, OK, I'll have to talk to my girlfriend about it."

-----

Long story short:

I stayed at the bar too long, barely had time for a shower & Kate had to drive us there.  We got to Quartyard on time & the setup went smooth enough.    

The photo she took sure looks nice, but doesn't do justice for the homeless characters that we had to keep an eye on the entire time there.  

On top of all of that, Kate wasn't interested in doing, "some music festival out in the boonies," as she described it.  My post-volleyball-chance-business meeting never amounted to anything.  

Getting the Hang of Brewery Life

Kate & I started to find our footing at the tasting rooms.  Some were good, some were great & others not so much (both the beers & the sales).  Kate & I racked up quite few growlers & even some cool merch along the way. 

And as the days grew longer, we started saving up more money & were able to take off a night here & there.  When Beyonce came to town to play at Qualcomm Stadium, Kate could not pass it up & I decided instead to go camping at Mount Laguna.  

The next day, I drove back & we set up for the first time at Intergalactic Brewery.  A cool tasting room, a little off the beaten path in Miramar, it was full of Sci-Fi posters & out of this world brews.  

The setup was a breeze- we'd back up the Ford Escape around back, get the grill lit, the tables setup & they'd roll open the back door like a curtain to an eager crowd.  It felt like we were on stage!

We were so inspired, the next night we went to Petco Park to see Billy Joel.

Intergalactic quickly became one of our favorites along with Belching Beaver, Coronado, St. Archer, Bay City, Mission, Ballast Point & Alesmith.  We measured how much we liked a brewery setup by a few key parameters:

1. Were the sales worth our time there?
2. How far did we have to drive to get there?
3. Did we like the clientele that ordered food from us there?
4. Was our point of contact at the tasting room nice to us?
5. Did they book us just to have a food option there, even though the place was dead?

We asked ourselves these questions to help weed out the consistently good spots from the mediocre.  There were a few "One & Dones," & several we gave two or three shots before we moved on.  

Afterall, business should be a win-win for both parties & intrigue your customers (& your food vendors) to return.

Zach Daddy Debut

I wanted to make a Cheezer with all of my favorite toppings.  I knew it had to have Roast Beef, my go-to when I order a sandwich at a deli & Pepperoncini Peppers because Papa John's got me hooked on them back in college. 

But, I also wanted to add Salami, Bacon, Turkey, Mushrooms, Onions, Pickles, Jalapenos, Tomatoes & Pesto.  I thought maybe it needed a sauce like our Slapstick Sauce or possibly Honey Mustard.

"You're all over the place," Kate said when I mentioned this never-ending list of add-ons.  "You gotta narrow it down.  Remember, we have to bring all of this stuff to the breweries."

Of course, she was right.  So, I went back to the drawing board.

I started with the cheeses.  I knew I wanted Monterey Jack & Cheddar.  I figured that would play well with Roast Beef & the Pepperoncinis that had to be on my sandwich.  

Then, I looked around at a few deli menus online to see what Roast Beef paired with.  Anytime it was a cold sandwich it was usually Turkey & Ham or Bacon, but this was a grilled cheese & none of those seemed right.  

When I looked at hot roast beef sandwiches, it was mostly with onions & BBQ sauce or Horseradish Sauce.  I wanted to do something different.  Zach Daddy needed to stand out- to jump off the menu.        

"What about salami?" I thought.  I scoured the internet to find out that no one was really making Roast Beef & Salami sandwiches, hot or cold.  With the Pepperoncinis, it kind of had an Italian feel to it so I thought Provolone would be the perfect third cheese to melt on there.

Now, we were getting somewhere!

So bought all the ingredients one day & tried it out at home.  It was good (we ate it all), but something was still missing.

"It's kind of dry, right?" I asked Kate & she nodded.  

"Yeah, the Roast Beef needs some juice- some Au-ju, or something."

I went back to the laptop to look for a good recipe when somehow I stumbled upon on one for "French Onion Soup."  That was it- something clicked.  I had wanted onions on there since the beginning & here was a way to do it & make it more juicy & flavorful at the same time!

The result: a tasty, Roast Beef & Salami, French & Italian hot sandwich on our seasoned Sourdough that debuted at Alesmith Brewing Co. in early May 2016.  It had taken me over three years to come up with the perfect sandwich to bear my name & I think we got it right.  

It's still one of our best-sellers to this day, the only difference is that we switched out Provolone for Pepper Jack (my favorite cheese) about a year later, to make it this Cheezer even more fire.