Winter Updates & Catering Requests
It’s that time of year in Maine when we’re all really starting to look forward to spring. As I’m typing this there’s 2+ft of snow on the ground, it’s 8 degrees and the wind is blowing at 35+ MPH. I’ve had enough winter. Let’s all think about what’s coming when the weather gets warmer.
I’ve been practicing making smoked pastrami. I’ve done two test cooks so far. I’m thinking about making another batch in early March. Pastrami won’t be something I can do on the truck on a regular basis because it’s very time intensive and consumes fridge space for a long time. (The brining/curing is 7 – 10 days!) The feedback thus far has been very positive. The next batch in March will be made with grass-fed beef from Cold Spring Ranch. If you would like to be a taste tester please send me a message on Facebook, Instagram or text the number at the top of this page.
Earlier today I received a notification that the Federal Trademark for “Smoked Food Truck®” has been published. I’m also working towards securing a trademark for “Smoked Craft BBQ”. It’s difficult to know how this business/brand may grow over time. Securing the intellectual property rights wasn’t easy (or cheap) but I think it’s a good thing to have in place moving forward.
I’m not sure when I will be opening for the season. The truck is not cold-weather-friendly. I’m planning to open when the overnight temperatures typically stay above freezing. Is that April? May? Hard to know. I can handle a few nights where temps dip slightly below freezing. I just don’t want to risk having the on-demand hot water heater freeze up.
I will be building two new smokers for this coming season. The 275 gallon reverse-flow smoker I have been using for the past 15 years has served me well but I need to be able to cook more food per batch. I’m going to build a 500 gallon reverse-flow smoker and a 330 gallon traditional offset smoker. These two units will provide flexibility and allow me to have ribs and chicken available on a more regular basis.
Catering Requests
I’ve received a few catering requests over the winter. Catering is a part of the business that I really hope to be able to grow this summer. But there are some logistics issues that need to be taken into consideration if you would like me to cater your event. What follows are some things to keep in mind.
- I generally do not want to take the truck to events. I’ll be honest, it’s scary driving the thing. It’s a big, lumbering beast of a vehicle. Imagine what it would feel like to strap a saddle and a steering wheel on a brontosaurus that has a Xanax addiction. That’s what it feels like to drive this truck. I have to do some suspension work on it this spring when the snow melts to hopefully improve the handling characteristics. If the suspension improvements make it easier to drive I might have a different opinion about driving the truck to your event.
I also need to fabricate a trailer hitch to be able to bring the smoker to events. That’s something that will happen this spring as well.
- If your event is more than 10 miles away from the Kingfield/New Portland area there’s a good chance I’m not interested in driving the food truck there. Of course there are exceptions to this guideline. There are some events that I would enjoy being a part of.
- I’m only interested in catering events with a defined menu and number of portions to be served. I am not interested in just showing up because your office/club/sorority/etc has some people that might enjoy some Texas-style BBQ. There’s a LOT of prep that goes into my menu and food waste is a big concern. If you can commit to a menu and # of portions then I might be able to accommodate your requirements.
- I would prefer to deliver food or have it ready for pickup for most catering events, especially on weekends. I’m a one-person business at the moment and I think it’s important for the truck to be at it’s usual spot for normal operating hours. If I’m going to drive the truck to an event and be closed for my regular customers the event will need to be something that’s guaranteed otherwise it simply doesn’t make sense for me.
- I have no interest in catering your wedding.
Please email [email protected] for catering requests.
Looking forward to seeing you all in the spring.
-Mark