Years ago he worked in San Francisco
where famous sourdough bread fragranced
the wharf. Hordes of tourists
broke crust and crumb
open right in the sidewalk's
crowded crush. Locals fought the traffic
tide to buy it fresh from the ovens.
People in the know
paired it with clam chowder,
the real legend.
He wanted to know how
to make it specific to the chef's
consistent results. The chef looked
his audacity up and down, then set
him to chopping vegetables for three
months. Does it remind you of the Karate
Kid? Unlike Jacob, who's father in law
tricked him into working another seven years
for the prized wife he really wanted, Heinz
was handed the coveted recipe at the agreed time.
The chef showed him how to layer the flavors to make
them bloom. One last secret was passed
on to me as I bent over his stock pot
steaming with chowder perfume.
You'll have to order some, linger
over it, wipe your mouth with a sigh
and boldly ask Heinz for
the end.
Enzo's. Eastsound. Orcas Island Washington. Heinz makes everything from scratch with the best ingredients. He is good to his employees. His food tastes like real food. Do try his clam chowder and be transported to a time when these things mattered.
