We're Back! - Mustard Dinner recap

Hey Willa! We did it!!!!! The new Caplansky's Deli 2.0, powered by Shopify, went live on Wednesday October 2, 2019 at Nick & Nat's Uptown 21 in downtown Waterloo, Ontario.  The night was simply perfect. 

A sell-out crowd enjoyed an outstanding, four-course, mustard inspired menu by Jon Rennie, Matt Kendrick (aka The Bauer Butcher) and Nick "I'm Kinda Busy Right Now" Benninger.  The Mustard was flowing but the message of the evening was put best by Jon Rennie. "We're better together," he said when asked why he volunteered to quarterback Caplansky's Launch Party. Watching the three chefs in the kitchen showed you how right he is, too.

It was an emotional evening for Willa and I. We've put almost two years of work in to get to this point. Actually, Nick set the tone. When Willa and I arrived about 90 minutes early to help set up he welcomed me with a two words I never thought would mean so much to me. "Welcome back," he said.  

Now, I'm pretty sure he was simply greeting us upon our return  - having visited last week to make sure we were "well prepared".  But his welcome had a much deeper meaning for me that hit home when he put on the "Well Prepared" t-shirt Willa designed for the launch party.

Having industry heavy-weights like these three throw on my shirt and throw open their doors and arms sure made us feel more than "Welcome". And "Back"? Yeah.  I'm back.  It's been a long, slow climb too.  The events of early 2018 took their toll on me.  Closing College St, Yorkville, the food truck and shutting down our catering business was rough stuff.  But I learned some important lessons.

I learned that I married the most supportive, loving woman a guy could ever ask for or dream of In Willa.  She has been steadfast in her support.  Rock solid.  And I needed that and the love and support of so many others too to find my way back. If you're reading this, thank you! Thanks for being here.  Thanks for caring. Thanks for inspiring my comeback.  

Actually, Jon Rennie is right. We're "better together". So...

We're back!

This isn't about me.  It's about us.  And after we joyously launched our Shopify web store surrounded by family and friends we started to realise this was just our first step towards the next goal: the Great Canadian Mustard Adventure 2020. Willa and I have started to connect with our friends and family from our home in Tofino, B.C. to Whitehorse, Yukon and to our adopted home in Elliston, Newfoundland with the notion of mounting Canada's first ever coast-to-coast-to-coast Mustard Tour.

It's just so much fun to see new friends and old ones too with our mustards in tow. So why a tour? Well, did you know that Canada grows 80% of the world's mustard seeds? Yeah we do. That makes mustard Canada's Condiment and that's worth celebrating. Plus, it's us - plural.

My mom taught me long ago that things come and go but people are what matter.  Losing my brother David recently was a great reminder of this lesson.  So taking Jon Rennie's words to heart, we want to hit the road with the idea of Better Together.  Let's raise a glass and have a bite.  Enjoy a laugh and maybe a cry or two too. Sound like fun?

I love the combination of a webstore and a rubber-meats-the-road tour because it's the face-to-face stuff that drives me.  And the response so far has been amazing.  Folks see what we're doing on social media and send us messages asking to hold events in their city, town, resort, restaurant or whatever.  Wanna participate? Just get in touch.

For photos from the Mustard Dinner check out our social media. And stay tuned. More news to come.

Z.

Wednesday October 2, 2019

Presented by Bauer Butcher at Nick and Nat's Uptown 21
Wednesday October 2, 2019
7:00 pm, Uptown 21, One Seating Only
4 Courses

$45/person ($58.95 with gratuity and taxes)
An additional service fee will added (portion donated to charity)
TICKETS HERE

Menu

Course 1 – Sharables
Pigs head terrine, mild mustard, chives
Spicy mustard pickled & sliced pig tongue
Grilled house made all beef franks
Crispy things & some sweet pickles

Course 2 – Salad
Shaved organic roots, dill, bronze fennel fronds, shaved manchego, mustard & black garlic vinaigrette

Course 3 – Main
Ball park mustard rubbed smoked short ribs, brown butter pommes purée, sautéed mustard greens, Parisienne carrots, sauce “Robert”

Course 4 – Dessert
Apple cake, maple mustard ice cream, aged cheddar tuille