Hastings Update

...did I say two more weeks, two weeks ago? Well, it might still be a week or two...actually, I'm hoping it will be less than that. Hydro finally switched the power over yesterday. So many things have been waiting on standby for power. Now everybody is running to finish.We now have light and heat. Tomorrow, we should have the refrigeration up and running. The new store has 3 times as much display cooler space as the 2nd avenue store. We can't wait to fill it up!

You can see one of the new slicers in the picture. They are really heavy. It takes two of us to move one of them. The one for the store has a matching stand, and together they weigh more than 150 kilograms. It won't move around much! Today we picked up a 36 month old Jamon Iberico Bellotta ham. It won't go on the slicer, as it is carved by hand. But we did get some La Quercia Rossa heirloom prosciutto from Iowa. We've picked all of the cheeses for the restaurant menu. I think the selection is going to be great.

Colin the welder has been busy making new security bars for the front entrance along with a matching hand rail. He did such a great job. They have a nice feel that accents the age of the building.

Allison is back from judging the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix. She tasted almost 170 cheeses over two days. She was impressed by the quality of washed rind entries this year, along with several of the firm aged cheeses.

Dining out for life is on Thursday March 12th. Au Petit Chavignol will be participating in the event this year. We will donate 25 percent of food revenue from meals sold during this important event.

France's Guild de Fromagers is starting a chapter in Western Canada this March. We will be hosting several cheese dignitaries including Rolland Barthélémy of one of the best known fromageries in Paris, Fromagerie Barthélémy, along with Luc Senecal, the President of Isigny.

Those being inducted include:

• Alice Spurrell - les amis du FROMAGE
• Allison Spurrell - les amis du FROMAGE
• Joe Chaput - les amis du FROMAGE
• Janice Beaton - Janice Beaton Fine Cheeses
• Debra Amrein-Boyes - Farmhouse Cheese Co.
• Jurgen Gothe - Wine and Food writer
• Kurtis Kolt - Salt Tasting Room
• Jason Lloyd - Terminal City Club
• Tim Pawsey - Wine and Food writer
• Vincent Stufano - Chateau Fairmont Whistler
• David Wood - Salt Spring Cheese Co.

Everyone is putting in long hours now. It's the final dash to the finish line, which is about two weeks away. All of the big equipment is in place. The kitchen and bar are about 95% complete. We still have one more large window to install. The first one is simply fantastic. The new front windows have glass from floor to almost ceiling, and they let in so much natural light. The refrigerated showcases arrived from Vega late last week and they are even nicer than I expected. Today was cabinetry installation day, and it should be done by tomorrow.

All of the staff are in place and ready to go. Alice, the big cheese herself is going to run the retail store along with Stephanie and Larissa. We've assembled a crack team for the restaurant which includes Annette, Naomi, and Ingela in the front along with myself, Brad Miller (ex West/Pastis) and Owen Lightly (ex Voya/West) in the Kitchen.

In a few more weeks, all this opening business will be a distant memory.