A bit late, but a nod to the drywall crew

The drywall team was onsite  for a total of 4 days.  High skill and productivity - and such a major move toward completion!  These are the guys, some of whom wear metal stilts to do the work of placing, nailing, taping, spackling and sanding the drywall.  We had 3 or 4 on stilts at the rooster and one guy in particular stands out.  He was working in the basement stairway, in the original portion of the building.  The step are fairly narrow, the staircase is fairly steep and yet, there he was as if he were working on the flat -- moving from step to step in his stilts.  I am amazed.

This crew had members from Central America as well as the US and as always -- here are a few pictures. 

just hanging a door....

This week so much that is BIG in terms of moving toward our opening day is happening.  First, though -- a look at a small thing.

Carpentry is full of math and angles in particular are important.  Our carpenters hung doors this week.  Two new rooms (the ADA bathrooms adjacent to the retail space) had two new doors, not a bother.  The kitchen had two metal doors hung - one at the top of the back stairway and one at the bottom.  Again, not a bother.  

And an old door was rehung after the doorway was moved to make room for a bit more retail space!  It went back on with no problem.

Now, the door that I imagine will entice those of you more interested in FOOD and BEVERAGE than doors and angle is the door that will swing between the back dining room and the kitchen.  This door, this all important door is a fine door -   Wooden, with 4 windows at the top to keep us from the tossed try or the door bump.  It is a brand new door.  It is being hung in a doorway that has been in the building for many years.  The door is a close to perfect rectangle.  The doorway -- a far cry from that.  Not necessarily noticable to the naked eye, however it became the day's work for one of our carpenters.  He had to square that door frame.  And he did, and the door was hung and all is right with the world! 

Not at all glamorous....

Other than the front porch which we try to keep looking somewhat presentable, the Blue Rooster is a 1/2 house being rewired and having a good cleaning (floors and walls) and 1/2 construction site.

The good news is that each phase of construction is coming in on time and with "Passing" grades on all inspections.  We have our electric, plumbing, and framing inspections completed.  Next (tomorrow) the insulation will be inspected and then the drywall will be installed.  All very mundane in the life of a cafe & bakery project, but certainly necessary.  Watch this space -- we'll be talking about the fun installs -- ovens, stoves, etc in the next week or two!

I.O. of G. T.

A few folks did the research and found that our marble brick has temperance movement origins.  The Independent Order of Good Templars.  Founded in Utica, NY in 1850 as the Knights of Jericho, the I.O. of G.T. was a secret fraternal temperance society.  They admitted women and men and are in existence today asa the International Organisation of Good Templars.  Cranbury had the Temperance Inn and if you look at the stone fountain at the lake, it was given by a temperance group!

a bit about coffee...

If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee. -  Abraham Lincoln

This may come as something of a surprise, but scientists know next to nothing about an important family of compounds that help give your morning cup of coffee its distinctive look and taste.  But that could all change thanks to work recently conducted by a team of Dutch food chemists, who by probing the properties of these compounds has come up with an anion exchange chromatography-based method for isolating them for detailed study.

The family of compounds do at least have a name: melanoidins.  They are brown-colored, nitrogen-containing polymers formed when sugar molecules and amino acids react together at high temperatures and low moisture levels, in a process known as the Maillard reaction.  They make up around 25% of the dry weight of coffee, being responsible for its brown colour and much of its taste.  They have also been linked to its antioxidant and antibacterial properties.

Beyond the building itself, the Blue Rooster is about good bread, good food and attention to detail

So, we are at the point where items like - the napkin -needs to be decided.  We found a great fabric that suits the atmosphere we are creating and that puts a smile on those faces that were asked, "What do you think of this for our napkins?".  

Cloth napkins, 100% cotton, made in the USA.  That suits us.

And we are very fortunate to have Val of Alterations by Val as a neighbor and friend.  She is a wiz with the needle and thread and does many weddings from bride to mother of the bride and all else that may be required.  She agreed to make time to turn our fabric into napkins.  That is the spirit of Cranbury that we love.  Thanks Val!

Grand Opening--- The 1st Week of September

All the players are in agreement, we will be ready to open by the first week in September.  In time for start of school, Cranbury Day, and all the autumn festivities!

Look for a job application on the website soon, if you are interested in perhaps working at the Blue Rooster.

We enjoyed our many visitors to the porch on Memorial Day - thanks for stopping.  The parade was a winner, as usual.  We particularly liked the addition of the bagpipers -- thanks to the Lions Club for sponsoring this great traditional event.