Tag Archives: Poulet Rouge

Harry’s Special Trifecta

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We always look forward to the specials at Harry’s Pizzeria.  Today is a prime example. Chef de Cuisine Manny Sulbaran placed an order for a regular in the MGFD kitchen, whole Poulet Rouge  heritage breed chickens (“I get to have fun, too!”), and the trifecta happened.  That’s when all three menu items have verbal specials: a pizza, soup, and snack. Today’s are all killer!  The pizza and soup both feature tender strips of this old world bird’s roasted white and dark meat.  The pie takes a Tex Mex spin with creamy cooling slices of local Lula avocado (that forager Chris Padin delivered from Homestead on Tuesday,) a sturdy, curdy layer of fontina cheese, green onion, picked jalapeno, and cilantro. Soup is a steamy, clear-as-can-be broth of shaved fennel, white onions, and parsley. MGFD line cook Danny Ramirez came over yesterday and made the kitchen smell like his grandmother’s by whipping up her special mojo marinade for today’s special crispy pork belly snack with papaya chutney and shaved zucchini.  Come in while they last, which should be through dinner service tonight if they are not 86 before then!

Jet Setting French Chicks

Ron Joyce and a two week old chick.

As mentioned in August, Michael took a trip to North Carolina to visit with our Poulet Rouge supplier, Joyce Farms, the first to develop a breeder flock and produce this French heritage chicken stateside.  The trip solidified why we buy chicken from them exclusively, and why more restaurants need to do the same.   Superior taste isn’t reason alone.

Michael shared some of his experience with the staff at pre-shift, including what he learned from owner Ron Joyce about the paltry state of the poultry industry in America and how he’s doing his part to turn things around.  When Michael shared that the number of industrial chickens processed in the U.S. is about 175 million weekly, compared to Joyce Farms’ 4,000, I had to know more.  I reached out to Ron with some questions, and he obliged.

Continue reading