It's February, show your love!

Well, I guess it's about time the winter finally arrived. While I won't complain that the snow has decided to join us, I will admit that I ran away from it. I'm officially back at school and ready to begin my final semester. It's bitter sweet as I am thrilled to embark on the next chapter of my life but sad to leave this incredible college bubble that I've lived in for the past four years. This month, in honor of Valentine's Day, we'll discuss all different kinds of love. Obviously there's the love that everyone celebrates on Feb. 14, but instead of getting all lovey dovey and corny on you, I'll focus more on the love of food, wine and all things culinary. Plus I'll let you in on a little M&D secret ... we staff members love to hang out with each other both inside and outside the workplace, and that's a huge part of what makes McKinney and Doyle what it is. Enjoy this month and keep in touch! rebeccam@udel.edu or Rebecca@mckinneyanddoyle.com

– Becky McKinney

Football first, but don't forget your Valentine later ...

I know this is short notice but I just wanted to shoot out some quick Super Bowl party ideas. Good football should come with good food, don't you think? The bakery will have plenty of our Super Bowl Breads baked with prosciutto, asiago and basil or ground sausage, tomato and asiago. We'll also be offering pulled pork sliders, chili, the world's best guacamole and homemade chips and antipasto platters. I'm sure I'll be making some of this stuff at the Delaware house as Matt and Ken just informed me that we'll be having people over for the game. Ah the "perks" of living with guys. Catch my sarcasm? Just kidding. Anyway, onto things that are more my style ... Valentine's Day.

I love February in the bakery because we have an endless supply of sugar cookies. My favorites are the small heart cookies with the red sprinkles and/or the pink frosting. Sometimes I sneak in the back and grab a few off the trays when they are still hot. A lot of men dread Valentine's Day but McKinney and Doyle makes it real simple for you. We sell these adorable personalized giant heart cookies with all different sayings written on them. "Hot Stuff" is a big seller but so is, "Mi Amor" and "I Love You" (of course). If you call early enough we may even be able to take specific message orders.

Restaurant News

Naturally, restaurants book up rather quickly on Valentine's Day. But you don't need it to be Feb. 14 to celebrate your love! Celebrate all week long with us in the café! Make your Valentine's reservation today!

We are still finalizing the details of the Speakeasy Dinner so I will send out a formal invitation once everything is set. If you are interested in receiving an early announcement prior to the public announcement please email Andrew at Andrew@mckinneyanddoyle.com and he will add you to our Special Event Contact List. Those who choose to be added will receive details on all specialty dinners with limited seating before the public announcement is released, which may help ensure a seat.

Does anybody enjoy restaurant week as much as I do? McKinney and Doyle will be participating in Hudson Valley Restaurant Week from March 18 - 31. Join us for a pre fixed, three-course lunch on Tuesday through Friday or come in at dinnertime for a three-course menu Sunday through Thursday. Don't worry; all of your favorites on our regular menus will still be available. Tell your friends to join our mailing list so they can receive the specialty menus once we figure them out!

M&D Love

I know you all know who Andrew Sarubbi is. He started working as a host when he was a teenager and even though he was still quite young when the restaurant manager position opened up, my father recognized his drive, ambition and perfect personality for the job. Like anybody taking over a position, there were things to learn along the way. Andrew has not only learned them, but also excelled in each and every one.

He can recommend a fantastic bottle of wine to compliment any meal, shake up a dangerously delicious and totally unique cocktail, develop new menu ideas for any crowd, and move an entire night's reservation list around to try and accommodate just a few more tables ... all at one time. I overheard a customer talking to my father the other night about the cocktail menu. The customer asked who came up with the drinks and how. I couldn't help but smile when my dad said "Andrew comes up with all of them ... it's like he thinks of them in his sleep or something, it's really amazing." It seriously is amazing too. The flavor combinations are fantastic and unexpected and people are constantly pleasantly surprised.

You get my point. He's incredible. He makes his job look easy but believe me, it isn't. It's fast paced, stressful and exhausting and it takes a very special kind of person to handle it with the grace and leadership that Andrew does.

It's Andrew's leadership and eye for character that has helped him pick his incredible staff as well. Many of my closest friends, including Andrew, are those that I work with at McKinney and Doyle. I even find myself spending my days off there, and I'm not the only one! There aren't many places, at least that I've heard of, where staff members come in on their days off to spend more time with fellow employees in their own place of work. There are many Monday nights (the only night we are ALL off of work) when M&D employees crash somebody else's restaurant for a fun night out. Andrew has truly helped to create a family here and we are all very blessed to have each other and the restaurant is very blessed to have Andrew. How's that for a love story?

 

Those of you who have dined at McKinney and Doyle for lunch or brunch have experienced the joy of Tony's cooking. But you haven't had the pleasure of tasting his wife, Ignacia's, home cooked meals. Tony and Ignacia have been part of my family since before I was born. Tony, as mentioned in one of our earlier history lessons, was the first addition to the McKinney and Doyle team back in 1986.

Ignacia is like a second mother to both my brother and myself. She has been making me the most authentic, delicious, and spicy Mexican food for as long as I can remember. In fact, I totally credit my tolerance for spice to her, and now, I often challenge the chefs in the kitchen to a jalapeno pepper eating contest and win. Anyway, this month I decided to venture out of my cookbook and into Ignacia's, so I invited myself over to her house for a cooking lesson.

Growing up, Ignacia would make me picaditas. Picaditas are made of masa, or corn flour, salt, and water. I can't tell you how much of each because Ignacia bases everything on taste and texture. "If the dough is sticking to your hands as you mix it, you need to add water," she explained, "it should feel soft, almost velvety." Making the dough was easy with her guidance but I struggled a bit with rolling out the picaditas.

Ignacia formed the first few with actual elegance. She gently tossed the dough back and forth in her hands into a smooth cylinder before pressing them into flat ovals. I'm literally swallowing my pride as I admit that the first few I made were rejected. One was too big. The next too thin. The third was uneven. Eventually though I got the hang of it and my picaditas started to look just as good as Ignacia's.

After heating the dough on both sides for just a few minutes, it was time to learn how to pull the sides. I think it's safe to say that I burnt off just about all of my fingerprints. Ignacia made it look so easy! All you have to do is pull the dough up to form a small wall around the entire picadita, but I promise it's not that simple.

Different people top picaditas with different things, but I've always liked them best with salsa verde and cheese. Simple yet incredibly delicious. I've made salsa verde before as I have a recipe for it in my cookbook, but it was a different experience this time. I knew that we would be using cilantro, tomatillos, jalapenos, garlic, water, and salt but when I asked how much of each to prepare, Ignacia said "I don't know, it depends on how it starts to taste." She uses a different amount every time. So, I just started blending and tasting. Blend, taste, adjust. Blend, taste, adjust. Blend, taste, adjust. Perfect.

I've always loved eating picaditas, but I never knew how much I would love making them. It was an amazing experience to cook with Ignacia and realize that not everything needs to be by the book and laid out all the time. Authentic cooking comes from the heart and is measured by only the senses.

 

Welcome to 2012!

Happy New Year! I hope everybody had a happy holiday and is ready and excited for the New Year. I know I am! It has been so great to see so many familiar faces at the restaurant as we have been delightfully busy this holiday season and I hope everyone has been having as much fun as I have! We have a bunch of exciting and new things coming up this year so I can't wait to get your feedback once things get rolling. You can, as usual, contact me at rebeccam@udel.edu but I can also be reached at Rebecca@McKinneyanddoyle.com . Also, our wonderful web designer, Bill Owens, of Buckner Graphics, has created an archive of all of the newsletters on the McKinney and Doyle website and he did a beautiful job so feel free to check it out!
– Becky McKinney

New Year's resolutions vs. NFL playoffs

I know that most people don't think of going to a bakery for a healthy meal, especially after that New Year's resolution to eat healthy, but I think I can offer a delicious option. We are always offering a variety of soups and salads in the deli case. Why not pick up a quart of soup and a fresh baguette for dinner? Add two green salads and you've got the perfect meal for a cold winter day.

That being said, the NFL playoffs are beginning, and diets don't count on football Sunday. Don't forget to pick up a loaf of our prosciutto and asiago cheese bread. It's perfect for game day snacking and goes great next to our homemade chips and unbeatable guacamole. Pre order some of our awesome chili to go with all of that and make the world's best nachos. Even people who don't know a thing about football, like myself, will be gathered around the TV just to join in on the spread.

Shhh! Speak easy !

I'm not sure on the date yet, but within the next couple of months, we will be hosting a prohibition cocktail dinner in the back room of the new section of the restaurant. In the 1920s, for every saloon that was closed down due to Prohibition, about a half dozen underground speakeasies sprung up. It has been said that the term speakeasy came from bartenders telling their patrons to "shut up, speak easy" when ordering their illegal drinks. Others say that the term came from establishment owners who would demand all customers to "speak easy" if the place got too loud.

Andrew and my dad are still working on the menu as well as the cocktails but I do know that they will both be fantastic. The menu will compliment the concoctions that Andrew develops to honor the classics that were ordered during this time, but it will also be reminiscent of the food that was served in these old school speakeasies of the past.

Seating will be limited so keep your eyes open for updates on when we're hosting this underground cocktail party.

Cookies, cake, and buttercream filling

I'm still on break from school so there won't be a history lesson this month. But I have been getting a lot of questions about what it was like growing up in a bakery. "How do you not eat cookies for every meal?" "Did you always have the craziest birthday cakes?" "You must be literally made of buttercream!"

Honestly, I love the cakes and other treats in the bakery but I've had a Carvel ice cream cake every year for my birthday for as long as I can remember. I think it's because I've always been able to indulge in the bakery's gifts so on my birthday I'd ask for something different. Ryan, my big brother, is the really funny one though.

We chatted about our childhood bakery memories on Christmas Day and he had some pretty good stories. He told me about a class trip to McKinney and Doyle he took in elementary school where t hey were treated with cookies at the end of the day. His teacher had all of the students in class write thank you notes to my father and Brian Doyle. Ryan's note read:

"Thanks for the cookies. Next time, I hope to go to Vinny's Deli."

I'm sure my dad loved that one!

 

I remember when I first started working at the bakery. I was 12 and I'm not sure you could really classify what I did as "work." My father did not want me anywhere near the hot coffee or any form of a knife. So that cut out the jobs of serving coffee, tea, lattes and cappuccinos. It also eliminated serving bagels or rolls to customers. I was insanely shy which limited the amount of actual words I spoke s o I pretty much just put cookies and Danish in bags and handed them to other employees who then sold them to the customers.

It's amazing to talk to my parents and hear stories about how they used to put my high chair in the East Main Street location while they helped customers. Apparently I'd giggle and smile at customers as they enjoyed their morning coffee before work. Ryan used to use mixing bowls and pots and pans as toys to occupy him while my parents ran the bakery.

Now I a nxiously await my holiday breaks so I can come home and work and Ryan, even though he lives in upstate N.Y. works in a restaurant too. Guess the apple(s) don't fall too far from the tree.

 

 

 

Since I am home on winter break, I didn't have the opportunity to cook a meal for my roommates in December. Luckily, my family is equally as willing to have food prepared for them.

I don't know about you, but the McKinney's take holiday traditions pretty seriously. With my brother and I both getting older, it's been harder to hold on to all of the small and fun Christmas morning traditions that we used to abide by. But there is one that will never fade with age: Christmas cookies.

My family favors three kinds: Thumbprints, Russian Teacakes, and Hootie Creeks. The Hootie Creeks are recent additions but my dad likes them the most. We got the recipe from his sister, my Aunt Robin. They're made with white chocolate, dried cranberries, oats and chopped pecans. I really like them too, but the Thumbprints and Russian Teacakes will always have a special place with me.

When I was younger I would jump at the chance to help my mom bake the holiday cookies. She would make the Thumbprint cookie dough and I would push my thumb into the half-baked cookies before filling them with my favorite jam.

As for the Russian Teacakes ... we call them reindeer turds. I'm not really sure why, but I do know that it has yet to fail at making me smile. Before I was old enough to handle the responsibility of the McKinney family Christmas cookies, I was lucky enough to roll these cookies in tons of powdered sugar. I make just as big of a mess at 22 as I did at eight. Some things never change right?

There are few things greater in life than the feeling of family traditions. They reconnect us when we've spent time apart. They dissolve those silly arguments we sometimes let get in the way. But mostly, they remind us of the importance of our family and the undying love we all have for each other and the time we spend together.

I know that holiday cookies do not fit the description of the dinners I have been preparing for my roommates, but my parents are both very talented in the kitchen so for my first month home I wanted to start small! Maybe this month I'll take a chance and prepare a full meal for them.

I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving! It was great to see some of you while I was home for break. I'll be home early this month for eight weeks so I hope to see a lot of you at the restaurant! Is anybody as shocked as me that it's already December? Time has literally been flying by.

But since it IS already December, we all know what that means. Holiday orders. Read more to get details about some new specialty items we have in the bakery as well as important dates coming up.

I want to thank you again for your continuing support and feedback and of course invite you all to continue to write me at rebeccam@udel.edu

Happy early holidays! – Becky McKinney

Bakery Tid-Bits

This is the craziest time of year for the bakery. Thanksgiving Eve was a smooth success thanks to Chrissy and her wonderful staff. I know how crazy that day can be and I was not jealous of the girls who spent the day putting together hundreds of orders while also maintaining the regular bakery duties. I did however miss the dozen or so soft sweet butter rolls that used to fuel me through that triple shift. Anyway, I've just received word that the order forms for December holidays are ready.

The 2011 Christmas menu in the bakery offers most of our traditional holiday items; eggnog chiffon pie, buche de noel, the hand-cut Christmas cookies, etc. But we also have some unique items we'd like you to add to your table. We've added a braided rum raison bread to our collection of delectable breads and we are also offering a delicious french almond torte. The cafe is contributing the warm Tuscan bean dip from the dinner menu to the Christmas bakery menu and let me tell you, I just tried this over break and it was great. There are tons of tasty treats to choose from so feel free to stop by the bakery and place an order or check out the menu on our website , when it is available in a few days.

Whatever you do, don't miss the order cut off date! Orders will be taken until Wednesday, December 21, at 9 p.m.

Tony's ready for the holiday rush ... are you?!

 

Oh! This is the best part! The bakery will be selling homemade jams and jellies made in house this year. I walked in on Chrissy researching different flavor recipes and all of her ideas sounded amazing. I'm not sure of the flavors of jam that will be available but I am sure that apple butter will be and I've heard nothing but great things about it.

 

Special Treats from the Restaurant

This is the one time of year where you can get brunch at McKinney and Doyle six days a week. Are you drooling yet? Because I am. Starting the Tuesday after Christmas Day, the restaurant will be serving brunch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday up until New Years.

Nobody wants to make breakfast or lunch every day for their family members that are visiting for the holidays, so let McKinney and Doyle do it for you. Just keep in mind the one Sunday we will be closed will be New Years Day as well as Monday, Jan. 2, but Monday's are typical. The restaurant will go back to its regular hours starting on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Feel free to call if you have a party of five or more to make a brunch reservation!

A Second History Lesson

OK, so we left off with the fact that my father and Brian Doyle had endless amounts of respect for all of those who helped make the restaurant possible and an undying love for the town of Pawling. Now, take yourself back to early 1992, when the new McKinney and Doyle officially opened for business.

Shortly after opening, McKinney and Doyle was reviewed by the New York Times, specifically M.H. Reed. Then the (what seemed) impossible happened. She rated M&D as excellent, something pretty much unheard of for a small town café. I mean, some restaurant owners dream of that their entire lives! (Can you tell I'm proud?) Anyway, that review was a big boost for all involved and for a long time after, customers came in clutching that review to see if the food, service, and atmosphere was all that M.H. Reed said it would be.

A flood of new and returning customers is how some of the signature dishes we still serve today came to be. Most of you have tried our Jerry Aron's Favorite soup. The cream based soup with shrimp, scallops, and leeks? Amazing. Anyway, Jerry Aaron was a customer from Manhattan since the opening of the original bakery. This is one of the soups that my dad and Brian started offering on East Main Street. Jerry Aaron used to send a limo up from the city to pick up a couple of quarts of this soup. So it was only fitting that when it was placed on the menu in the new restaurant, it be named after him.

The restaurant started with just a simple beer and wine license but over time, customers began requesting cocktails with their meals and a bar for relaxing while waiting for a table. That's when the decision was made to put a bar in McKinney and Doyle. Space was already limited so there wasn't really anywhere to put one ... except in the bakery.

A mahogany bar was designed, built, and placed in the bakery section of McKinney and Doyle. It doubled as an espresso bar for the bakery during the day and a service bar for cocktails and the like at night. It worked well but it still didn't address the issue of having a place for customers to wait for their tables because it was so small and such a large portion of it was occupied by the espresso machine. It was also odd for customers to come into a bakery and see shelves upon shelves of liquor. Scotch with your muffin anybody?

For many years, my dad wanted to expand into the pharmacy space next door. Jumping to today, we know that his dream of expanding came true.
Since the idea had been around for several years, my dad had a general idea of what he wanted. With Andrew's help, the design was finalized.

Everything for the new space was completed by local contractors including the hand-crafted bar with the rain forest marble top. Stunning. The next step was to have a practice run in the form of a soft opening.

 

The new space opened in early April for all of the contractors, staff members, and their families for a night of celebration, thanks, and working out the kinks of the new computer system. We also wanted to test new seating procedures and bar routine. I'll never forget the look on my father's face when I surprised him by showing up.

I had just driven back up to Delaware from Georgia with my roommates, so the last thing my dad expected was to see me at the new entrance before the dinner service. But there was just no way I was willing to miss that night. I drove three hours to Pawling and knocked on the locked, paper covered door. My dad opened the door with the intention of saying "I'm so sorry but we are not officially open yet," but instead his jaw dropped. He wasn't happy that I had to drive back down to school after dinner was over, but it was so worth the trip. What an incredible night. The space looked flawless and everybody was beyond excited. It looked like everything was going to run just perfectly. For the next couple of weeks before I made my first trip home to work, I called my parents and/or Andrew every single day after every single shift. I wanted the details on how things were going.

 

I had expected to hear that we were busy, but "busy" doesn't even come close to the explanation. McKinney and Doyle was completely slammed for several weeks after opening. The new space was literally standing room only and shifts that used to be a bit slow were breaking records. The kitchen staff was moving quicker than they ever had before and we had to nearly double the staff those first few weeks until everybody got used to the new pace. It was an amazing success.

The response continues to be great. There is something special about the new bar in McKinney and Doyle. The complex cocktails are not only delicious, but they're beautiful and made with high end spirits, homemade mixers and purees, fresh herbs and hand crafted infusions. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and chances are the bartenders will learn not only your name, but your favorite drink, meal, and dessert.

 

I'll be honest. I was beyond nervous to make this next meal. This month, in honor of the holidays, and my Puerto Rican side, I made what my mom says is a holiday tradition in any Hispanic household. Penil, which is pork shoulder, arroz con gandules, the best rice in the world (not a direct translation, but it should be), and platanos, sweet plantains. The meal itself is challenging but add the fact that my mother was featured in Hudson Valley Magazine in 1996 for this exact meal adds a lot of pressure too!

It's hard not to enjoy a good pork shoulder. It is harder however, to make a good pork shoulder. To keep up with the honesty in this story, I should admit that I'm not a huge fan of pork. What I do love is the crunchy skin. My family used to make fun of me when I would dip pork, and any other meat for that matter, in ketchup. Now they yell at me for picking off the skin and feeding the meat to my dogs (I've been told it's my fault that they are overweight). But, I don't discriminate against any type of food so I attempted the pork. It's seasoned overnight with olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano and garlic both inside and out. It's then placed in a roasting pan and cooked for 20 minutes per pound, in this case a little under three hours with occasional basting. Sounds easy I know but for some reason, my pork did not come out as juicy and tender as my mother's usually does. Still tasty but just not the same. I blame the oven?

Arroz con gandules is actually translated to rice with pigeon peas (doesn't best rice in the world sound better?). Shopping for the ingredients would have been difficult had my mom not answered the phone while I was in the supermarket, but once she told me how to find sofrito and gandules, the rest of the shopping was simple.

I mentioned last month that I refused to attempt to make rice in any pot other than THE rice pot my mother has always used, and I didn't. I snagged it from my house when I made a quick trip home for my mom's birthday. I was hoping it would bring me some luck. How could it not, right? I mean if three generations made history with the rice they made in that pot, how could I go wrong? After I convinced my neighbor, who isn't a huge fan of having five college seniors living next door, to lend me his food processor, I was ready to begin. When my family eats this at home there is usually a battle for the crispy layer on the bottom of the pot and there is ALWAYS late night snacking on the leftovers. I can't even tell you how many times I've caught my dad with his head in the refrigerator and never said anything only because I had every intention of doing the same thing. My roommates, having never tried this before, didn't know that the crispy rice is a delicacy to the McKinney's so there was no war this time. Once everybody knew what it was I was serving, the questions stopped. In fact ... all talking did until plates were empty.

I don't have the recipe for the platanos in the cookbook my mother gave me. So I cheated. I bought them frozen and then just fried them. You can't really mess something like that up so those came out great, except to Sam. I told you about her weird complex with warm fruit last month. She didn't try them but Brittany really liked them. Britt's one of my favorite roommates to cook for because she'll at least try anything. She would make my father so proud. He's the one who got me to always want to try the most obscure thing on any menu. It's usually totally worth it. Anyway, here's a weird fact. I used to dip the platanos in ketchup too. I don't recommend it. Eat them the way they are served.

top of page

First of all, thank you so much to everybody who offered such wonderful feedback. I appreciate hearing from you and getting new ideas and encourage you to continue to let me know what you think or what you'd like to see! (rebeccam@udel.edu) Due to some specific requests last month, this newsletter, as will the next few, contains a section telling the story of how McKinney and Doyle came to be. I think you'll be surprised by a lot of it!

I'd also like to congratulate the winner of the pumpkin carving contest, Sharon Linske, for her three pumpkins representing the three storefronts of M&D! She was awarded a gift certificate for brunch for four. The six other participants received a gift certificate for an eight inch cake from the bakery. Carving pumpkins never goes out of style and always comes with rewards (even if that reward is just the delicious taste of the seeds you can roast afterwards).

This month, find out about how McKinney and Doyle can help you with your holiday shopping. And familiarize yourself with our new dinner and pub menu items! They're available at the cafe now but if you haven't had a chance to go in and taste something new yet, maybe this will persuade you.

I can't wait to come home for Thanksgiving break and get back behind the bar! See you all over the holiday!

— Becky McKinney

New Menu Items

One of my favorite things is going to the cafe after menu changes have occurred. That's another reason why I'm so excited for Thanksgiving break ... I'll get to taste some of these new items. How good does Low Country Shrimp Stew sound? A spicy shrimp broth with tomatoes, andouille sausage, potatoes, sweet corn and beautiful fresh shrimp. I can literally feel myself warming up just thinking about it (we haven't turned our heat on yet).

Lately I've been addicted to fries made out of anything but potatoes. Lucky for me the new grilled veal chop comes with a roasted garlic cream sauce and portobello mushroom fries. There are plenty more new dinner menu items offered Wednesday through Sunday nights but one of my favorite nights is Tuesday Pub Night.

For those of you who have tried Andrew's Nachos, you know they're delicious. But now we can top them with grilled chicken, jumbo lump crab meat, or my personal favorite, duck confit. And what could go better with chips than homemade chili with a side of grilled jalapeño corn bread of course.

The pub menu is also the new home for a pumpkin tortelloni with sundried tomato cream, fresh sage, and roasted walnuts. That literally sounds like the perfect fall meal to me. Especially paired with a big glass of red wine (they DO say that one glass of red a day is good for us).

I always, always, always have a hard time saying "no" to dessert but I have a feeling that I will consistently cave for the pumpkin maple creme brulee that's been added to the dessert menu. The flourless chocolate cake sounds like something I could actually become addicted to as well.

Somebody do me a favor and go try everything and let me know what to order my first night back in Pawling!

It's NOT too Soon ... the Holidays are Upon Us

Now I may tend to get overly excited for this time of year well before it actually arrives, but I think it is a reasonable time for me to share my excitement. What could be better than Thanksgiving dinner with the family? Want the experience without the work? Order from us! Thanksgiving holiday menus are out at McKinney and Doyle. Order your soft sweet butter rolls and baked Brie before I come home and steal them all for myself. The menu was also available online this year.

Want to get some holiday shopping done early? Pick up a dinner for two gift certificate. For $155.00 you get two appetizers, two entrees, two desserts (including coffee or tea) and a bottle of wine! Did I mention tax and gratuity are included? If you can't make it in to pick it up, just give us an address, either yours or the recipients and we'll send it out for you. Our phone number is 845.855.3875.

A Bit of History

There are countless amounts of stories that my father has told me about the steps he's taken and obstacles that seemed to come out of nowhere but let's just start at the beginning.

My dad did not always know he wanted to open a restaurant and bakery. In fact, he originally went to Syracuse University for journalism. It did not take long for him to realize that it wasn't what he wanted to do with his life; it wasn't the direction he wanted to go. So he moved back home and went back to work at the same deli he had been working in since he was just 11 years old. He said he had always loved cooking. In fact, he used to cut school as a young boy to watch "Galloping Gourmet" and then practice the recipes he learned on his mom and sister. How adorable is that?

Anyway, his boss at the deli noticed his love for the industry and said "Shannon...why don't you go to school for THIS?" I can only imagine the look on my dad's face when he responded that he didn't even know that was an option. School for cooking? Done. He went on to graduate from the Culinary Institute of America in 1984.

top of page

After graduation, my dad was primarily interested in the pastry and dessert world so he got a job at Country Epicure, a big bakery in Katonah, NY. It was here that he met Brian Doyle, my godfather. Brian had graduated from the CIA before my dad and he had already gained a lot of experience working in restaurants in NYC. The two became close friends and began throwing around the idea of opening their own bakery.

In 1986, they found themselves in Pawling, transforming an abandoned building on East Main Street into the original McKinney and Doyle Bakery. Pawling was, and still is, a small and friendly community. A perfect place to open a small time bakeshop. Plus, they had absolutely no funds to work with and needed something they could afford. I.e. an abandoned building on East Main Street.

My dad and Brian bought some old used equipment and got to work. The two of them, with the help of my mom, grandma and some other family members, did all of the labor. The bakery opened months later and was a hit. But do you know how much time it takes for just two people to run a bakery that serves fresh bread and pastries every day? They found themselves working 18-20 hours days. Needless to say they needed some help. Enter Tony Vertiz. Tony knew Brian from working together in Westchester and wanted a change of pace from the restaurant world there. So he accepted Brian's offer of a dishwashing position. (Jump ahead 25 years. Tony's been head chef for as long as I can remember).

The bakery was getting a lot of attention from Pawling community members and soon enough people were asking for food in addition to the cakes, pies, and pastries. Start small right? Brian and my dad began making quarts of soup available to go every day. But soup to go soon became "can you heat this up for me?" The one table that was in the East Main Street shop became the object of lunch break battles. In 1989, the two bakers began to think that maybe an entire restaurant would be a good idea.

Perfect timing too because during this time the village was working on what was known as the "master plan" to try and revitalize Pawling. Many of you know Vince Mareno. At the time he was the village pharmacist. He's also the owner of the building McKinney and Doyle resides in now. He asked what it would take for Brian and my dad to move the bakery into the village. The worked out a deal and McKinney and Doyle became the two store front restaurant and bakery that you know and love...until last April when it became the three store front restaurant and bakery that you know and love...but that story comes much later.

The restaurant was opened in 1991 but not without some unpredictable challenges. My dad went to a local bank for a loan for all of this remodeling, plus all of the equipment he would need to buy for a new restaurant. The bank agreed to pay off the bills as they came in and at the end of the project, McKinney and Doyle would pay the total. Contractors, plumbers, electricians and the like were about halfway done with the job when the bank receded its offer. The only option was to stop construction right?

Wrong. ALL of the people who had begun working on the new location offered to finish the job. My dad and Brian could pay them back over time after the restaurant opened up for business. It was that generosity and that faith that made my dad realize that Pawling was the place to be and that he would never ever consider leaving.

 

Deep breath. Family dinner number one was set for Wednesday night October 26. Before I get into details I think it's appropriate that I introduce to you my roommates. Well Sam, Britt and myself are the girls of the household, aka the calorie counters. And then there's Matt and Ken...the human vacuums when it comes to food. That being said I set two rules for our monthly family dinners:

 

1. Do NOT ask me how fattening the meal is. My father was never one for using low calorie butter substitutes or anything of the like. Great food is great because of the real ingredients used in it.
2. Make sure everybody at the table gets some of everything.

OK the rules and the table were set. Now for the meal. I started with an appetizer that is pretty new to my family and myself: a honey roasted tomato bruschetta served with ricotta cheese over sliced and grilled baguette. The first time I ever made it was with the help of my mom. I went to her desperately seeking help with impressing my boyfriend's parents. (Did I mention Matt is my boyfriend?) Normally, my go to is a recipe from my father's restaurant but I wanted this to come from me. Anyway, my mom mentioned a recipe that she had been waiting to try out and suggested testing it together. It sounded familiar yet different and that seemed perfect. We made it at home first...you know...to make sure it was good...and maybe a little bit because we wanted a snack too. We loved it and so I brought it to Matt's house. I've made it a few times again for the same crowd so I'm hoping that means it's good. My roommates all seemed to like it too since the plate was empty before I brought out the next course.

Now for the main event. I remember growing up and running down the stairs when the smell of my mom's rice and beans and breaded chicken cutlets would make its way up to my room. That has been and I think always will be, one of my all time favorite meals. I used to run downstairs and try and sneak pieces of chicken while my mom was checking her famous rice. I can still hear her saying "BECKY! Stop picking you're going to ruin your appetite!" That may be because I still pick on the meals she's preparing when her back is turned. Old habits die hard I guess.

Now, I replaced rice and beans with mashed potatoes this time but for good reason. My mom taught me, as her mom and grandmother taught her, that the rice is done when there is a single crispy layer on the bottom of the pot. There was no way that I could get rice to my great grandmother's standards with the new, non-stick pots we have in our house here. My mom has used the same pot to cook rice since I was born. Her mom used it and her mom's mom used it. That is just something you don't mess with. Mashed potatoes and I go way back too though. My mom's not a fan but if you take a look at the picture I've included, it's easy to see that my dad and I are.

I got some resistance on the dessert course. Matt and Ken aren't really big on sweets and Sam has this weird complex about eating fruit in any way other than how it grows. But I asked everyone to give this banana pudding caramel pie a chance. This is also a Mama McKinney find. After my freshman year of college I invited my new friends to our house for a reunion. My mom made this pie, with a 'Nilla Wafer and caramel crust, for my friends. My friend Lara fell in love with it and it has since become her only birthday wish. I guess I've formed some of my own traditions here in Delaware.

Overall I think our first family dinner went pretty well. If you're interested in any of these recipes, feel free to e-mail me. What fun are traditions if you can't share them?

top of page

Happy Fall Everybody!

When people learn that my family owns a restaurant and bakery, the first thing they say is "You are SO lucky!" Those who are close to me know that I agree with them. Not only am I lucky enough to be the daughter of chef and restaurant owner, but I am lucky enough to have worked at McKinney and Doyle since I was 12 years old. And now, as the end of my college career looms ahead, Shannon McKinney, aka Dad to my brother and I, has given me the opportunity to practice my public relations skills by means of a monthly newsletter. Even better, he's giving me the freedom to choose all of the content, including a personalized opinion column that I'm calling "Food for Thought." I'm thrilled to have this opportunity and look forward to your feedback!

— Becky McKinney

What's New at the Bar?

With every new season comes new additions to the bar. While we have a number of new wines by the glass as well as seasonal cocktails and beers to offer, it would take me several pages to give them all the attention they deserve. So I'll start with just my favorites and encourage you to determine your own!

Wine:

I'm a red wine fan but tend to favor things a little on the sweeter side. This past summer my first choice from our wine list was the Tempranillo (which is still on the menu for those who haven't tried it) but out of our new selections, I like the Carignan. Its essence is bright and juicy with an emphasis on red berry and plum flavors. And hey, if you can't decide, ask the bartender for a taste.

Cocktails

As far as the cocktail menu, I have yet to find a place with more unique combinations. But Andrew has really outdone himself this time. In the name of "research" I asked for the recipes of the new drinks and made them for myself and my four roommates. We all agreed that our favorite, though all delicious and unique, was the "Chimayo Twist." It's made with white rum, fresh lemon, a black currant puree and apple cider. I've heard that it's been a big hit at the restaurant as well. Here's a secret too, our delicious pumpkin martini isn't listed on our cocktail menu but it is available and if you're like me, you'd agree that a sweet drink after dinner is the "healthy choice" if you're avoiding pastries.

Beer

Don't worry beer drinkers we have new items for you too! Of our three featured fall beers, I recommend the Pumpkin Ale. Though the Oktoberfest and Golden Delicious Captain Lawrence are refreshing and tasty as well. Taste away!

Bakery Treats

It's official. The leaves are changing and the temperature is dropping. Fall has arrived. But don't worry, we have a few great ways to stay warm! Stop by the bakery and try a pumpkin spice latte made with our homemade pumpkin syrup. Or how about a "Caramel Apple?" We steam local made apple cider with homemade caramel for a favorite fall treat in beverage form! And who can forget about our homemade hot chocolate?

top of page

Not cold? Ask for a pumpkin milkshake from the soda fountain. Homemade pumpkin syrup and Hershey's vanilla ice cream. (I've considered driving home from Delaware to try this so let me know what you think!)

Ready, Set, Carve!

M&D is all about "serious food in a not so serious atmosphere," which is why we never forget the fun aspect of the business. The bakery will be hosting another pumpkin carving contest. Last year was a blast so whether you participated or not, break out your carving tools and join the fun! Here are the rules:

 

• Pumpkins should be about the size of a basketball (or smaller)
• One entry per person...but multiple entries per family are fine...and encouraged
• Drop off your creations on October 28 between 2 and 6 p.m.

The winner will be notified on October 29 by noon and will take away a gift certificate for brunch for four in the cafe! Good luck everybody!

 

I have literally been surrounded by delicious food for my entire life. Both of my parents are very talented in the kitchen. As a young girl my babysitter (and second mother figure) was always preparing amazing meals. Growing up in the kitchens of McKinney and Doyle only added to my food addiction. So here's the question: does the skill run through my veins as well? I've always enjoyed cooking and baking but never really tested my skills on a real audience. Family doesn't count in this case...they know how sensitive I am. I've recently decided to find out.

Two years ago for my birthday, my mother put together a family cook book for me. It includes all of my favorite recipes for every meal. Some of them have been passed down from generations on the Puerto Rican side of my family, some come from my dad's side, some are Mrs. McKinney originals and others have been borrowed from McKinney and Doyle. I decided to treat, or torture, my roommates with each and every recipe. So once a month I will create a full meal, appetizer, entree and dessert and the five of us will sit down and have what we're calling "family dinner." It's kind of like that movie Julie and Julia, but less French food and more babysitting to pay for ingredients. Wish me luck!

This newsletter is a big opportunity for me to gain some writing and marketing experience so feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or concerns at rebeccam@udel.edu. I really do hope to get some feedback!

top of page