Chicken Supplier

[cabrales]

I'd appreciate learning about how you selected your supplier(s) of chicken and eggs. Have you considered visiting the applicable chicken farm(s) to view the living conditions of the chicken you serve at Heartbeat? Are there special varieties of chicken that might be available from time to time at Heartbeat?

When you have baby chicken on the menu, do you adjust the cooking technique for factors other than size? In your mind, what are the special qualities of baby chicken?

[Liza]

Cabrales, I'll just add that I've recently told Chef Nischan about a new supplier of chickens and he was incredibly receptive to learning about new local proveyers.

[Michel Nischan]

I'd appreciate learning about how you selected your supplier(s) of chicken and eggs. Have you considered visiting the applicable chicken farm(s) to view the living conditions of the chicken you serve at Heartbeat?  Are there special varieties of chicken that might be available from time to time at Heartbeat?

Cabrales, we visit many of our farmers. Unfortunately, the resonsibilities of running a restaurant do not allow us to visit all of them. Stone Church Farm and Four Story Hills Farm are my two favorites in terms of the care and artisan spirit that goes into raising the birds. Chickens are not the only animals to be concerned for. Beef, pig and lamb farming cause tremendous impact on the environment as well as the lives of the animals and the humans who consume them.

When you have baby chicken on the menu, do you adjust the cooking technique for factors other than size? In your mind, what are the special qualities of baby chicken?  

A baby chicken varies only in cooking time, though the flavor is somewhat milder than a larger chicken. Some farmers address this by adding milk to the feed of the chicken. Chefs like to use baby chickens because we can serve a whole chicken per person, thus giving the guest an opportunity to experience all cuts of the chicken. My favorite method is to remove the bones except for the shin and upper wing joint, and pan roast the bird. This 'butterfly' method allows the chicken to cook quickly to order resulting in a hot, freshly-crisped chicken.