BEANS ON MY BRAIN
Black beans. I've got Cuban black beans on the brain - and Cuban food practically coming out of my ears. Every night, as l lay my thick skull down to sleep, I see Cuban recipes dancing around in my head. It's a magnificent and terrible obsession. Can't stop thinking about it - as I reach a pivotal moment. Old Havana Foods is ready to launch in early October.
It's been a nutty couple of weeks, cruisin' across the Chicagoland area (remember Cruisin' Ilinois?) Now I'm crusin' food plants! Out here in Union, Illinois (west of Crystal Lake). I'm driving to Downers Grove to see my Reed-Rite / Reliable Label supplier (great people). I'm meeting with my wonderful web designers (Andiamo Creative) and talking to my rice man and my intellectual property lawyer (working to trademark Old Havana Foods). I'm trying to get the skinny on web marketing from my "google guru," Tom Casale, at Simplified Solutions. I'm talking to anyone that'll listen. There's a science to selling on the web and I'm still stuck in the Stone Age when it comes to the internet. I need all the advice I can get. As I''ve learned through experience, it takes a village to launch a new food brand and I've been fortunate to find great and talented people. Thanks to the efforts of many and my rapidly-dwindling bank account, all systems are go for launch. If all goes well, Old Havana Foods will be "on-the-air" by October 15th.
I have to pinch myself to know I'm not dreaming. My wife wants to pinch me too, or slug me! Because she keeps asking why we didn't finish the basement with all the money we've spent. But there comes a time in your life when you have to stand up tall ... and roll the dice. I just hope it doesn't come up snake eyes.
I'm going to be on WGN Radio this Sunday morning, September 28th! I'll be on the Dean Richards Sunday Morning show - starting about 11AM. I'm going to feed Dean and the WGN radio crew with my famous Chili Cubano. Friends and neighbors who've tried it say it's the best black bean chili they've ever tasted. I'm going to tell the story about my Cuban
great-grandfather, Julio. More than 150 years ago, back home in Havana, Julio perfected his famous black beans or "frijoles negros" - as its known on the island. And his recipes became an Old Havana sensation.
It's the fulfillment of along-held dream - to market my authentic Cuban-style specialites. Watch me as I continue to drain the paltry Crews bank account and max out 13 credit cards. whatever happens, it won't be boring. It'll all play out before your eyes, right here on the WGN Morning News blog. Thanks for following Julian's Crazy Beanquest, as we like to call it here on the WGN Morning News Blog. I'll see you Sunday on WGN Radio!