Frank Bonanno Sticks It To The Health Department

In Frank Bonanno's latest blog titled, "Yes, Danica, I'm Mean," he's rather honest about his continuous feud with the Department of Environment Health — and his rocky relationship with lead health inspector Danica Lee, who apparently wrote him a ticket for "being mean." From the blog: "I want to brag about my 'Hold Production' citation from the Department of Environmental Health — brag partially because it reads like an advertisement for a cured meat program (19 cheeses, some with mold, all between 54 and 57 degrees; 12 different kinds of meats plus jars of kimchee holding at 64 degrees. Temperature, humidity, mold conditions — all perrrrrfect) and partially because bragging irks our local inspector, Danica Lee."

Bonanno says he spends four days out of the month sitting in a courtroom, fighting health code violations. Why? Gathering from the information provided in his blog, Bonanno's curing and aging facilities have the health department on his ass, primarily because he doesn't have a HACCP plan in place. But, Bonanno will have us all know that while the health department is busy making sure that he has a permanent seat at the courthouse, he's curing meats in his home basement with a group of peers. "While we're enjoying the salty richness that melts just so on the tongue — I'll raise my glass to Danica Lee (here's to Danica!), who compelled me to up the contents of my personal home cellar and shift my practice (I have to practice, to be at the ready for the HACCP approval) from a too-small-office above Bones to a larger, more temperate room in my house. Legally. See? I can't resist a last dig. I am a jack ass."

· Yes, Danica, I'm Mean [Chef Frank Bonanno Blog]
· Frank Bonanno's Basement [YouTube]