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Entries from Talk tagged with 'tips'
How do you tip?
I realize different areas of our country (and beyond) have some fairly strong views on tipping in restaurants. We generally tip 20% unless we are completely outraged by a service experience. (Then we back off to 15%) Are we on track?
Let cookie dough rest, and other secrets
I just read this fascinating article in the NY Times about the secrets behind perfect chocolate chip cookies (rest the dough for 36 hours! Who knew??). It made me wonder -- what other tricks are there for amazing brownies, cookies, etc.?
What do you say, Serious Eaters -- any baking secrets you'd like to share? (I'm trying to think of one, will share when I come up with a good one...)
Raw foods- what does that mean??
I've been thinking I need to eat more raw foods (because they're so fiber-full) Is anyone on a raw food diet? What does it actually mean? More salads, vegetables, and fruit? Any tips you can share would be appreciated, because right now I feel like a rabbit.
Success with Meringue!
i made my Mom's Meringue cookies for the first time last night, and would you believe it, they were a success!
but i think i got lucky. however, i've also been told there are certain things you should never do when making a meringue. Such as use a metal bowl, or metal utensils. I used a glass bowl, but my hand mixer has metal attachments. and then i used a plastic spoon to make the drop cookies.
Metal bowl not OK? plastic bowls not OK? metal mixer OK? plastic spatula/other utensils OK for meringues? What else should I know for next time?
Keeping dinner hot in a small kitchen....
....The most important thing is some foods have to be hot (ones with fat or they will not taste good)....
Why does everyone think every thing has to be done so far ahead? Get help by keeping the mashed potatoes in their hot water until after salad course or first course, and have some one drain and mash them while turkey is being carved and plated, turkey can set whole a couple hours, and will be less dry which is always a consideration. While someone is carving, and someone is mashing potatoes, get gravy very hot in a skillet so it can warm up potatoes dressing and turkey if they chill, heat plates if possible, (pre heat gravy boat with boiling water.)..and dish it the very last thing. Vegetables are fine at room temp if in olive oil and not cream or butter sauce. The whole day is about the feast...let the meal dictate..for once. I find warm or hot plates make a huge difference we always heat our plates, in 170 oven....
If you bake in pottery or metal things like sweet potatoes will stay warm enough if left covered,,,,do you have a fire place or furnace rolls wrapped in foil, or hot dishes can wait covered near fire, for up to an hour, remember food safety...at some point microwaving might be the best option for reheating vegetables. Relax and enjoy...
Cooking hints & tips: what are your ingenious shortcuts & ideas?
We can all use ideas for new shortcuts & alternative methods of doing ordinary & out-of-the-ordinary kitchen tasks. This is mine for deviled eggs: peel hard-cooked small eggs, slice a nickle size piece from each end, then cut in half cross-wise & pipe in filling. Eggs stay upright & the smaller size is easier to eat :) What are your secret tricks-of-the trade?
Are Carry Out Tips Optional?
I found the discussion on delivery tips to be interesting. I want to be fair when I tip - not too little or too much.
Here's my question. We've all faced signing a credit card slip for carry out where the proprieter has helpfully left the "tip" and "total" sections open for us to fill in.
So, what's the etiquette? Tip? If so, by how much?
Thanks!
How much do you tip the person who delivers your food?
With food delivery, do you tip a percentage like you do at a restaurant or do you tip a fixed dollar amount? My friends and I weren't sure when we discussed this issue last night.
