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I need a vegan recipe or two for Thanksgiving
You could of course do a three sisters stew, the concept of which is an obsession of mine lately. Just leave out the sausage obviously and use veggie stock or water in place of the chicken stock. You could also do a three sisters saute with butternut squash, beans, and hominy combined with peppers and onion to make a pretty substantial side dish.
Green Tomato Ideas Needed
Here are some more ideas from a similar thread. Also this Indian style dish is vegan and very good.
What is your stance on "tipping"?
I don't mind tipping and usually tip 20%. My parents were cheap tippers (15%, not including the tax, less if the service wasn't good, would leave coins rather than round the tip up, never wanted to just split a bill evenly) so perhaps that's why I tip more generously. But I think tipping is a ridiculous custom. If I ever owned a restaurant I would just pay a wage that had the tip builit in to the servers' salaries. Dishes would be priced to the nearest dollar in a way that included tax so that a bill's total would always come to a whole number.
Of course tipping in Europe and Japan is not done and the service is perfectly fine. Once when we were in Berlin, we'd had exceptional service from a waitress who helped us with ordering and some other minor issues. She was so accomodating that we wanted to give her a tip, which she would only accept after we'd insisted. It was the one time I didn't mind being a pushy American.
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10lbs of onions in a two person house! What to do?
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Reheating pasta for a work cooking contest
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Taste Test: Finding the Best Apples for Baking
My new favorite this fall is jonagold for pies. Made a perfect tarte tatin this year: soft, cooked, and held its shape, though with tarte tatin, the apples are more cooked than they are baked. I have to say that in an informal crisp test I performed (I make dinner at a shelter twice a month) golden delicous outperformed granny smith by a mile. The grannies turned to mush while the goldens were sweet and held their shape. I'd think it would be hard to do an apple pie test without any apple pie seasoning though. Who's to say that plain apples in the presence of cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. would still perform the same?
I need a vegan recipe or two for Thanksgiving
You could of course do a three sisters stew, the concept of which is an obsession of mine lately. Just leave out the sausage obviously and use veggie stock or water in place of the chicken stock. You could also do a three sisters saute with butternut squash, beans, and hominy combined with peppers and onion to make a pretty substantial side dish.
Green Tomato Ideas Needed
Here are some more ideas from a similar thread. Also this Indian style dish is vegan and very good.
What is your stance on "tipping"?
I don't mind tipping and usually tip 20%. My parents were cheap tippers (15%, not including the tax, less if the service wasn't good, would leave coins rather than round the tip up, never wanted to just split a bill evenly) so perhaps that's why I tip more generously. But I think tipping is a ridiculous custom. If I ever owned a restaurant I would just pay a wage that had the tip builit in to the servers' salaries. Dishes would be priced to the nearest dollar in a way that included tax so that a bill's total would always come to a whole number.
Of course tipping in Europe and Japan is not done and the service is perfectly fine. Once when we were in Berlin, we'd had exceptional service from a waitress who helped us with ordering and some other minor issues. She was so accomodating that we wanted to give her a tip, which she would only accept after we'd insisted. It was the one time I didn't mind being a pushy American.
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
I'm chomping at the bit (literally)! We're going to my partner's cousin's house and I'm sure they'll want to keep it low key, which is such a challenge for me! I'm sure she'll be open to my suggestions which include but are not limited to:
stuffed glazed turkey breast
brussel sprouts
roasted butternut squash
roasted root vegetables
green beans with mushrooms, shallots and brandy glaze
corn bread stuffing with bacon and pecans
chocolate pecan pie and/or
sweet potato pie
Potomac Mills, VA Thanksgiving Dinner: Suggestions?
I would go onto opentable.com and try to find something in Alexandria, VA. It's within an hour of Potomac Mills and has lots of great restaurants and it's a beautiful place to walk around. Why is DC (where I live now) off the list though?
10lbs of onions in a two person house! What to do?
Here are my suggestions:
1) Caramelize without effort in the slow cooker by filling your cooker (any size will work; I use my 6 quart) with sliced onions and about 1/2 cup oil or butter. Add in a bay leaf, sprig of rosemary, or sprig of thyme and cook on low for 10 to 14 hours. Also you won't need extra fat if you use more onions. In fact you don't even need sweet onions. I usually make with three pounds of organic yellow onions when I want to make this. It's great on meatloaf, steak, and pork chops and even works as a dip.
2) Ina Garten has a great recipe for pissaladiere, which is a Provencal style pizza/tart.
3) Here's another recipe for a pretty good onion tart with bacon and bleu cheese, though I think I made it with feta or goat cheese.
4) This chicken curry recipe calls for yellow onions, but sweet onions would work fine! It makes plenty of sauce so you can freeze some so you won't have to start from scratch the next time you want Indian.
Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey Gumbo
In the past I've always made turkey chili the day after Thanksgiving, but last year I made gumbo too, following Marvin Woods recipe from his New Low Country Cooking. The beauty was I'd made and frozen the creole sauce in the summer and just had to make the turkey stock. It was a delicious way to use up so many leftovers and have a meal very different from the day before. My cousin and aunt were literally sticking their forks in for a taste before it was even done!
The sides have it.
The sides are what is usually the deciding factor for me. Usually the entree is something I don't often make at home like venison, duck, or rabbit, or maybe something I've had elsewhere that I like to compare (like chicken and waffles). But when I'm choosing between two things that sound really good or I haven't had in a while, the sides are definitely the tipping point!
Thankgiving side dish ideas - HELP!!
Here are a few threads from a couple days ago for a good start:
Sides: http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2009/11/not-boring-thanksgiving-recipes.html
Brussel Sprouts: http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2009/11/brussels-sprouts.html
I'm all into the three sisters idea this year and can envision a salad of roasted cubed butternut squash with hominy and red beans that would mirror the colors of Indian corn. Mario Batali has a fantastic roasted butternut squash recipe, that is super easy for Thanksgiving Day. And in my family we have to have greens usually collards, but mustard greens are my recent favorite.
Not-Boring Thanksgiving Recipes?
You could also do a practice run a couple weekends ahead using chicken or a turkey breast to try out some of the recipes. I did this a couple of years ago when I was debating doing a chipotle rub on one of the two turkeys I was doing that year. I decided against it not because it didn't taste good but because I thought my family wouldn't go for it. I also had the chance to try some of the sides that I'd never made before. I would just say to do this two weekends ahead rather than the weekend ahead so you're not eating the same things so soon.
The challenge with doing Thanksgiving is more one of timing than hands on cooking. This is not the day to be overly elaborate if you're the one orchestrating most of the meal. The oven is occupied for a few hours, the stovetop is crowded, and some things have to be served warm (like mashed potatoes and gravy). Anything you can do ahead of time or off the stove (got a slow cooker?) will only make the day go more smoothly.
Green Tomatoes! What do I do with them all?
Wow! That volume of tomatoes obviously calls for canning and pickling as you've recognized. Salsas would be at the top of my list. Any recipe that calls for tomatillos (which are NOT green tomatoes) can probably be made with green tomatoes. I've made this Indian style dish that calls for green tomatoes. Never seen them as an ingredient at an Indian restaurant so can't vouch for authenticity, but it's an easy vegan weeknight meal. You could probably also get a way with slicing and adding them to recipes that call for cooked pepper maybe?
Thanksgiving Day Appetizer Suggestions
I also like to put out cheese and crackers with a homemade chutney or jam. It'll be quince chutney and either manchego or goat cheese this year. I also like to serve soup, usually Rachael Ray's cauliflower soup, which is really good with a fresh head of cauliflower from the farmers market. Can be made a couple weekends ahead and frozen too.
Uses for dried Chipotle pepper
I love the idea of chopping it up and adding to greens for a little heat and smokiness. Will definitely try that one!
Fried Chicken - Egg Dredge, Breadcrumbs, Flour or ALL THREE?
This Martha Stewart/Chris Kimball recipe does the buttermilk soak and double dip but with flour only--no bread crumbs. It's foolproof and delicious! My mom and aunt have never fried chicken using breadcrumbs, just flour and neither do I.
Not-Boring Thanksgiving Recipes?
Have you looked over this brussel sprout thread? Lots of great recipe ideas for this fall favorite though my own preparations are my favorites! (smile)
Cauliflower roasted in the oven is also a winner. My favorite recipe has apples, onion, dried cranberries, and dill. Come to think of it, brussel sprouts could probably substitute here as well. As a food network fanatic myself this roasted cauliflower recipe of Dave Lieberman's has a bit of an Italian flair but it's also delicious and simple.
On the soup side, I'm sure you can find (on FN) some recipe for butternut squash soup with apples, although I like it with pears better. Rachael Ray's cauliflower soup is something I look forward to making every year. I leave out the half and half and parmesan cheese and it's still delish! Lately I've been obsessed with the three sisters and I'm sure you could you could make a nice squash soup with hominy and red and black beans to make a perfectly appropriate Thanksgiving harvest soup.
Brussels Sprouts
Among certain colleagues, I'm known as the brussel sprout man because I brought sprouts to the office Thanksgiving years ago when I first rediscovered this much maligned vegetable. When I'm in a hurry, I'll just roast them (as has been noted numerous times) in a 400 degree oven, tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper. One sprout convert had to admit that they ALMOST taste as good as french fries! You can enhance this simple preparation with garlic, chili powder, or my favorite all purpose fennel spice rub. You can also combine them with potatoes or turnips.
For those who find the sprouts bitter, take note that combining them (roasted or sauted) with dried cranberries, carrots, sweet potatoes, or balsamic vinegar complements them beautifully. They also pair with nuts (walnuts, pine nuts, hazelnuts, pecans) for a bit of crunch. You can of course make anything taste great with butter and bacon/pancetta, but I keep away from the cheese sauce although this recipe with cream sauce that my sister-in-law made one Thanksgiving will make anyone love sprouts!
She also made this phenomenal frisee salad at Christmas last year, which I still have yet to recreate, but it was a revelation. I'm tempted to add dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds to it to even out the bitter/sweet proportion, but it's excellent as is.
A friend who was tired of me prosletyzing about the virtues of brussel sprouts on the spot at her house coaxed me to prepare something similar to this recipe from Martha, except I used pine nuts and didn't blanch them at all. Instead I followed my usual technique of brown them in butter/olive oil, deglaze with wine and reduce, simmer in chicken stock and reduce.
The recipe I would most likely prepare for first timers is from Amanda Hesser's The Cook and the Gardener and opened up a whole world of sprout exploration (as you can see from this excessively long post). Her recipe is a saute with apple, red wine and spices. Everyone raved when I took these to my aunt's as a side one Thanksgiving, and I happen to have them waiting in my lunch today from last night's dinner with pork and spaetzle. Amanda's is the perfect fall preparation as the sprouts are sauted with "pumpkin pie spices:" pinches of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander, and I've thrown in allspice too. First you saute a diced golden delicious apple (I used kohlrabi recently and it works well too) and set aside. Next, saute the sprouts until lightly browned, mixing once. Deglaze with red wine (I used port last night because my pork sauce called for it) and reduce. Simmer with chicken stock and reduce. Add back the apples when the sprouts are done. These smell so good when cooking you just know they're going to be delicious!
Vegetarians, How Do You Do Thanksgiving?
My aunt is vegetarian and came to our place for dinner last year. She was the only vegetarian among us omnivores, so it was Mom to the rescue. Having grown up Seventh Day Adventist--though not vegetarian--I am accustomed to occasional vegetarian dinners. Mom made one of her delicious vegetarian loaves--which is always a hit at church pot lucks--from cottage cheese, eggs, ground nuts, bread crumbs, and perhaps mushrooms. She also made vegetarian gravy to go with, so we had to two gravies, the other being made with the drippings. I think more than half of us--owing to the general Thanksgiving pile on--had some of this veggie loaf special addition to the table and it was delicious. I think I also did a vegan stuffing with veggie stock, and all the other veggie sides were without bacon or drippings or chicken/turkey stock, which is not my preference, but everything was a hit!
I think if I were to do a veggie entree it would be three sisters stew, (corn, beans, squash) using either summer squash and corn or winter squash and hominy. The stew can be done in the crockpot and it celebrates foods of the New World and the fall harvest. The veggie loaf, the gravy, and the three sisters stew can all be made ahead and taste better the next day anyway.
Help with bolognese, please!
Emeril has an osso buco ragu that uses veal shanks, but I used bison ribs the first time I ever followed the recipe.
Reheating pasta for a work cooking contest
I think you should go with something that tastes better the next day since you can't do something fresh and delicious. Some things reheat beautifully in the micowave the next day, like meatballs and sauce that can be garnished with fresh parm and chopped parsley or basil. Lasagne and baked ziti are in this category too. How's your bolognese recipe? You could jazz it up by preparing it with brisket, beef ribs, or smoked turkey. Again the garnish with fresh grated cheese and herbs will liven up your reheat. If I were doing this challenge I'd go for the bolognese and choose an interesting strand noodle. On the veggie side, I'd wow 'em with Mario Batali's pasta and cauliflower, which is scented with saffron.
Kissin' don't last, Cooking do!------Dinner November 5th?
Going Indian tonight: some sort of red lentil and chickpea stew, basmati rice, curried cabbage, turkey breast
what's for dinner 11/4?
Do I break the rules if I mention a restaurant meal? Last night was Korean BBQ at Honey Pig (Gooldaegee), in Annandale, VA. Absolutely delicious and totally satisfying!
marinara separating?
How about thickening with a little corn starch?
JUST KIDDING! But the starch in the pasta water will definitely help thicken as well as mixing the pasta into the sauce instead of serving the pasta and then plopping the sauce on top which basically forces separation of the water from the solids like a strainer. Also, how about a little parmesan cheese at the end to thicken? My partner made the best marinara the other night and he finished it with the cheese, which I've never done.
Alton Brown drains the canned tomatoes and reduces the tomato liquid with dried herbs so that its flavor is more concentrated and less watery. This all happens while sauteing the aromatics. You don't have to roast the tomatoes as he does (I never do), but of course that also would dry them out.
I now like to simmer my marinara in my Dutch oven in the oven at 325 for a couple of hours rather than on the stovetop. It really cooks down thick and chunky. I'll bet a slow cooker could prove useful here as well.
ginger recipes
You're welcome @jammin83! I haven't one in a while but isn't it good to know that we can make them at home?
Winter squash and pumpkins
Just thought of another recipe: Three Sisters Stew with winter squash. I've been a bit obsessed, with the "Three Sisters" this fall and my first stew was with corn and summer squash. The winter squash version is right up your alley! I might substitute hominy for the corn just for kicks though.
I need a vegan recipe or two for Thanksgiving
WOW! Thanks, everybody! Y'all have made my day!
Taste Test: Finding the Best Apples for Baking
Emily of Black Rock Orchard swears by Ida Reds.
If I've only got a choice of supermarket fruit, Golden Delicious is my favorite option, but at the farmers' market, I prefer talking to growers, sampling, and then selecting a mixture.
10lbs of onions in a two person house! What to do?
hmm...
Maybe it is because I am close to Georgia, and we tend to get the southern really sweet onions, like Vidalias. But, as long as they truly are sweet onions, I've never had a problem with tears while peeling and slicing/dicing them.
Now yellow onions, spanish onions, white onions, red onions, etc., they all make me well up terribly and the only thing that works for me, though it looks incredibly silly, is to peel and slice/dice them while holding a fresh whole slice of bread between my teeth and dangling it out of my mouth. Supposedly it traps the gasses that cause the tears from hitting your sinuses.
I don't know. It may all be the power of suggestion, and just thinking it would work prevents me from tearing up. But yeah, for any onion other than sweet onions, you'll find me peeling/slicing/dicing them with a slice of fresh bread hanging out of my mouth.
*blush*
10lbs of onions in a two person house! What to do?
Ok, after all of this I'm dying to know what you finally did with all those onions..
What is your stance on "tipping"?
The free online dictionary defined gratuity as "a favor or gift, usually in the form of money, given in return for service." If it's required then it isn't a favor or a gift, it's a fee. So @mongoose is correct.
As for the article... A 18% gratuity on their $73.87 tab would have been $13.29, not the $16.35 they were charged so that's unfair to the customers. The article I first read about the incident mentioned that the group waited over an hour for salads and wings, that their waitress went out for a cigarette break instead of bringing their napkins/silverware/etc, and that they had to go to the bar to get their drinks because no one was around to wait on them.
Yes waitstaff deserve a break but leaving a group of people for an hour without any service is irresponsible. Not bringing your table the items they require like drinks or silverware or their food is irresponsible. The restaurant barely did what they were supposed to do. The customers should not be required to pay. I think they should have complained to a manager and pointed out the math error in the bill and explained why they were refusing to tip instead of just walking out.
What is your stance on "tipping"?
@AZN--did you work in the industry?
What is your stance on "tipping"?
I live in NYC and tip an amount that is double the tax (always rounding up to a whole dollar amount). Coins are tacky. Service jobs are hard, physical (and often emotional) work. I get genuinely nauseated when someone tips less than 15% for average to great service. At my favorite places, I have tipped 50%.
If you frequent a particular restaurant, tip well. It's worth every penny. Remember dining out is not just about feeding your face. It's an experience.
Don't try to justify your bad decorum. If you're too cheap to tip the recommended 18% pre-tax gratuity for decent service, for the love of gastronomy just go to supermarket and buy a frozen TV dinner.
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
There will only be four of us, and none of us are huge turkey fans. So dinner will be a little different.
A steak of some sort (or standing rib roast, whatever)
roasted fingerling potatoes
some kind of vegetable
a salad perhaps
pumpkin pie
maybe an apple pie
a bread of some type
What is your stance on "tipping"?
Thanks PDX. I was feeling beaten up for stating the facts.
What is your stance on "tipping"?
I agree, honeycrisp. I definitely judge people based on their tips. I would kick a cheapskate date to the curb, and I avoid dining out with friends whose tipping is crappy, because I am filled with anxiety when the check arrives.
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
Yum to everyone, and I second the request for @dbcurrie to share some more info about the bubble salad. Sounds like a must-do!
My meal will serve 10 people on Thursday, and then we traditionally do Second Thanksgiving on Friday for all of our friends who are required to spend time with family on actual Thanksgiving Day, but for whom we want to give thanks. That's looking like a group of 14 this year. All food for Second Thanksgiving is leftover from the original meal.
Main Meal:
- Dinner rolls - Cook's Illustrated recipe, the triangle-shaped ones
- Beet salad with feta and cardamom dressing
- Turkey - AB's Good Eats version like some others, but spatchcocked or butterflied - that oven time is too precious!
- Mashed potatoes
- Sweet potatoes with orange juice and Calvados
- Thyme-roasted apples and onions - from Epicurious/Bon Appetit
- Green beans with ginger and soya
- Apple raisin stuffing
- Classic stuffing
- Corn Casserole - a bizarre mix of canned, fresh, and ground corn products that my best friend can't go without on t-giving
- Whole cranberry sauce
- Lots of extra turkey gravy - Cook's Illustrated recipe
Dessert:
- Pumpkin Pie
- French Silk Pie
- Cranberry-Walnut Cobbler
Drinks:
- Spiced cranberry punch - MAKE THIS! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cranberry-Vodka-Punch-200563 If you like mulled drinks and don't mind getting rather silly, make this sometime this season. It's very strong, but the spices mask the alcohol brilliantly. It's always a huge hit.
- Sparkling juices
- Beer & wine
What is your stance on "tipping"?
Don't you think waiters would like a guaranteed wage? The tipping system sucks. And the tips I got were then dispersed to the bartender, the host, the bussers, the dishwashers and the cooks. And those people made above minimum wage. I tipped them from my tips because it would insure prompt service when I needed it. We weren't required to tip them out where I worked, though I've heard more corporate places require it. We all took care of each other. So a bad tipper is known restaurant-wide, or even city wide because we all hung out together. I found that most people were generous, that 20% to 25% was common. I tip at least 30% because it's only a few extra dollars on top of what I was going to spend on the meal anyway. It's not a big deal. I find that commentors who get worked up about the tip system are generally trying to justify their actions. I would never date someone who calculated a tip down to the percentage before tax. It really tells me a lot about that person.
What is your stance on "tipping"?
I hate the whole tipping custom. I would much rather pay one person (the restaurant owner) enough to cover the REAL cost of my meal AND the service. Instead, I have to pay both the restaurant owner (for the food and setting) as well as the server and whoever else gets a share, over which, please note, I as customer have no control, although how much I leave in addition to the price of the meal is supposedly a response to only the server's behavior. AND, I have to do the math, which I don't enjoy. Also, I hate the idea of having to give a free job performance review at the end of a meal (I hate doing that at work, too, but that's another story; at least I have gotten paid for it).
That said, I usually tip 20% if the service is average to good, maybe a bit less if it isn't, because those in the biz didn't set the rules and it's not fair to punish them for working under stupid conditions. But I still hate the whole darn thing. We are chumps to put up with it, but I don't know how to change it.
What is your stance on "tipping"?
i always tip 20% unless the person is outright rude. but even then, i decide that i am really lucky that i don't have to carry heavy trays, deal with rude customers or angry managers, or work for $3/hr and even if it is the waitress' or waiter's choice to be there, a few extra dollars may mean I can't buy a back of gum later or something but it sure is going to make their night. Tipping isn't a big deal. It's about being nice and throwing someone who works a difficult and demeaning job a little kindness. so, be "precise" about your math if you want to but if you don't want to tip, you shouldn't go to a restaurant.
What is your stance on "tipping"?
I tip well (18-20%) by and large - since I too have worked in service jobs and know how hard it can be.
However, I will leave a low tip (5% or so) or no tip for bad service (rude, slow, inattentive, errors), and I don't feel badly about it. If you chose to work a job where your tip is like your commission, you need to EARN it, find a new job, or quit whining about getting low tips. If you do a crappy job, you don't deserve a good tip. Plain and simple.
What is your stance on "tipping"?
"it's not tipping I believe in, it's OVER tipping!" - Vincent Antonelli aka Todd Wilkinson
I kind of feel the same way.
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
@dbcurrie: You MUST share more detailed instructions/recipe for the bread "bubble" salad; that sounds like the coolest thing EVER!
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
We are traveling to TX for the holiday and there will be at least 15 people there. Besides the normal roast turkey, dressing, giblet gravy, mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, there will be many sides, a few of which will be fruit type salads andlots of delicious vegetables, a few pies plus I will be taking pumpkin squares, cranberry nut bread and a pineapple zuchinni cake. One of our favorite recipes is Paula Deen's Tugboat turnips and another is our TX corn casserole. Someone will make the green bean casserole which I hate and won't eat. I much prefer fresh beans! I am thinking about taking a few new cookie recipes too! These are my grandchildren!
What is your stance on "tipping"?
Generally I tip well and because I treat the wait staff well I normally receive good service. Both my foster daughter and my sister are waitresses and I am well aware of how hard their jobs are. I would say I normally tip a little above the 20% level.
What is your stance on "tipping"?
"Waitron" is a term we used ironically.
Thankgiving side dish ideas - HELP!!
Neither are fancy, but both are oh-so-good!
Carrot Soufflé
Serves 10
3-1/2 lbs peeled carrots
1-1/2 lbs sugar
1 TBS baking powder
1 TBS vanilla
1/4 cup flour
6 eggs
1/2 lb butter, softened
powdered sugar
Steam or boil carrots until extra soft. Drain well.
While carrots are warm, add sugar, baking powder and vanilla.
Whip with mixer until smooth.
Add flour and mix well.
Whip eggs and add to carrot mixture. Blend well.
Add softened margarine to mixture and blend well.
Pour mixture into baking dish about half full as the souffle will rise.
Bake in 350ºF oven about 1 hour or until top is a light golden brown.
Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar over top before serving.
Corn Pudding
2 16 oz cans creamed corn
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup flour
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
Mix all ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour into a 9”x13” baking pan. Bake at 350˚F for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and center is firm to touch.
What is your stance on "tipping"?
I have been known to avoid restaurants that describe their wait-staff as 'waitrons'... 'wait-person' is nearly as horrible and dehumanizing, and I remain stunned that those to whom it refers appear to eagerly embrace the term. 'Waiter' is pretty dam' close to gender neutral, so why come up with a term that makes the person serving me sound like a soulless machine?! Absurd.
What is your stance on "tipping"?
If it is required, it is not a gratuity, it is a service fee, and should be described as such.
I worked, very briefly, as a waitress. It was an appalling job in a small diner, the sort of place where couples would bring their colection of feral children, order things, send them back, shatter glasses, swear at the staff... and leave a religious tract as a tip. No kidding. After half a day of this, I begged to change my position to busboy (girl? juvenile? whatever...).
So, I do understand that waiting tables can be demanding, and is frequently grotesquely underpaid. For good service, I tip 20% (or a dollar, if 20% is less than that, e.g. if I just get coffee). But I do NOT tip well (rarely, not at all) for bad service (I don't lump bad coordination/luck--hey, accidents happen--having way too many tables to serve, kitchen-related issues, or even what appears to be congenital idiocy against a waiter/ress). If they're clearly trying to be professional and courteous, well, that works for me.
Poor service (rude, ignores diners, etc.), poor tip.
Frankly, I prefer to eat at restaurants where the waitstaff is paid a proper living wage, not 'waitress wages', but that is stll pretty rare in the US.
(And you do NOT want to get me started on the tip cups/jars that are to be found in coffee shops everywhere.)
What is your stance on "tipping"?
I usually tip 20% pre-tax.
What is your stance on "tipping"?
I tip after tax:
-- 0 - 50% at sit down restaurants
-- 10 - 20% at a buffet
-- ~10+% for take-out.
The range depends on attitude, complexity of my special order and getting it right (or close), timeliness of service, and whether or not I asked for recommendations on something from the menu. If all are met well, I'll leave a 50% tip. If nothing was met, 0%.
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10lbs of onions in a two person house! What to do?
Posted by BananaMonkey, November 14, 2009 at 3:00 PM
How to Make Milk Froth in Your Microwave
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Reheating pasta for a work cooking contest
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About Otabenga
Website: http://ganbarucook.blogspot.com/
Location: Washington, DC
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Favorite foods:
Last bite on earth: My mom's Thanksgiving dinner
My new favorite this fall is jonagold for pies. Made a perfect tarte tatin this year: soft, cooked, and held its shape, though with tarte tatin, the apples are more cooked than they are baked. I have to say that in an informal crisp test I performed (I make dinner at a shelter twice a month) golden delicous outperformed granny smith by a mile. The grannies turned to mush while the goldens were sweet and held their shape. I'd think it would be hard to do an apple pie test without any apple pie seasoning though. Who's to say that plain apples in the presence of cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. would still perform the same?