Serious Eats: TheFoodGeek's Profile

I thought it was closer to three ingredients, but the idea is the same. I'm not sure who you have to know to get to be a judge, but I imagine it's not easy.

TheFoodGeek at 11:45PM on 01/05/07

From Talk

Where to take culinary European boyfriend out to dinner in NY?

I highly recommend finding an lunch or dinner at the James Beard House and dining there. You'll get to eat with a bunch of people you don't know, but the food is great, and you'll learn some things about James Beard you might not have known. When you're in the dining area, be sure to visit the restroom.

TheFoodGeek at 8:58PM on 12/26/06

From Talk

Are Carry Out Tips Optional?

If you are not taking the time of the wait staff, who get paid at or below minimum wage because they are meant to be compensated by tipping, then no, tipping is not appropriate. If someone brings it to your car, well, perhaps a small tip would be appropriate.

This is my personal opinion, I don't know what standard practice is, but generally I tip quite well, as long as there is a clear person/people to whom the tip will go.

TheFoodGeek at 1:56PM on 12/15/06

From Talk

Are Carry Out Tips Optional?

I look at it like fast food... You don't tip people at McDonalds or Burger King. If you are generally not waiting on me, and I'm picking up my own food. You don't get a tip... If you hook me up with extra rolls, larger portion of Gumbo, etc, and TELL ME you hooked me up... You'll get a tip... Why is the food service the only industry we deem tip worthy anyway... Dont get me wrong... When I go out to eat. I tip 20% plus if I get good service from a single person... But if I have one person take my order, one bring it, another refilling drinks, and nobody seems to be on the same page... be lucky if you get 15%

DannyBoy at 1:49PM on 07/27/09

From Serious Eats

Stormtrooper Breakfast Cereal

Brilliant, JudgeFudge!

hereandthe at 3:17PM on 05/19/09

From Talk

Are Carry Out Tips Optional?

No tipping on take-outs/carry-outs.
Just like in fast food restaurants the food is wrapped, bagged, boxed. No tipping here.

If they bring it to my car, yes I tip for the legwork.
If it's a huge order like for 10+ people, then yes I tip too.

badab at 1:22AM on 02/13/09

From Serious Eats

The Downside of Seasonal Drinks

hmmm... you may be on to something. for all my nostalgia about the gluhwein at the christmas markets in germany, when i was in stuttgart two years ago, i didn't have any.

cybercita at 12:21PM on 01/01/09

From Serious Eats

The Downside of Seasonal Drinks

My favorite is a Christmas "wassail" made with pineapple juice, apple juice, lemon juice, and a few spices. It tastes great on a cold Ohio night and is also good as a chilled punch over ice. We have also spiked it with rum for cozier parties and never had any leftover. I think the old favorites--I have my parents' old Tom & Jerry bowl--don't fit our palates as well as they did perhaps for older generations. We aren't used to so much sugar and fat, and when it is served with more fat (cookies), it just doesn't work. Or maybe as we get older our palates change and mature? Dare I say improve? Some of the recipes I served proudly 30 years ago just about nauseate me now. I especially dislike flavored coffees, but our relatives haven't figured it out and always give us some for Christmas. I use them when brewed coffee is needed for flavoring, but can't stand to drink them.

Estrallita at 5:19AM on 01/01/09

From Serious Eats

The Downside of Seasonal Drinks

We do a Norwegian wine punch called julglogg - never had any problems getting people to finish it. It's got almonds, raisins, figs, orange peel and wine. I particularly like eating all the soaked fruit, and any bits left over go into biscotti.

leilah at 12:54AM on 01/01/09

From Serious Eats

The Downside of Seasonal Drinks

My problem with most holiday drinks is that they are only good for the first glass. 99% of the egg nogs that I have had are just too heavy and sweet, and most warm drinks make me overheat if I have more than one (unless I'm outside of course). After that, I tend to move on to something else, usually regular wine or beer. Its also rare if I go for a second or third glass of champagne, but vinho verde, prosecco or good sparkling shiraz are a different story.

jboylan at 10:01PM on 12/31/08

From Talk

Are Carry Out Tips Optional?

I rarely tip on carryout, just because I don't see the reason for it. However, my lunch place, a tiny Mexican place, gets $1 or more every day on my $3 order. My lunch is already so cheap, I can afford the extra dollar, and I've noticed the tip jar is rarely full. Plus, I've noticed that since I started regularly tipping $1 or more, they often don't charge my to go drink or my dessert.

nightowl at 5:31PM on 10/28/08

From Talk

Are Carry Out Tips Optional?

I tip on take-out. Usually about 10% but it varies depending on how helpful the person I deal with was. At some places they collect condiments, plastic utensils, plates and the like for me. Or extra napkins, cup of ice and so on.

At my local Chinese delivery/carry out we've been regular customers since their second week in business starting about 6 years ago and knew the owner when she waited tables at another restaurant in town. We always tip when we pick up the food and tip very well when they deliver because they always make sure we have what we need (and know what we need based on where we're having the food delivered without having to ask anymore).

I figure that perhaps its not strictly required to tip on carry out...but these are people who are working jobs for which they legally get paid (at least in Virginia) something on the order of $2.35 an hour plus tips. The society/community I'm a part of has decided that its OK to allow them to be paid at that rate. If I add a few extra dollars here and there its not going to hurt me any overall and might help them a bit overall. I would probably feel it less necessary to tip if they were making a decent hourly wage and were not dependent upon tips for their income. (I have no patience for "they should just get a different job" arguments....perhaps its true that they should but life is rarely so simple.)

If you don't tip on carry out, I don't think you should feel badly about that necessarily, but I do think its worth thinking about.

ccbweb at 4:26PM on 10/28/08

From Talk

Are Carry Out Tips Optional?

How about when the to go person asks you if you would like to leave a tip? And all you ordered was one item that is less than $6? I was offended. How rude!! I worked in restaurants in college; waiting tables and getting to go orders. It is nice getting cash for putting together an order but I never asked!!!

eafox513 at 3:52PM on 10/28/08

From Serious Eats

Emeril New Spokesman for Crest, Still Uses Tired Catchphrase

just f'n stop Emeril, please...!

I am waiting for Paula Dean to promote adult diapers. "Hey Ya'll - it's OK to crap your pants...especially after you've eaten one of my favorite dishes: Triple Fried Chocolate Doughnut cheesburgers smothered in instant Jello puddin', and topped with mayo and a slice of hostess ding-dong "

GingerSnap at 6:56PM on 09/18/08

From Serious Eats

Emeril New Spokesman for Crest, Still Uses Tired Catchphrase

I concur with TFG and greyrussian...Emeril's been "bamming" for Crest for at least a couple of years. The marketing geniuses at P&G, parent company to Crest, probably thought it was astute to get a chef to endorse herbal toothpaste. Chefs know herbs, after all.

holdthemayo at 5:46PM on 09/18/08

From Serious Eats

Emeril New Spokesman for Crest, Still Uses Tired Catchphrase

@FoodGeek- I remember those commercials as well, and if you go to the site, the new campaign is for the same product. This is really nothing new, unless Emeril will be choosing a BAM replacement. Suggestion: silence!

greyrussian at 3:17PM on 09/18/08

From Talk