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100 (okay, 50) Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do
I think that #10 and 43 are stating not to offer suggestions unless asked. I don't think that it means that it's not acceptable for the waiter to tell the customer his or her favorites when asked. One of those, "If I want your opinion, I'll ask for it" kind of things, and I agree.
Along those lines, if I do ask for a recommendation, please don't say, "Oh, everything's good!" I can't believe how often that happens. I am asking because you are presumably familiar with the dishes, and you can't expect me to believe that you love everything on the menu equally well. You must have an idea--either from personal experience, or customer feedback--which dishes rise above.
Cook the Book: 'The Pioneer Woman Cooks'
Love this thread because I'm getting ideas for lots of new blogs I have to check out! Other than Serious Eats, I love Heavy Table.
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Pierogi was always a special treat in my house, since it's a little labor intensive. But my mom created a "poor man's pierogi" hot dish that had little dumplings, lots of sauerkraut and onions and butter that tasted like a deconstructed version of the same dish. Same comfort food, but much easier to make. I ate pounds of that stuff.
100 (okay, 50) Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do
I think that #10 and 43 are stating not to offer suggestions unless asked. I don't think that it means that it's not acceptable for the waiter to tell the customer his or her favorites when asked. One of those, "If I want your opinion, I'll ask for it" kind of things, and I agree.
Along those lines, if I do ask for a recommendation, please don't say, "Oh, everything's good!" I can't believe how often that happens. I am asking because you are presumably familiar with the dishes, and you can't expect me to believe that you love everything on the menu equally well. You must have an idea--either from personal experience, or customer feedback--which dishes rise above.
Cook the Book: 'The Pioneer Woman Cooks'
Love this thread because I'm getting ideas for lots of new blogs I have to check out! Other than Serious Eats, I love Heavy Table.
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting
What's your favorite food when drunk?
White Castle!! Or, if I can't find a sober driver to get me to the Castle, a fried egg sandwich at home--bacon, egg over easy, cheddar, tomato, mayo and avocado, if I'm lucky.
Cook the Book: 'The Craft of Baking'
Hard to choose just one, but I'd have to pick my mom's apple pie, if only because it's such comfort food.
Cook the Book: 'Japanese Hot Pots'
A thick, hearty split pea and ham soup.
Cook the Book: 'Gourmet Today'
The Betty Crocker "Cooky Book."
Cook the Book: 'Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon'
cheap and delicious!
Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'
Minnesota--wild rice, hot dish, Jucy Lucys, lefse, Pearson's salted nut rolls. Some people would say lutefisk; I am not one of those people.
Cook the Book: 'Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book'
Amazing pulled pork sandwich I had at a friend's backyard BBQ. Slow-cooked, tender, tangy!
Donut shops in Twin Cities
Not sure where in the area you're living, but in south Minneapolis, there are two awesome donut shops--Mel-O-Glaze on 28th Ave and Minnehaha Pkwy has my favorite glazed donuts. A Baker's Wife has good cake donuts, but their lemon bars are out of this world!
Try chowhound.com for more recs around the area.
Cook the Book: 'What We Eat When We Eat Alone'
Nutella, spooned straight from the jar.
Cook the Book: '100 Best Vegetarian Recipes'
penne with pesto
Cook the Book: '660 Curries' by Raghavan Iyer
I worked in customer service at a company that had contracts to deliver food from local restaurants. One of our restaurants was an Indian place. I grew up in a small town, had never tried Indian before, but a co-worker insisted it was delicious and gave me a few suggestions--aloo paratha, samosa, and palak paneer. She was right, it was awesome. I'm actually pretty grateful for this job because I remember trying both Greek and Thai while I was working there. It's a lot easier to be experimental when you get 25% off.
Cook the Book: 'Canal House Cooking, Vol. 1'
Bruschetta on the grill with basil and tomatoes freshly-picked from my garden.
Cook the Book: 'Mrs. Rowe's Little Book of Southern Pies'
The rice krispie cookies and the company bake-off I won with them!
Cook the Book: 'The Barcelona Cookbook'
bacon-wrapped dates at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba in Chicago. But I hope to overshadow that experience when I visit Barcelona this fall!
Cook the Book: 'Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries & Shakes'
best burger I ever had was at this roadside convenience store on the island of Aututaki in the Cook Islands. Big juicy patty, egg over-easy, bacon, special sauce, and a slice of pickled beet!
Threadless T-Shirt Giveaway: Booty Fruit
Just about any kind of berry, but especially raspberries!
Threadless T-Shirt Giveaway: A Piece of Cake
German Chocolate cake
Threadless T-Shirt Giveaway: Lemon Aid
with raspberries!
Threadless T-Shirt Giveaway: Baron VonFunburger's Haunted Castle Cavalcade
White Castle double cheeseburger
Cook the Book: 'L.A.'s Original Farmers Market Cookbook'
The vendor that sells cheese curds so fresh that they squeak when you eat them!
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
I love Ziti and galic bread! Delicious!
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Mom's Thanksgiving feast!
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Roast chicken with mashed potatoes!
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
I love pot roast with roasted potatoes, onions, and carrots. YUM!
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Spaghetti and meatballs always goes over well here.
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
My family would be happy if I'd make them chicken and dumplings at least once a week. (And it's so easy!)
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
My family did roast chicken dinners every Sunday when I was growing up. Can't beat grandma's cooking!
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Spaghetti with meatballs and chunks of Italian sausage in a smooth garlicky red sauce, caesar salad with homemade garlic croutons, warm crusty Italian bread with butter, a nice barolo, and lemon cheesecake for dessert.
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
fajitas, hands down.
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Layer sauerkraut in a casserole dish, place pork chops on top and season (I use cracked black pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika), cover with lid or seal with foil, bake in 400 degree oven for 45 minutes. I like to make mashed potatoes with it, but have also just done steamed veggies on the side.
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Grandy's roast beef, carrots, and mashed potatoes
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Mom's from-the-Campbell's-can versions of Chicken a la King and Beef Stroganoff!
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Mom's homemade lasagna, bread, and apple pie.
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Coming from a Turkish household, my favorite family dinner is mercimek çorbasi (lentil soup) with köfte (ground beef/meatball-like patties), domatesli pilav (tomato rice), and yogurt.
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Favorite family dinner would have to be my childhood birthday meal of Earl Abel's fried chicken and black bottom pie.
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Sauerbraten and homemade sides.
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Really anything, as long as it's accompanied by family and laughter. We often have shrimp scampi in the summer and a roast with Yorkshire Pudding in the winter....mmm.... :)
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Our favorite family dinner is Homemade Lasagna with a green salad and homemade yeast rolls.
Thank you so much for the chance to win.
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
spaghetti and meatballs
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
We called it "chicken and glop", but it was chicken and rice. How did my mother put up with us?
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
It depends on the weather for me, but at this time of year it's roast chicken, mashed potatoes, peas (homegrown, please; frozen peas from the store are inevitably overripe), green salad, and pie.
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
meatloaf and mashed potatoes!
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
My favorite family dinner would have to be posole. We have it every christmas eve with fresh tamales and it is sooo good.
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Gosh, my favorite family dinner!? That's hard . My family is full of great cooks so I guess it has more to do with the atmosphere. So then I would have to go with Christmas eve dinner. 14 cousins plus 16 Aunts and Uncles all eating and drinking and being merry. Usually there's a goose (which doesn't hurt) and floating islands for desert. super yummm, it warms my heart just to think about it.
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
ribs. lasagna. soup. anything my mom makes
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About drew13000
Location: Minneapolis
About:
Favorite foods: Risotto, gnocchi, pierogi, Neapolitan pizza, Jucy Lucys, deep fried cheese curds, scallops
Last bite on earth: Probably some kind of comfort food, like my mom's sauerkraut pierogi with lots of browned butter. Definitely a chocolate layer cake for dessert.

Pierogi was always a special treat in my house, since it's a little labor intensive. But my mom created a "poor man's pierogi" hot dish that had little dumplings, lots of sauerkraut and onions and butter that tasted like a deconstructed version of the same dish. Same comfort food, but much easier to make. I ate pounds of that stuff.