Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I am a waitress at one of the nicer restaurants in my small college town. First off, we don't use any technology whatsoever---we still hand write all of your checks. I don't mind splitting the check up (it usually takes some extra time to hand write and add up everything separately) and will always ask before taking orders how the bill should arrive, but what's the worst is when people say it's all together in the beginning but change their minds at the end when some people have had too much to drink. When this happens, I have to go back and split everything back up, and it can take a few extra minutes to get this all done. THEN, by the time I get back out, they have the nerve to be ticked off because it took extra time to get their checks!
I also don't mind when large parties lump up their tips together as one large tip, but nothing gets me going more than when the check total adds up to over $100, and the party leaves only a $20. I know $20 is a lot of money, but when the ticket hits higher in the 100s, $20 isn't anything--especially when the hostesses notice how tied up you are serving 18 people at once, so they give your table away.
The absolutely most mind boggling experience I've had waitressing is when I had a 30 top and had to split that with another waitress. The party stayed there for almost 3 hours, and only left us $20 to split between the two of us. When you're making $3.63 an hour, that is appalling. I don't care how you end up paying---just be considerate of your waitstaff. We really do work hard to make sure you have a wonderful dining experience.

I actually used (and properly cited) some of the serious eats recipes on my radio cooking show last sunday! They included the perfectly roasted sweet potatoes, tips from frying turkeys, and the two ways to achieve either creamy mashed potatoes or fluffy mashed potatoes.

I am TOTALLY psyched to try some of those tips for sprucing up pecan pie though!

I do not know how to bake bread. at all.

I like the Uni"corn" shirt from the current batch of t-shirts. But there was one from way back when from a submit your own and vote cycle that I loved but didn't have the money to buy. All I remember is that it had some really cute fruits on it, doing something dubious.

When I'm home from college, I usually do the deliveries for my parent's Chinese restaurant, and it's always, ALWAYS a scary experience. Imagine a little Chinese girl, making deliveries at 10 O'Clock at night in a bad neighborhood. I never feel safe, even in the day time. I do make exceptions, especially with older folks and people who are clearly unable to make it to the door, etc. Nothing is worse than people who make you go through the back door through a car port, only has a $100 bill for a $15 delivery (It's not like I carry around a forgery pen), or people who don't tip for what I'm doing. Because of the bad area that we serve, 6 out of 10 deliveries I make, people never tip because they're too stingy. If you don't have the money to tip your driver, then don't order food!

oranges and onions

OH MAN. Nothing is better than a piping hot, buttered and toasted croissant from Grand Central with a fried egg, thick cut peppered bacon, and melted cheese with some tomato relish and a mug of mint tea. I used to go to the one in Pioneer Square in Seattle four mornings a week before or after my yoga class, when I lived there in Seattle.

There's also this really fantastic bakery in St. Louis on Cherokee St called Black Bear Bakery which also serves as an infoshop. Their bread is sooooo good. Owned/collaborated/serviced by great people, too. Here's their website: Black Bear Bakery dot Org

on oysters, red beans and rice, steamed veggies, and with my maple syrup!

My greatest triumph was the first time I stopped listening to the directions of a recipe and took the cookies out just a tad earlier than noted. For the first time, my cookies didn't have brown bottoms, and I learned that just because someone or something tells me I have to do it one way, it's not the best way for me. Now, I've learned this simple cookie lesson and apply it to aspects of my life.

I'm in college and my housemates and I are going to do a Thanksgiving dinner next thursday, mainly because it'll be the last night we're all in town, as well as the fact that one of them is getting their wisdom teeth removed the day before actual Thanksgiving--what a shame! I make a delicious ginger ale-brined turkey, but one of my housemates doesn't eat meat, so I'll be making the grilled pumpkin ravioli with brown butter and sage sauce.

use spelt flour for the flour, zucchini or beets, applesauce or bananas for egg component. I've made a wheat-free, sugar free, dairy free, vegan chocolate cake with dark chocolate ganache. I'll have to look for my recipe....

I've always wanted a little cafe that would make quiches and pies and soups and sandwiches that would be connected to the art gallery I have next door so patrons can walk around and eat or sit in the cafe with a hot latte. That, or a vegan/raw restaurant.