Serious Eats: kll205's Profile

Clearly, the people who have issues with asking a guest about their tip have never worked as a server. In NYC, you generally receive little or no compensation other than your tips. When you bust your @ss for that trying table only to get a few bucks, it's frustrating. When I served (similarly, in a wine bar) I would often let it slide but there were definitely some times when I would mention it, and if you do it right no one feels awkward. It's also helpful to have a supportive manager or host to do the asking.

kll205 at 1:25PM on 04/14/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook

We have friends over frequently, but just this Saturday we had two friends over for dinner, and I made a fantastic shrimp risotto with seared scallops. I was proud of it because it tasted amazing, but also because it was a recipe I had created by cobbling a few others together!

kll205 at 4:23PM on 12/22/08

From Talk

What to eat with one hand?

Thanks all, this has been really good! It seems like it would be easy to come up with ideas, but keep in mind he is eating most meals on the couch instead of sitting at a kitchen table (we live in NYC and are frequent couch eaters). I thought soup was a slam dunk, until we realized he needed one hand to hold the bowl, and one hand for the spoon. :)

kll205 at 9:58AM on 12/04/08

From Serious Eats: New York

Win Tickets to Thomas Keller Event This Weekend

When I was a kid, we were broke, so the only "in a bag" meals we had were the boil-in-bag frozen meals like salisbury steak and turkey with gravy! Sodium-tastic!

kll205 at 2:38PM on 11/19/08

From Serious Eats

48 Hours in Montreal: A Guide to Eating

This is perfect- my fiance and I will be in Montreal for a mini-moon of 2 days after our wedding in 2 weeks! Thanks for the tips!

kll205 at 1:28PM on 09/25/08

From Talk

The verdict! Anne Burrell's new show - Did you watch?

I can't speak for the recipe, because I haven't tried it- but I am willing to give her the benefit of the doubt and assume that it was super-tasty, because she is Anne Burrell and regularly makes amazing food.

However- I couldn't help but feel like I was watching a crazy person making Muppet voices. I can't imagine she is normally like that, so maybe it was nervousness/bad direction? Also, something tells me that she doesn't normally keep a "thanks for coming" bowl- it just seemed a little too RR-contrite to me.

kll205 at 11:40AM on 06/30/08

From Serious Eats: New York

S'Mac Birthday Means $1 Mac and Cheese for All

As of about 20 minutes ago, there is no line, and this mac is awesome. :)

kll205 at 1:38PM on 06/24/08

From Serious Eats

In Videos: $240 Worth of Pudding on 'The State'

Hooray! I love The State! So many good food-related sketches: the mailman who delivers tacos, Blueberry Johnson, eating muppets... )

kll205 at 12:51PM on 05/20/08

From Talk

Do you subscribe to a CSA farm? Please share your experience!

We did it last year for the first time, and I am SO excited to start up again this year! The first week or two was smaller than I thought it would be, but by mid-summer we were bringing veggies to our friend's houses! While there were definitely some things I wouldn't normally buy (kohlrabi, eggplant), it was fun to go each week and not know exactly what we would be getting- it was like Iron Chef! :)

kll205 at 4:09PM on 04/28/08

From Serious Eats

Low-Calorie Ice Cream Favorites

I know I talk about Weight Watchers a lot, but I can't say enough good things about their Giant Fudge Bars. They are only 1 point each (not sure of the calorie count, but it must be LOW) and huge! They don't taste artificial at all, either.

kll205 at 11:45AM on 04/25/08

From Serious Eats: New York

A Guide to Bakeries in Manhattan's Chinatown

Mei Lai Wah is my favorite, but they were shut down by the dept. of health late last week- not sure if they are reopened yet!

kll205 at 9:23AM on 04/23/08

From Serious Eats

Mid-Century Supper Club

I thought I was the only one who loved these cookbooks! I have a collection of 20-30 of them, and I've been threatening my friends with a mid-century dinner party for some time! This may be my final inspiration....

kll205 at 4:12PM on 03/03/08

From Talk

What's Your Best Boeuf Bourguignonne?

I swear by the Julia Child recipe! It never fails.

kll205 at 2:34PM on 02/25/08

From Serious Eats

Valentine's Day Chocolate Giveaway

Dark! White chocolate isn't even chocolate!

kll205 at 2:17PM on 02/11/08

From Serious Eats

Valentine's Day Chocolate Giveaway

dark! white chocolate IS NOT chocolate!

kll205 at 9:48AM on 02/11/08

From Serious Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 5: Can 'Start Living, Stop Dieting' Work for a Food Writer?

Not to sound cult-like...
but joining Weight Watchers was the best thing I ever did, weight-loss-wise. As a New Yorker and good food addict, I have never felt like I have had to give anything up. I can go have the tasting menu at Hearth, count the points, and move on- and still lose weight that week. It seems really simple, everything in moderation, but if you use the online tools and not the meetings it is almost fun.

For $15 bucks a month, it's totally worth it if you want a better way to track what you are eating, and see progress fast.

kll205 at 9:35AM on 02/07/08

From Serious Eats

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Two Peter Luger Steaks

Flank steak! There is so much flexibility, and with the right marinade, grilled....mmm.

kll205 at 12:30PM on 12/07/07

From Talk

Best Find from Trader Joes?

We literally buy 5 bags of the frozen edamame a week. It's frightening. The pepper crusted salami, natural peanut butter, ff yogurt and hummus are also staples. My personal favorites are the Grainfest cereal and the rosemary marcona almonds!!

kll205 at 1:56PM on 09/04/07

From Serious Eats

Meet & Eat: Deb, Smitten Kitchen

Deb and Robyn- my two favorite NYC foodbloggers in one article! I can hardly contain my excitement! :)

kll205 at 3:32PM on 07/13/07

From Serious Eats

Cookbook Giveaway: 'A Twist of the Wrist'

I am not a condiment type of person, but living in Chinatown something that has become a go-to add in for me is sriracha sauce! It spices up stir fries, chili, soups, and just about anything else while adding flavor with the heat.

This is of course in addition to all the above cupboard standbys of canned tomatoes and beans, frozen peas and edamame, and pasta!

kll205 at 6:11PM on 04/19/07

From Talk

Embarrassing dining moment, do I go back? (Gross out caution!)

If a guest came to your house and was suddenly sick on your floor, would you not want them ever to return? Now imagine they pay for the privilege. No restaurant wants to lose a regular patron, especially in these economic times. To not go back is to punish them for your actions.

NWcajun at 1:10PM on 11/05/09

From Talk

Embarrassing dining moment, do I go back? (Gross out caution!)

I agree with everyone else. You're a loyal customer and people understand that three year olds puke. It happens. Just make sure not to let her eat the same thing she did when she projectiled in the restaurant.

rumanddiet at 4:44PM on 11/04/09

From Talk

Embarrassing dining moment, do I go back? (Gross out caution!)

I was in a coffee shop once when the barista threw up in the sink behind the counter. And then continued to make everyone coffee. Admittedly, the bathroom was far from the counter, and sometimes you just can't hold that stuff back.

lkrier at 1:37PM on 11/04/09

From Talk

Embarrassing dining moment, do I go back? (Gross out caution!)

Please go back and bring the 3 year old, some flowers, a heartfelt apology and a big smile. Seriously, if the restaurant has been open for some time, yours is probably not the first to barf there. Kids get a pass....your wife, clogging the toilet, maybe not so much...but it was a stressful situation. I am sure the staff appreciates your cleaning up after your child.

@kris10...you touched on one of my hugest pet peeves (and trust me I have many)...when my son was small and he made a disaster of the table, floor, etc. I would try to clean up as much as possible, but I also left a big tip. Kids don't learn how to behave if they are never exposed to restaurants , but that doesn't mean you abdicate parental responsibility for cleaning up after your own child. My son is now 16 and drives himself to his favorite place to eat---In n Out...and I know he cleans up after himself...

jsd517 at 2:06PM on 11/03/09

From Talk

Embarrassing dining moment, do I go back? (Gross out caution!)

go back, they won't be giving you the "omg, i can't believe they brought the pukey kid back."

i've had to clean up kid's projectile puke several times while working in a popular chain restaurant. i don't hold it against the kids, but it does irk me that every time i've had to do it, the family just casually watches me clean it up for 20 minutes. i never had anyone apologize or even seem slightly embarrassed when they informed me that i needed to take care of their kid's mess like it's part of my job description. however, the people i would remember and detest were the ones who allowed their children to absolutely trash their area with food smeared everywhere, crayons broken all over the floor, and piles of napkins strewn about. i know they wouldn't allow their children to do it at home because they wouldn't want to clean it up so why act like i want to clean that up?

kris10 at 1:26PM on 11/03/09

From Talk

Embarrassing dining moment, do I go back? (Gross out caution!)

Here's a story from the other end of the counter -- when I was a barista at a small brunch cafe, we occasionally had a family of six come in during the weekend rush. Other rampant issues aside, one day their youngest kid (who I suspect was in the beginnings of his potty-training) proceeded to have the runs all over -- and I really mean, all over -- our only bathroom. The parents didn't say a word, merely paid the bill and left us the mess to clean.

I still vividly remember the incident -- especially since the family continued to return for brunch and pretended like it never happened. It'll always be a memorable incident, but if they'd at least acknowledged how shitty (harhar!) the situation was, I wouldn't have been thinking in the back of my head, "Oh, what next..."

avaryne at 10:41AM on 11/03/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'

Thank you for participating and congratulations to our winners:

missalrac
CheeseRks
granita
Codaru
aliadam

Winners have been notified by email and also appear on our Contest Winners page.

Caroline Russock at 12:03PM on 09/14/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'

It's great to eat Maryland crab cakes

dvice at 11:59AM on 09/14/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'

Um, cactus? ;0D

lilyk at 11:58AM on 09/14/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'

Oranges and gator bites!

cowleyh at 11:55AM on 09/14/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'

Vidalia onions

07violet at 11:22AM on 09/14/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'

as a New Englander I'd say good old New England Clam Chowder

AICORP at 9:53AM on 09/14/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'

We have fantastic fresh fruits and vegetables: cherries, strawberries, blueberries, corn, yummy!

blueviolet at 6:56AM on 09/14/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'

I'm from Indiana and the state is famous for it's corn and popcorn (Orville Redenbacher was a Hoosier.) We're also famous for pork tenderloin sandwiches, though I haven't been impressed with the few I've had since I moved here. We have Sugar Cream Pie, too, which is self-explanatory.

Sekhmet at 2:18AM on 09/14/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'

I'm from Indiana, and I'd have to say fresh corn! Thanks so much!

aliadam at 12:25AM on 09/14/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'

Tex-Mex of course!

atreau at 11:49PM on 09/13/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'

Food on a stick :)

gkran at 11:46PM on 09/13/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'

MA - I'd go with apples but the corn and squash now are great.

derekt1 at 11:25PM on 09/13/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'

New York - bagels and lox
But I am originally from Minnesota, where if you put it on a stick we will eat it!

flamingo at 6:34PM on 09/13/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'

Im from Nebraska and one would guess corn or beef. But personally, I would say it is our local heritage foods such czech kolatches, German bierocks, polish sausages. Many folks here revel in sharing thier food traditions that thier ancestor have brought to the plains. So much so that it feels like local food to me.

Colengal at 6:33PM on 09/13/09

From Serious Eats