- Just because a recipe calls for it doesn't mean you have to use it (I hate cilantro but love parsley)
- Do not ever believe the number of servings because it makes a big difference on who you are feeding
- Good cooking does not have to be or should it be difficult
- Not everything has to be made from scratch
- Great ideas come from food magazines but be daring and change them up
- Cooking for family and friends is good for the soul
I have a friend that will need smelling salts when she reads the next sentence. In the last three months my husband and I have only dined at a restaurant three times. Actually that's a little more than average...usually it is three times in four months. I like to cook and it is always to my liking when I do it myself. I always prefer doing family and friend gatherings at home. There is no waiter prancing about waiting for you to leave. If you want to linger over dessert and coffee for two hours, nobody cares. You can be as loud or as silly as you want. I just really love dining at home. Tonight, however, it will just be my husband and I and we'll be celebrating a private anniversary. Because it will just be the two of us and I'd like to have dinner without him reading the paper, we are going to dine out. But there are issues with restaurants that I'd like to get off my chest.
1) I know the Chef thinks that the food is perfectly seasoned but don't make me have to ask for a salt and pepper shaker. His taste might not be the same as mine.
2) Give me a complete set of silverware. I know you think I might not need a spoon but when I'm in the restaurant that charges me an extra 50 cents to have my drink on the rocks, I need that spoon to fish the ice out of my ice water that is free.
3) Do not remove anyone's plate before all have finished. This is just so rude I can't even begin to explain. I can't imagine having folks over for dinner and removing plates while someone is still eating.
4) When the waiter/waitress picks up the check with the your cash inside, don't ask me if I need change. I'll let you know if you can keep the leftovers. I paid a $30.00 bill with $100.00 and the waitress asked me if I needed change! No, I'm going to give you a $70.00 tip, are you crazy?
5) Do not always assume that the guy is picking up the check. This has driven me nuts in more cases than I care to remember. I do have to admit that I loved it when my husband told the waitress "give it to her, she's the one with the money." I have been treating male associates and it was not comfortable when I had to fight for the check.
Now, to be fair, there are a couple things a few restaurants get right.
1) A white napkin when you are wearing white and a black napkin when you are in dark colors. I can't tell you how many times I have left a restaurant with the contrasting lint on my lap.
2) When you call to make a reservation and they ask if it is a special occasion. Morton's is wonderful for this. You'll have a special menu and a picture to capture the special day.
3) Allowing, or even encouraging, the sharing of plates without an extra charge. I love it when a waiter/waitress tells me "you may want to share as the portions are quite large," and there is no attitude that you're being cheap.
Now, I don't know where we're going to dine tonight but I do know it won't be at my all time favorite restaurant because we need airline tickets to New York. That would be Peter Luger's. Give me their steak, sliced tomato with Peter Luger sauce, creamed spinach and the only fried potatoes I would ever have with a steak, and I'll be in heaven. I won't be going there tonight but I bet my baby brother will take me there when I visit him in the fall. Til then:
I'll grab a porterhouse steak. Throw it on the grill ( blazing hot) sear on both sides. Move to a cool zone to finish. Partially thaw some Stouffer's spinach souffle, add some pepper jack cheese, complete cooking. Slice up some tomatoes, top with some balsamic dressing. Skip the potatoes and imagine I'm at Peter Luger's.
No comments:
Post a Comment