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Archive for April, 2011

A Server’s Responsibility

Apr 25

Posted by admin in dining out | 1 Comment

When a diner requests a dish prepared a certain way or asks if a dish is Vegan or Gluten-free, the server needs to be in the know or at the ready to get the answer. When a diner inquires about the spiciness of a dish, is it sufficient to say, “I don’t find it spicy.” What does a diner know about a server’s palate? Nothing. Silly answer. Instead should the server do a better job of explaining the intensity of a dish? I think so.

When a diner asks if a piquillo pepper is hot, and the server says “nope.” (That’s true, the piquillo adds a sense of sweetness.) Should the server explain that the heat in the dish comes from chili paprika or just answer the initial question? If a guest asks about spiciness, then the guest either prefers food spicy or wants little heat. It is the server’s responsibility to do a follow-up as in clarifying that the dish itself is spicy. “If you do not like food that spicy, we can prepare the dish without the hot or if you like your meat spiced up, you’ll be quite happy.”

In the particular dish, the spice was overwhelming. Every part of the plate, including the roasted potatoes, was seeped in heavy-handed paprika chiles. No discernible flavor. Just spice.

Who is at fault? Let’s start at the beginning with management. Is there anything more important than service or training, especially when entrees are in the mid 20′s? I firmly believe that training and information are essential components of any sit-down restaurant meal, at any and every price point. After all restaurants depend on diner dollars and diners go out with an expectation of value and pleasure. No one benefits from sloppy or non-existent training.

Diners have certainly become more savvy over the years and have a better understanding of what they are looking for in a meal. A diner does not eat out to take a bite out of a dish, be hit with high intensity heat, and then discover that the dish is cold. Fixing it after the fact is hardly the solution. Solve the problem in the kitchen. In this example we are talking about two levels of heat: Both critical to the success of dinner.

Half answers are reminiscent of the classic “Pink Panther” scene, does your dog bite. To refresh your memory, here is a You Tube clip.

Dining out should be an enjoyable experience. Sure we all eat out sometimes out of necessity, as in “I’m too tired to cook. Let’s grab a bite.” Yet when you make a reservation and have an  image in mind, the establishment needs to come close. Losing business helps no one.

Tell the whole story.

 

 

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Yes, I Know What the Calendar Says

Apr 21

Posted by admin in Environment, news | No Comments

Friday, April 22, is officially Earth Day, but why not make a personal pledge to make everyday an Earth holiday?

Whatever the words or the products, every little act becomes significant. The impact is huge.

Respect our world and make a difference.

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Every Day is Earth Day

Apr 21

Posted by admin in Environment, news | No Comments

Now that Google Earth can track our most minute location, we need to understand how small our world really is. How we must take charge and be responsible inhabitants. As we are attacked on a daily basis by a range of enemies such as BPA or pollution, it’s nice to turn our attention to companies that are introducing small changes in their product lineup. The kind of changes that have a big impact.

You already know my fondness for the Sodastream product, the instant carbonation machine that has upped my water consumption and moved me completely away from other carbonated products. The company has taken the next step and shown its energy independence and concern for the environment. The original bottle has a long life of usability, but the company’s newest introduction moves them close to zero-footprint packaging.

With the recent introduction of the Bio Bottle, their flavor packaging is eco-friendly as they now can reduce the environmental impact of their syrup containers.  The soda packaging decomposes at a faster rate than conventional plastic.

So as you raise your reusable bottle today, the official celebration of the Earth, recognize that every positive action benefits us all. Every change in this direction is a positive.

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Local Before Locavore: Ireland

Apr 14

Posted by admin in dining out, food universe, healthy eating, lifestyle, travel | No Comments

If there’s one aspect to an Emerald Isle trip that stands out loud and clear, it is the emphasis on freshness: Fresh caught, fresh picked, or even fresh slaughtered. There’s no doubt that the food on the plate defines freshness. No one ever bothers to explain to a diner or a guest at a B&B: It’s understood, a given. No one uses terms like day boat, it is expected that the cod or the haddock, the soul of a proper lightly breaded fish and chips entree, whether at a pub or a restaurant, resonates fresh out of the water. Hours, not days.

Chips. Now that’s a word used frequently as the exalted Potato has a life of its own. Yes, you can ask for your chips extra crispy, no problem. To go with the chips, you might get a side of new potatoes. No one wants the fresh veggies to be alone in a side plate! Since it seems everyone you meet is some sort of farmer or has a strong tie to the land, getting a new potato is almost a joke of the phrase. Of course, it’s new as in just dug up! If it’s a vegetable you crave, and mushrooms you favor, you’ll be delighted. I may have enjoyed the best side of Portobellos I’ve ever had!

Besides the line caught fish, there are an abundance of seafood choices for those who prefer the popular seafood chowders or want to begin their morning with a few fresh oysters. April normally has a limited supply of the oysters, and often small, but this year’s bizarre cold and snowy winter has chefs delighted with a variety of large-sized bivalves.

Of course, the salmon, the lox, the smoked fish: It’s all there and all fresh-caught or prepared in a nearby smokehouse.

When you inquire about a dish, the person taking your order is apt to wax eloquently about its flavors, almost regardless of the item. Look at the meats. Yes, it’s true that the lamb, prepared any number of ways, speaks volumes about lifestyle. Grass-fed is the norm in the country as animals roam the hills and freely eat without much exposure to a penned life. The taste comes through with every bite. Fat? No. Meat, yes.

As we in the states put up banners shouting “LOCAL”, and take great pride in what our farmers are producing and carrying into the city, we are reminded how far we have come and far we must go. Packaged and processed are not words that should be in our vocabulary.

Let’s celebrate Earth Month with a strong focus on how we can continue to emulate what some countries have been doing as their norm.

Champion the fresh.

 

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Color-Coded Food: Vegans Rejoice!

Apr 13

Posted by admin in cooking, healthy eating, lifestyle | No Comments

It’s been a long established fact, no research needed, that an attractive plate of food beckons us to lift our forks and begin the process of enjoying dining. No, we do not need to be at a restaurant in front of a four-star chef to have this experience. Bright colors arranged lovingly on a plate will hold the same attraction whether we are eating in our kitchen or at a chef’s table.

That’s the premise of so much of what we do: Attractive presentation wins whether the board room or the dining room. Our eyes are our first taste buds. Now couple that with the alarming fact that so many of us ignore fruits and vegetables and focus on the high-protein, starch-based universe, and you have the premise of a recently published cookbook, Color Me Vegan.

Stop, don’t panic, you do not have to subscribe to the Vegan lifestyle. In some respects, I think the title is misleading as the appeal is far greater, but the author, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau has written other Vegan books and is the founder of Compassionate Cooks. The book has a universal appeal as it is filled with overall food information. Yes, it has recipes for the plant-based lifestyle, but any of these can as easily be adapted for any type of eater. The emphasis is on information and explanation as colorful food displays can appeal to all diners.

It’s called color-intense meals. That’s an important aspect of overall cooking presentation. If you just stand in front of a large vegetable display, you might select the same tried and true performers, but if you follow the color palate, you’ll add more vitality to your meals. Look at the blue-purple section (my personal favorite colors), and you’ll put a little spice into your food repertoire right away. There’s the familiar purple cabbage salad but you could as easily focus on purple cauliflower soup and chilled blueberry mango soup. Now the eyes are talking and no one has even mentioned healthy terms like antioxidant or fiber-rich!

This is a fun, new book that slides easily into the spirit of springtime rejuvenation and appreciation for our local growers and farm market vendors.

Change your palate and open the basic white dinner plates to a new colorful, healthy set of food tips and recipes.

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Can Whole Foods top Whole Foods?

Apr 12

Posted by admin in cooking, grocer, life, news, shopping | No Comments

That’s the question running along Rockville Pike this week as the long-established grocer moves to new digs. Not just a new store, but a big one, almost twice the size of the crowded space it had a couple of miles away.  For a company that has been in this part of Maryland for 20 years, they are demonstrating a new lifeblood as they open one of their bigger stores at 51,000 square feet.

Besides ample room to negotiate the aisles, what else is new in this brightly lit environment? Where does one begin? Maybe with the fact that they have a butcher on site. That works for me as the profession has been slowly facing the death knell. To help the butcher have a bold presence, there’ll be no shortage of great aromas as the meat department has its own smoker for ribs and brisket, a Kosher selection, and dry-aged meats.

The fish and seafood counter may remind you a bit of the way hotels are reaching out and getting away from the front desk concept. In this department, the staff will come out from behind the counter and help you select your items. The more personalized, interactive, approach is something that will be evident throughout the entire store.

Name a department and put them to the test. They’ve got you covered. Start with take-away, prepared foods. You’ll be swimming in possibilities from the hot 850 degree pizza oven that promises a Neapolitan selection in 90 seconds to the new Arepas section for your cornmeal cake. Too daring, then step over to the burger and hot dog station. Some other changes right there: An organic salad bar. Now that takes the guesswork out of decision-making! They’ll even have smaller, more affordable prepared salads in the cases.

As for what’s truly different: Cooking Rockville promises to take the guesswork out of “How do I prepare this food, ingredient?” They have a staff of cooking coaches ready to assist in an inviting space with a wall of spices and grains as a backdrop!  This area should help more shoppers take the next step into adventuresome, reality cooking, what they call CIY, Cooking It Yourself. They’ll champion you.

The company seems focused on addressing an age-old problem: Affordability. They are conscious of what’s involved for every shopper and stress their new focus: competitive everyday prices, over 2,000 sale items per month, and plenty of weekly specials. When you add that up and throw in the emphasis on fresh, organic, and local,  you have followed the Market to its next step.

It’s always fun to go to a new grocer or restaurant preview. This outing was no exception. Yes, Whole Foods has shown that shopping does not have to be dull. Always fun to see new departments stretch the possibilities and respond to the latest trends.

Grab a basket. It’s opening day!

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Gluten-Free Gold: Ireland

Apr 11

Posted by admin in food universe, gluten-free, lifestyle, tourism, travel | No Comments

Whether one is Celiac, has some gastro requirements, or is gluten intolerant, there is no easier place to visit than Ireland. From the minute you check into your first B&B, you’ll be treated to a food surprise. People ask if you need anything special, as in GF bread, or as you venture into a bigger establishment, you’ll be greeted with a menu that lists so many food options for both the Vegetarian and the Gluten-free.

Why? Well, that is still the unresolved issue although the country seems to have a very high percentage of Celiacs. Several theories circulate, but nothing is a spot-on answer. There’s the brown flour theory as in the staple of the Irish meal: Soda Bread. Brown flour is quite different from many of the flours we have in the states and is not sold here, but it is a heavy flour. As for the GF breads, they toast, and toast well. No one seemed to have many details, but both the flour discussions are far from over. More to discover.

In the meantime, Ireland proves itself a welcoming destination as the people are so warm and friendly, and yes, so dependent on tourism dollars. Visitors, GF or not, will agree it is an idyllic setting, but those with special food needs will find travel easy and wonderfully accommodating. Quite a surprise. No need to seek out a list of a few restaurants that might have a menu or an item for your needs. Rather the opposite of the States, as the whole country seems to be on guard for the Celiac. Travel can be so difficult for those with special food needs. Or so easy as in the case of Ireland. What a pleasant surprise on so many levels!

Go for it. Erin go Bragh!

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