You Have to Leave a Tip

During college I was a hostess in a restaurant and then waited tables right after graduating. I think both jobs proved to be great life lessons and has led to me saying that EVERYONE should wait tables at least once in his/her life.

Eating out really isn’t all about the food and I’ve reference bad service in prior blog posts. However, there is the flip side to bad service and that is bad customers. Having been on the service side of the fence I learned patience, understanding of the restaurant system and most importantly – how to tip.

Now I do appreciate not being in the industry and feeling the need to really tip every time a buddy of mine “hooks me up” but I also practice a solid, consistent 20% tip. You have to REALLY screw things up to get less from me and even then it will probably be 15%.

That 20% is on the total bill, tax included. It is the easiest way for this not-so-great-at-math chic to figure out what I am going to leave. I take the bill amount and divide by five. (For example the bill is $40 - 40 divided by five is eight, therefore I leave an $8 tip.) I’ve also been told to move the decimal point over one and times by two, but too me that is more complicated, but it works.

I know the economy sucks but is the one to three dollar difference really going to break the bank?

I’ve been out to eat with my share of people who are rude to the staff, uber and unrealistically demanding and overall cheap/crappy tippers. How embarrassing. A server makes very little in an hourly wage. As long as they are pleasant, bring my food, clear my used plates and keep my beverage full I’m going to be happy. It is that simple.

But that is my opinion, for a better source check out the CNN/Money article on a variety of tipping suggestions. (Would have been handy on my recent vacation when my girls kept asking me who to tip and how much.) For things related to dining out see below.

Peach and Black Pepper Veal Chops

I used to have this really slack job that allowed me a lot of free time to research new recipes, shop and prepare new and interesting foods. Not so much anymore. I still enjoy cooking but I have to rely on things I know that are comfortable, fast, and easy, especially during the work week.

I have to admit I miss the adventure of food. Last night (which was a school night) I got to experience that adventure again with a little nudge from a supportive soul. Knowing that my boyfriend (BF) had a buddy in town I offered to make dinner for them, you know - beef, pork, chicken, salmon – something I do often and have a trillion recipes for. The boys were jazzed for a home cooked meal but the nudge came from the BF who suggested I cook veal. Ok.

I was able to locate a pretty fabulous recipe on FoodNetwork.com from Sandra Lee for peach and black pepper veal chops. I’m generally not a huge fan of Sandra Lee but the woman pulled it out with this one. The hardest part of the recipe was locating all the ingredients at the last minute. I grilled some fresh peaches to accompany the chops. BF seemed really happy with the flavor especially when he got a bite in which he could taste the bourbon. (We used Maker’s Mark opposed to Jim Beam.) Rest of the meal included old stand-bys: grilled asparagus (my all time favorite), spinach and strawberry salad and couscous.

This meal continued to reinforce my goal to never be intimated by something I have yet to cook with and taught me that things come together easily with a little team work and a supportive soul.

Best Places in Virginia Beach

A girlfriend of mine reached out to me for suggestions on Virginia Beach insights for a client. She had a coworker (who claimed to be raised in the beautiful city I have called home my entire life) working on the project, but said coworker claimed there was nothing here but the military. Uh, me thinks not.

She was looking for items not to be found on Foder’s or Yelp - restaurants, bars, coffee shops/cafes, etc.

This is what I sent her. I guess in a lot of cases it depends on the audience especially when it comes to the bar scene.

I checked out the reporting on Virginia Beach on both Fodor’s and Yelp. I’m actually really impressed with the listings on Yelp. I will keep that in mind as a source for my future travel plans. It didn’t seem like a listing of commercial placements but a true listing, many of which also appear on my list below.

Restaurants:
Eat
Eurasia
Big Sam's
Coyote Cafe
Aldo's
Pacifica
Sonoma
Terrapin
Citrus
Doc Taylor’s
Azar’s
Chick’s Beach Oyster Bar
Taste Unlimited
Zia Marie

Bars:
501
Tautogs
Pacifica
Waterman's
Rudee's
Big Sam’s
Catch 31

Coffee:
Bad Ass Coffee

I’d love to know what you think. If I agree, I will add it to the list.

“The knife, a chef’s paint brush.”

Ever thought about the people who support chefs? Those people who help them to produce the delicious end product. You know - the fishermen, farmers, delivery drivers and knife sharpeners. Knife sharpeners? Yes, the knife sharpeners. It isn’t till you have to deal with a dull knife that you learn to truly appreciate a good, quality, sharp knife.

I was recently in Arizona with a group of my girlfriends where I cooked dinner. We stayed at a wonderful Westin resort but (respectfully) the knife set was D-U-L-L. I grilled flank steak and if you’ve cooked this cut of meat before you know it is all about how you slice it. I worked up a massive sweat hacking away at that piece of meat.

My home set has grown a bit dull too. I used to think that the steel rod that came with a set was meant to sharpen the knife, but I recently learned that is not the case. To my fortune I was able to get clarification from a local professional knife sharpener with over 25 years of sharpening and knife making experience.

Gregg Kurtz explains that what I was referencing is honing steel which actually doesn’t sharpen the knife. “The honing steel that comes with the set is designed to help maintain the edge of a knife. When the edge is razor sharp it is obviously very thin at its sharpest point. During normal use that thin edge will bend over slightly in places. Using the steel properly will help to re-align the edge, put it back into place and help keep your knife sharp longer.” He suggests maintaining your knife; if it is used daily then you should use your steel on it every day before use.

But again, the honing steel won’t make a dull knife sharp. You need to have it sharpened. If you’d like to take advantage of Gregg’s knife sharpening services he is at the Williams Sonoma at Hilltop every other Thursday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. If you are in the Williamsburg area he is at the farmers market at Merchant Square every Saturday. Otherwise reach out: 757.768.2562 or chefsedge@gmail.com.

What the heck is a caper?

A great HR Foodie supporter recently brought up this topic of conversation and I thought it may make for an interesting blog post for those who may not be aware - the mystery of capers. For a long while I would omit this item from recipes that would call for them and avoid eating for my southern upbringing found them weird.

As it turns out capers are pickled flower buds of the Capparis spinosa shrub that is common in the Mediterranean region. The gorgeous Capparis spinosa is a perennial spiny bush that bears rounded, fleshy leaves and big white to pinkish-white flowers.

The buds are generally harvested by hand (thus the cost) and pickled for use. The small, green herb buds lend a sour and salty flavor to salads, dressings, sauces, vegetables and a variety of main dishes. Since I still don’t cook too often with capers I picked up a few good pointers on how to buy and cook with capers from ehow.com.

1. Consider how you'll use the capers, be it in a sauce, as a garnish or in a salad as this will determine the type and quality of capers you'll need.

2. Know that when it comes to buying capers, the smaller, the better. Scour shelves to find the various varieties: vinegar-brined, oil-packed or packed in sea salt. All can be used interchangeably, but capers packed in salt are especially prized.

3. Before using capers of any kind-but especially those packed in salt, rinse capers thoroughly with water. Blot gently with a paper towel.

4. Chop capers before adding to dishes to intensify their flavor.

5. Add capers at the end of the cooking process when using them in sauces.

Happy caper cooking!