Jaymes

Yep, there really are none. Your group was happy to have a mistake corrected, you could just as easily have been offended. A large group who corrected a mistake says "oops" and that's the end of it. It's over. A large group of offended people can do a lot of word-of-mouth damage. ← Yep. As I heard once... A happy client will tell three people. An unhappy client will tell everyone. And you can bet that they won't tell 'everyone' the server's side of the story, either. So the server that's back at the restaurant feeling justifiably miffed at the jerky customer, and totally in the right for questioning the miserly tip after having given said jerky customer "excellent service," and certain that anyone hearing both sides of the story would agree with him, will never get his day in court. Only the bad news will spread.

Great report, and wonderful photos. As you know, I lived in the Philippines for four years, back in the mid-60's, and we went to Baguio for our honeymoon. And, we ate at the Star Cafe. So much fun to see those photos. The fruit looks amazing. Even after all these years, I can still taste those beautiful mangosteens. Perhaps the single thing I miss the most about living in SE Asia. Thanks.

I love La Roca in Nogales. I never pass through that way without a trip down there for some Chicken Mole. Utterly and totally divine.

It would be interesting to do an adjusted-dollar analysis that compares the earning power of a restaurant waiter relative to cost-of-living today and in 1958. I'd be willing to bet that standard of living based on an assumption of a 10% "standard tip" in 1958 would be about equal to a standard of living based on an assumption of a 20% "standard tip" today. Why? Not that long ago, I never paid more for my lunch than $5. Now it's easily $10 and up. So assuming that I had kept to the 10% standard, and the cost of my lunch has doubled, and even tripled, so would the size of my tip. I think that servers across the land kind of decided to raise the accepted standard percentage, and it took a few years, but they did raise it to 15%, and now they're working on 20%. I'm not arguing against them; it's partly just an observation. But I also think it's evidence that should they ever decide they'd prefer a wage in lieu of tips, they could change the system practically overnight. But no servers with whom I've discussed this really wants the system to change. So it won't.

But the restaurant as we know it today wasn't even invented until after your first 40+ decades... ←

I can't help but reflect on the fact that for most of my 60+ decades on this earth, 10% was the hard and fast rule. Somehow, that escalated to 15% and now 20% seems to be the rock-bottom minimum, left only by miserly cheapskates. While the used-to-be standard 10% might well get you a stern talking-to and a boot in the ass on your way out the door.

That sounds good, and very easy. Since someone said they are never rolled, topped with cheese and stuck in the oven I have to rethink them. Folded? Cheese topped? chopped raw onion.....inside, or out? I love them with carnitas but would like to try chicken. ← Here's my recipe for New Mexico-style green chile stacked enchiladas: Stacked enchiladas And, as NadyaCat says, they are often served with a fried egg on top. And a bowl of charro beans alongside.

Here's a tip for dipping your tortillas that I got many years ago from a friend. She told me that she alone, amongst all her female relatives - mother, sisters, aunties, etc. - could not seem to dip her tortillas into the salsa without at least half of them falling apart. It was the joke of the family until finally, an auntie took pity on her and confessed that she, too, couldn't seem to get the hang of it, and shared this method. Get a pie pan and set it between your skillet with the oil and your dish where you're making your final product. Ladle some of your sauce into the pie pan. Then with your tongs, dip your tortilla into the hot oil and let it sizzle for a few seconds, and then place your tortilla into the pie plate with the salsa. Take a large spoon and smear the sauce around on the tortilla. Then put the tortilla onto your plate or dish where you're assembling your final product and finish up by adding your filling and then folding or rolling or whatever (but rather than rolling, it's much easier to just fold them in half, as Esperanza says). With the pie pan method, you don't have to hang onto the tortilla so long with the tongs. In fact, I do the final step - from the salsa into the dish - with my hands. Yes, the tortilla is still really hot, so you have to work quickly. But overall, this method works much better for me and I am forever indebted to mi amiga for sharing it.

I'm no expert, and hope that others will offer their expertise in this area since I'm always eager to learn, and am not a native Spanish speaker, but I've been told that actually, "enchilada" refers to the tortilla itself. It means "in chile" and refers to the dipping of the tortilla in a chile sauce. After your tortilla is sauced, there are many things you can do with it, including stuffing and rolling it, as you mention. But you can also just fold it over and eat it that way, or stack it - like the famous stacked enchiladas of Northern Mexico - with various stuffings and toppings or without. Also regarding "...some type of tortilla." Enchiladas are generally considered to be made with sauced corn tortillas. Although it's obviously not a hard and fast rule, if you're using flour tortillas, generally you'll find the dish called a "burro," or more commonly in the US, a "burrito" or even "soft taco." That's primarily due to the fact that flour tortillas don't lend themselves well to being dipped into a chile sauce, a step that is required for enchiladas.

I can easily see Streep playing a large middle-aged woman. The one I had a hard time with was the rail-thin fashionista in "Prada."

My mom always made them with saltine cracker crumbs. The recipe I used the other night was with packaged bread crumbs, and it turned out great: 1 16-oz can salmon, not drained, flaked, bones removed or crushed (as I said, we used left-over wild Atlantic salmon that we had grilled the night before, and that greatly improved the flavor and texture of the final product) 1 small white or yellow onion, grated 2 T minced flat-leaf Italian parsley 2 large eggs, beaten black pepper to taste 1 to 1 1/2 cups fine dry bread crumbs 3 tablespoons butter In bowl, combine salmon, onion, parsley, eggs and pepper. Add enough bread crumbs, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup, to make thick enough to shape into patties. Roll patties in bread crumbs to coat. In large skillet, over low heat, fry patties until brown on one side. Turn and brown on other side. Serve with tartar sauce.

So I'm making salmon croquettes for dinner tonight from left-over salmon that we barbecued two nights ago. Loved reading this thread and all of the thoughts about this meal. My family has Texas origins, also pretty far from salmon country, but we had salmon patties fairly regularly. One reason, not mentioned here, is that in Catholic homes, which included us, my mom was always looking for a meatless dinner on Friday nights. Canned salmon was cheap and tasty.

I'm sorry, but that service would merit 10% from me. I'm sure, given the interaction you had with floor managment, should the server have complained about the miserly tip, the reason why would have been promptly explained. As others have pointed out, 15% is average. What you left was not little enough to have caused him to rethink his service, which he clearly should have done.

This has been my experience as well. If I take a bite or two and feel it's been so poorly prepared that I can't possibly enjoy it, I would send it back, but would order something else in its place. I suppose if I were in a huge hurry, like late for a play or something, and didn't have time to wait for something else, I might refuse to pay, but I'd expect that might result in an unpleasant argument, and that's not something I'd do unless I had no other option.

What? You don't think you should have to "lie down and take abuse from someone that thinks they are better" than you? Did I miss something? Um... I don't think you should have to, either.

Yes, that's exactly right. You've got it. For one thing, it's not up to the server to determine what was "exceptional service." That's entirely up to the guest, whether you think they're demanding or not. You thought you were solicitous and attentive. They thought you were hovering and obsequious. You thought you were witty and charming. They thought you were corny and annoying. You thought you got it all right. They thought you forgot his soup and her lemon slices. Ultimately, what you thought doesn’t matter. Unfortunately, like all sales, you take the customer as you find him. You think it's irritating and unfair to work a table and give them what you've decided is "exceptional service," only to discover a low tip? Try working for HOURS and HOURS to sell a "demanding" customer an appliance, maybe even staying much later than your shift ended because they said they'd "be back later," putting a "sold" sign on it so that nobody else could take it, and then having them not even bother to telephone you to let you know they bought a different one elsewhere. Or owning a travel agency and working for DAYS and DAYS on a trip, including paying good money for international faxes and phone calls, ordering a souvenir photo album with their name on the cover, and otherwise spending money, only to telephone them after not hearing for eons despite leaving countless messages telling them their final payment is due, and be told they've changed their minds and want their deposit back. Or working for WEEKS and WEEKS to sell a prospective client a house, spending literally hundreds of dollars on postage and gas and meals and signs and advertisements and open house snacks and wine, only to be told that they've decided to buy a FSBO. Them are the breaks, Honey. That's just part of the deal. And while I'm sure, of course, that you personally have never been on the other end of this equation, for the rest of us in commissioned sales, like I said, you take the customer as you find him. I can't imagine somebody chasing a customer out of Best Buy demanding to know why they didn't buy that TV after the sales person wasted HOURS on them.

What if I don't have access to fresh jalapeños or garlic salt, but I have dried jalapeños and garlic powder. Would it really be such a horrible thing to use those, instead? I've been meaning to make Jaymes' salsa forever (really, for years), and now I have a serious craving for it. Fresh jalapeños are difficult to come by in my area of Japan, though, so I've got a jar of Penzey's crushed jalapeños peppers in my fridge. I could search for canned ones, too, if that would be better. And for the tomatillo version, could I use canned tomatillos? I hauled one back from the US, and am dying to use it before I leave this country. I know it will lack that nice roasted flavour, but since I've never actually had the roasted version, what I don't know won't hurt me. I could also roast the canned ones in the oven for a bit, if that might help. ← You can just roast the garlic and use that, and salt to taste. I do that often, when I'm in the mood. Not sure about your canned jalapenos. Most canned/jarred jalapenos are pickled, "in escabeche." The vinegar adds a different dimension. But it would still be tasty. As I said in my recipe, I usually add a bit of acid to the final product - vinegar, or lemon or lime juice. I'd sure give it a try! I'm not familiar with dried jalapenos, but since you do cook them, so you don't need a fresh "crunch" in the final product, they might well work just fine. Honestly, the recipe is so easy, I'd give it a try with whatever you've got. And although I think I've read somewhere that you're getting ready to move back from Japan sometime in the near future so it will cease to be an issue, want to add that jalapeno peppers grow well almost everywhere. I sent some seeds to a salsa-loving friend in Germany and she grew her own for the several years she lived there. Also, you can use any kind of hot chiles, although obviously the flavor will differ. See if there isn't a fresh chile available on the local market that is similar to jalapenos. It might even be better. Regarding the canned tomatillos... Again, check to see if they're pickled. If not, I think they would work just fine for salsa verde.

I've been making the cream of mushroom soup from Mastering the Art of French Cooking for literally decades. Haven't found anything one bit better. And it always get embarrassingly rave reviews.

Soups and stews are my very favorite. And thanks to you, I'm now aware of an entire category that, prior to your thread, I never really knew existed. Thanks so much, and I'm definitely going to stay tuned.

I think that about sums it up... the customer has the money, the server should expect a cut. The amount of work is not relevant.Following that example, then if I have the means, I should be happy paying $50 for the steak on the menu priced at $25.No, I don't buy that. Who's on first? My "A" plus your "B" does not equal your "C". How does paying $200 for a $200 dollar bottle of wine compare to paying $50 for a $25 steak? He's simply commenting on the logic of saying that if "the customer has the money, the server should expect a cut. The amount of work is not relevant." Going on that premise, the server, regardless as to what he or she does, "deserves" to be tipped according to how much money the customer has. In other words, a "redistribution of wealth" system. The customer is loaded? Then I deserve part of what you have, just because you have it and I don't. You're really loaded? Then fork over an extra $25 bucks for the $25 steak. You shouldn't care. You've got it, you can afford it, so what's the problem? "Just Jim" is just carrying out the "if the customer has the money" theory to the next logical step. Glancing over the clothing, jewelry, car, etc., of the customer, determing their means, and then figuring the tip based solely on that. Obviously ridiculous. Although that's exactly what was said.

Thanks for getting back with us. I've been thinking about you... The best news, for me anyway, is the encouraging signs that your BF is not only willing to help - he's actually enjoying it. And that you're relaxing a bit about the whole thing. Kudos to you both.

Not to mention that all the servers I know really like the idea of going home with some cash right away and not having to wait until payday.

Who are all these people that have no idea what they like?

Yes, my dad, a native Texan, retired cattleman and lifelong barbecue aficionado, prefers the lean, no sauce. But as he will happily tell you, and take hours doing so, it's MUCH harder to smoke that perfectly. It has to be tender, and not dry. Difficult. A true test of the pitmaster's skill.

No kidding. We always order extra intentionally to take some home. Makes great sandwiches.