MetsFan5

Well, to be honest, I wasn't alive then, or if I was, I was too young to recall such a situation. Yet again, do you tip at MCdonalds or Chick fil a , or Wendy's? Of course not. Such places don't even permit tip 'jars'. Just as weddings without a cash bar (where the host pays) doesn't permit tip jars. Once upon a time I ate a grilled cheese sandwich in a Woolworths at the counter and yes, I'm sure my parents tipped. Just as I tip when I sit at a a counter in a diner or at the bar in a restaurant. There's a very big difference between those situations and a Dunkin Donuts.

They took all the McDonalds out of EWR as well.

No, I don't tip someone who hands me a drink and a donut. Maybe, if they give me actual coin change, then I will. But I don't tip at McDonalds, so why would I tip at D&D? I do tip at Starbucks. All the restaurant I have worked in are in the North East, within a 30 mile radius, some closer, to NYC. I

Have you ever worked as a waiter? Your wife working at the counter of a D&D hardly counts-- I don't tip when I go there and I tend to tip everyone from cable installers to baggage handlers to whomever provides me with take out food at a restaurant Who is "screaming" about making $2.13 an hour? I had days where I would average $50 an hour and days where I had to take cash out of my own pocket-- because customers (mainly foreigners) tipped me so poorly that between tipping out the busboy and the bar, with such shitty tips I had to open my own wallet. When people do not tip appropriately, it costs the server money to wait on them. We can argue whether the current system is right or wrong, or what can be changed, but the bottom line is the system is what it is. If you dislike it so much, you are free to dine at home or at fast food establishments. If there weren't servers out there, busting their asses for tips because of the non existent $2.13 an hour pay, you wouldn't be able to dine out and enjoy being waited on. If you view it as such an issue, please, by all means, do not dine out.

Also? If you haven't lived off of tips alone, well, you don't really have a leg to stand on. I don't work now, simply because my circumstances don't need me to, but I do have a skill that, god forbid, I needed to work and support my family (highly unlikely, but whatever) I could and I could do extremely well. Not a lot of educated people have that to fall back on.,

Host's note: this post and its responses were moved from the Blacklisting Cultural Bad Tippers topic. This is completely untrue. 100% untrue in my vast experience. I reported the bulk, not all of my tips. My "pay" was 2.13$ an hour and would be if I had to go back to the grind. I had a LOT of days where I was in the red-- as in, after working a slow lunch and tipping out the bartender and busboy and getting shitty tips, I owed the 'house' money (which was generally forgiven) AND I had to pay to get my car out of an expensive parking garage-- the only option for me to drive to work. Sorry, not walking six miles in Northern Nj where the weather is precarious at best. But hey, you know on single bartender who makes a lot of money. Bartenders tend to do well and also do not have the 2.13$ hourly wage that servers do, at least not in most states. Also? Before you suggest a person tries a different job, perhaps you should consider the physical, mental and hustle abilities needed in a waiter position. Walk a mile in ones shoes, and THEN talk. I know all about any included fees as an American. I have a BA in Hotel & Restaurant Management. I've spent a decade of my life dedicated to serving people, not as a way to live, because the income is dependent on so many factors, but because I genuinely loved it. But to think a server is being paid decently and even to suggest they might even have access to a solid health care plan is ignorant. Walk a mile in any pair of my shoes that waited on a minimum of 20,000 tables and then let's talk. And because of my experience, that's why my husband felt it was important to educate his employee and continues to do so.

I'm glad your server was able to resign herself to accepting that people from different cultures just won't accept the US culture of tipping (despite them happily accepting 20% from me while I've been in Europe). It is frustrating, but certainly not personal. However, I find it not so much misinformed when Europeans come to the US and don't tip appropriately as they just don't think it's a valid way to spend money and show appreciation. And that pisses me off. I don't go to other countries and expect them to speak English, or basically go with any assumptions that their culture resembles that of my own area of the US. I educate myself and behave accordingly. 98 % of visitors to the US from overseas are well aware of our cultural tipping standard, they just won't part with their money. Any international visitor that seeks out fine dining or well established and well regarded restaurants are well aware of the US tipping culture. They aren't going to Hard Rock or Applebee's, at least in this instance and the instances I found myself in (I have only worked in fine dining). The other 2%? I attribute to business travelers who aren't used to expensing meals where a 20% tip is acceptable to expense. My husband had an awkward moment with one of his reports from the UK who on his visit to NYC only tipped 8% on all expensed meals. Said person genuinely thought any tip higher would raise flags with compliance as it would have had he been in the UK, my husband explained it was fine here. A difficult conversation, sure, but one my husband felt necessary.

I went down to the studs in areas of our kitchen. In February living in northern NJ. It's tough. My floors throughout the house are all oak so I had some sanded down and restrained, mainly in the kitchen. My puppy has done a number in our living room so we are waiting to negate those scratches. Best of luck! Kitchen renos are a bitch!

Scuba-- could you tell me more about the sushi rice sticks? They look awesome. As does the whole meal!

I'm jealous of the corn! Where in Fl did you go? I'm going to Marco Island Saturday for two weeks and looking forward to lots of fresh grouper. Your tomatoes look perfect! And, really, what's a summer meal without good corn? It's been not so great here in Nj so I am super envious of everyone's corn-centric meals!

What size egg do you use?

I've never HAD to cook. My mother is first generation Italian and a decent cook. My dad mastered the grill. I studied Hotel & Restaurant Mgmt in college and worked in high end restaurants so I got used to eating very well. I don't really LOVE to cook; I get easily frustrated with failures that result in money and food tossed in the garbage. It's not so much the money as it is the waste of food. I can make a great sauce, a super lasagna, but I wouldn't say I enjoy cooking. I don't know why anyone would assume that's a given just because someone posts here. I love food, I love dining out, I love eating and I love learning. But I don't love cooking. Not yet. But I think I will get there. ETA- hoping to sneak past my pup recovering from surgery for- GASP- a corndog that I will dip in ketchup as a late night snack, or really, a delayed dinner.

Thanks for the Crepes-- I think it's my user error and not your directions! I also think, from previous posts, I had overblown expectations. Which is fine, the only way I will learn is by trying, and trying again. Much to my pups pleasure!

This is a must try on the BGE.

Also, should I just toss the bowl of olive oil coated smaller bits and try again or is it worth saving and shoving in the fridge to try again tomorrow?

Actually, after testing the temperature after over an hour of having the cauliflower in, the temp turned out to be 412 and not 350 which is even more baffling. While I need to call my contractor who installed my ovens (he's on vacation for a month)- I will buy a cheap oven thermometer.

Not so successful yet again. I'm so really confused as to why pieces browned up nicely yet were soggy. I dried the heads for a half hour, shook them vigorously, and used less than 2tbsp of olive oil. The oven was at 350 and I kept switching the sides, flipping the cauliflower and after over an hour, after picking at bits, this is what I got, after cranking the heat to 450 for 5 minutes. Luckily, the dog likes it. Some parts were, okay but not great. Most of the head crumbled badly. I have the other half, which is smaller pieces in my mixing bowl (I wanted to try one tray at a time) Nx have no idea what, if anything, to do with it. Sometimes I think I should just stick with what I know.

Well i don't have a mandolin slicer so I'm not really seeing exactly how to slice a crumbly head of cauliflower into thin slices without making a mess of the whole thing. But I can use google. They probably have more images. Also, while they gave me help, to the point where I tried and was halfway successful, the temperatures and times are widely varied. I'm not dumb but I'm not exactly an experienced home cook. I don't know how to take that comment except being snippy. I read all 14 pages prior to my last attempt. I thought the purpose of this place was one for suggestions and help.

I tried this recipe last weekend. I think a few things made it almost awesome,but not quite: - my oven temperature needs to be calibrated. - I didn't slice the cauliflower thinly, I just broke off florets. How would one go about cutting a head of cauliflower relatively thinly? - I washed the cauliflower and it seems I didn't allow for enough time for it to completely dry. - I got a bit slap happy with the oil once the cauliflower was on the cookie sheet. A bit too oily. The smaller pieces were pure perfection, crispy, caramelized, just shockingly good. My husband and I kept snatching up the tiny browned bits. Better than popcorn. It also took longer than anticipated. Does anyone have any other tips? I just got another head and really want all of it to be as amazing as the smaller pieces.

That sounds perfect. It's way too hot to imagine grilling.

That calamari looks like onion rings to me. I always look for tentacles- they've my favorite.. Was it good? I am so jealous of your McDonalds hash browns. I LOVE those things- crispy, salty, hot and delicious!

Or even a hot pot and some ramen?

The OP hasn't responded so that doesn't help us much. Personally, I was (rightfully so after a nasty accident) scared of quality knives.. Maybe all she needs is a can opener and a pot.

Yum! I really need to try making zucchini pancakes! I also dip my bacon and sausage into syrup. My husband thinks I'm nuts but I love that salty and sweet flavor.

We did sweet Italian sausages on the BGE with baked potatoes and Marsala wine sautéed mushrooms. We live where Washington made his HQ in the winter, there's a lot of events panned but the forecast is rain. I'm going to try searing scallops for the first time with a pan sauce of butter, capers and white wine.