Text 10089, 116 rader
Skriven 2011-04-29 20:26:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av GLEN JAMIESON
Ärende: Tipping again
=====================
-=> Quoting Glen Jamieson to Michael Loo <=-

 GJ> A tip for a drink?  Something I have never done.  I would rather go
 GJ> without the drink.
 
 ML> One then goes thirsty in the States.

 ML> One is expected to tip (used to
 ML> be a quarter, now it's a buck) for alcohol

 GJ> Is that per drink or per order?

Figure 10% of the tab for beer or two part cocktails and up to 20%
for fancy drinks and excellent attentive service but always a $1
minimum on a single order.

 GJ> So if you order a round for the bar,
 GJ> is a tip added to each and every drink?  If so, why aren't all drinks
 GJ> priced a set %-age or fixed sum more, which would eliminate the
 GJ> necessity for the present degrading and confusing tipping?

That would be preferable to me but in the meantime until the system
changes I'm not going to stiff the staff who get paid about 1/4 of
the minimum wage as they are exempt from the minimum wage laws as
everyone knows they get tips.
 
 GJ> (Apologies to your culture, but "tipping", to me, conjures up a
 GJ> picture of a servile, forelock-tugging peasant placing the steps for
 GJ> an extravagantly dressed nobleman as he descends from his carriage,
 GJ> and being tossed a groat for his trouble.

You're right of course, in theory, but there's no good going to come
of stiffing a waiter or a bartender.

MMMMM-----Meal-Master - formatted by MMCONV  2.10

     Title: Chewy Drinks With Basil Seed
Categories: Beverages, Herb, Spice, Info
  Servings: 1 text file

           basil seed

If you like bubble tea, basil seed is just for you. When immersed in
water, basil seeds form a spherical jelly coating, a kind of natural
tapioca pearl. Bite down and the sphere pops, releasing a mild
floral flavor napped with basil and the slight savoriness of
charnushka. The interior seed cracks with a light crunch, a final
textural reward. Basil seeds are a singularly strange textural and
flavor experience, and if this description sounds at all appealing
to you, they're worth seeking out.

Basil seeds are most common in Southeast Asian and Indian beverages.
In Thailand the drink is called nam manglak, usually scented with
rose water and honey. India has a version as well called falooda, an
adaptation of a Persian dessert from the Moghul emperors, containing
anything from scented syrup and milk to thin noodles and melted ice
cream. All of which is to say that basil seeds are mild in flavor,
more texture than taste, and rife for experimentation.

Fruit drinks of all kinds are begging for some basil seed. My
investigations yielded some strong flavor pairings: ginger added
sweet bite; rose complimented basil's musk; honey brought heady
richness. Coconut, pandan, lychee, and other tropical flavors worked
nicely. But fruit drinks of all kinds are begging for some basil
seed, such as fresh-squeezed lemonade or, when they're ripe,
watermelon juice (watermelon and basil get along swimmingly). Iced
teas of all sorts work well, either minimally sweetened or the
sugar-mad kinds found in bubble tea. But really, basil seeds are
about having fun, so don't sweat the small stuff and play around
however you like.

There are some guidelines worth sticking to. I like just a bit of
basil seed in my drinks, but some bottled versions are more solid
than liquid. I start with one teaspoon of basil seed per eight
ounces of liquid. Once gelled, which happens in about five minutes,
that teaspoon will expand to three tablespoons. If you're making a
more opaque/viscous drink, you may want to soak the seeds separately
before swirling them into your finished drink. This ensures they
fully hydrate.

Also, whatever your drink, keep it cold. Add crushed ice if need be,
and have all ingredients chilled. The fresh pop of the seeds is more
pronounced this way, and as these are all about light summer
refreshment, cold is of the essence. 

I'm sure there are cocktail applications here (cucumbery gin sounds
promising), but I'm happy to stick to my bubbly mocktails, which
allows for more freedom in choosing fruity ingredients. Whichever
way you go, pick up your basil seed now. Summer (and its myriad
beverages) will be here before you know it. In the meantime, there's
iced tea and lemonade just begging for 'em. Time's a wastin'.

Where to Find Basil Seed: Basil seed may not be the easiest to find,
but a few ounces will last you plenty of beverages. Well-stocked
Indian, Thai, or Middle Eastern groceries often carry them, but you
can also get them from the internet. You could also get basil seed
from a gardening supply store or farmers' market, but be sure to ask
if the seeds are safe to eat raw. (Ignore the odd looks; intrepid
spice hunters mustn't be afraid of such things.)

Max Falkowitz
 
  From: Serious Eats                    
 
MMMMM-------------------------------------------------

Cheers

YK Jim


... A jellyfish is 95% water, 4% jelly and 1% peanut butter.

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