Text 18876, 86 rader
Skriven 2011-12-09 18:03:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av JIM WELLER
Ärende: restos 340
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 -=> Jim Weller said to Nancy Backus <=-

 NB> how nice to have a waiter willing to
 NB> educate, without being uppity about it...
 JW> I remember a few more like him. They are so rare that they really
 JW> stand out in one's memory. The first time I had Ethiopian food, I
 JW> handed the menu back to the (Ethiopian) waiter unopened, told him it
 JW> was my first time, that I liked lamb and also spicy food and that he
 JW> should take it from there. He just beamed and brought me a lovely
 JW> array of small dishes which he explained in passionate detail as
 JW> they arrived. And introduced me to Tusker beer.

Ethiopian food should be served in this way. Much more fun,
too. I don't remember what they call it (it's like the Indian
thali, only served on an injera rather than in little cups on
a tray).

 JW> More recently there is a enthusiastic young Vietnamese waiter at the
 JW> French place in High Level that I frequent on trips out (the one
 JW> I've mentioned here in my trip logs). His background was in fast
 JW> food and he spent his first week tasting the whole menu all the
 JW> while pestering the chef with questions. "What's that taste?"
 JW> "What's arugula?" "Why are your pasta dishes called French? OK, then
 JW> where's Nice?" (Chef was happy to oblige, recognizing a diamond in
 JW> the rough right away). His next quest is to sample the entire wine
 JW> cellar all the while googling up the label names, grape varieties
 JW> and regions.

It's always great to hear about good mentor-student relationships.
Problem for this one of course is that the young waiter is not going
to stay in High Level forever. I hope his education continues in
the big city.

 NB> I enjoy buffets rather than menus for trying out stuff, since
 NB> one can see it before tasting, and get as small a portion as one
 NB> finds useful...
 JW> I love the concept of buffets in theory but their execution is poor;
 JW> the food is almost universally mediocre, at least around here and
 JW> throughout northern Alberta.

For an extensive buffet, you need an extensive kitchen staff,
without which corners must be cut.

 NB> I'll often ask the waiter about the items, and what
 NB> goes together well... especially as we like to share dishes
 JW> And relating to the comments above I hate waiters that don't know
 JW> the menu where they work. Actually I hate management for not
 JW> training their people. "What do YOU recommend?"... (Glazed
 JW> look)..."Well a lot of people order #3.

That's better than nothing. At least someone noticed that they
order #3.

Milo drop balls
cat: cookie, sweet, gift
yield: 25 to 30

250 g pk milk arrowroot biscuits
4 Tb Milo
400 g cn sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 Tb butterscotch schnapps
1 1/2 Tb Bacchus cream
coconut, for rolling

Line baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Place coconut into a flat bowl.

Place biscuits and Milo in a food processor and mix until
crumbs are fine. Add condensed milk, cream, and schnapps;
mix well.

Use wet hands and roll into small balls. Coat with coconut.
Refrigerate until firm.

Gravity will take effect and they will flatten, so make sure
you leave room around them. Once firm you can reshape them as
you wish. Place them in a Martini glass for presentation when
serving or wrap them in glass and cellophane for a quick easy
gift.

bestrecipes.com.au

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