Nickel and Dimed

I take great pleasure in recommending others, raving about their services and/or products and telling others how great it is.  I really do love that.  There's a restaurant (locally owned; my fave) that I've told you all about in the past and I've always been very favorable and enthusiastic about.  But, today, I'm not feeling so warm and fuzzy.  In fact, I'm pretty irritated.

My mom and I stopped in there for lunch today.  I ordered one of the specials, which was a turkey Philly.  Neil's a big fan of chicken Phillys, so I reasoned, it must be good with turkey too.  I asked the waitress what kind of peppers they use on the sandwich and she said "bell peppers."  I then asked if they had hot cherry peppers. 

She went to the kitchen and asked and I actually heard the answer "yes."  Ok, great.  I'd like the Philly but ask them to add some hot cherry peppers to the bell pepper please.  No problem.

It was a bit odd to me that the cherry peppers had been battered and fried.  What?  But, they were tasty this way, although I've never, ever seen them cooked this way.

For my side dish, I got fried green tomatoes, which come with a sauce.  Mine turned over and started filling up my sandwich basket.  I asked for an additional sidecar of the sauce. Turns out the sauce was pretty good dabbed on the sandwich.

So, it's all good.  Mom and I were both pleased with our lunch.  We had a really attentive and pleasant waitress.  Then we looked at the check.  They charged us $.50 for the cherry peppers and $.50 for the replacement dressing.  Are you freakin' kidding me?  

First, in the modern world of rip-off tea that we live in (see this post), it is inexcusably tacky and in poor taste for ANY restaurant to nickel & dime their customers on an extra piece of cheese, more salad dressing, adding onions to a burger, putting jalapenos on whatever I say to put them on, or whatever.  It was all I could do not to blow my stack over this check.  Let's break this down, shall we?

So, from this previous post, we know that a glass of iced tea costs (give or take) a whopping $.11 to make.  I don't have supplies on hand tonight to conduct one of my super-scientific studies, but I feel confident in these statements. 1) If salad dressing costs $.50/Tablespoon, we'd all be eating dry salad because we simply couldn't afford a bottle of dressing to keep in our fridges, and 2) $.50 worth of hot cherry peppers would easily fill up a shoebox, which as any idiot can surmise, is way too much for one, a dozen or even 45 Philly sandwiches. So, to the owners of "XXXX" restaurant in Cayce (names changed to protect the innocent), please explain the logic behind charging me for these miniscule additions to my lunch order.  

Other than petty, arbitrary and capricious upcharging that does nothing but piss off a previously happy-to-praise-and-rave-about-you customer?  Huh? Hell, if you need the dollar that bad, take it out of your insanely inflated tea revenue!

The Spice Rack(et)

I've been grocery shopping since I was a teenager.  As my mom's real estate career took off and she had to work late at times, my dad and my sister and I became very domestic. Dad learned to cook, I started reading cookbooks and Katherine and I did all the shopping.  When he decided to teach himself to cook, my dad went all out.  He didn't have any interest in making french toast for supper or making a killer spaghetti and meatballs. No, he decided to cook the dishes he likes to order in a restaurant, so it was Veal Oscar and Lamb Chops with Pesto Cream for us!  He'd come up with some dishes and my sister and I made the list for those meals and all the other stuff in between.  Armed with that list and a blank check, we'd hit the Irmo Winn Dixie and shop away.  Interestingly enough, even though we had a blank check with us, we became meticulous label readers and comparison shoppers.  Each week we would come home, unload all the bags onto the counter so we could visually survey just how much we'd been able to buy for (our) money. This was such a valuable experience and education for us, I can't even adequately put it into words.

And it carried us into and has remained with us through our adulthood.  Just the other day, I had occasion to see just how much this really has stuck with me.  I needed cayenne pepper.  

As I often do, I stand in front of the spice area in the store and start scanning the shelves from top to bottom.  I've known for a long time now that this is an area of HUGE profit in the grocery biz.  Most people arrive at the spices, spot what they need, conveniently right at eye level, pick it up, toss it in the basket and off they go.  NO!  BACK UP!  YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG! That's exactly what "they" want you to do!

Packaged herbs and spices are one of the biggest rackets in the grocery industry.  If you've ever grown herbs yourself, you know how little it costs. Most major grocery chains have their own private label, which I truly believe all come from the same place. For the most part, they carry the usual suspects (basil, oregano, sage, garlic powder, etc.) and some of the more interesting and special herbs and spices.  Then, there are the pretty little glass jars that attract most people's attention.  They look much prettier than the grocery store brand and they are much more interesting than the old school ones that are still in the little metal canisters that we all remember from the 60's & 70's. I imagine it being like that scene in "Finding Nemo" when Marlin & Dory happen across the spooky, terrifying fish with the hypnotic light on the end of its antennae...it's so pretty.  So, most folks see the pretty little bottles, grab that cayenne and continue on without a second thought. 

If you continue scanning those shelves, like I did the other day, you may find some pleasant surprises.  In this case, I wanted cayenne pepper.  The little glass jar of pepper (at eye level) was $4.49.  Just one shelf down (about hip level) was Zatarain's cayenne for $1.49. 

Same number of ounces, same ingredient, different shelf, dramatically different price.  See, that's what "they" are banking on. They have studied our nature and know that most people will spot what they seek, grab it and go.  But, seriously, a $3.00 difference?  It's simple robbery on the spice route!  Look one shelf down and you'll encounter the special blends such as "Cajun spice," "blackening" spice, or "Creole" spice.  The price tag is offensive to me.  Read the label and you'll probably find that you have all those spices at home in your cabinet right now.  You don't need a sketch of Prudhomme on the label to make it authentic.  But,the advertising and marketing geniuses are betting that you either don't know this or are too lazy to mix up your own stuff.

Ok, I have one concession to this rant.  Maybe you (I, we, they) are simply too busy or just not inclined to spend this time or attention to this matter.  No big deal.  Do your own thing, ride your own ride.  But, if you're like me most of the time, I want to find the true value, the true deal and spend an honest buck. If that's you, devote about 5-10 minutes to really check out your grocery store's herb/spice aisle.  You may be surprised and enlightened by what you discover. 

   

New-fangled Sausage & Peppers

I love how romantic and classic Italian food always sounds. Just the mere mention of it can conjure up images, aromas, even flavors. But, in reality, I find (most) "traditional" Italian fare pretty disappointing. Now, before anyone fires up the Fiat and starts heading over here to beat me senseless with a massive mostaccioli, let me explain. I LOVE Northern Italian food most of all. But, here in the U.S. (at least the part I grew up in) "Italian" is pretty much synonymous with tomato sauce, pasta, onions, peppers and meat.

One dish that always sounds enticing to me is sausage, peppers and onions. 

There's just a couple of problems here.

• I hate sausage. Well, I love the flavor of sausage, but not what sausage is. I'm very particular about meat. Fat, gristle, bones, hard unidentified shit, etc. doesn't belong in meat and certainly not in any food I'm going to consume. 
• Peppers are ok to me in small doses. Qualification: jalapenos and chiles I'm good with because I like some heat. But when it comes to bell peps, I get more picky. I like green ones for fajitas, pizza, sauces, etc. But, it makes me mad when yellow, orange and red bells are marketed as "sweet" peppers. NO THEY AREN'T. They still taste like a regular old bell pepper, but milder in flavor. There ain't nothin' sweet goin' on here. 

• Onions are wonderful. But, combine them with bell peppers and tons of tomato based sauce and my experience with an Upper G.I. at age 17 enters my memory like a herd of elephants. But things have changed. 

Over Thanksgiving, Aunt Kathy introduced me to something similar yet different. Chicken and apple sausages and (actual) sweet peppers.

Since she's in Florida, she has Publix stores at her disposal that make ours here in S.C. look microscopic. In fact, when we returned after the holiday, I searched my Publix to make sure I hadn't overlooked these items before. Nope. So, I talked to one of the employees and told him about these sausages and peppers I'd seen in Publix-land. Well, sometime this month, I noticed them showing up here. I have no doubt that I had absolutely NOTHING to do with that. I'm just glad that they are here. 

I'll quit rambling and let you know more about what I'm talking about... In the bacon/sausage/lunch meat cooler, look for "Alfresco" sweet apple chicken sausage. They are low fat, all natural and gluten free. The best part? Smooth texture, no gristly weirdness and they taste awesome, especially grilled. Next is the peppers. In the produce section, look for bags of small, multi-colored peppers. I don't know what brand name is on them, but you can't miss them. Kathy rubbed them with olive oil and then popped them on the grill. Here's the significant thing: THESE PEPPERS ARE ACTUALLY SWEET. Finally, truth in advertising :-) 

To be honest with you, the old Italian sausage with peppers and onions doesn't even sound remotely appetizing anymore now that I've discovered this delicious (and more interesting) alternative. If you're a traditionalist, I respect that; more power to you! But, branch out and try these too. I think you'll be happy about having another sausage and pepper dish in your repertoire!

Greek Salad Craving

I hate to admit it, but my mind wandered today during the sermon at church. I was listening and following along but *all of a sudden* feta cheese popped into my mind.  This of course led to olives, peppers, lettuce.  Oh no...I'm dreaming of a Greek salad during church. I'm pretty sure there's no specific commandment in the Bible like "Thou shall not daydream about Greek food in the Temple" but it's probably something God would frown upon...right?  

This is my church.  It's a beautiful building and was the 1st house of worship built in Columbia

Well, completely by accident, my mind went there.  Next, it was whirring around like the Tasmanian Devil...my eyes began moving (I'm a visual person) trying to locate a Greek place anywhere near where I was headed today.  Then, inside my head, I heard a loud Hosanna!  (I was in church, you know)  I could call ahead on my way to work, pop into the Grecian Gardens and bag myself a big ol' salad to go.  Yes, it's a plan.  That is what I'll do.  Wait, who's that talking?  Oh yeah, I'm in church...it's the minister.  I'm back, I'm listening, I'm back from mental vacation.

Here's the thing.  In some ways, I've become kind of cynical about restaurants.  You ask for something in most places and you have a teenager screw up their face, pop their hip out to the side and say,  "Oooh,  we HAVE TO charge extra for that."  This amuses me on a couple levels.  I love the concept of having to charge extra to satisfy your customer. Who made this rule and who enforces it? "You have to charge them more.  I command it.  I will strike you with furious anger if you give them anything!"  The other thing that's so funny about it is people like my Mom.  She loves this comment.  She then replies with something like "I have money.  This is my order.  I can pay for it." No one in my family is going to walk away bickering over $.75 but it's ridiculous that a restaurant owner would even risk losing any customer over such a pittance.  

Anyway, I called Grecian Gardens today from the car.  A very pleasant young man answered.  I said, "Hi.  I'd like to place a pick-up order.  I'd like a small Greek salad, with no tomato, and I'd like some extra feta."  (Disclosure:  I know from years of experience that you can ask for extra anything and they may sprinkle a little on top or ignore you altogether.  But, every now and then, someone surprises you and does what you ask)  There was no further discussion other than him asking me my name.  No charging extra dialogue...just "thank you very much, it'll be ready in 10 minutes."

So, when I got to the office and opened up my salad box, I was delighted at what I found.  It was a big, beautiful Greek salad with FIVE olives, FIVE pepperoncini (the small tender kind that I love), no tomatoes (so many people in restaurant kitchens apparently think I'm just joking when I say no tomato, so they give it to me anyway) and...get this...not an extra sprinkle of feta on top.  NO, NO...they gave me a container of extra feta!  Can this be happening?  And, I'd forgotten that Grecian Gardens does this, but there was also one of their signature small round loaves of homemade bread!  This salad was shaping up into a true event.  

So, as guilty as I felt about conjuring up the idea of ordering this yummy pile of deliciousness during church, I quickly got over it.  Clearly, there was a plan for me today.  Have a perfect salad, done the way I like it, and a little bit of culinary joy on this fine Sunday!

Bye bye Bangkok

Back in the early to mid 90's, my best friend Heidi and I were in our early 20's and were just starting out as "real adults."  She and Lloyd finished grad school and moved to Atlanta.  Being single, I could jump in the car and head to ATL pretty much at a moment's notice to hang out for the weekend.  Not only were these trips to spend time with "The Hoser" and "The Barber" (it's a long story) but for all the cool dining that Atlanta offered that Columbia didn't.  

On one trip, Heidi took me to my first Thai restaurant.  As a former Thai delegate to the Model U.N., I couldn't be more excited!  (Ha Ha...can you believe that?)  It was a place in  Virginia Highlands and was completely new to me.  I loved every second of it.  But, malheureusement, there were no Thai restaurants at home.  But, somewhere along the way in the mid 90's, my dad found Bangkok.  

It was (and still is) a small place in a strip mall on Garner's Ferry Rd.  I remember going there first with him and mom and was overjoyed to find the place.  I have been there many times and ordered many dishes, but haven't been in years.  I always had positive memories and sentiments about the food.  I met Neil there today for lunch, as he was working nearby.  Alas, my discovery of Mai Thai has prejudiced my palate and Bangkok has either changed for the worse or my memory was just being generous.

Bangkok is still small, which I always find endearing.  But, it's showing age and frankly, neglect.  Dingy carpet, cheap chairs, crack-n-peel numbers on the wall over the booths, a cashier stand crowded with junk and a kitchen door that needs paint and a proper door handle were the first things that caught my eye.  We were given a table but then Neil had to get up to get menus for us. Now, here's what alarmed me about the menu.  They've always had Chinese stuff on it and that's ok.  So, they have it separated out into the Chinese lunch menu and the Thai Special lunch menu.  The Thai menu doesn't have ONE SINGLE curry dish on it!  What?  How in the world can you NOT have curries on a Thai menu?  They do have Pad Thai, Pad See-iw, some other noodle and rice dishes, satay and one noodle soup, but this stuff is all "mainstream" Thai.  Frankly, this is what everyone was introduced to back in those early 90's days.  Now that Thai is so well-known in America, I can't believe the lunch offerings are still so rudimentary.  It was a disappointment.


The server irritated the #*&%! out of me.  She's one of those hurried people that rushes up to you and immediately says something charming like "What do you want to have?"  I asked her if we could get a lunch size curry and she said "yes." Great!  I proceeded to order a Panang Curry with Shrimp.  As I saw her write on her pad a figure that started with '12',  I asked her again.  This time she said, "no."  Well, that's what I just asked you lady!  So, I fell back and punted with the Pad Thai.  After all,  I'd remembered that their version was good.


Well, disappointment again.  The shrimp were nicely cooked on the grill, but the dish just plain lacked flavor.  I know the peanuts were there because I could feel them, but they had no taste whatsoever.  That can only mean they weren't fresh.  The green onions were cut into 1 1/2" pieces, cut right across the scallion.  So, they were like green onion stalks.  Not really edible that way.  The bean sprouts tasted completely raw.  I can eat raw sprouts; my mom used to grow them in a dark kitchen cabinet.  But in a dish, they should be at least slightly cooked and warmed.  Overall, this pad Thai just tasted bland and honestly, looked bland too.  Thumbs down.

Just didn't cut it!

Next, Neil's dish:  he decided to go the Chinese route and ordered pepper steak and asked if they could make it extra spicy.  As you all know, he likes EVERYTHING spicy!  Really spicy.  So, when he asks if you can do it and you say yes, then do it.   Well, you guessed it...no spiciness at all!  Pepper steak is pretty straight forward; bell peppers, onions, thinly sliced steak.  Neil reported that the entire dish was merely "okay."

No color: bell peppers are green but they are hidden in this mess

To wrap up, we both decided that we're taking Bangkok off our restaurant radar.  When it comes to Thai food in Columbia, we just have no restaurant that measures up to Mai Thai.  They have our loyalty.  

Lazy Friday Night "Supper"

So, I've been a cooking fool this week, which makes me happy.  But, today I returned home with no plan in place, yawning my 'you-know-what' off and tons of leftovers and knick-knacks in the fridge.  Yes, it was time for mystery "antipasto."

I assembled a few things:  a plate of Greek black olives, garlic marinated green olives, Alouette spreadable brie (Neil hates brie rind.  I mean, really hates it so this stuff works for him), pepperoncini, pepperoni, sharp cheddar slices and water crackers.  And, I sauteed a couple of mini-crab cakes, although at the time of this writing Neil hasn't eaten his, so he's about to forfeit them.


Neil has a biz trip coming up, so this weekend will be more fun for cooking while he's here.  I have my (FREE) pound of chicken I got from Earth Fare and some nice looking pork chops in the fridge, so I think I can make an interesting weekend of it.  Since tomorrow is the Iceman Challenge, he'll probably be hungry enough to eat shoe leather tomorrow night.