I consider myself an amateur cook, one who enjoys cooking for friends and family in the comfort of my own home. This being said, I still relish the opportunity to use the highest quality products when I can. I currently own three knives for my everyday use. That’s right, three. Not a block full of random knives with names like ‘ultra paring’, or ‘double-edged serrated vegetable peeler’. Okay, I made those up, but hopefully you know what I mean. In my knife block proudly resides a 7-inch Santoku chef’s knive, a 4 1/2-inch paring knife and a 6-inch vegetable knife. While I admit that I would one day love to own an entire block of knives, these easily get me by for everyday use.

As for quality of cutlery, there are tons of options out there. Personally, all three of my kitchen knives are produced by Kershaw-Shun. They are Japanese knives and are absolutely wonderful. I have owned my 7-inch santoku since my senior year of college and have yet to send it out for sharpening. An occasional run down the honing steel, and its nearly good as new. I actually sliced off part of my index finger the first time I used it, slicing an onion. I had never experienced a knife that so easily melted through an onion, and with so little effort. I figured, I had bled at the blade of the knife, it was truly mine forever.

I realize that this is somewhat of a dark way to go, and do not endorse the shedding of one’s own blood to feel a connection to the knife, but I will admit that I feel that strongly about what I have chosen to purchase.

In all reality, I could easily survive with only my Santoku chef’s knife. I use it the most, and use it nearly every day. The paring knife is great for small jobs, especially peeling and with smaller vegetables. The vegetable knife is terrific, and makes quick task out of a host of other small items.

Is it necessary to spend $100.00 or more for one quality knife? I will say, yes, it is. If you’re going to spend money, spend it on the best you can find. One, high quality, life-time piece of equipment will pay for itself in usage and longevity long before you every tire of it.

I am not saying that Shun is the only knife make you should consider, but simply the one I prefer and endorse. Global, Wusthof and even Kitchen-Aid make very good products. It just so happens that my favorite Food Networker also uses and endorses my knife of choice, being fortunate enough to have one with his name on it. If only…

For many of you out there, I’m sure one big thing keeping you from cooking more often is having to chop, cut, slice, dice and prepare all of those damn annoying vegetables. Believe me when I say, get yourself one quality blade and prepping vegetables will become on of your favorite tasks in the kitchen.

Servers nationwide work hard and many perform as professionals in their chosen field.  Seeing comments made by people to “get a better job” annoys me because, like most Americans who have never waited tables, the inference has been made that serving is a ‘sub-standard profession’ or not a ‘real’ job.  Last I checked, the service industry continues to operate with ‘real’ money.

I manage a restaurant that firmly knows that the success of their servers equates to our own success as managers.  We speak volumes on the importance of providing the best in food and service that we possibly can, even challenging our staff to provide service equitable to the service experienced at restaurants with significantly higher price points.

Given the current state of the economy the average, and above average, American is constantly looking for for the same thing: Value.  But, what is value? In reality, value is getting the most ‘perceived benefit’ for each dollar spent.  Value is not, I repeat is not, receiving the same level of product and service as accustomed to but simply paying less for it.

This seems to be where the recently experienced trend of declining tip averages appears to begin.  It has become more and more obvious that while people aren’t very willing to downgrade things they are accustomed to, they are more than willing to pay less for those experiences.  Since Americans can rarely control the prices they pay for things, the first thing to get ‘cut back’ on is gratuity, since it is ultimately a ‘controllable’ expense.  

Unfortunately, for service professionals on the receiving end of this trend, the world doesn’t cost less because they are earning less money.  They still have rent, schools, medical expenses, children and families to pay for.  That’s right, just like you, Mr. or Miss 12%.  So I hope the extra 10 bucks that you chose to stay in your checking account makes a big difference in your life.

The other branch on this tree is that my staff, along with thousands upon thousands of others, also do not have the luxury of performing at anything but their highest level at any given point for fear of a bad service review.

We are not perfect, and your server may make mistakes.  Hopefully, your service experiences are all wonderful, but please be tactful when they are not.  Tip 25% or more if service is outstanding and exceeds expectations, Tip 20% when service is good, 15% if service is average, 10% if service is bad and 5% if it is absolutely atrocious.  If you get less than 15% service, speak with a manager but don’t be rude and don’t be disrespectful, it doesn’t help.  One more point this topic, if your server actively and genuinely helps make a problem right, that constitutes good service. 
 
Now, I can admit that 20% is not automatic, nor should it be.  However it should and will be expected if solid, proper service is given.  As for the “why 20%”, I’ll let you in on where that money really goes, because it does not all end up in the pocket of the server.

Most places employ support staff to aid in service.  These people include food runners, server assistants, utility employees and/or bartenders who also work for tips, however these tips come from the servers  When you leave 15% or less after getting good service, the person who loses out most is the server.  They still have to tip out those who are helping them, no matter what.  So when you leave $15 on a $100 tab, you can assume that at least $3-$5 dollars of that tip gets paid in tipout to support staff, netting that server only approximately 10% after tipping out.

There are good, bad and great servers out there everywhere, in every type of service establishment.  Please appreciate and recognize those who have earned it, because they have worked hard to do so.  If you used to go out twice a week but now are forced to tip less on good service, cut back to once a week and tip appropriately, your favorite service professional will appreciate it.  

I most recently spent a weekend in Jackson, MS attending my sister’s wedding. It was most certainly an experience, and hopefully I will get back soon as I know there are many things that we simply did not have time to accomplish. I did, however, manage to wrap my hands around a Southern delight that my sister stumbled upon a few weeks ago: Chicken on a Stick. I will post photos soon, as soon as procrastination no longer controls the manner of which I do so. It was, and I’m not joking, a delectable experience. Tender, white meat chunks of chicken, coupled with Vidalia onion and dill pickle slices, all battered and fried. I felt bad for Brad, my new brother-in-laws older brother, as he picked up a different Chicken on a Stick at a different booth at the Mississippi State Fair. His was simply a gigantic, over-battered chicken finger on a stick. Poor boy, patience is a virtue. My loving sister saw this bastardized version of the aforementioned meat-on-a-stick and emphatically said, “No, we will walk around until we find ‘the one’.” My passion for food may only be rivaled within my family by hers and possibly my aunt, Leslie’s. It took another twenty minutes to find it, and God bless it, it was the last one available at the entire Fair. We decided it best to get food AFTER riding the variety of spinning, twirling, upside-down, side-to-side, stomach turning, g-force fighting attractions, which I will say was the smartest thing we’ve ever done.

Back to the chicken, it was perfect. Crispy, golden and perfectly seasoned, the breading was thin and light, seasoned with nothing but salt and pepper and it was all it needed. I’m a firm believer that salt and pepper are oftentimes the only thing you need to take something to the next level, or at the very least, rescue it from a fate of bland, listless flavor. The sweet onion and still-sour dill pickle made the whole thing a justified combo. I was told by my brother in law that you can also get them at various gas stations, but you ‘have to know where to look’. As we were short on time, and with a looong road trip ahead of us, I will have to postpone the second Chicken on a Stick for my next trip to Jackson.

Anyways, just wanted to share that, and will be including more info about me, my life and family, and hopefully providing some tips and tricks, and maybe a little insight into cooking for those of us who don’t have the luxury of professional training. Cooking isn’t scary, and for me its therapeutic. If you’re looking for a place to learn some great, every-day use techniques, you’re in the right place. I’m going to try very hard to share some things that will make your kitchen life easier and more fun. If there are things out there you are unsure of, feel free to ask. Keep in mind, though, I’m new to this blogging world, so if I’m slow in response, don’t chastise me too quickly, I’ll get better.

eat well,
A

I have never been much of a risk taker, more of a calculated-risk allower.  Many times, the decision not to take a risk was more or less thrust upon me, or dictated by events well beyond the scope of my control.  With that said, I’m taking a slight risk and venturing into the world of expressing myself blindly to a world that may, or may not, end up giving two shits about what I have to say. 

After reading my sister’s blog, and discovering that multiple family members also have blogs (albeit woefully absent of current news) it only makes sense for the member of the family who grew up with the hardest time keeping his little trap shut, finally opened up to the world.

More to come, and finding this much less scary than anticipated..