Pisco, Packs Quite a Punch

More and more I hear of places serving Pisco or making cocktails out of them, probably Pisco Punch being the most famous. Although it sounds familiar, I thought it was just an old-school fruity drink, but there is actually a lot more history to it than expected.

Turns out that Pisco is a South American brandy distilled from grapes. Where in South America? Well, there's a tiny area called Pisco, but whether it's in Chile or Peru is a matter of some dispute, and of course, slightly different ways of producing the alcohol, although both are aged in clay jars or wooden barrels to mellow.

Chile - tends to be sweeter and lighter because producers add water to reduce the proof of the alcohol. Peru - slightly higher proof and is made with the Quebranta grape, a grape not found in Chile.

In the 19th Century, Pisco became very popular in California, especially in San Francisco, because people were looking for getting the maximum alcohol potency, but in the smoothest way possible. Thus the Pisco Punch was born by Duncan Nicol of "The Bank Exchange and Billiard Saloon" in San Francisco. The Bank, however, closed in 1919, due to Prohibition and in 1926, Duncan Nicol passed away, many thinking the recipe dying with him. However, as we can see, there seems to be a revival and more and more places are serving Pisco and their version of Pisco Punch.

Below are some links to recipes for Pisco Punch, mix and enjoy!

http://www.esquire.com/drinks/pisco-punch-drink-recipe

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pisco-Punch-234788

http://www.cocktaildb.com/recipe_detail?id=3558

And, if you're not in the mood to make your own Punch, here are a couple places in San Francisco that are known to serve up a mean drink, Pisco Punch or otherwise:

http://www.lamarcebicheria.com/web/intro.php

http://www.piscosf.com/

Reservations 101

It would seem that having spent so much time in this industry, you would think most things wouldn't surprise me. I suppose it's not that people don't know how to make a proper reservation that surprises me, so much as how frequently people don't seem to know how to make a reservation.

Below are some of the most common reservation blunders I come into contact with on a daily basis. If any of them sound familiar to you (because you do them), promptly read the remedy following.

1. You don't have any information ready.

Just because you know what day you want your reservation, and what meal period you want your reservation to be for, you should also figure out what time you want your reservation to be and how many people will be in your party. Asking the reservationist what time is a good time to come in tends to leave us speechless. How're we supposed to know what time you want to eat and what your plans are? Just ask for the time you want, if it's not available, you can always see what's open within a certain time frame.

2. Apparently you don't even know your own information.

Restaurants usually like to know your name and phone number in case we need to get ahold of you for any reason. For some reason, people seem to have a hard time giving a number when asked, and sometimes even a name. If you're making a reservation for somebody, it's probably best to give their name, since they'll be the one checking in. As for the number, we usually just ask for it to confirm a reservation, so figure out who you want the reservation to confirm with, you or whoever your making the reservation for.

3. Don't assume we know what date you want your reservation.

Then we get those who seem like they know how to make a proper reservation. They speak slowly, letting us know name, time, number of people. Then, when you get to confirming the reservation, and ask if it's for tomorrow, they're like 'Oh no, it's for xxx' (usually 4 weeks away, or something like that). Really? You didn't think maybe that was what you should've mentioned first so that we were putting the information down for the right date?

4. You don't know what 'reservation' means.

It amazes me how many people call in for a 'reservation' wanting a table in 10 to 15 minutes. Basically, they're on their way in and think it's best to 'call ahead.' At this point, you're really just calling to see if a table is available and if we're willing to hold a table for you if there is one. The worst is when people get angry that you won't make this 'reservation' for them. Even an hour notice is better (although still a little annoying). Don't be angry that we can't accommodate your last minute plans.

Hopefully this little tutorial helps you with making reservations in the future and you'll spare the reservationist some pain. If you have any questions, I'll be available during office hours....

Do You Like It On Top or On the Bottom?

Your yeast, I mean. Depending on what kind of yeast used in fermenting your beer, it either ferments on the top or on the bottom, developing a very different flavor and style of beer. What were you thinking? Personally, I like bottom fermented beers.

"What's the difference?" you may be wondering. Well, the purpose of yeast in beer is that it converts the sugar into alcohol. First off, methodology in top fermented beers is different than that of bottom fermented beers. The fermentation process occurs at warmer temperatures, closer to room temperature, causing the yeasts to act quickly. Also, you want to expose the beer to as much air as possible in the few days that the beer is stored and allowed to ferment. In the end, the yeasts are unable to fully convert all the sugars, and you're left with a fruitier, sweeter, often more complex beer. Top fermented beers include: ales, stouts, bitters and traditionally British beer.

Bottom fermentation is pretty much the opposite of top fermented beer. The beer is fermented at much colder temperatures with minimal air contact and for much longer periods of time, varying from 6 weeks to 6 months. During that time, the yeasts and any by-products fall to the bottom. This process usually results in a cleaner, crisper beer, often known as lagers and pilsners.

Don't Try To Make Me Feel Small, Just So You Can Feel Big

A phenomenon that I've noticed over my years of working in restaurants is how rude and angry people can be over the smallest things. Now, I'm not saying there aren't those moments when a guest has a right to complain, but some of the comments that people make are astonishing. It makes me wonder if by nature, these people are just mean, spiteful and generally unhappy with life, or is it something about us being in the service industry that makes them feel like they can just belittle us? I've experienced it as a manager and most recently I experienced it while hosting. Shocked into silence, I merely gained the respect of my co-workers and manager for not promptly sticking my foot up his ass and kicking him out. Although most felt I had the right to respond in a similarly condescending way, I've learned to merely laugh at these situations and try to not let it get the best of me. But let me tell you the little story of what happened and let you, the reader, decide how outrageous or justified this 'guest' was. I will do my best to also recreate the tone and inflections that were used in our conversation.

It's about 5 minutes before we open at 6 pm, and although the bar is open, the dining room is not. I asked if I could start seating a little early because I know people always filter in a little early, but I was told not to, they kitchen needed every last minute to prep and get ready for the evening...no problem.

As predicted, I had about 3 groups of people walk in who wanted to join us for dinner. Great. I explained to them that the dining room wasn't quite open yet, but if they would like to get a drink or just grab a seat at the bar, I'd be seating them in just a few minutes. Great, still no problems. Then I have my 4th couple walk in, an older couple, perhaps in their 60's who wanted to dine with us. I explain to them the situation, and the man asks if he can have a drink at the table. I let him know that we're still in the process of setting the dining room, so there wouldn't be any service and if he could just wait at the bar, I'd seat him as soon as possible. He responds "Well, that's just too far for me to walk." At first I thought he was joking, the distance to the bar is about 10 feet away, I could easily have sat him at a table that was farther away than the bar was. That, and he said it in a very sarcastic way...but I soon realized he wasn't joking. Well, they just turned around and sat at the bar table right behind them. No problem with me.

Mere seconds tick by and I'm in the process of wiping down my last couple of menus and was about the start seating people when I see the couple get up. As they start walking out the door the man leans over and says "Just a word of advice, you should learn to be more accomodating and maybe you'd have more business." Umm, okay. Well, first he didn't say it in a very nice advice giving way, more of a I hate you and your making me wait for a table way. And second, would it really be better to seat you somewhere when I know you're not going to get service and then you complain about not getting served? There is a method to my madness, there's often a method to any madness at any restaurant you go to...usually. I try to grit my teeth (it helps make the smile stick more), and responded "I'm sorry, I'm really just doing what I've been told and I was told not to seat anyone until 6 pm" And then he taps his head and says "Well, maybe if you started using your head more, you'd be moving up in life..." and then walks out the door. Ouch.

I really didn't know what to say to that. Do I tell him that I have 2 Bachelor's degrees and that I put myself through hospitality school? That I've worked as a manager at 2 different multi-million dollar restaurants and that I'm only working as a hostess now while I look for my next job? No, in the end it's not worth it, to stoop to his level or try to explain anything to him. But just remember, the next time you want to take a verbal crap on your server, or host or anyone who's offering you some sort of customer service, do they really deserve it, or are you just being cranky. Cause I think usually you're cranky, but sometimes, they really do deserve it...trust me, I know they do.

Dried, Canned or Frozen?

Ever wonder what's the best option for cooking? Although, fresh is always best, sometimes we just have to use the convenience of frozen, canned or dried foods.

You may or may not be surprised to learn that both canning and freezing food is an effective way of preserving most of the nutrients in vegetables and fruits. You do lose a minimal amount of Vitamins A and C during the heating process before they are canned or frozen, but it's comparable to the same amount you would lose while blanching the veggies before cooking them. In fact, some scientists believe that both of these processes help to better preserve the nutrient carotene, because the exposure to light is minimized. Other vitamins and nutrients tend to hold up quite well, and canned meats tend to hold their nutritional value similar to fresh. The only other thing to be aware of when it comes to frozen foods, is how texture may change. Foods that have a high water content could become more soggy when thawed. This is because as the item is freezing the water cells expand, and often burst, when the foods thaw, the water is no longer kept in the cell walls and essentially leaks out. I don't recommend freezing tofu for this reason (although some people love frozen tofu), it develops a spongy texture. And although flavor is still retained, I don't recommend mushrooms, unless they're going into some sort of saute or stew, but they're no longer viable raw.

Dried foods also maintain their nutritional value quite well. In fact, ounce for ounce, pound for pound, it actually contains more nutrients than the fresh. That's because as the water evaporates, the vitamins and minerals become concentrated. However, you must remember, that when consuming 2 ounces of dried fruit, could be equivilant to eating much more of that fruit than you normally would. And as the nutrients become concentrated, so do the calories. For example, eating a handful of dried apricots, could be like eating 5 apricots, but normally, you would maybe only eat 2. So, although dried fruits make a great nutritional snack, if you're trying to shed some pounds, be aware of all the extra calories you're consuming as well. Like freezing and canning, the most depleted nutrients are Vitamins A and C, but the process of sulfuring helps protect that loss a bit, so you can always look for dried fruits and veggies that have gone through that process (drying foods tends to darken them, most commercially dried foods go through the sulfuring process to maintain the colors we're accustomed to).

Trans Fats...A Man-Made Evil

We hear about it all the time, how trans fat is so bad for us, how we need to avoid eating it. But do we really know what trans fat is? Probably not. And if not, how do we know what to avoid? Do we even know why it's bad for us? Maybe, but again, probably not...

Basically, trans fats were created by manufacturers in the early 1900's. It's a method called 'hydrogenation' which makes liquid fats, solid. This allows foods to have a longer, more stable shelf life, as well as help maintain flavor stability. So, we see it everywhere in the food labels, 'partially hydrogenated oil.' Yup, that's trans fat. Mostly, because this fat is a manufactured fat, we're most commonly going to see it in processed foods: cakes, cookies, chips, and most other snack foods. I suppose that's partially why they tastse so good! Trans fats are also found in minimal quantities in animal based foods. So, as we already knew, we want to minimize our intake of animal fat.

But why are trans fats so bad for us? Like saturated fats, it raises our LDL, or bad cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease and ultimately heart failure. Now we have to pay attention to both our saturated fat intake as well as trans fat intake. Lowering our intake of one fat, may result in higher intake of the other. As consumers, we can really only rely on ourselves to read the labels, but we have to know how to read them to get the most benefit from the information we're being provided. Hopefully, you'll now be able to make slightly more educated choices the next time you're at the store.

You Wanna Wax My Apple?

No, I want a wax apple.

Mmmm... wax apples. It only took me nearly 30 years to figure out what the name of these delicious fruits were called. Growing up, I was only able to access the little gems when I would visit family in Taiwan, so only knew them by their Chinese name, lian wu. But, fortunately I've finally been able to find out their English name, also known as a bell fruit, rose apple, chomphu and a couple other names.

Most commonly, the fruits range from a paler pink to a dark crimson, purple and sometimes black. They can also be found white, pale green or green, but perhaps less commonly. If you ever have a chance to taste them, you should look for ones that are darker in color. They are shiny and look as if covered in wax, hence the name, although they really look nothing like apples. The fruit is crispy on the outside and has a sort of cottony texture on the inside. May not sound very appetizing, but they really are yummy, especially on a hot day, they can be very refreshing. The flavor is actually quite subtly, more sweet and juicy than anything else. But if I had to describe the flavor I would say that it has a hint of lychee.

Absolutely delicious, I can only hope that we'll soon be able to import them here to the US. Previously only able to get them in Taiwan when they were in season, I can now get them any time of year in China ( a fruit, not previously seen there), signs that there has been advances in the growing process? One can only dream....