Wine Word of the Week by Tim Burke of the Palm Beach Post

Wine Word of the Week

Well I am back to posting on wine and food as well as cruiseships. But this time I am going to use my twitter feed to pick out interesting articles for your reading pleasure.

It is much easier and this way I can concentrate on the other blog about cruise ships and destinations.

CNN , Employee Incentives , and a Thought On February

Well here I am about to start my glorious one day off before heading back tomorrow after working 6 in a row. For my reward for getting the highest average cheque for the contest I indulged in a 12 oz sirloin cooked medium rare with a cajun shrimp topper , garlic mash and some frizzy onions. To drink I had a Heineken draft beer and and a glass of the Penfolds Cabernet Shiraz. I was stuffed after that and headed home. There is another contest coming up next week so will try to continue the winning streak.

Just a thought but whatever establishment you work in these contests do mean a lot and don't think for a minute no one cares about coming out on top. Management would do well to hold such promotions.

The other day through email someone at CNN contacted me to talk about what peeves a waiter off and vice versa. So we talked on the phone a bit. It is a story they are doing not on television but in the living section of their web page. She did mention she was going to be talking to a bunch of other waiters so whether anything I said will go into the feature article will remain to be seen. Maybe even some of you have been contacted already. It was fun nonetheless. If anything comes of it and it goes on the internet I will let you know.

Just a note on February and it's 28 days. Were any of you out there wishing there was a couple more work days in the month like I was before the bills at the beginning of the month started rolling in again? It is amazing how a short month really crunches the time between one bill and the next. Thus the reason for working 6 in a row. After today I am on 7 out of 8 days so should be caught up by then.

March is shaping up to be an awesome month and with the temperatures hovering around 5 Celsius or 41 Fahrenheit already Spring may be here to stay. Let's hope so!

Keep on truckin'!

March Is A Pivotal Month

March for me has been the month to get things set up for the summer. So it is work for me this month beginning with picking up two shifts on Tuesday and Wednesday so I am on 6 in a row.

It has been slow some nights during February due to the enthusiastic viewing of the Olympics and this afternoon's gold medal hockey game promises another slow night. Starting at 4 PM today I expect it to be pretty dead and I will get an early cut. Thus the reasoning behind picking up two shifts.

As a side note there is a contest for best average cheque this week and the winner gets a dinner and drinks. Tonight is the last night of the contest and at this moment yesterday I was ahead. So that would be nice to catch. I had a decent average last night as well.

So I am pretty psyched for March so bring it on and with it some warmer temperatures and Spring. Can't wait!

The Answers To Yesterday's Quiz

How did you do? Thanks for trying to get these answers right.

1. Arbois is the secondary grape you may find in a Vouvray.

2. Proper etiquette says that you should sip your soup from the side of the spoon so as to prevent slurping. Quiet please....

3. The syllabub dessert first made it's appearance in England during Elizabeth The First.

4. Cheval Blanc's principal grape variety is Cabernet Franc.

5. Bistrouille or Bistouille in Northern France is a combination of coffee and brandy. It can also be used to describe a poor quality brandy.

6. A Palindrome is when a word can be spelled the same backward and forward.

There you go!

The First Quiz Of The Year

I am returning the quiz.. Believe it or not it didn't attract many visits so depending on how this one turns out I may do it again periodically.

1. Vouvray is a white wine from the Loire Valley near the city of Tours in France. The primary grape is Chenin Blanc but what is the secondary grape you may find in Vouvray that few people know of?

2. Using proper etiquette how should a guest sip their soup using the spoon?

3. Syllabub is a dessert made of whipped cream , white wine to which sherry or brandy may be added , lemon and sugar. Who was the Queen of England at the time this dessert was introduced?

4. What is the principal grape variety in the wine Cheval Blanc?

5. Bistrouille or bistouille is a term used in Northern France for a mixture of brandy and what else?

6. What is a Palindrome? Not cooking or wine related. 2 bonus points.

Canada vs Russia Tonight

Monday the night I was called off some waiters walked out with $17. That's how dead it was. Last night it was almost as dead with some people walking out with $40 in their pocket. I think I was the high roller of the night and I only left $71 richer.

Now with tonight's Russia vs Canada hockey game it is going to be super quiet because a sports bar we are not. Fortunately I am off so I get to see this great rivalry resume. Russia has a great hockey team so we are going to have our hands full. Should be fun to watch.

This afternoon I am doing the quiz for the first time this year. So put on your thinking caps for that one.

Another thing I have noticed is just over 1 in 3 visitors to the waiterextraordinaire blog are new visits. I am encouraged people are coming to check the blog out. For those of you that haven't yet joined the follower list on the home page consider putting your name down. We all need the exposure. I check on who is following often and if they have a blog I will add it to the blog roll.

It means a lot to know people are reading.

Don't Talk During This Moment

When the guest is settling the bill it is important not to talk. If you talk while the person is signing the credit card slip or putting their pin number in the debit machine you could actually blow the tip amount the guest might have left. You may say something that could lead them to think you are sucking up to them. Don't all of a sudden start talking about the weather or something stupid that will detract them from giving you the big tip. You have done the job and now it is time to just shut up.

The pressure is all on them to give you as much as you will get out of them. Don't be nervous about not talking at this moment. There is no need to be overly friendly. This is the time you have been waiting for so enjoy the moment and watch them fret on how much they leave.

Just like a good salesperson who ask for the sale to the prospect by handing them the pen your job is to be quiet until they okay it.

I know there is always a slight inclination during this moment while waiting to say something but by being silent you are telling them buddy this better be a good tip.

When handing them a debit machine just smile and say thank you once again and wait for the transaction to finish before saying anything. Don't even talk to the other guests. They may overhear something and change the amount or just plain carelessly miss a digit in the tip they leave you. Look away and think of something else.

I know that we have all talked during this moment. At least I have and when I do I almost cringe at myself when the guy looks up from the debit machine cause I have wrecked their train of thought.

This is the one time when shutting up is the right thing to do.

There Is A Vague Chance We'll Order Dessert

Those are the words one doesn't like to hear when it is their last table. The couple were sipping and I mean sipping on their last glass of wine and talking. Forty minutes ago I gave them dessert menus which they hadn't even looked at. The guy was a pompous arshole trying to be the ladies' man.

So when I went over there and asked them whether they were going to order dessert at all I get this response. I wasn't impressed as I was now cut and the closer still had a few tables which was giving him something to do.

But last week the role's were reversed and I was the closer and he had this table that was going to take forever. I took it over for him and last night he did the same for me.

I had to get up early this morning so I wasn't keen on staying till the lights came on for this couple. It was worth every penny lost in whatever tip they might have left so I could get home earlier.

Sticking around is a nuisance. It is the law of diminishing returns if people linger like that especially with that attitude. I was just glad I wasn't closing.

Make'em Laugh

Last night I was delivering some bacon wrapped scallops to a table. As I approached the couple I put it in the centre of the table when the ensuing conversation took place.

Her: Oh no that is for my husband. I don't like seafood.
Me: I don't like seafood either.
Her: Oh really.
Me: Yes everytime I see food I eat it!

She and the hubby laugh. Okay , okay maybe it was a bit corny but they liked it.

You Can't Just Work for Money

Oh I know what you are thinking? What is this! A waiter who doesn't care about what he makes in tips??

Hey of course I care about how much I make. I want to make as much as I can but what about if I just wanted to make money for no reason?

Here is what I am saying. No matter what you do for a living if all you want is to make lots of money you will never be happy. You have to have a reason to make money. You only will be happy if you have something to show for the money you are making.

My short term reason is for us to go to Iceland this summer for a couple of weeks. Long term is to pay the mortage down quicker.

What reason is it you work for money? What goals are driving you to work?

Love to hear some reasons why you do what you do.....