January 28, 2004:
Q: I love the Hoki Fish! We need to have it more often, but not on the same night as Chicken Fingers because they are both so good and I can't have enough of both in a single meal. Thanks!
A: Glad you like the Hoki. We have had trouble getting it in the past, but have been able to secure a vendor who seems to be able to provide it on a regular basis. If all works out you will be seeing it more often Thanks for writing!

January 27, 2004:
Q: With as much parm stuff commons cooks, chicken parm, eggplant parm, veggie pattie parm...i was wondering if you could add zuchini parm. its pretty simple...all you have to do is juliene the zuchini and layer it like the eggplant parm. its really tasty... btw, dinner for vegans and vegetarians on 1/27 was amazing. thank you!
A: No problem.....I will forward to the menu committee and I wouldn't be surprised if you see i ton a brunch soon. Thanks for the suggestion...keep them coming

January 27, 2004:
Q: Thank you for the great food we have been getting during the winter semester. I was very happy to see tortittas on a more regular basis in Commons. They are a great substitute for a real meal. A lot of Bates kids love those tortittas and on behalf of all of them- could you please keep serving them more often. Thank you!
A: You got it.

January 27, 2004:
Q: Just wanted to say love the sugar free cakes! also the cream of tomato >soup is the best friday option ever, love the new more tomato-y recipe. >however i was wondering if we could have more low-fat dressing options at >the low ceiling salad bar. and is there anyway to find out the nuritional >info on the egg/tuna salads? is low-fat mayo used, or can it be? thanks a >lot and keep up the good work!
A: The egg salad is actually made with high test mayo, but that is easily remedied and will not effect the taste or quality. Exactly what nutritional information would you like about the egg salad? Thanks for writing!

January 27, 2004:
Q: what's the deal with you calling boiled chicken with grill marks one one side "grilled chicken". i'm not sure who you hope to fool, but its certainly not me.
A: It is not our intention to fool anyone..... You are correct in you assessment that there was more then one cooking technique used in preparing the "grilled " chicken today. The process used is as follows: the chicken is placed on the grill marked, then baked in the oven...not boiled- we never boil chicken. The reason that we are unable to grilled the chicken till done, is that we do no have the space to accommodate a grill large enough to produce the volume needed. If you would like to take a tour of the operation please let me know and I would be happy to make arrangements.

January 26, 2004:
Q: alright... too lazy to write on an actual napkin so here it is: parmesan peppercorn salad dressing yum. bring it back please :)
A: It is still here. It is on the salad dressing rotation.

January 26, 2004:
Q: The crab and squash bisque was amazing! Thank you!
A: Thanks. The only change we are going to make is to put the crab in after the soup base in pureed so you can get a better sense of the crab.

January 26, 2004:
Q: Could we have nutella for our bagels and toast please?
A: We have been looking into this, but have not been able to find a distributor who can get it for us in institutional pack. We will keep trying.

January 26, 2004:
Q: Since the comments on the napkin board have been so harsh lately, I decided it was important to let you guys know how great Commons has been lately. The MLK food last week was awesome---it was great to have some good Southern food just like back home. And it was also nice to see chicken parm. and the sundae bar make their triumphant return last night...my friends and I missed them. And of course, the staff is always nice. Thanks!
A: Thanks for writing!

January 26, 2004:
Q: All-Beef hotdogs are awesome. Pleassssssssssssse?
A: We are making the change . Thanks for writing

January 25, 2004:
Q: whats the deal with the sunday dinner. Everybody still likes chicken parmagiana, in case you havent noticed. Its the one good thing you serve so please serve it. Now.
A: It was on just this past Sunday.....yesterday

January 25, 2004:
Q: Why is the sunday brunch so sub-par? Where does all the effort go? Come on guys u are better than that!!
A: You are exactly right.

January 25, 2004:
Q: The veggie cream cheese was a tasty treat for early Sunday am nerds. Keep it coming!
A: No problem

January 24, 2004:
Q: dear commons, it would be spectacular if you could have plain nuts somewhere. such as pine nuts to sprinkle on pasta and rice, and walnuts and almonds to put on desserts, in rice, and on salad. is that a possibility? there must be a way to make it food allergy ok, right? thanks!
A: Let me see what we can do!

January 23, 2004:
Q: I am not really sure why, but the other day I clicked into the virtual napkin board (ok, I will admit it, I sometimes miss Commons, it was good, fast, convenient, and free). I am a member of the class of '99 who was supposed to be working... but wasn't¦ ok, moving on.
That aside, I was totally horrified at the level of immaturity, resentment, ignorance, and utter lack of class displayed by a number of students. The ray of light was the mature, eloquent, educated, and classy responses by the Bates Dining representative! I was also glad to see that students stood up for you and expressed their outrage. Go Cats!
Bates is an institution of learning. The thing that the students seem to forget is that to mature and grow you learn from many more people than professors. Since it is clear that they will only accept the guidance of someone with an appellation, I am going to refer to you as Professor Napkin Board from now on.
You, and the entire non-academic staff play an essential role in the growth and education of the Bates Student body -- whether they know and appreciate it or not. The work ethic, community spirit, and willingness to have a little fun is admirable. If the students at Bates take anything away from their four years in Lewiston, let's all hope that it is how to be as good a team player, hard worker, and community member as all the Commons workers, campus safety workers, maintenance workers, and whomever else that spends their days making sure the students' days are comfortable and carefree as they are. At some point, everyone graduates and gets a job (ok, ALMOST everyone). If they are to be successful in the future stages of their lives, it will be in part because of the shining example set by you and your colleagues, and not because they learned that Beowolf, when read from the point of view of a Marxist, makes even less sense than it did when you just read itself¦
Oh, and as a side note, I find it amusing that people rant about the food in Commons, when we all know if they were cooking for themselves, they would be living off of ramen noodles, frozen burritos, and microwave pizza...
A: Thanks for writing.

January 22, 2004:
Q: The corn bread on MLK day was REALLY good. id love to see it again. thanks
A: You got it. Thanks for writing

January 22, 2004:
Q: I can't imagine how hard it is to cook vegetables for 1500 people, so I apologize if I am asking something impossible. I would like at least 3 options of cooked veggies a night (not mushy, please). It is frustrating for me, on a special diet, that is practically impossible to have plain cooked vegetables like brocoli, string beans, snow peas, etc. Also, the fruit selection is pretty dismal and usually not ripe. Otherwise, good job!
A: You are right, it is very hard to cook vegetables for 1500, but I think we can do a better job. In terms of the fruit, this is a terrible time. We have been having trouble even getting bananas, but let me see what we can do. Since you mention that you are on a special diet, would you like to talk one on one. There might be things we can do to help you that you are not aware of. If you are interested, just e-mail me at cschwart Thanks for writing

January 22, 2004:
Q: I am a parent, but that's not a "pull-down' choice, hence my "lying" about in which category I fall. When my first child was a student at Bates (now graduated), you solictied recipes form parents, so as to include "food like mom makes" in your dinner selection. I sent in a recipe whihc, according to my son, found its way onto your menu frequently over his years at Bates. Do you still do this solicitation, and if not, may I suggest it? Thanks -
A: First let me apologize. I thought I had already responded to this napkin and when checking my "napkin" file realized that I not. First they are going to fix the drop down so that there is a choice which will fit your category- thank for bring that to our attention. You are exactly right, for several years we did do a recipes form home promotion. The reason that we discontinues it is was that the last year we had virtually no responses, but I agree with you - it is time to bring it back. The best time to do this sort of thing is during the first semester. So when this comes out next year can I expect a closely held family recipe from you? It appears as if your family culinary specialities are appreciated by the student body. Thank for writing

January 22, 2004:
Q: RE: Salmon
A: While reviewing the napkin board just now, it came to my attention that there were several napkins posted about the salmon we serve in Commons. In fact one of these napkins even had an article, which I had already read but thanks for including, from the Boston Globe about the high levels of PCB'c and dioxins found in farm raised salmon. You will be very happy to know that the salmon we serve is actually "free range" and not farm raised. This was verified by our purchaser and prime vender. So rest easy, your salmon good.

January 22, 2004:
Q: give me a C! give me an OMMONS! what's it speel? COMMONS!!! congratulations - i just wanted to say i thought greek night was well done & i would LOVE to see that shrimp and pasta dish on the marche station brought out more often! :)
A: Thanks. We had a great time. Party on

January 22, 2004:
Q: what's up with the commons workers wearing togas? I mean, every time I see the workers dressed up as something, i wonder, Do these people really want to be wearing this? seeing as none of them are under the age of 7, i'm going to guess that they really don't like playing dress up at work. maybe i'm wrong, but I feel as if these people can't possibly over look the fact they serve rich white kids from eastern massachusetts, many of whom (including myself) are where they are today because of what their parents have done, but to have them dress up is downright degrading in my opinion. I know if my boss told me to dress in a toga, cowboy outfit, or anything else, i'd be pretty pissed. I sincerely hope that that the powers that be are not forcing these cheery, hard working folks to dress like fools. also, where's leon? I haven't seen him around since last semester.
A: Well you're wrong . The workers in fact like to be part of what is going on- in this case Winter Carnival- and they have the option to dress or not. Being part of the Bates community means more then just living or working on campus, it means being part of the spirit of the institution. I'm sorry that you perceive dressing up and participating in a long standing college tradition as degrading, because in fact it is not. Let me tell you what is degrading.......being discriminated against because of your race, sexual orientation, color, economic status. Having individuals predetermine who you are or how you feel by the way you look, the amount of money you make, where you work, what you wear or where you come from. The saddest part of your response, for me, is that you think the Commons workers care whether students are rich or not. To be honest with you, they are aware that some students come from more affluent backgrounds, but this is not the context they use when talking about students. They talk about the bonds they have, the worries they have, what is going on in that student's life, what can they do to help? They like participating in an event that they feel is going to be fun for the students. It is too bad you where not in Commons prior to the event to witness the excitement, anticipation and camaraderie that was present during the pre-meal preparations. Dining Services employees are a proud group of individuals who take pride not only in the daily services they provide, but in being an integral part of the students' daily lives. This feeling goes beyond the typical "customer service" ethos because they feel this is a community and that they are an important part of it. As for Leon, he is out on short term disability for health issues. I have been working closely with his guardian, Human Resources and the College nurse case manager to determine the extent of his illness, with the goal of him returning to work. I would be more then happy to update you if you would like, or to talk further with you about the concerns you raised in your e-mail. I can be contacted at extension 8279 or via e-mail at cschwart. Thank you for taking the time to write.

January 20, 2004:
Q: We had Greek salad dressing and it was really good! can we have it again soon???
A: Thanks and yes.

January 19, 2004:
Q: would it be possible to get raw almonds (non salted, no oil) or even dry roasted almonds at the salad bar maybe on a rotational basis? thanks!!
A: Sorry, but this is a no go. Given the number of individuals with food allergies, we try to limit the potential for exposure. Thanks for writing

January 19, 2004:
Q: the plain grilled chicken in the salad bar is great! please keep it coming!!! the plain tuna is great everyday too but i have to admit the albacore is way better.
A: Thanks for writing.

January 18, 2004:
Q: Put the menu on the website all the time please:)
A: We checked the web site this morning and the while when looking at the script it is update, it does not come through to the actual site. We have a call in to see what the problem is .

January 18, 2004:
Q: Great job with everything. I have a request-I, and lots of other commons diners, are big fans of hummus and it's also a good veggie option-would it be possible to have it regularly available-maybe by the bagels or something? Thanks!
A: When it is not on the salad bar, it can always be found in the vegan cooler Thanks for writing

January 17, 2004:
Q: The breaded chicken breasts at lunch today (1/17/04)were awsome. I'm a fan of the regular chicken patties to...takes me back to 5th grade lunch...but the ones today were exponentially better. I'd love to see them in place of the old ones!
A: Thanks for noticing.............

January 17, 2004:
Q: The baby spinach is a great addition to the salad bar! The salad bar >should be the baby spinach's permanent home!
A: We will keep it on the salad bar as long a we can get it. We have had problems in the past. Glad that your are enjoying it.

January 16, 2004:
Q: I am ecstatic about the introduction of croissants to the breakfast menu. Please continue them. Thanks!
A: So am I. Had one toasted the other day with egg salad ...Yum...Yum... Thanks for noticing.

January 14, 2004:
Q: >Where has the stuffed sole been???? It's by far the best fish you guys serve but I haven't seen it in months..... is there any hope I will see it soon???? Besides that, keep up the great work. Bring back the sole!
A: It is swimming your way soon. Thanks for writing

January 1c, 2004:
Q: I just wanted to say thank you for all of the great and wonderful food that you guys prepare for us everyday. I am sure it is very hard, but you guys do an excellent job! Keep it up! I have one request. I was wondering if it would be possible to have some chai in Commons. I noticed that there is chai in the Den, but have not seen any in Commons. Even if you can't get chai which comes out of the cappuccino machine for some reason, could you get the little packets of chai that you mix with hot water? Thanks!
A: At this point in time, we do not have the utilities to support another beverage beverage machine. In recognition that there have been many requests for this item, we are reviewing ways in which we can redesign the present configuration to accommodate a chai machine.

January 13, 2004:
Q: who ever wrote that message on dec. 7 is a real jerk. what a stupid person. she must be stupid or something. i mean, her comments were so stupid. you guys do a great job. I love you guys, you are like the family i never had! -E. Daniel Ross
A: Daniel, Thanks for your kind words of support. Here at Bate we all like to think of ourselves as your family away from home.

January 13, 2004:
Q: Actually I am a parent and there was no drop down choice for that. I have started a tradition of making a swirled marble cake for Martin Luther King's birthday cake. It's a melding of different races if you use your imagination. I have passed this on to many friends.... so I'm passing on the idea to you. My daughter, Ellie, Bates '06 would be very happy and surprised. I imagine it's probably too late this year to actually happen. Just thought I'd pass on the idea. Thanks, Judy Ficken
A: Actually I think this is a wonderful idea and we include it as a dessert on Monday night. Thanks for your suggestion.

January 5, 2004:
Q: I'd just like to say that I am absolutely astounded at some of the rude and ungrateful comments that students have made on this board. As an alumna, I am incredibly disappointed that the quality of students attending Bates seems to have diminished since my time. I only hope that you realize these increasingly negative comments are a reflection of the students themselves, and not of Bates Dining.
A: Thanks for your words of support.