March 30, 2003:
Q: Why is it that you think that you can take the worst of breakfast and the worst of lunch, mash it together and call it brunch? That is terrible. Why can't it just be normal breakfast with normal lunch with a normal deli bar? That's all I ask for. Luke Vitas
A: Sorry that brunch is not for you, but this is a Sunday tradition. We can certainly look at adding a deli bar to the selection. Thanks for writing.

March 29, 2003:
Q: Thank you so much for all the great food you provide us with. I have a question reguarding the cheese spread that is usually aviable at the large sandwich bar...what is it? can I buy it anywhere? Whenever my boyfriend visits he makes me take him to lunch specifically so he can put this yummy cheese spread on a sandwich and so I was wondering what it is exactly. Thank you so much and keep up the good work :)
A: It is a purchased product that we get through our prime vendor. The name of the product is Alouette.

March 29, 2003:
Q: Could I please know the nutrition facts of the frozen yogurt? =) Thanks
A: Here you go:

Chocolate Ice Milk 4oz Serving:

• Calories 100
• Total Fat 2.5g

Vanilla Ice Milk 4 oz Serving:

• Calories 110
• Total Fat 3g

French Vanilla Soft Serve Yogurt 1/2 Cup Serving:

• Calories 100
• Total Fat 0g

Dutch Chocolate Soft Serve Yogurt 1/2 Cup Serving:

• Calories 100
• Total Fat 0g

March 29, 2003:
Q: Nice job with that potato/pesto/bacon soup. We should have it more often!
A: Thanks!

March 28, 2003:
Q: HI! I love when we have cheese wiz (or the orange melted cheese) i love cheese but my favorite thing to do with it is make nachos - its very sad when there is cheese, even salsa and other things but no tortilla chips! please please could we have tortilla chips out if there is ever cheese stuff out??? its killing me! thanks you all are the bset
A: No problem.

March 27, 2003:
Q: Great job this year. My question is-could you give us some information about where you get the fish that you serve from?
A: Which fish are you talking about???? It depends on the fish as to where we get it. For the most part, when possible, we buy locally from either Preble and Sons out if Ellsworth or Maine Shell out of Kennebunk.

March 25, 2003:
Q: Please bring chinese chews back to Wednesday lunch. There are many Bio >folks who miss them!
A: Can do.

March 24, 2003:
Q: what ever happened to the "dante's inferno sauce" that you used to put out on chicken tenders night? that was the best choice of the (then but no longer) 3 sauces. could that be brought back? it would be excellent, even pat buchanan would enjoy it.
A: No problem. Look for its Return.

March 24, 2003:
Q: We need franks hot sauce at the salad bar! Please?
A: Let me see what we can do.

March 21, 2003:
Q: I must admit, the PB squares that you offer frequently at meals are FANTASTIC!!! I wanted to know if those are made by the Bates kitchen staff, and whether or not it would be possible to get a recipe for them or just find out where they come from. Thank you so much and keep up the good work. -Ryan
A: Thanks, and yes they are made by the bates bakeshop. I will send you the recipe through campus mail.

March 21, 2003:
Q: Where has the tomato soup gone? it hasn't been on the rotation for some >time now. Can you please bring it back? We all miss it!!!!
A: It hasn't gone anywhere......

March 21, 2003:
Q: THE NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE COOKIES ARE THE MOST AMAZING THING EVER....
A: Thanks

March 21, 2003:
Q: can we have nuts (any kind) to put in salads and ice cream?? walnuts would work well...
A: Can do.

March 18, 2003:
Q: >Hi, I was wondering if it would be at all possible to have a soy ice cream option in the sunday bar for us lactose intolerant people? Thanks!
A: Let me see what we an do.

March 18, 2003:
Q: Shrek in the Silo+yummy lunch=made my day!
A: Thanks

March 17, 2003:
Q: Any chance that commons can switch to tropican orange juice? yum....
A: We can certainly look at that when our present juice contract comes up for renewal.

March 17, 2003:
Q: i just wanted to say cheeseburger in paradise was one of my favoirte adventures in dining this year! i LOVED the toppings bar, i wish we could do it more often! i was wondering, though, what happenned to some of the other things you did last year...like milkshakes and smoothies. they wer amzing and bringing them back would rock my bates world :)
A: Thanks for your kind words. Milk shakes are part of the late night events during exams.

March 16, 2003:
Q: Please please please put oreos out all the time! I've seen them more often and that makes me happy :) Otherwise, I spend a lot of time in Commons because you guys are so helpful and nice and accommodating (sp?). Asian soup bowl makes me smile--as do all the super staffers!
A: Unfortunate we can not have the oreos out all the time, just like the salad dressings they are on a rotation, though I can put them on the rotation more often.

March 14, 2003:
Q: how much sugar is in the muffins? thanks:)
A: Can you please be more specific about the flavor of muffin.

March 16, 2003:
Q: We were just wondering what the nutrition facts for the morning muffins are?
A: Can you be more specific about the type of muffin: blueberry, fat free blueberry etc..... We make many , many different kinds.

March 16, 2003:
Q: Lately the scrambled eggs (both kinds) have been very runny. Would you please ensure that the eggs are fully cooked before removing them from the grill. I know that I am not alone in wanting non-juicy scrambled eggs. Thank for very much for your attention.
A: We certainly can do that.

March 12, 2003:
Q: I've noticed that as soon as a student gets up, leaving their newspapers behind, a dining service staff person quickly rounds up the newspaper, even if its been barely read, and throws it away. As someone who always has to riffle through the recycling bin to find a newspaper, I think that you should leave the newspapers on the table. Dining staff could still organize the paper into a pile on each table so the area doesn't look like a mess, but this way more people would have a chance to read the newspaper and see what's going on outside the Bates Bubble.
A: To be honest with you the papers are a huge problem for the staff. If they do not get them off the tables, the papers end up on the floors and make a real mess. The idea of straightening them and leaving them on the tables for the students to read would be wonderful if we had one staff person just to take care of papers, unfortunately this is not the case. We know that the students enjoy having the papers available during breakfast, but many labor hours are used cleaning them up and making sure they get recycled.

March 14, 2003:
Q: is there any way we can have chocolate chip pancakes more often?? me and a bunch of friends were just wondering if it was possible, we havent had them in a while and always anticipate them, and look forward to it. thank you very much.
A: Can do. No problem.

March 15, 2003:
Q: the consensus around the breakfast table was that the new cinnamon rolls were great. Keem them coming.
A: Thanks

March 9, 2003:
Q: Any chance we can get soy ice cream?
A: At this time we can not find a commercial source, though we are trying.

March 8, 2003:
Q: Could we get the awesome tomato soup (not the tomato cream soup) more regularly?
A: No problem.

March 7, 2003:
Q: As a critical, yet realistic Commons diner, I feel like the food has been considerably better this year. With all the napkins I wrote last year, I think this could be my first one this year. (hmm... maybe that tells us how well thought out all of my suggestions were) Keep up the good work. Some particular comments: -flourless choc cake=borderline orgasmic -I always ask you about stuffed sole, and you always say it's coming up soon...and it's still rarely offered... over and over again. recurring theme here. -I don't know if the squash/crab bisque is a regular soup, but it should be. I give it an "A" -Just to let you know, I often announce my own Adventures in Dining events. When the main hot line options are french bread pizza, fried rice, and ravioli/lasagna and it's saturday night (= garlic bread), it's "Starch Fest"... I don't like starch fest. A little variety would be nice (i think I've noted starch fest at least 2 times). -As much as I love garlic bread, I have seen some untoasted loaves come out... not good. unmelted garlic butter on bread (not warmed or toasted) is not good. -sunday the 29th's brunch had creamed spinach...or so that's how it was labeled. (it was actually creamed garlic with extra garlic sauce) Lighter hand w/the garlic next time. -Amen to the "upstairs grill nights". (just to toot my own horn, I know I suggested having hot subs like that last year). I'm glad "name your own omelet" got the ax. Buttermilk pancakes eat omelettes for breakfast..'er dinner any day! -thank you for having grilled eggs in the morning. it's not a new thing, but i figured i would mention it anyway. -the commons staff has been very helpful recently. that's it. enjoy
A: Well I'm glad that you think we are making progress. I will be meeting with the menu committee about your starch fest concerns and will be making appropriate corrections to the menu. Thanks for writing.

March 6, 2003:
Q: I was just wondering if it would be possible to offer some veggie burgers that are a bit more grilled/well-done. Everytime I get a veggie burger I put it through a couple toast cycles, but it still doesn't taste right. Can you grill the veggie burgers like you do the real burgers?
A: No problem. Thanks for writing

March 5, 2003:
Q: Dinner this past Wednesday was incredible! Thanks for bringing Ken back to Bates - we love it :)The chickpeas, zucchini/squash/tofu stir fry, and ravioli with tomatoes and spinach were amazing - it was definitely my favorite dinner of the semester. I hope all three dishes make frequent reappearances! Thanks again!
A: We are planning on adding some of his recipes on the menu.

March 4, 2003:
Q: Hi, I know you guys work very hard and try to fulfill all our requests, but I was writing to follow up on an earlier napkin that was written. It had asked for crushed oreos to be available more often (or always) with frozen yogurt, and the response was "Can do" (Nov.4, 2003). However, this request has not been honored, not even at the Sundae Bar. Please give us oreos!! Thank you. P.S. I love commons food!
A: It will be there tonight. Thanks for writing.

March 3, 2003:
Q: I was wondering if/when we would get curried squash soup again. It was >absolutely incredible! Please bring it back!
A: it is on it's way.

March 2, 2003:
Q: First of all I would like to thank you for all of the great services you provide us everyday. I do however have a couple of request. I know that Pablo is a very nice guy and is willing to do almost anything to please the students with the pizza bar but I was wondering if it would be possible to add one topping on your toppings menu that you rotate. I was wondering if it would be possible to have green peppers and tomatoes and/or just green peppers. Also, I did inquire about chai earlier, but it seems to me that no further development has occurred. Thank you for taking the time to read this and keep up the good work.
A: No problem.

March 2, 2003:
Q: Can we please have the sugar-free syrups back for coffee and tea? - they are the best. and...is it a possibilty to have avocado in the salad bar?
A: Sure can.

March 2, 2003:
Q: hi. i was wondering if either the soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt is low-fat or non-fat. also, could we have coffee or strawberry frozen yogurt again sometime soon? thanks again, commons, for all the great work!
A: The yogurt is fat free.