October 31, 2005:
Q: I'm a vegan. How are you going to donate an Adventures in Dining, solely
to a chef boyardee who is one of the rudest individuals ever to appear on
this napkin board. I want to see a vegan portion during this adventures in
dining. Make it gooD!
A: There will most certainly be a portion of the menu dedicated to the vegan
population- Vegan Chili and Vegan Orange Ginger bread for a few.
Additionally in March we will invite a Guest Vegan chef and dedicating
an Adventure in dining to the vegan/ vegetarian patrons. Thanks for writing.
Q: I have recently come in to contact with a kind, friendly and hard working service worker by the name of Abdi. He is the best, always willing to answer questions, or refill something if it is empty. When considering promotions/pay-raises, I hope his name comes into consideration, as he is such a hard worker, always aiming for 100 Percent. I wish all the workers would be as kind and hard working as Abdi.
A: Yes Abdi is a wonderful individual and a pleasure to work with. We are lucky to have him as part or our team.
Q: I have provided a recipie for Cantaloupe Soup for the Home for the Holiday's Recipie Contest. I hope it is considered for a victory in the soup catogory, as I have never seen a chilled fruit soup in commons, and it is my favorite type of food. Your chefs will enjoy preparing it, as it is rather easy. Thank you, and if not during the holidays period, i hope you can incorporate it into the menu.
A: I have not yet reviewed the recipes I have received for the recipes from Home Contest. Thanks for writing.
Q: Can we please bring back the chicken fingers from earlier in the semester? I noticed we had the other type from past years this past Thursday instead of the fingers from earlier this semester.
A: We are actually rotating both. You will see the "new" ones again. Thanks for writing.
Q: Thanks for a fabulous Halloween extravaganza in Commons. The staff looked great, the music was a fun addition, and the decorations were definitely spooky. These are the kinds of things that make coming to Bates worthwhile.
A: Thanks for your kind words.
Q:
I love kashi!
But where does it go? I see it when I decide not to have it, but almost everytime I want it, I can't find it anywhere. Why? >Please let it be present all the time!!!
Thanks,
Kashi girl.
A: It has gone nowhere , it is still here. We were short on our order. Thanks for writing.
Q: I am in dire need of good potato salad (or at least any potato salad). Pleeeeease! And what happened to Pass-O-Guava in the small room anyways?
A: No problem on the potato salad. The Pass O Guava was replaced by orange juice by popular demand. Thanks for writing.
Q: I am writing in regards to the last sundae bar we had. On it was cake batter ice cream. This was simply amazing! It is one of the best types of ice cream I have ever tasted. My freinds seemed to really enjoy it too? Is it possible that it will reappear on the next sundae bar? If so, the whole world would be just a little bit better for it.
A: It will not be on the next one, though there will be some new equally exciting flavors.
Q: During Sunday Brunch today, I did not see any fruit salad, cantaloupe, mandarin oranages, pineapple or grapefurits. Half of the salad bar was empty. Please, have fruit on Sunday mornings. Explain the reason if you arent, and its not there isnt enough room, because half of the high season salad bar was completley empty. Also thicker oatmeal please.
A: What time on Sunday morning are you referring to? If it was before 10:30am the bar would not have been full. Thanks for writing.
Q: Not to say that the new options and ideas on Sunday nights aren't good...but they pale in comparison to everyone's favorite meal: chicken parm and sundae bar. best meal, hands down. bring it back every sunday? with like chicken patty day every weekend could be a chicken-based holiday. students would rejoice, i assure you.
A: We can certainly think about serving Chicken Parm more often. Thanks for writing.
Q: To Chef Boyardee, and the rest of the napkin board, I hope you tried the excellent vegan bar served on 10/30/2005. Both of the dishes including the BBQ Seitan Kebabs, and Tofu and Broclli Stirfry with ginger are out of this world. Christine, Please split them up on different nights, this is the second time they are appearing on the same night. Let me know who cooked them, I'd love to send them an email complimenting them as well. And to Chef Boyardee, those are so much better then your meat, so much healthier (I hope is it true christine?), and better for our lovely environment. -Sevilla, Madrid.
A: Sevilla, Thanks for writing. Oween Keene ( okeen@bates.edu) was the Assistant Chef in charge that night and I know he would love to hear from you. Perhaps one of these items could be moved top Saturday nigh when the Vegan offerings are less appealing. Thanks for writing.
Q: Is their a limit too how many recipies one can send?. How many will be selected, will students be invited to the selection meeting with chefs?
A: There is no limit, the more the merrier. The items to be served are chosen by me. We have not gotten students involved in the past because we want to make sure that personal favorites do not sway the decision process.
Q: How are you letting your servers touch bacon with the gloves which is PIG FAT and SO GROSS, and then let them touch the Buttermilk Panckaes. I am so outraged. This is the second time this is being requested. If they are too lazy to use the tongs, please switch up the people who do the lines, and have one of the supervisors on them. I am upset to have to write this a second time, as there are soo many vegetarians on campus who feel this way.
A: You are exactly correct and as a sudo-vegetarian I'm horrified as well. I have already done a retraining with the staff about this, but will do it again- I'm sure there was no malicious intent behind the servers behavior.
I have called a meeting of the Management Staff for this afternoon where this will be the only topic of discussion. Thanks for bringing this to my attention again.
Q: Hi. When will the frozen yougurt machine be fixed. I miss it so much. Also, I heard you are having a salad dressing contest because of ME!. >When will that be held. Thanks so much!
A: It is working. Thanks for writing.
Q: As a Mainer, I love my red hot dogs. I also realize that they scare some people that don't hail from New England. However, I was wondering if we could have them just once in a while, even if it is only 1 out of every 5 times you plan to serve brown hot dogs. Thanks.
A: Yes you can. I will forward your request to the menu committee for incorporation into the menu.
October 29, 2005:
Q: The vegan bar on 10/29/2005, was an embarassment to us vegans. Are you doing this to us vegans because of Chef Boyardee and his rude comments. You served Penne, Brown Rice, and more Pasta. That is not acceptable, and if this is due to Chef Boyardee, I would like his email adress so I can contact him directly, and explain to him Vegans are just as important as a BBQ Bar. I am very upset, as I had a horrible meal. Please dont let this happen again, and dont listen to Chef Boyardee.
A: No , the menu mix for the vegan bar on the 29th has nothing to do with Chef
Boyardee. We will look at this particular meal and make the correction. Thanks for writing.
Q: Please consider preparing a Pumpkin Ravioli (without cheese) as a vegetarian.vegan entree served with a Yougurt Marinara Sacue. It is so delciious. Let me know if you need a recipie. I will provide it.
A: Thanks , we would love to prepare it and would gratefully accept your recipe. Thanks for writing.
Q: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CUTTING THE RIND OFF THE CANTALOUPE DURING LUNCH ON 10/29. Please continue to do that so we dont waste the majoirty of the fruit while eating it, and therefore you will pruchase less cantaloupes and save money. Thanks again, and let me know if this is a permanent thing. The whole cantaloupe doesnt need to be cut up, just the rind taken off.
A: You will be seeing this cut more often. Thanks for writing.
Q: why cant you view sundays menu on satruday, and then when u can view it on sunday why is it always incorrect please fix it immediatley!
A: The weekly menu cycle runs from Sunday to Saturday. This means that the cycle cannot be updated until late Saturday evening; otherwise, you will get a correct Sunday menu yet an incorrect Saturday menu. If you would like to check Sunday menu, we encourage you to do so after 10pm Saturday. We will look into this issue to find a better solution. Thanks for writing.
October 28, 2005:
Q:
I was just reading through the virtual napkin board, and I am horrified by the rude, obnoxious, disrespectful and cruel comments. Please know that a great many of us truly appreciate all the hard work done by Commons workers every day. The enthusiasm, kindness, sensitivity, thoughtfulness and responsiveness demonstrated daily by the staff is amazing and very much appreciated by many of us at Bates. The Monster Bash tonight was just one of many, many examples of Commons going above and beyond the call of duty. Also, as to the accusations that all of the complaints are from vegetarians/vegans, I highly doubt that, given the high number of complaints demanding more meat. Also, the vegetarians and vegans that I know are some of the kindest, most compassionate people I have ever met (that's usually why they are vegetarians/vegans in the first place), and I cannot imagine them writing such nasty, mean, hateful napkins. Please pass on my thanks to everyone in Dining Services. You all are amazing, and a very important and wonderful part of my Bates experience. Thank you so much for all your hard work, and please know that the people writing mean napkins do not represent all of us.
A: Thanks for your kind words, I will pass them on to the staff at our next Town Meeting.
Q: Would it be possible to add crepes to the breakfast line? I am so sick of
choclocate chip panckaes after 3 years. Also, there are so many soups in
commons with vegetables i think a fruit soup is necessary, I sent a recipie during the holidays contest. Please add this item, if you can. Thank you so much.
A: As I have indicated before, it is very difficult to make crapes , and they
be of any quality, for 1700. We have been looking at some pre-made options
but to date have not found on we like. As for the fruit soup we can
certainly add one, but the specific recipe you sent in the Recipes
from Home recipes has not been reviewed yet. Thanks for writing.
Q: I was wondering, what is the nutritional value of the chai tea (served in the Den and at some catered events like Village concerts)? How many calories, grams sugar, protein, etc. per serving. Thank you.
A: Chai Served out of the Machine in the Den:
Serving Size of 8 oz: Calories 130, Fat 20
Chai Served at Catered Events- this information is the Chai only before
being mixed:
Serving Size 1/2 Cup
Calories 78
Sugar 18 grams
Q: Fresca, a health conscious and delicious soda, would be a great addition
to the commons drink selection. It is a product of the Coca Cola Company.
Thanks, and keep up the good work! -Tim Ayotte
A: Tim,
I too am a fan of Fresca but unfortunately they do not make it in the Bag in the box- which is what is needed for our system.
Have you tried the new flavors...If so, what do you think?
Q: Please do not waste money. i would rather see money spent on higher
quality food in commons, rather than halloween constumes, music, and a
dj. I understand that you meant well, but it was unnecasary.
A: There was no money wasted. The decorations we already had and use year to year, the employees made their own costumes, the expense of the D.J. was covered by a vendor. In general we heard excellent comments about the event- which is a tradition- and in addition to adding a little excitement to the normal Friday night, a social opportunity was provided for the whole campus community ......which is priceless. Thanks for writing.
Q: Whole Wheat Bagels, Once in a while, Also your "Morning Breads" are delicious. What is the difference between Meg Joyces Pumpkin Bread, and Pumpkin Bread. WOuld it be possible to incoroporate some of those as lower fat/caloires into the cylce. Also, I cant get over how good strawberry preserves is. Do i need to conserve how much I eat, how much more do you guys have. Thanks for your Fabulous Work!
A: The difference is that Meg's has chocolate chips and the other doesn't and we can look at the recipes to see if it is possible to make them low fat. The strawberry preserves we serve will be available as long as we can get them. We hope to have them all semester. Thanks for writing.
Q: Dearest Napkin Board,
I am writing to suggest an addition to the menu on burger/fry night. BBQ Chicken. We had this a few times last year, and it was very tasty (Chicken and burgers on the same night). Please, consider it.
Thanks,
Chef Boyardee
A: Consider it done. The next burger night there will be BBQ chicken. Thanks for writing.
Q: A few weeks ago you served Baklava for dinner...I have been dreaming of
Baklava ever since. Could we have it agian sometime, please? Thanks.
A: You got it. Thanks for writing.
Q: more multigrain panckages with bananas and choc chips, not buttermilk as they are not healthy.
A: Your request has been forwarded to the menu committee for consideration.Thanks for writing.
October 27, 2005:
Q: I agree with a previous poster on two issues. The strawberry Jam is out of this world. Do any of the other jams come from a farm, how about a blueberry jam from a farm, i bet it would be supurb. I also second the fact, that the production supervisors, whose photos are pictured on the wall in commons, are not friendly, and always look upset, like they are forced to be there. I hope they enjoy their jobs. Let me know.
A: Sorry that you are preceding that from the pictures they are actually a friendly bunch, though they hate to get their picture taken. They do enjoy their jobs so don't worry. Thanks for writing.
Q: I read the napkin about going into a career in food service. I am interested; not sure if that person was though or they were making a joke. What major do you recomend at Bates, for someone wishing to pursue a position similar to Chrisitne Shwarts or Ken Smith? Thank you very much for your response. I don't want to show my name, because I dont want my parents to know that I dont want to be a lawyer like them.
A: Too bad that your parents are not supportive of your passion. I hope that they do not perceive a career in food service to be less " important" or of a lesser class than that of the law.
I have an undergraduate degree in Social Science and am about 1/2 through my masters in business. As for Ken, he has an associate in Business. To be honest it is not so much what you study, though I think it is important to finish your academics, but rather that you have a passion for what you do. Isn't that why we all choose a liberal arts college. Thanks for writing.
Q: Hey! I was hoping you could replace the oatmeal in the morning with Quaker Fresh Oatmeal. It just tastes a little better. I also read that strawberries would be served. How often shall I expect them, as they are my FAVORITE! Also tonights dinner was amazing. Please spread out the best meal; Potato Crusted Hoki, and Vegetarian Pad Thia. This is the second time they were served the same night. Just make them 2 different nights. Also I loved the pasta figoli on the marche today, add that to the pasta bar if possible. I love commons!
A: Quaker Fresh Oatmeal? Never heard of this. We use the traditional Quaker Oats that are cooked. As I indicated, we would be serving strawberries when they are available and cost effective. There are some on the salad bar today. We can take a look at the menu mix and see about making a change. Thanks for writing.
October 26, 2005:
Q: I was just informed of the maligning and slander under the name of chef
boyardee, let me first say that I am outraged and disgusted by this. First of all, you cannot possibly take the role of chef, I am the chef, and you are most ceertainly not. Fans of the chef know that the true chef would never mention fruit or fruit related items on this forum. NEVER, or vegetables. The chef has only two true passions, meat, and the slander of vegans. Anyone with a brain knows that. Secondly, the chef would never insult christine schwartz on this board, this is her turf, and we are fighting the BBQ under her terms. So, I have a message for the pigs who have been using the alias of chef. this is MY name, not yours, know your role. Fruit and vegetables are no good, BBQ is the staple of mankind, so stop ruining BBQ with your dirty ways. I don't want
to hear another vegan ever use the alias of chef boyardee, or insult
christine schwartz. Lastly, this almost certainly calls for an embargo on
vegan meals, I can suggest a BBQ rib and rib tips bar for the next two
weeks, then we'll move to chop and brisket.
So Vegan thief, know this...When your system stops kicking back broth, maybe you'll be man enough to find your own alias, or not. However, the name of chef is mine and mine alone, it is reserved for meat, you have crossed the line and the war has just kicked up a notch.
BBQ Forever
P.S. I noticed that fishermans platter was served, please don't ever do that again. Thanks.
A: Chef B.
I knew it wasn't you, but felt I need to push the issue hoping the make the
imposters reveal themselves......
I understand you passion for Meat and we are trying to balance that with the
needs of the whole.
Keep the meat faith, the menu committee hears you cry. We are dedicating next week's Adventure in Dining to you. The Theme is Wild Wild West and and because we couldn't fit the spit at the marche station we are going to feature pulled beef for your dining enjoyment. Additionally, we are planning a late night Meat a thon during exams.
Thanks for writing.........
Q: The apples are so bad in commons right now, i'm sure that farm that came
a couple weeks ago still has some left. please spend some of your budget
on those apples from the farm immediatley.Please get new apples from
local farms immediatley.
A: The farm that was here several weeks ago is our supplier. Funny I eat at
least two apples every day and mine have been delicious. Thanks for writing.
Q: vegetable teryiaki/tempura please.
A: We can try . Thanks for writing.
Q: This time I am writing about a thing that about 10 other people have written on the napkin board. During Lunch and dinner honeydew and cantaloupe is served. Instead of serving it on the rind, cut it up. It is the same thing just cut up. Do you understand? In your responses to them, you just say there are so many other options. Just have George Diamond cut it up. Thanks so much.
Chef Boyardee
A: Chef,
Enough is enough - there is no need to be nasty in your requests. We have and will continue to accommodate all requests we can, but there is no need to be obnoxious - DO YOU UNDERSTAND? We are all adults here, I think.
Once again I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you personally to discuss you concerns, but you seem unwilling to reveal your identity.
Thanks for writing.
Q: I am interested in going in a career in food service, similar to that of
Board Plan Manager or Menu Manager. What type of major do you recomend I pursue at Bates, and what type of graduate school is required? Is the pay range comparable to that of a Dean?
A: If this is a serious question I would be more than happy to answer, but
given the tone I suspect it is not. If I have misinterpreted the request,
the individual asking the question should feel free to contact me directly
and I would be happy to have a conversation. Thanks for writing.
Q: You serve 2 soups each day, so on a 5 week roattion thats more then 100
soups. How about a fruit soup. I suggested one on the Holidays Contest. I
want to see it immediatley.
-George W. Bush
A: Well George,
There are a lot of things I would like to see from you immediately...... perhaps we could get together and go over my list. I have not seen your fruit soup recipe as of yet - perhaps it is lost in the mail????
Thanks for writing and send my regards to Laura.
Q: can you have your bakers try a pear/blueberry tart. it is soo delciious.
i thought maine was known for blueberries, however i never see them in
anything! I have yet to see a fresh blueberry, if you wont serve them can
you let me know where I can get them.
-John Kerry
A: John,
Apparently you are not familiar with the blueberry growing season in
Maine.... it ends in August and school starts in September. As for serving
them year round, I would love to do this but because of a lack of storage
space we can not buy them in season, process them then store. We can
certainly look at adding a pear blueberry tart to the menu mix - have you
not tried the blueberry cake we already served? It is delicious.
Thanks for writing and perhaps you will win next time......
Q: Hello, I submitted a recipie for the HOme for the Holidays Contest. What
are the chances of winning? I sure hope you make as many possible, as I love new food in Commons.
-Chef Boyardee
A: Chef,
You have so much time on your hands, is your course load too light? Your
recipe will be considered along with the 140 others I have received to day.
Thanks for taking the time to enter.
Q: Some of your production supervisors, always walk around with a frown on
their face. They never say hello to the students, and are not taking enthuiasm in their jobs. However the service workers are always so friendly. What is the reason for this?
A: Perhaps it is because they are predominately men?? Thanks for writing.
October 24 2005:
Q: Thank you very much for the Banana Pancakes Today. They should be added to the rotation very often, as they were decent. Next time, try double the amount of banana. I'm sure you guys can do just as good with the crepes,
as someone else suggested crepes Also thanks for the strawberries in the
fruit salad. Lets make that a regular thing. Thanks again, and you can
leave out canned fruit in the fresh fruit salad, canned pineapple is not
necessary. Thanks.
A: Thanks for writing. Actually we do go through quite a bit of canned
pineapple- many eat it with cottage cheese- so it actually is necessary.
Q: hello-
i wondered if we could possibly have vanilla tea as an option. bigelow
and lipton both make it and its quite enjoyable on those cold maine days!
thanks!
A: Let me see what we can do...Thanks for writing.
Q: What happened to the Kashi cereal!
A: We have been having trouble getting it. Thanks for writing.
October 21, 2005:
Q: The vegan banana oatmeal cookies last night were AMAZING. can we have them on the regular meal cycle plllleeeease? also, i was just wondering what one of the salad toppings are... there are the croutons and the sunflower seeds and then these crunchy worm-like things... what are they? i like them a lot although i'd like them better if i knew what they were:). thank you!
A: Thanks glad you enjoyed the cookies. They have had great cross over appeal. Thanks for writing.
October 18, 2005:
Q: I read on the napkin board in the exit hall of commons, that Berries
(Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Strawberries) were coming
immediatley. However they are not seen. Please bring them here immediatley.
Also, I read that you would consider cutting up the fruit salad in the
afternoon and evening instead of serving cantaloupe and honeydew on the
rind. please change it as it is so much easier to eat and does not fill up
our tray.
A: My response to the berry issue was actually that blueberries, raspberries
and blackberries do not hold up very well given the high volume that we do,
but strawberries were defiantly an option- which we have been serving from
time to time.
In terms of the fruit salad, we did consider serving it for dinner and
occasionally you will see it, but we do not plan to make sit a daily
addition to the cycle as this would preclude us from offering other
options- there is just so many things we can offer at a time.
Thanks for writing.
Q: the NO BAKE COOKIES ARE AMAZING!!!! PLEASE HAVE THEM MORE OFTEN!!!!!
A: Glad you liked them, thanks for writing
Q: WHY DON'T YOU HAVE CRACKLIN OAT BRAN? IT IS A DELICIOUS AND HEALTHY CEARL, AND IF YOU ARE GOING TO GET RID OF A CEARL, YOU SHOULD GET RID OF ONE OF THE SUGAR CEARL'S NOT CRACKLIN OAT BRAN. IT ALSO SERVES AS A GOOD TOPPING
ON ICE CREAM OR YOGURT. PLEASE BRING BACK CRACKLIN OAT BRAN!!!!!
A: We just completed a cereal survey with the student body at the end of last
year and unfortunately Cracklin Oat Bran was not in the top 35. While we
endeavor to meet everyone needs and desired, doing this for 1700 students
is not always possible and this is one of those times. Perhaps when we so
the survey again, cracklin will make the top 35. Thanks for writing.
Q:
First, let me say that I am the one who has been writing about the poor
quality of the terriaki beef. I just noticed that someone wrote a virtual
napkin about how they in fact likes the terriaki beef, as do their
friends. To them I say this:
Please do not use the virtual naptkin board to spread falsified
information concerning the opinions on the majority of Bates student
unless you know it is true.
Do you like the taste of wet dog? (that is what terriaki beef tastes like, no offense to Commons, but it is an undeniable fact. Don't beleve me? Try them side by side and I think you will notice a strong resemblance). If so, then so be it, just don't make everyone else eat that for dinner. I am trying to bring about a change in the commons menu, which is hard enough without you Vegans and Bad Food Lovers getting in the way.
To the person who answers this board:
Is there any way that you can track how much of each entree is devoured
everyday? I think that this would be a great to truly find out which dishes need to be replaced. And if you already do this, and what I am saying is not true, please let me know and I will sincerely apologize.
Long live meat eaters (who get much better nourishment from our meaty
nutritious meals filled with protein and vitamins, the kind not found in
soy, vegetables and vegan pills).
Your loyal servant,
Chef Boyardee
A: Chef,
We track the acceptability of every item we serve and while this does not
always determine popularity- depending what the item is up against and how
it fits into the menu- we do use it as one of the many pieces of information we review when developing/changing the menu. In reviewing the numbers, the teriyaki beef is indeed one of the most popular items- we serve
over 300 lbs of it.
Just so that you are aware of the time and effort that is put into the menu,
let me walk you through the process.
To begin with, there are base assumptions about number of items served per meal, now/ what that mix should be composed of to provide the best number
of options, what that means nutritionally and how that fits with our
financial accountability. Then.....
All areas, including sanitation, have production records . These records
record everything from- depending on the area- how much to produce, how
much was left over, appearance, temperature- taken as predetermined
intervals-, to how much was being returned to the dish room and if the
item was replaced what it was replaced with. Additionally the service
individuals add comments regarding responses they heard from students in
regards to items as they came through the line. These four reports, in
addition to napkin board responses - virtual and regular- purchasing
reports, commodity trend analysis and seasonal availability information are
all used by the menu committee- which meets once a week- to review the
previous weeks menu and determine what if any changes need to be made. Once this has all been reviewed, suggested changed are noted and the information forwarded to me for final approval. I thank the biggest hurdle we (Students and staff) all face is not let our own food prejudices determine the menu mix - in my case if I did we would all be eating grilled cheese and sushi
every day - and make sure that to the best of our ability and resources we
are meeting this needs of the student body.
Thanks for your thoughtful comments and keep writing.
Q: Regarding the soft serve toppings:
You responded to me previous email by saying that the mini m&ms are in
the "rotation" of the toppings. Unless I am mistaking the meaning of rotation (I am thinking someting along the lines of a pitching rotation in baseball) this is not the case. I have been paying close attention to the toppings everyday, and in fact mini m&ms have not made an appearance since the inaugural one about a month ago, while there are two types of sprinkles always.
Please, for the love of m&ms, move them up in the rotation.
A: Chef,
In fact my staff and I just had a conversation about that exact topic...what is rotation , specifically in relation to mini M & M. If I were to go with my purchasers philosophy, they would appear once a month - they are very expensive to put out in bulk- while my Associate Director would have them out every day. obviously neither is acceptable. The final answer is that you will be seeing them once a week.
Thanks again for writing.
>
>Christine
>>Love,
>>Chef Boyardee
October 17, 2005:
Q: I must be blind. Either that, or you don't know your own facilities (i'm leaning toward the latter), but there is NO orange juice in the small room, though you have defiantly made that claim. Laziness is not an issue...I'll walk over there if need be, but life is busy, and taking 2 minutes to walk to the other side of commons, weaving and bobbing chairs and people, if you can't make life easier for people...now the issue is truth. Seriously....there are other fruity drinks in the small room, but there is NO orange juice, no matter how many times I look. Get your facts straight before you publicly berate people. You do work in commons, don't you?
OJ
(I realize this pretty much ruins any chance of orange juice making the trek to the small room, but it is a matter of principle.)
A: Talk about berating....
Forgive me for being human and making a mistake...guess we can't all be perfect. In responding to your earlier e-mail, I went upstairs to check the
machine - as we have been changing flavors around - and while I did not get close enough to read the label saw the orange tag and assumed it was orange juice - my mistake. I agree with you that there needs to be orange juice available on the low ceiling side and will make the arrangements for this
to happen.
Please do not assume - as you did in your closing line - that just because you took a negative posture that things would not change. Right is Right.
Guess we both made a mistake because we assumed........
Thanks for writing.
October 16, 2005:
Q: I know you ran out of cracklin oat bran, were you able to get it back?? I
really miss it and so do many people I know!!! If you know more about
this that'd be great, thanks!!! i Miss my favorite cereal!
A: Our Prime Vendor is having trouble getting this product , but rest assured that it will be in no later than Monday October 24, 2005.
Thanks for writing.
Q: What ever happened to having Honey Nut Chex? I LOVED the few days we had them...and hear many people at the cereal bar looking for them. Please please please bring them back!
A: It arrived safe and sound this morning and will be in your favorite cereal
dispenser this morning.
Q:
Dear Commons,
I noticed a few people complaining about the terriaki beef, but I just
wanted to let you know that not everyone dislikes it. In fact, many of us
like it.
I also wanted to say that I really enjoy the vegetarian egg rolls. I was
wondering, do they have any egg-roll-relatives that contain meat? If so,
I bet they would be even more delicious.
Thanks again for all you do!
A: Thanks for writing and the egg rolls we presently get do not have a meat
relative.
Q:
Napkin board how's it going?
I just wanted to thank you for the excellent vodka sauce...could we
please have it on a more regular basis (every day, perhaps)? Secondly, I
agree with the person who suggested that most of the people who complain
are vegans or veg-heads. Please accomodate these people, but not at the
expense of those of us who love meat (meat-eaters are in the vast
majority). Also, could we please have peanut butter frozen yogurt more
often...I really like it.
Thanks a bunch!
Love,
Ghostface Killah
p.s. PLEASE BRING BACK HOT COMMONS GIRL!!
A: Hot? sure - who you are referring to as the HOT COMMONS GIRL...can you give me a better description?
Q: Green beans are, by far, my favorite food. I'm thrilled that Commons
serves fresh, steamed green beans, but there is no flavor to them. What
I really enjoy is sauting some onions in olive oil and then adding in the
green beans and letting all the flavor seep in to the green beans. Or,
adding dill and/or red pepper flakes adds nice flavor. Either way,
thanks for serving green beans frequently!!
A: We can certainly look at alternatives to the green beans we currently
serve,but we serve plain steamed vegetables because it allows for a
wider range of acceptability.
Thanks for writing and I'm glad you like the green beans.
Q: Would it be possible to add Silk chocolate soy milk to the vegan
fridge? I miss my chocolate soy milk from home! Vanilla and original
just aren't the same...
A: Unfortunately, at this time this is not an option. Thanks for writing.
Q: Dear Virtual Napkin Board,
Regarding the iceberg lettuce at the salad bar:
I usually love this lettuce. Although lately I have noticed that it looks old, and brown-ish. Would it be possible to make sure that the iceberg lettuce is always fresh and crisp (especially at dinner)?
Cheers,
Chef Boyardee
p.s. The mint brownie things are spectacular, please serve them more often.
p.s.s. The soft serve machine had mini m&ms a while ago. That was a
fanastic day. Please do that again.
A: Chef,
Because of the weather, we have been having trouble getting iceberg, but
we certainly need to do a better job at making sure we can get the best product.
The mini M & M 's are on the topping rotation for the soft serve.
Thanks for writing.
Q: Hi. This message is for Christine Schwartz. I have a couple of remarks.
1) Last Friday I got an order of scrambled eggs for breakfast. I then proceeded to get coffee. While by the coffee machines, an older gentelman
(i assume he is a manager/supervisor) is refilling the "shakers". I ask is that Sugar, and he replies, no it is salt. I enjoy salt on my eggs and place the salt on my eggs. When I sat down I realized it was sugar. Please dont have the managers joke around, as then I wasted a lot of food and threw the eggs out, because i dont like sugary eggs.
Secondly, I read on a previous napkin that Banana Pancakes, and Crepes were coming. However, I have not seen them. please make them appear quite soon.
Third, I also read that cut-up fruit salad would be served in the evenings as well. Please make that appear, so I can try to cut down on my weight.
Lastly, the strawberry jam magically all of a sudden, has shown major improvement. Please keep the new distriubtor if you changed. It tastes
like it is homemade, I hope it is. Please keep it.
Also, would it be possible to have one evening in the next couple of months, where the managers would sit down to dinner with the students, and take down more comments, and change more about commons. Thanks.
A:
1) The individual you spoke with at the coffee station was Leon- I verified this with him- who is among the 20 special needs individuals who work for
us and certainly not a manager. In speaking with him about the incident he was just joking and did not mean any harm. I told him that I was sure he
didn't but it is inappropriate to give incorrect information. He sends his apologies.
2) Specifically I talked about banana pancakes being available soon and that we would look into doing crapes. We are in fact having banana pancakes
on Monday October 24, 2005.
3) We do not serve cut up fruit at night because we have so many other options that are available. If you are looking to loose weight, there are
many other more balanced ways then depending solely on cut up fruit.
4) The jam we are presently getting is from a local farm and we will continue to do as- as we have in years past- till there is no more
available for the season.
5) I think that this is a great idea and will schedule a Dinner w/ the Director series to start soon. In the interim, there is always a MOD-
Manager on Duty- every meal period who you could speak with about issues, there is the virtual as well as the traditional napkin board, there is a
FAC - Food Advisory Committee- that meets once a month to discuss issues as well and you should always feel free to communicate with me about any
concerns/changes you might have.
Thanks for writing.
October 13, 2005:
Q: I LOOOOOVED the rice at the vegan bar the other day. Please serve more of that, and less tofu and soy products. Thanks!
A: Glad you liked it. Thanks for writing.
Q: I just started reading these boards and I cannot believe what is going
on. It seems like the only people who are complaining are vegans and
pork-haters. I have a message for them, meat is awesome and so is
pork. In fact, I am going to suggest you some more pork dishes, BBQ pork
chops, pork tenderloin w/o commons recipes, preferably with BBQ sauce
and/or stuffing. You must consider the fact that the majority of people
are not vegans and wouldn't be caught dead at the vegan bar. Also,
common's has been trying to get a little too creative lately, not
cool. You guy's should keep it simple, it keeps the quality up. I want no
vegetables of any kind near meat products, for the sake of
humanity. Finally, it seems like we could have more of meat if we
eliminate vegans and fish all together. Lastly, we must discuss beef,
specifically teriyaki sauce. Ok, beef is good in hamburgers and steak, it
is not good in teriyaki sauce, this is commonly known fact in most states,
including maine. For the love of g-d please cancel chop suey, and replace
it with BBQ beef sandwiches. Finally, taco's and sloppy joes dont have
vegetables in them, they don't come that way, and the veggies are hard to
pick out, please take them out, and throw them in the vegan bar. Speaking
of the vegan bar, we should change it to a vegan "bowl" where all the
vegans can just hop in and have whatever soy-tofu orgy they want, without
taking away from normal food quality. Pablo is awesome, and most food is,
I just had to speak out against the vegans. They dominate these boards,
and I will fight it,
Attention vegans: No-one likes your food, it tastes like nothing
P.S. Whoever asked for "sauce-less options" You are know banned from
commons along with all the vegans and meat haters and/or pork hates/fish
likers. Keep it simple, keep it real. Thanks.
A: I understand your position, but this is a big world and we all need to just
get along. You will note that at every meal there are many non-fish, non-vegan options - 4 to 1 as a matter of fact- because we know that the
majority of individuals like meat. As for BBQ, we can certainly look at
adding more of these options to the menu, but as your mom used to say....you got to eat your veggies if you are going to grow big and strong! Thanks for writing.
Q: Dear Virtual Napkin Board,
When I checked the Dining Services website earlier today to see what
exquisite dish would be served as the main course I was ecstatic to find
it was chicken tenders. To my dismay, the chicken tenders were not nearly
up to par. They were dry, over-fried, and the quality of the chicken was
not nearly as good as the original chicken tenders. I prefer the tenders
served in the den, that used to be served in commons too. Please, don't
mess with one of the better dinners served in Commons, leave the tenders
alone (after you change them back that is). Thanks,
Sincerely yours,
Chef Boyardee
p.s....please bring back hot commons girl.
p.s.s...please replace the vegan bar with a bbq bar.
A: Chef Boyardee,
How good to hear from you again. This is the second time we have
served this type tender this year and it , except for your comment, has
been received very well. Either way we will be serving the regular tenders
the next time around to no fear, they are still here. Thanks for writing.
Q: I felt compelled to tell you this, there is a meal out there by the name
of ribs. Specificall, pork ribs. BBQ may be the greatest invention of our
time, and ribs surely are a part of this. I feel that ribs should not
only be served twice a week, but that they should replace the vegan bar
altogether. Because after all, no one likes the vegan bar except vegans,
and they don't count. Preferably, use a sweet bbq sauce, this is best.
In the spirit of BBQ, we must now address the issue of chicken, our
chicken quality must improve in every way. Larger and more succulent
breasts are what I am aiming at. I believe that I am speaking for the
entire school when I say, fishermans platter and "terriblayaki" beef must
never be served again, in the interest of campus safety. Please, lets
unite in making commons the best place to eat, because after all, it is
the only place to eat. I have taken the liberty of creating a motto for
commons, here it is. Commons-" serving what you love, BBQ, all the time,
and not serving fishermans platter and vegan meals, whatsoever." Feel
free to add to this if you need too. All in all, I know you guys do a
pretty good job, but with the addition of BBQ and general tso's chicken,
we may have something here. As a final note, I have an alternate motto,
Commons-"The only place you can eat....literally." Thanks, remember,
we're on the same team here, and if you don't want to cheer for your team,
then get the hell out of the stadium.
TUPWLBBQACFADFPAVIGIMHYESAHVTLLD
The union of people who love BBQ and chinese food and dislike fishermans
platter and vegans in general, I mean, have you ever seen a healthy vegan,
they look like death.
A: My Chef B., this it does sound as if you are in a state of emergency...
We have tried BBQ ribs in the past and they were not well recieved, but we
are willing to give it another try. Give us a few weeks to get it on the
menu and in the meantime Chinese BBQ pork is on its way.
Thanks for writing.
October 12, 2005:
Q: Tonight's Adventures in Dining was awsome. The best one yet. The nice service worker who works them, told me to send you an email to get the apples that we liked the best for the rest of the year. The ones currently stocked in the Bowls, are no where near as good as the ones tried tonight.
Please get Matsu, Honey Crisp, Maccoun, from the farm that was visiting
tonight. Thank you so much, let me know the results.
A: Thanks for your kind words and we will indeed endeavor to add your
favorites to the mix, but we have already contracted in with Greenwood for
apples for the rest of the year- as part of our commitment to local
purchasing- and I'm not sure if these were part of the mix.
Q: I love that you have so many different types of soy milk, and at the
beginning of this year you had the lite soy milk in the green container,
but I haven't seen it in a few weeks - will it make a reappearance? That
would be AMAZING! thanks!
A: We have been having trouble getting this product, but we will keep trying.
Thanks for writing.
October 10, 2005:
Q: I absolutely love the Chicken Parmasean whevever you make it! It's
incredible. Thanks Bates Dining!
A: Thanks for your kind words. I will make sure to pass them on.
Q: Hey Christine,
2 quick things:
1. Is there any chance that during Luau, we could have some goat, or
lamb, in addition to the pork? I feel that it would be important to have
some variety of meat, especially since there are some among us who
cannot eat pork on religious grounds.
2. Is it possible to get those big cups again.....it's been really cold
with the rain, and having a big cup of hot chocolate/coffee with you in
class really goes a long way. Plus, having to carry 2 small cups is an
invitation to an accidental spillage, scalding yourself, and others as well.
Thanks - Kim
A:
1. This event was actually done through the Deans office.
2. We can look into this.
October 9, 2005:
Q: The BBQ chicken on your special "Adventures in Dining" evening was truly wonderful. If you can serve it more often, I'm certain you would make many students very happy. Also, would it be possible to serve a variety of snack items, such as dried fruits, yogurt covered raisins, or nuts? Thanks for your hard work. :-)
A: Thanks we have heard this many time before and will be adding this chicken recipe to our recipe bank. There are already a variety of snacks on the salad bar. Thanks for writing.
Q: Maybe I am going out on a limb here, but I have always believe that with
great risk.... comes great reward.
As a child growing up on the tough streets of Dudley MA, my mother used
to reward me with the chocolate delight that is Count Chocula cereal.
Sean if you dont get arrested you can have the count, dont steal a car
you can have the count, don't smoke crack... you get the idea.
My formal inquiry comes to you because I feel as if the same type of
encouragement could be used at Bates. We could start a program where
students are rewarded just as I was. Is there any chance that we will
ever be able to have Count Chocula at Commons?
Please let me know, it will mean so much to me.
Signed.
Distressed in Maine.
A: Distressed in Maine....
How much I would love to be able to for fill your request, but then some
other cereals, that could have potentially been used as a reward for
appropriate behavior by another, would have to be removed.
You wouldn't want this to happen, would you???
Q: Hey! I read in a previous napkin that an apple orchard was coming to
sample their goodies next Wendsday October 12th. I am sure hoping it is
during lunch as well, since the athletic department is holding a
fundraiser for Hurricane Katrina Victims from 4-10, and therefore we will
miss the goodies. Please have them during lunch as well, or keep them the
next day. Please post responses online as quick as possible. thanks@
A: Unfortunately this is not scheduled to happen during lunch and because of the hectic schedule during the noon meal period this is not a change we can
make.
We will be doing something similar to this later in the year. Thanks for writing.
Q: Hi. I'd like to comment about the potatoes. They are a little bland, would
it be possible to roast the potatoes with some olive oil, rosemary, salt
and pepper, instead of just steaming them. Also would it be possible to
ever have a garlic sauce for pasta, like oil, wine garlic (NO CHEESE) that
would be awsome
A: Can do. Thanks for writing.
Q:
Hey Christine,
I had a craving the other day, and I thought you guys might be able to
help: Dip. Regular, plain old vegetable dip (not salsa or ranch or
glorified dressing). Almost like the Knox dip with dried vegetables and
seasoning, that you add yougurt and mayo to. Some of that (with
some veggie stix and crackers) at lunch now and then would be awesome, and would totally hit the spot.
Thanks, and keep up the good work!
A: Can do. Thanks for writing.
October 5, 2005:
Q: Hi, Dinner on October 5th was the best we've had all year, everything,
especially the chicken, was superb! Thank you.
A: Thanks for writing. I will pass this on to the menu committee.
Q: The chicken at the tailgate bbq was amazing, best chicken I've had in
commons by far. Please have this as often as possible, weekly would be great. Thanks.
A: Thanks for writing.
Q: I'm a senior and the BBQ chicken was the best I have had in all my years
at Bates. I think it would be fantastic if you started offering it as a regular.
A: Thanks for writing.
Q: The Pesto, Pinenuts & Sundried Tomato Pizza was DELICIOUS!! please serve it more often. thanks.
A: Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for writing.
October 4, 2005:
Q: Hi Commons-Bates Dining! The Kolacky served on October 4th, are the best dessert I have ever tasted. They need to be served as much as possible. Kudos to Romeo the head baker, however Romeo should also be doing the salad dressings. They are all disquisting. Over dinner tonight, we talked about other options. We came to a consenous that our favorite is a salad dressing served at a Japenese Resteraunt, similar to a Ginger. Please add that immediatley, and kudos to Romeo.
A: I'm glad that you enjoyed the Kolacky, but they were not prepared by
Romeo; rather, one of our other fine backers Jane Herrick prepared this. I
will be certain to pass on your kind words. As for the salad dressings, we
are in the process of setting up a tasting to take place in Commons the
results of which will allow is to make the correct decisions about
appropriate salad dressing changes. Until this event is over and we are
able to synthesize the results, we appreciate your patience.
Q: I am quite confused to the vegetarian signs in commons. Some simple dishes such as French Fries, Pancakes and Spicy Potatoes are not labeled as vegetarian. Please label all vegetarian items. Also on the hot line,
service workers, use their gloves to place food on the plates. (Example,
touch a meat dish such as bacon, and then touch the panckage(vegetarian
item) with the same hand. please have them use the tongs provided.
A: You are exactly right that those items mentioned are indeed vegetarian.
We take it for granted that individuals would know that those simple items
are in fact vegetarian and rather have choose to label just the compound
items which might not be so obvious, though we would be more than happy to label all. As for the Servers, you are indeed correct and I will make sure
to have a conversation with them.
October 3, 2005:
Q: I just want to say that I LOVE the parmasean peppercorn salad dressing
that is occasionally seen on the salad bar. However, it makes me sad that
it is seen so rarely. Is it possible for it to make more frequent appearances?
A: We can certainly look into this. Thanks for writing.
Q: I was very upset to read that Morracan Style Cous-Cous was on the menu for tonight online, however was nowhere to be found in Commons. The sesame nuggets were great tonight, however the cod needs a little work.
A: Sorry for the confusion, the menu should have read Morracan Style Cous-Cous crusted fish. Thanks for writing.
Q: I love your scrambled eggs at breakfast -they're the best! Could you try
serving scrambled eggs with cheese? I know there is already sliced cheese
in the salad bar, but it would be even better if you could mix it in with the eggs so it would melt. Thanks for all your hard work!
A: We do serve a variety of combination scrambled eggs...Thanks for writing.
October 2, 2005:
Q: Hi, I was wondering what the percent of Vitamin C in the Orange Juice is.
Thank you! - Win Rodgers
A: The orange juice id 100% real juice. Thanks for writing.
Q: Thank you Commons for making our dining experience so wholesome, cozy and delicious! You truly spoil us! But, a problem I would like to address though rather personal, I can't imagine I'm the only one with it. It is a matter of fiber, and the All-Bran, apples (both fabulous) and prunes that I supply myself, just don't cut it. After chugging some milk of magnesium, I write...
I've eaten the rather flimsy, white-ish whole wheat bread at the main
bread stand, look forward to the italian selections of wheat bread on
Wednesdays at the Pasta Bar, and lather organic peanut butter on the
Vegan-fridge slices (dry, flavorless and card-boardy, unfortunately!)for
a year now and I can't help but long for some whole grain, whole wheat,
brown bread with a dark and ARGH! personality. I suggest something
similar to NYC Eli's Whole Wheat Health Loaf, which is nutty and true and
makes my tummy much happier. Perhaps there is some Maine- equivalent of
this bread selection. Maybe you have some connections to "When Pigs Fly"
brand bread? This would truly make my life so much more... comfortable.
My G-I tract thanks you for your time and consideration!
A: I'm sorry for your bread concerns, but we already serve a whole wheat
bread, 12 grain dread, a natures oat,rye, pumpernickel and at different
times, different types of Borealis breads. I understand your plight and we
will check with your purveyor to see if there are alternatives they can
provide which are in keeping with the ones you mentioned. Thanks for writing.
October 1, 2005:
Q: What was the bread used to make the portabello sandwich (Sat. 10/1 lunch) called? Is it normally available in Commons? Thanks.
A: The bread used id foccocia and from time to time it is served in Commons.
Thanks for writing.
Q: Could you please add three toppings to the soft-serve ice cream bar. 1)
chocolate chips, so we don't have to walk all the way to the hot chocolate
machine. 2) mini m&m's, like the ones used at the make your own sundae
bar. 3) whipped cream. Thanks.
A: There are so many requests for toppings that it is hard to meet everyone's needs. We will take your request into consideration. Thanks for writing.
Q: A couple nights ago there was some bread out by the salad bar that was
amazing. I think it had olive oil on it. Please serve that as often as
possible. Thanks.
A: Can do ! Thanks for writing.
