Mountain Views News          Saturday, October 18, 2014

7

FOOD AND DRINK

Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 18, 2014 


TIPPING ANOTHER VIEW

My dearly departed pappy Elmer Dills would tell me, don‘t argue sex, politics and or religion, I must add tipping 
to the list. I have used this topic many times on my radio show,s to get the phones buzzing. Just got back from 
Santa Barbara and I was put into this situation. The owner of the restaurant we were at was kind enough to act 
as our server as his bar was very busy, the bottle was $50, my question is do you tip the owner of the restaurant… 
In this case we did because it was my feeling he was going to pass it along to the help. A couple of notes from my 
dads tipping guide. Let’s call them my father’s rule of thumb was 10% for a buffet and couple of extra dollars to the 
busboy and never tip the full amount on an expensive bottle of wine, he thought was it takes up the same amount 
of energy to open a $25 bottle of wine that of a $200 bottle of wine. Makes sense to me.

What made me scratch my head is a recent posting by what seems to be a very capable blogger/ that is someone 
that posts on the Internet. This was a list of nine 
recommendations to us uninformed diners on how to 
tip in the year 2013, of course it might be a little biased 
coming from a person that works for tips, going through the 
list I agreed with the concept, $1 per drink at the bar as the 
tip, if you are using a coupon or getting part or whole of your 
meal comped , you should tip on what the amount should be, 
agree and agreed, but here is where the scratching took place.

Times have changed, (ok I am with you), and a 15 % tip is 
now should be considered a bad tip, I am reading it as if you 
received bad service please tip 15 % or that your server gave 
great service and 15% is an insult. The reasoning continues 
to say that with the cost of living going up, that to be a server 
that 15% doesn’t cut it anymore. Here is my argument 
against that thought process. As a professional person such 
as a waiter, indeed you will not get a raise from the owner 
of the restaurant, it is set in stone and is a timeless practice, 
the job pays minimum wage plus tips. Not the end of story 
though, many restaurants will pay $2 more an hour to the 
“training” waiter or the headwaiter. As your experience 
grows and you become better, it would make sense that your 
tips as a percentage would grow accordingly. Tips… To insure proper service. Here is my rundown and no it hasn’t 
changed in twenty years of reviewing restaurants.

Anyone in any country that provides a service should be rewarded.

10% buffet plus $2 directly to busboy that brought you water and had to clean up after the kids through Jell-O on 
the ground.

$1 for each drink at the bar

$2 for a to go order, as long as they got it right

12% fair service, means they brought you the food and came back with your check

15% Good service brought you your food and drinks and refilled drinks and asked how was it

18% Very Good service all of the above plus asked you if your meal was prepared to your liking 

20-25% All of the above, brought items in proper order, waited for you to ask for check, asked if there is a validation 
needed and please ask for me next time.

One more note… I subtract 5% when the server blames the kitchen for a mistake, got it !!

PUMPKIN CUPCAKES WITH 
ALMOND CREAM CHEESE 
FROSTING

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills

thechefknows@yahoo.com

INGREDIENTS: 
Pumpkin Cupcakes: 

2 cups flour 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

2 teaspoons Cinnamon 

1 teaspoon Sea Salt 
1/8 teaspoon Cloves, Ground 

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin 

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar 

1 cup vegetable oil 

4 eggs 

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract 

Almond Cream Cheese Frosting:

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter, softened 

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 

1/4 teaspoon Pure Almond Extract 

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted 

1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds, coarsely chopped 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F. 
For the Cupcakes, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, sea salt and cloves in 
medium bowl. Set aside. Beat pumpkin, granulated sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla in large bowl 
with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes or until well blended. Gradually beat in flour 
mixture on low speed until just blended. Spoon batter into 24 paper-lined muffin cups, filling 
each cup 2/3 full.

Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on 
wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.

For the Frosting, beat butter, cream cheese and almond extract in large bowl until light 
and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes with 
Frosting. Sprinkle with almonds.Beat pumpkin, granulated sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla in 
large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes or until well blended. Gradually 
beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended.Spoon batter into 24 paper-lined muffin 
cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com