alya

Eloise,

Obxgirl – from what I understand lives in NC on the Outer Banks (OBX) and I'm sure she'll corect me if I'm wrong

While she sometimes can seem a little bit harsh in her postings she seems to give good information. She was actually using a quote from one of Patrick’s posts so your ‘flame’ should be directed to Patrick not obxgirl.

Recently there have been a rash of posters wanting to know:

What to wear?
What shoes to wear?

I feel she and Patrick are justified in their vents

suze

kendrase, Unless you speak reasonably fluent French and Italian or happen upon a waiter who speaks English, I still don't understand how all this is going to be discussed.

kendras3

Thanks for everyones response. I can definitely say that I got something from each message.

Thanks again!

machin

What to wear posts. What did youi wear before?

Worktowander

I won't be taking sides on whether you should or shouldn't order your steak medium well.

But as someone who worked in the restaurant industry for years, I have a partial answer to the mysterious linkage in this thread of "well done" and "tough."

In every restaurant I ever worked in (and some my brother worked in), people who ordered steaks medium well or well done got the worst steak in the cooler. The thought was that "they wouldn't know the difference anyway," and "save the good stuff for the people who know what's good."

So just be aware of that. If you want it medium well, go ahead and order it that way.

alya

Machin – exactly! why would you change your whole wardrobe to travel to Paris/Italy Spain and while you were there why would you worry?

Does anybody know you? After seeing you and getting to their office will they care that you were wearing shorts? Do some of the travelers on this board think they are so very important that other people care what they wear?

Do you? If you do type 'what to wear' in the search box and you’ll receive lots of input

Kendras3 - I'm sure you are worrying too much, just remember to post a trip report to placate other people and their concerns.


Have fun!

faredolce

A few points here:

Bistecca Fiorentina, from the distinctive white Chianina steers of Tuscany and Umbria is a treat not to be missed. It is a special breed. It is served rare, but it will still be delicious medium or medium-well. Order it as you like it. At the restaurants in Florence that I have been to, the waiters seemed completely fine with understanding temperatures and that some Americans may like their steaks cooked more. If they get ticked off or judgemental, too bad. You are paying for it. There may be a sigh or roll of the eyes, but what-ev-er. They sigh and roll their eyes at us over lots of perceived goofs. Tourism also accounts for a huge, huge part of their local economy, so no matter what, in the end they know the deal.

I am a chef. I consider myself a professional, and the whole point of a restaurant is to extend hospitality to the guest. There are certain things that are upsetting to us in the kitchen, like changing the concept of a created dish, but cooking meat to the liking of the customer is not generally something that is going to piss off a chef (other than we know that piece of meat is going to take longer and slow down the ticket, but that's the way the ball bounces). Cooking a piece of meat the way it is requested kind of goes along with wearing the white coat. Even in Europe, chefs know this.

We aren't nearly as vindictive as everyone may think!

Now the mama-and-papa joints may be a bit more temperamental but still, you shouldn't worry about it.

I have this saying at work that keeps me sane. "Its just dinner."

Budman

In Tuscany they have a steak specialty called Steak Florentine. I decided we needed to try it. In a restaurant in Montepulciano, you order the steak and pay by the kilo. It's a steak to be shared by 2 people. They cut a 3 lb T-bone (inch & 1/2 thick), brought it to our table for our approval, then proceeded to cook it on an open flame, wood burning pit. It literally was served to us charred on the outside and raw on the inside (cold). Now, I like my steak rare to medium rare, but I sent it back for a little more cooking.

The owner came to your table and basically chewed us out -- words to the effect of "that's how we eat it here, if you over cook it, you will ruin it, yada, yada, yada."

An Italian couple sitting next to us ordered the same thing. She was eating the raw meat off the bone. I guess they love that sort of thing.

P.S. I didn't care if he was offended or not.

faredolce

Always politely stick to your guns.

That kind of story pisses me off. Chefs and restaurateurs like that are what give the rest of us a bad name. Berating a customer over a steak is inexcusable. If anything, they should cook it your way and then politely explain why they prefer it rare and perhaps encourage you to try it their way another time. With a smile.

When ordering steak in Tuscany, especially not in a large city, I would make sure that they know before they cook it that you aren't going to eat it rare. If they insist that blue or rare is the only way they will serve it to you, then order something else. If language gets in the way and you think its going to turn nasty, then get something else. It is all irrational, I agree, but you shouldn't have to go through that experience when trying to simply have a good meal.

Please don't think that all restaurants and chefs are like that. I have had many a lovely steak in Italy, cooked the way I wanted, with no lecture on the side. I know and have worked with many Italian restaurant owners and chefs that would never dream of confronting a customer that way. Most people in this business understand that it is all about pleasing the guest, and that good food should and can transcend borders and cultural differences.

massagediva

Just don't freak out if they don't have A-1 and baked potatoes with sour cream and chives.

SuzieC

to enter this fray...

I agree with "If they insist that blue or rare is the only way they will serve it to you, then order something else. If language gets in the way and you think its going to turn nasty, then get something else. It is all irrational, I agree, but you shouldn't have to go through that experience when trying to simply have a good meal."

Yeah what he said -

Have a GREAT time! SOOOOOO much else to eat that will be delicious. And don't forget the ever popular pantomime
"ben cotto" with a polite questioning smile - waggle your hand .. blow out your cheeks a wee bit...

Patrick

faredolce, thank you for your reassuring and very sensible post! It's great to hear from someone who knows what he is talking about instead of listening to the rantings of other tourists who pretend to KNOW what Italian chefs think and do, or those who think ALL Italian chefs are exactly alike.

SiobhanP

I eat steak 1-2 times a year and I am veggie the rest. Yes I know weird but I relly don't care for meat and fish makes me ill when I do eat it so the taste and smell puts me off.

I had a meal while on businessoutside Milan and nearly died when I ordered beef and it was pretty raw. I did eat it as I was a guest but I don't think I will do that again. My other half has done the same but did not mind too much. We eat steak well done and I usually ask for steak (Horrors!) very well done. I also say I am Irish and they assume we have no palate and I get something near enough well. You should ALWAYS ask for it cooked the way you like. Flortine steak is a huge hunk of meat and is normally served pretty rare and would take a while to cook well done. You are a customer ask for it how you like to eat normally. I feel it is only rude to insist on it being served with things not on the menu i.e. chips (frie)s like so many of my countrymen!

obxgirl

At the risk of being called obnoxious again for agreeing with Patrick, I've also enjoyed faredolce's insightful and entertaining posts.

Patrick

And thank you obxgirl, for taking the abuse that seems to have been aimed at me!

OpusX

Order what and how you want. If they wont cook it your way then order something else. IMO the Florentine steak should be eaten the way it is generally served but you have a right to have the Hell cooked out of it.

Look for me this coming week at a restaurant in Florence enjoying a nice piece of rare steak and a glass of Sassicaia. I can't wait!

Patrick

Suddenly a new thought occured to me. Beef and lamb in the UK are generally cooked beyond rare -- in fact, usually pretty well done. Do the rest of you rare meat eaters (and I admit to being one) order steaks or lamb well done in the UK, since that's normally how they might serve them? Or do you dare to order it rare because that's the way you like it? I've never thought twice about ordering my meat RARE in London, even though I strongly suspect that's not normally how they serve it.

faredolce

Sassicaia! Now you're talking business....

Robespierre

How To Cook A Steak Well Done:

1. You start with a perfectly good piece of beef...

faredolce

Hey, I like my steak rare. I think its the best way to go for that particular cut of meat, especially with some 12 year+ balsamico and doused in olive oil. But not everyone can stomach a steak that rare, and as restaurant professional you have a choice of arguing with a customer, or making them feel badly, or just doing it. Even if you think they are crazy to want it well done - you just do it. Or don't cook for people for a living. If I have a chance to educate someone, or expand their palate, or expose them to a new way of eating, that is a bonus, but it ain't the primary mission....