Disaster Breakfast

[Generic]

The frustration continues... as stated I always ask about alergies / dislikes at check in (also on my online form). This morning we noticed that one guy ate just a little of his breakfast plate - herb suffle, and nothing sweet, not even fruit. Nothing was said until this evening. His wife asked quietly if we were having anything with cheese tomorrow, kept looking back to see if hubby was watching. Guess HE did not want to bother me with any 'special orders'. Xing the cheese is simple compared to some requests.....

I understand your frustration. I also ask when the reservation is made about requirements/restrictions/foods you do not eat. I include in the confirmation letter their response to that question even when it is a ho-ho no brussel sprouts as the answer (or liver & onions) smartA answer. and still get people who forget to say they cannot have cinnamon or the Dad who did not tell me until they were enroute that on kid could not have gluten and even then neglected to tell me he also could not eat eggs not peanut butter, He saved that gem for when they arrived at Midnight.
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My website clearly states "...are available with at least two-days prior notice..."
I need time to prepare. If you don't give me the prior notice, it's on a best efforts basis. I usually have frozen gluten-free vegan bread and jam available. A box of gluten-free cereal and either soy, rice or almond milk.
When they announce it too late, I simply tell them that since we had no notice, this is what we have available that follows their dietary needs. Sorry, but I need time to get my ducks in a row.
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Do you have any problems when using the gluten-free bread with guests telling you it can't touch any regular bread? ie- don't put it in the toaster, I'll die!
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So far, I have never had someone who has been that intolerant. If they tell me that they are, I guess I will have to pull out $10 and officially create our gluten-free toaster. Or toast it manually.... on a frying pan.
When I buy mixes that are specific to gluten-free diets, I pull out plastic bags and weigh out and seperate the product into usuable packets. All in zip lock bags. All my gluten-free products are kept in zip lock baggies, to prevent cross contamination.
I always produce my gluten-free versions of a dish first and if need be, they are rewarmed in the microwave. I want to avoid cross contamination at all costs. I have found that most people on restrictive diets are thankful for the extra steps to keep their food free of gluten.

 

[egoodell]

We usually ask in the online reservation and they usually tell us. But since there are so many people who don't like peppers of any kind, onions and mushrooms I don't cook with them - veggies like aspargus is always safe here.
Riki

 

[Copperhead]

We usually ask in the online reservation and they usually tell us. But since there are so many people who don't like peppers of any kind, onions and mushrooms I don't cook with them - veggies like aspargus is always safe here.
Riki.

Side bar alert!!! Rikki, glad to 'see' you online today... saw your area was hit hard by the storm yesterday. Hope all is ok with you.

 

[egoodell]

We usually ask in the online reservation and they usually tell us. But since there are so many people who don't like peppers of any kind, onions and mushrooms I don't cook with them - veggies like aspargus is always safe here.
Riki.

Side bar alert!!! Rikki, glad to 'see' you online today... saw your area was hit hard by the storm yesterday. Hope all is ok with you.
.

Side bar alert!!! Rikki, glad to 'see' you online today... saw your area was hit hard by the storm yesterday. Hope all is ok with you.

...and we were both out driving wine tours in it!!!! I had to plow through a flash flood to get out of one of the wineries - it was amazing. There were sudden rivers going across roads stranding people! And one house had the ground floor suddenly half submerged so that the family had to be rescued by boat!!
And then the sun suddenly came out at 3pm and all the restaurants put their outside tables out again! Mountain weather!
Good for us though since Chris just planted 100 more grape vines. We have a barrel of port-styled dessert wine aging and I'm the only one that has not tasted it yet. All the top advisor/winermakers are saying that it's above excellent - so we're excited.
By the way the voteing ended on the 15th for the "best" thing in the V ir ginia W ine M againze but they have not yet listed any winners.
RIki

 

[EmptyNest]

We usually ask in the online reservation and they usually tell us. But since there are so many people who don't like peppers of any kind, onions and mushrooms I don't cook with them - veggies like aspargus is always safe here.
Riki.

Side bar alert!!! Rikki, glad to 'see' you online today... saw your area was hit hard by the storm yesterday. Hope all is ok with you.
.

Side bar alert!!! Rikki, glad to 'see' you online today... saw your area was hit hard by the storm yesterday. Hope all is ok with you.

...and we were both out driving wine tours in it!!!! I had to plow through a flash flood to get out of one of the wineries - it was amazing. There were sudden rivers going across roads stranding people! And one house had the ground floor suddenly half submerged so that the family had to be rescued by boat!!
And then the sun suddenly came out at 3pm and all the restaurants put their outside tables out again! Mountain weather!
Good for us though since Chris just planted 100 more grape vines. We have a barrel of port-styled dessert wine aging and I'm the only one that has not tasted it yet. All the top advisor/winermakers are saying that it's above excellent - so we're excited.
By the way the voteing ended on the 15th for the "best" thing in the V ir ginia W ine M againze but they have not yet listed any winners.
RIki
.

Oh it was a real mess here as well. I was driving home from church and our Greenway was underwater. Friends ran out an took pics and put on Facebook. I could not believe how fast the water rose in just a half hour! Thankfully no damage was done...they built our Greenway so that is was pretty much flood proof. Water has already gone down and except for a bit of mud in one place you would never know it happened.

 

[agoodman]

Ok so I just got a "No wheat, fruits, vegetables, natural food" so I guess they will get a gluten free waffle with fruit, honey and plain yoghurt!!!!! As for "natural" I am in a small town and would have to drive 45 miles for organic food, no go for a one night stay.

 

[gillumhouse]

We usually ask in the online reservation and they usually tell us. But since there are so many people who don't like peppers of any kind, onions and mushrooms I don't cook with them - veggies like aspargus is always safe here.
Riki.

Side bar alert!!! Rikki, glad to 'see' you online today... saw your area was hit hard by the storm yesterday. Hope all is ok with you.
.

Side bar alert!!! Rikki, glad to 'see' you online today... saw your area was hit hard by the storm yesterday. Hope all is ok with you.

...and we were both out driving wine tours in it!!!! I had to plow through a flash flood to get out of one of the wineries - it was amazing. There were sudden rivers going across roads stranding people! And one house had the ground floor suddenly half submerged so that the family had to be rescued by boat!!
And then the sun suddenly came out at 3pm and all the restaurants put their outside tables out again! Mountain weather!
Good for us though since Chris just planted 100 more grape vines. We have a barrel of port-styled dessert wine aging and I'm the only one that has not tasted it yet. All the top advisor/winermakers are saying that it's above excellent - so we're excited.
By the way the voteing ended on the 15th for the "best" thing in the V ir ginia W ine M againze but they have not yet listed any winners.
RIki
.

Glad to hear all is well with you Riki & CL. JB, was your area hit?

 

[JBloggs]

We were fine here, but Staunton State Park was hit! http://www.virginiaoutdoors.com/article/more/2533
But we WERE IN NC where that horrible damage was JUST ONE WEEK AGO TO THE DAY. We could have been right there.

 

[Generic]

Ok so I just got a "No wheat, fruits, vegetables, natural food" so I guess they will get a gluten free waffle with fruit, honey and plain yoghurt!!!!! As for "natural" I am in a small town and would have to drive 45 miles for organic food, no go for a one night stay..

See... I would read that as all NO, since there is no full stop. I bowl of hot quinoa, refined sugar and that's done. Throw on some cotton candy for some "fancy" on the plate

 

[Alibi Ike]

Ok so I just got a "No wheat, fruits, vegetables, natural food" so I guess they will get a gluten free waffle with fruit, honey and plain yoghurt!!!!! As for "natural" I am in a small town and would have to drive 45 miles for organic food, no go for a one night stay..

See... I would read that as all NO, since there is no full stop. I bowl of hot quinoa, refined sugar and that's done. Throw on some cotton candy for some "fancy" on the plate
.

See... I would read that as all NO, since there is no full stop.

That's how I would have read it, too. No period means all of that stuff is on the 'no' list. I like that they don't want 'natural foods' that makes it so much easier!

 

[agoodman]

Ok so I just got a "No wheat, fruits, vegetables, natural food" so I guess they will get a gluten free waffle with fruit, honey and plain yoghurt!!!!! As for "natural" I am in a small town and would have to drive 45 miles for organic food, no go for a one night stay..

See... I would read that as all NO, since there is no full stop. I bowl of hot quinoa, refined sugar and that's done. Throw on some cotton candy for some "fancy" on the plate
.

Apparently "deciperhing of the English language" is something we need to add to our resumes ... yes it does read as all knows, TG we have brains ...

 

[Alibi Ike]

Ok so I just got a "No wheat, fruits, vegetables, natural food" so I guess they will get a gluten free waffle with fruit, honey and plain yoghurt!!!!! As for "natural" I am in a small town and would have to drive 45 miles for organic food, no go for a one night stay..

See... I would read that as all NO, since there is no full stop. I bowl of hot quinoa, refined sugar and that's done. Throw on some cotton candy for some "fancy" on the plate
.

Apparently "deciperhing of the English language" is something we need to add to our resumes ... yes it does read as all knows, TG we have brains ...
.

Apparently "deciperhing of the English language" is something we need to add to our resumes ... yes it does read as all knows, TG we have brains ...

I am firmly in the camp of not deciphering what someone 'meant'. I go strictly by what they said as I've too often been burnt by 'interpretation'. What I will do is reiterate to them in an email that I have made a note they do not eat any of the following foods and then list exactly what they said. Let them get back with me, eyes rolling, attitude all over, 'I MEANT...' subtext of 'you idiot, anyone would know what I meant.'
I'd rather have them think I'm an idiot than prove it by interpreting something wrong.

Seriously, where are you going to put the period? No gluten. No gluten, fresh fruit. Where does it go?

 

[Generic]

Ok so I just got a "No wheat, fruits, vegetables, natural food" so I guess they will get a gluten free waffle with fruit, honey and plain yoghurt!!!!! As for "natural" I am in a small town and would have to drive 45 miles for organic food, no go for a one night stay..

See... I would read that as all NO, since there is no full stop. I bowl of hot quinoa, refined sugar and that's done. Throw on some cotton candy for some "fancy" on the plate
.

Apparently "deciperhing of the English language" is something we need to add to our resumes ... yes it does read as all knows, TG we have brains ...
.

Apparently "deciperhing of the English language" is something we need to add to our resumes ... yes it does read as all knows, TG we have brains ...

I am firmly in the camp of not deciphering what someone 'meant'. I go strictly by what they said as I've too often been burnt by 'interpretation'. What I will do is reiterate to them in an email that I have made a note they do not eat any of the following foods and then list exactly what they said. Let them get back with me, eyes rolling, attitude all over, 'I MEANT...' subtext of 'you idiot, anyone would know what I meant.'
I'd rather have them think I'm an idiot than prove it by interpreting something wrong.

Seriously, where are you going to put the period? No gluten. No gluten, fresh fruit. Where does it go?
.

The only thing you can do is quote it back to them so that you have it in black and white.

 

[Joey Camb]

Sorry chiming in late but I would have said I asked when you checked in so its toast and cerial and I am chucking this all out and I bet they would have eaten it then!