"splitting" news and stories

I've always split food at restaurants, not only because of cost concerns, but because of room-in-stomach considerations: a person my size does not need her own entree, appetizer and dessert. Or, given the portion sizes at many American restaurants, even her own entree.

Now, an article in Raleigh's The News & Observer discusses how, because of the recession, splitting food is becoming ubiquitous even in the kind of upscale restaurants where hamburgers go for $18. David Pogrebin, general manager of the French restaurant Brasserie in New York, says he's even seen three people splitting an ice tea with free refills. The owner of a Raleigh barbecue restaurant says he'll often have two people come in to split a $3 dollar, four wing appetizers. And drink water. Some restaurateurs will assess a small splitting fee, to recoup some of their losses.

I sometimes do feel a little guilty if I come in to a restaurant during dinner and just want an appetizer or to split a single entree with my companion, but I usually assuage my guilt by leaving a decent tip.

Do you split dishes more often these days? Do you ever get static from wait staff?

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Maybe you were inspired by my post last month, asking for fresh pumpkin recipes. Or maybe one showed up in your CSA box and has been sitting on your counter for the last week, gazing at you serenely as you try to figure out what to do with it. However you came to be in possession of a cooking pumpkin, now that you have one, you've got to determine how to deal with it.

Apartment Therapy Kitchen has a post up today on the best way to crack open a cooking pumpkin, so that you can extract the seeds (delicious toasted with a little butter and salt) and roast/steam/bake the flesh for delicious eating. Their pictures take you through the process of cutting open the pumpkin and are really helpful if you're feeling a little daunted by your pumpkin's tough exterior.

Yep, an entire site (and domain, for that matter) dedicated to defeating and enjoying the world's largest seed. Having grown up in the tropics, I've opened my share of coconuts. That's not to say I'm any good at it, but I was definitely curious to see which method this site suggested. I was with them for part about using a nail or drill to let out the milk through the three holes at the top. And, while I'm sure a hammer and towel works just fine, I've always had the best luck with a C-clamp. Just clamp it on to the sides opposite the holes made for the milk and twist it down until the coconut cracks. I've also heard of putting coconuts in the oven to make them easier to open, but I've never had to resort to that. Differences in methods aside, the step-by-step photo walkthrough on this site is a good one. Aside from HowToOpenACoconut.com, there are also similar sites for pineapples, corn, burgers and baked potatoes.