That should have read “NOT hopeful enough” …
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Steamed Mila brand frozen pork soup dumplings from WF. Not much soup in them, but they were fine as just plain dumplings, with a traditional dressing of EVOO and grated romano.
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I dig your avocado to toast ratio.
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I made a HUGE pot of Chicken - Cabbage Soup. I got a head of cabbage on sale last week and tonight I shredded it, along with a single chicken breast I had in the freezer, added some veggies and that was dinner. Homemade bread featured in the “Baking” thread was served – just to make dinner a little more filling.
We’ll probably get three meals from that pot of soup.
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While this place had an open kitchen, I unfortunately can’t tell you what happened to the steak once the server took it back. I did suggest the kitchen crew can have at it.
With your travels around Northern Europe & care about food waste, you are no doubt aware that Germany is one of the world’s leading industrialized nations in regards to sustainability efforts, which includes reducing food and other waste. This is such a well-known fact entire comedy acts are built around it, i.e. foreign visitors trying to figure out the multitude of garbage receptacles in their airbnbs, and the multicolored garbage disposal options in our courtyards and along the streets (glass, paper, packaging waste, garbage, compost). A stark contrast to our beloved US of A, indeed.
As for those who suggested to ask for it to be boxed up… yeah, that would’ve felt rather strange to us, and elaborating on how “we were going to feed a homeless person with it” would’ve only made it sound weirder 
like we’re trying to get two meals for one price — be it steak & eggs or tacos the next day 
We’ve given leftover food to needy folks here if n when we met some on our way home, just like we leave returnable bottles near trash cans so less fortunate folks may collect them for some cash without going arm-deep into the trash.
We all do what’s in our power to make the world a better place. As we should.
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While it has shifted a lot, its still weird to have doggy boxes in Europe.
Not sure why you’re somwhow responsible for wha t the restaurant did with the mistake.
I’ve not found it weird to ask for a doggy bag in the UK, which admittedly is no longer in Europe.
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And as much as I love the UK, never has been as far as restaurant culture.
Oh, doggy bags have made their way into German restaurant culture, like so many other US customs (tho thankfully not yet the outrageous tipping expectations, which keeps dining out more affordable overall). Asking for one is certainly not frowned upon, and we saw a couple of tables that had their leftovers packed up.
It’s NBD at all anymore, and thank goodness for that.
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Thanks for your response. I’m well aware of sustainability efforts in Europe, but I’ve never been to Germany and my uninformed question was specifically about how Berlin restaurants deal with food waste. Overall, I don’t know how restaurants handle it in the European countries we’ve traveled to, although I always notice when a restaurant has bins for compost.
I have no issues about looking weird to people. I feel like a little bit of transparency and even humor goes along way (something along the lines of “I hope this doesn’t seem weird, but we would like to take the food and give it to someone in need” or “I have a hungry dog at home who would appreciate this in order to avoid good food going to waste”). I’m saying this rhetorically, not directly to you, in the hopes to make someone think twice before throwing food out/sending it back rather than salvaging or composting it.
But that’s just me. I’m weird and I’m ok with that.
Those are all very thoughtful suggestions, and I hope folks in a different situation from ours will keep them in mind whenever they may be able to apply them.
I failed to mention that we have to vacate our apartment on Monday, and pretty much the entire rest of our stay until we fly out is filled with restaurant meals with friends who are visiting.
The chance of us finishing the meat ourselves would’ve therefore been slim at most, similar to the chance of encountering someone in need while scooting home on our Vespa in the dark.
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For our last dinner in Manteigas we decided to stay in our hotel https://casadesaolourenco.pt/ . There are other interesting restaurants around that area but all of them would have required a longer drive through the night on steep, winding roads which might not be the best idea after some glasses of wine. This time we decided to order a la carte to try out more of their dishes - Still an excellent restaurant
Couvert - selection of regional breads, preserved boletus butter, marinated olives, beiras olive oil, regional soft cheese
Hand-cut 24-months reserved ham
Amuse bouche - octopus salad
Game “alheira”, caramelized apple puree, confit egg yolk, port wine, fresh parsley
Wild boletus, low temperature egg, truffle, crispy onion
Traditional cured cod croquette, olives, parsley, “feijoca de manteigas” hummus, pickled onions
Wild boar stew, boletus, chestnuts, citrus salad
Wild boletus tagliatelle, mountain herbs, regional goat cheese, egg yolk, truffle
“Campo Romao” goatling, baked new potatoes, rice from the roasting pan, creamed turnip tops
Selection of ice cream - cottage sheep cheese, salted peanuts, caramelized hazelnuts
Dark chocolate mousse, hazelnut, caramel, fleur de sel
Orange and olive oil “beira baixa” pudding, almond crumble, chocolate sorbet
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I think one way some German and Czech, and maybe other European restaurants deal with food waste, is do indicate how much food will be provided in each serving, so people don’t order too much food in the first place.
The headings on a traditional German menu also help. There’s a page of Kleine Gerichte/ Small meals, for a lighter meal.
When I visited Cheb and Marienbad in Czech Republic, the menus stated how much meat, fish or cheese came in each meal, by the gram. In Greece, at many fish tavernas, the fish and shellfish are sold by the pound.
Another thing I noticed in German restaurant food culture vs American and Canadian restaurant food culture, is that a bowl of soup is often big enough for a light meal in Germany.
Whereas, a bowl or cup of soup in Canada and the States is a first course, which often is followed by a main course. There are exceptions of course, such as pho and what not.
My dining companions and I have over ordered in Germany at times because one of my DCs likes a bowl of soup before a main course. The soup is often big enough for a main. Now this usually leads to overeating at our table, not food waste!
The other thing I’ve noticed in Europe, at least where I have traveled, is that the servers usually aren’t trying to upsell or serve customers more than they need. Whereas I have had servers in Ontario and Quebec (Montreal, at Milos, an expensive Greek restaurant) upsell in order to benefit their bottom line, and possibly their tip. At Milos, this ultimately ended up in food waste. The waiter also managed to sour us on a restaurant we once liked a lot.
When I am on my own in Europe, if the restaurant isn’t fine dining, I take what I can’t eat in Ziploc bags or a reusable Bento box. I don’t care if I’m a little gauche and I don’t have to ask the staff for something that might not be a typical ask.
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Very surprised that local corn has arrived.
It wasn’t that good.
Here with mom’s special cod (steamed in old bay and butter in the microwave) and sugar peas.
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Roast beef. Don’t ask - the freezer in the garage packed up a few days ago and we ended up having to salvage a bunch of stuff. This was intended for cooler weather.
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I’d happily eat roast beef in all seasons!
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Bumping this up – voting ends on Monday.
I send back probably 1 in 15 meals because they show up smothered in dairy (either not listed on the menu at all…or kitchen didn’t follow the directions when I mentioned my dairy intolerance).
Taking it home with me is a non starter. If I cant eat it in the restaurant I certainly cant eat it at home, so now Im adding disposable containers to the wasted food.
There may or may not be a fridge in my room…so not going to adopt a science project, either…especially if Im packing up and moving on tomorrow. (I typically don’t stay anywhere more than 2 nights).
Giving it to someone in need is nearly as much of a challenge… I learned a long time ago as a solo female to not wander unfamiliar neighborhoods of unfamiliar cities by myself at night (even in Europe).
So I really cannot affect the disposition of the failed plate.
It’s well and truly on the restaurant… the mistake wasnt my fault in any way and I have zero say in the operations of the restaurant other than my meal.
And in the US, the pay scale for restaurant workers so abysmally low that I surely hope that the failure goes to feed someone in thr kitchen who needs food today.
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So Im using all of you and your lovely food pron as inspiration and motivation to actually eat instead merely taking in sustenance. Now that it’s just me, it’s harder to commit to prep…while Im pretty good at eating a healthful array of things, I tend to just grab what’s easiest.
Tonight is a pan seared ribeye (grass fed from Aldi and surprisingly good) over a bagged salad mix that I like.
Thanks for holding me accountable. (In my defense Ive been on the road the last two weeks).
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I view it as “Me Time”. Preparation for me, if I’m not rushed, is relaxing. I’m doing something for ME. It excludes the outside world.
It can be anything from scrambled eggs with cream cheese and toast to a more detailed meal with multiple steps and ingredients.
The sole focus is “Will I like this?” If the answer is “yes” because of previous experience with those combined ingredients or “No fucking idea” because I’ve never put a meal together that looks like this, it doesn’t matter. I’m the only one who will know…unless I post my abysmal eff-up here. 
But cooking is about both successes and disappointments, and going with the flow is part of the fun, for me.
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