Ten Top Tips On Wining And Dining

Over a great many years, I have somehow acquired a hoard of spurious, though useful, pieces of information that could help to make your life a little less stressful and a lot more fun, at home or abroad.

1. If you are anything like me when you peel an onion you start to cry. Here's a solution to stop those bitter tears. Place the cup end of a teaspoon just inside your mouth, upside down. Gently purse your lips over the spoon and peel away.

2. Many a time I have accidentally spilled a few splashes of red wine over the front of my sweater. When this happens, it is perfectly normal to try to rub the wine stain clean. Stop, don't do it, you are making things worse by breaking the surface tension of the liquid. Here's a way to get that wine off your sweater without leaving any stain at all.

Gently lift your sweater from the bottom and raise your hand up inside. When your hand reaches the area stained, with your finger and thumb touching each other almost tip to tip, simply flick the globules of wine off the front of the garment.

3. If, rather than a sweater, you spill red wine on your lovely white blouse or shirt, or if you stain your clothes with ink, dip the garment of clothing in a glass of milk. Within a very short time, your shirt will be clean as a whistle. And you will have a beautifully colored glass of milk, which you will obviously have to throw away.

4. Personally, I try to never eat a curry the same day I cook it. For some reason, it always tastes better the next day. That one may just be down to my personal taste. I can be a little weird like that.

5. One of the biggest dangers in eating food in hot countries, like Spain and Italy, is the risk of salmonella poisoning. I had that problem at least three, maybe four times in Spain.

To avoid this problem, never leave food out of the fridge. Bacteria can grow very quickly indeed above a certain number of degrees Celsius. Be particularly careful with dairy products like eggs, milk, cheese, and chicken. In Spain, you cannot buy a Spanish omelet from just anybody. Sellers can only sell products like those that have been officially homologated.

6. If you find yourself in Greece, be careful about eating chocolate with nuts in it. Many years ago I had the unpleasant experience of discovering live maggots in every bar of chocolate I bought. The shop owner simply shrugged his shoulders and told me that this was quite normal.

7. In France, remember a Continental Breakfast, as exotic and glamorous as it may sound, it can simply be a black coffee and a slice of dry bread.

8. In Japan, do not be late for a restaurant reservation, and do not tip. Bad punctuality may result in you being turned away, And a tip can be misconstrued and may be seen as offensive.

9. In the USA you are expected to tip very generously as more often than not tips form the bulk of a waiter's salary. Failing to tip always is seen as an offensive act against the serving staff.

10. In Spain, for every single establishment, be it a restaurant or bar, a jewelry boutique or grocery shop, anywhere the public is served, it is a legal requirement that the owners of the business keep a complaints book on the premises. What's more, it is a legal order to post a sign telling customers that the business has such a book.

The big idea is that customers who are dissatisfied with the service or products can demand the book and write up a complaint in duplicate. Then they can take the top copy to the police and they will investigate the matter. However, it very seldom gets that far.

The simple act of asking for the book strikes the fear of God into the business owners and they always bend over backwards to resolve your complaint. This book is a very powerful weapon then, and it is one I have used half a dozen times to get satisfaction. It works every single time.