Pot Pies

apple pants · February 2009

I went into that pot pie take out place across from Connecticut Muffin near the Pavilion movie theatre yesterday. Their pies are really, really good.

But the guy behind the counter was playing with his beard, taking money and serving pies without using any gloves or a piece of wax paper. Since when has using bare hands to handle food after rubbing your face become acceptable in food service? Really gross. When I buy a hot dog in the park, I know what to expect, but there is no excuse for such grossness at a restaurant.

carmen · February 2009

Its not cool to touch your face/hair then tough food, but I do think that a lot of society is kind of "glove happy"- I've found that wearing gloves actually inhibits safe food handling because it makes you less aware of when your hands are dirty. Hand washing is just as effective as glove changing without all the waste involved.
That said, I do think its illegal to serve food without gloves in NYC (when I work at a soup kitchen in the city we have to wear gloves for EVERYTHING as a result of city food service laws...)

anastasia beaverhausen · February 2009

That would totally schkeve me. I use gloves at home - like when I'm making meatballs or something I have to put my hands into. Just for the reason I don't get chop meat or whatever under my nails. Watching a guy finger his beard then touch my food would probably make me say "uh...no thanks. You eat it."

pitu · February 2009

are the gloves supposed to remind him not to touch his beard?
It's dumb when counterpeople are handling money AND food and whatever, and wearing gloves just cause it's the rule.

Tongs, wax paper, something that actually keeps your cooties outta my happy meal . . .

8thandprez · February 2009

I'm with Pitu... the glove requirement is useless if people don't A) change gloves frequently and

lose their bad hygiene habits.

whatchuwant · February 2009

Was this Dub Pies? I've been wanting to go there so badly.....now not so much.

I can't watch people make my food (deli counter guys, anybody where the food is prepared in front of me). Even if there's gloves and all the safety accouterments. Just can't. I have to order and then turn around an look out the window, or at stuff in the store, just to avoid seeing what they're doing back there. Because somewhere along the line of me watching, there will inevitably be something that will gross me out, and then I would starve.

modsquad · February 2009

There is a law of diminishing return at work here. I have a part time job with the FDNY that requires inspection of sprinkler systems in basements where often kitchens are located. I would say without a doubt most kitchen help, counter people and what not are given a single pair of gloves a day or even worse every other day. When they are on break they take their gloves off and hang them on a nail, on a table, tuck them in their pockets, drop them on the floor, whatever. It's all for show. It's only by shear luck we're not all spending the day on the toilet.

vidro3 · February 2009

eh, we need a few germs here and there to make us healthier.

for what it's worth, every time I've been in Dub Pies, which is quite often, I have seen them handle the pies with a piece of wax paper.

Unless others start reporting seeing the same thing I would just call this a momentary lapse.

opossumqueen · February 2009

The pies there (DUB pies) are too delicious to be put off by some handling. That said, I usually get "cold" pies which means I'm going to heat them at home anyway.

The vegetable curry is by far the favorite at our house, but chicken is a close second. Also, that pumpkin ginger soup they've been having is amazing. Get a small to-go and they put a coffee lid on it so you can drink it while you walk.

Plus, I feel like someone handling things with their bare hands are probably washing their hands a lot more often than someone with gloves is changing those gloves.

apple pants · February 2009

Vidro,

I was thinking that about the germs too, like, maybe I am being over sensitive about it. But, it really grossed me out. I have worked in restaurants that had gross practices like storing their bread under the sink. But when you see someone touch his bearded face and then touch the food and money, it really is gross. They really do make a tasty product, but using tongs or gloves is something you do all of the time, or none of the time. It isn’t something you occasionally forget to do.

I do appreciate the comments about dirty gloves being bad too, I had never considered that, but it makes sense.

opossumqueen · February 2009

Maybe we should take them this thread and suggest some tongs or the wax for whichever employees don't use them. I don't want anything bad to happen to that place. I can't live without it

apple pants · February 2009

That is actually a good idea Opo. They should know.

rockergirl77 · February 2009

They have Dub Pies at The Bell House too, in case you get a hankering for one at 2am someday.

vidro3 · February 2009

apple pants wrote: Vidro,

I was thinking that about the germs too, like, maybe I am being over sensitive about it. But, it really grossed me out. I have worked in restaurants that had gross practices like storing their bread under the sink. But when you see someone touch his bearded face and then touch the food and money, it really is gross. They really do make a tasty product, but using tongs or gloves is something you do all of the time, or none of the time. It isn’t something you occasionally forget to do.

I do appreciate the comments about dirty gloves being bad too, I had never considered that, but it makes sense.

Did the guy have an Australian-ish accent? Maybe someone should mention it to them, as Opossum Queen suggested. Better to solve the problem than build resentment.

vidro3 · February 2009

Also, You're right Apple Pants, handling food right after handling money is one of the dirtiest but also most common occurrences in food preparation. Bartenders especially grab money then drop a lemon or lime in your drink. It's gross and more attention needs to be called to it.

apple pants · February 2009

vidro,

The guy had a stoned accent.

anthonycm · February 2009

Bah! Park Slope is populated by a bunch of beardaphobes. Okay, okay, the touching of the beard and then the food is gross. The proper procedure is for crumbs to fall into your beard and then pick them out as snacks later.

apple pants · February 2009

plus

equals

scarlett · February 2009

What's a "stoned accent?"

brooklynjack · February 2009

I forwarded a lnk to this thread to Gareth Hughes who owns Dub Pies and this was his reply:

Gareth Hughes wrote: thanks for bringing it to my attention. I've spoken to the manager and the person we person we believe to be responsible.

wonder if you'd mind making a post on our behalf to this effect? we do instruct our staff to complete the city food handling course (at our expense) - most have done so.

the consolation in this instance, I suppose, is that the staff do not touch the pies without first using a 'bakery grab' - ie a piece of waxed tissue paper designed to stop transference of incidental germs that may be picked up between hand washings.

but that said it I'm sure it would have been a little off-putting. I'd like to apologize to Apple Pants and ensure you we are doing our best to ensure our food is healthful, healthy and served in the appropriate manner.

thank you for bringing it to my attention - we have already acted on this and the staff person has been instructed to be more mindful.

thanks again

Gareth Hughes
Owner

apple pants · February 2009

Scarlett,

Think Sean Pean - Fast Times.

veets · February 2009

BrooklynJack thanks for letting the owner knoew about the situation. And what a responsive, responsible person Gareth Hughes is!

arieshine · February 2009

"I'd like to apologize to Apple Pants" sounds so funny!! (no personal offense meant to your name, just the context of using it so formally)

new2hood · February 2009

Gareth sounds dreamy. His pies certainly are...esp. surrounded by split pea soup.

apple pants · February 2009

Yes, I second that, thanks for letting the owner know. And I am glad the owner talked to the employee rather then just firing the person.

apple pants · February 2009

Arie,

Yes, I got a kick out of hearing my name formally too.

danielle123 · February 2009

arieshine wrote: "I'd like to apologize to Apple Pants" sounds so funny!! (no personal offense meant to your name, just the context of using it so formally)

"I'd like to say hello to Apple Pants (I would apologize to Apple Pants but I've done nothing wrong)." I just had to write that. ;-)

arieshine · February 2009

Haha!!

obamanut · February 2009

Subject: Re: Pot Pies

apple pants wrote: I went into that pot pie take out place across from Connecticut Muffin near the Pavilion movie theatre yesterday. Their pies are really, really good.

But the guy behind the counter was playing with his beard, taking money and serving pies without using any gloves or a piece of wax paper. Since when has using bare hands to handle food after rubbing your face become acceptable in food service? Really gross. When I buy a hot dog in the park, I know what to expect, but there is no excuse for such grossness at a restaurant.

The solution to this is actually pretty easy--you should have simply wiped the pie off with your own beard (which, if you haven't noticed, everyone who's anyone in Brooklyn has [who's male and under 30] ) and ate it. Problem solved.

raw · February 2009

[quote=apple pants]

plus

equals

Amen! :cheers:

Yet, be aware that for every one time you see hand to muff to pie, it happens ten times without you seeing.

arock75 · February 2009

Maybe this will be completely ignored because people are tired of having this debate and no one cares or just that it is close enough to Park Slope that it doesn't matter - but Dub Pies is in Windsor Terrace

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