What would you say?

[Proud Texan]

If you advertise "chef's choice" then it's his problem. Let him find a B&B that caters to vegans. His breakfast choices are the same as any other guests' ...Take It or Leave It!
If you made an effort to accomodate him and he turned his nose up at it the %#@ him! He's just being plain rude. Just say to "Bless your heart" and be done with him.
Glossary Term:
Bless Your Heart - what an innkeeper says to a guest to feign caring and politeness when he really means to tell the guest go take a flying leap. Sometimes used in place of strangling.

 

[megan]

This throws me because I havent been here long enough. My assistant is really good at solving htese problems but I need to figure some of this out myself. Things are confused here because I came on such short notice because of a family emergency and i'm not sure how long I will be here so I don't want to upset the running of the inn by making changes even though I can see there is room to do so.

 

[Cathy]

Question (but please don't shoot me) ...
The cost of the extra groceries (soy milk, special flours, etc.) all add up for those with special diets. Do you just "eat" the costs? Can't really charge extra. The person coming next February that has a gluten free diet said she was "used" to eating or not eating what was provided. Don't go to any special trouble for me she said. I will order special bread flour and use some of the recipes that everyone here provided, but I want her to enjoy her time here and breakfast.

 

[swirt]

Question (but please don't shoot me) ...
The cost of the extra groceries (soy milk, special flours, etc.) all add up for those with special diets. Do you just "eat" the costs? Can't really charge extra. The person coming next February that has a gluten free diet said she was "used" to eating or not eating what was provided. Don't go to any special trouble for me she said. I will order special bread flour and use some of the recipes that everyone here provided, but I want her to enjoy her time here and breakfast..

i think generally, you just eat the cost. The bigger cost (for us) was trying severa recipes ahead of time to make sure they werer servable. For every one that we thought was keeper, we rejected three or more.
I think we tried 5 loaves of various gluten free bread in a french toast recipe before finding one that worked. We found a frozen almond bread at the store that held up well in french toast. All the other varieties turned to paste (bad consistency for French Toast).

 

[gillumhouse]

I've got a vegan coming in a week or two. I've told her there will be fruit, and I know I can get soy milk, but I haven't even begun to investigate what else I'm feeding her. Dh once had a book out from the library full of vegan recipes, so there are recipes out there and I'm sure I'll find something.
=)
Kk..

I once cooked brown rice with raisins and grated carrots and then pressed it into a flower cupcake (Wilton) pan (I also have a maple leaf pan) and unmolded onto a plate. Then surrounded the "flower" with small broccoli "trees" and mushroom caps. Attractive, colorful, vegan, and EASY!
.

Show off!

.

Whenever I can - which is not often.

 

[Cathy]

Question (but please don't shoot me) ...
The cost of the extra groceries (soy milk, special flours, etc.) all add up for those with special diets. Do you just "eat" the costs? Can't really charge extra. The person coming next February that has a gluten free diet said she was "used" to eating or not eating what was provided. Don't go to any special trouble for me she said. I will order special bread flour and use some of the recipes that everyone here provided, but I want her to enjoy her time here and breakfast..

i think generally, you just eat the cost. The bigger cost (for us) was trying severa recipes ahead of time to make sure they werer servable. For every one that we thought was keeper, we rejected three or more.
I think we tried 5 loaves of various gluten free bread in a french toast recipe before finding one that worked. We found a frozen almond bread at the store that held up well in french toast. All the other varieties turned to paste (bad consistency for French Toast).
.

I too am going to try out a few recipes before she arrives. Our friend comes from Canada for a visit and will bring some supplies ... then I will try the recipes. When our friend comes back for a visit before the gluten free guest arrives, I will ask her to bring "more" if I used the supplies up trying different things.
Thanks for posting the gluten free website. Every one is very helpful here.

 

[Morticia]

Question (but please don't shoot me) ...
The cost of the extra groceries (soy milk, special flours, etc.) all add up for those with special diets. Do you just "eat" the costs? Can't really charge extra. The person coming next February that has a gluten free diet said she was "used" to eating or not eating what was provided. Don't go to any special trouble for me she said. I will order special bread flour and use some of the recipes that everyone here provided, but I want her to enjoy her time here and breakfast..

Of course this is different where you live, but skip some of the more expensive items. Gluten-free guests are not used to eating bread, they avoid it because they just don't know what's really in it. You must have corn-based flours where you are, use those instead. Spicy corn muffins (made with peppers or chilis) are a hit here with the gluten-free. (But they have to be staying a couple of days for me to make those.)
So, corn muffins, scrambled eggs, whatever meat side you would serve, fruit. You're set. If the guest isn't coming until next year, get someone to bring flour with them from this side of the border, if that is allowed. It's pricey here but may be less than where you are. Or, stick with corn.
You could some sort of tortilla as well.

 

[Morticia]

Question (but please don't shoot me) ...
The cost of the extra groceries (soy milk, special flours, etc.) all add up for those with special diets. Do you just "eat" the costs? Can't really charge extra. The person coming next February that has a gluten free diet said she was "used" to eating or not eating what was provided. Don't go to any special trouble for me she said. I will order special bread flour and use some of the recipes that everyone here provided, but I want her to enjoy her time here and breakfast..

i think generally, you just eat the cost. The bigger cost (for us) was trying severa recipes ahead of time to make sure they werer servable. For every one that we thought was keeper, we rejected three or more.
I think we tried 5 loaves of various gluten free bread in a french toast recipe before finding one that worked. We found a frozen almond bread at the store that held up well in french toast. All the other varieties turned to paste (bad consistency for French Toast).
.

i think generally, you just eat the cost. The bigger cost (for us) was trying severa recipes ahead of time to make sure they werer servable. For every one that we thought was keeper, we rejected three or more.
I think we tried 5 loaves of various gluten free bread in a french toast recipe before finding one that worked. We found a frozen almond bread at the store that held up well in french toast. All the other varieties turned to paste (bad consistency for French Toast).

Yikes. We don't practice. The guest is the guinea pig. 'Let us know how that works for you.' We've gotten some good suggestions doing it that way. The best being to use yogurt when making gluten-free pancakes from a mix.

 

[Cathy]

Question (but please don't shoot me) ...
The cost of the extra groceries (soy milk, special flours, etc.) all add up for those with special diets. Do you just "eat" the costs? Can't really charge extra. The person coming next February that has a gluten free diet said she was "used" to eating or not eating what was provided. Don't go to any special trouble for me she said. I will order special bread flour and use some of the recipes that everyone here provided, but I want her to enjoy her time here and breakfast..

Of course this is different where you live, but skip some of the more expensive items. Gluten-free guests are not used to eating bread, they avoid it because they just don't know what's really in it. You must have corn-based flours where you are, use those instead. Spicy corn muffins (made with peppers or chilis) are a hit here with the gluten-free. (But they have to be staying a couple of days for me to make those.)
So, corn muffins, scrambled eggs, whatever meat side you would serve, fruit. You're set. If the guest isn't coming until next year, get someone to bring flour with them from this side of the border, if that is allowed. It's pricey here but may be less than where you are. Or, stick with corn.
You could some sort of tortilla as well.
.

Thank you for all the suggestions ... we do have corn flour here as they use it to make tortillas. Will have to find out what else they add to the tortilla dough as I am sure they add some sort of "lard/fat". I did finally find corn meal so that will be great.

 

[EmptyNest]

Question (but please don't shoot me) ...
The cost of the extra groceries (soy milk, special flours, etc.) all add up for those with special diets. Do you just "eat" the costs? Can't really charge extra. The person coming next February that has a gluten free diet said she was "used" to eating or not eating what was provided. Don't go to any special trouble for me she said. I will order special bread flour and use some of the recipes that everyone here provided, but I want her to enjoy her time here and breakfast..

For us it was just part of "doing business" especially if they let us know the dietary requirements in advance. If you can't handle it...tell them so. If it is not worth the hassle and grief it may cause you don't take them. Or, make it clear you cannot accommodate their issues and let them make the decision.
But, looking at your rates, which I think I have mentioned before..THEY ARE WAY TOO LOW...so maybe you should just charge them extra.

 

[YellowSocks]

If you advertise "chef's choice" then it's his problem. Let him find a B&B that caters to vegans. His breakfast choices are the same as any other guests' ...Take It or Leave It!
If you made an effort to accomodate him and he turned his nose up at it the %#@ him! He's just being plain rude. Just say to "Bless your heart" and be done with him.
Glossary Term:
Bless Your Heart - what an innkeeper says to a guest to feign caring and politeness when he really means to tell the guest go take a flying leap. Sometimes used in place of strangling..

If you advertise "chef's choice" then it's his problem. Let him find a B&B that caters to vegans. His breakfast choices are the same as any other guests' ...Take It or Leave It!
If you made an effort to accomodate him and he turned his nose up at it the %#@ him! He's just being plain rude. Just say to "Bless your heart" and be done with him.
Glossary Term:

Bless Your Heart - what an innkeeper says to a guest to feign caring and politeness when he really means to tell the guest go take a flying leap. Sometimes used in place of strangling.

The term you're looking for might be "How nice!" As in:
Mabel and Wilma were sitting on the porch having tea one afternoon. Mabel says, (southern drawl) "My husband got me a fur coat for my birthday."
Wilma says, "How nice!"
Mabel says, "And he bought me this new diamond encrusted ring for our anniversary."
Wilma says, "How nice!"
Mabel says, "And he bought me a new Rolls Royce for Chistmas and took me on a cruise for New Years."
Wilma says, "How nice!"
Mabel says, "What did your husband get for you?"
Wilma says, "Etiquette lessons."
"Etiquette lessons! Whyever for?"
"So I can say, 'How nice!' instead of **** you!"
=)
Kk.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I am anti soy.
For guests with extreme needs they need to bring their own gear for breakfast. If they are simple non meat eaters then that is not a big deal. We haev NO health food store here. Our healthy section at the grocery store all contain whey.
If I was in an area that had many guests with these special/alternative diets then I would gladly meet those diets.
If I charged $200+ a night, I would gladly meet those diets.
If they stayed more than one night, then again...meet the diet. I am not going to buy everything for a vegan diet for just one night. I would be happy to cook up some veggies - potatoes and a fruit platter for them. Heck I would even make them a bean burrito! (No cheese of course, or sour cream, never mind, why bother.)
Lastly, vegan's like the food they like, if a non vegan makes it, they typically won't eat much if any at all. It is like ME going to China and cooking chinese food for the Chinese. They have their own way to do it, unless you took some vegan cooking classes. Then go for it, excercise that new skill!

 

[Samster]

I am anti soy.
For guests with extreme needs they need to bring their own gear for breakfast. If they are simple non meat eaters then that is not a big deal. We haev NO health food store here. Our healthy section at the grocery store all contain whey.
If I was in an area that had many guests with these special/alternative diets then I would gladly meet those diets.
If I charged $200+ a night, I would gladly meet those diets.
If they stayed more than one night, then again...meet the diet. I am not going to buy everything for a vegan diet for just one night. I would be happy to cook up some veggies - potatoes and a fruit platter for them. Heck I would even make them a bean burrito! (No cheese of course, or sour cream, never mind, why bother.)
Lastly, vegan's like the food they like, if a non vegan makes it, they typically won't eat much if any at all. It is like ME going to China and cooking chinese food for the Chinese. They have their own way to do it, unless you took some vegan cooking classes. Then go for it, excercise that new skill!.

JBJ said: "Lastly, vegan's like the food they like, if a non vegan makes it, they typically won't eat much if any at all. It is like ME going to China and cooking chinese food for the Chinese. They have their own way to do it, unless you took some vegan cooking classes. Then go for it, excercise that new skill!"
The vegan guest that we had here for 4 days said just the opposite! She said that she never made such good breakfasts for herself. I was very flattered. She cleaned her plate. OK, now having said that...she gave me some great pointers on some products to buy (like the Buttery Sticks) and also how to prepare tofu that made it a whole lot easier.
For just one night, I would do a fruit plate, peanut butter and egg/milk free toast, juice and tea/coffee. Simple.