We're taping a fresh batch of segments for The Daily Chew today. In the meantime, here's the most recent edition with Kevin Fonzo of K restaurant in College Park demonstrating his recipe for Apple Brined Pork Chops with Stuffing. And here's a link to the recipe at icFlorida.com.

Relish a relish with nary a cranberry. Crunchy pickled red onions bathed in a kicky Latin marinade of orange juice, smoky chipotles and a swig of tequila adds a bit of sass to even the most traditional holiday menus. And you won't believe how easy these complexly flavored beauties are to create.

Without the hassle and mess of canning, the marinade performs its magic in the fridge, working to draw some of the liquid from the onion, leaving it as crisp as a fresh apple. And you can pickle to your heart's content up to two months before you plan to serve the sweet/hot scarlet nibbles (or fill an extra jar or 10 as the perfect gift for the foodies on your holiday shopping list).

Serve alongside, oh, just about everything--a swanky buffet, the humble casserole, a platter of cheeses, or straight from the jar for a low-calorie late night indiscretion.

Whenever I see an article like this one from Lifehacker with the title "Tips from a Former Server: How to Get Better Service at a Restaurant" I greet it with a raised eyebrow. This article tells the readers how they should comport themselves when dining out to ensure their waiters treat them properly.

The problem with the concept is that everyone should be getting proper service to begin with. The article's tone suggests that the onus is on the guest to treat the server right if one is to expect good service. It's certainly true that being a guest in a restaurant does not excuse someone from the tenets of the Golden Rule. But my position is that into every server's life a jerk will eventually appear. And even that jerk should get the best service available. 

But what do you think? Does the article tell you anything you didn't know? I'd especially like to hear from some of you servers out there. Leave a comment below.

Brunch is suddenly big again. Or maybe I'm just, shall we say, waking up to it. But it seems that it's almost a requirement that a restaurant now offer one. A restaurant that recently opened in downtown Orlando had barely finished serving its first guests before they started asking when the new business would add brunch. Sort of like new parents being asked if they'd selected the newborn's college yet.

If you're among those who don't quite get the allure of Sunday brunch — and in most cases we're talking about Sundays, though Saturday brunches are beginning to be more available — you might enjoy an article from the New York Times on the subject by freelance writer David Shaftel. Its title, "Brunch is for Jerks," will give you an idea about how Shaftel feels about them.

But if you read that title and thought, "Hmmm, jerked chicken omelet sounds good," then let's start exploring some of the brunch places available.