Pickled Green Papaya – And a Pickle Story

A story about pickles, as told by Bob Farrell:

I’ve been coming to your restaurant for over three years. I always order a #2 hamburger and a chocolate shake. I always ask for an extra pickle and I always get one. Mind you, this has been going on once or twice a week for three years.

I came into your restaurant the other day and I ordered my usual #2 hamburger and a chocolate shake. I asked the young waitress for an extra pickle. I believe she was new because I hadn’t seen her before. She said, “Sir, I will sell you a side of pickles for $1.25.” I told her, “No, I just want one extra slice of pickle. I always ask for it and they always give it to me. Go ask your manager.”

She went away and came back after speaking to the manager. The waitress looked me in the eye and said, “I’ll sell you a pickle for a nickel.” Mr Farrell, I told her what to do with her pickle, hamburger and milkshake. I’m not coming back to your restaurant if that’s the way you’re going to run it.



He signed his name and, fortunately for me, included his address. I wrote him a letter and enclosed a card for a free hot fudge sundae. I assured him we don’t run our business that way, apologized, and asked him to please come back. I had a chance meeting with him years later and I thanked him in person for his letter because it became the “war cry” of our young company, “Give ’em the Pickle.” When something happens with a customer and you’re not sure what to do? “Give ’em the Pickle!” Do what it takes to make things right!

If the customer had sent his letter to a restaurant in Singapore, chances are he won't get a reply. He'll then write to The Straits Times and, if his letter's published, the restaurant will say it's 'company policy' that customers pay for extra pickle. The bulk of the commenters, probably waiters who blame everyone except themselves for their dead-end jobs, will call the customer a cheapskate. If the customer stops going to the restaurant? Thank you very much, the restaurant would say, and mean it.

Bob Farrell's customer had a sweet pickle story. I have a pickle story too, but it's sour. I used to go to Cedele Depot, where I usually ordered the rosemary chicken sandwich with cranberry sauce. I always asked for extra sauce, and the cafe always obliged. One day, however, the lady serving me said I had to pay 50 cents extra. Which I did, but that was the last time I went to the cafe.

Charging customers for extra pickle is bad enough, but promising extra pickle and then not giving any happens all the time. OCBC, for instance, is a good example. Well, you know what? Customers are to blame for bad service, just as parents are when their kids behave badly. Spineless customers who don't stand up for their principles have as much to learn from Bob Farrell's pickle story as businesses.

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PICKLED GREEN PAPAYA (Recipe for 1 kg) 300 g sugar (1½ cups) 300 g white vinegar (1¼ cups) 1.15 kg firm, unripe papaya, with green skin that has a hint of yellow peel, halve, remove seeds and trim head to yield 1 kg 2 tbsp salt 3 bird's eye chillies, rinse and slice thinly After cutting the papaya, you may find that it's too ripe for pickling, and too green for eating. In which case, please proceed to plan B: Buah Paya Masak Titek. Please note that pots, bowls and jars used should be non-reactive. Heat and stir sugar with vinegar until dissolved. Leave till cool. Rinse papaya thoroughly. Slice crosswise as thinly as possible, with a mandolin if available. Sprinkle with salt and mix thoroughly. Leave till limb and soft, about 10 minutes depending on the thickness. Rinse and drain. Mix with vinegar mixture and chillies. Cover and refrigerate. Papaya may be served after turning translucent. This may take 12 hours if papaya is paper thin and not too green. If totally green and not-so-thin, you'll have to wait 1-2 days. Adjust seasoning after papaya is ready for eating, if necessary, then wait at least 3-4 hours before serving.

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