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Archive for January, 2011

Those Smart Girl Scouts

Jan 30

Posted by admin in Economy, food universe | No Comments

Here we are in the midst of winter snacking surrounded by so many ways to boost our caloric intake. Then along comes a tasty tradition: The annual  Girl Scout cookie event. After all, the money provides…The list is impressive and we haven’t even talked about endless snacking, sharing, and good will! It gets harder and harder to say no to Thin Mints (love to keep a box in the freezer, the flavors come out even better).  The program has always been stellar, and a true celebration of know-how, marketing, and leadership. They even have a clever website to demonstrate cookie power.

Well, the Girl Scouts are smarter than we are. In a move that highlights the economic financial chaos that has everyone rethinking their food budgets and generosity quotients, the Girls have decided not to offer their expansive list of delectable choices but to concentrate on the big sellers and not fill up their inventory with unsold boxes. Helps the consumer’s angst, too, as temptation lures with every supermarket outing.

Several chapters are concentrating on the six biggest sellers to see how this type of change will impact overall sales. The most popular cookies will continue to headline the leader-boards. Don’t worry the Thin Mints, the peanut butter Do-si-dos, and the buttery shortbreads are certain keepers. This type of experiment should have the number crunchers busy figuring out the stats. The rest of us will have  to wait and see.girl_scout_cookies_shortbread

Smart move on their part and probably a saving grace for the rest of us as the selection process will be more limited, and we can probably smile and get away with just a single purchase. OK, two boxes, but you get the strategy. No need for us to bulk up as we commiserate with the young ones and fall victim to our inner cravings.

Smart economic move for the organization; our waistlines thank you.

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How Large Can the G-F Letters Get?

Jan 25

Posted by admin in food universe, gluten-free, health | No Comments

With our fancy computers and tablets, we can easily control the size of type and fonts. It seems brand marketers and store managers have figured out that small G’s or GF markings are not sufficient to help purchasers select gluten-free products. Each grocery store visit seems to unearth another product that shouts out in big, bold letters that the food contained in the particular bag is gluten-free. Now you see it; buy it.

Branding is funny that way. Little shelf markings or aisle headers announcing the GF products does not seem sufficient as grocers are looking to enhance their product lineup. Popcorn really does not need the label, but marketers say, why not? Those who cannot have any gluten product need to be assured that a particular item is not made in an environment with other foods that could contaminate the gut. That’s a different commentary. The GF numbers for those with disease or merely conscious of their gluten intolerance are driving up sales and increasing marketing efforts.

One of the ironies of such markings are that unit pricing becomes hard to read. There are so many tabs and tags on the shelf trying to direct your eye toward the store’s latest product, it’s difficult to figure out how much this lemon wafer (GF) is in comparison to the one (GF) on the shelf below. The former GF wasteland has become a waist land as there are some people who believe going GF will help them lose weight. This has been disputed before and is getting a lot of attention again.

Those who need to follow such a diet should take advantage of the many books that separate out the foods and even help with recipes. Here’s one I just received the Complete Gluten-Free Diet & Nutrition Guide. What makes this book easy to use for anyone that has a medical need as with Celiac disease, is the amount of  helpful information. For anyone who needs to watch his gluten intake, the book has an easy to follow 30-day meal plan included with the recipes.GFbook51CGkX5TM4L._SL500_AA300_

I’m always a little mystified by people who complain of numerous stomach issues but have not considered the various possibilities of discomfort. Taking gluten out of one’s diet is an easy comfort test case.

Marketing an issue which has become so popular among health reporters has helped consumers find materials and foods that make their lifestyles easier to digest.

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Thank You, Oil Companies

Jan 24

Posted by admin in coffee, dining out, food universe, news | No Comments

I’m not talking olive oil, safflower, or canola, but the big guys. The oil companies as in Exxon, BP, and their kindred spirits. I’m sure you’re well aware how much money that fill-up is costing, but the spillover effects are even more noticeable. Have you watched your grocery bill start its skyrocket spiral? How about your daily extra special coffee treat? Or, your restaurant meal? Everything food-related is going for the stratosphere and predictions are that whatever we are experiencing now will only continue to escalate. Swell.

Yes, few people will notice the difference between a 5 or a 6 oz serving of a chicken breast, but will notice that the plate is filled with an assortment of other foods so the main protein does not look so lonely. A handful of lettuce, although its price has gone up handsomely, too, is still less expensive for a restaurant than sticking with the larger ounced protein.

Portion sizes are not the only items shrinking. At the grocery store, many companies have left a product’s price the same, but reduced its size. Tricky, eh! Add 10 minutes for additional label-reading.

Maybe food delivery services will continue to thrive (Amazon is planning a major new national program roll-out) as consumers  feel more secure trying to make that $4 a gallon gas last longer and take advantage of delivery specials! The program worked in Washington state so why not Washington, DC? The East Coast awaits.41IodTSAjVL._SL160__SS120__SS100_

Some of the obvious jumps are in foods from Florida or California and the end result, as in orange juice. Way up. Grain prices are way up so bread costs are higher which means your favorite sandwich will be a more precious commodity.

Every business is struggling to figure out how to make money and not raise prices too much. It’s kind of a good news-bad news scenario. As in hotels which have been holding prices down and offering lots of sales, but now that consumers are traveling more again, you guessed it: Prices are up.

The consumer is at the other end of the equation trying to figure out what to buy and what needs to be shelved. This equation has few easy answers. As some would say, time will tell or it’s time to make lemonade!

In the meantime, watch how the price of gas, the cost of products, and the sheer energy involved in production affect our bottom line! Not pretty.

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Valentine’s Day: Special Panic Alert

Jan 21

Posted by admin in food universe, lifestyle, wine | No Comments

The signs, regardless of which Zodiac you follow, are already in place: Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. What makes this year’s an extra special, as in contentious, event is the fact that the 14th falls on a Monday. That translates into a weekend of Valentine’s Day events and special menus. For many that means more crowded dining rooms and menus limited to Prix Fixe special love meals.

Now I have nothing against the prix fixe concept as I often find it is the best approach to dining. That’s especially true during the numerous restaurant week promotions as they are based on the multi-course approach to affordable dining. My complaint is with the natural crowd-fillers such as Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. They are both dining out experiences that can involve overcrowded dining rooms and harassed wait staff.

Nor do I have anything against a Love Menu. My complaint is quite simple: Diners should be able to dine from the entire menu, not just the highly tailored one. After all a diner has chosen a particular restaurant for its particular food, its menu of choices. There should be no surprises for the diner as in “you mean tonight you are not offering the house specialty?” Everyone who makes a reservation needs to know in advance if the restaurant has limited its menu selection! That is only fair.

So many restaurants have created these special menus for crowd management purposes or simply translated, to accommodate the anticipated large crowd. A kitchen cannot handle everyone’s special request as Valentine’s Day often is all about special requests.

Now you have two choices, probably more, but two will suffice. You can buy (or carry-in) that wonderful piece of fish or meat, a beautiful drusian_prosecco_superiore_di_cartizze_thumbbottle of wine, OK, start with a sparkler, and a fabulous dessert. You can eat in and save your special restaurant for a night that promises to be less crowded. Or, you can find a restaurant that is offering its entire menu, one that lets you choose your special delicacy.

Some critics say Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day menus are for amateurs. You decide.

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Coffee Break Day

Jan 20

Posted by admin in life, news | No Comments

Seems a little redundant for one who writes lovingly about coffee and its virtues to encourage you to take a break, but, hey. Today the 20th of January is National Coffee Break Day, a way for an association (The National Coffee Association USA) to kick off a year of festivities celebrating its 100th birthday. Or a way to offer all of us another excuse to celebrate the virtues of this fine pour.

Whether hot or iced, short or tall, in a cup or a mug, you get the Dr. Seuss cadence. Coffee is a treat, a necessity, a way of life. So set aside a moment today and catch the wafting aromas as the steam fills the air. Find a shop that draws a lovely little design on your latte: Latte Art.150px-Rocky

Relax, enjoy, and celebrate this most worthy day!

By the way, sorry for the late post, I’ve had too many such celebratory breaks today!

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Hey, Sweetie, It’s Love

Jan 19

Posted by admin in food universe | No Comments

Here we are deep in the season of root vegetables and high-priced citrus products from California and Florida. Yet, there is a bright light of freshness, ready for buying. A true winter treat. I’ve always looked forward to this time of the year when the Pomelo is back in our region, but this year, it has a definite contenda-may be even a knockout event!

I’m talking about the new darling, the Sweetie. Its big fancy name is the Oroblanco, but why bother with that nomenclature when you can just profess your affection for the new cross-food, a mix of a grapefruit and a pomelo. The end result is a non-bitter taste that segments easily without the extensive, thick outer skin of the pomelo.sweetie

An easy fruit to pop into lunch boxes or serve at any meal. Price point is very attractive, too, as the giant pomelos can stretch your budget easily with their common $3 price tag (OK, Costco often has 4 big guys for $9.99). The Jaffa Sweetie has managed to work itself onto the produce aisles and a bag easily beats out the current cost for grapefruit.

No bitter taste. No need for sugar. Nor overly sweet. It’s the right combination.

It’s not even Valentine’s Day yet, but everyone will enjoy this sweetie, Sweetie.

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Trends, trends, and more trends

Jan 16

Posted by admin in chocolate, gluten-free | No Comments

It’s that time of the year when the Fancy Food Show rolls out the latest products for its West Coast audience in San Francisco. It’s always fun to see what’s on the showroom floor as these products will be lining our gourmet shops before too long. Some, of course, have already met a wonderful audience, and the companies are at the show to line up new sales venues.

Let’s just look at desserts and see if there is anything tantalizing our taste buds. It has been a year when manufacturers understood the dark chocolate numbers. As we saw more such high cocoa bars, we also started to see more flavor intensifiers such as sea salt and citrus. Yes, ironically as citrus prices have escalated due to extreme weather conditions, it is the year of citrus as a major add-on for the confection industry. Lemon and orange continue to lead the flavor profile.

As we’ve noted, the gluten-free market has expanded beyond the specialty store into the everyday market as well. G-F desserts are becoming an important go-to section that recognizes man cannot live by protein alone. Lemon, by the way, has become a major player for this market shopper, too. G-F desserts are becoming more adventuresome, such as chocolate fudge cake or cheesecake making a noble statement. choccake

Don’t forget the explosion in chips as veggie chips continue to demand more market shelf. When was the last time you tried to go into a market to grab a chip snack of sorts only to stand and stare and read labels for what seems to be an interminable time? Welcome to the long, evolving chip aisle as sea salt and vinegar dominate the possibilities. Little companies are entering the space, too with specialty products that announce their flavors and the all-important phrase: Gluten-Free.

One fact about these types of trends, they are not outlandish nor far-stretched; they appear to be survivors.

These are concepts we can live with!

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Making the Lunch Line a Safe Haven

Jan 13

Posted by admin in Administration, healthy eating | No Comments

We have written extensively about the importance of making the school lunch program a model of healthy eating. It is not about the secret sauce, but about how we are setting up a paradigm for disaster. High-caloric meals with multiple carbs contribute to overweight youngsters, a very negative picture of future generations. We can do better and have been waiting for direct legislative action. The National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program are due for such an overhaul. Today Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the proposed changes.

Note that this is the first time in 15 years these standards will be upgraded. That in itself is shameful. Enough has been written about the growing national waistline. It is not possible for everyone to find foods that are healthy as budgetary constraints often make such purchases prohibitive. Not everyone has the natural, organic, local dollar budget, but we expect our schools to feed those in these programs foods that are healthy and safe.

Proposed changes include the reduction of sodium. Salt does not have to be the only taste-inducer. Under the proposal, salt will need to be reduced by half. Likewise, reduced-fat milk will be the drink of choice, calorie counts will be lowered, and whole grains will be required. As for the potato chip toppings, they are limited to one meal a week as starchy vegetables are so defined.

Currently over 32 million youngsters participate in these programs. We are not talking about a small percentage of our population. The affect on the future can easily be seen mathematically. Change will not occur overnight, but we must remain optimistic that such improvements will be beneficial for the entire society. Remember that for many of these youngsters, the school meal program provides over half of their daily food intake. Money will be increased for the districts as part of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act which provides for the improvement of the nutritional quality of the foods that schools get from the USDA for their breakfast and lunch programs. On the website, you can view a sample school lunch menu and readily grasp the nutritional changes.schoolmealscover.php

We can do better for our children. It’s time for the proposed rules to become reality.

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It’s January: Dining Deals

Jan 11

Posted by admin in food universe, lifestyle, news | No Comments

Yes, it’s that wonderful time of the year when restaurants will do almost anything to coax you into their warm, friendly dining rooms. A concept that started many years ago has blossomed into a full-blown winning ritual: Winter Restaurant Week (s). If you have never ventured into one of these seasonal promotions, you may have missed out on the opportunity to try a spot you might have labeled as too expensive, too new, or too trendy to get in the door.  This is the promotion that should have you at your computer connecting with the restaurant or an online reservation service. It doesn’t get much easier than this.

A heads up: Top spots fill up quickly. After all, the multi-course prix-fixe approach makes the meal all that more tasty!

If you select carefully and read all the appropriate local buzz, you’ll know who has a really good deal. Yes, it’s about more than the price reduction as some restaurants are smarter than others. Some let you select your three courses from a printed sheet that favors many of the typical restaurant standouts. Others have made a mistake and gone down an unfortunate road of offering the promotional price point, but not listing items they are well known for. That breeds ill will and endless negative online blitzing. After all, the purpose of restaurant week is to wow you and get you to come back another time!

Choose wisely, but choose. This is your opportunity to treat yourself at an otherwise well-known spot that may be off limits budgetarily the rest of the year. Many restaurants offer both lunch and dinner promos.

One of the more enticing promotions is New York’s. As they celebrate 20 years of success, Restaurant Week (1/24-2/6) has a new partner in a two-for-one theater promotion. Broadway Week (1/24-2/10) entices with two-for-one tickets on 18 different shows. Now that’s a handsome offer. To show you the popularity of the restaurant side of events, more restaurants, over 300, are participating in the 3-course $24.07 lunch and the $35, two-course dinner. If you really want to turn a dining experience into a full-fledged city visit, then check with the hotel side of life as some want a piece of the action, too!

Note that prices (some cities offers are $15 three-course lunches and $35 three-course dinners) vary by locale, but the enticement to get out and dine warms the spirit. header_topLeft

Bundle up and enjoy.

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Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Jan 6

Posted by admin in cooking, Pairings | No Comments

OK, it’s shockingly cold even when the sun is doing its best to shine a happy face. What to do? Open wine. Always a good answer, especially at this time of the year as the warming spirits will immediately take over. Plenty of great reds at interesting price points. Of course, if you don’t want to order online or visit a vineyard, then your local shop should help out with a Malbec, a Syrah, or a Tempranillo–they’ll do the trick.

So many choices with so many meal partners. Time for a stew, a pot roast (a great red wine partner). Add the root vegetables, and you have an all-in-one meal that spells delicious. BTW, turning on the oven to make dinner helps turn the stew237035_116kitchen into the cozy spot we so desperately covet!

The true hearty among us have no difficulty firing up the outdoor grill even with inches of snow on the ground. Weber has some advice for those thinking they might want the 2-inch thick rib-eye prepared just right. Remember it takes longer to get the grill going when the temperature is in the chill column.

Don’t forget dessert. Even a double scoop of vanilla with hot fudge sauce can do the trick. Nothing fancy needed, just a chance to appease the sweet tooth–hard to do with just a bowl of berries!

No rocket science here;  just survival strategies as we hunker down for another snowy weekend on the East Coast.

Brr….

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