Not just coffee

Archive for category beverages

A Heightened Taste Profile

Mar 28

Posted by admin in beverages, chocolate, dining out

Have you noticed how flavors are moving from one ethnic group into mainstream dining? Well, they have as in tamarind which has become more universally found; not just in Thai and Vietnamese dishes but as part of a flavor taste that strives to bring out the bold. After all, California boasts multiple locations of a top tier burger spot: Umami Burger. That’s the taste chefs and home cooks alike strive for: The fifth taste.

New research from the Center for Culinary Development in their Culinary Trend Mapping Report showcase how we have become more adventurous diners. Just take a common Latin American inspired combination, chocolate and chiles, and stroll down a market’s chocolate aisle. Yes, plenty of sea salt and caramel treats, but the heat potential from the chiles combined with a high percentage dark chocolate has become an interesting best seller.

Other trends that signify a move to mainstream eating include the use of wasabi. No longer just a green presence on a packaged market sushi carry out order or at the Japanese restaurant, but a true flavor enhancer in a variety of snack foods. Japanese yuzu, a member of the lime family, makes regular menu appearances as a marinade or a sauce as the citrus brings out a broad range of taste.

Let’s not forget the cocktail meisters who have taken these flavor-rich ingredients and foods to create unique, new timely, of-the-moment drinks. Basil is so last year!

Diners are ready to be willing players. Bring on the challenges.

 

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The Healthy Cups of Coffee

Mar 11

Posted by admin in beverages, coffee, health, lifestyle, wine

As with wine, my favorite finds are the health articles that discuss the benefits from the beverages. Today is no exception. The latest study from Sweden reports on the beneficial effects from drinking more than a single cup of coffee daily. The focus is on women without a history of cardiovascular disease. Findings clearly support a 22 to 25% reduction in the possibility of having a stroke. The lead researchers followed more than 30,000 women (from 49 to 83 years old) for 10 years. The single nor occasional cup does not produce these results.

It should be noted that the research indicates that women who do not drink coffee or have very limited coffee consumption are more likely to have a stroke. Other factors such as smoking, weight, and alcohol consumption did not affect the overall benefit women gain from daily, multiple cups of coffee. Researchers did not separate out the caffeinated from the decaffeinated drinkers, but Sweden is well known for its strong coffee brews so the authors doubt the number of decaf drinkers would significantly affect the data.

This study follows on the heels of an earlier one from Israel (The Heart Institute of Sheba) that found that 3 cups of coffee a day is good for you and protects against heart attacks and is good for the circulatory system. What is interesting about this study’s findings is that both individuals who have suffered heart conditions and those free of disease benefited from the caffeine dosage. People who have shied away from coffee for fear of a spike in their blood pressure and pulse rate might start to enjoy those multiple cups.

These studies support my overall philosophy that coffee has strong benefits and that days of diminished consumption help no one, especially those with whom you come into contact! Keep healthy, enjoy good coffee in beautiful cups.illyrehberger_143x130

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A Done Deal: The Single Cup

Mar 10

Posted by admin in beverages, coffee, lifestyle

We have been waiting for the announcement and just got it: Starbucks and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters’ Keurig units have completed the paperwork, and we’ll be the winners come this fall. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz identified a significant piece of  research: Over 80% of current customers do not yet own a single-cup brewer. Following on the heels of the company’s most successful rollout ever, the VIA paks, they are ready to combine two concepts into one swift marketing move.MW-AJ137_starbu_20110310090529_MD

The products will be widely available and not limited to a single retail outlet. Remember the coffee deal with Kraft expired so their reach with this partnership has expanded almost infinitesimally. Not just coffee, but the units will work well with their Tazo tea lineup.

Let’s think about the home use advantages: All those times when you don’t want to brew a whole pot could grab the top slot. How about one person favoring a decaf and another an espresso, that works. All of this brew technology rests with the success of the single-pod machines. For travelers, there could be an across-the-board in-room revolution: Hotels could throw out the in-room coffee pots and go for the more sanitary single-use approach. OK, how about the office where no one wants to clean the pot; so no one does! My personal travel and in-home list could continue, but most importantly the news comes at the same time everyone is reporting an insane spike in the cost of Arabica beans.

One issue to ponder: The environmental impact of these little containers. Last fall this was at the top of the radar pile; let’s see what news comes out on this fractious issue.

As coffee prices rise, a single cup solution may win over a whole new legion of followers. We’ll watch and taste.

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Up, Up, and Away: Coffee and Everything Else

Mar 3

Posted by admin in beverages, coffee, food universe, news

Time to start thinking about those pennies you’ve randomly tossed into the deli counter change dish. They will start to make a bigger difference when you tally your personal food costs. No matter how many times we’ve heard the expression, “food costs are going up,” we’ve seen the changes, but figured these would be short-term rises. Now the story is quite different. Everyone seems to be on the bandwagon announcing that food costs continue to spiral. Lots of finger-pointing about the whys, but the reality remains the same: Costs are up.

The USDA started the flood of announcements a few weeks ago. Today the UN’s food body chimed in on the seriousness of the escalation. Record highs being reported. Hardly need major groups to create headlines as we have little difficulty making those personal pronouncements within the confines of our own houses. Yet, there are some good news stories that deserve shout-outs.home_graph_1

About the same time frame as the USDA headliner, Wegmans said enough. As in enough: They will not raise prices through 2011 on the 40 most precious foods that all families need and use. YES, we applauded.

Today Costco reported its earnings and announced it would hold prices as long as possible before having to pass them on to the consumers. Does this mean we’ll need to build extra storage space to contain products that will inevitably spike?

No, I think a simple round of applause to both these companies and a heads-up to others. Join the price-stabilization train. Now.

Everyone needs help.

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How ’bout a Coffee Taste Test?

Feb 1

Posted by admin in beverages, lifestyle, news

Deals that offer the common refrain, try it you’ll like it, but if not, we’ll give you your money back, are great attention getters. Even though we are encouraged to shred and get rid of excess receipts, sometimes it pays to hold on to proof of purchase as it may prove your ticket to a new taste.

Today’s announcement by Starbucks is one such good reward. In their continual push to get more customers familiar with VIA, their instant Ready-Brew package line, they now say if it’s not to your liking, they will (with proof of purchase from now until the end of August) replace your investment with a sure-fire pleaser: A pound of ground coffee.

This can easily be called a win-win situation. If you try the handy packets and like them, perfect. If you were afraid to try them because of uncertainty, that fear has been eliminated. Perfect. If you flat-out don’t like the taste, you will be able to replace the VIA investment with a Starbucks guarantee: A free 12 oz bag of Starbucks ground house blend. Winnah!

The VIA numbers have been impressive for the company, and the line has expanded from its original Colombia and Italian launch to include an iced brew packet and multiple flavors. Their biggest launch was the holiday VIA Christmas Blend. The VIA rollout was named one of the most memorable product launches of 2010!

With all of this success, why do it? Why not? If more people try it and like, then the VIA numbers continue to impress. If the new users are unhappy, they get rewarded with coffee they are already familiar with.

Now it’s time to do the taste test.  A promise is a promise.efb8c7aadba74a779b0f8cfc4baf3bb6

Everyone’s a winner.

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The Burger, the Dog, and the Bitters

Dec 28

Posted by admin in cocktail, food universe

If one food or food shop dominated the 2010 landscape, it was the burger. Not just the In ‘n Out type (although I am a fan), but the high-end, chef-inspired spot that said, I feel your pain, so let’s upscale the bun experience. In all honesty, it allows top-tier chefs another hold on the marketplace and an additional revenue source.

We have burger shops dotting the landscape of every major city and older players had to adapt and become more creative. The single bun needed interesting toppings. Chefs who opened steakhouses in the last decade, threw their names and talent behind a higher price point experience: The burger. Why not? After all the burger offers creative challenges as it can wear many disguises and offer a great dining out experience whether for a vegetarian or Angus beef lover. Price is certainly more appetizing than for a 12-oz Filet.

Will this trend continue? Well, it will not go away, but it will receive competition from another food that had literally been health-blasted off the horizon: The Hot Dog. Already hot dog stands and restaurants are opening in more cities than just the notoriously famous Chicago Red Hot corner experience. The unique Chicago dog has motivated newbies to try their hand at importing the Midwestern flavor with its ultra green relish into the buns of the new hot dog stands.

What else had a strong revival during this past year? That would be the cocktail. No, it was not limited to the martini glass as cocktail mavens were left to their own creative imaginations to explore tastes that had not seen their way into drinking glasses of any size or shape. Basil, for instance, became a summer contender, and as the year drew to a close, more barmeisters were making their own bitters to see what tastes the glass could handle. The cocktail will not go away as quickly this time as it did when wine emerged as the dining out drink of choice. Cocktail menus and creative names challenge the diner to lighten up a little and enjoy every part of the dining out experience.TN-582782_WINNERS1066

Whatever your dining out budget, this has been the year to let you experiment with a variety of tastes that complement your budget.

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Hottest Cool Machine

Nov 17

Posted by admin in beverages, Environment, Gadgetry, lifestyle

If you haven’t been to a kitchen shop or looked at a catalog in a while, you may have missed the sodastream invasion. Yes, the whole discussion about recycling can be put to bed with this fun, hot product that seems to be everywhere this holiday season. If you purchase sparkling water or enjoy a little bubbly, then this is the perfect solution to all the expensive and heavy seltzer bottles that drive up your food budget.

The concept is quite simple: You take regular water, preferably chilled, and connect the bottles that come with the tidy, space-saving machine to the unit, give it a few puffs of a button and voilà, sparkling water. You can adjust the amount of bubbly and within seconds enjoy a cold, sparkling drink. No more discussions about flat seltzer; you just bring regular water to life!

This year they have added a full range of flavors, minus the high fructose corn syrup, to make your own specialty drinks including the obvious soda flavors such as cola, cherry cola, ginger ale, and root beer and the new natural line with lemon lime and pink grapefruit. One flavor container makes the equivalent of 33 cans!

Yes, the company talks about cost savings as one liter comes out to about 25 cents! The savings are appreciated, but now you can have the fun of running your own soda fountain. Numerous stores offer an exchange program for your empty cartridge. No waste. The starter pack includes two bottles and a carbonator.

No need to advocate for a company that has provided a simple solution to a basic household beverage, but I’d feel silly if I didn’t share one of my favorite purchases. The company calls it a “drinkmaker,” I call it a fun, interactive experience rather than a ho-hum drink purchase. Why not add a little fun to the home beverage market?fj-black_seltzer_starter_t

Put a little more sparkle into your drink portfolio. You’ll enjoy the fresh, flavor profile and at the same time help the environment and lower your per-bottle costs. Why not?

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FDA Wins–Company Action

Nov 17

Posted by admin in beverages, news

The Four Loko company pulled the plug on its double dose and eliminated the caffeine part of the beverage. Good news on the health side but some states and suppliers remark that stockpiling and hoarding is today’s game.

See prior post which delineates problem.

The power of detail won this battle.

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FDA in Action: A Hope

Nov 16

Posted by admin in alcohol, beverages, FDA, news

We complain so vociferously (and frequently) about the FDA’s inaction, that it’s time to spotlight a forward-thinking approach. It is anticipated that the FDA will come down hard this week on the caffeinated alcohol beverage market. You know those specialty drinks that give you a double jump and in the process most likely kill off any potential “benefit” from such a beverage. Severity of interaction has become a more common complaint with hospitalization not an infrequent occurrence.

Several states including Michigan and Washington have already addressed the issue and decided they did not need to wait for any Federal mandate to dictate a potentially unsafe beverage sale. Beer distributors in New York will stop their delivery by early December. The question boils down to scientific safety, the domain in which the FDA can act. We are referencing a product that has high alcohol levels, 12 percent, and gets the added boost of caffeine from the equivalent of multiple cups of coffee. No doubt you believe you can fly. If the FDA acts, we can safely say that its action has been a long time coming: See 2009 link.drinklineup

Hospitalization, injury, death–those words should create enough of a buzz without having to worry about mixing two categories of drinks into one dangerous high.

This time, a year later than anticipated, the FDA needs to act. Some products just should not be so readily available and heavily marketed. Danger outweighs gain.

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Truthiness

Sep 28

Posted by admin in beverages, FDA, food universe, healthy eating

No, I am not supporting an upcoming rally–that’s way too far in the future! Rather, my use of truthiness focuses on advertising claims and the right to package correct information rather than somewhat misleading “facts” which help sell a product. Hardly a week passes without some sort of near-riot of misleading information. Earlier this summer there was the olive oil debacle where we learned that not all proved as it seemed. Canola? That’s a big price to pay for a non extra-virgin olive!olivesplash

This week new questions about other products. First, the POM Wonderful controversy. This is a topic I have covered in the past, but now regulators have stepped in and decided there is more to this story than just a claim. The Federal Trade Commission responded to the claims about heart, prostate, and erectile dysfunction with a lawsuit that demands greater substantiation. Let me guess this action will not disappear quickly nor hide under the radar as the product holds a prominent position among beverage sales.

In another matter, that started several weeks ago, the flavor kings of ice cream decided to halt some of their claims. The Ben and Jerry ice cream folks have changed their labels and removed “All Natural” in products that have ingredients that stretch that definition. If you have processed or artificial ingredients, then “natural” takes on a different meaning. No longer will their labels tout their natural ingredients when those ingredients include sweetener derivatives or other processed foods. Natural is natural.

The less we say; the less the label brags, the better the likelihood that the product fulfills its promise. The FDA has numerous issues on its plate including efforts for proper labeling. Regardless of which Federal agency decides to bring forth a discussion about label claims, the consumer deserves the honest approach.

Sometimes, less is more. Give us the straight shot.

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