The last few days have been filled with all types of emails and circular mailings about great deals on products to make Mom’s life easier. Whoever told PR companies that Mom wanted a new Roomba, Swiffer, or Miele for Mother’s Day? Sure, those handy helpers would not be rejected; just not today. Here’s the confusion: Mother’s Day should be a fun day not a day to give Mom a new tool to make her work easier. Seriously, that’s so Old World. That’s a message reserved for other days. Not Mother’s Day!

It’s not a day to help Mom be more Mom. It’s a day to celebrate. treat, take care of, and basically exalt Mom. Do it with food. Take away her chores and treat Mom to a home-cooked meal by someone other than herself. Or, if that task’s too daunting, find a great specialty store and carry in. Do not use paper plates–that’s so everyday. Go for the real plates. After all, you have a dishwasher–yourself! Or step up to the plate and hit a home run with a restaurant reservation (better hurry if this sounds appealing as you’ll be struggling to find a spot to accommodate)!

Maybe shower Mom with a whole day of fun, food-related items that will make the day extra special and help her relax. So many choices from Champagne to Baked Alaska and a myriad of delectable stops in between. It’s not about the what as much as the what not. Very few Moms want to be reminded of the everyday tasks and routines that are part of their purview. They would rather be transported to a special place for the day, as in Queen for the Day.

Anyway when you look at the working two-parent household, you must stand back a little and recognize that the Good Housekeeping Mom of photos may no longer exist. That reality of 6 o’clock dinner with smiling, scrubbed faces around a perfectly set table may be a holdover from a former, seemingly, mythological existence. Now you are more likely to find everyone hustling to put out food in between work, school, and activity schedules. This portrait more accurately describes the reality of a busy working Mom.

Sure, a Roomba, a Swiffer, a Miele or any number of “life-saving” tools and appliances would be lovely but save those items for another day. A day you surprise Mom with the latest tool or gadget. Do not confuse the concepts!

Just let Mom enjoy the day and celebrate the attention. Her projects will still be there tomorrow!

Well, The Farmer’s Almanac was right in its early predictions for a wet, wild, cold winter. It’s been a bundle up end to the year with the predictions for the New Year to be more of the same.

I wanted them to be wrong.

Stay warm. Time to practice your homemade marshmallow recipe. The hot chocolate beckons.

Happy New Year.

Heard it could happen. Took me by surprise.

Thanx Chick-Fil-A–who knew how clever your name is, and how smart your service and tasty your food!

Score one. I’m smiling., too.

check it out:

twitter.com/allbeforecoffee

It works. It’s a simple solution to higher food costs–shrink the plates–offer some excitement. Introduce a new menu with small plates, or happy hour specials, or a new bar menu. These are all strategies that have worked in the past and are making a welcome return to the present. Oh, yeah, also reduce the prices. That’s the combo you want to sell.

Look at The Cheesecake Factory whose portions are so large that Weight Watchers could just set up a booth at each location. Why cater to our obesity problems? Their new solution is simple: the introduction of smaller plates and lower prices--the small plate and snack menu.

Neighborhood places are jumping on the bandwagon of small plates. Here’s a new one: a Washington, DC restaurant, Ardeo, has introduced “middle plates”.  Not that small but not as big nor as expensive as an entree portion.

Restaurants throughout the country are expanding their bar menus to offer more food options in a different setting at a lower price point. It works well in New York with some in the Tom Colicchio empire and seems to be a winning formula to fill a space with drinkers who also dine.

Bring it On.

Diners are ready.

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