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Posts Tagged desserts

Shrinking the Food

Oct 24

Posted by admin in dining out, Economy

choccheeseckThe food police are probably all smiles about the latest food trend: Smaller portion sizes of an app or an entree. More restaurants are moving into the smaller sizes but maintaining the same price point as a way to survive the economic gargoyles.

What this means for the consumer is quite simple: Relief that prices have not climbed up. Good news. Yet, the sense of not feeling as sated after the meal: Troubling. Do the math with me: A mere substitution of a 5 oz chicken breast for what had been a 6 oz portion means the plate gets filled with a lot of greens. Here’s another one making the rounds: two 3-oz filet mignons instead of one 10 oz portion. Cost-wise the restaurant is saving a significant amount, and you as the diner are pleased that the price has not gone up.

This explains the small-plate phenomena. Not just tapas and mezze platters, but smaller choices; even Cheesecake Factory has been promoting this popular strategy (don’t worry they still have plenty of desserts). The new Michelin guide designates top restaurants that offer small plate value. We are not out of the woods yet; this trend helps us indulge.

Desserts are a different story. Prices have risen while at the same time their portion size has not decreased. Desserts, sweets, are always popular during troubling times. We’re not just talking cupcakes! Paying an extra 50 cents or even a dollar for a dessert does not seem as cost prohibitive as paying several extra dollars for an entree. You want the reward at the end of the meal!

So who wins? In many respects, we all do as the overly large portion size just increases our potential obesity stats. The restaurant wins as it  saves a little money and still has loyal customers. The pastry chef, if there is one, becomes a truly busy, sought after commodity.

We can all survive together.

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Sweeeeeet

Oct 22

Posted by admin in chocolate, news

Love a day when most of the news gives into our sweet tooth. It’s fitting that the mood of unemployment and layoffs has a sweet sidebar. We want to take care of ourselves and soothe our worries. What better solution than a sweet snack or dessert? I’m clueless.

First off the Mars Snackfood folks have big plans to soften the blow. Consumers talked; the company listened, and many of the treats from bygone years are back, or will be real soon. Here are a few taste-teasers: I’m talking about the 3 Musketeers Truffle Crisp Bar (at just 170 calories, but not available til January), and the Milky Way Simply Caramel Bar (also January). Then the winning cherry chocolate combo, and my personal addiction in this line: M&M’s Wildly Cherry Chocolate Candies (December). Now we’re talkingmmcandy good news.

Wait, there’s more. You know how difficult it is to figure out if you want a scoop or a soft-serve. That’s no longer a problem. Baskin-Robbins has solved the decision-making with its new Double Header Cone.Price is a sweet treat, too, as most stores will sell this for $2.22. The biggest problem now is figuring out the combo you like best! Not too serious.

This is what I call a good news day!

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A Little Footnote or Two: Updates

Jun 17

Posted by admin in grocer, health, life, news, shopping

carrots-vitamina-lgIt seems no one wants to be ignored on the antioxidant bandwagon. Look at this latest product that should add to the confusion: Kraft Foods has decided to up the ante in the sugar-free Jello department. Health writers are all over this, and I appreciate the detail and the absurdity of the concept. Are we all that gullible? Now, carrots…

On the Ciao Bella front, I found the product at Target. Sorry for the omission, but the Mango Sorbet should not be omitted.

On the grocery smart scanner input, not all is as it seems. Yes, it is definitely fun to get a free item when the price comes up incorrect on the scanner. It is just  a little confusing when the scanner offers you savings on products that do not match your profile. Let me say do not even approximate a match. Some of the offers today were so not for me that I hope whomever is typing in my card number is having fun. So kinks still need to be worked out, but as for fun, I’m still loving the scan and bag approach.

One final note on the grocers. It seems that tracking is so powerful that your absence from the aisles is actually a positive. I just received a survey questionnaire and 4 separate $5 off coupons from Harris Teeter. They miss me. That’s sweet. They wonder why I haven’t been there in a while. No problem. For the coupon savings, they have me at least 4 more visits. I love being loved; especially with a $20 savings.

Life goes on.

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The Shelves Are Alive

Jun 12

Posted by admin in Economy, Environment, grocer, news

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Yes, it’s true. Grocery stores, convenience marts, and even big box retailers have devoted sizable shelf space to 100-calorie boxes of whatevers. If you can make it fattening, the companies seem to say, we can also make it available in a lower calorie count.

Whether it’s chips, cookies, crackers, or candy, the 100-calorie boxes beckon. You name it, and it is probably available in mini-packs. BTW, they’re perfect for lunch boxes, desk drawer indulgences, and road trips. No one, not even Little Debbie Snacks, wants to be left out of the marketing game.

Not all is sweet news. Maybe we are using more paper and increasing our environmental threshold. Or, just maybe, we are overeating. Can you just have one? Personally, I think the gimmick gave you permission to overindulge. It’s just 100-calories, you convincingly said to yourself, as you grabbed a couple bags of Oreos. Sad news there, they didn’t have the filling that made you covet the product in the first place! Then along came Oreo Minicakesters–got ya! They solved that complaint!

Multiple bags. Hmm. Opposite of the original weight-loss approach; rather a weight-gain strategy that seemed to gain hold! 

Not just overeating, but maybe you’re not just adding to your waist but to your budget, too. They are hardly the economical way to shop in this cash-conscious environment. Phil Lempert, who calls himself the Supermarket Guru, has been questioning their longevity. He is quick to point out that Ziploc makes a snack bag size, a perfect container for your own variation of mini-snacks.

If you like nuts, a few of those, please. Add a few raisins, and a piece or two of your favorite dried fruit and you have a personalized trail mix. A million possible examples.

Smart marketing. For those who remain clueless, there’s even a cookbook!

Seriously.

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Now We're Talking Good News

Jun 5

Posted by admin in coffee, life, news

ciaobella_flash3Seems like the sweets are on the top of my radar. Yesterday it was donuts; today gelato. In my book, not just any gelato but Ciao Bella. The New York treat has made its way across the country and onto restaurant menus and in freezer aisles (Costco, Harris Teeter, Safeway, and Whole Foods). YES.

What makes the gelatos and sorbets so delicious is the process (hand-made) and the intensity of  flavors. If it says espresso (triple), you’re talking about my favorite drink transformed into my favorite flavor. This is the real McCoy. Since a trip to Italy is off most agendas for this summer, we can just follow the Ciao Bella sampling tour where their Discover-Savor-Share 2009 travel mobile plans to hand out one million free samples of their favorite desserts. 
As long as you are on the East or West Coast, you may get a chance for this mouth-exploding taste sample. They started the tour-scoop promotion concept last year on the East Coast and managed to hand out 100,000 free scoops of gelato and sorbet. The cool part about their sample logic is customers get an individual serving in a fitted cup with the spoon tucked right under the lid. Saves time and demonstrates a practical approach to scooping.

Check the website for locations. The month of June has them moving North from North Carolina into southern Virginia. Plan ahead  as the promotion continues through September. If you can’t wait to greet the truck, then try out the pints or gelato bars at grocers or free-standing locations in New York City or California.

Let’s help them reach their one million scoop goal!

Ciao.

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A Cupcake On Every Corner

May 8

Posted by admin in Economy, food, life

Yes, it’s true. We have a major sweet tooth. That’s “we,” the diner, the consumer, the purchaser. I always get a good LOL when someone comes East and discovers the bounty of sweet shops, and I’m not talking ice cream or gelato. The fact that we can support free-standing cupcake shops says a lot about the current state of the economy or maybe tells us about how dentists are faring.

Many would say that Magnolia Bakery in New York’s West Village is the industry leader. OK, many would say other places, but I think the trend to cupcake heaven may parallel this NYC business as it expanded out of the West Village and moved throughout Manhattan. Sure they sell cakes and other sweets, but they are a cupcake haven or is that heaven!

Another New York enterprise has sprinkled itself throughout the city and even opened stores in Los Angeles. The humble bakery has become a cupcake destination with more attention on this circular dream than on the once popular chocolate chip cookies. Do you see free-standing cookie shops, no, the attention is on the cupcake.

In Washington DC there have been so-called cupcake wars–whose is better? Which frosting really takes the cake. You know the drill. Cities each have their favorites. Why not!

I’ve been to weddings without wedding cake but large, elaborate delicious cupcake trees. Birthday parties without sheet cakes, but colorful, large sprinkle-laden cupcakes. Not just caterers and professional bakers, but the home cook is out scouring for larger cupcake pans. The mini seems to have vanished in favor of the calorie-laden object of food desire.

Personal preference always wins out, but cupcakeno matter what, we are the winners in finding a delicious haven from bad news. If you want to study human behavior, get in line, and yes, there are lines at all these shops as the sweet smell of success floats around the corner or engages those in the anticipatory line.

Frosting, baby, that’s the key.

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