Posts Tagged life

The Goods on Coffee

Love the days where the health news about coffee lives in the positive column. Today’s one of those days. Name your tonic. OK, let me help.

Women do better with regular coffee than if they decaffeinate. We are talking about mental health, and the ability to handle stress. Yes, it’s true we can become overcaffeinated and be robotically productive, but in general drinking regular coffee means better situational responses for women than for men. OK, score another one for women and for coffee! Our brain power goes up with our consumption. Maybe we need to keep the numbers in check, but you get the point. The same UK study concludes that men do worse on memory tests after the coffee consumption than women. Slow down the inter-office friction and offer men decaffeinated coffee.

How about the diabetes and coffee link? That’s an important health discussion that seems to improve with coffee input: Lower diabetes numbers for those who drink coffee. That’s good news and again it seems women are the beneficiaries of this multiple cup approach to life. Men did not fare as well in being protected from diabetes. Women who had four cups of coffee daily were less likely to get Type 2 Diabetes, the most common form. The authors recognize that more research to uncover the complete causal relationship is still necessary, but the findings continue to support earlier reports.

No matter the report, one fact is certain: The morning cup of coffee works wonders especially in our frigid climes. Take out the china and treat yourself!fortessatn_HBW-00-531

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Thank You, Oil Companies

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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Baby, It’s Cold Outside

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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The Burger, the Dog, and the Bitters

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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Waiter, There’s A Fly in my Soup

Not really a fly but something was clearly buzzing around. Wait, I’ve got it; I recognize it. It’s the hovering, all too present server who cannot figure out how to service this table without being part of every conversation or at least continually interrupting. There was no chance to complete a sentence! We’ve all had that meal or some part of one of those. Many diners prefer the omnipresent waiter to the MIA one that can never be found. How about the middle ground?

Maybe two dining experiences this week demonstrate the extremes and define some sort of a norm. Take the first lunch with the chatty waiter who had a million recommendations and continued to descend upon the table with boundless energy. I love enthusiasm, but I also appreciate the opportunity to have lunch with a friend rather than being continually interrupted by service questions: How is it? Do you want a soda refill? Can I get you anything? The list goes on. I think my friend and I finished a few complete sentences without interruption. That is until it was time to leave. You guessed it: Nowhere to be found. We literally had to ask several people to find a way to get our check. Something is very wrong with this picture. Is the server too kind, too enthusiastic, or just plain annoying? You can vote for that outcome.

The following day, the experience was almost text book. A server arrived quickly, took the order, and appeared almost by magic when it was appropriate: Time to clear, time to inquire if there would be anything else, and time to leave the check. If you guess that the two adjacent day meals were at different price points or at restaurants so different in terms of their training, you’d be incorrect. Price points identical; training very important to both multi-unit midscale operations.FetchImage.aspx

What’s the difference then? Personality plays a major part in the communication level. Efficiency certainly dominates the training, but the hovering, chatty, “new friend” experience is not what most people look for when dining out. Servers need to read guests; they need to read the table and determine what’s needed. It’s not an impossible characteristic of good service, but one that can make a meal a more pleasant experience than the missing server or the hovering one.

Perfect timing is what it’s all about. Not that complex a concept, but the difference between a positive dining out experience and one less than pleasant. The diner rules and dictates; the server sees and responds. The tip stays the same.

Dining out should have that careful orchestration that adds to the enjoyable aspect of the food. Everyone needs to know his part.

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A Local Approach to the Weekend

What a week with Thanksgiving itself occupying so much of our time and thoughts. Then there were the flood of emails announcing the Black Friday specials and telling us about Cyber Monday. Caught in between all of this is a wonderful new opportunity to support the small businesses that make us proud. Saturday has been designated as Small Business Saturday. Sure, go ahead and view it cynically as a marketing opportunity for a corporation. Why not? They’re smart as they know you will be shopping and out and about. You’ll be on their program in no time!41602_167641889920409_2734343_n

Show your locavore colors. Get out and about. Take the time to acknowledge the small businesses you want to stay in business. Get on board this newly created event, and take advantage of registering your American Express card. You’ll be rewarded with a gift: a credit back to your account.

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Forever Thankful

Here we are bowled over with the options of the Thanksgiving feast. So many wonderful new foods and beverages and the cry for continuing the traditional. As we move away from the standards that have graced our family tables these many years, it is time to reflect on our good fortune. 178195

As we take a deep breath and pause before the first glass is raised and a fork is lifted, let us think of those less fortunate and promise we will somehow impact their lives. The hunger numbers continue to escalate. We are not out of the recessionary woes. Not even close.

My best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and my hope that we will all recognize how much work we have to do to help others get to the table.

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My Kind of Life: Living the Wine Life

As you know I love the studies that support my personal belief system: As in wine or beer is good for you. An alcoholic beverage helps you survive a longer, healthier existence has been the focus of a number of studies, but there’s always been a major caveat. Yesterday was a prime, positive day. Actually the news goes way beyond original research and suggests that women do not have to limit themselves to a single alcoholic beverage daily. No one is advocating for excessive beverage intake, but a greater focus on the health benefits women can derive from the beverages.metroad2

The American Heart Association research hits several high notes. As in, women do not have to limit themselves to a single drink a day and that having more than one drink a day may actually have a positive benefit: A lowered risk of stroke. Earlier heart studies suggested women limit themselves to a single drink a day; now that has been amended. This study primarily focuses on middle-age women and the benefits of the daily drink or two. Women who reach that tender age no longer have to sidestep the alcohol and can truly enjoy themselves and say, it’s good for me! In turn, they will be rewarded with a longer, healthier life.

What a nice start for the weekend. Take a walk and exercise your heart and then relax with an approved solution. This type of research has heart-healthy benefits for everyone to enjoy!

Moderation. Cheers.

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A Day to Celebrate

Yes, the rumors are true: Today is National Coffee Day. I apologize for not giving you a foamy heads up, but since I celebrate everyday with multiple cups, acknowledging a single day somehow seemed silly. Anyway a number of major chains have turned their back on the event and view it as an excuse for some to get a free cup.

Customer loyalty is what it’s all about. Loyalty cards at coffee shops are nothing new but just sliding in for a single cup once a year does not breed loyalty. Look at the numbers. They tell the tale of customer appreciation. A single day may not hold a sway. The real coffee news cries no joy in Mudville as the price of beans has driven most coffee shops to raise, not lower, prices.

Those looking for good news who also happen to be Dunkin’ Donut drinkers, may be the happiest drinkers out there. You have a month to convince the company that you are their biggest fan. All the contest details are on their Facebook page. dunkin20091216234004ENPRN071727-PRN-DUNKIN-DONUTS-COLD-LOGO-n`071-1261006804MR

One free day may not offset the surprise that awaits all of us over the next few weeks as coffee prices will continue to heat up.

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Junk Food Gets Slammed

Nothing surprising about all-out attacks on junk food, but sometimes the source may give you pause. How about the carrot people. Yes, “a bunch of carrot farmers” launched an advertising and marketing campaign to pull up their product and elevate it to higher ground. Sorry.

The carrot growers banded together and decided that the snack food people are the enemy, and that carrots need more attention. They stress that carrots may be the saving grace for everyone’s diet! You’ve maybe even seen one of the many ads to hit the airwaves as they decry the other snacks and emphasize a healthy lifestyle. In a humorous vein, they poke fun at the other choices as they want carrots to get the recognition usually reserved for the snack aisle!

The Baby Carrot campaign which has been spearheaded by Bakersfield, CA’s Bolthouse Farms started out in just a few markets with the intention of a national emphasis sometime later this year. In the meantime, enjoy a carrot snack, but remember that little people need to have their carrots sliced lengthwise to avoid a choking hazard.carrots

No matter how you pack ‘em, carrots want to be part of the buy; they want loyalty and recognition!

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