Posts from the ‘Informational’ Category

Feb 7

Some Valentine Ideas

I’m interrupting my discussion on “The Informed Shopper” for the second week in a row, because I realized Valentine’s Day was near. For once, I thought I’d be ahead of the game and write about a holiday comfortably in advance, not the day before. Actually my attention was caught by the supermarket flyers for next week. They featured the usual sales on Fillet Mignon and lobster, for preparing romantic dinners.

My guess is that the popularity of those two on this holiday can be traced back to the fact that they were always the more expensive items on upscale restaurant menus; the ones to be aspired to affording when ordering a romantic dinner for one’s love to prove how much you care. After WWII, when the G.I.s didn’t go back to the farms, but rather to college on the G.I. Bill, into the corporate world and settled into the new housing developments, supermarkets sprung up like weeds, offering a wide variety of products never available in the corner store. Suddenly, the expense of a fancy restaurant wasn’t necessary. One could prepare these exotic foods for an intimate dinner in the privacy of home and so their romantic aura not only continued but gained momentum. Read more

Jan 31

Super Sunday

It’s that time of year again, so I’m going to interrupt my discussion of informed shopping to touch on Super Bowl parties. Actually it’s not that far off base, because one has to rely on good sense in planning both activities. The wise host or hostess of a Super Bowl Party will take into account that special consideration must be given the menu of any event where the focus of attention will be other than pure socialization and where seating at a premium may result in mobile eating. This becomes even more important if the party is to be indoors, which most Super Bowl Parties, by their nature, are. Spills are real possibilities and “wet” foods, ones requiring a lot of sauce, gravy or broth like stews and soups should be avoided. This is especially true of recipes based on an excess of ingredients that really stain like tomatoes or red wine. Read more

Jan 24

The informed shopper – Part 1 – Meat

Before I begin this week’s post, there are a few announcements to make. For the past several weeks there was a spam filter on my wordpress, which made it difficult to leave comments. I’m having it removed because I enjoy your comments and would welcome any suggestions you have as to subject matter for future posts. If you’re interested in hosting or guesting, I’ll send you a link and we can discuss it. Meanwhile you can always “LIKE” me on Facebook. Read more

Jan 16

Getting Organized

In my last blog I spoke of a friend who thought she had her food expenses in hand. She was aware of the effects of the drought on prices and had allowed for them, but not for the implications should The Farm Bill not be renewed in Sept. Having three children, if milk were to go to $10.00 per gal. and related dairy products skyrocket in sympathy, she faces a major increase in expenses right there. Another blow was her reduced paycheck due to the Fiscal Cliff agreement. Facing higher prices with less money inspired her to get an overview of her expenses and, if not commit to a set budget, at least find areas to cut back. I’m sure there are many others in the same boat as my friend and reaching the same conclusion. Read more

Jan 15

Definitions

Well we dodged the January 1^st. bullets. I say “dodged” not “missed” because the Farm Bill is only postponed until September, so milk may still be an issue this year, and the Fiscal Cliff “save” carries some unpleasant results. This was made very clear to me during a conversation I had with a younger friend last weekend.

I have known this girl all her life, and always admired her level headedness. She and her husband are executives of large corporations, one a financial institution, and they are two of the most economically responsible people I ever met. Their focus is in providing for their young family, planning for the future and being able to face any emergencies that might arise. Their combined daily commute is more than 5hrs., so gas prices presented a problem requiring some adjustment this past year, and will this year too, since they are expected to go up again. They were prepared for the food price hikes due to the drought. What they weren’t prepared for was the difference the payroll tax would make in their incomes .As my friend explained, despite a raise in December and a Christmas Bonus, her first paycheck this year was 3 digits lower than her last one. Her husband had a similar shock, as did most of the people in their respective offices. As I suspect did many working Americans. Read more

Jan 10

Hello 2013

Here’s hoping you all had a nice holiday, had a chance to relax, catch your breath and get ready to face the New Year and apparently, 2013 will present challenges to be faced. It is now two days before the year ends and I sincerely hope there will be some last-minute agreements reached, but according to the news reports, that seems doubtful. If Congress fails to act, we can expect to see the consequences reflected in many aspects of our lives, not the least of which will be the cost of feeding our families. Read more

Dec 20

Sweet Endings

Like most children, making desserts was a big incentive in my learning to cook. For me the lure was Pecan Pie. For some reason it’s served in the South and in New England, but never in the Mid-Atlantic States and I love Pecan Pie! The old adage; “If you want something done right –or even at all— do it yourself” held true. The search for my ideal Pecan Pie started me on the road to exploring cooking at a young age and though I concentrate on “more serious” food now, I still find desserts the most fun, maybe because they’re the most appreciated offerings. Other courses can be received with approval, appreciation and even enthusiasm, but none make eyes light up the way desserts do. Read more

Dec 13

A peek at 2013

It’s nice to be validated, especially by official sources. It means your opinion has worth and kinda makes you want to stick your thumbs in your suspenders and strut a few steps. On the other hand, being able to say;”I told you so!” isn’t always so pleasant. It usually means something unwanted has come to pass. So I have mixed feelings writing this. The report from The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Department is out and I was right about anticipating a larger gain in food prices in 2013 than 2012. Last year they expected a rise of 3% to 4%. This year they’re forecasting price increases of AT LEAST 5%, pending the full effects of the drought, and no reversal in the trend until 2020 at the earliest. So hold onto your hats people, we’re in for a ride. No matter your financial position, you will feel the consequences. Read more