Category Archives: Eat

ShopRite’s 45th Can Can Sale

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ShopRite’s iconic Can Can Sale has returned for its 45th January in a row, the grocer’s largest stock-up sale of the year.

shoprite cancanYou can haul in provisions to get you through the blizzard expected to pummel the East Coast on Friday with such deals as 12 cans of Tuttorosso tomatoes for $7.88. No worries about water. Buy two 24-packs of Nestle Pure Life bottled water for $6.

Want to be prepared for a zombie apocalypse? Lay in ShopRite brand veggies priced at 49 cents a can. (Buy 12 or more cans of corn or green beans and the price is discounted to 33 cents a can.)

Other deals: StarKist solid white tuna, 88 cents a can, and Campbell’s soup, 99 cents a can. Buy three cans of Chock Full O’ Nuts coffee and the price drops to $2 a can.

Veganuary: Week Two

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veggies

I understand that giving up something we enjoy helps us to build character.

After 15 days without meat, refined sugar or alcohol, my character is well under construction.

Midway through Veganuary, I have yet to attain that higher plane where I actually prefer a menu devoid of crab cakes, creme brûlée and champagne. Still, I am managing to stay the course.

In the words of my friend Betsy: “It’s good to have a change in your diet and explore different possibilities. All three are worthy efforts…. You can do it.”

IMG_0735Audrey, a pal from Palmyra High School, suggests I try Hungarian Mushroom Soup from the Moosewood Cookbook. The next day, my friend Geri, who once cooked in a vegetarian restaurant, offers to loan me the very same book.
Soon, my kitchen is fragrant with the scent of sautéing onions and mushrooms, the base for this earthy soup, zipped up with smoked paprika and dill.
Audrey is right. The soup is delicious, a recipe I will make again when I return to the Land of Eating Whatever the Hell I Want after my month-long cleanse.
IMG_0726I also give tofu another try, pan-frying triangular wedges that I’ve marinated in soy sauce, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar and garlic. I serve the tofu over steamed broccoli and sprinkle with sesame seeds, accompanied with San Pellegrino sparkling mineral water. I eat it with chopsticks, hoping it will conjure fond memories of sushi and bento boxes.
It’s better than I thought it would be, although I don’t see tofu rising to the top of my shopping list. At least I’m getting a healthy dose of protein, a tall order on a meat-free diet.

Because I run with a witty crowd, I also am getting lots of razzing. Suddenly, I am inundated with invitations to go out for burgers and beer, often accompanied with the postscript: LOL.

My neighbor Wayne summarizes his sentiments in four words: “See you in February.”

Others are more subtle:

“You need to have your head examined.”

“No wine? What were you thinking?”

“I can’t look. Let me know when it’s over.”

Fifteen days down; 16 days to go.

Cocktail of the Hour: The OBX Old-Fashioned

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IMG_0554

Joanne Moffett has the two characteristics of a great hostess: a warm heart and a generous pour.

She shows her admirable skills as a mixologist, whipping up Old-Fashioneds for a group of friends sharing a beach house on the Outer Banks.

IMG_0553A classic cocktail, the Old-Fashioned was invented in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1886. My parents sipped them in the 1960s. My mother’s stepfather shared his Old-Fashioned recipe with LBJ.

They are a little sweet for my taste, but I am willing to give them another try. (And likely will again after I complete my month without meat, refined sugar or alcohol on Jan. 31.)

Jo starts with this basic recipe, then puts her own special twist on the drink:

Ingredients

3 dashes Angostura Bitters

1 orange slice

1/2 oz. simple syrup (make your own or buy ready-made)

2 1/2 oz. bourbon

Optional splash of club soda

Maraschino cherry

IMG_0555Mrs. Moffett makes a posh Old-Fashioned. She uses Woodford Reserve, a small batch bourbon. And she doesn’t make do with perching an orange slice on the rim of the glass. She places rounds of fragrant orange peel in the bottom of the glass and muddles it to release the essential oils.

“This is a very important step,” she advises. “We want our Old-Fashioned to be fruity.”

IMG_0562Now it’s time to start pouring. Forget the jigger.

“I just eyeball everything,” she says.

“I’ll watch,” I say. “Very carefully.”

Into the glass go our ingredients, with lots of ice. We can’t decide if we want our Old-Fashioneds with or without the optional splash of club soda. So we decide to try both. After all, we are on vacation!

IMG_0560I take a sip. I like this Old-Fashioned. The oil from the orange peel adds a layer of freshness and complexity. And the premium bourbon also is a treat.

After meticulously researching both cocktails, I pronounce that I prefer my Old-Fashioned with a splash of soda. But if there isn’t any soda handy, I could cheerfully do without.

A few extra special ingredients–salt air, the rolling surf and good company–make this an especially  memorable cocktail. Cheers, Jo.

Veganuary: Week One

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cow-faceAfter one week with no meat, no refined sugar and no alcohol, I don’t feel especially virtuous.

Still, it’s clear that animals like me better, really they do. As I stroll through this peaceable kingdom, cows amble up from the meadow, just to lick my hand. Pigs squeal with delight as I pass by. Roosters crow their greetings. Salmon leap from streams and give me a finny high-five.

I feel more productive, plowing through work, then tackling jobs around the house. I confess a slight sense of accomplishment. And I’m bored.

IMG_0719Specifically, I am bored with my food. Whole wheat penne with pesto; pizza with spinach and roasted red peppers; black beans with salsa; hummus and flax crackers; baked sweet potatoes sprinkled with granola; the seemingly endless vat of homemade navy bean soup with tomatoes, carrots and kale.

And I wonder: am I getting boring, too?

I must decline an invitation from an Italian restaurant to sample new dishes and wines they are adding to the menu. I take a raincheck when a neighbor asks if I would like to share the venison she is roasting for dinner. I join a friend who is having a few people over for wine and cheese. I’m OK with my club soda and crackers. But I would prefer a buttery Chardonnay with brie.

On Day Eight I realize that I need to summon enthusiasm for the fare I’ve committed to for 31 days. As an adventurous eater, I ask myself: why do I embrace sea urchin yet turn up my nose at tofu? Perhaps it’s because I have tasted both and sea urchin is wild, creamy and sensual and tofu reminds me of a plastic bag distilled into squishy cubes.

So tomorrow I will buy a small container of tofu and marinate it. I will do my best to create a dish that is healthy and delicious.

If I still don’t like it I never have to eat it again. So there.

Day Eight. Twenty-three days to go.

IHOP’s all-you-can-eat pancake special

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Chowhounds will flip for IHOP’s annual all-you-can eat pancake promotion, arriving just as the last crumbs of Christmas cookies have been whisked away.

IHOP_pancakes

Here’s the deal: patrons must order either five buttermilk pancakes or a short stack of two pancakes with a combo plate of eggs, golden hash browns and their choice of breakfast meats. After that, guests can keep the short stacks coming until they have had, uh, all they can eat.

To sweeten the deal, you can top those flapjacks with your choice of strawberries, blueberries, peaches or apples with cinnamon. Patrons pay for the first round of toppings; the rest are on the house.

The offer is good Jan. 4-Feb 14 for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Or all three.

 

Rx on a cold day: A hot cuppa tea

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Grandmother Smith was a true T-totaller. She didn’t take strong drink–and she was totally in favor of a good cup of tea. Each time I visited she would greet me with a huge hug and an invitation: “Cuppa?”

Unknown-1Grandmother made her own chamomile tea with flowering herbs she grew in her garden. She said a cuppa before bedtime helped her to get a good night’s sleep.

Since then, we have learned a lot more about the benefits of tea. Green tea is loaded with antioxidants, which are believed to strengthen cells against cancer. Tea made from acai berries is touted as a weight-loss aid. And grandmother was right; soothing chamomile is recognized as a mild sleep inducer, as well as a soother of stomachs.

unnamedHyleys, an all-natural line of teas, has introduced two collections that focus on specific lifestyle concerns. They sent me several boxes and invited me to give them a try.

The first, Hyleys Slim Teas, is a line of green teas made with senna leaves and fruit flavoring that promotes body cleansing, detoxification, and a healthy digestive system. It’s available in pomegranate, blueberry, raspberries and other flavors. I savored a cup of Goji berry, a fragrant afternoon pick-me-up with a slightly bitter taste reminiscent of dried cranberries. It’s a pleasant repast that does not require sugar, cream or a butler to serve it.

Hyleys Sleep Teas are caffeine-free herbal formulations with such natural ingredients as chamomile flowers, Valerian root, rosemary leaves, lavender blossoms, peppermint, and lemon balm leaves. Sleep Teas come two varieties: mint, and, of course, chamomile. (MSRP: $5.99 for a box of 25 tea bags individually packed in foil envelopes.)

Sorry, Grandmother, I like the mint best because it’s stronger and smells fresh and lovely. No matter what is in my cuppa, it will conjure fond memories.

 

 

 

 

The first month of 2016: Veganuary

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The first emerging lifestyle trend of 2016 is Veganuary, a month when ethical- and health-minded folks are encouraged to give up all animal products.

I’m making it lots less complicated. Starting on New Year’s Day, I will forgo all meat, alcohol and refined sugar for one month. Call it the trifecta.

v1Still, I’m not going whole hog on vegan. I will take half and half in my coffee, enjoy an omelet, drizzle honey on my oatmeal. I am not the vegan police and I don’t view a nibble of goat cheese as an act of animal thievery. And giving up wine and sweets strikes me as a fair trade for yogurt.

Ultimately, I just want to do something nice for my body, a 31-day spring cleaning, of sorts.

2015 was a year of getting my home and career in order. In 2016, it’s me who needs to be set right.
beefwellington_2647597bAs V-Day looms, I indulge in beef Wellington and free-flowing Cabernet Sauvignon at a New Year’s Eve party hosted by longtime friends in the Sovereign State of South Jersey. As we count down to midnight, I say good bye to cow and cab, hello to green salads and green tea.

I’ll check in throughout the month to share foods that work for me and various gadgets I discover along the way. I’ll also post a Cocktail of the Hour I tested before I took the pledge. A reminder that February will soon be here.

One month. 31 days. Starting today.

Lots of Ninja, less counter space

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There is a seemingly endless supply of small appliances we can add to our arsenal of kitchen helpers. But which ones deserve a coveted place on the pantry shelf?

The Nutri Ninja Auto-iQ Pro Compact System was designed based on customer feedback  asking for a juicer that can perform multiple functions and doesn’t take up a lot of counter space.

Ninja Blender

Ninja Blender

Enter Ninja, a compact system that attacks multiple chores like, well, a ninja warrior. It plows through ice, frozen veggies and even nuts as readily as it blends ripe fruit. Picture your blender after six months of working out three times a week with a personal trainer.

Sure, it’s great for making smoothies. And the Auto-iQ system takes the guesswork out of blending. But the Pro Compact does more, which makes it a great choice in kitchens where space is limited—or in a larger kitchen that already is maxed out on square footage.

A 40-ounce blend and prep bowl has a powerful blade that can be used for both chopping and mixing dough. (Holiday alert: It’s super for mixing cookie dough.) There’s also a 30-page recipe guide, plus two 24-ounce Nutri Ninja Tritan Cups with sip-and-seal lids and a 24-ounce stainless steel Nutri Ninja Cup with lid for energy drinks on the run.

An additional attachment allows you to grind coffee beans and spices.

You can find the Nutri Ninja Auto-iQ Pro Compact System at Target, Kmart, Bed Bath and Beyond and other retailers. MSRP: $159.99.

 

Thankful for free turkeys

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For years, we have debated which bird is best for our Thanksgiving table.

Fresh? Frozen? Or free?

Acme Markets has entered the debate with a delectable promotion: a free Shady Brook Farms Grade A Basted Frozen Turkey (average weight 10-22 pounds) when you spend $100 in a single transaction. Shoppers also can opt for a Pride of the Farm frozen turkey breast, topping out at about seven pounds.

We expect more requests for Free Bird than at a Lynyrd Skynyrd review.

gty_turkey_dinner_thg_111118_wmainSo why give away turkeys to patrons who likely can afford to buy a bird? Let’s talk turkey.

First and foremost, the turkey hunt gives shoppers a reason to choose one grocer over another at a time of year when consumers are laying in provisions at a rate rivaled only by the Blizzard of the Century and the Zombie Apocalypse. Gobble, gobble.

We aren’t just buying a turkey. We are baking cookies and pies. We are hosting parties. And we are buying food to give to other people so that they can enjoy a sliver of the abundance the more fortunate among us take for granted.

So, do you like Acme’s strategy of a quick reward to shoppers who part with a single Ben Franklin? Or do you prefer the game plan of ShopRite and other grocers, who don’t part with the turkey until shoppers have rung up $400 between now and Turkey Day? Or are you simply grateful to have a choice between great deals?

Cocktail of the week: Presbyterians pour it on

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Our language is rich with fascinating terms for gatherings of kindred creatures. A romp of otters. An exaltation of larks. A congregation of plovers. And now, a pitcher of Presbyterians.

Who better to sample and critique this little-known cocktail than a group of honest-to-goodness Presbyterians?

My official tasting partner for the evening is our host, the Rev. Dr. Douglas Gerdts of First & Central Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Del., who takes on the honorary mantle of Minister of Mixology. Rounding out the group are four clergy people and a minister of music, who display such zeal for our mission that they all are recruited for future tastings.

J.R Ewing Bottle WhiteWe start with a recipe from Martha Stewart:

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces whiskey or Bourbon (some recipes call for Scotch or Rye)

2 ounces club soda

2 ounces ginger ale

2 dashes Angostura bitters

DIRECTIONS

Fill a highball glass with ice. Add bourbon, club soda, ginger ale and bitters. Stir and enjoy.

Our base is J.R. Ewing bourbon, provided by the nice folks at Warner Bros. Consumer Products. Warner produced the discontinued TV drama “Dallas” for TNT and named the bourbon for the villainous tycoon played by the late Larry Hagman. Expect to pay about $33 for a 750 ML bottle.

FullSizeRender-30The four-year-old, 80-proof bourbon is distilled in Kentucky and bottled in Texas in a square glass decanter with a wooden stopper and a screen-printed image of the show’s iconic Southfork Ranch. (Witness Rev. Kaci Clark-Porter, a native Texan, contemplating the   bottle.)

It’s a pleasant relaxer with notes of vanilla, oak and orange. It is not my first choice as a sipping bourbon but it does play nicely with other ingredients, which makes it a good choice for cocktails.

Our mixers are Q ginger ale and Fever Tree club soda. The bitters: Woodford Reserve Spiced Cherry. Our own special touch: fresh ginger and lime.

FullSizeRender-29We serve the Presbys in tall glasses with lots of ice, paired with a fanciful, Presbyterian-themed cocktail menu: savory shortbread; charcuterie sausages John Calvin might have enjoyed; cheeses from Germany and Switzerland; and an assortment of tea sandwiches, including salmon (a nod to the Church of Scotland), peanut butter and pickle (a Presby favorite), and cucumber, in case an Episcopalian wandered in. And because Presbyterians truly do have a sense of humor, deviled eggs with crab.

As for the cocktail, it’s remarkably refreshing for a drink with a brown liquor base. Slightly sweet and positively pleasant. The premium mixers are a good investment, offering a clean, fresh balance to the complexity of the spiced cherry bitters. Lime and ginger usher in summer. This is a drink we are adding to our potable portfolio.

Here’s to food, drink and fellowship. Amen.