Veganuary: Week Three

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For the past three weeks, I’ve abstained from meat, refined sugar and alcohol. Call it going cold tofurky.

In winters past, the stove would be bubbling with braised lamb shanks, coq au vin or cod and leek chowder. And each blizzard was followed by a hike to Trolley Square to gather with friends at a neighborhood bar.

These days, it’s bean burritos, barley and veggie soup, and quinoa with a medley of yellow, red and orange tomatoes. A handful of dates for dessert. And water, water and more water.

So, has it been difficult maintaining my commitment? Yes, at times.

Have I stuck with the deal? Yes, absolutely.

But the question I hear the most is: How do you feel?

Other folks who have embraced a plant-based diet say they are bursting with energy. They sleep better. They are more focused. Their skin is smooth and dewy.

1222006Truth to tell, I already felt pretty darn good when I took the Veganuary pledge. I have noticed a slight increase in my energy level, especially in the evenings, when I traditionally wound down with a nice dinner–usually including poultry, beef or seafood–and a glass or two of wine.

It’s also easier to stay on track with other disciplined tasks. I’m exercising and practicing the piano every day.

With 22 days under my belt, I am heading into the home stretch with hopes that I soon will be sleeping like a log, completing tasks with laser accuracy and sporting a radiant complexion.

If I don’t realize those or any other benefits by the end of Veganuary, I am OK with it. I took on the challenge as an exercise in mindfulness, a time of eating and drinking thoughtfully. (Which brings me to another question. What will I eat and drink on Feb. 1?)

After three weeks, doing without meat, sweets and booze is a bit easier.

That said, I’m well aware that I need to keep my eyes on the prize, whatever that might be, as I enter the home stretch. I don’t want to be the figure skater who jumps and spins throughout 4 1/2 minutes of a 5-minute program, only to fall on my fanny on that last triple lutz.

Nine days to go.

 

Shoppers snowed out

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snowman1bWinter Storm Jonas has arrived, throwing a cold, white blanket on retail.

Christiana, Concord and Dover malls all were buttoned up tight at 6 p.m., along with movie theaters, big box stores and most strip shopping centers. Concord Mall already has announced it will be closed on Saturday, when accumulation is expected to reach 24 inches of snow in northern New Castle County.

In Sussex County, where only 4-8 inches of snow are forecast, Tanger Outlets in Rehoboth and other retailers are planning to open at noon tomorrow, weather permitting.

So don’t venture out unless you have a dire need–and have confirmed that your destination is open for business. And don’t even think about calling out for pizza.

Enjoy your family. Read a book. Organize your closet. And if you must shop, put on your fuzzy slippers and browse on your laptop.

 

The secret to deviled eggs: Britcoms

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My friend Diana tells me I have an obligation to share the remedy for a dilemma that has long confounded hosts.

img_9724-version-3-version-2-1“How do you make five dozen deviled eggs without going out of your mind?” she asks.

She is referring to the dishes I made for a holiday gathering, which included two rib roasts, a turkey, a ham, five pounds of brussels sprouts with figs, five pounds of shrimp,  roasted red peppers, other assorted goodies and 120 deviled egg halves.

Truly, it’s not a chore. I enjoy cooking for friends and making the food myself shook loose enough cash to hire a server.

Still, Diana makes a good point. Deviled eggs can be devilishly labor intensive.

detectorists-poster_thumbnail-37c948So here’s my secret: Binge watch Britcoms while you do the work and the time will fly. Also, so be sure to make the eggs the day before the party, before your schedule gets truly crushed.

I barreled through a season of the BBC series Detectorists on Netflix, a hilarious romp about two eccentrics armed with metal detectors who seek a king’s fortune in the remote English countryside.

Here’s the recipe:

Turn on Episode One.

Put 60 eggs in three large pots (that’s 20 in each pot, you math wiz you)

Add enough water to cover the eggs by about an inch. As soon as the water starts to boil, turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 13 minutes exactly. (I saw chef Anne Burrell do this on the Food Channel. Because there are lots of eggs, I give them 15 minutes and they are perfect.)

Put on Episode Two:

Peel eggs under running water. (Pour  glass of wine.)

Put on Episode Three:

Keep peeling eggs. (Pour another glass of wine.)

eggs-2-jpg1Put on Episode Four:

Slice all the eggs in half. Scoop out the yolks. Add 2 1/2 cups of mayonnaise, 2/3 cup Dijon mustard, and all the pickle relish you can scrape out of the jar. Pour in a little white vinegar. Glug. Glug.

Put on Episode Five:

With a fork, mash up all the ingredients. Do a thorough job so the ingredients are dispersed evenly throughout the yolks.

Put on Episode Six:

Keep mashing. When you have the consistency just right, take an ice tea spoon and start mounding the filling into the halved eggs. (My friend Vince tells me it’s lots easier to pack the filling in a plastic storage bag, snip the corner and pipe it out. I will try that next time.)

Sprinkle on paprika. Use the expensive smoked variety. It’s worth it.

Season One of Detectorists is complete. And so are the eggs.

One last tip for home entertainers: Make sure you station all the booze at the bar before the festivities get underway. I tore through hostess gifts in search of red wine when I thought the supply was running dry. The next day I discovered an errant case of merlot, neatly tucked in the garage.

One less voice for the consumer

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As a journalist, Mitch Lipka was an objective voice for consumers. He did important work, exposing fraud and guiding readers on making educated decisions and using their resources wisely.

IMG_0095He died earlier this week of cancer. He was 53 and writing to the very end. Here is his final column, published in the Boston Globe:

Just because someone tells you something’s a great deal doesn’t mean it is.

Commercials boast of laptops for less than $100 and big-screen TVs for about $50. And, by the way, shipping is free. This is where consumers should be saying, “What’s the catch?” instead of, “What a deal.”

Skepticism is vital, but, unfortunately, it is suspended far too often. That’s the backdrop for so-called penny auctions. These online auctions make it seem as though a great deal is around every corner. But what is the catch?

Penny auctions offer the chance to buy electronics, appliances, and other items at big discounts — up to 95 percent, some sites promise. They are unlike traditional auctions on sites such as eBay.com, where low bidders simply don’t get the product they are seeking. In penny auctions, unsuccessful bidders lose what they offered.

This is done by making consumers buy bid packs, which are what appear to be small chunks of money, usually starting around $25. Consumers use the bid packs to compete with other buyers — bidding up an item one penny at a time.

Even though the numbers appear small, making it feel safe to jump in, bidders will find those pennies can add up fast. Consumer advocates who tested the sites, in search of deals for such items as iPads, have found themselves losers time and again, as someone else overbid the value of the product.

In addition to leaving empty-handed — and with lighter wallets — users are dangled the booby prize: the option to buy the product at a price typically higher than what you would pay if you had shopped around.

Legal? Typically, yes, as the sites make no secret of their business model. But consumer advocacy groups argue against using penny auction sites, noting the similarity to gambling — including that the odds are stacked in favor of the house.

Don’t rely on self-serving representations made by a company or be seduced by testimonials they toss around. Weigh the risks against the possible rewards.

And remember, the best deals most often can be found through research and an understanding of the market.

 

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.

The Container Store’s annual Elfa sale

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It comes but once a year: The Container Store’s elfa sale.

Unknown-1Through Feb. 15, take 30 percent off everything in the line, which includes storage solutions for closets, laundry rooms, pantries,   garages and more. Think shelving, drawer systems, mesh baskets and flexible components to create such custom spaces as walk-in master closets, shoe closets and craft spaces.

It’s an event elfa enthusiasts mark on their calendars. Some folks plow through the closets in their homes, checking one off the list each year.

There are lots of finishes, including walnut and platinum, to choose from, as well as such options as smooth-gliding drawers. And customers at The Container’s Store new location at Christiana Fashion Center can take advantage of Delaware’s tax-free shopping.

DYI-ers can measure their spaces, order components and install storage themselves. Would rather have someone else do the heavy lifting? Installation is 30 percent off, too.

Walmart ditches Express and lagging stores

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There’s a big bag of woe in retail as the third major merchant in little more than a week announces store closings.

Walmart says it will close 269 stores in 2016, as the world’s largest tries to improve its finances.

imagesMost of the underperformers are sited within 10 miles of another Walmart. Of the stores on the chopping block, 154 locations are in the United States; two-thirds of those are the smaller “Walmart Express” stores, a pilot program that failed to get off the ground.

Only 12 U.S. Walmart Supercenters will close, along with four Sam’s Club stores. Most of the foreign closings will be in Brazil.

Of the 16,000 employees impacted, 10,000 work in U.S. stores. The company plans to place those workers in nearby Walmarts. Employees who don’t find a place will get 60 days’ severance and training in job hunting.

Walmart stock swooned 30 percent last year in tough times for retailers. Macy’s and Kmart also recently announced significant store closings.

Veganuary: Week Two

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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.

Philly’s first Home and Garden Show

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I like the Property Brothers on HGTV because they are hunky and can fix things.

You can meet them in all their manly-manliness at the new Philadelphia Home and Garden Show, now running at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks.

20150955f7dfc76c2bc.jpegThe brothers, Jonathan and Drew Scott, will appear on Jan. 16, hosting a question-and-answer session–who does your hair? how many flannel shirts do you own?–and a photo opp with fans.

Interested in going green? Exhibits include a full-scale, energy-efficient smart home constructed by Rudloff Custom Builders and powered by XFINITY.

Visitors also can buy crafts, stroll through six feature gardens, and attend DIY demos and such interactive challenges as decorating a ho-hum front door.

The show runs through Sunday. Tickets are $10 at the door or $8 online. Children under 12 are admitted free.

 

 

 

Cocktail of the Hour: The OBX Old-Fashioned

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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.