July 29, 2009 01:25 Filed in:
This and that | In the kitchenOne of us was laid off recently. Fortunately, it was not the one of us who carries the health insurance! Surprisingly, it was the one of us whose company was not already planning to lay off 10% of its work force. Happily, it’s the one of us who is infinitely more employable, and who has already developed an awesome iPhone application. Things would really be bad if we’d both been laid off -- we would be one of those families they’re interviewing on public radio ... jobs cut, retirement fund shriveled up, housing in jeopardy, morale at rock bottom. I’m truly grateful we’re not there.
After the initial freakout period, we’ve adjusted to the change in income, and while figuring out where to cut back we have realized a few things: 1) we’re lucky to still have one decent income and we’re keeping apace of our living expenses; 2) we aren't heavy spenders to begin with, so we don't have to “give up” things like extravagant vacations, shoe shopping sprees, or pricey (or even cheap!) restaurant dinners. We haven’t even started taking extravagant vacations, and we rarely eat out, preferring instead to cook together at home, although we still buy the occasional pair of shoes; 3) there are certain things we’re not yet ready to give up -- most notably: food. Especially the treats that create luxurious moments in our everyday lives. Some of these treats could even be considered extravagant, but buying them isn’t sending us into bankruptcy, and giving them up won't help us pay our credit card bills any faster. Sure, there might be less expensive alternatives to our favorite indulgences, but they don’t provide us with the same culinary pleasure as these do.
Wine. There’s just no way we’re giving up wine! A few bottles in the grocery cart bulks up the bill slightly, but our meals have that extra sparkle when we're sipping wine alongside. And we do drink just one glass with dinner -- anymore more than that and I’m seriously looped -- so it’s not like we’re downing a bottle a day. I have a method of buying cheap red wine (read: $6-8 or so per bottle) that nets us something quite tasty more often than not: I’ll peruse the years on the bottles, look for the oldest ones (in the grocery store that doesn’t go back much further than about 2004), then scan the price tags for bargains. Once I find an “old” wine with a good sale price, I buy. Works most of the time. With lighter summer meals we’re drinking more pinot grigio, and lately we’ve found Meridian Pinot Grigio and Merlot are reliably good, and perpetually on sale. Good cheap wine = happy grownups.
Starbucks coffee beans. Sure, we go to Starbucks, especially for their espresso drinks. (Make mine a decaf double tall two pump no whip mocha, please!) And I think, but I’m not certain, that we’re going a bit less often now -- my drink is kiwi pear green tea so coffee isn't a daily habit with me (although mochas easily could be). To stay connected to our favorite coffee shop, we keep a bag of ground Starbucks beans -- from an actual Starbucks, not the grocery -- in the freezer. We feel terrifically thrifty when we brew a pot of Starbucks coffee from scratch, and we don't have to leave the house, which satisfies our lazy side. It’s just as full-flavored as the store-brewed kind, smells just as heavenly while its brewing, and costs just pennies a cup! Okay, maybe dimes, but not many.
Kiwi pear green tea. I discovered this Republic of Tea flavor years ago. I’ve tried other flavors by the same company, I’ve tried less expensive green tea alternatives in all flavors, colors and sizes. Nothing compares. Although it seems absurd to pay $10 for a tin of tea, it comes out to a mere $.40 every time I prepare a 16 oz. mug, which I do twice a day. A bargain at twice the price! Almost ... I certainly wouldn’t spend $20 on a tin of tea. On 32 ounces of green tea at $.80 a day, I plan to be cancer-free and live to at least 100, with plenty of money left over to sustain my Starbucks habit.
Sherry. But not just any sherry ... we discovered Lustau East India Solera sherry at our favorite local Irish pub, The Celtic Knot. All I did was get one whiff of it when my in-laws ordered some and I knew I had to try it. Then I paid homage to it in one of my very first blog posts. It’s dark and sweet but not cloyingly so, nutty, deep, rich ... and pricey -- about $27 per generic looking stenciled bottle at the liquor store. (Before you gasp, remember how much you spend on those bottles of vodka, tequila, rum, brandy, champagne, or whatever naughty alcoholic treat you keep in your liquor cabinet!) We sip it from little one-ounce Ikea cordial glasses (so even THEY were cheap!) which makes it about a buck a serving. Compared to $6 a pop at the pub, this is a luxury your accountant might just declare to be financially sound. Truthfully, though, there’s about one ounce left and I actually have been hesitant to go back and drop $27 on another bottle. Maybe this one is being shelved until we’re gainfully employed again?
Lucini italian olive oil. When I first tasted this oil, straight up with bread, my relationship with olive oil changed completely. It was more flavorful than anything I’d ever used for cooking. I finally understood what both “fruity” and “peppery” meant as it applies to olive oil. It is truly delicious! And you can get it at the grocery store, right next to all the other olive oils -- no special trips to swanky food shops necessary. We don’t use it for cooking -- it is strictly reserved for pouring into a small plate or bowl, sprinkling very lightly with kosher salt, and swirling (make that dunking, liberally) slices of good Italian bread or baguette into it. Enjoyed this way, it lasts a good long time. I could make a meal of Lucini and bread, a glass of (cheap) white wine, slices of parmesan cheese, and garlic olives. Every night. For the rest of my life. You’ve no doubt heard that olive oil is a “good” fat that helps lower cholesterol. Once you taste this, you’ll eat it often enough to keep your arteries clean as a whistle for many decades.
Really good chocolate. We’re going to give up this superfood reported to be effective in lowering blood pressure, preventing cancer, heart disease, and stroke? Not in a zillion years. Remember that every time you pay a wee bit extra for lovely dark chocolate (look for cacao content of 55% and up), you’re extending your life. ‘nuf said.
July 12, 2009 09:20 Filed in:
This and thatIf you have an iPhone or iPod touch, then you might like Bon Mot! a scrambled word game created by my dear husband, Kenny, and our friend Bill Cochran. Bill = idea for the game, visual and audio creative, hours and hours of beta testing. Kenny = weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks of programming and debugging. Bon Mot was accepted into the iTunes App store and is now available for sale, whee!
To accommodate this venture into iPhone application programming, we (meaning Kenny) created a new company, The App Orchard, from whence we hope will come many more such games applications in the future.
We would be honored if you would check out Bon Mot!, download it from the App Store for a mere $0.99 (the Apple image below will zip you straight to the Bon Mot page), play it to your heart’s content. It’s fun, easy-to-learn, and quite habit-forming! I don’t have an iPod touch yet, so I’m constantly borrowing Kenny’s or my stepdaughter’s in order to get my daily Bon Mot. If you download and play the game, please let me know what you think of it!
July 06, 2009 06:47 Filed in:
In the kitchen | This and that
Buttermilk shortcakes with red strawberries, white whipped cream, and blueberries. A festive and fitting dessert for a fun day!
We watched the Evanston parade in the rain, under our umbrellas, ate fried-then-baked chicken and corn-on-the-cob while listening to Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring", and ended the day marveling at Evanston's fireworks display from the Northwestern campus, under clear skies and an almost-full moon. A perfectly wonderful Independence Day! I hope yours was just as good.
