Jack Astor's gave me reason to blog

Our bill from Jack Astor’s

And just when we thought we’d have the makings of another Applebee’s disaster on our hands, Jack Astor’s scored a big customer service win for Diane Begin and I the other night.

It was late. We’d just finished class and we were hungry. While Diane ordered fries and guac, I asked if I could have a chef salad with grilled chicken added. The server implied that wasn’t an option and suggested I order the California Grilled Chicken Salad instead. I reluctantly agreed.

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The threat of a tweet

Ewww!

All was going to do was tweet “Ewww!” with a photo. Nothing more needed to be said. You probably would have looked and seen that little ugly hair on my plate.

I had no intention of naming the neighborhood eatery where we were having our weekend brunch. And then, just as I was snapping the photo and my husband said “Don’t tweet it! You don’t have to tweet everything, you know.” Or something to that effect, I was caught smartphone-handed by the restaurant manager. I had just snapped a pic and he seemed to have heard every, every word except for the “I had no intention…” part.

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Twitter bird icon credit: Bruno Maia, IconTexto

A tale of two Tassimo brewing systems

My new Tassimo brewing system

Yesterday, I received my second Tassimo thanks to some quick action by the caring team at Veritas who wanted to right a wrong before the holidays. It’s nice having one that works again, especially since Nabob now makes a decaf cappuccino and my kids enjoy Cadbury hot chocolate Tassimo discs a lot.

This holiday season seems to be a big one for coffee… whether your a retailer, fast-food chain or manufacturer of home brewing systems. Starbucks is well, Starbucks and decaf Via holds the current top spot for our household. McCafe has sent some goodies my way and incentives to try their premium caffeinated drinks. Like Tim Hortons’ premium coffee beverages, I have to wait for the decaf ones to hit the stores. Last but not least, home brewing systems for the third year running have been working hard to gain market share – for both gift items and holiday entertaining.

The Tassimo backstory...

I was one of many Twitter influencers selected to receive a free Tassimo machine and a supply of discs. Since then around this time of year, I receive a box of Tassimo discs. Last year, they offered to send Tassimo machines to two of my friends who were active online. You can read Bargainista’s Tassimo posts from 2009.

Several weeks ago, I received an impersonal email from Trapeze, an online marketing agency, conducting social media outreach for Tassimo. They sent me an email asking if I was interested in receiving discs (they actually sent the same email twice). I obliged and as a decaf drinker was pleased to see a new decaf cappuccino in their product offering.

A few weeks later I received another email from the same person. Like the previous ones, it was impersonal and requested I tell people in my network about how Tassimo stacks against Keurig:

“It’s the only home brewer with barcode technology. And when compared to the competition, we think TASSIMO comes out on top. We’d love if you could spread the word to your friends, family and followers about how the TASSIMO brewer stacks up against the Keurig®.”

I was stunned. I’ve never been given any opportunity by Tassimo or any of their agencies to test the Keruig machine, either at home or at an event (granted I’ve used the industrial brewers but how would Erin at Trapeze know that.) I’ve since learned there’s been a heated battle between these two companies.

Regardless, their approach is a poor example of how to engage with influencers. The agency is asking for influencers to praise one brand while trashing another online and off, in order to increase word of mouth, share of voice and positive sentiment at the expense of a competitor, etc. I replied to the consultant asking her why she asked me to spread the word but never heard back. I also emailed to tell her my Tassimo brewer broke (coincidentally, it broke a couple hours later). She responded by sending me a link to their online customer service and a phone number to call. Not a cool way to treat influencers in my books, when agents for other products go out of their way to make sure influencers are happy and continue using them.

Coincidentally, two days ago, a woman from Veritas emailed me asking if I’d consider reviewing a Tassimo brewing system before Christmas. I’m not sure if she was aware of my participation in the earlier program or how she decided to contact me but I was curious. So, I replied to her email and told her about my recent experience. She asked me if I’d mind calling her to discuss it further. I did. I was impressed by how quickly she responded at 9 p.m. on December 22. She told me I’d be hearing back the next day. I did hear back, from a former colleague who wanted to make things right.

As you know, this story did have happy ending. Within less than 24-hours, Veritas and Trapeze worked together to send me a new Tassimo brewer on time for the holidays. I was impressed by their quick response and ability to right a wrong. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t about me wanting to get free stuff but more about understanding the hows and whys of relationship building between bloggers, brands and their agencies. Some other bloggers who had been reached out to in 2009 by a former representative at a third agency as a result of the Tassimo program, and since felt they had been treated in a personal manner, the initial approach this year has been disappointing to say the least. Let’s hope my experience is a sign of change and recognition of the importance of personal relationships. Spray and pray doesn’t work, even if it’s less expensive at face value.

As for the comparisons between Tassimo and Keurig brewers, I’m staying out of that battle. I haven’t seen any bloggers weigh in, have you?

Do you have a Tassimo or another brewer? If so, are you happy with your machine? What's your favourite coffee?

Turning green waste into vegetable stock

It’s a new year and time to add some new perspectives to Bargainista. Welcome Kathryn Lagden, a regular contributor from Cooking with Kathryn, who’s focus will be primarily but not exclusively on food and cooking, you may remember her from our holiday wish list.

For many people, the New Year is a time for resolutions, new goals, or perhaps renewing commitment to previous goals. I’m not good at hard and fast rules (yep, I’m an Aquarius!) but I do use the changing of the year to think about where I want to focus my attention.

I’ve been thinking a lot about garbage so far this year. My new found interest in trash is probably a subconscious reaction to receiving two tags from the City of Toronto, each good for one extra bag of garbage above and beyond our allotment in 2011. And like many families at this time of year, we’ve made many trips to the bins with the cellophane, twist ties, and plastic wrap that keep all new toys impossibly difficult to access.

And then I read about how I can boil my garbage and create yummy goodness. Yep, you heard me right, I’m going to boil my garbage! I’ve often wondered why most recipes call for a few veggies like celery, onion, carrots etc. when we boil chicken bones to create stock but all the peelings and ends from these same veggies are tossed out. The folks at The Sweet Beet make it sound perfectly natural to boil up a whole bunch of food scraps into a delicious stock so I’m jumping in and giving it a try.

First step was getting my hubby on board. After all, collecting a bag of garbage in the freezer takes some commitment from everyone who is diving in looking for frozen treats and ice cubes for beverages. His only stipulation was that we don’t refer to it as “garbage”, we need a friendlier name. I’m thinking something along the lines of “Scrappy”, it would let me say things like, “please feed Scrappy those egg shells when you’re done cooking breakfast”.

I received a big soup pot from my sister for Christmas. I doubt that boiling garbage is what she had in mind when she gave it to me but with a bit of luck I’ll be serving up a delicious soup made with my own Scrappy Stock next time she visits.

I’ll be sure to report back and let you know if boiling garbage is a tasty way to reduce food waste! (And would love to hear suggestions and tips from anyone who has tried this.)

Note: Originally published as How I’m going to turn green waste into vegetable stock at Cooking with Kathryn.

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A new Christmas meal tradition

In keeping with the holiday theme, new regular contributor Kathryn Lagden, shares her 2010 Boxing Day cooking adventure.

This year I’m hosting one of our three family Christmas dinners on Boxing Day. I expect that by December 26 we’ll have had enough turkey and trimmings, so I figured I’d cook up something a little different this year. I decided tourtiere, a dish traditionally served on Christmas eve in Quebec, would be keeping with the festive season while offering my family something a little different.

The idea was the easy part. I’ve never actually made meat pie or pastry before so I was a little nervous about the execution. A trial run to work out the kinks was definitely in order. I settled on the recipe from the Canadian Living website for both the tourtiere and the pastry.

Preparing the filling was fairly straightforward. While I browned the pork I prepared the vegetables and measured out the seasonings. I was a little trepidacious about adding all 3 onions as the quantity seemed to overpower the other ingredients. Not to worry though, the onions cooked down and everything melded together nicely.

I did not add any “summer savory.” I have no idea what this is and I couldn’t find it in the grocery store so I just skipped it. The cloves and cinnamon give this dish a wonderful flavour but I’ll likely add a little rosemary next time as well.

A picture of the filling cooked and ready to pop in the fridge to chill is on the right.

Why was I so nervous about making pastry? Likely because pastry seems to have a reputation as “difficult” and truth be told I didn’t even know where to find lard in the grocery store. (Turns out it’s in the baking aisle, not with the butter in the refrigerated aisle!)

I followed the recipe *exactly* to minimize any risk of poorly turned out pastry. When I divided it into two round disks (pictured right) I thought it looked a bit dry (are those cracks supposed to be there?) but no way was I going to mess with it at this point!

One great thing about this dish is that both the filling and pastry need time to chill in the fridge. So I prepared everything in the morning and later that afternoon it was very easy to roll out the pastry and assemble the pie. Getting all the time consuming tasks done in the morning makes this a great choice for entertaining since you want to be with your guests, not in the kitchen.

The final outcome was pretty darn delicious (if I may say so myself!) The meat was flavourful and the pastry was light so I’m considering the trial run a success! I hope my family enjoys our unique Christmas dinner.

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Short & Sweet Cupcakes hit the spot

Like many other parents, I was off last week for March break. For us, there was a nice balance of visiting relatives in Montreal and staycation back in Toronto. The staycation part was a great opportunity for us to experience some of the new shops in the neighbourhood – and there are many as a result of vacancies left by casualties of the recession.

Just off Avenue Road, south of the 401, Short & Sweet Cupcakes is a sweet spot hidden on Old Orchard Grove. (Check out their blog.) Like its name, there was lots of sweet goodness inside. The owners were lovely and told me how appreciative of the support they’ve been receiving from the community. In fact, they have so many special orders, they’re finding it a challenge keeping their storefront filled with a variety of tasty cupcakes with clever names like Diamonds & Pearls (that’s next on my list), Key Lime Kick, Lady in Red and Black & White Affair.

Price wise, at $3 per cupcake, $13 per ½ dozen and $26 per dozen, they’re comparable to other cupcake shops in the city. Taste wise, they were superior to several – including others with greater visual appeal – yes, looks can be deceiving. I really liked the micro-cupcake samples they have on hand. When I stopped by I tried BBM, a banana butterscotch cupcake with maple buttercream, it was terrific.

I picked up two for my kids – Coco Loco, the coconut chocolate one was delicious – I had a nibble. I didn’t taste the One Hundred & One, an Oreo-flavoured cupcake with Oreo buttercream but my son wasn’t blown away. Regardless, I’m really liked the comfy, unpretentious, warm atmosphere and I’ll be back.

What’s your favourite cupcake shop? Have you tried Short & Sweet Cupcakes? If so, what did you think? Which flavour(s) did you try?

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Bargainista interviews Matt Kantor from Little Kitchen

Matt Kantor is the Chef/Owner of Little Kitchen, based in Toronto, cooking dinner parties and teaching professional culinary tricks and techniques in people’s homes and other private venues.

What inspires you?
Two things: making people happy and creating tasty food with interesting textures and flavors. The best thing for me is developing a dish with unusual combinations of flavor and texture, and watching my guests’ faces light up when they take a bite.

Where did you train to be a chef?
I attended Culinary Institute of America, but the real training was working at some world class restaurants and with some great cooks in the US and briefly in Europe. I also do considerable research. I eat out constantly, trying to see what people are doing in Toronto. There are some really good chefs in this town.

Why do people invite personal chefs to their homes?
I think the main reasons are to experience something that is different but also customized to their tastes. In some cases, it's easier than getting a babysitter, and it’s also a way to entertain without spending all the social time behind the stove.

How much does it cost to hire Little Kitchen for an evening?
It’s really dependent on what kind of experience you want, because we do customize the experience to your tastes. The number of people, the number of courses and the kind of food will determine the cost. As I am just launching this endeavour, I am keeping the prices on the low side. Compared to going out for a similar level of quality, I think it’s a good value, and the interactivity can be a good learning experience if you want to pick up some cooking tips.

What is the most interesting dish you've ever prepared and why?
I’ve done a good amount of avant-garde and contemporary food in my day, but I love working with pasta and rice, because both make such a great canvas for working with so many different flavors that cater to people's needs. Risotto is a good example of this: beets, mushrooms, cauliflower, sea urchin, squash, asparagus, chocolate...the list goes on.

Why Twitter and Facebook? Are they helping you build your business? How do you know?
In general, knowing that SocialMedia is helping you build business is not a clearcut thing – which I am still discovering – it’s new to most of us. I rely on analytical tools on all my software to track engagement, but its ultimately about developing good relationships and engaging with the people you want to work with. For larger companies, a good suggestion is to work with a communication strategist to identify marketing channels and create a communication plan.

photo credit: Matt Kantor by lexnger on flickr

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Bargainista’s visit from Little Kitchen

About a month ago I was on Facebook and saw my friend Alexa Clark won a dinner for four prepared in her home from a company I’d never heard of called Little Kitchen. They give away a dinner for four to one of their Facebook fans through a random draw each month.

I’d never entered a Facebook contest before but with Alexa’s pedigree, I figured if it was good enough for her, it was good enough for me. Speaks volumes for the value of recommendations from friends doesn’t it? So, I entered and next thing you know, I was the next month’s winner. Whoohoo!

Chef Matt Kantor spent the evening at our house last night. He designed the menu, prepared, served and cleaned up one of the most enjoyable meals we’d ever had. Talk about hidden gems. Little did I know Little Kitchen had a chef trained at the Culinary Institute of America at the helm. You can check out our dinner pics in the slideshow and watch for my interview with Matt coming soon.

Tassimo review times three

Like many other Canadians online this fall, I won a Tassimo single brewing system by Bosch. For those of you unfamiliar with a Tassimo, it’s a small kitchen appliance you load with water, which is then filtered and by adding one of several discs (or pairs of discs) you can make one of several hot drinks from decaf coffee to espresso, hot chocolate and chai tea within minutes.

My colleague, Candice Shirreff and her apartment mate, Sarah Roger won Tassimos too. So, I thought it would be helpful if I shared three points of view with you.

How did you win your Tassimo?
SR: I saw Candice had retweeted @TassimoCanada that they were giving away 300 machines, so I just started following them. I received a DM a few days later that I had won a machine.

CS: I won my Tassimo by signing up to win tickets to a Tassimo Smart Talk Event with Sarah Richardson and Nik Manojlovich, which included a free Tassimo machine and a chance to win a $10,000 Bosch kitchen (which I don't think I have won :(). I found out about the event through Twitter.

ES: I had just arrived at my in-laws for Thanksgiving weekend. I checked Twitter and saw some people retweeting @TassimoCanada because they were giving away some Tassimo machines that night. I retweeted and within two minutes, I received a DM congratulating me on winning.



How often do you us it?
SR: I've been using it nearly every morning since I've received it. I like how quick it is, although I find the coffee doesn't get as hot as I'd like.

CS: I’ve hardly used the machine at all, but my roommate Sarah uses the machine to make coffee every morning. I also think the machine looks great on our bland kitchen counter.

ES: I’ve been using it almost every morning and twice-a-day on weekends. My husband has been using it too and one of my sons enjoys the hot chocolate.



What is your favourite beverage?
SR: I've been enjoying the Nabob 100% Colombian coffee discs. I still haven’t tried all of the samples they sent me.

CS: I am not a coffee drinker, so my favourite beverage selection is the teas – particularly the Chai tea. I can’t wait for the Tazo teas to become available in Canada (hint hint)


ES: I’m a huge coffee drinker but surprisingly, my favourite Tassimo beverage is Twinnings Chai Latte. I’m not getting results when I try making cappacinos either.


Have you tried making any of the suggested recipes?
SR: No, I haven't.

CS: No, I have not tried any of the recipes.

ES: No. The recipes on the Tassimo Canada website didn’t do anything for me. 


Have you tried inventing any of your own and if so, what? How was it/how were they?
SR: Haven't tried this either.

CS: No, I have not experimented with my own recipes yet but I would like to reduce the milk quantity in the chai latte.

ES: I tried making some of the drinks with my own milk instead of the Tassimo milk product. I’ve concocted a hot mocha at my son’s request.




Do you buy brewed coffee? If so, where? Do you buy more, less or the same now that you have a Tassimo?
SR: I do buy brewed coffee. For the past year I’ve been buying PC Organics Fair Trade Dark Roast Coffee. I think it’s one of the best tasting fair trade coffees and well priced at under $10.

CS: I purchase Chai tea lattes regularly and having tried Tassimo’s equivalent. I don’t think this machine will substitute those purchases. However, I do think this machine will be used for entertaining. I will certainly make the specialty drinks for friends and family which I would not have done without the Tassimo machine.

ES: I don’t brew coffee at home – we broke our coffee maker last year and haven’t replaced it yet. I do buy brewed coffee by the cup. I have less of an urge to do so on weekends now that I have a Tassimo.



Have you bought any Tassimo products? If so, what and where?
SR: No, I have not. I’m still going through the huge supply they sent me with the machine.

CS: I tried to purchase some more tea products at The Bay but the selection was poor the day I was there. I will definitely try again though.

ES: I bought Sucard Hot Chocolate and Twinnings Chai Latte at Loblaws a couple weeks ago. I haven’t seen it in other grocery stores where I regularly shop. My husband went to buy some for us today and Loblaws was out of hot chocolate and Chai Latte.



Would you recommend a Tassimo to friends?
SR: This is a tough question as I still haven’t fully made up my mind. I would recommend the Tassimo to those who are pressed for time in the morning and need a fast cup of coffee that tastes way better than instant. For friends who love great tasting coffee, I’m not sure this machine is for them. I find the quality of the coffee that I’ve tried to be good, not great. I would still like to try a few more of the other brands. I’m interested in trying the Suchard Hot Chocolate.

CS: Yes I would. I think it makes a great addition to a kitchen and it will certainly make entertaining more fun, unique and personalized.

ES: I’m with Sarah. For friends who competent brewing their own coffee at home, they may not be happy with Tassimo. For friends like me who don’t do a great job of home brewing and/or only have a need for one or two cups most of the time, Tassimo is a nice addition. We’re having friends over for a dinner party in a couple weeks. I’m looking forward to trying it out on them and seeing what they think.



What do you like the most and least about your Tassimo?
SR: Most – I love how easy and quick I can make a cup of coffee when I’m running out the door in the morning. It’s easy to clean and I don't have to deal with the mess or nuisance of coffee grounds.

Least – For a person that drinks as much coffee as I do, I don’t think the quality is comparable to regular brewed coffee. In terms of taste I’d pick my PC Organics Fair Trade coffee over the Tassimo discs. That being said, I see a place in my coffee drinking routine for both my regular brewed coffee machine and my Tassimo. I see myself brewing a pot of coffee on the weekend when time is not an issue, but using the Tassimo during the week before work.

CS: Most – The great look of the machine!

Least – The waste and flavour of some of the drinks taste artificial

ES: Most – The quick convenience of brewing a variety of hot beverages within minutes.

Least – I haven’t found a coffee that wows me. There aren’t enough decaf or tea options. Like Candice, I’d like to see a line of Tazo teas for Tassimo, there’s only one available in the U.S. now.
I don’t add sweeteners to my coffee or tea. So, I’m not a fan of having them pre-added. I’d also prefer a way to use my own milk for lattes. The amount of garbage generated by the disks bothers me too and most isn’t recyclable.

Have you tried a Tassimo beverage? What did you think? Would you like one of your own?

Sarah Roger works in communications at the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). She enjoys all things related to: caffeine, crafting, music and shopping. Sarah spends the majority of her free time @sarahroger.

Originally from Ottawa, Candice Shirreff came to Toronto to challenge herself in the world of digital at iStudio. Decorating, art and fashion accessories keep her inspired. You can find Candice on Twitter as @CandiceShirreff.

Hazel’s Diner: try it, you’ll like it

I don’t know about you but I love lazy Sundays. And one of my favourite activities is to go for brunch. Since Mr. B isn’t a big fan, we don’t go very often but today he decided to oblige me and try Hazel’s Diner, a new addition to the north Toronto landscape.

Although it’s sad seeing many local businesses fade away during tough times, one of the benefits is the recent surge of new eateries in the Yonge St. strip between Lawrence and York Mills.

Hazel’s Diner came with a respectable pedigree in that it’s owner, Tony Xavier is a well-known restauranteur responsible for Chega, the successful upscale restaurant with the grey stucco and no sign a few doors down. Always wanting to support neighbourhood businesses, after reading a review in North Toronto Post, I wanted to see for myself.

Arriving at 1 p.m., this cozy diner was about half full, mostly with young families. Within 20 minutes, it got much busier. Service was friendly. The atmosphere was warm and casual.

As expected from a diner, the small menu offered predominantly all-day breakfasts and other comfort foods (salads, sandwiches, several varieties of burgers and 5 or 6 typical diner entrees) at reasonable prices. Meals started at $3.99 and the average price was around $9 with nothing more than $14.

Mr. B. ordered an all-day breakfast for $6.95 (Update: $3.99 between 7 a.m.-11a.m.). I ordered the vegetarian omelette with mushrooms, roasted peppers and broccoli. My request for salad instead of home fries was granted hassle-free. Both our meals were delicious. I was impressed by the lack of grease (there didn’t appear to be any oil or butter on my omelette) and the freshness of the food.

We’ll definitely be back and for Hazel’s hand-cut New York steak with side priced at $12, we’re looking forward to returning for dinner. (I’m guessing it’s orderd along with the meat for Chega’s kitchen and a great bargain.) Oh ya, that’s my one complaint, in a neighbourhood with few true family-friendly restaurants, Hazel’s closes at 6 p.m. every night but Sunday when it’s open until 9 p.m.

Hooked on LÄRABAR

My sister has been raving about LÄRABAR for years because she’s the more athletic one of us. So, when Jess Bennett from Palette PR asked if I’d like to try some, I said sure.

I received a lovely sampler with four different flavours (Cashew Cookie, Coconut Cream Pie, Pecan Pie and if memory serves me correctly, Ginger Snap) in a stainless steel thermos. They’re all made with various unprocessed, uncooked combinations of two to eight different ingredients consisting of fruit, nuts and spices. I’ve tried about six or seven different flavours. My favourite ones are Cinnamon Roll and Ginger Snap although I’d really like to taste Peanut Butter & Jelly and Cocoa Mole.

According to LÄRABAR, three new flavours are coming soon. Although the flavours sound creative and these bars are relatively tasty, I’m not sure I’d go as far as saying they’re “indulgent deserts” – a claim I read on the Wikipedia page.

If you’ve been reading Bargainista for a while, you probably know I’ve eaten a lot of NutriSystem and my favourite items were the bars. LÄRABAR is a completely different type of product. I think it’s designed more as an energy bar than a meal supplement. I really like the idea there are no additives. For those of you who are concerned about various allergies (except for allergies to nuts) and dietary restrictions, you may want to take a closer look LÄRABAR.

Being able to purchase LÄRABAR at many retail outlets including grocery and health food stores make them easily accessible. I’m also comfortable giving them to my kids who want to give them a try as soon as they come home from camp. As for the price, I’ve spent anywhere from $1.99-$2.99 per bar. I’ve found grocery stores tend to be less expensive than convenience stores and health food stores are selling them anywhere within that range.

UPDATE: Costco sells a 12-pack for $15.99 with three flavours - Key Lime Pie, Cashew Cookie and Cocoa Coconut Chew - it’s a great deal. I’d like it better if there were more flavours or at least two combinations to choose from.

Perhaps, like my sister you’re a fan of LÄRABAR. If so, you may want to check out their fan page or tweets.

Have you ever tried LÄRABAR? What are your favourite flavours?

Sweet treats at Sweet Flour

One of the advantages of spending a lot of time on Twitter is learning about new things, including new local businesses. At least those smart enough to take advantage of connecting with people (and potential customers and ambassadors online).

I know this will sound diametrically opposed to my weight loss efforts but I’m a huge cookie fan. So, a few weeks ago when I started reading tweets about a new cookie shop called Sweet Flour Back Shop, I paid attention. Sweet Flour’s founder Kim Gans was also on Twitter and started sending me DMs (private messages) inviting me to stop by.

It took a few weeks and some convincing but today I finally got my family on board. We decided it was a perfect day to spend time strolling along Bloor West Village. The outing wouldn’t have been complete without a trip to Sweet Flour.

Why Sweet Flour? Well, in my university days, I visited Steve’s and worked at Greg’s – I learned about mixings early on. Sweet Flour is all about made-to-order fresh baked cookies, muffin tops and granola. You can even buy a “shot” of raw cookie dough. How could I resist?

How it works
• Start by choosing your cookie dough (today’s menu included original, peanut butter and oatmeal - I choose original)
• Next, choose from 20 yummy mixings – (two are included in the price and you can add more for $0.50 each - my pics: semi-sweet chocolate chunks and cherries)
• Watch a baker mix your custom cookie, pop it into a special oven and two minutes later, you’ll have a fresh cookie right out of the oven.
• Enjoy! Pure deliciousness.



My younger son ordered a hot chocolate too, it was made from scratch using chocolate chunks. Honestly, it was the best hot chocolate I’ve ever tasted. He thought it was among the best he’s ever tasted but found it too hot and after burning his tongue, had to let it cool for 15 min. Perhaps Sweet Flour should follow the coffee shops and keep the temperature lower when making hot drinks for the kiddies.

I made a point of not asking for Kim when we arrived because I didn’t want us to receive special treatment. Once we had paid for our orders, Kim recognized me and introduced herself. She is just as lovely as her baked goods asked my son about his cookie and his favourite cookies because he might become the customer of the day. Sure enough, when we got home, he received this email – it made his day and his burned tongue was quickly forgotten.

“Thanks from Sweet Flour
Thanks for visiting Sweet Flour today. We want to let you know that the picture of you and your family will be up as our customer of the day on Tuesday. We hope you had a great visit.

Regards,
The Sweet Flour Team”

We’ll be back and yes, the verdict was unanimous. It was worth the 1/2 hour drive.

There’s more to starting a new business than having a unique concept and service yummy treats. Making customers feel special is an equally important ingredient and it looks like Sweet Flour is starting off on the right track.

Check out my annotated flickr photos (same ones as in the slide show but with commentary).

Dear Bargainista #16 - imported beer

Tracy writes:

I recently returned from Scotland wanting to buy this amazing new beer I tried over there.......only I can't find it anywhere in Canada. Stumbled on your site....any idea if and/or when Molson will start selling Kasteel Cru?

Thanks,
Tracy

•••
Dear Tracy,

I sent your question to the folks at Molson. Adam Moffat, brand PR manager had this to say:

“After careful evaluation, and given our current state, we’ve decided the timing isn’t right to introduce Kasteel Cru to Canada. Instead we’re focusing our efforts on building our home grown Molson brands.”

Sorry, I don’t have better news for you. On the other hand, now you have an excuse for another visit to Scotland. ;)

Dear Bargainista would love to hear from you too! Have a question about shopping, fashion or food? E-mail us.

Tip of the week: saving at Starbucks

It’s been ages since and I’ve decided to revive Tip of the week. I’ve been inspired by a company going through a rough patch and with the way they’ve been doing things lately, it may get a bit rougher.

Starbucks cut 1,370 jobs in the U.S. and Canada this week. They’ve also been busily closing non-performing stores – perhaps a smart move – in my neighbourhood there are four locations within a 10-minute walk from my front door!

I had been a loyal customer. Last week, all that changed. I’m a decaf drinker. (Okay, you can stop laughing now.) Apparently, Starbucks has a new policy: no brewing decaf after 12 noon. So, afternoons and evenings when people probably consume the most decaf coffee, they aren’t keeping it on hand. Instead, if you ask for decaf, either you’ll be offered an Americano for the same price, or they may offer to brew you a fresh pot if you have an extra four minutes to wait. Not very practical at an office tower where the majority of the clientele are employees running downstairs for quick fix.

Contrast that to Tim Hortons. My office is connected to a subway station. One location is always swamped. Line-ups are long (they’re smart enough to have three separate ones) and move fast. The staff may not be as cool or knowledgeable as the Baristas but they know how to brew and pour basic coffee plus make change real fast.

Around the same time Starbucks stopped brewing decaf at noon, Timmies opened a second subway location – brilliantly located so customers need not go through the subway turnstile to get their java jolts. Now they have one on either side and brew fresh decaf all day long. If only they served decaf lactose-free lattes, they’d be almost perfect.

So, what you drink, when and where is your call. However, if you’re a decaf drinker, especially if you like Americanos, and you’re near a Starbucks after the clock strikes noon, take if from me. Ask for a regular decaf and get your specialty drink for the regular price.

The NutriSystem Challenge: two months later

Wow! That's all I can say. I’ve been off the Nutrisystem Challenge for just over two months now and not only have I managed to maintain my weight and svelte new figure, I’ve actually lost another few pounds!

Here’s what I’ve been up to:
• Two conferences
• Major family party weekend
• Eating lots of ice cream and cake
• Drinking martinis and beer
• Little exercise - I’d love to ride my bike and try Wii Fit but I have a bit more healing to do

How I’ve been managing?
• Smaller portions
• Maintaining similar eating habits as when I was on a more rigid NutriSystem routine
• Following Nutrisystem as much as possible for breakfast, lunch, snacks and some dinners
• Drinking lots of water and eating lots of veggies, fruit and protien, while shunning the carbs
• Minimal after-dinner snacking

Thanks NutriSystem for keeping my cupboards fully-stocked with your food. ;) When are you starting the maintenance program in Canada? I want in!

How do you maintain your weight? What tempts you? How do you manage when you’re away from home?

Preparing for maintenance after NutriSystem

Weigh-in (Day 77):

• Tamsin – -1.25 lbs (-13 pounds to-date)
• Eden – -1 lbs (-23.8 pounds to-date)

*Note: Eden spent last weekend in Montreal and managed to lose weight while eating regular food most of the time.

Here’s a post from Tamsin after 11 weeks on the NutriSytem Challenge.

For weeks, most of my food has come in handy packages from NutriSystem:
• lunches that fit in my purse;
• breakfast bars on the streetcar;
• dinners that heat up in 1 minute.

I’ve been thinking about what I’ll miss the most and how I’ll translate what I’ve learned about portion control to the real world where convenience and nutritionally balanced don’t always go hand-in-hand.

I think the trick is planning ahead and choosing foods that I enjoy. Convenient meals are useless if the food is tasteless. That's been a big plus for me: NutriSystem is handy AND tastes good.

I met a coworker in the kitchen at work the other day while I waited to heat my NutriSystem lunch. He was just taking his lunch from the microwave -- and boy, it smelled yummy! He asked about my NutriSystem package, and I asked what he was heating up for lunch. High Liner Scallops Mediterranean. We compared nutrition labels, and I was shocked to see similarities to NutriSystem (serving size, calorie and nutrients). Imagine scallops and linguine for lunch -- with the added bonus of 13 grams of protein!

These single-serve meals seem like a good meal option that offers the perks I’ve come to enjoy with NutriSystem: portion control, convenience, and the all-important yummy factor.

How have you transitioned from a diet? What are your tricks to eating healthy on-the-go?

Mr. B weighs in on NutriSystem

Weigh-in (Day 70):

• Tamsin – no change* (-11.7 pounds to-date)
• Eden – 1 lbs (-22.8 pounds to-date)

*Note: Tamsin spent last weekend in California and maintaining her weight must have been quite a challenge. Congratulations!

For something a little different, we thought we’d share a little insight from our husbands points of view. After all they are the ones who have been putting up with us after 10 weeks on the NutriSytem Challenge.


First, my interview with Mr. B…

B: What did you think when I told you I was going to begin the NutriSystem program for 12 weeks?

Mr. B: I was happy for you.

B: Why?

Mr. B: You seemed to be bothered so long by your weight and you were very unhappy about your body image: the way you were complaining about how your clothes were fitting or not fitting as the case may be.

I wanted you to be happy and if this is what you felt was going to get the job done, then great. At the same time, I did have reservations that you’d be able to stick to the program when all you basically would be eating was NutriSystem food. I mean if it were me, there’s no way I could eat that stuff meal after meal, day after day. There’s just too much other food I would miss. And frankly, some of those dinners look a little less than appetizing. Looks like the type of food they probably serve at the Kingston pen.

B: What changes have you noticed since I started the program?

Mr. B: A number of things...
You’re in much better spirits. For example, on any given weekday morning, when we’re both rushing around getting ready for work, it’s nice not to hear you moan about how everything in your closet is too tight. And you complained everything made you look fat. It’s nice to see you smile when you get dressed for work now.

B: What is your biggest beef?

Mr. B: What is my biggest beef? Well, for one thing beef, or what I mean to say is in all the years we’ve been together, I’ve almost never complained about your cooking except for the infamous tuna casserole incident. So basically, I miss your cooking. While on the one hand, I’m thrilled you’ve stuck to the program and you’re able to eat that ahem “food” day after day, I find myself longing more and more for those days when you’d come to me in the morning and say “Would you like me to make such and such for you for dinner tonight?” Plus, the kids are missing out too. I realize this may come off sounding selfish but I find the kids and I eating the same thing over and over.

Bottom line: I love what NutriSytem has done for you on a number of levels but a few more home-cooked meals per week would be nice. A way to a man’s heart is through is stomach? No, sh*t. But of course, I still love you.

B: What is your biggest fear?

Mr. B: That you’ll fall off the wagon so to speak. It’s not so much that you may gain the weight back, in and of itself but what the weight gain will do to your spirit and the more positive outlook you have on life in general.

B: Is it worth the trade-off for a slimmer, more-energetic and healthier wife?

Mr. B: Absolutely! Not withstanding the answers above, I fully support you on this journey.

Tamin and her husband share their tips for Nutrisystem dining...

I have a lot of dinners, so sometimes my husband and I take split 2 of them to taste test -- especially ones that aren’t my faves. And it’s a way we get to dine together (you know, without me drooling over the table at his yummy home cooked meals).

Chef Tamsin gets cooking with NutriSystem

Weigh-in (Day 63):
• Tamsin – 1.2 lbs (-11.7 pounds to-date)
• Eden – 2.3 lbs (-21.8 pounds to-date)

We're nearing the final NutriSystem-fueled weeks. I recently discovered some creative NutriSystem recipes using the NS foods, so I decided to get cooking!

I actually found a way to enjoy the powdered Scrambled Egg Mix! I added prepared as directed with boiling water, then I sauteed some red peppers, mushrooms, and onions with a little cooking spray. I added the eggs, tossed, and rolled into a wholewheat tortilla. NS eggs are mixed with cheese, so I just added some salsa. Delicious breakfast!

Many of the NutriSystem dinners are heavy on sauces or gravy. It's actually a perfect opportunity to mix in the requisite vegetable serving -- rather than eat veggies separately from the entree. I baked a small potato, steamed some broccoli and topped both with the Beef Stew. Not bad! I've also enjoyed the Chicken Dumplings with steamed bok choy.

As for the boring chicken patty, I sliced it up and stir-fried some veggies with Pam. (In many of the recipes I found, foods are often sauteed in Pam or cooking sprays.) Another way to enjoy the chicken (or beef) patty: serve as a fajita! Add a tablespoon of shredded cheese (fat serving), lots of veggies, and a whole wheat tortilla. I enjoyed this MUCH more than the NutriSystem Fajita Mix.

A little experimenting went a long way! I really enjoyed the patties served as fajitas. And I learned a lot of great tips for following NS principles outside of the program. (The discussion board on the NutriSystem website also has some great tips for maintaining your weight, post-NS) Blogger Amy posted recipes and pictures of her own “NS type” meal plan using her own foods. (While on NutriSystem, she lost an amazing 56 pounds in 6 months!)

Tamsin’s answers frequently asked questions about her NutriSystem experience

Weigh-in (Day 49):
• Tamsin – 1.1 lbs (-8.1 pounds to-date)
• Eden – 3 lbs (-17.5 pounds to-date)

Eden and I are past the halfway mark. It feels great! Lots of friends, family, and co-workers are rooting for us. This week, I’ll answer a few of the questions that I hear most often:

Does the food really taste as good as it looks on the commercials?
I started out a bit sceptical, but I was pleasantly surprised! It’s true that the eggs are awful but, all in all, the food is very tasty and the menu has a lot of variety. Plus, I get to choose your own vegetable, fruit, and protein servings to suit you.

Are your clothes fitting differently?
More than anything, I notice my pants are getting looser in the waist and thighs. Also, my face feels thinner.

Anyone notice a change in your appearance?
My co-workers and several of my pole-dancing students have noticed a difference.

Are you in a groove now or sick of the whole thing?
After the first week, I couldn’t imagine 84 days of NutriSystem – I thought I’d get sick of it. But the truth is, I like the routine and the variety of food. Tonight, I enjoyed Lasagna with Meat Sauce (still my favourite!) with a spinach salad and Blueberry-Lemon dessert bar (yummy, not too sweet!).

What do you find most challenging?
Maintaining variety! I am always looking for new protein, veggie, and fruit servings to add more variety and I’m not a big fan of salad (except spinach). I live near Chinatown East, so I am experimenting with interesting fruits (like litchi) and veggies (rapini and bok choy).

My favourite discovery is steamed edamame – I found them in individual-sized servings that steam right in the bag (they come with little packs of sea-salt). I love my plain-old vanilla protein shake in the morning; this week, I’m going to pick up a different flavour.

How do you stay motivated?
I’ve noticed that my energy is consistent and pretty high – an extra bonus for me because I often struggle with fatigue and low iron. The protein boost works! I have no problem tackling writing contracts until late into the night or teaching 3 pole-fitness classes after a day at the office. Plus, there’s always the dream of great new spring clothes in a smaller size to keep me on track!

NutriSystem Challenge: Greetings from Las Vegas

Weigh-in (Day 35):
• Tamsin - 1 pound (-6.5 pounds to-date)
• Eden - 1.6 pounds (-8.8 pounds to-date)

Tamsin shares her challenges while vacationing in Las Vegas last week...

Week 5 of our NutriSystem Challenge took a bit of a detour for me. I spent 4 days and nights in what is perhaps the most indulgent city in North America – Las Vegas. So this week, I am talking about how I navigated the many tasty temptations of Vegas.

Before I embarked on my weekend getaway with my girlfriend, I logged into the NutriSystem website (free for anyone to sign up!) to check out the advice in their handy “NutriSystem Dining Out Guide”. I like that NutriSystem acknowledges “real lives” that might include a special night out and the occasional desire to order dinner in. NutriSystem’s advice is all about positioning your mindset before you even enter a restaurant (or flip through the delivery menu). The guide includes sections for different cuisines: Chinese food, Indian food, Italian, Thai, and so on. It lists dishes to avoid and dishes to go for.

It’s all about preparation. I arrived in Vegas feeling prepared to eat healthily and watch out for portion control – especially the notorious buffets. I tossed a few NutriSystem breakfast bars (I’m enjoying the cranberry) into my suitcase to have with my morning coffee and juice. They contain a good amount of protein, which saw me through to lunch most days.

NutriSystem encourages enjoying the dining experience—rather than eating everything to get your money's worth. Given the spectacularly designed restaurants and glorious presentation of each dish (especially the sushi at Koi), enjoying the experience was easy! I ate a salad with every meal and, despite enjoying some expensive dishes, I really did find myself worrying less about clearing my plate.

I didn’t expect to lose any weight this week because of my trip, but I am proud of how I balanced the temptation with my new awareness of how I eat. Portion control is important, but I am convinced that a prepared mindset is just as critical – whether you’re in excessive Vegas or ordering in pizza at home.

Photo credit: Roadsidepictures on Flickr