Rubs are either used in their dry form or mixed up with some sort of liquid preferably oil. And if dry rub is mixed with oil it might as well be referred as wet rub or paste. Wet rub or paste for that matter brings that heavenly flavor for grilled or roasted meat. The oil simply helps the spices to stick to the respective meat furthering the roasting process.

A mixture of rubs with mustard and horseradish and the subsequent paste can be used to coat briskets prior to their long slow smoking. No wonder dry rub is an absolute ‘must’ especially in barbecues. If you are arranging for a bar-b-q then make sure that you have rubs because that’s how the cuisine will become more delectable.

If you have tasted dry rub for once, you would no longer cater to chilies or pepper for that matter. It is not only hot but the hottest of all in the tinsel town of hot sauces. There are no boundaries, no limits as regards the usage of rubs. Be it the rub for marinating meat or for fish or other delicate items, you just name it. It may sound unorthodox but the fact of the matter is that rubs mixed with mustard or mayonnaise can make a sandwich doubly sumptuous. Again it goes without saying that they add an extra touch of flavor in salad dressing.

Presumably adding some rub to your sour cream or yogurt would mean a culinary shock but in reality it works wonders. Sprinkling hot rubs on baked potatoes, rice, french fries, popcorn not only makes them tastier but also shows that it doesn’t get any easier than this.

Speaking of rubs, ones that come to mind are Corky’s Dry BBQ Rub and the Jack Daniel’s BBQ Rub. The former sets any bar-b-q perk right up & is ideal for ranch salad dressing. The secret to its taste lies in its ingredients like paprika, salt, spices and garlic. While the latter is both an incredible marinade for pork, beef, chicken, seafood and also an excellent seasoning for vegetables, soups and stews. Surprisingly we find natural hickory smoke flavor, flavoring and Jac Daniel’s Black Label Whiskey amongst the ingredients other than the conventional combination of salt, sugar, spices, paprika, monosodium glutamate, onion powder and garlic powder.

Rubs are the ultimate culinary destination with its magical flavors that can transform ordinary taste to extraordinary. If you wish to pamper your appetite then you must indulge into rubs, it’s just a sprinkle away. So what are you waiting for? Run to your nearest store or login to the online stores to grab your rubs today!

Chris McCarthy is the owner of InsaneChicken’s insanechicken.com Hot Sauce Catalog. InsaneChicken also has a wide vareity of Hot Sauces, insanechicken.com/bbq_sauce.html BBQ Sauce and Rubs. Visit them at

A beautiful ambiance is not the only good thing about the downtown steakhouse in NYC, the quality of the food is also high on the list. You will find a variety of steakhouses with varying qualities of food. Some of the steakhouses in downtown may have reasonable rates, while others might have high rates. This means that downtown steakhouse in NYC has a place for all types of steak lovers. Every person, from a high end to middle class, can enjoy the wide variety of seafood in these restaurants. Moreover spending an extra dollar for quality beefsteak is not an expensive deal.

Sometimes it may happen that the steakhouse restaurant may make you think that only beef products are available there. But this is not correct. Though they specialize in beef, these restaurants also have other food items for the choice of customers.

The variety of food is a delight for beefsteak lovers. The downtown steakhouse has a huge variety of beef, ranging from appetizers to burgers, from main courses to seafood and a lot more. The seafood includes delicious lobsters, grilled fish and many others. Well, this sounds good, doesn’t it?

The food of the downtown steakhouse is not restricted to beef entrees, it also has a variety of vegetables and deserts. Moreover, the men of a particular steakhouse are its driving force, because if the food is not good, people will not visit the restaurant. This may even bring their business down. So it is mandatory for the steakhouse to lay great emphasis on the taste and visual presentation of the food.

If the food is good and the hospitality is bad, then the entire hard work of restaurant owners can goes waste. The staff at the steakhouses has to be very cordial with the customers, so that the customers should not feel offended at all. Their tone has to be soft and the service level has to be very high. Customers take notice of every factor of a restaurant before entering it. And one of the biggest things that customers notice is whether or not there is a long wait!

When the combination of food court, ambiance and hospitality is good, then the downtown steakhouse becomes a perfect place for partying. Celebrating becomes memorable at these types of restaurants. You can celebrate your birthday, anniversary or kiddy parties with great enthusiasm in these restaurants. Moreover, the downtown steakhouse is famous for providing quality service. It is because of this reason that they are attracting more customers with the passage of time.

Neil Folley holds a Masters Degree in Hotel Management. He loves good food and arranging private parties. He is working for markjosephsteakhouse.com Markjosephsteakhouse. To book for Sunday private parties and enjoy tasteful food visit #1 Rated Steakhouse in New York markjosephsteakhouse.com markjosephsteakhouse.com

Don’t spoil all your hard work with boring cookie boxes and packaging ideas.

You want cookie gifts that say “Yummy!” – Perception is everything!

First impressions are truly important. So it’s unavoidable that you make a little effort to package your home-baked treats.

But where do you start? Here it is…

Theme:
Think about what the theme is for your cookie gift packages. For example, it is a birthday gift or for Christmas holiday giving? Perhaps it’s for your Valentine? Use the theme on your packaging.

Ingredients:
What are the main flavors or the cookie ingredients you used? Apply this element to help enhance the aroma that you may want to portray on your cookie boxes or packages.

Protection:
Are your cookies fragile? Or do they need to be air-tight and stored in the fridge? Consider using for example, zip seal bags, if necessary.

Hygiene:
Always clean any used containers (or even store-bought new boxes) and dry before using.

When decorating your packages, be sure to use food safe items. Eg. Don’t use glues where cookies may be in contact. Consider the point that your cookie gift recipient may not always be as careful as you when replacing cookies back into containers. Think from their viewpoint and see whether there is an alternative method for better hygiene.

With that said and done, here are your “8 Yummy Creative Package Ideas”:

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 1:

“The Coffee Cup”

You may have seen a similar idea before, using a mug or coffee cup, but this is really a brilliant idea as people associate coffee cups with aroma.

Whether it be coffee or tea, this idea spells: ‘Good times with a friend over a cup of coffee/tea and some sweets!’

- Pre-pack about 2 – 4 cookies in cellophane or sealed bag and place inside cup.
- Embellish with a gift tag and fabric ribbon around cellophane. (You can also write a message or recipient name on the mug).

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 2:

“Milk Carton”

This is perfect for butter cookies or packaging cookies for children. Either way, the milk carton makes a great packaging box.

- Wash and dry container before use. Carefully open the top without tearing the cardboard.
- Place cookies inside.
- Seal top with staples or strong sticky-tape. (Do not use glues as they are unhygienic and not re-openable.
- Decorate exterior with wrapping paper or fabric and ribbon.

If you are computer savvy, you could create a milk carton label with recipient name, theme graphics and colors to print and apply to your cookie carton!

Use one litre carton for giving to an entire family or a smaller carton for children or single recipients.

This is a great container for refrigerating your cookies also. Plus, the benefit is that the design of the carton semi-closes on its own with the folding techniques incorporated.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 3:

“Peanut Butter Bottle”

Great for peanut butter cookies! The theme, feeling and association is already there! And you don’t even need to worry about pealing the bottle stickers off. Use it instead to create a quirky cookie packaging.

Use a square piece of fabric almost twice as large as the lid size and cover cookies before closing with the lid to create instant effective packaging.

Create a label digitally and print out for a dynamic gift. You don’t have to cover the entire glass or bottle, leave a bit of room so they can take a peek at the yummy cookies you baked.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 4:

“Butter or Margarine Containers”

Unusual but very effective and fun. What’s more, it has a lid and is lightweight for posting your cookies. Just keep in mind that most butter containers aren’t air-tight.

You can decorate the exterior by creating your own labels, or sticking appropriate wrapping paper over. I recommend a food style, earthy tones and colors for this method.

Lastly, tie a ribbon around the package like you would a gift box. Large wide ribbons would give you a dazzling package.

Great for milk and butter cookies.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 5:

“Milo or Food Tins (with lid)”

Tins come in all different sizes and are great for air-tight cookie storing. And you won’t have to pre-package your cookies in bags first.

Ideal for cookies that do not need to be refrigerated.

Also makes a great cookie gifting idea for boys or men.

You can even etch in writing or graphics onto the tin if you have the proper tools and use correct safety precautions.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 6:

“Candy or Chocolate Boxes”

Candies and cookies go hand in hand! These are little treats that the whole world love!

- Place your cookies lying flat into the box. You may need to take out the pre-made mould shapes used and use cardboard dividers to separate your cookies.
- Simply tie with ribbon and gift tag the package!

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 7:

“Cocktail or Martini Glass”

Great for alcohol-based cookies like rum balls during Christmas season!

- Place one cookie or two in cellophane, seal and place inside glass.
- Seal glass with clear food wrapping. Add ribbon and gift tag on glass stalk.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 8:

“Tea Box”

Use small aroma infusion tea packaging boxes – usually ones that have only 10 tea-bags in each box. You can pack 2 to 3 cookies in each box and give more than one tea box for fun.

- Seal cookies with cellophane or food bag first and place inside decorated tea boxes.

Why not leave one tea bag in front of your cookies? It’s a perfect invitation to a relaxing snack with a drink.

If you do not have any of these containers handy, you can easily buy them and transfer contents to other containers. Just make sure that it’s well washed and that most of the original scents are gone (except in the case such as the peanut butter bottles).

Not only are these 8 Yummy Ideas creative and fun, they also bring out the aroma of your delicious homemade cookies.

Start using these mouth-watering cookie packaging ideas. It’s a sure way that your cookies will be eaten instantly!

Copyright 2006 Janlia Chong

~* Janlia Chong has held onto her title as Baking Sensation because of her near endless knowledge of baking and packaging treats. Her ability to impress is one of her biggest traits. What’s her trick? Simple, she takes something that sounds difficult and makes it easy and fun. Follow Janlia’s advice and you’ll be busy baking treats for the entire family. Visit BakingHugs.com BakingHugs.com *~

St. Augustine also has a number of really special restaurants and eateries that deserve special attention when visiting the city. The Spanish Bakery is located not far from Castillo de San Marcos on St. George Street. Just follow the rich aroma of baking bread. Afterward, stop by the nearby Whetstone’s chocolate shop for a snack to take home.

Dinner in St. Augustine is truly a culinary experience. For casual dining and exquisite seafood, find Salt Water Cowboy’s on St. Augustine Beach. Columbia is located in downtown on St. George Street, and offers superb Spanish and Latin dishes in a gorgeous setting. Scarlett O’Hara’s, near Flagler College, is a haven for the after-work crowd with drink specials and live music.

For a truly local experience, head out to the southern end of St. Augustine Beach and try the Oasis. It’s located almost on the beach and offers up an eclectic seafood and sandwich menu with excellent lunch and dinner specials. They also serve the coldest beer in St. Augustine, which during the summer is a factor that merits consideration as temperatures hover in the low 90s.

Of course, there are many other fine restaurants and eateries in St. Augustine that you should try. For elegant dining, I recommend the Chart House overlooking Matanzas Bay. For boiled shrimp, beer, and Buffett tunes, the Milltop Tavern is the place, with an awesome view of the fort, downtown, and Matanzas Bay.

Choosing a good place to eat in St. Augustine is not difficult, as I frequently visit the city and have tried just about all of them with no complaints. The people are friendly and the locals accommodating, which makes this little city on the bay one of my favorite spots to unwind and relax after a hard quarter or two of graduate school. I just hope they have an opening at Flagler College soon so I can teach there!

M. Lively is a college professor with a fondness for fine dining. He loves to seek out local places while on vacation, and enjoys trying different cuisines and wines. He is an continuing student of good food. He lives near the visitcurrituck.com Outer Banks and enjoys cycling, flowcushion.com traveling in comfort and healthy foods like acaigogo.com acai and other tropical fruits.

1-cup Cocoa

2-cups water, boiling

2¾-cups flour

2-teaspoons baking soda

½-teaspoon salt

½-teaspoon baking powder
1-cup butter, softened
2½-cups sugar
4-large eggs
1½-teaspoons vanilla

Ingredients for cake filling:

1-cup heavy cream

¼-cup powdered sugar
1-teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

In medium bowl combine cocoa with boiling water; mix with wire whisk till smooth and cool completely. In a separate bowl mix flour, soda, salt and baking powder; preheat oven to 350°. Grease well and lightly flour 3 (9×1½-inch) layer cake pans. In large bowl of electric mixer at high speed beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla, scraping bowl occasionally, until light, about 5 minutes. At low speed beat in flour mixture and cocoa mixture. Divide evenly into pans; smooth top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until top springs back when pressed with finger. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Carefully loosen sides with spatula and remove cakes to cool on racks.

Filling: Whip cream with sugar and vanilla; refrigerate. To assemble cake, on plate place a layer, spread with half of cream, then second layer and spread with rest of cream. Add 3rd layer then frost. (See frosting on next page)

Serves 8

MOST PERFECT CHOCOLATE CAKE FROSTING

By: Cristie Will

Ingredients:

6-ounces Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
½-cup Light cream
1-cup Butter
2½-cups Sugar, powdered

Instructions:

In medium saucepan, combine chocolate chips, cream, butter; stir over medium heat until smooth and remove from heat. With whisk blend in 2½ cups of powdered sugar over ice; beat until it holds shape.

This is a lot of work, but worth it.

Makes between 3½ to 4 cups of icing

Cooking lessons for Cristie began at 8 years old with the best teacher in the world — her Mom! Later, she cooked for the restaurant the family owned, and her love of the “trade” has grown ever since. Cristie’s creative cooking has continued for over 40 years. Her creations can soon be on your kitchen table. Check out Cristie’s books at cristiescookin.com cristiescookin.com and tjstokes.com tjstokes.com

I put the food into a ziploc bag, then press the air out of it and put that bag into the freezer bag. I then seal it. Also, when you wash it, turn it inside out before putting it into the dishwasher.

Grease and plastic bags cling together, and it is just about impossible to get the grease completely cleaned off. When my FoodSaver bags got too messy from the content I threw them out….expensive, but just couldn’t deal with the mess of trying to get the bag clean.

I use the ball jars and jar sealing attachment when I freeze stews and chili’s. They are much cheaper than the plastic bags. I also have been buying bulk things like cashews and putting them in small sized jars and it works great!!! I can even put the jars in my musty basement and when I want some fresh sugar or non-frozen item they are really fresh. I have some “personal” sized snack jars that are very small and I use them for alot of things.

All standard canning jars (Ball and Kerr) can safely be placed in the freezer. Jars take up a lot of freezer space and are somewhat dangerous because they CAN and DO break easily. Cleaning glass out of a freezer would be about the last thing on my list of things to do…

Some people think that a better method for freezing soup (and many other foods) is to quick-freeze it in user-friendly amounts first. Use 1-cup plastic containers for soup so that you can use 1 for one serving (nice for lunch for one), or you can pull out more if you need more servings. After they are frozen you can pop them out of the plastic containers and stack them and seal them with my FoodSaver in a bag. They fit better in the freezer. You can do the same thing in inexpensive 1-quart plastic freezer containers if you need larger amounts than 1-serving sizes.

You should probably check the manufacturers instructions about vacuum-sealing soup before it’s frozen, or after; and whether that can/should be done in a jar. Call the toll-free number for more information.

I use the bags for meats, then I throw them out because the meats are raw and I just dont think I could clean them well enough to reuse. When I use the bags for cooked items or veggies, I will wash and re-use them until they get too short to use.

When you vacuum seal and freeze the chili in jars, how much space do you leave at the top of the jar for expansion? Fill them about 3/4 of the way. If you have the ones that narrow a little on the top (have a shoulder) I would leave like an inch or more from the top of the food to the shoulder of the jar. Hopefully that makes sense. I have never had any jars break yet and I freeze alot of soups, sauces and chili’s during the winter

Victor Epand is an expert author for vacuumfoodsealer.info/ VacuumFoodSealer.info/ . Here you can find the best selection of FoodSaver Vacuum Food Sealers and accessories on the market. Preserve and store foods at home using this proven vacuum packing method. Search through our selection of vacuum food sealers here: vacuumfoodsealer.info/category/appliances.html vacuumfoodsealer.info/category/appliances.html.

It’s not the champagne’s fault; it didn‘t insult drinkers in a drunken, outspoken moment. Instead, it’s the fault of the wine drinking community. The blame lies on our perception – or more pointedly misconception – of champagne.

This misconception often happens because champagne has a reputation for being sweet, like a wine with a cheerful demeanor. This leads drinkers to limit its pairing, often pairing champagne only with foods that complement sweetness. Some common pairings include chocolate or cheese. And, of course, everyone knows few things beat getting under the covers and welcoming a romantic night cap of strawberries and champagne. Yes, we all know that champagne has a reputation for being good in bed.

However, champagne is so much more than chocolate, cheese and strawberries; champagne is a drink that can be paired with many different food items. Full of celebration, and a bubbly personality, it is quickly becoming a drink everyone wants to take to dinner.

The Categories

First and foremost, it’s important to understand the difference between Champagne and sparkling wine. They have a lot in common and people tend to use them interchangeably. However, they are not the same. Both sparking wine and champagne is made the same way – with a second fermentation that causes carbonation – but only wine made in the Champagne area of France is allowed to be called Champagne. Those made outside this region, are simply called sparkling wines (pardon our French, Prosecco, we didn’t make the rules).

Many types of wine can be categorized by flavor and champagne is no exception to this rule. Just like other wines, some champagne is sweeter and some is drier. Overall, the categories to keep in mind when pairing food are the following:

Doux

Demi-sec

Dry

Extra Dry

Brut

Extra Brut

On the spectrum of sweetness, Doux is the most sugary, while Extra Brut is the driest. Brut, teetering between dry and very dry, is the most popular; many champagne drinkers raise their glasses to it.

The Foods

Doux and Demi-Sec: If the French fries we dipped into our chocolate milkshakes as children taught us anything it was probably that saltiness goes well with things that are sweet. This rule is now carried over from childhood into adulthood: salty dishes complement the Doux and Demi-secs very well.

Asian dishes, rich with soy sauce, potato chips, Mexican dishes, and fish, when it has a salty tint to it, all go well with Doux and Demi-secs. And, of course, nothing beats a nice glass of sweet champagne and a brand new salt lick.

As for desserts, Doux and Demi-sec shouldn’t be paired with something more sugary than they are: that kind of sweetness may just too sappy. Instead, these champagnes are good with slightly sweet dishes, such as pound cake and angel food cake, and bittersweet chocolates. For desserts that are sweet, a Doux or Demi-Sec is the best chance for enhancement. However, the sweeter the dessert, the harder if may be to pair with champagne. Some desserts may be so sweet that no champagne will work.

Dry and Extra Dry: The word “dry” in a drink may sound contradictory. After all, a drink shouldn’t leave you parched. Dry and Extra-dry champagnes aren’t drinks built on aridness; instead, they are simply champagnes that aren’t as sweet as they could be: think of them like champagnes with a chip on their shoulder.

These types of champagne go well with fried food and sushi, particularly when the sushi is slightly on the salty side. They also go well with almonds, vegetables, Asian food, poultry, light and heavy cheeses, and, everyone’s favorite, liver.

As far as dessert is concerned, Dry and Extra Dry makes an ideal match for Flan, semi-sweet chocolates, and dishes that aren’t overly sugary, such as fruit tarts.

Brut and Extra Brut: Over achievers of the champagne world, Brut and Extra Brut go well with many, many dishes. The dryness of the champagne opens up a doorway allowing champagne to walk – scratch that – gallop, through. Among some of the dishes that go well with the driest champagnes include turkey, dishes made of eggs, pasta with cream or mushroom sauce, lobster, shrimp, poultry, nuts, and scallops.

This type of champagne, despite its reputation, does not go well with sweet desserts; the dryness makes an awkward combination, like a glass of champagne and a slice of frosted cake that don’t know what to say to each other.

Among some of the dishes that typically go well with any category of champagne are fish, oysters, and dishes with olive oil.. And, of course, many types of champagne go well with mushrooms, which is ideal both for people who love mushrooms and Alice in Wonderland.

Jennifer Jordan is the senior editor at savoreachglass.com savoreachglass.com. With a vast knowledge of wine etiquette, she writes articles on everything from how to hold a glass of wine to how to hold your hair back after too many glasses. Ultimately, she writes her articles with the intention that readers will remember wine is fun and each glass of anything fun should always be savored.

He changed the whole concept by changing the fertilizers, and from them, the farming methods, rather than the food, that were organic, and the concern was primarily with the soil, not with issues like biodiversity or animal welfare.

As time passed the meaning of “organic farming” soon parted company from Rodale’s original narrow distinction between fertilizers. Varying definitions spun out of control as different associations of “organic farmers” tried to set standards in accordance with their own values. Some wanted to stick with a narrow definition in terms of what you could and could not put on the soil, the crops, or the animals. Others wanted to include an entire way of life, including healthy living, an equitable form of distribution, concern for wildlife, and so on.

So when there was so much of difference in the perception of organic food then the organizations of organic farmers around the world organized the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements which settled on this definition:

Organic agriculture is an agricultural system that promotes environmentally, socially, and economically sound production of food, fiber, timber, etc. In this system, soil fertility is seen as the key to successful production. Working with the natural properties of plants, animals, and the landscape, organic farmers aim to optimize quality in all aspects of agriculture and the environment.

As there were no specific standards defined so it created all the more confusion among the consumers as they were often unsure what the various “organic” labels used by different associations and producers really meant

Because of this much of confusion the U.S. Congress in 1990 decided to clear up the confusion by authorizing the Department of Agriculture to establish legally enforceable “USDA Organic” standards and a certification scheme so that the consumers would e ensured that their food really had been produced in accordance with the standards.

That led, in 2002, to a set of standards that most people in organic farming considered a reasonable compromise among the various views of what organic farming is all about.

So it was then formally announced that the crops must be grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, and most synthetic pesticides and all herbicides are also banned, although biological and botanical methods of control can be used.

For maintaining the soil fertility, animal and plant waste (but not sewage sludge, which can contain toxic heavy metals) has to be used, crop rotation, and growing “cover crops” like clover between other crops. (Cover crops are plowed into the soil to restore nitrogen and organic matter.)

Animals intended for usage as meats, eggs, or milk must eat organic grains or other organic food and must not be given growth hormones or antibiotics. (Sick or injured animals may be treated with antibiotics, but then their meat, milk, or eggs cannot be sold as organic.)

Moe importantly the organically raised animals must have access to the outdoors, including access to pasture for ruminants. Neither plants nor animals can be the product of genetic engineering, and organic food cannot be irradiated.

So now using the label “organic” to distinguish one tomato from another doesn’t ask for much of the efforts.

Find more information about nutritionalfoodinfo.com/Health_Articles/Health_Information/How_to_Grow_an_Indoor_Herb__Garden.html food and nutrition by visiting our resourse portal about nutritionalfoodinfo.com healthy eating and nutrition.

Tea has infused the consciousness of the savvy coffee retailer who understands that catering to tea drinking companions of coffee drinkers can literally double the profits. For both markets, riffs on classics and hot and cold tea “drinks” make everyone happy. Ten years ago, a green tea frappe was unheard of, now it’s a staple for many shops with many delicious interpretations.

Each year, the American palate grows more sophisticated as more people explore countries and cultures through conventional travel and electronic journeys through their televisions. Once they taste learn of different beverages, they seek them close to home. The choices for teas follow in the happy steps of European style, espresso-based beverages that have become ubiquitous on the coffee house menu. A regular cup ‘o Joe may not be extinct but it embraces the sophisticated specialty coffee niche of the “single-estate” or–at least–country of origin when customers order 100% Kona or Kenyan AA by name instead of black, one sugar…

By duplicating this niche marketing with tea, coffee retailers can go beyond English Breakfast or Earl Grey to serve organic Darjeeling from the Makaibari Estate that’s like apricot nectar or an exclusively organic lushly aromatic Kanro Gyokouro Japanese green that can make tea lovers weep with joy. Even less-adventurous tea drinkers like an iced tea flavored with passionfruit or an Earl Grey with true bergamot essence rather than the harshness of synthetic flavoring.

Retailers can savor strong selling points with tea as they have with coffee. Often, tea provides even greater profits: 30-40 cups per pound of coffee and 180-200 cups per pound of tea means “black” on the bottom line and then some.

Specialty coffee and tea sellers also cash in on the current love affair with organic and Fair Trade® choices, whether they’re single estates or beans and leaves from cooperatives. Spectacular value is added beyond the flavor in the cup and the concepts are easy to sell: hand farming, fair trade labor and pricing practices, and the exclusivity of limited supply.

The elegant tea salon is diminishing as tea retailers pursue the casual consciousness of twenty-somethings who like the wireless, hip environment to enjoy who the taste, the meditative qualities and the variety of tea.

Reaching out toward the coffee retailer as a burgeoning market for tea is a fantastic opportunity for the tea vendor and an equal opportunity for the coffee sellers to rethink the menu and enhance it with profitable showplace teas, hot and cold mixed tea drinks, and the specialty niche of organic or single-estate teas. Cross marketing possibilities between coffee and tea shops are endless and it wouldn’t surprise me if mergers of the two make a multi-beverage shop the retailing center of the future.

Andrew Hetzel is the president and founder of Cafemakers, a specialty coffee business consultancy based in Hawaii. Cafemakers shows restaurants, hospitality businesses and coffee shops in North America and worldwide how to improve customer satisfaction and profitability by serving better quality coffee. Information is available online at cafemakers.com cafemakers.com or by calling (808) 443-0290.

6-cups Honey Nut Chex® Cereal
3-cups Honey Nut Cheerios® Cereal
½-cup Milk Chocolate Chips
½-cup Butterscotch chips
⅓-cup Crushed pecans
¼-cup Butter
1-teaspoon Vanilla
1½-cups Powdered sugar

Instructions:

Measure and place cereal in a large bowl; mix and set aside.

Stir together milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter and butter in a one to two quart microwavable bowl. Microwave with out covering on high for one minute; stir. Microwave another 30 seconds or until mixture can be stirred smooth then add crushed pecans and stir. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into two gallon re-seal able food-storage plastic bag.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Stove-Top Directions:

Measure and place cereal in a large bowl; mix and set aside.

In a one to two quart saucepan, heat chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter and butter over low heat, stirring often, until melted. Remove from heat; stir in crushed pecans and vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into two gallon re-seal able food-storage plastic bag. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Makes 18 – ½ cup servings

You can find great recipes like this at Cristie’s Cookin. Don’t forget to visit often to see new recipes, cookbooks, spices etc. Put Cristie’s Cookin in your favorites to make it easy to visit often. If you like to read you will love her newly released novel “11.11.11″ by TJ Stokes.

Cooking lessons for Cristie began at 8 years old with the best teacher in the world — her Mom! Later, she cooked for the restaurant the family owned, and her love of the “trade” has grown ever since. Cristie’s creative cooking has continued for over 40 years. Her creations can soon be on your kitchen table. Check out Cristie’s books at cristiescookin.com cristiescookin.com and tjstokes.com tjstokes.com