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Costco Will Accept Food Stamps Nationwide
According to City Room: "Company executives hope to have food stamp acceptance in place in half the company's 407 warehouse-style stores by Thanksgiving...While the company had once protested that it was difficult to configure its computer systems to accept food stamps—given that Costco sells many other products besides food—Costco has now embraced the idea."...The Issues of Street Vending Today
"The first rule of Vendor Fight Club is you don't talk about Vendor Fight Club." Freddy the "King of Falafel" in Queens. [Photograph: Erin Zimmer] What's it like becoming a street vendor? "You get fat and develop arthritis," said Freddy Zeidaies, aka "the King of Falafel," who's built a little kingdom of street meat-loving fans in Queens for almost a decade. Last night, he sat in the audience as a panel of five people (who care and know a lot about street food) debated the future of sidewalk cuisine at the Astor Center in Manhattan. Does it have to be from a cart or truck? Any old contraption? Is the recent boom a direct outcome of a nosediving economy?...Federal Minimum Wage Goes Up Today
From $6.55 an hour to $7.25. Many small business owners, including restaurateurs, are worried it will affect their ability to survive the crap economy. Of course, this will help a lot of our friends in the food and beverage industry—if indeed their employers don't claim the tip exemption; those workers' hourly minimum remains frozen at $2.13, same as it has been since 1991....The Organic Milk Business Has Gone Bad: Are You Buying Less Organic Milk?
©iStockphoto.com/cmisje According to the New York Times, the organic milk business has gone bad in a hurry. Are you drinking less organic milk these days, serious eaters? Before we get to the reasons why these farmers are struggling, at least according to Times contributor Katie Zezima, I feel compelled to say that it's this kind of story that demonstrates why we need newspapers to endure. Because without quality institutions like the Times, with its wealth of reporters, editors, and stringers, stories like this might go unreported. Or, at the very least, they wouldn't be made available to the general public. Has anyone read about the plight of these farmers in any other consumer publication, online or in print? Now...Responding to Competition, Starbucks Lowering Some Drink Prices
"As it reported a 77 percent drop in quarterly profit, [Starbucks] on Wednesday also said it will adjust its pricing in some markets, raising prices of some of the more complicated drinks, while lowering those on basic drinks. For example, Starbucks will offer a 'grande' size iced coffee for less than $2, shaving as much as 45 cents off the price, depending on the market." [Wall Street Journal]...Store Bought vs. Homemade: What's More Cost-Effective?
Jennifer Reese of Slate makes some store-bought staples at home to see if the effort is worth the taste and money. Bagels and yogurt get an enthusiastic "make at home," while homemade cream cheese is expensive and just not the same. She also experiments with jam, crackers, and granola. For more details on cost and taste of the homemade versions, read the rest of the article. Related Hannah's Granola Making Matzo at Daniel in New York City J: Jams, Jellies (and Preserves and Conserves)...How To Save Money at Supermarkets
The Consumerist shares some tips from Consumer Reports for how to save money at the supermarket—such as choose store brands, use a bonus card, and clip coupons—but the comments from readers on how they save money are more informative and detailed than the post itself. Readers discuss their favorite stores, best store brand items, checking circulars in print and online, and more. What are your tips for saving money at the supermarket? Related Recession Grocery Shopping: What Are You Doing Differently? Where Americans Are Cutting Corners: Food...Williams-Sonoma Profit Down 90%
Williams-Sonoma, which also operates Pottery Barn and the West Elm chains, said Tuesday that quarterly profits fell 90 percent, reports the New York Times. They don't expect to see a boost again until the holiday season. Maybe by then people can start justifying that $500 Le Creuset Dutch oven....Recession Candy: When the Going Gets Tough, Do You Buy More Sweets?
In these economic hard times we are experiencing, the New York Times reports that many consumers are turning to good old-fashioned candy to calm their nerves instead of Valium. Many big candy makers are reporting rising sales and surprising profits even as manufacturers of other products are struggling to stay afloat. Cadbury reported a 30 percent rise in profits for 2008 while Nestle’s profits grew by 10.9 percent, according to public filings. Hershey, which struggled for much of 2008, saw profits jump by 8.5 percent in the fourth quarter. According to the story, this surge in candy sales during hard times has a historic precedent. The Great Depression gave birth to many of the most popular candy bars of...Hot Topics: Technique of the Week | The Food Lab
Today's Specials
8 Delicious Chocolate Cakes and Pies for Valentine's Day
Some might say that chocolate on Valentine's Day is about as unoriginal as you can get. We all remember the first heart-shaped box of overly sweet chocolate bonbons from grade school Valentines. But chocolate gift-giving needn't be a cliché. This year, let's bake our sweethearts chocolate cakes and pies instead! Here are 8 delicious recipes perfect for celebrating your love (of chocolate.)
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