Archive for October 15th, 2008

The Emergence of 3 Admired US Coffee Shops


2008
10.15

Starbucks, Caribou Coffee and Tully’s Coffee are United States’ most admired and biggest coffee shops. These three companies rose above the challenge of the ever growing coffee retail industry and made a name esteemed by many coffee enthusiasts.

Let’s take a look at how the top three most famous and biggest coffee shops in the US – Starbucks, Caribou Coffee and Tully’s Coffee – began their journey to the top.

Starbucks

Seattle in Washington was remarkable for its fantastic coffee before World War II broke out. However in the late sixty’s the superiority of its coffee had weakened a great deal that Gordon Bowker, a Seattle magazine writer then, had to travel all the way to Vancouver just to procure his coffee there. He wanted his coffee to be dark and sumptuous, similar to what he tasted in Italy. Shortly Bowker, was making errands for two of his friends, Zev Siegl and Jerry Baldwin. When Seattle magazine closed, Bowker’s friends, Baldwin and Siegl who were both teachers, were searching new businesses too. In 1971, the three partnered together to actually build manually their first coffee shop sited in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Each of these men raised $1,350 respectively and loans added another $5,000. They then chose the name Starbucks for the hard-hitting ‘st’ tone and its reference to the coffee aficionado first mate in Moby Dick. After creating a logo with a two-tailed siren, they got started to gain further knowledge about coffee.

From its little coffee house out of Seattle, Starbucks has now 5,647 certified and 7,521 self-operated coffee stores existing, and has branches in 43 nations. As the largest store to shop for great coffee, Starbucks is recognized to be USA’s number one in coffee retailing industry and is one of the major business success stories of our time.

Caribou Coffee

The idea of Caribou Coffee dawned when new couple John and Kimberly Puckett went up the peak of Sable Mountain in Denali National Park in Alaska. The Pucketts came to a decision to develop a company to depict their feat during the mount. When the couple reached the pinnacle, they spotted a herd of caribou. Inspired by the ceaseless movement and splendor of these caribou, the couple thought it would be a suitable name for a company that later would aim for excellence and fast progress. They raised money and started planning to put together a company that would take the summit encounter into the community where clients could discover a nook to unwind each day. And in December 1992, Caribou Coffee was established with the objective of developing a top specialty retailer in the gourmet coffee industry nationwide. The company today offers gourmet coffees and pastries in 464 coffee shops situated in 18 American states. Caribou Coffee indeed has gained the reputation of being the second largest specialty coffee company in the United States.

Tully’s Coffee

In 1991, Tom Tully O’Keefe, the chairman and founder of Tully’s Coffee Corporation started to contemplate about putting up a gourmet coffee store. As the CEO of his own retail estate development company established in 1986, O’Keefe helped facilitate coffee corporations including Starbucks to get hold of business locations for their coffee stores. With his very competitive personality, he dreamt and opted to take the great challenge to compete with the coffee leader, Starbucks. O’Keefe did and he named his new coffee store Tully’s which is his Greek middle name.

Though its coffee stores are fashioned after Starbucks, Tully’s has its unique side for it offered a more temperate interior and aimed for clients who liked to imbibe over their espresso for a longer period of time. As earlier planned, Tully’s put forward to its clients the experience for European caf

Brains on the Half Skull


2008
10.15

Ingredients for Brains on the Half Skull

2 medium potatoes
8 ounces thin spaghetti
14 ounces spaghetti sauce

Cooking  Brains on the Half Skull

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash the potatoes and cut them in half crosswise.
3. Place the potatoes cut side up on a baking pan and bake for 40 minutes.
4. While the potatoes bake, prepare the spaghetti in a medium-sized pot according to the directions on the package.
5. Then carefully drain the cooked spaghetti in a colander over the sink.
6. A few minutes before the potatoes are ready, begin to heat the spaghetti sauce (blood) in
a small pot.  Remove the potatoes from the oven.  Then scoop out the insides of the
potatoes.
7. You won’t need the insides for this recipe, the empty shells will serve as the
skulls.
8. When the sauce begins to boil, remove it from the heat and combine it with the
cooked spaghetti to make brains.
9. Put a scoop of bloody brains in each skull.

Serving Size  : 4

Energize Yourself With Pecan Pralines


2008
10.15

When one thinks of the best pecan pralines, most probably he is thinking of the pecan pralines offered by Tanner’s Pecan and Candies. There is no other pecan praline in the market that can match the taste of those pecan pralines that are available at Tanner’s Pecan and Candies. The pecan pralines at Tanner’s Pecan and Candies are cooked and prepared traditionally. What makes their pecan pralines more special is the added touch of love extended to its loyal customers—the company is known for that since the 1940s.

Energizing One’s Self

Tanner’s pecan pralines have an unqualified decadent flavor that may remind you of the best days of the holiday season spent with your family, best buddies, and special someone, or the romantic movies you and your sweetheart have watched. The Tanner’s pecan pralines are stunningly perfect snack for everyone as these pecan pralines are not loaded with artery-clogging trans fat to damage one’s regimented diet. The Tanner’s pecan pralines are beautifully contained in cute tin cans that you can eat them anywhere and anytime. Keep a can-full of pecan pralines in your bag always. Tanner’s pecan pralines are energy foods to lift one’s energy when it has already taken a nose dive especially in the mid-mornings or afternoons. Pecan pralines can energize your sleepy self without feeling the guilt of having to add weight to yourself.

Enjoying Good Food

If a person on strict diet is looking for some snack food to enjoy on and at the same time will not compromise his conviction of shedding off extra pounds in his trimmed body, then he should go for pecan pralines. Having pecan pralines in one’s diet will not ruin your program of caloric restriction provided it is taken in with moderation. Therefore, instead of eating a 200-calorie bag of candies or chips in the middle of the afternoon, why not instead treat yourself with some healthier food like the pecan pralines. It will seriously save a person from stepping back and forth the tread mill for pecans, like the other nuts, are rich in vitamins and nutrients that are healthy to one’s body. Pecans are wholesome food choice for all those health enthusiasts and health conscious who wish to devour some good food. Be exulted in having the privilege of enjoying and having good, healthy and wonderful-tasting food!

Finding the Best Pecan Pralines

There is no better place to find the pecans—pecan pralines or roasted pecans—that will exactly go well with your taste. The destination to locate these good-tasting pecan pralines is not difficult to find and you can have it by visiting Tanner’s Pecan and Candies. Like their other equally excellent products, the pecan pralines are robust with sweet flavors that are in itself exceptional. Look forward to getting yourself treated with some of the best savoring taste of pecan pralines from Tanner’s Pecan and Candies and celebrate each satiating bite.

You may visit their online store at http://www.tannerspecan.com.

Danny Fox is the owner of Tanners Pecan – a supplier of delicious pecan treats and homemade candies. The holidays are coming up and you can prepare with Pecan Pralines and all other kinds of treats made from Pecans.

Chocolate Pecan Pie: A Wonderful Variation of the Pecan Pie


2008
10.15

Have you ever wondered why every bite of that chocolate pecan pie is so sinfully delightful? Speculate no more. Here is a recipe for that homemade chocolate pecan pie that no one can resist.

Prepare the following ingredients:

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup light corn syrup

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

• 2 tablespoons melted butter

• 2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted

• 1 cup pecan halves

• pie shell, unbaked, 9-inch

• sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping

Preheat the oven. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk eggs to beat slightly. Stir in the corn syrup, melted chocolate, salt, brown sugar, vanilla, and butter. Stir until smooth to blend the ingredients well. Next, add the nuts and stir. Pour this into the unbaked pie shell. Put this in the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 400

Christmas Gift Baskets: Gift Baskets For All Ages


2008
10.15

With the most awaited month of the year fast approaching, a lot of us are now in the verge of preparation for the merriest season of Christmas. Traditionally, Christmas is the time of giving and receiving. It is an annual holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus, and Christmas festivities are being observed by almost all parts of the world. Along with the festivities is the observation of the various cultural customs of the different countries. Even if Christmas is a holiday for Christians, today, even non-Christian countries around the world are observing it as a cultural holiday.

Christmas Is for Giving

It is now an accepted fact that when Christmas comes, you think of presents coming your way. But, remember, you also need to give, too, and that is the true essence of Christmas. Most of the people nowadays settle for simple and practical gifts. They are items that do not need complicated preparations and planning. Some of the common gifts are:

 Clothing, shoes, etc.

 Electronic gadgets

 Food

 Pet animals

 Jewelries and other accessories

 Gift baskets

Gift Baskets for All Ages

If you have not heard of gift baskets then it’s time that you take notice of how they can relieve so many gift seekers. Christmas gift baskets are most practical gifts for busy people like you and me. Because gift baskets are easy to prepare and is ready for gift giving, more and more people prefer them than any other gift ideas.

How to Prepare Your Christmas Gift Baskets

First and foremost, consider the person you are giving your gift baskets, whether they are for your relatives, friends, co-workers, nephews or nieces. From then, you can decide on what items to gather and put in them. Among the items that can be included in your Christmas gift baskets are:

 Assorted grocery items

 Bunch of flowers

 Cookies & pastries

 Assorted nuts

 Assorted candies

All you need is an elegantly made basket, preferably wicker Christmas gift baskets, so that the recipient can reuse it over and over again. Wicker gift baskets are made of rattan, and are found to be durable. It has been tried and tested over the years. Just gather all the items you have chosen for your Christmas gift baskets. Place them all together in the basket and wrap them with a thick plastic wrap, a colored one can also be used, preferably Christmas colors. Tie them tightly and securely with a ribbon, and voila! You have your very own Christmas gift baskets.

Hassle-free Shopping

So, if you still do not wish to prepare the gift baskets yourself, then there’s no problem. Because in Tanner’s Pecans & Candies, every Christmas gift baskets your need may be personalized. You just have to choose the items you want to be included. Each Christmas gift baskets are elegantly packed and ready for gift giving. With a wide array of package selection, truly Tanner’s Pecans & Candies is the right place to visit.

Tanners Pecan would like to invite you to get prepared for the holiday season early! Christmas Gift Baskets are great all-purpose gifts. Give the gift of food with Christmas Food Gift Baskets.

Festive Punches


2008
10.15

St. Charles Punch

1 teaspoon sugar

1 lemon—juice only

1 large shot of port wine

1 pony cognac brandy

1/3 teaspoon Curacao

Dissolve the sugar with a little water in a mixing glass. Add the lemon juice, the port wine, the cognac, and last the Curacao. Fill the glass with fine ice and jiggle with the bar spoon. Pour into a long thin glass, garnish with fruit, and serve with a straw.

Years ago this was a famed punch very much in demand at the celebrated St. Charles Hotel bar. Don’t omit the straw; this drink demands long and deliberate sipping for consummate enjoyment.

Orgeat Punch

1/2 shot of orgeat syrup

1 lemon—juice only

1/2 lime—juice only

1 large shot of rye whiskey

1 dash orange bitters

1 small shot of port wine

Mix all but the port in the order named in a tall 12-ounce glass. Fill with cracked ice to a finger-width of the top. Jiggle with a spoon until well frapped. Then float on top the pony of port wine … do not stir.

Said Sam Guarino, once the chief bartender at the Hotel Roosevelt bar, who originated this drink delight:

“The Orgeat Punch has two distinct flavors which register separately when trickling down your throat. First you taste the Oporto, and then you get the second rich taste of the orgeat-flavored whiskey mixture.”

Orgeat sirup, or sirop d’orgecut, is made from the milk of almonds and has long been a favorite flavoring and sweetening liqueur among the Creoles of New Orleans. It is not used as much today as in the past, but drink-mixers who like something different should cultivate its acquaintance again.

Arrack Punch

A large shot of date arrack

2 teaspoons bar sugar

2 dashes of lemon juice

Dissolve the sugar in a little water, add the lemon juice, then the arrack; fill the glass nearly full with shaved ice, and shake well. Strain into a glass and serve with a straw. Printed coasters may be appropriate to serve along with this festive punch.

Arrack is the fermented juice of the date palm, and is a name that was applied in Eastern countries to any spirituous liquor of native manufacture, especially ones distilled from the fermented sap of the coco-palm, or from rice and sugar fermented with coconut juice. Later the arrack imported from Bastavia and Japan was considered superior in concoct

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