POP GOES THE BROWNIE

I recently have found a very unique and creative idea for a heavenly treat: Brownie Pops. This delectible bit of decadence was conceived by a highly trained and exerienced bakery

connoisseur who had the foresight to create something new in a field where "new" can be hard to come by. If you like a creamy, silky brownie dipped into a rich chocolate crispy coating and finished with all kinds of sugary decorations you have found the perfect goody to treat yourself to. And as you will notice they are not that big so if you are doing the calorie count one of these delightful morsels can satisfy without overdoing. http://www.browniepops.com/.

SHOWTIME

Yesterday Al (my partner in crime) and I visited the Boston Gift Show. As shows goes it is not one of the biggest but since it is so close by it's a fun outing and a chance to meet and greet and see some business friends. One of my favorites is Kristin Ford who is a fabulous and very successful jewelry artisan. Even though she is a Seattlite she always makes the effort to come across country for our show and it has proven a good decision giving her a large and growing presence in New England. As always she had a beautiful array of jewelry which exudes her personal style and gentle soul making her look anything but mass produced and with the aura of refinement and excitement. Take a look at her website; you can't help but find something to order. http://www.kristinford.com/.

GREAT NEWS OF THE DAY!

Our 3rd ever EARTH HOUR is being hailed as another success in our effort to help bring about climate change. Started in Australia in 2007 the concept has spread with fame across each and every continent bringing the cause into focus for more of us on a personal level. Yes, each and everyone of us can do our little part to help. This is an idea of hope, not despair, of a chance that anyone and everyone can make a contribution that can be heard will be a reminder of our own strength and power to conserve. Please keep this idea in the front of your mind as you go about your daily life

Take care,

Pam

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT...

most dips and spreads were alike along comes THE DIPPY CHICK COMPANY. Immediately you notice the label and as you can see it is not your average label. This lady is creative! Her products speak to buyers who want an eyecatching and a "buy me" dip or spread for their next party or family function or just for themselves to indulge in. And look at some of the 17 flavors she offers: Italian Scallion Super Hero (Italian Hoagie), Pepper Pajama Party ( Sweet Bell Pepper & Chipotle). I could go on and on but you should look for yourself. Tired of the same ole, same ole? Break out of the rut and give this superb product a try. You'll be happy you did.

www.dippychick.com

A NEW DIRECTION

You will never guess what Stonewall Kitchen is introducing. They are working with Pineland Farms Natural Meats to bring 6 frozen entrees to your supermarket freezer section. After speaking with Pineland it looks like these products will be hitting the stores in short order. There is absolutely no way I can imagine that these will not be terrific selling and tasting items. Keep your eyes open for them!

CAN IT BE???

Is our country really, finally getting over the "bigger is better" and "living large" philosophy?

It is about time. Keeping up with the Joneses is ridiculous to begin with and a way of life that consumes us more and more every day to no happy end. Maybe one of the "good" things about this recession is that we are being (almost) forced to learn to live within our means so the new philosophy could be "less is more". There might even be a byproduct bringing us down a couple of notches into a less harried way of life and a more easy going lifestyle. Let's all hope!

Take care,

Pam

THIS TAKES THE CAKE!

Looking for that special treat to celebrate spring? What I found are the most delectable looking little pastries: petit fours from DIVINE DELIGHTS. You might remember a few weeks back I showed you their elegant iced cookies. Well, that is just the beginning. These exquisite mini cakes named petit fours are bite size morsels that beg you to eat them. Dating back to the 1800's they have evolved through the years into a fancy decorated bit of cake usually served for special occasions. However, who needs a special occasion to treat themselves to what DIVINE DELIGHTS has made into an art form with the most delicious taste. Take a look at their site and temptation will get the better of you. http://www.divinedelights.com/

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

This past Sunday and Monday (hence not the usual blog on Monday) we were in Portland, Maine for the New England Products Trade Show. It probably goes without saying that this wasn't the largest trade show around but... we found some really good things. One line of chocolates, Bacci Chocolate Design, will probably be added to our group of products so you will hear more about them in a later blog. We also saw a beautiful line of jewelry, http://www.gailmillerdesigns.com/, and an artisan card and tee shirt line, http://www.russelldalessio.com/. All in all I would say it was a worthwhile trip and a nice break.

DO YOU KNOW...

where the term "mind your p's and q's" came from? In England when a pub owner wants his servers to pay special attention to customers he says "mind your pints & quarts" so here in America we just shortened those to words. Who would have thought.

Take care,

Pam

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN

PEEPS TIME! Yes, those little cuties, bunnies and chicks, are making their annual appearance bringing with them spring and the promise of Easter to follow. Now tell me, who can resist those colorful bits of marshmallow? Maybe not everyone's idea of a tasty treat but you know they bring a smile to your lips. Yellow, pink, orange, purple, blue and even chocolate chicks and bunnies. And don't forget the white bunnies with their adorable little faces. JUST BORN, the manufacturer of PEEPS, has an extremely well designed website that is loaded with great ideas from recipies to crafts and it also includes the PEEPS fan club. Of course they have a fan club; what else would you expect from this innovative and thriving business. You have to look at this site; it will brighten up your day and give you history and insight into a candy line that is simply one of the best. http://www.marshmallowpeeps.com/ & http://www.justborn.com/.

JUST WHAT YOU NEED...

for your next tea party. IBIS MOON teas. I found this exceptional tea while having lunch at Bonefish Grill and have to pass on the recommodation to all of you. The flavor that they serve is "Mango Breeze" but if you check out their website http://www.royalcupcoffee.com/ you can see the other flavors they offer. Our server was very generous in giving me a package of the tea so now I make it at home. Oops, forgot to say, the tea was iced at the restaurant and that is how I make it here in my own kitchen. Even though I made my start in business selling teas I generally prefer iced to hot which I rarely drink. However, I make iced tea just about every day in hot or cold weather.

FINALLY FINISHED

Whew! Ken Follett's "World Without End" is on the finished reading shelf. All 1014 pages were great but that is really a long book for me. I took a break while in Seattle (didn't want to lug that heavy book on the plane) but since I came home with a cold I had extra time to read and finish the story. It is a definate should read but make sure you have time to keep going with it.

TGIS - THANK GOD IT'S SPRING!!!

No blog on Monday, back on Wednesday

Take care,

Pam

DANCING DELICIOUS

Have you seen what Dancing Deer Bakery has for spring? Oh, my! These have to be some of the cutest and most delicious cookies in the whole wide world. At least in North America. And one of the best things about their cookes: they taste sooooo good, not like the cardboard cookies you get in the supermarket. When you look at their website you'll see many more things to tantalize your taste buds: chewy cookies, shortbread, brownies, cakes and the latest, pancake mixes. And you know what one of the best things about this superb line of pastries is? They have all natural ingredients. Don't like those additives! Look in specialty stores and you will find this New England treasure. http://www.dancingdeer.com/.

WHAT A GUY!

Al, bless his heart, has been outside taking advantage of nice, warm and sunny almost spring days to start the yard clean up. This year an added element has made the job bigger than usual. That being the Dec. 11th ice storm. We were lucky to get most of the broken branches down the day after the storm which made our yard look like a sawmill but was necessary. Then a few weeks back we had to have a huge tree taken down. Was that a job! Now it is cleanup time. We are lucky that he loves to be in the yard and can stay out all day doing whatever it takes to make ours one of the nicer yards in town. Not easy when you are dealing with a short season and an acre +.

HAVE YOU NOTICED...

all the new products manufacturers are bring out? And not just in my industry. It's everywhere and it's exciting. See, when the times get tough the tough get creative! Keep your eyes open.

Take care,

Pam

A SIGN OF THE TIMES

When I'm out and about one of the things I like to watch for is interesting signage. People are so creative and it really stirs my creativity when I see someone's imagination at work. Just take a few extra minutes to look around and see what others are thinking about and how they are expressing their thoughts. This sign was at the entrance of a courtyard where a bookstore was having a showing of artwork by an illustrator for children's books. When you see this you can't help but go in and view the display of paintings from this talented artist. In the current economic times that we are experiencing it pays for each and every one of us to get our creative juices flowing and put to use to enhance our businesses. Let these visions spur your own creativity.

SHOPPING FOR A WEDDING GIFT

A couple of weeks ago we received an invitation to a college friend's son's wedding in April. The big event is being hosted in Hawaii which is so romantic and inviting, however, due to timing and cost we won't be attending. Being that this is a longtime, special friend I decided that I want to make the gift just as special so I started looking around for just the right thing to purchase for the newlywed couple. After a lot of brainstorming and seaching I came across the perfect idea. In a certain place I have kept for many, many years 3 silver spoons that my friend had given me that had been her grandmother's. She knew that I have a "thing" for spoons and thought I would enjoy having these and was happy to share as she actually had quite a few of them. So...I polished them, headed off to the frame shop and got the help I needed to put together this "picture". The owner of the shop has the best ideas and helped me design just what I was hoping would be a keepsake for this loving couple. Actually, I have to admit he did 95% of the designing and it was well worth the expense. It will be a little pricy but I am thrilled to be able to give a gift with such special meaning for this memorable occasion.

COUGH COUGH, SNEEZE SNEEZE

Yep, caught the bug!

Take care,

Pam

THIS TAKES THE CHEESE!

There is another product that BEECHER'S CHEESE makes that I have to tell you about. Cheese Curds! These little delights are the yummiest. And they are so versatile. We first had them at the Steelhead Diner which is across the street from Beecher's. What they did was smother french fries with the cheese curds and then topped it off with, now don't go crazy, pork gravy. Forget thinking about cholesterol. This once in a while treat is well worth sacraficing a few points on your blood test. But that is only one of many ways to enjoy these delectible tidbits.
Take a look again at their website. You can order!!!

WHAT! ANOTHER...

Yes, it is another Friday the 13th. Not to worry though. The sun is out and the weekend is near and it's going to be a warm one. Rejoice!

I JUST READ

Here's a heartwarming study. Recent research has concluded that optimists will live a longer and healthier life than their opposites: pessimists. Apparently women who expect good things to happen vs. bad are 30% less likely to die of heart disease and trusting women are 23% less likely to die of cancer. That is good food for thought although in these bad economic times it takes more work to be optimistic. But in the long run it is worth it.

Take care,
Pam

Back in the Saddle...

I arrived home from Seattle late last night and was met at the airport by my sweetie. As always it's good to be back home and to sleep in my own bed. The flight was the best kind: uneventful; and for some reason I was lucky enough to be upgraded to first class. Those cushy seats were a real bonus as I left Seattle with a miserable head cold so it made resting (is there such a thing?) on the plane a little easier. And there was also food; food that I didn't have to buy. And believe it or not it was quite good. I chose the pasta with mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes which was really tasty. It came with a salad, roll and cheesecake for dessert. I can't imagine a bad piece of cheesecake: this one was very good. So I had a good lunch which, because of the time change, was also my dinner. Now it is back to work.

THE GABFEST!

Lunch with the ladies on Monday was the usual fun filled chit chat about the latest goings on in each of our respective families. Peggy is awaiting the birth of her second grandchild, Jodie just returned from another diving trip to Honduras and Janice, Jodie's mom, is busy with the family and keeping everyone on track. We decided to eat at Bonefish Grill one of our favorite haunts and as always it didn't disappoint. Their starters can be a meal so you don't have to spend a lot or get a gigantic portion. Of course I had to start with the Corn Chowder with Crabmeat. That is always a must have and it was as delicious as ever. Then I went with the Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos, a first for me and an excellent choice. The meal was very satisfying and the company one of the big reasons to return to Seattle every now and then. Family and Friends...what more can you ask for!
www.bonefishgrill.com. P.S. They are introducing smaller portions - hurrah!

PLEASE TELL ME...

What is with this weather!!!!! While we were eating lunch on Monday it rained, then it hailed and then the blizzard set in. I mean, come on! This is March, two weeks before spring! And this is Seattle where snow is a rare visitor. Not this year. It was blizzard and whiteout conditions leaving the restaurant and driving home. Not nice! Haven't we had enought already! There's nothing we can do about the weather but it sure will be nice to see the daffodils and tulips in full bloom. Here in New England that is at least another month or more away but it will come and I for one will enjoy every last petal on those flowers.

Take care,
Pam

A SHOPPING DELIGHT

The cornerpiece in Pike Place Market is an over the top Italian market: DeLaurenti. Let me tell you, that market has so many goodies I could hardly choose what to buy. And on top of that there are a lot of items that I had never even heard of but they sure looked delicious. If only I could carry on the plane a big bag of groceries. One of the earmarks of a great Italian market is of course cheese and DeLaurenti has a delicious selection making you want to buy a little of each. Then there is the street side of the market where they have offer paninis and other delectable lunch goodies you can choose from and can eat right there. No waiting to get those goodies in your mouth. But be prepared; you will never leave there empty handed! http://www.delaurenti.com/.

LUNCH ON THE TOWN

Today I'm having lunch with the girls. We've been friends for more than 20 years having met through business. One was a vendor that I repped for and 2 were shop owners that I sold to. When we get together it is endless chit chat, eating, chit chat, eating, etc. It's always a great gab fest. Can't wait.

SAD BUT TRUE

Just heard that Cost Plus World Market is closing 26 stores leaving 200+. Can't tell you how much I love that store and we don't even have one in New England but I shop there wherever I find one. Since I hadn't heard their name on the list of closures until now I thought they were safe but alas that wasn't to be. A sign of the times.

Take care,
Pam

A DAY IN FOOD PARADISE

This week I am in Seattle visiting family and friends. And I also made a visit to one of my most favorite places: PIKE PLACE MARKET in downtown Seattle. That place never ceases to amaze me with the variety of produce along with meats and also the famous "fish" show. I'm sure that one time or another you have seen the fishmongers tossing the latest catch back and forth across the aisle. What is also eyecatching are all the different types of pasta and grains available the likes of which are rarely ever seen in the usual food stores. And don't forget the ethnic foods of all kinds. Seattle has a large varied ethnic community so many of the specialty foods are abundant around town. To round out the offerings at the market are vendors with handmade crafts and growers from around the region with just picked produce. Each year this fabulous place gets better and better.

A JEWEL IN SEATTLE

Across from Pike Place Market are many more vendors which are a continuation of the local products that you see in the actual market itself. One terrific shop is Beecher's Handmade Cheese. Being relatively new, being born in 2003, Beecher's has made a name for itself which is a huge hit in the community. As a very picky manufacturer you will find that all their cheeses are of the highest quality with the purist ingredients. They have also made an art out of combining basic flavors with specific additional tastes that make for unique (and highly addictive) cheeses. One of their specialties is the Marco Polo cheese which incorporates their creamy cheese with lightly milled green and black Madagascar peppercorns. As expected this cheese makes a delish appetiser BUT try it grated and mixed in a baked potato. Now that really makes a meal special. www.beecherscheese.com.

GOOD THING OF THE DAY

I had a very nice surprise flying Delta. It was a grade up from Northwest with a friendly and helpful crew and relaxed atmosphere. No chaos. I'll definately fly with them again.

Take care,
Pam

A SALT IS A SALT IS A SALT - NOT!

Well, if you think like I did that salt is just salt you have another think coming. You have to take a look at Saltworks and see their large variety of salts from around the world and learn a little bit about each one. France, Hawaii, Himalaya, Wales, New Zealand; the list is endless as are the tastes from each part of the world. As you can tell there are many flavors of salts each and each one brings a different dimension to the dish that it seasons. Who would have thought. Their site will also give you ideas of what goes with what as well as educating you about where and how the salts originate. You can easily tell that quality and customer service are king in this business. Knowledge breeds success and they have it all. http://www.saltworks.us/.

SOMETHING TO PONDER

If you had all the money you want where would you be?

SCHEDULE

Today I am off to Seattle. In the past I have always flown Northwest but since they are now part of Delta I will be going on one of their flights. You know how it is when you get a routine going and after awhile it is second nature to you and you really don't give it much thought. Well, thats how I was with NW. So it looks like I will be stretching my horizon to a different pattern and will also be experiencing new airports. Today I change planes in Cincinnati which is a first. Have to say I'm looking forward to it. I don't know why but I like airports. Maybe it is the people watching. I'll let you know how it goes.

READING

Just finished the 4th "book" in "World Without End". Perfect place to break since I am not lugging that big book on the plane. So far the story is very captivating; am looking forward to the rest of the story.

Take care,
Pam

A TASTE OF COOKIE HEAVEN!

Tate's Bake Shop: This bakery produces one of my all time favorite cookies. If you like crispy, thin chocolate chip cookies you will love these without a doubt. It has been a long time, if ever, since I have had such a mouth watering cookie that begs me to eat more and more. But of course you know that they don't stop with just this one success. They also have white chocolate macadamia nut cookies and oatmeal raisin cookies that taste just like grandma's used too. And again they didn't stop here; they also produce brownies, blondies, a delectable raspberry bar and an assortment of pies, cakes and even granola. You know... it goes without saying that their quality is the best! When you see these products you just can't pass them up. http://www.tatesbakeshop.com/

HAVE YOU READ...

The movies and theaters are doing a great business. We all like to get out and see a good movie that takes us away from our troubles and people are doing this more and more these days. Good to see a segment of our ecomony that is doing better and better.

A DELISH RECIPE

Yesterday we had friends over for dinner and I made a pasta recipe that I found in Cooking Light magazine. "Gnocchi with Asparagus and Pancetta" is in the April, 2008, issue on page 176. Of course my Italian husband raved about it as did my guests so this will go in the permanent file of recipes.

GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY!

Spring is less than 3 weeks away. Hoorah!!!

Take care,
Pam