Tony Brewer

A couple of days ago I opened a brand new box of my favorite snack crackers and started eating them. I’ve been eating this kind of snack cracker for several months - in fact I eat about half a box of them every day! They come in three different flavors; original, honey wheat, and whole grain. My favorite is honey wheat, I’ll buy the original if the store is sold out of the honey wheat. Forget about the whole grain - YUCK! Anyway, I noticed that they tasted different than usual and double checked the package. They tasted like the original, not the honey wheat! I double checked the package, yup the package said they are honey wheat!

So I called the company and told them about the situation and they are sending me a coupon for a free replacement box. They advised me not to eat anymore of those crackers and are sending me an envelope to mail the box back to them so they can figure out how it happened that the crackers got packaged in the wrong box. I wonder how many other people are going to find that THEY got the wrong crackers, too!

I love to cook on the grill. I think it appeals to my primitive “manly” side! We love to eat food that has been cooked on our grill. During the warmer seasons we put the grill out on the deck and have grilled burgers or steaks several times a week. In the cooler seasons, we put the grill in the garage and grill a little bit less often - but there are a few warmer winter days we can grill if it is a really sunny day and around lunch time; the garage will warm up enough so that we don’t mind cooking out there with the garage door open for however long it takes to get the food cooked.

I would imagine that in this economic turmoil that the average American citizen is going through, that the consumer will cut back on many of their luxuries.  But I think that there will still be a few very successful markets - the treat market.  And by that I mean things like ice cream and Candy.  Those are inexpensive little indulgences that make us feel better.  Sure, maybe we can’t afford that new car or the trip to Hawaii, so let’s spend a few dollars on some Bazooka Bubble Gum  or on some Rock Candy.

Jelly beans happen to be one of my favorite candies.  I like to keep a candy dish full of them on my desk at the office.  It’s amazing how many people stop by to say hello and chat with me for a moment while they are scoffing up a few jelly beans!  It’s a good way to hob-nob and network.  A little bit of bait, you might say!  And proof that you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar!   I can’t make up my mind whether I like Starburst’s jelly beans better, or the Jelly Belly beans better.  I like them both a lot!  My favorite flavors are watermelon and pina colada.  What are your favorite flavors?

We try to watch our weight, and our health. We don’t eat a lot of red meat, even though we love it! Today I have a major craving for a big juicy steak, cooked on the grill. The local supermarket has a good deal on New York Strip Steaks (my absolute favorite!) and I am planning on buying several of them, and some salad fixings and grill the steak on the back deck this evening. I’ll be making my favorite Italian Seasonings Italian dressing with red wine vinegar (the red wine vinegar gives it a little extra “zip”) That and a big russet baked potato with fat free sour cream , and strawberry shortcake for dessert will send me to nirvana in short order!