It sure took long enough. I planted earlier than other years, and my tomato plants looked great. Yet those green tomatoes just would not ripen!

I suspect cool night temperatures are to blame--tomatoes need it warm at night to ripen properly.

But today, TODAY, I found 2 ripe Lemon Boy tomatoes out in my garden they became my first tomato mayo sandwich of the season. The Mortgage Lifter looks like it will be next.

Now I can say I broke even on that plant. If I would have bought 2 yellow tomatoes at the store today, they would have probabaly equalled the plant purchase price. All the rest I harvest from this point forward will be free!

How is your garden growing?

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We rekindled our love affair with road trip vacations in 2001 when our son was finally old enough to endure 3 days of driving at a time, and we were able to afford more dependable transportation. Instead of our usual 2 hour drive to some favorite State Park for 2 weeks of camping, we graduated to visiting various National Parks out west. It has been great.

Because of our road trip habit, I've payed attention to gas prices. Beginning in 2001, when prices spiked in late spring, I would wring my hands with everyone else and worry how high they would go by August (the time of our departure.) But it seemed every year, gas prices went down about 40 - 50 cents/gal by the time we hit the road. (Good reason to plan your driving vacation late in the summer.) Photo shows $3.79/gal on July 25, 2008 at Speedway on Greenfield and Sunny Slope Road, that is about .50 cents lower than earlier highs this summer. 

Experience taught me to not fret too much about what would prices be by the end of summer? I would assure myself the price would come down later in the summer, and they did. Unfortunately, the lower price of August was usually .25 to .50 cents/gal higher than the year before! 

I checked my travel journal for some past August price examples*. You can see the prices increases nearly every year:  2003 - $1.59/gal, 2004 - $1.83 to $1.93/gal, 2005 - $2.53 to $3.47/gal (California' price), 2006 - $2.99 to $3.19/gal, 2007 - $2.85 - $3.09. Notice the prices in 2007 were cheaper than 2006, but that was the exception to the norm.

The AAA agent told me Monday, the price this summer is $1.19 higher (nationwide) than last year's gas prices. That is a higher jump from years past. Some other market forces are at work.

USA Today attributed the oil prices drop to fewer miles driven in, Cost at pump dips as demand, oil prices fall,

Drivers in the USA logged 9.6 billion fewer miles in May than in May 2007, the government reported Monday. It was the third-largest monthly drop in 66 years.

But to me, that alone cannot account for the downturn in oil prices. If you look at the graph to the left, you see that oil prices started declining more steadily around the time the President announced he was removing the moratorium on offshore drilling. I believe if the Congress would approve domestic drilling, we would see more declines. 

If you look at the chart from this 2nd article, US drivers Log 9.6 B fewer miles in May, you see that Americans have been driving significantly less all year. May did not even mark the largest downturn, March did. If the price of oil was so dependent on driving alone, March's decline should have triggered a crude oil price reduction, shouldn't it have?

The data released Monday show that Americans drove 29.8 billion fewer miles in the first five months of this year compared with the same period last year, a 2.4% drop. The dip continues a seven-month trend beginning in November. Americans have driven 40.5 billion fewer miles from November through May compared with the same period a year earlier.

I believe we must start drilling in America if we want to see oil prices really decline. (Domestic drilling would also keep  billions of US $ at home, but that is another subject!) We are on a hair trigger as it stands now, where any natural or man-made disaster could push prices up. 

Unrest in non-OPEC countries, such as Nigeria, could push prices higher. Militants in that country sabotaged two oil pipelines Monday, driving crude prices for September delivery up $1.47 a barrel. A major hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico also could send oil prices higher.

"We could always have a spike to $150 a barrel," Smith says.

For right now, we can relax just a tiny bit and enjoy the typical price decrease of .40 to .50 cents/gallon in August. Too bad it is still .70 cents a gallon more ($1.19 nationwide) than last year!

*In 1979 gas prices were under 50 cents a gallon in the early summer! (Good thing.This was our 5 1/2 week, 8,000 mile Way Out West camping trip.)

Click here to sign the DRILL HERE. DRILL NOW. PAY LESS domestic drilling petition and see the latest links to related oil news (updated every day).

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What cookout or casual gathering would be complete without baked beans? Homemade ones are not difficult to make and taste ever so much better than canned. Like most things you make yourself, they are less expensive than canned or deli varieties. I make them a day ahead, starting them in the evening and cooking all night.

This recipe was adapted from The Fanny Farmer Cookbook, which called for parboiling and baking, but I make them in a Crockpot.  (1977 was the year of the Crockpot--we received 3 of them as wedding presents!  I still have the same Crockpot and husband, for that matter.)

You will need a large Crockpot.

Ingredients: 

2 pounds of assorted dry beans, rinsed. I like a combination of navy pea beans, baby Lima beans, and large Lima beans. 

About 2 quarts of water

2 t. salt

1 C. molasses   I like to use about 3/4 C regular molasses and 1/4 black strap molasses (much darker and stronger)

1 - 2 t. dry mustard

2 T brown or white sugar

Ketchup - big blurp. Honest, that is what I wrote on the recipe card. I think about 1/2 C would do 

Barbecue sauce - little blurp. I would call that 1/4 C

2 T cider vinegar

1 small onion chopped

1/2 pound of bacon or ham. Nueske's bacon would be my favorite, but it is pricey. Any will do. You can add raw bacon, but then you cannot taste the mixture until they are done. If you fry the bacon first, you can either add the bacon drippings too or substitute 1/4 C olive oil. You can also omit the bacon/ham altogether if you want vegetarian beans. Then just add 1/4 C olive oil and a few drops of liquid smoke or veggie bacon bits instead.

Directions: 

Soak the beans about 8 hours (overnight works well), drain, then put all ingredients in Crockpot, stir, and cook about 8 hours on high.

I often don't soak at all and just start them on high the night before, cook all night, and turn to med. or low in the morning. Cook time about 15 - 20 hours. You might have to add some water if they get too dry.

If they are done early, just let them cool and refrigerate, then reheat later to serve.

Sorry, I cannot tell you exactly how long they cook. Cooking time depends on the moisture content of the beans I think.

It has been my experience that if I need them earlier in the day, they won't get done, and if I need them later, they cook quickly! That is why if I need to bring them somewhere, I would make ahead of time and then just heat the day of the occasion.

Often I will make a whole crock full just for the 3 of us and freeze remaining beans in pint freezer jars for future use. If freezing, don't let beans get too done. They will reheat better if a little firmer in texture.

Don't be a slave to the recipe. It is not an exact science. Like them sweeter? Add more sugar. Like them more tangy? Add more barbecue sauce, mustard or vinegar. One reader says she uses 2 T molasses, 1/2 C brown sugar, 1/4 C cider vinegar, and adds 4 cloves.
 

Click here to sign the DRILL HERE. DRILL NOW. PAY LESS.  domestic drilling petition and see the latest links to related oil news (updated every day).

Drill Here is now over the 1 million mark. The goal is 3 million signatures by the Democratic and Republican Conventions. 

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Good German potato salad is a difficult thing to find. To my husband, there really is no other kind of potato salad, except German. The deli varieties and even restaurant offerings are always a disappointment, but my Auntie Lu's German potato salad, ah, now you are talking delicious!

Auntie Lu has been the potato salad guru in my family for years, but a recipe was illusive. She just made it without a written recipe. Her daughters-in-law, wanting to duplicate her delicacy, finally watched her make it. They measured each ingredient as she put it in, observed the order and timing of preparation, and wrote it down. Thanks to their efforts, even I can make it now. So can you!

The first step is to make the sauce. You can also use this sauce as hot bacon dressing on a spinach salad. (When I heat the dressing for a salad [for 4], I use about 1/3 C sauce and just add maybe 1 T cider vinegar, sugar, and olive oil to thin it a little. Then I pour the warm dressing over spinach, bacon pieces, walnuts, and sliced hard boiled eggs.) 

My recipe makes 5# of potato salad. 

Sauce:

1 pound bacon - Slowly fry in a large, heavy pan until very crisp -  Remove the bacon and set aside, but KEEP GREASE

1 large chopped onion -  Put chopped onion into the bacon grease and slowly fry until translucent

1/2 C + 2 T white flour - Stir this into the bacon and onion mixture. Slowly heat and stir until thick and bubbly (like a Roux)

1 1/2 C water - Add this into the fry pan goo. Mix thoroughly. It will get very white and opaque, and you will think you ruined it. You did not.

1 C WHITE vinegar - Add this right after the water. Stir until incorporated. (You must use white vinegar. For years I used cider vinegar and could not figure out why my potato salad did not taste quite up to par. In a conversation with Auntie Lu, as to why my salad never quite measured up, she said, Do you use white vinegar? That was it!)

2 C white sugar - Add this into the mix. You will notice the goo changes from opaque to translucent :)

1 T + 1 t. salt - Stir this in too

Now you have the basic sauce made. It can be kept in a glass jar/s for a long time in the refrigerator. I often make a batch of sauce and then use it for the next month or so for smaller meal sized batches of potato salad or making spinach salads.

Finishing the salad

Boil 5 pounds of red potatoes. I wash them and cut them in half or quarters if they are not small (they cook quicker.) Russet potatoes will work in a pinch, but do not have that characteristic waxy, firm texture.

Cook potatoes until a fork can be inserted in the potato, so they are cooked but still firm. (You might want to try one for proper consistency: too crunchy isn't good either.)

Drain off the hot water, pour in cold, and let potatoes soak a bit. As soon as you can touch them, start rubbing the peelings off. They should come off rather easily. You can leave the skins on for a more peasant type salad, but then scrub them more thoroughly before cooking. Cut out any imperfections and eyes.

Slice the cooked potatoes into 1/4 inch or so slices and put in a large pot with the sauce. (You can wash out your potato cooking pot and return them to it, or if you are doing the sauce and salad on the same day, place the sliced potatoes into the fry pan with the sauce.)

Crumble or chop the crispy bacon and add to the mix. 

Gently heat sauce, potatoes, and bacon together, mixing carefully. The sauce will soak into the potatoes at this point. If it gets too thick, you can add a little water to thin.

Add 1/2 C chopped fresh parsley. (You can use dried in a pinch, but fresh is better.)

You are finished! 

Potato salad may be served cold, room temp. or warmed.

To serve, garnish with hard cooked egg slices and more bacon crumbles and chopped parsley if desired. 

Of course, no recipe is written in stone. If you like yours a little less sweet or more salty, etc. just adjust accordingly.

Enjoy! 

Click here to sign the DRILL HERE. DRILL NOW. PAY LESS.  domestic drilling petition and see the latest links to related oil news (updated every day).

Drill Here is now over the 1 million mark. The goal is 3 million signatures by the Democratic and Republican Conventions. 

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Since many of you might be needing an easy salad recipe for your July 4th festivities, I thought I better honor my promise from the Aldi's comments to share my 3 Bean Salad recipe. (I will try to post my German Potato Salad and Baked Beans recipes too before the 4th.)

I adapted this recipe from the Victory Garden cookbook years ago. You can make it with just 3 different kinds of beans or add however many you wish. Martha Stewart once had a 10 bean salad, so let your imagination run wild!

The recipe:

1 1/2 C green beans (1 drained can or use fresh or frozen but lightly steam first. I use Aldi's or Roundy's brand--they are fine)

1 1/2 C yellow wax beans (same as above)

! 1/2 C dark red kidney beans (one can, drained, or cook your own)

1 C slivered green, red, orange, and/or yellow peppers 

3/4 C thinly sliced red onion (optional)

1 clove garlic peeled and split in 2. (Allow to marinate in dressing but remove prior to serving)

2/3 C wine vinegar

1/3 C sugar (I like brown)

1/4 C olive oil

1/4 C veg. oil (I omitted this)

1/2 t. Worcester sauce 

1 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

1/8 t. celery seed (I added this)

 
Mix the dressing in a large salad bowl and then add the beans. Chill. Pretty simple!

 
Now for the variations :)

I have added frozen baby peas (just pour them in right from the bag), garbanzo beans (I cook my own, or canned is fine), whole green beans (Aldi's cute little whole frozen type), C&W frozen yellow and green Italian green beans, black beans (if using canned, wash well), light and dark kidney beans, frozen Lima beans (lightly steamed), 1 cup sliced quartered cucumbers, 1/2 C. celery slices....did I miss anything?

Use whatever beans and peas your family likes. If you are adding a lot of extra beans, make extra dressing. For a large gathering, I would double the dressing and non-bean ingredients and then add up to 5 C extra beans.

Beans are very nutritious and contain soluble fiber. If you add any grain (bread, corn on the cob, rice, etc.) you get a complete protein.

Bean salad is great because you can make it in advance and don't have to worry about it spoiling at the picnic.

Enjoy! 

Click here to sign the DRILL HERE. DRILL NOW. PAY LESS.  domestic drilling petition and see the latest links to related oil news (updated every day).

Drill Here passed the 1 million mark. It is at 1.2 million now. The goal is 3 million signatures by the Democratic and Republican Conventions. 

Links: 

Meet our kitchen dynamic duo: Silvia, on the left, and Rocky, on the right. They both make our day begin! (They were named by their manufacturer, Rancilio, not us. We do refer to them by name though.)

I have introduced them to many of my coffee drinking friends, and my duo have always left a very good impression.

We purchased Silvia, the espresso maker, from Wholelattelove 6 years ago to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary*.

It sells now for $595.00. That seems steep for a frugal gal like me, but when you consider the small Krups or Braun type machines are around $100 and they don't last or make a great cup, this price is not so bad. Plus, remember what my mother taught me: skimp on what doesn't matter so you can splurge on the important.

Same with the grinder. Rocky has replaceable burrs. We have had Rocky for 4 or 5 years (another anniversary gift to ourselves.) So far--so good. Again, the Braun grinder we got from Linen's and Things for around $80, did not hold up. Rocky sells now for $320. Since you can replace the grinding burrs, it potentially can be kept going for years.

Both are considered professional quality. I have found that when you use something a lot, it is best to buy very good quality tools. They perform better and produce a superior product.

Good coffee is a ritual in our household. We don't go out for coffee**, lattes, or espresso. Instead, we use really good coffee beans--Alterra--and make our own espresso at home. 

People think nothing of going out for a $3 specialty coffee every day for both a husband and wife, which adds up to $2,190 / year for one cup a day each. Even factoring in the grinder and espresso maker (total price divided by 6 yrs) along with the coffee (65# a year), doing it ourselves costs us $706 a year for many cups a day each!  We "save" $1,484 a year. Our home brew is still cheaper than just going out for one regular cup of coffee each at a Caribou or Starbuck's saving $681 a year.

The Rancilio company was very good about getting me a replacement gasket for Silvia. (That was the diagnosis from my trip to Alterra last year.) Rancilio ended up sending me a gasket for free. I call that good service!

Wholelattelove is a great place to look for coffee related items. They have lots of customer reviews to read, which can be helpful. (Mine are in there somewhere.) 

If you love good coffee--espresso in particular--consider doing it yourself. 

I am not affiliated with Rancilio or Alterra in any way. 

*We had originally purchased a Capresso fully automatic espresso maker to celebrate our 25th anniversary. It was fascinating and fun to use, but it produced a very inferior cup of espresso: not nearly hot enough, not strong enough, not enough crema. In addition, the water and bean chamber were very small as was the dump container. It was automatic, but it seemed it always wanted something.  That got returned and we did more research. Our son, the master of online product research, found the Rancilio company. It seemed to be just what we were looking for--a home version of a professional machine.

I will caution you though, you MUST use either RO or distilled water. Using Brookfield's hard water will ruin any espresso maker. Even the professional demineralizer coffee maker treatments can't eliminate the build up.

**I do go out for coffee with a friend from time to time, but this is purely for social reasons.

Click here to sign the DRILL HERE. DRILL NOW. PAY LESS.  domestic drilling petition and see the latest links to related oil news (updated every day).

Drill Here just reached the 1 million mark. The goal is 3 million signatures by the Democratic and Republican Conventions.  

Links:

Before we breezed out of town last weekend, I purchased some Edy's Slow Churned Ice Cream in what formerly was the half gallon size and tossed it in the basement freezer. (I know ice cream has not been 1/2 gallon for years. It is actually 7 cups.)

While away, my husband spotted a USA Today article he thought was blog worthy: Shoppers beware: Products shrink but prices stay the same It was all about how manufacturers are making the packages smaller but charging the same price as the former full size:

"Downsizing is nothing but a sneaky price increase," says Edgar Dworsky, former Massachusetts assistant attorney general in the Consumer Protection Division, now editor of Mouseprint.org, a consumer website. "I'm waiting to open a carton of eggs and see only 11."

The article showed Edgar Dworsky with a magnifying glass and some Breyers ice cream cartons in the new 1.5 quart size. If you aren't paying attention, it would be easy to mistake the 1 cup smaller packages for the former 1.75 quart sized cartons.

 "We did not in any way try to hide this," insists Tim Kahn, CEO of Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, which also makes — and has shrunk — Edy's. "The package-size change couldn't be any more visible."

I didn't catch the Edy's reference at the time--hey, I was on vacation! But tonight when my men wanted some ice cream, I noticed the Edy's carton on the counter and said, "This is smaller than before, we got gypped like the article!"

I still paid the same price as the larger size but lost 1 cup of ice cream.

Sometimes manufacturers have the nerve to try to sell the idea of smaller sizes, spinning that it is for your convenience that the package is smaller because it is easier to carry!

Sure enough, my ice cream was the newer, smaller size. When I put it back in the kitchen freezer, I noticed that it fit in a place that wasn't tall enough before. Guess the smaller size was for my convenience. :)

Other products have shrunk too. Sugar is a good example. Sugar always came in 5 and 10 pound bags. Now you have to be careful. The name brand sugar often comes in 4 pound bags. Generic or store brand sugar usually comes in 5 pounders. (Aldi's sugar is 5 pounds for $1.79 if you were interested.)

Consumers just can't catch a break. We pay the same, if not more, for gas laced with ethanol for a 10% reduction in m.p.g., and now we pay the same price for a container that is 10% to 20% smaller than before!

Hmm, if only we could reduce the density at Percheron Square by 20%, but that is a subject for another day.

Links:

I have shopped ALDI's for years now. It all started with "Big Tom" ketchup. We were a very brand loyal "Heinz" ketchup family and would not ever consider anything else on a burger. But a bargain hunting uncle of mine loved to shop at Aldi's and he would share the wealth with family. He gave us several "Big Tom" ketchups from Aldi's. Oh well, I can use them in meat loaf or something, I thought.

When we tasted the "Big Tom", it was GREAT! We liked it just as well as the Heinz. Since it was half the price, we converted. That made the 2004 presidential Heinz ketchup boycott much easier to stomach! (Big Tom is now called "Kyder".)

So, for those of you who have never ventured into an Aldi's, here are 25 of my favorite products and prices. I think you will see that Aldi's prices are much cheaper, sometimes by 100%. I would say the quality of these products is as good if not better than familiar name brand choices.

I will start in the upper left hand corner.

Clarissa Bath Tissue - 12 double rolls - $5.29 Compares to Angel Soft

Clarissa facial tissue - 160 count - $0.99 box

Kirkwood frozen skinless boneless chicken breasts - $5.49 (3#, I think)

Frozen talapia - $3.99  24 oz.

Zip sandwich bags - $1.99

Happy Harvest vegetables - $0.45 (I use them in the beef stew when "cabining" at Nat. Park, green beans for 3 bean salad)

Happy Harvest red kidney beans $0.45 (Great for chili or 3 bean salad)

Great Gherkins sliced sandwich pickles $1.19 Compares to Valasic

Great Gherkins bread n butter pickles $1.19  Ditto

Asia Oriental Stir-Fry veg mix with sauce mix - $2.89 for 2 lb, 5oz bag of nice veggies

Priano frozen pizza, 4 cheese, 14.5 oz. - $3.59 - this is REALLY good pizza!

Happy Harvest Baked Beans (not pork and beans) $0.49 Compares to Bush's

Sweet Harvest chunk pineapple - $0.79 Compares to Liberty

Happy Harvest stewed tomatoes - $0.45

Diomede's Black Olives - $0.99

Zip freezer bags - $1.99

Brookdale Beef Stew -  $1.49

Sweet Harvest applesauce - $0.89

Happy Farms 8oz. sliced natural cheese - $1.99 

Clancy's potato chips - $0.99

Happy Harvest frozen Extra Fine Green Beans - $1.39 these are REALLY good baby green beans

Happy Harvest tomato sauce - $.20

Happy Harvest tomato paste - Oops, can't remember

Kyder ketchup - either $0.99 or $1.09, very good

Diomede's stuffed green olives - $0.99 good, with real pimento 

So there you have it.  A pretty good listing of common products that will save you a bit of dough.

Aldi's recently raised prices about 10% across the board it seems. (Prices listed reflect the price increase.) The high cost of transportation and food scarcity affects everyone. Their produce is pretty good too and prices are much lower.

There are many other products that are good too, such as real chocolate chips for $.99/12 oz bag or 5# sugar for $1.79.

Some of their products I am not so wild about. My advice is if in doubt, purchase one and try it. If you like it, go back for more. Aldi's product line does change on some items very quickly. Sometimes they do have major brand names for a short time.

All Aldi branded items, such as the 25 products I listed, carry a double your money back guarantee. What do you have to lose?

If you are a Town of Brookfield resident and would like to see the Town approve the Aldi's store on Bluemound Rd., you could try contacting the Town board and attending the Town meeting for the discussion of zoning code changes for properties in the town's study area at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, Town Hall, 645 N. Janacek Road (Near Eble Ice Rink.)

INFORMATION: Gary Lake, building and zoning administrator, (262) 796-3790

Town Board Chairman: Keith Henderson Phone: (262) 785-0189 kah@idcnet.com

Village Board

Dan Shea Phone: (262) 641-2852  dshea2@wi.rr.com

Robert Flessas Phone: (262) 821-5533 robert@robertflessas.com

John Schatzman Phone: (262) 542-5452 jschatzman@wi.rr.com

Pat Stroebel Phone: (262) 803-4614 pstroebel@mbco.com

Related posts: Shopping Aldi's 101    In Praise of Aldi's and Trader Joe's: Wish We Had Both!

Links:

Want to shop at Aldi's? Here is a primer. B, Q, and C stand for Bags, Quarter, and Cash. Better bring your own.

BAGS: Aldi's does not supply free bags. You can either use the cardboard cartons they have laying around the store, purchase their bags, or bring you own. Or, you can take your cart out to your car and pile the lose things in without any bag or box. It is up to you.

I bring my red Sendik's bags to reuse at Aldi's. How is that for creative recycling? Funny thing, I was not the only one doing that today! That means other Sendik's shoppers shop Aldi's too. So much for the idea that high end shoppers won't go to an Aldi store. (By the way, if you reuse your Balistreri Sendik's bag at Balistreri Sendik's, they knock off 5 cents for each bag used.)

The QUARTER is used to unlock the cart. How is that for clever? The carts are all lined up in an alcove outside--chained together. There is a little locking gizmo on the cart that if you slide a quarter in, releases the chain to the next cart. Now you are ready to shop.

When you finish shopping, you can leave the cart in the parking lot and lose your quarter, or like everyone I have ever seen at Aldi's, you take it back to the cart alcove, slip the chain end tab back into the gizmo, and your quarter pops out. Pretty efficient. No need for a cart boy.

CASH: Aldi's does not take credit cards. Remember, they are all about keeping prices low. They will take a Check Card and let you get cash back from your transaction. The checker scans each item and places it in your cart. They have a counter area that you take your cart to so you can then bag or box your groceries. Again, no need for a bagger.

NEW LOCATION NEWS: I got this tidbit today. The checker and I talked about the Town of Brookfield's balking at the Aldi's locating there. She told me that there would be a new Aldi's at 124th and Captitol in the old Jewel store location this fall. So with Town of Brookfield approval or not, Aldi will encroach right up to Brookfield's bourgeois border! 

Coming soon, Just what can you get at Aldi's? My top 25 products and prices. 

P.S. I was just out on County Line Road (Hwy Q) in Menomonee Falls. Lots of new shopping there: J.C.Penney's and across the street, Linen's and Things, Michael's, and ALDI's!!! 

Links:

Poor Aldi's*.  The Town of Brookfield Plan Commission squelched their plans for a new store. One of the reasons cited in the Community Watch post was that, "Some members of the Plan Commission said they were wary of the discount grocer's reputation and the type of customers and tenants the store would attract to Bluemound Plaza..." (near Best Buy)

Was that criticism warranted?  Just who is an Aldi's customer?

Well, I am. I know of 2 aldermen who shop there. I also know some of my City of Brookfield neighbors shop there. As food prices continue to climb, I think more Brookfield customers will seek them out.

The last time I was at Aldi's Hwy 100 store near Greenfield Ave., I asked if business was increasing because of rising food prices. The checkout guy said, Oh, YES. In fact, we are building one in Brookfield.

Brookfield? I said, I wouldn't think you would ever get one in Brookfield. He then went on to tell me they wanted to build one in the Town of Brookfield. I was still skeptical.

I do know what the commission is worried about. There is a certain type customer that both Wal-marts and Aldi's attract in some areas. (Customers without a comb or teeth come to mind, however I have seen people like that at say, The Outpost too.) But then, Chucky Cheese customers are no prize either!

I do wonder if that customer element has to do more with the neighborhood the store is in though. Aldi's stores are often located in less affluent areas and so they attract bargain seeking customers. If an Aldi's was to be built in the Town of Brookfield, it would seem that it would attract customers from that area? I would think it unlikely someone in the lower income bracket would drive past a closer Aldi's to get to the Bluemound store.

What about their reputation? 

The people I know who shop there love the low prices and their products.

Unlike some cheaper store brands that are very inferior to name branded items (Jewel Foods comes to mind), Aldi's has top notch companies making many of their products. 

The post mentioned that "Trader Joe's might be a bigger draw."  So, Trader Joe's is OK, but Aldi's is not?

Interestingly, they are owned by the same parent company. They even share some of their product line. My sister and I discovered this by a fluke. I told her about the great frozen whole baby green beans I purchased at Aldi's. She told me she bought the same beans at Trader Joe's. (She has no Aldi's near her; I have no Trader Joe's.) 

Here is the scoop on Trader Joe's and ALDI : (my emphasis. Photo is of Trader Joe's at Bay Shore)

Owned by a German company called Albrecht Discounts, ALDI is a discount grocery chain that started in Germany in 1948. Decidedly no frills, the company stocks virtually all house-brand products, all offered at very low prices thanks to exclusive deals with their suppliers, many of which are big-name producers. ALDI has approximately 5,000 stores worldwide and the two Albrecht brothers, who own the company, are some of the riches men in the world.

But getting back to ALDI's business strategy, does this sound like another store that we know of? The same strategy, although executed by the US staff and tailored to their customers' tastes, is the exact same one used by Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's, although it may be based in Southern California, is actually owned by Albrecht Discounts. The company was purchased back in 1979, long before it hit the cultural mainstream. Since that time, it has been left to turn itself into a very trendy, upscale grocery store by following a similar business plan to ALDI. TJs has low prices and a lot of store-brand products, but a different image that appeals to a different group of consumers.

Seems the proposal will come before the full Town Board on June 17th. Maybe their opinion would be swayed if Town residents asked, "When Aldi is coming to town?" If not, maybe Aldi's would consider building another Trader Joe's?

*I am not affiliated with Aldi or Trader Joe's in any way.
 

Links:

Today is Tuesday, and I must make my monthly pilgrimage to Alterra coffee at Mayfair Mall. (It is usually the only reason I venture over to Mayfair!)

In case you did not know, Tuesdays are double punch days at Alterrra Coffee. That means they give you 2 punches for every pound of coffee you purchase at Alterra Cafes. They also have a drink card if you purchase brewed coffee to drink there.

When you fill the card with 12 punches, you can turn it in for a free pound. But that is not the end of the freebies. On the reverse side of the card, if you fill in your name, address and birthday, Alterra will send you a birthday greeting with a coupon for another free pound of coffee!*  Now, I call that a bargain.

Alterra is great coffee. It is a local company that roasts right here in Milwaukee. Photos are from their roasting operation on the East side at 2211 N. Prospect Ave. (It is fun to watch the roasting operation and it smells wonderful in there!) It is a Fair Trade company if that matters to you. I like supporting local companies, especially when their product is great!

The coffee I purchase at the actual Alterra stores at Mayfair Mall or on 92nd and North is REALLY FRESH. Much fresher that even the Alterra coffee from Sendiks or Pick 'n Save, I think because they go through it so fast at the cafes. 

Coffee is one area I am picky about. I would rather drink 1 cup of really good coffee than a pot of bad, cheap coffee. In fact, I do not drink regular coffee much at all; my husband and I switched to espresso 20 years ago. (Warning: Once you acquire a taste for espresso, all other coffee pales in comparison.)

Over the years we have tried many different coffees. We found Starbuck's beans
too burned tasting. Used to use Victor Allen's but they closed the Brookfield store long ago. Then we stumbled onto Alterra and have used only theirs for years. Sumatra is our favorite for espresso. 

The stores also offer a discount (50 cents, I think) if you bring in your own 1# Alterra bag to refill.

I purchase my coffee in the bulk 5# bag, which they offer an additional 10% off on.  This brings my total cost down to about $42 for 5#. Add to that the extra 2 punches for 1 additional pound to fill the card, and the card is then ready to turn in.

That comes to about $51 for 8# of coffee: $42 for bulk 5#, 1 more pound @ $8+ to fill the punch card, then 1 free pound when card is turned in, and 1 free birthday pound.

Really good coffee just became more affordable!

* Only one free pound per name. Because I buy so much coffee, one helpful Barista told me to fill in a name/birthday/address for each family member or even fill out with a coffee loving friend's name, birthday and address to send them a free pound.

(I am not affiliated with Alterra in any way.) 

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I actually got my tomato plants into the soil yesterday! That is a record for me--usually I don't get them it until the first week in June. I am pleased with my accomplishment. :)

For the past few years I have planted Lemon Boy. They have a wonderful fruity flavor and are a pretty yellow color. They are not heirlooms, but I purchased 2 at a recent visit to Steins since they are a favorite. I also picked up a Sweet Cluster--a small 2" red type.

Last year I ventured into the heirloom varieties with Mr. Stripey. Those were fun. Huge striped red and yellow fruits with a great flavor. The photo is from last year's Mr. Stripey. You can see it was mostly yellow. The tag on this year's shows a primarily red tomato.

Since I liked Mr. Stripey so much, I purchased it again this year and ventured into a few more heirlooms. A gardening friend recommended I try Brandywine, so this year I picked one up.

Steins had a marvelous selection of heirlooms this year, and the plants looked very healthy. I think the price was 3/ $6.50. A few more heirloom varieties jumped into my cart:  Mortgage Lifter--a meaty red prolific tomato, said to have sold for $1.00 during the depression, Aunt Ruby's German Green--a large yellow and green striped tomato, Green Zebra--a small green and yellow tomato, and Cherokee Purple--an unusual mahogany and red colored tomato.

Sadly, tomatoes do not grow well in my vegetable garden. I must have some virus in there or something. Instead, I plant them on the southern exposure of my house in my perennial bed. The tomato plants love the heat that radiates from the foundation after dark. Granted they look a little odd in with the flowers, but hey, I am a tomato lover so they look good to me! 

No need to worry about having too many tomatoes. They freeze very well. All I do is wash them off, cut out the core, and throw into a freezer Zip-loc bag. Because the freezing action breaks down the structure of the fruit, they are wonderful in soup or spaghetti sauce  I am rather a peasant type cook, so I don't even peel them. You can rub off the peelings very easily when they thaw a bit before you put them into the soup pot, however. 

Can't wait for the first tomato and mayo sandwich!

I noticed in Brookfieldnow that Dixon Elementary School was including heirloom tomatoes in their fundraiser on Sat. May 17th, from 9AM to Noon. Price: $5.00/plant. Proceeds go to purchasing white boards for the school.

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My mom was an amazing woman. Her priorities were God, Dad, us, others, then herself. She was kind, generous, and a whiz at managing money. Since the economy is in the news so much these days, I will focus on her money management talents.

To use an expression I once heard, she could pinch a nickel so hard the Indian was riding the buffalo! That is no longer politically correct, but thankfully the nickels have changed now too. The updated version would be she pinched a nickel so hard Jefferson was riding the buffalo! I am sure if she had been sent to Washington, she could have balanced the budget.

I grew up in a blue collar household located in a gold coast suburb (Shorewood), yet my parents never argued about money. Mom elevated frugality to an art form. She used coupons and stuck to her budget. (She used an envelope system ala Dave Ramsey.)

Most mothers back then still cooked meals, and she was no different.  We ate up leftovers and did not waste food as many do today. Sundays we splurged and had lunch out at a modest restaurant after church and munched on popcorn for dinner. She would joke that it was against her religion to cook on Sunday! (I follow that same practice.)

Her philosophy of money management was to skimp on things that don't matter so you could splurge once in a while on something that would greatly improve your quality of life. That is how we ended up with a dishwasher back in the 1950s and a color TV in the mid 1960s. You may snicker at those two items being a luxury, but trust me, they were not the norm--even in Shorewood.

One of the items we saved money on were clothes. Mom sewed her clothes and most of my sister's and mine. She taught me to sew and I made my first dress in 3rd grade.

Another other area of savings were vacations. I think we started camping in 1958. Even though mom was not really the camping type, she saw that it was a relatively inexpensive way to see the U.S.A. We would pack up our huge cabin tent and head out to Mt.Rushmore, the Badlands, Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, etc. Those are fond memories.

I had some girlfriends who were from much wealthier families than mine. There wasn't jealousy or envy about that fact; that was just how life was. One in particular has been my friend since the 1st grade. Her parents owned a popular resort up north that was frequented by Green Bay Packers and other local celebrities. She spent each summer up there.

Her mom took her to Chicago each year to purchase all new school clothes. Because I was always interested in fashion, that was a wondrous thing to me. They also had a housekeeper who did all of their cooking. My friend seemed to have the ideal life at the time.

Recently my 1st grade friend mentioned how she thought I was the privileged one when we were growing up. She wished her mom sewed her clothes, made oatmeal cookies, and above all, she wished she could have traveled like we did on our camping trips!

In looking back at my life, I have to agree. I was privileged. I still am. So much of who I am and what I value was influenced by my Godly mother. If she were here today, I would rise up and call her blessed. She left a pair of large shoes to fill.

If your mom is still here, be sure to tell her all that is in your heart this Mother's Day.

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I just got back from a trip to the Elm Grove Sendik's. Wow, lots of tasty samples, good deals, and drawings for prizes.

Reason? It is Sendik's 82nd anniversary celebration. Food and drink samples will be served all weekend, I believe, at all Balistreri Sendik's stores. So if you are out and about, stop in--especially if you have children. (Kids always like samples.)

I filled out a two entries for their drawings while I was there--Brewer tickets, gift certificates, a TV, and even a $1,000 shopping spree are being given away.

My bargain of the day was a pound of very nice strawberries for $1.50. 

Growing up on the east side of Milwaukee, Sendik's was a household name. As kids, we loved to go in their stores and watch the fresh orange juice squeezer machine. I think it automatically cut the oranges in half, squeezed, discarded used halves, and started over again. It was a source of great fascination to most children in the neighborhood.

My grandfather came from Sicily and knew all the Italian shop keepers. He did all the grocery shopping and would often bring home interesting vegetables from Sendik's like fennel and artichokes. 

These days, I find I am going to Sendik's more and more. I'm afraid my usual grocery stomping ground, Pick 'n Save, is letting me down more and more. They are eliminating some of the more unusual products from their line, one being coconut oil. That has forced me to seek other shopping venues. I checked at Sendik's and sure enough, they had it.

Sendik's, although more expensive on some things, has great bargains on others. Their quality is very good, and I like the atmosphere of their stores. They also respond to requests for products. My favorite Cedar Crest ice cream is Coconut Joy. The old Sentry always carried it, but when the new Sendik's moved in, they did not. I asked at the customer service desk if they could order it, and they said yes. I like that kind of service.

Check out Sendik's bargain shelf in the produce department too. Often they have great deals there. I picked up a 3 pound bag of green beans for .99 and a bag of red and yellow peppers for $1.50. Can't beat that.

So Happy Anniversary Sendik's. May you have many more. Having you here evokes many happy childhood memories.

(I am not affiliated with Sendik's in any way) 

Links: Kinsey Park Clean Up and Pier

A number of years ago, my family decided to quit giving Christmas presents to each other. As my witty husband said, if I want a personal gift, I will buy it personally.

Seriously though, we decided that we already have so much, what else could we possibly need? It seemed foolish to rack our brains trying to come up with gift lists, so we decided we would no longer exchange Christmas gifts. The time and aggravation saved from eliminating all those frustrating shopping trips is priceless. (You could say that is the best gift ever--not needing to shop!) The money saved can be put to better use: donations to your local church, favorite charities, wounded Vets, or supporting missionaries.

We were not total Scrooges though. Since our son was young at the time, we decided he would be the only one to receive and give gifts (he paid for them himself). Now that he is older, he still gives and receives a few gifts, but at least he does his own shopping!

When I still have to go to the mall or stores this time of year, some of the conversations between shoppers seem to be all the more glaring since I am not in the frenzy too. I want to suggest, No, Aunt Peggy really won't like "The Clapper", or Don't get that set of scented candles just so Margie has something to open. 

The Christmas oriented ads of I'm giving such 'n such salon gift certificates, I hope I get some too seem to go against the whole spirit of giving. 

Another benefit of not doing the gift thing is that you'll never have to say, You shouldn't have (because it is the ugliest thing ever) and you don't have all that stuff to find places for after Christmas has passed.

Evidentially, we are not the only family thinking along these lines. In Martha Stewart's December issue (page 184) she had some "hassle-free" holiday suggestions. Here are her tips on gifts:

Before Thanksgiving or soon thereafter, send an e-mail to your family members: "Buying gifts for everyone has gotten overwhelming. Does anyone else feel that way?" Then suggest alternatives--pulling one name each out of a hat, filling stockings for everyone with little things, or instituting a spending cap. You might also think outside the holiday box. What about forgoing gifts altogether and putting the money toward a family trip next summer of a big dinner at a great restaurant?

These are still pretty much self serving, but at least if gives some ideas of how to broach the subject. Maybe the family could pick a charity or project and all donate to that cause? Or pool their finances to fly Grandma and Grandpa to see their grandchildren?

If you can't bear the thought of Christmas with no gifts to open, how about a White Elephant exchange? The gift you bring can either be the tackiest thing you have around the house or a very nice item that you just don't have a use for. (Be sure to designate ahead of time which type of White Elephant it will be.) Sometimes they call this White Elephant exchange "Nasty Santa." It is a gift game where guests pick the gifts one at a time. Each picker in turn then has the option of picking a new gift or one already opened. If your opened gift is taken, then you can pick another's open gift or select an unopened one. At the end, the first opener has the option of exchanging with anyone's gift. My homeschool group had a lot of fun doing this.

Stopping the gift frenzy was the BEST decision for our family. It has helped us put the focus on the real meaning of Christmas. I can only encourage you to think about it and maybe discuss this idea when you gather with your family this Christmas. It could make your Christmas 2009 the merriest ever!

This is not a political commentary posting! It is about soup.

I grew up in a home that was not very enthused about turkey, but I married a turkey-a-holic!

It must be an inherited trait on the Y chromosome, because both my guys cannot get enough of the big bird!

Sadly, our turkey leftovers are history, but there is one last meal to be had from our Thanksgiving feast, and that is turkey soup. I make it just as I would chicken soup.

I take the roasted carcass and pick off all the meat I can and refrigerate. Place the bones, scraps, and even the skin into a large soup pot.

Cover with water and add a small onion, stalk of celery, and carrot. A few parsley stalks are good too. Simmer for a few hours.

Strain the contents through a collandar into a big bowl or another pot and return the broth to the soup kettle. Skim off excess fat.

Peel a few carrots and slice into disks, chop a med. onion, and slice up a few celery stalks and add these to the pot.

Simmer an hour longer and taste. Add salt and pepper to taste and some freshly chopped parsley (or dried).

By this time the bones are cool enough to go through, removing any pieces of meat. Put the meat in the broth.

Add more of the meat you set aside when you started the soup and cut into bite-sized pieces and toss in the pot.

Now you have a choice to make: Turkey Dumpling Soup or Turkey, Rosemary, Rice Soup.

For Turkey Dumpling, just take 1 beaten egg, 1 t salt, and 1 C white flour. Mix together until you can't get any more four into the egg and break off little pieces of the dough and toss into the boiling broth. Cook about 20 min. My guys really like these crude dumplings, so I make double the amount.

For the Turkey, Rosemary, Rice soup, add a sprig of rosemary to the soup, some cooked brown and wild rice (if you have any), and a few drops of Tabasco sauce. This of course it to taste. Simmer 20 minutes and then fish out the rosemary. If you have a herb bag or large tea ball, this would keep the rosemary leaves together. This soup creation came from a friend and we really like it just as well as the dumpling variation.

Depending on how much turkey you had to start with, you might have to add a little chicken bullion to make it more flavorful.

Anyway, turkey soup, either variation, has become a real family favorite. I freeze the left overs and keep them for future meals. It is like money in the bank!

Try it with your Christmas Turkey.