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9 AM

commonfright — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:35:03 +0000

Candy Canes are awesome on their own, but when you let them sit in a hot cup of coffee…brilliance. My new favorite website: http://www.coffeeam.com/

The first day back at work was relatively trouble-free. My body aches and I just want to curl up next to the fire with a book, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I spent 3/5 of my shift outside in the parking lot pushing carriages around. My shift leader actually had to come out and tell me how long I had been out there. Time is tricky.

I’ve been doing too much reading. Reading can only be considered ‘too much’ when it interferes with writing, and only so if you’re trying to be a writer.

On Thursday, right after work, I will be playing Santa Claus for a bunch of little brats. I think I was chosen because I’m the only one who finds it socially acceptable to hold my large stomach when I laugh. Either way, I’m getting some cash for it so I can get started on my books for next semester.

New England Saving, Hannaford Deals, 12.20-12.26.09

Kat — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 05:47:01 +0000

Hannaford’s online circular service is down…I’ll check it again tomorrow.

More Grocery Gathering:

Censuring ElBaradei (Iran)

CJ Harwood — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 06:20:04 +0000

Liars league

He marked his final meeting, with a big lie:

Mohamed ElBaradei. Iran’s failure to notify the Agency of the existence of this facility until September 2009, rather than as soon as the decision to construct it or to authorize construction was taken, was inconsistent with its obligations under the Subsidiary Arrangements to its Safeguards Agreement.

This is mere argument. It’s not unassailable fact, as he pretends.

(IAEA Board of Governors, Vienna, November 26 2009), referring to an underground construction site, 20 miles north of Qom, for a backup uranium enrichment facility, named Fodor, IAEA safeguarded, designed, Iran says, to preserve its Natanz technology and knowhow against bombing, which the U.S. and Israel repeatedly threaten, a prima facie war crime, see, Bombing Iran’s IAEA safe-guarded nuclear facilities.

Yes, Iran agreed to that new notice rule, in a letter (February 26 2003) — at least ElBaradei says it says it (GOV/2003/40, 6 June 2003, paragraphs 6, 15) (he didn’t post the letter for the rest of us to read). That new notice rule, ElBaradei says, appears in the 1992 “modified Code 3.1″ (which he also doesn’t post), what he terms “Subsidiary Arrangements to its Safeguards Agreement.” ElBaradei says (GOV/2007/22, below), it’s an agreement under article 39 of Iran’s 1974 safeguards agreement (INFCIRC/214).

But Iran revoked that letter, 3 years later (February 6 2006) — as Iran promised it would do — 2 days after the IAEA Board of Governors voted to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council (GOV/2006/14, 4 February 2006). ElBaradei didn’t post this letter either (GOV/INF/2006/3), but he quoted from it, 2 weeks later (GOV/2006/15, 27 February 2006, paragraph 31):

1. As stipulated in Para 7 of INFCIRC/666, from the date of this letter, our commitment on implementing safeguards measures will only be based on the NPT Safeguards Agreement between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Agency (INFCIRC/214).

2. From the date of this letter, all voluntarily suspended non-legally binding measures including the provisions of the Additional Protocol and even beyond that will be suspended.

Iran’s first paragraph restores the 180-day notice rule (6 months), in the original, unmodified, Code 3.1 (also not posted), which ElBaradei describes thusly (GOV/2003/40, above, paragraph 15):

The Subsidiary Arrangements General Part in force with Iran from 1976 to 26 February 2003 included what was, until 1992, standard text which called for provision to the Agency of design information on a new facility no later than 180 days before the introduction of nuclear material into the facility….

Iran’s second paragraph revokes — what everybody agreed was voluntary and non-legally binding — Iran’s suspension of its enrichment activities, for 27 months (Tehran agreement, October 21 2003, Paris agreement, November 15 2004, INFCIRC/637), while the IAEA satisfied itself, that what Iran said was true, namely, the microscopic nuclear particles the IAEA found on its swipes at Natanz (before start-up), those particles were not from a nonexistent, secret, enrichment facility, but rather were imported from Pakistan, on the centrifuges Iran purchased from the A.Q. Khan network. Iran’s purchase was legal, did not violate the NPT, did not violate the safeguards agreement, and no agreement, and no law, required Iran to report that purchase to the IAEA, because, ElBaradei says, centrifuges are not a “nuclear facility,” absent nuclear material, in non-microscopic quantities (GOV/2003/40, above, paragraph 8):

[A] centrifuge component production facility is not a nuclear facility required to be declared to the Agency under Iran’s NPT Safeguards Agreement.

Iran’s second paragraph also revokes the Additional Protocol Iran signed (December 18 2003), and immediately implemented, pending ratification by the Majlis, Iran’s parliament. This too, everybody agreed, was voluntary and non-legally binding.

The next year, ElBaradei claimed Iran’s revocation was not valid, because he didn’t agree to it. He said he wanted to visit another construction site — which he had previously visited, before referral to the U.N. Security Council — a new nuclear research reactor at Arak (I-40), years away from completion. May be, he was merely testing Iran’s resolve.

Iran refused and reminded ElBaradei, that the 6 months rule applied — until the U.N. Security Council closes its agenda on Iran, and relations can return to normal. ElBaradei didn’t post this letter either (GOV/INF/2007/8, 29 March 2007), but he quoted from it, 2 months later (GOV/2007/22, 23 May 2007, paragraph 12):

12. On 29 March 2007, Iran informed the Agency that it had “suspended” the implementation of the modified Code 3.1, which had been “accepted in 2003, but not yet ratified by the parliament”, and that it would “revert” to the implementation of the 1976 version of Code 3.1, which only requires the submission of design information for new facilities “normally not later than 180 days before the facility is scheduled to receive nuclear material for the first time.” In a letter dated 30 March 2007, the Agency requested Iran to reconsider its decision.”

ElBaradei said, Iran’s February 2003 letter “cannot be modified unilaterally” (GOV/2007/22, paragraph 14). He cited the 1974 safeguards agreement, which permits amendments, with the consent of both parties: “The Subsidiary Arrangements may be extended or changed by agreement between the Government of Iran and the Agency without amendment of this Agreement” (INFCIRC/214, article 39, “subsidiary arrangements”).

Two years later, the IAEA legal adviser (Johan Rautenbach) agreed with his boss (“Statement by the Legal Adviser,” IAEA Board of Governors meeting, March 2-9 2009). That was ElBaradei’s old job (IAEA legal adviser, 1984-1993).

But there’s higher law, as both these lawyers well know, and didn’t mention:

Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 1155 UNTS 331 (t.reg. 18232)

Article 49. Fraud. If a State has been induced to conclude a treaty by the fraudulent conduct of another negotiating State, the State may invoke the fraud as invalidating its consent to be bound by the treaty. …

Article 60. Termination or suspension of the operation of a treaty as a consequence of its breach.

1. A material breach of a bilateral treaty by one of the parties entitles the other to invoke the breach as a ground for terminating the treaty or suspending its operation in whole or in part. …

3. A material breach of a treaty, for the purposes of this article, consists in: …

(b) the violation of a provision essential to the accomplishment of the object or purpose of the treaty.

Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts, A/RES/56/83 (January 28 2002), A/RES/62/61 (December 6 2007)

Article 22. Countermeasures in respect of an internationally wrongful act

The wrongfulness of an act of a State not in conformity with an international obligation towards another State is precluded if and to the extent that the act constitutes a countermeasure taken against the latter State in accordance with chapter II of part three.

_______________

Iran has been the victim — for more than 2 decades — of relentless, abusive, material breaches of the NPT (nuclear non-proliferation treaty), by the United States, and by the conspiracy the U.S. leads (mainly with the EU3: U.K., France, Germany).

This is a lengthy history, sordid, despicable, immoral, dishonest, seizing Iran’s property at the docks, bought and paid for (armed robbery), taking Iran’s money, then refusing to deliver the nuclear fuel, or give the money back (theft), threatening, cajoling, other nations, who contracted or intended to supply Iran with nuclear fuel, electricity power stations, other lawful nuclear items (the threats are blackmail, “unwarranted demand with menaces” “with intent to cause loss to another”; the cajoling, a treble-damage tort, “actionable interference with contractual rights,” “tortuous interference with contract”).

This conspiracy (U.S., EU3) violates the NPT, which requires them, instead, to facilitate Iran acquiring everything it needs for its atoms for peace projects:

Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, 729 UNTS 168 (t.reg. 10485, dep.UK)

Article IV

1. Nothing in this Treaty shall be interpreted as affecting the inalienable right of all the Parties to the Treaty to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with Articles I and II of this Treaty.

2. All the Parties to the Treaty undertake to facilitate, and have the right to participate in, the fullest possible exchange of equipment, materials and scientific and technological information for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Parties to the Treaty in a position to do so shall also cooperate in contributing alone or together with other States or international organizations to the further development of the applications of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, especially in the territories of non-nuclear-weapon States Party to the Treaty, with due consideration for the needs of the developing areas of the world.

The material breaches, by the U.S. and its conspiracy, create legal remedies for Iran. These remedies include Iran’s legal right to conceal, from the IAEA, activities which are lawful under the NPT, but which (otherwise) should be reported under the safeguards agreement. A tiny amount of uranium hex gas, lawfully imported from China, in about 1990, was the principal item Iran kept secret from the IAEA, exercising its lawful right to pursue its atoms for peace projects, in the teeth of the unlawful conspiracy arrayed against it.

Lately, Iran was tricked and deceived by the U.S.-EU3 conspiracy, who pretended they had no objection to Iran’s uranium enrichment program, they merely wanted Iran to give the IAEA time to investigate their swipes. Iran agreed (Tehran agreement, October 21 2003), suspended enrichment for 27 months, and cooperated with the IAEA to ElBaradei’s satisfaction, as his quarterly reports attest.

The conspiracy next said they wanted to discuss the safeguarding of the enriched uranium (Paris agreement, November 15 2004, INFCIRC/637).

Iran agreed and offered, among many other things, “immediate conversion of all enriched Uranium to fuel rods to preclude even the technical possibility of further enrichment” (March 23 2005, detailed in INFCIRC/648), the exact result the conspiracy now claims it wants, more than 4 years later.

But the conspiracy refused to consider Iran’s offer and demanded permanent suspension of enrichment, instead — “a binding commitment not to pursue fuel cycle activities other than the construction and operation of light water power and research reactors” (INFCIRC/651, August 5 2005).

Whereupon Iran realized it had been tricked, defrauded, by a dishonest international conspiracy, which had lied, which was determined to coerce the complete, permanent, closure of Iran’s safeguarded enrichment industry — a repudiation, by the conspiracy, of the very object of the treaty, atoms for peace.

This unlawful demand, first by Bush, now by Obama, remains in place. Nothing will change, until Obama decides to get over it, get used to it, obey his treaty obligations, and accept Iran’s safeguarded enrichment program.

This unlawful demand, by the conspiracy, is the basis — as Iran explained it at the time — for the legal remedy Iran devised for itself, its decision to revoke all the extra cooperation with the IAEA, until the conspiracy relents, and returns to compliance with the NPT, accepting Iran’s safeguarded enrichment program, which the NPT is designed to permit and safeguard.

This is Iran’s carrot, to tempt the conspiracy to abandon their rogue life, return to the family of law-abiding nations. Iran’s standing offer, to resume its extra cooperation with the IAEA (GOV/2008/4, 22 February 2008, paragraph 55):

The Director General has continued to urge Iran to implement the Additional Protocol at the earliest possible date and as an important confidence building measure requested by the Board of Governors and affirmed by the Security Council. The Director General has also urged Iran to implement the modified text of its Subsidiary Arrangements General Part, Code 3.1 on the early provision of design information.

Iran has expressed its readiness to implement the provisions of the Additional Protocol and the modified text of its Subsidiary Arrangements General Part, Code 3.1, “if the nuclear file is returned from the Security Council to the IAEA”.

Iran provided this full cooperation, for 27 months, before the nuclear file was sent to the Security Council. But the conspiracy realized (as in the case of Iraq), that Iran was providing the international inspectors with access and cooperation, and the inspectors were examining, and clearing, all the conspiracy’s accusations, one-by-one, inspecting all the sites the conspiracy claimed were suspicious.

As with Iraq, the conspiracy’s accusations — which they cited, to justify referral to the U.N. Security Council — one-by-one, the IAEA disproved them, proved, that each and every one of them, the conspiracy’s accusations, are untrue.

This fact, ElBaradei certified, one-by-one, in his quarterly reports.

_______________

Double check

But is ElBaradei a liar.

In my opinion, any lawyer, properly informed, can reasonably believe, that an honest court, applying international law, would likely agree, or could reasonably agree, that Iran’s revocation, in 2006, of its 2003 letter, was legally valid, a proper exercise of its rights, conferred on Iran by material breaches, of the NPT, by the U.S. and by its conspiracy partners.

In my opinion, such a lawyer would be a “liar” if s/he concealed that opinion and asserted the contrary to be a fact.

In my opinion, any official receiving that opinion, from a lawyer s/he employed, that official (like ElBaradei, himself a lawyer) would be a “liar” if s/he asserted the contrary to be a fact, keeping that legal opinion secret.

But did it slip ElBaradei’s mind? did it not occur to him? that Iran has a valid legal argument? that the 180-day notice rule applies? that Iran’s notice was timely, of its Fodor construction site?

Could be. Iran has expressed its arguments in political terms, and has not cited (to my knowledge) the customary international law, enunciated in the U.N. Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (fraud, material breach) and in the U.N. I.L.C. draft Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts (countermeasures).

But this is not the first appearance of this legal issue. ElBaradei and his legal advisers had 7 long years to apply their minds to it.

Because this same law also exonerates every single one of the minor reporting faults originally alleged against Iran, after Iran timely reported its Natanz construction site, during the IAEA 46th General Conference (September 16-20 2002) (GOV/2003/40).

And, ElBaradei has often said, Iran has fulsomely, and frequently, explained to him, the reasons for its caution, in reporting its activities, all of them lawful under the NPT, namely, to protect itself from the determination, by the U.S. conspiracy, to unlawful disrupt Iran’s lawful activities.

So if ElBaradei is not a liar, then he and his legal advisers (Johan Rautenbach, Simon Hannaford, Laura Rockwood, Wolfram Tonhauser), one or more or all of them, are negligent lawyers, and negligent international civil servants.

And that’s nearly as bad, because death, destruction, arson, theft, blackmail, violent covert action, kidnapping, bombing, unconscionable abuse, are the result.

Charles Judson Harwood Jr (Warlaw)

{more to come}

Does Hannaford WANT you to steal those reusable shopping bags?

mainecartoons — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:43:46 +0000

My wife and I have been having an ongoing argument …

A little background: I’m all for being “green” (although I think that most green practices are 10% reality and 90% marketing), but I’ve always struggled with the concept of reusable shopping bags. In my experience, there are two problems with these bags:

They’re too floppy. That is – they won’t stand up like a paper bag. This always makes me feel like I’m making the bagger’s job even crappier, if such a thing is possible.
After a half-century of disposable grocery bag conditioning, I just can’t remember to use the ##$%&**# disposable bags. Even though I keep ‘em right in the car, I generally don’t think about them until I’m actually inside the store. At that point, I can either make a trip back outside, or I can just say “screw it” and promise to be a better human being in the future.

Recently, though, Hannaford Stores have started stocking reusable bags that are made of some peculiar hybrid of paper and plastic. These bags can be folded flat like a traditional grocery sack (or “poke” as my dear departed grandmother would say), yet they are rigid enough to maintain their shape when empty. In addition to these qualities, the bags are virtually indestructible, and can easily hold 30 pounds of groceries without producing the “tear anxiety” that is engendered by the aforementioned disposable paper bag. This final feature is what really sold me on the reusable bags: Since I do all the grocery shopping in my household, this effectively reduces my bag load from 7 to 4 for a typical, two-week shopping trip.

As I mentioned before, I’m the grocery shopper at our house. However, my wife demanded to accompany me on a recent trip, as she felt that I was displaying a certain indifference when selecting from among the approximately 2000 available flavors of single serving yogurt. During this trip, we got into a casual conversation about reusable shopping bags, and I innocently mentioned that Hannaford WANTED people to steal the bags, even though they are ostensibly marked with a nominal price of $1.99 each.

My wife was shocked at this statement and insisted upon knowing my rationale.

If you’ve been in Hannaford, you’ve seen racks of these bags placed at various strategic locations throughout the store. The pricing for the bags is designated by a bar code on a paper tag that is attached to the sturdy fabric handle of the bag by a thin plastic cord. It would have been just as easy for the manufacturer of the bag to screen print the bar code directly on the bag itself, but this is not the case. As such, it is virtually the only item among the tens of thousands of products available at Hannaford that does not have its price permanently printed or glued to its surface. All that’s necessary to make an unpurchased bag look exactly like a purchased bag is to discretely pluck off the paper tag – an action that requires about the same amount of time and effort as glancing at your watch.

Is it dishonest to steal a two-dollar disposable bag from Hannaford? Probably. Is it an accident that Hannaford has made it so easy to steal such a bag? Not a chance …

Here’s how I see it: Hannaford must know that they will save money in the long run on disposable paper bags. You can’t fault them for trying to make a couple of bucks off each bag – after all, they’re not getting them for free. That said, the deliberately insecure pricing makes it clear that it’s to their benefit to give the bags away, if that’s what it takes to get people to use them.

Needless to say, my wife does not ascribe to this elegant theory of shopping bag economics. In fact, she regarded me as if I had suggested we take up professional bank robbery.

For the record, I DID NOT steal any bags (Well, maybe one. It was kind of an accident.). But I’m sure that lots of the bags have been pilfered by folks that are less scrupulous than me. My question is … are these people fundamentally dishonest, or are they behaving in exactly the way that most economists (and grocery store managers) would predict?

Fee-fi-fo-fum!

grizza78 — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:00:48 +0000

Now I know what you’re thinking, she took quite a tumble down the old beanstalk.. but in all actuality she fell off the elastic waist jean tour bus to give Hannaford a punch in the mouth. When this picture was taken she was wheeling her 11th and final cart out to the tour bus in which 10 of the previous were solely tubs of cookie dough.

When interviewed several of the cashiers mentioned that when this Richard Kiel look-a-like strolled by their surrounding air space smelled IMMEDIATELY like rotten hotpockets and burp cloths. I’m going to guess that she whistles through a foolish amount of nursing shoes each year lumbering around greater Bangor like a wounded snow ox.

SHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

-GRIZZ
(Thanks Nessa)

Turkey!

seacoastshopper — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:52:40 +0000

Ever have one of those weeks that you feel like you’ve been moving at warp speed, but then when you look back you can’t figure out what you did all week? ….yeah,….. I just had one of those weeks.

Grocery updates to be posted hopefully later tonight or tomorrow. A new update is that I took a quick visit into the Pic ‘n Pay aka Hannaford’s this week. I feel like I criss cross Portsmouth several times a week, but somehow very rarely am on that stretch of Islington St. But then I realized that the Pic ‘n Pay is closer than driving all the way to the Walmart Supercenter. So I popped in while one of my girls was at CCD. Milk was A LOT more expensive there, and the bread was a bit more too. But Juicy Juice was cheaper AND they had flavors that Market Basket, Walmart & Target don’t have – like Orange Tangerine and Strawberry Banana. So the grocery comparison is late this week as I’m adding a Hannaford’s column and making it look neat before I post it. I had one of my little helpers with me that morning, so I only had time to add a few Hannaford’s items to the list. But I’ll plan a return trip soon.

This week brings us a big TURKEY sale at Market Basket! This is an odd kind of sale, Turkey is $ .49/lb. but you also get an additional $5 off if you buy 6 participating General Mills products. Seems a bit sneaky I know, especially since I’m not usually a fan of the ‘get a great deal on X if you also buy Y’ kind of sales. However, the participating items include Pillsbury biscuits (on sale), Lucky Charms/Honey Nut Cheerios/Cinnamon Toast Crunch (all on sale). Add to this that these items all have coupons online the savings can multiply! Feel free to visit my friends at Coupon Divas to print off the online coupons. There are other participating products, but these are the ones on sale that there is also a coupon floating around out there for. Not part of this deal, but worth mentioning is that Dunkin Donuts coffee is also on sale at Market Basket this week. I’ve cut my miscellaneous spending dramatically this past month by brewing my own DD coffee at home & taking it with me vs. buying it on the road. Huge savings and I’m still getting my coffee fix in!

Happy shopping!

I've Got A Hot Dog

Evan Thomas — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:58:20 +0000

And, yes, I’m talking about this stud:

Montana

This is what he looks like 2 minutes after waking up. If you wait 3 minutes you’ll find him back asleep again. That’s pretty much what he does. Everybody left the house leaving me to wait around until lunch. It feels like this house lacks “real food” whenever I’m gone. That’s why I pack an entire shopping bag full. See? I’m smart–food smart

BBQ Tempeh And Broccoli With Goat Cheese

Pineapple Chobani With Pumpkin Flax Granola

I listened to the back of my Lightlife tempeh box which says it’s best grilled and skewered some BBQ tempeh. I loved the smoky flavor that it gave it and nuttier texture, but I still don’t know that the BBQ flavor came out. The broccoli was for the green(or maybe just an excuse to eat hickory smoked goat cheese). And the Chobani was a bit of early dessert. Even though I had the thought “I could be having ice cream instead of this” I chose the yogurt; what has happened to me? Clearly, that granola has a bit of flax and a bit of crack. Immediately after lunch we got on with the afternoon festivities…

Empire Apples

Apple picking! Would you believe every Saturday so far this season I’ve came home has been rainy? It was windy, but not a raincloud around, so we hit up Tougas Farms for their final weekend. The trees were pretty picked but we made do.

Apple

Naturally, one snuck in my mouth on the walk out. I forget which type this was but I had an Empire; it was very nice and crisp and reminded me of a less sweet and visually attractive Red Delicious. After that we went to Target in search of some elusive Archer Farm’s Vanilla Cranberry Peanut Butter. Alas! No luck Next up was Hannafords for some general baking and eating goodies before heading to Micky-D’s(for a coffee, of course) and home. Here was the loot of the odyssey.

Groceries

Greek yogurt–obvs–, Organic PB cups for an Evan Halloween :-), pumpkin, oats, apple butter, soy milk, tofu, and organic Smart Balance butter. I didn’t want to spring for the organic but the regular stuff apparently has artificial flavor. What are they flavoring it? Just like I don’t like butter, I don’t like fake butters either. But I know they’re necessary for a certain recipe I was thinking of making so I sucked it up and tried not to touch it too much. I was also pretty hungry and in need of a little mood booster, so I busted out the last of my old Smart Balance peanut butter.

SB PB And Chocolate Chips In A Jar

And then all was right with the world I don’t think any of my other jars are quite close to being finished, so I really savored this one. I tried catching up on Tivo and some homework but I got distracted and needed to try out a recipe

Vegan Pumpkin Brownies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 15oz can pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup soy milk
1/4 cup pumpkin butter

Pumpkin Brownies With Pumpkin Butter

Preheat your oven to 350. In a bowl, sift together the first 5 ingredients. Add in the pumpkin, soy milk, and vanilla and mix well. The batter will be thick. Spread into an 8×8 pan. Scoop pumpkin butter into a ziploc bag and snip off one end. In lines, squeeze the pumpkin butter. Then, with a knife, alternate cutting motions in both directions to make an effect. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Pumpkin Pumpkin Butter Brownie

If you love fudgy brownies, these are definitely the ones for you. They didn’t even taste like a pastry but more like solid packed pumpkin and chocolate. I used too little sugar and baking powder, but I adjusted the recipe accordingly so hopefully yours will come out a bit more flavorful. Be sure to tell me if anyone tries these This was a nice appetizer for dinner.

Salmon, Asparagus, Maple Mustard Tofu

A dinner, by the way, that was eaten spread over 30 minutes of being on the couch translating latin and running to answer kids at the door. I wasn’t feeling salmon. I feel like there’s an expectation for me always to want salmon or some meat when I come home, but that’s just not true. I tried introducing some alternative protein to the meal with grilled tofu. I liked the Nasoya firm better than what’s at my dining hall, so I might be adding it to the shopping list from now on, but I think it was too firm; when I reach for the ‘fu, I want something mushy and funky. There was also this humongous apple:

Mutsu Apple

It’s hard to tell, but this was big(TWSS). I ate it quick and sloppily just so that I wouldn’t have to feel hungry running back and forth to the door! God that gets annoying, and is so unfruitful. Next year I’m hitting the streets again. At least that way you get candy for your work. Now I just need to find an organic street… I did have a partner in answering the door:

Montana

I told you I had a hot dog. He didn’t actually fit in his costume so we just held and threw it over when people came to the door. We didn’t get too many visitors, which my mom was very pleased with since that left her with a good amount of candy for herself.

So Delicious Vanilla Soy Yogurt With Newman's Own Organic Milk Chocolate PB Cup And Vanilla Sugar

Would it have been Halloween if I didn’t buts into a little candy? Clearly not. This was actually an educational experience. I learned a) when it comes to peanut butter and chocolate, milk is the way to go. I would have thought dark because in general I love that way more than milk but it just works with the peanut butter. Also, b) candy is better on top of yogurt. It feels like a sundae. I wonder if organic coated candies leak organic coloring like M&M’s do. That’d be sweet. c) Vanilla soy yogurt actually tastes like vanilla. Unfortunately, this boy likes his soy yogurt to be as funky as tofu, so it was a bit of a letdown

4-C Scone With White Chocolate Wonderful

Cranbran Vitatop With White Chocolate Wonderful, Toast With Peanut Butter Cookie Spread

Vanilla Cranberry was clearly the flavor obsession of the night. I was a little disappointed I couldn’t get the Vanilla Cranberry peanut butter Word from the foodie is that it’s in Woburn but that’s a good hour in the wrong direction for me. I’ll find it yet. I don’t even remember when I baked my last batch of those scones; I love finding pastries hidden in the freezer. I think I need a spare freezer just for english muffins because they never seem to be where I want them.

Did anybody else feel that extra hour? I woke up at 8 7 and felt both well rested and not lazy. That was nice. Instead of hitting the streets, I hit the kitchen. I’ll save what I whipped up and my breakfast for the next post

A cookie giveaway from one Nutricious gal

dear hannaford. shut your damn face.

bessmarvin — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:00:39 +0000

dear hannaford. i never post about you. ok, one time i called you hannafuck, but seriuosly… your prices are mediocre, and you’ve got no deals to be had. your current feeble attempt to show some savings with your “buy and save” program is utterly laughable. for every 4 HANNAFORD PRODUCTS, you get ONE CRAPPY DOLLAR back to use on your next shopping trip. with a MAXIMUM OF $10. whatever. everyone knows that you can overall get better deals on name brand prodcuts than you can on generics anyway… and most of your qualifying products are over a couple of dollars (unless you want to buy 40 boxes of hannaford brand cream cheese). i get more savings up front from the in-ad coupons in my weekly shaw’s flyer… and i don’t have to eat your crappy cream cheese.

in conclusion hannaford, PLEASE TRY HARDER, or you’ll be going the way of stop and shop in no time at all (and no one will miss you).

Shrip Allergy Alert Update

JI Soucie — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:12:01 +0000

**THE FOOD ALLERGY & ANAPHYLAXIS NETWORK SPECIAL FOOD ALLERGY ALERT
NOTICE**

SHRIMP ALLERGY ALERT Update
October 20, 2009

Original Rangoon of Massachusetts is recalling “Taste of Inspirations
Vegetable Spring Rolls” due to undeclared shrimp.

The product was distributed to Hannaford Supermarkets in Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont, and to Sweetbay
Supermarket in Florida.

The 12-oz. package is frozen and has the UPC code 725439 95037.

Consumers may return the product to the place of purchase for a full
refund. Consumers with questions may call (800) 213-9040 or visit
www.hannaford.com.

full shaw's takedown

bessmarvin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:42:55 +0000

since i moved to portland in 1999, i’ve been shopping at hannaford (hannafuck to some). it’s true, they have lower overall prices. but what i’ve recently realized, now that i’ve been sucked into the coupon vortex, is that there are just better deals at shaw’s. 10 for $10s, double coupons, in-ad coupons, sexy sexy catalinas… it’s all there. so yes, the prices are higher, but they give you the technology to make them lower- way lower. i seized that technology on sunday. view the evidentiary support below:

10 boxes of quaker granola bars for $1.50/box. $15- $6 worth of coupons, and an in-ad $5 off when you buy ten= 10 for $4, or $.40 a piece

4 boxes of kleenex at $1.89- $7.56. on sale for buy 2 get 2 for $3.78, and 2 $1/2 coupons= $1.78 for 4 boxes, or $.45 a piece.

2 boxes (well, 1 box and 1 bag) of ronzoni healthy harvest pasta @ 10 for $10= $2. $1/2 coupons= 2 boxes for $1 or $.50 each.

1 bag birds eye steamfresh lightly seasoned vegetables on sale for $2- $.50/1 coupon doubled= 1 bag for $1

2 hormel compleats @ $2/ea- $4 with one bogo coupon and 1 $.75/1 coupon doubled = 2 meals for $.50, or $.25/ea. *these are for the boyfriend, i think they’re gross.

1 balance bar on sale 10/$10= $1 w/ $.55 coupon doubled= somehow i made $.10 on this one.

2 4-packs of schick quattro disposables @ $5/ea- $10 minus 2 $3/1 coupons= $4 for 2 or $2 each.

1 lady speed stick deoderant @ $2 + $1.50/1 coupon= $.50

TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE FOR: 10 boxes chewy granola bars, 4 boxes of kleenex, 2 boxes of healthy harvest pasta, 2 hormel compleats, 1 bag steamfresh vegetables, 1 balance bar, 1 lady speed stick, & 2 4-packs for schick quattro disposable razors= $12.68, for $43.56 worth of groceries before coupons/deals.

now clearly, woman can not live on kleenex and granola bars alone. i also purchased the following (some on sale some not on sale) merchandise to fill out my menu this week:

3 boxes of zatarain’s rice, 1 can black beans, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 8 oz. container sour cream, one container cucumber/dill cottage cheese, one dozen cage-free eggs, 1 bag celery, 1 bag carrots, 1 box grape tomatoes, 1 green pepper, and one giant bag of baking potatoes.

total for all that jazz without deals or coupons*= $14.25.

total shopping bill for the week: $27.74 after tax. i know there are people out there who get more for less, but it’s important to me to buy food that i actually eat, and that are (save for the granola bars which are a once-daily treat), fairly nutritious. sure, i can get cans and cans of pillsbury cinnamon rolls for dirt cheap, but i can also get diabetes. not much of a trade.

*i made a deal seeking faux pas on the zatarain’s rice. it should have been 10 for $10, with a $1.25/3 coupon- making it $1.75 for 3 boxes… but sadly, i carelessly grabbed 2 flavors that were not part of the deal (read your shelf tags!!!), and 2 out of three rang up at $2.19. so for $1.38ish a box, i had to lump them in with the regular groceries. boo-urns.

Local-washing food and sportswriting

The Icepick — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:05:58 +0000

McDonald’s recently launched a local TV commercial around these parts (h/t All Over Albany). Y

Google's Dan Reicher to Visit Portland

iloveportlandmaine — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:12:48 +0000

Google and the clean energy ideas and technologies of tomorrow will be the key topic of the National Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) Annual Meeting on Wednesday, October 7, at Hannaford Hall on the University of Southern Maine Portland Campus.

Featured and keynote speaker, Dan Reicher, Director of Climate Change and Energy Initiatives at Google, will deliver his thoughts and Google’s strategy and vision on cleaner energy and how they predict it will create jobs, cut energy costs, and improve our well-being in many facets. Prior to his position with Google, Mr. Reicher was Assistant Secretary at the US Department of Energy, and is considered one of the leading clean energy experts.

The event will begin with a reception at 6:30pm followed by Mr. Reicher’s presentation at 7:30pm, which is free and open to the public. You may want to RSVP for the event, which can be done via the NRCM’s website – HERE

Shopping Trip: 9/15/09

Brittanie — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:18:26 +0000

I’m a day late posting this but here goes. Yesterday I went to Hannaford, Shaw’s, and CVS for groceries and free stuff. You may notice I have not been frequenting CVS as much as I used to. The deals are a little slow at the moment but I am keeping a small stash of ECBs that I have been rolling on good weeks. I am hoping to keep a good stash going into the holiday season when the deals get super hot!

Just a little side note I wanted to bring up: I do my basic grocery shopping at Hannaford. I look for sale items but I also buy my normal everyday items here as it is the cheapest ‘everyday’ price grocery store I have around. You may notice that I always buy an odd combo of items at Shaw’s. This is because their prices tend to be higher but their sales are way hotter than Hannaford’s. I don’t go to Shaw’s every week but when there are some good items on sale I make sure to allow time to stop there during my weekly trip.

Hannaford:

3 Glade 2 oz Soy Candles (I finally found them!): $2.99 ea. – (3) Free coupons = FREE

1/2 Gallon of Milk: $1.89

1 dozen large eggs: $1.49

6 ct hot dog rolls: $1.19

Horizon Little Blends Yogurt 4 pk: $3.19- $0.75/1 = $2.44

2 Kraft Velveeta Cups: $1.25 ea. – FREE coupon for 2 cups = FREE

Chicken Stock: $2.66

Marcal Small Steps Paper Towel Single Roll: $0.99 – Free coupon = FREE

1 cans of Pringles: $1.49 ea. – $1.00/2 coupon = $1.98/2

Yoplait FiberOne Yogurt 4 pk: $2.29 – $1.00 coupon = $1.29

1 lb package of bacon: $3.29

Jumbo Split Chix Breasts: on sale for $0.99/lb this week= $4.04

Large bunch of broccoli: $2.99

Head of Iceberg Lettuce: $1.49

8 oz pk of Mushrooms: $1.99

Frozen Large Shell on Shrimp: $5.99

Total: $33.23

Saved: $15.21

Shaw’s:

2 bunches of bananas: on sale for $0.38 this week= $1.78

Eat Smart Stirfry Veggies mix: $2.99

Eat Smart Broccoli/Cauliflower mix: $0.00, b1g1 offer this week

Tyson Grilled Chicken Strips: $4.99 – $1.00 coupon = $3.99

Perdue Whole Roasting Chicken: on sale for $0.89/lb = $5.61 (killer deal, the normal price on the one I bought was over $12.00!)

Eggo Cinnamon Toast Waffles (could not find these at Hannaford): $3.99

Quart of Chocolate Milk: $2.00

6 Yo Baby 3-in-1 meals: $1.00 ea – (2) B2G1 coupons = $4.00/6

Total: $24.36

Saved: $15.87

Total Spent on Groceries this week: $57.59 (under budget!)

Total Saved on Groceries this week: $31.08

CVS:

3 Reach Toothbrush Value Packs: $3.99 ea. – (2) $2.00 coupons

2 Glade 2 oz Soy candles: $3.29 – (2) FREE coupons

Jumbo pack of Pampers: $11.49

I used $16.99 in ecbs

I paid $1.97 (thanks to $1.50 in tax!)

I saved: $35.57 and earned $6.00 ecbs for purchasing the toothbrushes.

Shopping Trip: 9/7/09

Brittanie — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:57:15 +0000

Today I went to Hannaford and Walmart to do my weekly grocery shopping. I bought quite a few things this week, a lot more than usual, but I didn’t really go shopping last week. I only picked up a few things here and there and stayed WAYYY under budget. So I figured I could afford to spend a little extra this week. If you all didn’t know, my weekly goal is around $62.00 (I know, weird number, just how it worked out). Here is how I did:

Hannaford:

4 muffins: $0.99 ea. = $3.96

6 pk of Sub rolls: $3.29

1/2 pound of Turkey breast: $3.77 – $0.55 coupon = $3.22

Large Flour tortillas: $3.29

Ball of Pizza dough: $2.19

Ragu pizza sauce: $1.29

Yo Baby yogurt: $3.49

1 pound package of Bacon: $2.79

3 pears: $2.07

1 large head of broccoli (on sale for $0.99/lb this week!): $1.06

Head of Iceberg Lettuce: Marked down to $0.75 *

Bunch of Organice Bananas: Marked down to $0.90 *

Romaine lettuce 3 pk: $3.49

Total: $31.79

*I really enjoy shopping at this particular store due to the fact that they mark down a lot of produce. I can always find overripe bananas for baking.

Walmart:

Hot dog rolls 6 pk (Hannaford was wiped out!): $1.50

5 lb bag of flour: $1.74

2 cans of Pringles: $1.50 ea.= $3.00 – $1.00/2 coupon = $2.00

2 Ken’s Creamy Caesar Dressing: $1.78 ea. = $3.56 = $1.00/2 = $2.56

1/2 gallon of milk: $1.89

Ore Ida Fries: $2.88

32 oz block of Cheddar: $5.98

Quart of chocolate milk: $1.77

Bagel Bites: $2.98

Perdue short cuts: $3.98

2 pks Ball Park Franks: $2.50 ea. = $5.00 – $1.00/2 coupon = $4.00

Plain Bread crumbs: $1.18

3 YoBaby 3-in-1 meals: $1.00 ea = $3.00 – B2G1 coupon = $2.00

4 Mars Candy bars: $0.64 ea. (but somehow I goofed and grabbed a bigger bag of M&Ms that was $1.18) = $3.10 = FREE coupons ($0.64 off ea. even the big one, doh!) = $0.54 (for all 4 items)

Total: $35.00

Grand Total for the day: $36.79, just a bit over budget but not bad at all.

You may wonder why bother going to two places for groceries. Well, some items I like are not available at Walmart and I don’t like to buy produce there. But I do go there because milk and some other items are actually cheaper there. They are just a minutes drive of each other so I don’t mind stopping at both places, and lucky me, today the stores were dead!

Also, I am not a big processed foods- type of person, but my boyfriend, in some senses is. So of course, I buy them for him, to keep him happy and quiet. If I didn’t buy those types of items I could cut my bill down even more. Making your own items from ingredients rather than buying pre-made foods is much more cost effective.

What the heck is a 'SlimCado'??

Danielle — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:27:57 +0000

The other day, I was at the grocery store looking for good, fresh produce that wouldn’t go bad the next day (which seems to be the case around here, unless you’re really super careful). I’m sort of obsessed with avocados (well, that and bacon…duh) because they are so ridiculously delicious.

Then I saw it–a GIANT avocado. Was this my dream come true?

Or was to just too good to be true?

At Hannaford, they were advertised as Florida avocados that were “lighter” in flavor and a bit sweeter, too. Well butter my buns and call me a biscuit. I wanted a giant avocado. YUM. So I brought it home and waited a few days (and it still didn’t get exceptionally soft), and when I decided to use it, I saw the big sticker on it that said: “LITE! SlimCado.”

Uhhh….

So I Google searched the term, and came up with, like, no information on this giant smooth-skinned fruit. Well, except that apparently these Florida avos, which are not genetically modified, have like half the fat and 35 percent less calories than normal avocados in a serving. Well, after further investigation, I find out that if you compare whole fruit to whole fruit, it actually has the same, but since the volume with the Florida SlimCado is higher, it technically has less fat and calories, but has a more watered-down flavor.

I cut mine open to try it, and the meat was bright yellow, as opposed to creamy green.

Then I started trying to spoon it out for some guac, but it was too hard. I’m not sure if it was just underripe or is always hard. I couldn’t use it. But from what I could tell, it was also a little stringy the way that some squashes are, if that makes sense.

Anyway, so I’m still sort of confused about this so-called “SlimCado,” and I’m surprised by the lack of information on it. Hmm. Have you ever tried one? Or better yet, have you ever even heard of it?

In the mean time, I’ll stick to my tasty small ones…..

Local Food: Another Piece in the Sustainability Puzzle

mattcourtland — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:51:02 +0000

August is New Hampshire Eat Local Month and a great example of the growing push to reorganize our society and economy around environmentally sustainable and socially responsible practices. Eating local foods not only helps combat global warming by reducing the transportation required to get food to our tables, it provides a major boost to the Granite State economy. Increasing the production and consumption of locally grown food and moving away from super-sized supermarkets is an important step in creating a truly sustainable society.

The development of the modern day grocery store did not happen over night; however, more has changed in the way we grow and purchase food during the past 50 years than during any other time in human history. The current model favors rapidly produced items made from ingredients that are increasingly devoid of nutritional value. Food is a multi-billion dollar business in the US and much of what we find in our Hannaford, Shaw’s, and Market Basket stores comes from monstrous manufacturing facilities completely detached from the reality that their products are intended to nourish people.

Instead of providing healthy food choices at honest prices, most of the over 45,000 items found in a typical supermarket reflect the attitude of their makers. Primarily, that food is just another product to sell. Our consumer driven society has let them be successful in marketing this food because we like the promises of fat free ice cream and the sound of exotic spring water. When the marketing efforts are more important than product itself, we have a problem. The recently released movie Food, Inc. likens today’s food industry to the giant cigarette companies that once stood proud and tall as model corporate citizens. Both, it claims, mis-led the public about the effects of their products and both fought vigorously to continue their charade while the health of our country suffered. Phillip- Morris had to change its name, it now goes by Altria, and its strategy, such as focusing on reducing under age smoking, because of the dubious nature of its business. I wonder if Kraft, and its horrible products like lunchables which have 17 grams of fat and 1100 mg of sodium in a single serving, will one day be forced to do the same.

The wonderful truth about local food in New England is that it can supply most of what we want as consumers. Our farmers’ markets abound with fresh vegetables, ripe fruit, and many locally produced jams, breads, meats, and dairy products. The food tastes better because it was picked recently when it was ripe, not weeks beforehand and then shipped to us from 3000 miles away. Producing and consuming foods within a local geographical region is a model that thrived for several thousand years. It is time to focus on local food grown within a few hundred miles of our homes and businesses and restoring our communities to fully functioning organisms.

The transition to a new food economy is both incredibly simple and extraordinarily complex. What could be more natural than buying food from your local farmer, to say nothing of growing some yourself. California and Mexico provide examples of where the process becomes more difficult. The San Joaquin Valley produces more than ten percent of our county’s food. Turning off their pipeline of lettuce, raisins, beef, and asparagus may help the farmers in NH but many of those in CA would have to shift into new industries as their national markets are reduced by a growing demand for regional food.

Which brings me back to August being NH Eat Local Month. Initiatives like this start the discussion. Many of us have been speaking about the benefits of local food for years. The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program to which my family and I belong is an example of what happens when local food becomes important to many residents of the same locale. Together with about 30 other members, we pay the farmers at Brookford Farm in Rollingsford, NH for a share of their harvest. In return we recieve twenty pounds of fresh produce every week as well as milk, yogurt, eggs, a chicken, and some beef. What could be better? Fresh food from local people.

As we close in on 2010, I often find myself excited thinking about the changes taking place here in NH. The University Office of Sustainability (USO) at UNH is doing fantastic work with their Food & Society Initative, which promotes local agriculture and the concept of a Sustainable Food Community. The number of farmers’ markets across the state has risen from less than 20 to over 100 in the past decade. This equates to more local food available to more citizens and less manufactured food required by our population. As individuals, families, and businesses become increasingly involved, momentum is building and another piece in the sustainability puzzle is being put into place.

Hacker stole 130 Million credit card numbers

Neel Chauhan — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:59:18 +0000

Today, 28 year old American named Albert Gonzalez stole 130 million credit card numbers from computer systems of five US companies including Hannaford, 7-Eleven, and Heartland Payment Systems, which is a credit card processing company.
He also committed crimes earlier. In 2003, he was a leader of a 4000-person hacking ring and became a US secret service informant. Later in 2008, he also stole data from restaurant chains.

Miami Resident Sheds Light on Hannaford Credit Card Scandal

Andy Gilbert — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:12:45 +0000

For those who remember the Hannaford Hack in 2007 in which the supermarket chain of Hannaford Brothers was Trojan hacked for the compromise of a whopping “4.2 million in credit and debit car numbers,” do I have news for you.:It begins with a 28 year old, Albert Gonzalez, a Miami resident has been indicted for the crime of hacking in the Heartlands Payment Systems . But that’s not all, Gonzalez confesses not only were there two supposed Russians involed and a guy called “P.T.” (who has been indicted but not charged), but here’s the kicker: this wasn’t there first hit. Gonzalez confesses they hacked Seven-Eleven before and also, drum roll please, Hannaford Bros. in 2007. How’d they do it? Simple they created a virus and ran it through a lot of anti-viral software. Don’t you just love it when Dwarwinism and Hackers work together? I know I love it, like I love a hit from a sledgehammer. Anywho, thankfully I shop at Shaw’s. More info on eweek’s fresh article which covers all of this and a bag of chips, hopefully not purchased at Seven-Eleven or Hannaford’s.

Fruitkin' A-pricot, or, Juicy What I Saw?

DSL. — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 08:23:10 +0000

So I’m deep into the highlight of my week, which is, of course, browsing online the new flyer from the local Wells, Maine branch of Hannaford, my supermarket chain of record.

I see amid the produce on page 3 an arresting blood-red fruit hawked thus:

Try Something Unique
Raspberry Jewel Pluot

1.99 lb

Noted food writer David Rosengarten provides a 101 on this Californian cross of nature, not lab, between the plum and the apricot. Word to your food shopper throughout August: get them while they’re here – don’t wait another year:

Just a friendly reminder: OUT OF THE POOL, EVERYONE…..IT IS HIGH PLUOT SEASON.

Now, if you’re reading this in California, it probably comes as no news to you… because your markets and farmers’ stands are overflowing with scrumptious pluots (pronounced PLU-otts) just now. But if you’re reading this elsewhere in the U.S., chances are you’re saying… plu-WHAT?

Yes, if you’re non-left-coast….you need to get up to speed on one of the most seductive fruits ever developed. Since I got the religion, I actually wait all year long for pluot season…..with no less passion than I reserve for strawberries in June, corn in July, tomatoes in September, and Nantucket scallops in winter.

The pluot, quite simply, is a cross of the plum and the apricot: about 75% of the former and 25% of the latter. Fear not: there is no evil breeding going on here, no Manichean attempt to wreak havoc on the natural order, no genetic manipulation. The pluot belongs to a group known as interspecific fruits: natural crosses between different but related types of fruits, achieved in the orchard, not in the laboratory.

The work that yielded the pluot was done in California by Floyd Zaiger in the 1980s; by the early 1990s, orchards throughout California’s Central Valley–particularly in the San Joaquin Valley–had begun producing pluots, and sending them to market. Pluots could actually grow in almost all of the 50 states, but California remains, by a huge margin, the leading pluot producer. Given the late date of pluot’s birth, and the Cali-centric-ness of it all, there’s no need to feel embarrassed by being behind the pluot curve–but now that you’ve read about it, you’d be mad not to get on the bandwagon!

Why is this thing so good? The answer has nothing to do with apricots, and everything to do with plums. Apricots have less acid than plums–so the pluot blend has lower acid than plums, emphasizing the new fruit’s incredible sweetness. The apricot is lusher in texture than the plum, richer in mouthfeel–and that’s exactly what you get in the pluot as well. And, because the apricot has a gentler, less bitter skin–the pluot is also much more come-hither.

In short, the pluot tastes like some kind of phenomenal super-plum–the best of which are, without question, better than the best plums I’ve ever tasted. They’re bigger, heavier, more velvety, more of a presence; imagine the difference between a spatlese and a beerenauslese, and you’ve got it. And don’t try to find the flavor of apricot in a pluot; you must simply appreciate the subtle things that the apricot has devoted in service of the plum.

There are almost two dozen varieties of pluots that have been developed; less than half of that amount is in regular commercial production.The varieties can be surprisingly different from each other. Last week, I was privileged to receive five different pluots, each one peak-season, from a fabulous Fresno-based company called Bouquet of Fruits. The company began with the Paul family growing fruit over a hundred years ago, has morphed and modernized in many ways, and is currently a leader in the effort to develop ever-better fruits….many of which come from Kingsburg Orchards in Fresno County, under the supervision of breeder extraordinaire Mike Jackson.

Here’s what I tasted, in ascending order of delirium:

…Raspberry Jewel Pluot. Dark-plum-purple exterior. Wine-like ruby-red flesh inside. Drippingly juicy–and the drips are full-bore dark red! Meaty, tender and delightful, with an excellent plum flavor bordering on a red-wine flavor.

- David Rosengarten.

CLYNK for Crossroads!

crossroadsforwomen — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:25:57 +0000

Want to help raise some green for Crossroads for Women while also being green? CLYNK for Crossroads! Here’s how it works:

1. Pick up or request a special green CLYNK bag from Crossroads for Women.

2. Fill the bag with your empty bottles and cans.

3. Drop the bag off to your local Hannaford Supermarket at the CLYNK counter to be recycled. Find CLYNK locations

4. Repeat!

There’s no need to sort, count or even wait in line. Our special CLYNK bags have a bar code on them so that when you drop off your returnables to be recycled, Crossroads for Women will automatically receive the redemption money. Proceeds from the CLYNK returnables will go toward supporting women and their families to lead healthy lives free from alcohol and /or drug addiction.

To get bags for your family or workplace, email or call Shirley at 207.773.9931 or pick them up at our administrative offices at 66 Pearl Street, Suite 326, Portland, Maine.

Help spread the word by telling your friends and colleagues!

Share on Facebook

Find out more about CLYNK

technorati tags: CLYNK, Maine, Hannaford, Crossroads for Women

"Got Milk?" Campaign Takes on Portland!

iloveportlandmaine — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:51:26 +0000

From July 30 through August 2, the National “got milk?” Milk Mustache Mobile Drink Well Live Well Tour will land here in Portland, Maine, and host a number of free events to encourage residents to live well.

The great events are open to all ages with the opportunity to pose for a Milk Mustache photo like the many celebrities who have been featured in the popular advertisements. Further, there will be ice-cold milk and freshly made smoothies for all to enjoy.

The events will feature a “Wellness Oasis”, where attendees will be given tips on how to achieve wellness and balance in their lives, and have the opportunity to meet with a registered dietician for a health screening, or relax with a five-minute chair massage from a licensed massage therapist.

Below is a list of where you will find the “Got Milk?” Milk Mustache Mobile Drink Well Live Well Tour near you:

Thursday, July 30

Tommy’s Park -Exchange St. & Middle St., Portland, ME 04101

11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Saturday, August 1

Smiling Hill Farms, 781 County Rd., Westbrook, ME 04092

11 a.m. – 1p.m.

Saturday, August 1

Hannaford, 295 Forest Ave., Portland, ME 04101

5-7 p.m.

Sunday, August 2

Hannaford, 295 Forest Ave., Portland, ME 04101

5-7 p.m.

Thanks to the public relations agency Weber Shandwick for notifying us of the upcoming events to share with you.

Green makes (dollars and) sense

greenhomesamerica — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:56:58 +0000

I don’t usually dive into the commercial buildings world in this forum, but I think it’s relevant in this case. As reported by the AP, Hannaford, a Northeast supermarket has a new store in Augusta that has earned LEED Platinum certification. It’s loaded with good energy-efficient and renewable design features.

I can assure you that companies like Hannaford and Walmart are not looking at energy-efficiency for fun. They’re doing it because it makes financial sense. As quoted in the story, supermarket industry analyst David Livingston says, “They’re not only making it green for their customers, they’re making it green for their bank accounts.”

And from a comfort, safety, energy-efficiency, and bank account perspective, smart energy use makes sense in homes, too.

Thanks,
Mike

Screw The Blues, I Got A Cheap Date

Evan Thomas — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:26:46 +0000

These Blues:

Blueberries

These dates:

Medjool Dates

Shortly after blogging, my mom wanted to go to Hannaford to pick up something for dinner. I’m never one to pass up a grocery trip, so I tagged along. boy was I shocked to find these; it seems like the 1.50 dates I found in Maine last weekend followed me down. These things are 11 dollars a pound at Whole Foods and 5 at Market Basket. What a steal, right? I basically grabbed a bag and went to town. I thought I took an absurd amount but guess what: My huge haul was less than 2 dollars because they’re so cheap. I of course attacked the bulk bins for some dry roasted nuts to make Homemade Larabars.

Now, I don’t have a food processor, so I severely improvised using a hand chopper and making these one at a time. yes it was painful, but it was also very worth it. The ratio I used was 3 parts fruit to 1 part nut, which makes it more like a Nectar bar than a Larabar(which I prefer). However, mine were larger in size than the average Nectar bar and had a calorie count more similar to a Larabar.

The Set Up

Homemade PB&J Larabar

I got 14 out of my 1 1/4 pounds of dates(plus one failed attempt at a banana bread flavor). I made 5 PB & J, 5 Cinnamon Raisin, 1 Pistachio, and 3 Lemon Cashew. The PB & J had dates, craisins, peanuts and salt. The Cinnamon Raisin had dates, almonds, raisins, and cinnamon. The Pistachio had dates, lime juice, and pistachios. And the Lemon Cashew had dates, lemon juice, and cashews.

This was a ton of fun and delicious and cheap but I really don’t recommend doing this without a food processor and have no plans on doing it again until I get myself one.

After that it was time for a quick trip to the doctors. It had been 7 weeks since my check-up and he wanted to do a follow up on my weight.

Snacking In The Doctors Office

The good news: I’ve gained 6 pounds. The bad news: my doctor was incredibly unencouraging. He basically acted like I hadn’t gained anything, told me I should cut my running down, and repeatedly asked me annoying questions like “are you stressed out? skipping meals?” Honestly? Who the hell gains 6 pounds skipping meals. Anyway, I’m one of those people who thinks the best way to get negative feelings out is to write a letter, so here’s my frustration put into organized and eloquent thought:

Dear Dr. Who

Our last meeting left me more discouraged than I think I have right to be; I feel as though you were unfairly discouraging in my progress so far. Over the past 7 weeks(the time since our last appointment), I’ve accomplished several things. First and foremost, I’ve been able to enjoy my summer with friends and family and live life to the fullest; this I prize more than anything considering it is the last Summer I will be home before going off to college. Secondly, I have become a stronger person. I have never felt more energized, and I’ve become a better and faster athlete. Last, but certainly not least, I have managed to increase my weight 6 pounds. This is one accomplishment I am very proud of as it has not been easy to take-in such an excess of calories each and every day but something that I’ve taken very seriously and am reaping the benefits of. Along with the weight-gaining, I’ve learned a lot about nutrition, world cuisine, cooking techniques, and other points of information I can take and apply into the real world. I can now make anything from spicy thai noodles to bagels to a myriad of other dishes. Like I said, I myself am proud of all that I’ve just mentioned in this letter, and found your lack of enthusiasm rather discouraging. If I misread our meeting at all, please do reply with anything you have to say. Thank you.

*Sigh of relief* Much better. Should I actually bother to send that? I feel like it could be taken as a long, eloquent “F-U”. What do you think?

Well, skipping dinner and moving onto dessert, I had picked up this little guy at the store and wanted to give it a try:

Stonyfield Strawberries & Cream Cream Top Yogurt

I’m one of those people who would rather have a fine yogurt or pudding than a bowl of ice cream(weird, I know). I was excited to try a cream top yogurt to see if it made it taste any more luxurious. This, however, was quite a disappointment. First off, I’m not a fan of Stonyfield’s fruit on the bottom variety; I never feel as though the flavoring is at all fruity. And when I did stir it up, I noticed something odd in my strawberries: a blueberry! No, it was not one of the ones I picked(I would never have picked such a small blueberry). Well I emailed the folks at Stonyfield about that and they were nice enough to say they’re sending replacement coupons(Ok, I really didn’t need to get replacement coupons just because I found a silly blueberry in my yogurt. I guess they’re just really nice people over there at Stonyfield). And the thinness of the yogurt is really what killed it for me. Apparently, I’m a Greek boy thick and through–for yogurt at least. Oh well, I’m glad I gave the cream top a try but probably won’t be rushing back to grab another.

Anyway, that was my yesterday. Today has been super super busy and this blog entry has taken me over 2 hours. I’ve been running around like a nut and am starving(does anybody else find when they get caught up in work the first thing to shove aside is eating/nutrition?). I did a quick 6.7 after sleeping in and enjoyed the ultimate comfort food:

Fluffernutter Oatmeal, Blueberry Parfait

Love them fluffernutter oats. Anyway, now I need to make lunch and then get back to the to-do list, which includes a lot of blueberry baking. When will I have time to read any of your blogs? Aghh. Anyway, bye.

Shopping Trip: 8/25/09

Brittanie — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:50:42 +0000

I finally got around to going grocery shopping today after putting it off for two days. I went to Walmart, Hannaford, and Shaw’s.
Here is what my original list consisted of:
Hannaford:
Bananas (small bunch)
Pringles
La Brea Bakery Bread or Rolls
Parmesan Cheese
Corn on the cob
Hot dog rolls
Bagel Bites
Shaw’s:
Butter: $1.66 ea. (limit 4)
Cantaloupe: $0.99
Thick Cut Boneless Center Cut pork chops: $1.79/lb
Bounty Basic Paper towels 8 pk: $4.99 – $1.00/2 Shaw’s Q – $1.00 manu Q
Tony’s Single Serve Pizzas: $1.00 ea.
Walmart:
Orange Juice
Milk
Eggs
Chocolate Milk

Here is what I ended up buying:

Hannaford:
Bagel Bites: $3.89
La Brea Bakery French Dinner Rolls: $3.99 – $0.55/1 coupon= $3.44
Hannaford Grated Parmesan Cheese: $2.99
Hannaford Hot Dog Roll 6 pk: $1.19 (sad to see they are no longer $0.99)
Horizons Little Blends Yogurt: $3.19
Kellogg’s Jumbo Krispies: $3.49 – FREE coupon from VocalPoint= $0.00
2 Cans Pringles Original: $1.49 ea – $1.00/2 coupon = $1.98/2
YoBaby Yogurt: $3.49
Hannaford Bacon: $2.39 (hiding behind the rolls in the picture, oops!)
Boneless Country Style Pork Ribs Family Pack: $7.44 – $2.00 meat markdown coupon= $5.44 (we will eat some this week and then portion out the rest and freeze for a few more meals)Assorted Pork Chops Family Pack: $8.32 – $2.00 meat markdown coupon= $6.32 (again, we will eat some this week and then portion the rest out and freeze)Small bunch of bananas: $0.77
2 ears of corn: $0.98
Total: $36.07 and I saved $9.04

Shaw’s:
Broccoli: $0.96
Cantaloupe: $0.99
Starbucks Java Chip ice cream: $3.00 – FREE coupon from Facebook App= $0.00
4 Shaw’s Butter: $1.66 ea.
2 Reese’s 8 ct snack pack: $1.25 – $0.55/1 coupon (from this past weekend’s paper) doubled= $0.15 ea! (just a little splurge!)
(If you notice, I did not buy the Boneless Pork I had planned on since I found a great deal on bone-in chops at Hannaford and I prefer them)
Total: $8.89 and I saved $10.58

Walmart:
Orange Juice: $2.58
Dozed eggs: $1.12
Chocolate Milk: $1.79
Milk: $1.87
Total: $7.36

Total grocery bill for the week:$52.32
I am aiming to keep my food budget at about $60-$62 a week so I think I did great, especially since I bought a few things that weren’t on my list

I also bought some non-food items because these deals were just too good to pass up!

Shaw’s:
2 Bounty Basic 8 pks: on sale for $4.99 ea, usually $7.29 ea! – $1.00/2 Shaw’s Q – (2) $1.00/1 Manu Qs= $6.98/ 2 pks which comes out to only about $0.44 a roll! (BTW, I aim for $0.40-$0.50 a roll so this was on point)
Arm & Hammer 2x Clean Burst 44 loads: on sale for $2.99, usually $6.99! I didn’t know these were on sale until I walked down the laundry aisle and I am so glad I stopped. These were the same price as the smaller bottles that are usually $4.99 so this was a great deal, no coupon needed!

Walmart:
6 packages of Pull ups Flushable Wipes: $1.64 ea – (3) $3.00/2 coupons = $0.14 ea! These are a hot seller right now with that coupon. If you can get your hands on a few of the coupons (good luck with that) I suggest stocking up. Honestly, you can never have tooo many wipes if you have kids.3 packages Reach Floss: $1.00 ea- (3) $1.000/1 coupons = FREE!

I think I did pretty darn good this week. How did you do on your weekly shopping trip. Leave me a comment and let me know how well you stuck to your budget this week!