Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Catering to Mother Earth.

Part of our responsibilities to each other involve our responsibilities to the world around us. In recognizing the little things that we do, we can have a large impact. Here are a few ideas that can change the landscape...literally:

Buy and use (and reuse) canvas shopping bags.


Give your thermostat a break. Set the temperature to 18 in the winter and 25 in the summer when you’re not around.

Disconnect chargers and small appliances when they’re not in use – they’re still using energy.

Shop at local farmers’ markets and support your community.

Shop at vintage stores and charity shops for decor, table settings, etc. You’ll be reusing and have a great conversation starter when company arrives.

Switch to energy-saving fluorescent bulbs and low-flow shower heads.

Pick products with less packaging.

Choose natural cleaners and avoid chemical pesticides.

Plant native shrubs and flowers, because the right plants make any green space a wildlife habitat.

…and of course buy more catering: it will save you time, electricity, water and gas!

Monday, April 5, 2010

A Saucy Secret.

Did You Know?


Henderson William Brand had a tough audience. As chef to England’s King George IV in 1824, Brand was constantly striving to please the royal palate with new concoctions, and one day he served the king a new sauce he had developed for use on steak. The King was so pleased with Brand’s invention that be bestowed the accolade “A 1,” meaning “the very best,” on the sauce. When Brand left the king’s service a few years later, he took both the recipe for the sauce and the King’s name for it with him and began to market the sauce and other recipes as Brand & Co.

Unfortunately, Brand proved a better cook than a businessman, and Brand & Co. went bankrupt, leaving Brand no recourse but to sell the business to his friend W.H. Withall. In 1862, Withall entered the sauce in the International Exposition in London, where it again earned the rating of A1.

Now owned by Intercorp Excelle Inc. A.1. is touted as being excellent on fish, poultry, and vegetables as well as steak, but the recipe remains closely guarded secret. For these and other “saucy secrets” visit www.otm.ca and keep in mind: BBQ Season is upon us. Let us make your day “A1”.