French Vanilla Iced Coffee

This morning I saw a news report that really alarmed me.

Restaurant Lemons Tested Positive for Fecal Matter and E-Coli
‘GMA’ Uncovered Germy Garnishes at Some Large Restaurant Chains
By ELISABETH LEAMY and VANESSA WEBER
June 12, 2008

It may be tempting to take a twist of lemon along with a refreshing summer drink. But beware because that splash of citrus could have bacteria that may make you sick.

Lab tests reveal citrus slices contaminated with bacteria at some restaurants.

“Good Morning America” tested lemon wedges from six popular family restaurants and what they found was more frightening than refreshing. At four restaurants, “GMA” found the lemons were contaminated with fecal matter, including one sample that contaminated with E. coli.

To put the lemons to the “GMA” test, we visited three sets of chain restaurants: Applebee’s, TGI Fridays, and Chili’s. All six of the causal dining restaurants were in New Jersey.

After swabbing each lemon we were served, the samples were sent to a microbiology lab at New York University’s Medical Center.

We found yeast and harmless bacteria that are commonly found on fruits and in our environment. But four of the samples were contaminated with dangerous bacteria.

“A small risk, but a risk nevertheless by ingesting byproducts of these lemons,” Philip Tierno, director of the clinical microbiology at NYU.

The fecal matter was found at both of the Applebee’s and TGI Friday’s restaurants. The E. coli was found at the Applebee’s in Clifton, N.J. At Chili’s, we found no evidence of fecal matter or E. coli at either restaurant.

But that’s not all. At half of the restaurants we caught workers grabbing lemons with their bare hands. New Jersey’s health code insists that workers wear gloves or use tongs.

“I see that people have no concern of where they put their fingers,” said Tierno. “They’ll take things with their bare hands rather than gloving up and distributing the food stuff as they should.”

Restaurants Respond

Representatives from TGI Fridays and Applebee’s tell “GMA” they take health and safety very seriously.

TGI Fridays told “GMA” in a statement: “As we do with all matters of safety and health in our restaurants, we took this very seriously. We immediately stopped utilizing lemons at all of our restaurants until we could investigate this matter further and review our procedures to ensure this was an isolated issue.

“We’ve taken quick, thorough and appropriate measures to rectify this situation. We have very high health and safety standards, including extensive food safety training for all team members. The health and safety of our guests and team members is our top priority.”

And Applebee’s said in a statement: “Applebee’s takes these findings very seriously as the health and safety of our guests are top priorities. We believe these are isolated incidents and not reflective across the system in our company or franchise restaurants. Nonetheless we have reinforced our processes for produce washing, washing of all our cooking utensils and silverware and employee hygiene in all our restaurants.”

Not the First Time

In a study released last year, Anne LaGrange Loving, a New Jersey microbiologist, tested lemons at 21 restaurants. She found disease-causing bacteria on two-thirds of all lemons, including fecal bacteria.

People need to be aware of the kind of bacteria on lemons, Loving said in a HealthInspections.com report.

“It was like they had dipped it in raw meat or something,” Loving, a science professor at Passaic County Community College said. “It was gross.”

What You Can Do

The best advice is to squeeze the lemon juice into your drink and put the whole lemon aside, instead of putting the lemon in your drink.

Experts told “GMA” that a lemon’s acidity will not kill bacteria. Hard alcoholic drinks, like a martini, can kill bacteria, but beer’s lower alcohol content will not.

In New York, employees at Peter’s restaurant cut lemons with gloves and distribute the wedges with little spears, mindful of all that workers can come in contact with during a shift, including handling filthy money.

Looking for safety protocols like those may be the best practice the next time you order a lemon with your favorite drink.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Consumer/story?id=5048483&page=1

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The other day I went to a grocery store to stock up on hamburger. They had a sale on 93% lean hamburger, which is the only one I’ll eat. $2.69 a pound, and I generally pay twice that amount. Sl, I was all ready to stock up.

In the meat case they had packages with 2 patties each, and they weighed a pound. They had packages with 3 patties each, and they weight 1.5 pounds. It’s not rocket science to know that each patty was approximately 8 ounces, or half a pound.

Right?

So, I asked someone in the meat department — a middle-aged man — if I could have some made up at 5/6 ounces each. I was told no. I pointed to the sign that said they would be glad to help the customers with special requests, but he went in back and the meat manager yelled at him that they didn’t have time.

I asked what other size they came in, and this guy told me the 4 ounce package that was on the shelf. I told him they weren’t 4 ounces and he insisted they were. I told him there were 2 in a package and it weighed a pound, and he said, “see? 4 ounces each.”

I told him there were 2 patties at a pound, making them 8 ounces each, and after a bit of chat he said, “well, I flunked math in school.”

No, really?

I’m told to shop around for a bit as it will take them a while to make up 5 pounds of 4 ounce patties. (I watched another kid come out of the back, grab the 8 ounce patty packages, and take them in back, obviously they were just reissuing them).

When I came back, they looked so good I asked for more. This confused the kid totally. I said, “93 lean , 4 ounce patties.” He asked how many pounds, and I told him 3 pounds. He then says, “ok, 4 packages.”

At this point I was scratching my head and wondering why people in this particular town and this particular store (out of town, not local) hired people to work in the meat department, where ounces and pounds and addition/subtraction is needed.

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Sometimes I wonder about the media and what they do. When actor Heath Ledger died, they milked everything they could out of it. I liked Heath Ledger, and only saw him in one movie, Brokeback Mountain, but he nailed that character perfectly and really impessed me.

The day he died the media was in a frenzy, camped out at his apartment, even reporting inaccuracies in their rush to be the first to report something. The cameras trained on people as they walked by, gauging their grief, was nuts.

I thought it was horrible for everyone to be speculating on what happened, the hows and whys and whos about it.

They then followed his ex-fiance and mother of his child, Michelle Williams, to train the camera on her face and gauge her facial expressions as she walked. Sheesh, let her grieve in peace.

His parents found out he died when they heard it on the radio. I don’t blame the media for that, I blame the police department for not notifying the family immediately.

I felt bad for people who had a microphone shoved into their face while a reporter asked how they felt that he died.

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Did you have a paper route when you were a kid? I did. Got it when I was 14 I believe and had it until I was 16. Back then, papers were delivered after school, and were a way to teach responsibility. Kids would learn about delivering on time, collecting money, dealing with the public.

In our area, the papers would be dropped off around 4 pm and most kids had 35-50 papers to deliver. We’d get our bundle, count them, and then put them in our bags or a shopping cart we ‘borrowed’ from a supermarket, and off we went. We’d be sure to put the paper in the door and shut the door if it was raining or snowing. We’d fold the paper into thirds to fit it into mailboxes.

I had a helper for the heavier paper days, until she began stealing money from me by collecting and then claiming the customer didn’t have money for a tip and I’d get it next week — pocketing the quarter each time.

If we ran out of papers, since my house was the last on the route, I’d either call the office and ask for another paper, or run to the store and drop a quarter and buy one. Each week I’d collect from each customer and then on Saturday would go to the bank and buy a money order to pay for my papers. We weren’t allowed to pay by a check from our parents, just a money order, but back then the convenience stores didn’t sell money orders, and the bank gave them for free. Really really, to quote Shrek.

Seque to 2007. I pay for my newspaper ever year by check to the newspaper office, adding in a tip. I never see my paper delivery person, but know I have had many. They get their papers around 5 AM and that means at 6 am I hear their car pull up, door slam, heavy footsteps on my stairs …… or they throw the paper with a loud thud. I’ve had carrier who are old enough to be my grandfather.

Yesterday my newspaper had a poorly typewritten sheet of paper by my new carrier, apparently. He said that if the paper is not there, to call him and not the newspaper office, as they charge him $1 or $2 for each missing paper. WOW. What happened to the office calling the carrier to report the missing paper?

Also, in bad weather, the paper is delivered in a plastic bag. I toss mine. However, my carrier asks me to now save it as he has to pay for it. Not only that, when the paper comes in a rubber band, I’m now asked to save those, too, as he has to pay for them.

So, now I’m supposed to remember to save my plastic bags and rubber bands and leave them for some anonymous person who slams my door shut on Sunday mornings when I want to sleep late?

Things have certainly changed. Now carriers drive cars to deliver the paper, and at $3 a gallon, they must not be making much at the end of the week. I give credit to older men who are trying to pay the bills and are taking on an extra job, but think it’s wrong of the newspaper office to charge them a buck or two if my newspaper is missing.

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Have you noticed that coupon clipping isn’t quite the same? I admit I don’t bother with coupons anymore, but used to do it quite frequently. Now you’ll notice that coupons say “buy 3, save 50 cents” or “buy 6 and save $1.00″. Years ago it was buy 1, save money! All of a sudden now coupons are for multiple items, have you noticed that?

And, what’s with the “DO NOT DOUBLE” on coupons issued by the manufacturer? The store pays the extra cost, not the manufacturer, so why do they care and disallow the store from paying double on a coupon???

Today I saw a coupon for bags of walnuts, the brand I use. Generally they are $6.99 at my local supermarket but if I go to Target, they are $4.75. Obviously I buy them when I am at Target. The coupon? Buy 3 bags and save $1.00. Uhm, I don’t think so … 3 lbs. of walnuts is waaaaaaaaaaay too many to buy. Plus, it’s just a buck. 33 cents a bag.

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Apparently the rules have changed. Or, maybe I’m just a throwback to the 50’s. What I’m learning is that when people “date” these days, it simply means they are friends. People who are dating are allowed to answer other personal ads, date other people, and have sex with whomever they want. From what I’m learning, until you sit down and have a talk and agree to be exclusive to each other, anything goes.

Now for me, that’s garbage. To me, if you are dating, you are getting to know someone, and you should have that person as you central focus. If you’re still perusing personal ads, then you’re looking for someone else or someone better, and that isn’t fair to the person you are dating. Friends can go out as friends but not hug or kiss at the end of the night, as people who date do.

Me, I went to be wooed. I want someone who wants me and me only and devotes their attention to me solely. I won’t be looking at other men or wanting to meet other guys so why should you be able to do so?

I think I’m just too old-fashioned to be dating in this century as I have such outdates ideas and ideals of what dating entails.

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I think if you did, you’d never eat at a restaurant again!

I went to a local steakhouse to buy some salad dressing. Sound odd? Well, I don’t like the bottled dressings you get at the grocery store and the homemade never comes out quite right. I ate at this particular steakhouse once and their Italian salad dressing was really good, and they told me it was homemade. I took some home and now I buy it all the time. It’s much more expensive than store bought but well worth the extra cost.

So, I have to wait a while as they package it up for me, so I view the open kitchen. First a chef took a steak out of a refrigerator, then sprinkled it HEAVILY with whatever type of seasoning they use on their steaks, but one would assume it contained a healthy dose of sodium. Then he salted the other side … and then took a brush full of oil, brushed it on the grill, and slapped on the steak. Over the next few minutes he poked and prodded the piece of meat rather than just letting it cook.

He turned it several times, then put it on the open flame grill. He moved it around a bit, poked it with a fork (NEVER DO THAT TO MEAT!) and then finally put it on a plate.

So, you have a greasy salty heavily seasoned piece of steak that should have been unmolested, but instead was ruined.

Then I watched them making rolls, putting the dough into a massive mixer, then kneading the dough. A pan came out of a proofer and were brushed with oil/butter and put into the oven. A pan was removed from the oven and again, painted with oil/butter.

I would say that meal, sans veggie, has more fat in one meal than I eat in several days!

I C K!!!

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Today, when at the grocery store, I saw a display of 16 ounce bottles of Pepsi. They were being sold individually, so I went up closer to check them out. These were not regular bottles of Pepsi, though. Oh, no, this was Pepsi Jazz, and diet Pepsi Jazz at that.

I guess they thought they had to “jazz up” the taste of Pepsi. So, I bought a bottle of Diet Pepsi Jazz Black Cherry French Vanilla, Diet Pepsi Jazz Strawberries & Cream and Diet Pepsi Jazz Caramel Creme.

The caramel cream was my least favorite, as it didn’t have a strong taste of caramel or cream. The black cherry French vanilla was too busy for me, but the strawberries and cream was really good. There was a slight taste of strawberry without overpowering the taste of Pepsi.

I found out there are many, many, MANY other flavors of regular and diet Pepsi. There is: Pepsi Lime, Diet Pepsi Lime, Pepsi Twist
Diet Pepsi Twist, Wild Cherry Pepsi, Pepsi Vanilla, Diet Pepsi Vanilla and Pepsi One.

When I was a kid, we had Coke, Pepsi and RC Cola. If you wanted diet soda, you had Tab or Fresca. That was it. Then along came Diet Rite Cola. Life was simple. You wanted a drink, you drank a little soda and they all seemingly tasted the same. Then the cola wars started.

If you were sick, you were given ginger ale. Plain old ginger ale. Have you shopped for it lately? Raspberry flavored, grape flavored, orange flavored and cranberry flavored ginger ale.

Why do we have to continually flavor things? Wasn’t life simpler when things were just, well, plain?

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Yes, it’s a scam - they charge us for things we don’t get, and we let them get away with it.

You go to a restaurant and order a chicken sandwich, and it comes with bacon and cheese. So, you say no cheese — do they give you any money off for not having cheese? If it came without cheese and I asked for it, you know they’d charge me.

Ever order a burger with extra tomato and they charge you half a buck? So why don’t they take off money if you ask for your sandwich with no tomato?

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So, this morning I’m watching one of the morning talk shows and my local news station interrupts with a breaking news story.

To paraphrase: “There has been a shooting in the parking lot at the Barnstable Courthouse. That’s all the details we have and we’ll bring you more news as we find it out.”

Uh, excuse me?? WHY? You gave NO information. If I had a relative working in the courthouse, or someone who was driving by that area, etc., I’m be a nervous wreck at that point.

They interrupt to give you a half-assed news story lacking any depth, so they can say, “we brought it to you first.” Hoo ha. Yippee.

They did it weeks ago when they interrupted to say there had been a shooting at a school, but had no more details. If I were a parent in that school district, a relative of a teachers, etc, I’d have been going bonkers.

Must the media ignore human emotions for ratings? What happened to what I learned about journalism in school — WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN AND WHY.

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