Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - andiesenji

Pages: 1 2 [3] 4 5 ... 103
31
Chit Chat / Re: Costco Information
« on: April 14, 2013, 09:28:10 pm »
I was once waiting at the lift at costco with a guy who had a trolley full of bags of flour. Turns out he owns a restaurant, and it's cheaper for him to get flour from Costco rather than his suppliers.

Almost all of the small cafés and restaurants in my area buy foods at Costco - those with a commercial account get in a couple of hours earlier than regular members.  They can get in and out faster without all the consumer folks wandering around. 
There are several people who sell clothing at a local swap meet every weekend and buy at Costco and sell at a very small markup but have a rapid turnover - they don't do enough business to get significant discounts from regular distributors. 


32
Chit Chat / Re: Costco Information
« on: April 10, 2013, 07:58:41 pm »
There are five women here in Lancaster who do the extreme coupon thing.  There are many people who donate coupons to them as they are not buying for themselves but for the local food bank because donations have gone down so much since the depression hit in 2009.
They go once a month, armed with hundreds of coupons, many printed in the Sunday newspapers but also many that are available online to be printed by the customer.

Two of them have been on TV demonstrating how they do it.  Three of them have small children and don't work but two are single, working ladies who believe strongly in making sure that hungry families get enough to eat.  They are like the crusaders of long ago, just not doing it for religious reasons - in fact, one is a Wicca.

I save the weekly coupon booklets that come in the mail (RedPlum) for them.  Their top record was buying  $1350.00 worth of groceries, household cleaners, toilet tissue & etc., with a total cash outlay of less than $20.00.
They used regular "cents-off" coupons, shopped at a supermarket that offers "double coupon savings" on a certain day and used free offers and cash rebates mailed to them from earlier purchases (also at discounts).
This does take a lot of time and effort and there are very few people who are willing (or able) to do it but I approve when it is done for charity as they do it.
I don't approve of it when it is done by hoarders - and we had one in my neighborhood who started doing this when it was first publicized some fifteen-twenty years ago.  The problem was she kept buying and buying and didn't want to use up any of the stuff she had bought.

33
Chit Chat / Re: Costco Information
« on: April 10, 2013, 01:48:42 am »
One of the reasons I prefer to shop at Costco is political.

While Walmart here pays their employees poorly, usually only MINIMUM WAGE and because many are only part time jobs so they don't have to add benefits, such as insurance, etc., many Walmart employees have to depend on food stamps, etc., which puts much of the burden on taxpayers.
Walmart employees do not get company discounts for any goods or foods. 

On the other hand, Costco starting wages are DOUBLE the minimum wage with benefits, full time employment and company discounts for employees.

I have found significant savings, that more than make it worth my while to shop there. 

34
Chit Chat / Costco Information
« on: April 09, 2013, 08:58:23 pm »
I posted about Costco savings  in the Shopping thread but thought people who don't look at that thread might be interested in my experience.

I'm sure the coupons are available wherever Costco has stores - I know they do in the UK because on another forum people post about super good deals.  This is the UK website.

I live alone but do entertain from time to time and I have "shopping buddies" with whom I share items that are a significant savings at Costco.
Many items are sold in very large amounts - meats, frozen bulk foods, etc., but I have a vacuum sealer and my friends and I have a routine where we divide meats, frozen chicken, frozen fruits (that come in huge bags), into smaller portions, vacuum seal them and weigh them and they pay me for the portions they take.

This is the mailer I got a few days ago, the cover and a random grocery page.



35
Chit Chat / Re: THE SHOPPING THREAD :-)
« on: April 07, 2013, 07:19:11 pm »
The only thing wrong with Costco is you have to pay bout $60 a year joining fee and unless you can get there often i don't think it is worth it.

If you need one of their bigger items you can save as much on one visit as the yearly membership fee.  When you join for the first time, you will get a booklet with coupons which will give you significant savings on several items and also some free items - things that are really a good deal. 
Not long ago I took a neighbor along who wanted to join and the free items were 1 rotisserie chicken (fully cooked, usually 6.99), a "fresh salad greens package- large," a large pie, two loaves of bread, plus a $5. coupon for a fresh meat item and a $3.00 coupon for a cheese item. 
The monthly Costco Messenger that comes in the mail has plenty of coupons and you can plan your shopping ahead of time to take advantage of them.  Also, with all the SAMPLES OF FOODS, you and a friend or family can take part in the very popular "Costco Grazing lunch" which is so popular here in the States and which has been written about at length...  This is one I bookmarked a while back because it is cute.

One of my friends has estimated that by taking her teenage twin sons along on her weekly jaunts to Costco she has saved more than enough to cover her annual membership as they eat enough of the samples that they don't demand to be fed at the food court on the way out of the store...  OR demanding that she stop at a fast-food place on the way home. 
She has also told me that the boys sampled and liked foods that they would never have eaten at home - Several years ago when they were in the finicky stage where NO new to them food would be considered, she took the along and she recalls that on one trip they tried battered and deep fried artichoke hearts (fully cooked and microwaveable) at Costco  and LOVED them.  They also learned to eat some "exotic" cheeses, that would have been refused if she just bought a chunk and tried to serve it to them at home. 

36
Chit Chat / Re: THE SHOPPING THREAD :-)
« on: April 03, 2013, 05:18:13 am »
and the other one you wanted CC from JulieO

Andi, I'm looking into the De Buyer Professional mandolin at the moment.  Have read so many good reviews.  The pusher looks a lot more 'safe' than the Borner V-slicer I use at the moment, though I think buying a mesh glove might be a good idea too.  
The optional long pusher looks like a good idea for carrot sticks etc.  

GF, it's all in the googling method  ;)  CC is usually pretty good at it herself.

I use the long pusher for cucumbers, for large zucchini and especially for eggplant because I make long thin slices to roll around various stuffings.   I don't think I have ever sliced carrots using it. 

I used a Bron professional for forty-some years but was having shoulder problems and the way the Bron is situated, I had to use too much shoulder movement.  I love the de Buyer - and it can be used by lefties easily too because it tilts on either side. 
I recently made a large batch of onion confit or caramelized onions and sliced 8 pounds of onions with no problems.

I also use it for slicing the ginger I use when I make large batches of the crystallized/candied ginger but don't need the long pusher for that.

37
Chit Chat / Something just for Maddy!
« on: March 25, 2013, 11:30:36 pm »
I got this in an email today and immediately thought of Maddy...

Quilted cookies.

38
Spice Mixes / Re: Vanilla Extract - from Shayla
« on: March 23, 2013, 10:10:12 pm »
Looking at that link Andie, I see the vanilla paste is 1 qt for $24.95.  Am I right in thinking a quart is 4 cups  :o  That seems far too cheap for vanilla paste.

Yes,  a quart is 4 cups but the shelf life after opening is  limited - this size is for commercial buyers that will use it up within six months or so. 

My friend, who owns a bakery, only buys the 16 ounce (2 cups) size as it takes him about six months to use that much. 

39
Spice Mixes / Re: Vanilla Extract - from Shayla
« on: March 23, 2013, 06:31:22 am »
Andie - great to speak to you again.  OK, I haven't actually ordered any vanilla yet so will have a look at your recommendation.  What are your thoughts on the advantages / disadvantages of using Grada A beans as opposed to Grade B?

Frankly I haven't noted much difference.  The "Chef Quality" beans work great for extract and for regular use in custards, ice cream, etc.

The only type I don't buy is the Tahitian because it is too "flowery" more like perfume than the pure vanilla I like.

40
Spice Mixes / Re: Vanilla Extract - from Shayla
« on: March 19, 2013, 03:41:56 am »
Cripes, I don't think I'll be making quite that much extract!

If anyone else is looking, the two American suppliers I came across are:

Beanilla and Mountain Rose Herbs

... however, I haven't been in touch with either yet so don't know if they have a minimum quantity.

Unless you are going to be ordering in bulk, the best vanilla in 1/2 pound batches (Chef Quality)  is Vanilla, Saffron Imports
The quality is excellent.

41
Chit Chat / Re: THE SHOPPING THREAD :-)
« on: March 08, 2013, 06:21:41 am »
Jadey, I too am a gadgeteer and have collected some really odd ones.  People send me things as well. 

42
Rules and Instructions Of Use / Re: Inserting a hyperlink.
« on: March 02, 2013, 09:21:19 pm »
I posted this some time back.  I had to take a screen shot of instructions and post that.

I sent the instructions.  I am going to try again to paste it into this message and see if it will copy correctly pasted as a quotation.


No good, it keeps knocking out the bracketed bits.

I've taken a screen shot, uploaded it to Photo Bucket and inserted it here:



Looks good, so far.

43
Chit Chat / Re: A choc cake with pink piggies.
« on: February 22, 2013, 07:27:51 am »
I'm glad everyone has enjoyed the piggy cake picture.

I have found another, with a recipe, and directions.

A friend sent me a note on facebook to say that the original  was apparently  posted on a German FB page and the top is supposed to be Nutella  which is more "mud-colored" than chocolate.
However that depends on where you live.  In Georgia the mud is red while in Wisconsin it is almost black.  

Also, apparently piggy cakes are very popular.  Here is a link to many pig-themed cakes.

44
Chit Chat / Re: A choc cake with pink piggies.
« on: February 21, 2013, 02:10:16 am »
I don't know how the piggies are made.  I have been searching for a web site for the cake but so far no luck. 

45
Chit Chat / A choc cake with pink piggies.
« on: February 21, 2013, 01:40:35 am »
I'm posting this link for the folks who like new ideas for  decorating cakes.

I think this one is just adorable and I am so sorry that I can't eat chocolate.

Piggies in a mud bath cake.

I think the sides of the "pool" are Kit-Kat bars or something similar. 

Pages: 1 2 [3] 4 5 ... 103