Thu 24 Apr 2008
Burlesque babe Dita von Teese is now the face of Cointreau, and she has her own signature drink:
“Cointreau Teese
1 ½ oz. Cointreau
¾ oz. apple juice
½ oz. Monin violet syrup
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
Shake and strain into a martini glass with a ginger-frosted rim; garnish with a violet. Bottoms up. ”
For those unfamiliar with it, yes, there apparently IS violet syrup, such as this one from Monin:
Mon 16 Apr 2007
Literally. TrendHunter reports the luxury carmaker is cranking out a limited edition of 1,000 of these bad boys:
Rendered in stainless steel and selling for about $1750 US, and Lamborghini-brand coffee available but apparently not included, you could definitely crank out some red-line espresso with this unit. Buy it at Lamborghini’s website.
Mon 2 Apr 2007
A nice indulgence or over-the-top advertising? If you find a sticker on your newspaper, you decide. New York Times reports:
Guests at Omni luxury hotels will find small scented stickers on the front pages of their free copies of USA Today. A blackberry aroma will suggest that the guests start the day at their hotels with a cup of Starbucks coffee “paired with a fresh muffin.” The promotion, to be tested for at least six months, is being sponsored by Omni Hotels and Starbucks Coffee.
It is one of two ideas being explored by the Gannett Company, the parent of USA Today, in the increasingly popular realm of scented advertising. The other concept Gannett is testing is to let marketers add scents to the ads they run in the pages of USA Today. Another national newspaper, The Wall Street Journal, owned by Dow Jones & Company, is also looking into scenting its ad pages.
Scented selling, part of a trend known as sensory marketing, is gaining favor because it helps brands stand out in crowded, competitive categories.
For example, visitors to the lobbies of Omni hotels can smell blends of lemongrass and green tea, which since late 2005 has been the official scent of the lodging chain.
“We’re looking for a way to carry the scents, the whole sensory experience, further,” said Caryn Kboudi, vice president for corporate communications at Omni Hotels in Irving, Tex.
And DJ wants to add scents to the Wall Street Journal. Most ads I see in the WSJ don’t lend themselves to scentage, but it would be interesting to get a whiff of Balvenie from page A3.
Wed 14 Mar 2007
Going into the office late, or maybe taking a break after that boring early meeting? Starbucks is giving out free regular coffee this Thursday (March 15th).
OK, maybe it’s not your usual. For what it’s worth, my favorite drink is a venti cappuccino with hazelnut and whipped cream, but I do like their regular drip, especially the new Casi Cielo. I’ve been to their free days before and they were giving useful demonstrations on how to work a french press, espresso machine, etc.
Perhaps not to be outdone, Dunkin’ Donuts has free iced coffee all day on March 21. Mark your calendars!
Thu 8 Mar 2007
If you’ve had a dry aged steak lately, you know it’s delicious. The taste and texture are far superior to run-of-the-mill steaks. Recently I was curious as to what “dry aged” means and why it makes beef so good. The results of my research:
Top grades of beef, USDA Prime and Choice, are the only real candidates for dry aging. The beef is hung for 10 to 28 days - sometimes longer - in a cooler and allowed to, well, dry. Drier beef contains less moisture and has more concentrated flavor. Additionally, enzymes in the muscle begin to break down the steak as it ages, serving as a natural tenderizer.
Many dry aged selections are also grass-fed and organic. Mmmm….
The process is time-consuming, expensive and requires extensive storage, so very few steakhouses and butcher shops offer dry aged beef. It can be hard to find, but it’s worth it. (The only thing better is a buffalo steak!) Order a bottle of your favorite Cabernet or Meritage as an accompaniment and you can’t go wrong.
