"cheap" news and stories

Financial times are tough, but lobster is newly affordable!

If you consider lobster out of your financial reach normally, you'll be surprised and delighted to find that the financial crisis has hit shellfish. According to this article in the New York Times, lobster is as much as $4 less expensive than this time last year at markets in New York City.

Apparently, while less-well-funded fish have had problems, lobster fisheries have become quite successful and sustainable over the years, meaning that there's just as much if not more product available. People aren't willing to pay what they used to for lobster right now, and they don't have to.

Perhaps this is your chance to dive into this elite culinary world for the first time! Start here to figure out what to do with lobster (from killing to grilling), and enjoy your luxurious dinner!

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Great news! Here's a kitchen gadget everyone can afford. Your popcorn just got way more awesome.

The Nordic Ware Microwave Corn Popper comes highly recommended by my very practical friend Shannon, who reports that it's really fast, doesn't need oil, and is a snap to clean. Sounds good to me!

This thing is $8.99 from The Kitchen Store, and microwave and dishwasher safe. You just put in the corn, put it in the microwave, and perfect, fluffy popcorn comes out. It's a stroke of Nordic genius.

I only wish it were pretty, so I could pass it off as a holiday gift. Guess I'll just have to get one for myself!

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Well, T.G.I.F. has finally arrived, but today's economic news continues to be T.E.R.R.I.B.L.E. Used to be Friday was a chance to kick off the weekend party; now it just seems like the best day of the week to start drowning your sorrows.

About a month back, I pondered the idea of a post on the best bargain beers. Logistically, the project seemed like a nightmare: So many cheap beers come in 30 packs, and did I really want 29 Natural Ices clogging up my fridge? Plus, unlike typical beer reviews, reviewing cheap beers is subjective on two fronts -- not only what you consider "good," but also what you consider "cheap." Maybe you consider Miller Lite an extravagance when there's a perfectly good case of Milwaukee's Best on the shelf? I've yet to walk a mile in your shoes (though it is on my "to do" list).

So I figure, Friday afternoon, Slashfood readers are trying to whittle away the last hours of the work week, let's open it up to you guys. During the Great Depression fellow Americans bonded together to help one another. Let's help each other find some good drinkin' deals!

What do you consider to be the best cheap beers? What's a good bargain for the flavor of which you're a craver? Let us know in the comments! (Seriously guys, don't let me down: This post is nothing without your feedback!)

Over at Cheap, Healthy, Good, they're usually pretty concerned with helping you find ways to lower your grocery bill. You can find posts on how to save, as well as how to make that inexpensive stuff into tasty meals. However, even a blog dedicated to being thrifty acknowledges that there are some things you just need to pay more for.

This post is about ten categories of foodstuff for which you simply must buy the top quality brand. The list includes cheese, with which I wholeheartedly agree, and store bought tomato sauce, which I'm in partial agreement. Never, in my opinion, get cheap cheese, but I find that I don't really use tomato sauce so I guess this one doesn't apply. Other highlights are chocolate and beer, both of which get an emphatic nod: both items are a luxury, so if you must indulge get something worth indulging in.

The post is interesting and amusing, but everyone has their own version of this list. What items do you absolutely have to have brand name for?

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Christiane Jory did, and was so thrilled with the outcome that she decided to write a book about her discoveries: The '99 Cent Only Stores' Cookbook. It's filled with recipes that make gourmet food out of not-so-gourmet ingredients. (This seems to be the week for 99 cent meals).

Like the NPR reporter who interviewed Jory, I'm definitely skeptical of food that comes from a 99 cent store. Yep, I'll admit it: the often-discolored cans, dented boxes, and brands I've never heard of creep me out. And if you told me you bought wine at the same place? I'd try it, but I'd cringe a little.

One of my first thoughts was, Oh, but the food is probably shipped from far-off countries and sits in warehouses for days. But Jory insists that some of the food at the stores actually comes from local farmers and distributors. Jory relies on improvised and substituted ingredients - evaporated milk instead of cartons of milk, canned veggies instead of fresh - to achieve a tasty meal at a low cost.

I have to say, Jory definitely encouraged me to look for food in different places, and be open to new ideas. The only thing that turned me off was the health aspect. Canned foods and refrigerated croissants can be easy and tasty, but they're not the most nutritious. Maybe next time I pass a Dollar Tree, I'll look around for bargains, but I don't think I would make it my primary source of food. Would you

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