"recession" news and stories

According to a Zagat survey, 28 percent of diners are switching to cheaper restaurants and 20 percent are cutting out appetizers, dessert, and alcohol. What can restaurants do to keep business?

All kinds of things, says this MSN article on recession-era restaurant tricks. Upscale restaurants are offering more reasonably priced prix fixe menus or having special promotions, like Tom Colicchio's "Frugal Fridays" at Craft, where diners can have anything on the menu for less than $10. Others are bringing their ultra-pricey tasting menus down a notch, so diners can enjoy a multi-course special occasion meal for $40 rather than $100. Sure it won't be as elaborate, but who's eating "caviar staircases" these days? Other restaurants are turning to cheaper offerings, with luxe takes on classic comfort foods like grilled cheese or meatballs.

How have your eating out habits been affected by the recession? Have you noticed your favorite restaurants changing their prices or menus?

Source

For about 3.7 seconds today, I was asking myself if I have, perchance, been spending a tad too much time on Twitter lately. But, seeing as how said dallying then led to a deftly jazzed-up ramen recipe, courtesy of the author of one of my favorite food memoirs of the recent past, I don't see how any of us could afford not to. Kathleen Flinn is no stranger to the tireless, if sometimes penniless, pursuit of the delicious; The Sharper Your Knife The Less You Cry chronicles her loss of a lucrative corporate lifestyle and subsequent savings investment in a degree program at Le Cordon Bleu. While the the corner shops of Gay Paree may not have been chock-a-block with student budget-friendly ramen bricks, Flinn picked up a flavor trick or ten between puff pastry and boning lessons and shares her method for infusing the noodles with the brightness of miso, green onions, fresh herbs, Sriracha and citrus, as well as other light-wallet recipes.

Clearly, at-home ramen can be a reward rather than a last resort. How are you gussying them up, or are you hooked on the packet? Please share with the rest of the (broke...oh, so painfully broke) class, why don'tcha?

Kathleen Flinn's Quick Miso Ramen with Shrimp, Chicken or Tofu

Add Albertson's to the roll call of companies shutting doors due to the recession. The grocery chain has announced that they will be closing multiple stores in economically slammed locations like Florida, Texas, California and Nevada. Albertson's will still be the second-biggest supermarket chain in the U.S., but a bit of the bloom will be off the rose (or, if you prefer, ripeness off the tomato or mayo off the macaroni salad).

Of course, this means that there are bargains to be had at stores that are being terminated, with discounts of 10-90% off. I myself have picked up bags full of Indian specialties for 75% off (thus, my normally overpriced $4 jaipur vegetables are now a solidly discounted dollar), as well as staples like soup and beans for less than a buck and stacks of disposable foil baking pans for a dime apiece. I also scored some Bumble & Bumble hair products for under $10, but you can't eat those.

If you see an Alberston's with a "Store Closing" sign, it's worth checking out.

Well, what do you suppose popped up at the liquor store next to the Recession Red?

Recession White!

Ladies and gentlemen, it's $3.99, it has a plastic cork, and it's totally decent. It's a mild, dry California chardonnay; gentle oak without too much vanilla (why do all the chardonnays I'm tasting lately have so much vanilla?). I would recommend pairing Recession White with bold, stinky cheeses or, you know, ramen noodles if you're in this for the price tag.

Between Recession Red and Recession White, I'd say the red is the better value. I'd pay more for that wine -- but I don't have to. This chardonnay is definitely acceptable, though, and mild enough to please a crowd. So bring it to a dinner party. I did on Monday and was met with smiles all around.

I've had a number of inquiries about where in New York I've found this delightful duo of Recession wines for $3.99 so I'm gonna go ahead and say it: Adel Wines & Liquors on Columbus Avenue between 105th and 106th Street.

I'll see you there.

Last week, I wrote a piece about David Herr, an engineer who followed the ultimate foodie dream and pursued a second career as a chef. Oddly enough, I subsequently discovered that the bartending industry is currently seeing a major spike in new employees and trainees. Over the last few months, bartending schools have seen a 20-25% growth in enrollment, as traditional jobs evaporate and the newly unemployed begin to explore their next career move. Given the fact that we're facing a long, cold winter with limited resources, it seems likely that a lot of people will be headed out to the bars.

In all likelihood, the next year or so will see a significant change in the bar environment. Instead of cold nightclubs and cocktail palaces with high-priced frothy drinks, there will probably be a spike in neighborhood joints where the beers are generous and the well whiskey is cheap. Still, although per-person bar expenditures will probably drop, the increase in new customers should make bartending a reasonable career choice for the foreseeable future.

At their best, bars are comforting places where one can take shelter from the cold, converse with one's community, strike up conversations with total strangers, and huddle for warmth. While it may be too soon to draw conclusions about where America's communities are headed, it seems reasonable to expect that cocktail-making skills will continue to be in vogue, at least for the next few years.