While chatting with several fellow workers the subject of gasoline prices came up. The freaking oil companies are taking it to us again. Let’s revolt because the situation is revolting. We all agree this stinks of greed.
During our conversation I watched my buddy pay $1.99 for a bottle of iced tea. Green tea to be exact, with a cool bottle and a nifty logo. All I could think to say was “Good Lord! That’s a lot of money!” I searched my memory banks for the origin of that quote with no success. Next day I Googled the phrase and found out it came from a Damon Wayans skit, from his old Show “In Living Color”. He played a homeless man who exclaims the phrase each time he hears the price of something. To be technical the phrase was first uttered by Chris Rock in a movie titled I’m Gonna Git You Sucka circa 1998.
How does this relate to a food blog? Somehow through great marketing we have been convinced that we must pay a large price for our little indulgences. Starbucks has made a fortune off this equation. Another buddy has renamed them Fourbucks because each drink that comes with a fancy name costs about $4. What do you suppose the ingredients in these drinks cost wholesale? Probably about forty cents.
I can’t make gasoline at home but I sure can make fancy tea drinks. Here’s how I did it. I dropped four cheap green tea bags into a half gallon of boiled water and let them steep. To sweeten I used simple syrup. Is simple syrup simple? Oh yeah! Mix equal parts sugar and boiling water stir until blended. The beauty of this sweetener is the sugar has already dissolved so there are no solid sugar grains floating around. You could get real fancy and add ginger or cinnamon, but I used a little lemon and mint. My cost for a half gallon was about fifty cents. Now that’s not a lot of money is it?
Put it in a fancy pitcher and charge your guests a fortune.
How does this relate to a food blog? Somehow through great marketing we have been convinced that we must pay a large price for our little indulgences. Starbucks has made a fortune off this equation. Another buddy has renamed them Fourbucks because each drink that comes with a fancy name costs about $4. What do you suppose the ingredients in these drinks cost wholesale? Probably about forty cents.
I can’t make gasoline at home but I sure can make fancy tea drinks. Here’s how I did it. I dropped four cheap green tea bags into a half gallon of boiled water and let them steep. To sweeten I used simple syrup. Is simple syrup simple? Oh yeah! Mix equal parts sugar and boiling water stir until blended. The beauty of this sweetener is the sugar has already dissolved so there are no solid sugar grains floating around. You could get real fancy and add ginger or cinnamon, but I used a little lemon and mint. My cost for a half gallon was about fifty cents. Now that’s not a lot of money is it?
Put it in a fancy pitcher and charge your guests a fortune.
7 comments:
There is a coffeehouse coffee buyer in my house. I don't get it. It's fun to go out and be social, but I hate Fourbucks coffee, and I can't bear to spend the money on it.
So I'm with you.
BTW, CCB and I spent a DANDY day on the patio, which is green and blooming again, enjoying homemade edibles.
Sometimes you just don't need to go out.
While I don't visit the Bucks, I do know whatshis name takes care of each employee with health care and a decent wage. I'm sure with some googling you could find the answer, I just don't care enough.
Swanton Berry Farm is another one that takes VERY good care of each employee, the prices of their berries reflect that.
Recently Shuna wrote a very nicely done post regarding the high prices of food,
http://eggbeater.typepad.com/shuna/2006/04/cheap_food_in_c.html
So, while I agree things cost too much, sometimes it's for a good/decent reason. And for the good times, I don't feel too badly about paying the added money.
Biggles
Hey Cookiecrumb and Dr B. thanks for chiming in.I'm just an old tighwad at heart.
Greg you crack me up! You are so right. Even bottled water is way more expensive than gasoline.
Hey Greg,
Me too. I love going around the house snarling at the kids to turn the lights off and money doesn't grow on trees.
"TURN OFF THAT HOT WATER!!! You know that water costs me money, ya know!"
That's me.
Wow, you had me at...that pitcher!??! What the....where on earth did you find that thing? It's awesome, what an ice breaker at any party. Nice!
That's what I feel about alcohol, and the reason why I'm going to start making homemade sangria more often...
Avg price of gas today: 2.92. Good lord!?!?!
I bet you truly had unwind us all. Your ideas were excellent, now I'm looking forward to make some for my self and sisters and have a chillin stay at our garden.
Post a Comment