My Brewer family hails from Clemmons, NC, just outside of Winston Salem. This is Moravian Country, home to the best cookies on the planet. The Moravians are from the historical region of Moravia in the Czech Republic, who then fled the counter revolution in 1722. In 1753, many found their way to North Carolina and made their homes in the Piedmont Region. Of German descent, the Moravians can … [Read more...]

I have noticed that the number of brands offered at big box stores like Wal-Mart and large grocery chains like Kroger’s have been shrinking. I used to be able to buy Close-up toothpaste at Wal-Mart, but no more. They carry just three or four of the most popular brands, but dozens of varieties among these brands, such as Crest. It’s hard to find Mrs. Myers soaps, and certain soft drinks, like RC … [Read more...]

Hands down, Food Lion has the best frozen shrimp on the market. When defrosted, it comes out plump and juicy and packed with flavor. I’m sure it’s farm-raised shrimp, but it’s the best. It’s also among the lowest priced. This week I saw their ad for a 1-pound bag of Jumbo Frozen Shrimp for $7.99. We’re having that for tonight’s dinner – steamed and with heaping helpings of Old Bay on … [Read more...]

We saw our son Jimmie recently at a family get together and he said he had bought me a 3-pound log of Canadian Bacon. That’s nice, but why?An impulse, he said. I guess I looked like I needed a 3-pound fix of Canadian Bacon even though I haven’t eaten that much in my entire life. When I got home, I hacked off a few slices, put them in a hot frying pan with a bit of olive oil and wolfed them … [Read more...]

We were packing our lunch for a road trip to NC. I always like to make sandwiches ahead, so we don’t have to stop so often. I had made a nice batch of Egg Salad and wanted some sliced bread worthy of my creation. I went to Kroger’s to check out their choices and found that all the brand names were $4-plus and none were thick. Then I saw a loaf of Kroger’s Private Selection Artisan Bread. It was … [Read more...]

Each morning, Nancy and I brew a big pot of coffee. We prefer a milder blend, and our favorite is Chock full o’Nuts. Sometimes, however, when you go to an Air B&B, they only offer Keurig-type coffee makers, and you have to bring your own pods. The nice thing about a Keurig is that you can make just one cup if you want, and you can offer several types of blends to suit various tastes. The bad … [Read more...]

Every now and then I’ll splurge and buy a pound of Wright’s Bacon. It’s almost twice as expensive as some of the other top brands, but it’s the best. And it’s been the best since 1922. You don’t last over 100 years if you don’t do things “wright” and Wright does. The Eggleston family from Vernon, Texas thought that bacon should be thicker, richer and worth the wait of smoking and curing. They … [Read more...]

I was looking for something different for dinner, preferably something quick and easy. I’m not a big fan of processed dinner entrees or heat-and-serve frozen dishes, but a box of Tastee Choice Frozen Shrimp Tempura caught my eye. I love Shrimp Tempura when we order Chinese and it’s a dish you don’t just whip up at home. So, I rolled the dice and bought two 6-count boxes at $5.99 each. Oh yes, I … [Read more...]

If you go to the grocery store and want to buy two oranges, they’ll let you buy two oranges. Of if you only want to buy one grapefruit, you can buy just one grapefruit. But you can’t buy just one or two tangerines. You have to buy a half bushel, or how many ever comes in a five-pound bag. I was in the store recently and really didn’t need a tree-full of tangerines. I  tried to get another … [Read more...]

When my some Jimmie was a little fellow, he called pineapples “apple pines”. He also called roosters “doodle-o’s” and he referred to fish as “sous”. To this day, I often call fish “sous” and barnyard fowls “doodle-o’s” - and I still refer to pineapples as “apple pines”. Your children’s cute words never go away. The point of all this is that I have concluded that pineapples are far and away the … [Read more...]