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Š Berthoud Weekly Surveyor

March 16, 2017

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Berthoud Weekly Surveyor March 16, 2017

Berthoud Weekly Surveyor March 16, 2017 Page B3

Exciting and unique ways to decorate Easter eggs

By Aaron Reynolds The Surveyor The first word that comes to mind when one thinks of Easter is “egg.” The egg is synonymous with the spring holiday; however, according to the Huffington Post the tradition of painting hard-boiled eggs pre-dates Christianity with several cultures partaking in the festive activity during the Iranian New Year — Nowruz. Regardless of your belief, the egg represents new life, fertility and rebirth, and is the ultimate expression of creativity and originality for Eastertide.

Handmade ways to dye eggs If you are like me, you were probably raised coloring Easter eggs with the notorious PAAS kits that date back to the 1960s. The kits were and remain simple to use for young children, with various colors of dyes and a few cut-out templates. There is nothing wrong with this approach (and PAAS has even updated their online catalog with some new kits, including Monsters and Emoji-inspired designs) yet it is exciting to discover all the ways you can color Easter eggs with goods inside the pantry.

It may not look as exciting to a child at first, but did you know boiling an egg with beet juice will dye it pink? Or that it will turn brown when boiled with onion peels? Dying eggs through this process, or in combination with a kit, can educate your children as to how eggs were colored centuries before the invention of PAAS.

Search the house for decoration ideas In addition to rummaging through your pantry for natural ways to color eggs, you would be impressed to find all of the items inside a house that can double as Easter egg decorations. For example, astonishingly simple yet crafty ways to make the eggs shine include using bracelet stringed with colorful beans to create intriguing patterns, or Sharpie to sketch whatever shapes or patterns come to mind.

The possibilities are almost endless, but a good rule of thumb is to have plenty of craft glue, paint brushes, pens, markers, and newspaper (for protecting your table from errant spills).

Bring your eggs to life Eggs are a fantastic way to incorporate the whole family into something artistic that involves a 3D object. Consequently, do not subject yourself to two-dimensional thinking. You can easily bring the eggs to life by making them into popular movie characters (Minions, Trolls, Angry Birds), zoo animals, or even caricatures of your family.

Drawing the eyes, nose and mouth with Sharpie is easy, but where you can really get adventuresome is dazzling the egg with ears or hair from household products. For example, you could add a nest around a chick egg by cutting a toilet paper tube into a spiral strip and then painting it yellow. Or, cut a paper towel tube roll and paint it green to mimic grass for a bunny egg.

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St. Patrick’s Day food traditions: facts and phonies Irish barmbrack or “brack”

By Katie Harris The Surveyor Corned beef, Irish stew, and anything cooked with whiskey can be found on St. Patrick’s Day menus across the United States, but these “Irish” favorites are actually far from what a traditional Irish meal entails.

A perusal of Irish history turned many of these American St. Patty’s Day customs on their heads. Here’s a quick look at some of the most Above: Corned beef and cabbage common fallacies as well as a glimpse at some true Irish staples: Corned beef and cabbage

This Irish sweet bread has been around throughout much of Irish history, but, according to DoChera, it is only the modern and Americanized recipes that call for ingredients such as dried fruit, zest, spices and marmalades. These expensive and hard-to-find ingredients would not have been readily available in old Ireland, where people made do with the few staples they had on hand.

Champ and colcannon

Below: Irish Barmbrack bread

While cabbage is a traditional Irish fare, corned beef is not.

In fact, according to Smithsonian Magazine online, beef of any kind was rarely eaten in Ireland throughout history, due to the cow’s perceived sacredness in that country (www.smithsonianmag.com).

For a meal better fit for an Irishman, consider cooking bacon and cabbage. According to Irish website DoChera, pigs practically make up their own food group in Ireland, where nearly every cut of pig, down to the feet, is served at mealtime (www. dochera.com).

Cooking with whiskey

A true Irishman would never waste a perfectly good shot of whiskey in a recipe, he’d drink it. Despite numerous American recipes with the word “whiskey” in the titles, DoChera says it is rarely used in Irish cooking. On the other hand, the site says the Irish often use Guiness in marinades and stews (www.dochera.com).

Shepherd’s pie

Shepherd’s pie is, in fact, a popular dish in Ireland, though its origins are muddled. Most sources claim it originated in England or Scotland, but the dish quickly became popular in Ireland, where potatoes were a staple. The biggest mistake we Americans make is lumping “cottage pie” — made with beef — and shepherd’s pie — made with lamb — under the same name.

Did you know?

Special to the Surveyor Protein-heavy diets became wildly popular in recent years, but many nutrition experts advise that men and women on high-protein diets avoid overdoing it when it comes to loading up on protein and reducing intake of carbohydrates.

People on high-protein/low-carbohydrate diets may see their metabolisms change into a state of ketosis, which happens when the body goes from burning carbohydrates for fuel to burning its own fat. Burning fat is a goal for many people when they adopt high-protein/low-carbohydrate diets.

When fat is broken down, tiny bits of

carbon known as ketones are released into the bloodstream as energy sources. This process produces weight loss by suppressing appetite and increasing the loss of water weight that stems from the increased elimination of fluids through urine that occurs during ketosis.

However, a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet is not without its disadvantages. According to WebMD, the body produces ammonia as it breaks down protein. Thelong-term risks of high levels of ammonia in the body are unknown. In addition, men and women on high-protein diets excrete more calcium in their urine than people on more typical diets, and excessive calcium loss may lead to osteoporosis as men and women age.

Finally, men and women who avoid carbohydrates may not be eating sufficient amounts of fruits and vegetables, which are great sources of vitamins, fiber and antioxidants.

These potato dishes both have Irish origins. Brittanica online explains the Irish have had a sordid relationship with the spud over the years, which first saved them as a readily available crop, then later all but wiped them out during the potato famine (www. britannica.com). Nevertheless, the hardy and easy to grow crop can still be found at the top of many Irish recipes.

Irish stew

One of the more controversial Irish dishes is Irish Stew, which some historians insist should only be called so if it contains the following four ingredients: mutton, potatoes, onions and water (www.theculturetrip.com).

Again, due to economic conditions, the Irish stew was a meal of necessity, not indulgence. Most modern recipes spice up the stew’s taste with added vegetables and herbs (and we might all be grateful for that.)

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The history of Irish coffee Special to the Surveyor Irish coffee is a drink beloved the world over, and one that becomes even more popular on St. Patrick’s Day. The origins of this drink, which includes coffee with a splash of whiskey and Irish cream liqueur, has been debated for quite some time.

According to a 2016 story on IrishCentral.com, after publishing a story claiming the drink was first served in the Shannon Airport, the website received a letter from a representative from the Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum saying the story was inaccurate. The letter stated the Irish coffee so many people love today was actually first served at the flying-boat terminal at Foynes, which was roughly 35 miles from the Shannon Airport.

Joe Sheridan, a chef and bartender originally from County Tyrone, is credited with inventing Irish coffee. But had it not been for inclement weather one night during the winter of 1943, Sheridan might never have dreamed up his historic concoction.

In 1943, Sheridan was working as a chef in the restaurant inside a terminal in the Foynes flying-boat station. One night that winter, a flight bound for Newfoundland departed Foynes, only to turn back several hours later when inclement weather made it impossible for the flight to continue on to its destination. The control tower at the airport at Foynes was notified via Morse code that the flight was returning, and airport staff, including Sheridan, were called back to work.

Upon returning to work, Sheridan was tasked with creating something warm for the passengers who had been grounded. When making coffee, Sheridan decided to add some Irish whiskey, prompting one appreciative passenger to ask if the coffee was Brazilian coffee. “No,” Sheridan replied, “that was Irish coffee!”

From there, the drink has gone on to gain international acclaim, and perhaps no day is it more appreciated than St. Patrick’s Day, when it continues to warm celebrants much like it did the passengers who were grounded in 1943.

Those who want to make their own Irish coffee this St. Patrick’s Day can try the following recipe, courtesy of the Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum.

Step one: In your Irish coffee glass, place a teaspoon and fill with boiling water for five seconds. Discard the water.

Step two: In this pre-warmed glass, put one teaspoon of brown sugar and a good measure of Irish whiskey.

Step three: Fill the glass to within 1 cm of the brim with really hot, strong black coffee.

Stir well to melt all the sugar.

BERTHOUD DINING

Grandpa’s Cafe 903 Mountain Ave. 532-2254

A & W Restaurant 120 Bunyan Ave. 532-2272

Nonna Bella 335 Mountain Ave. 532-0224

Berthoud Pizza Co. 527 N. 4th St. 344-5292

New China Chan Restaurant 506 Welch Ave. 532-3895

Brick Oven Pizza & Subs 269 Mountain Ave. 532-4747

Pizza Hut 821 Mountain Ave. 532-1111

Cocina 400 Mountain Ave. 344-5022

Side-Tracked 237 Welch Ave. 532-9905

Cornerstone Cafe 250 Mountain Ave. 344-5360

Subway 307 Mountain Ave. 532-9818

Da Bean 434 Mountain Ave. 532-1451

Tito’s Mexican Grill 405 Fifth St. 532-5500

Derby Grille 110 Bunyan Ave. 532-0986

Trailhead Cafe 250 Mountain Ave. 532-9886 Whistle Stop Tavern, The 535 S. Third St. 988-9257

Berthoud Weekly Surveyor March 16, 2017 Page B7

Dining goes high-tech

By Bob McDonnell The Surveyor

If you dine out often, you may have discovered a new trend that uses technology at your dining table. This comes in the form of a small seven-inch freestanding computer tablet. This device, called Ziosk, was developed by Dallas-based Table Top Media.

Restaurants like Chili’s, Applebee’s and Red Robin seem to be the leaders in using these pointof-sales devices that allow diners to play games before their meal, order appetizers and drinks, and pay at the end of the meal.

These automated devices have been around for a few years. They seem to be cropping up more and more in Colorado.

A June 16, 2014, article in www.theatlantic.com

by Megan Garber announced Chili’s was partnering with the company making the Ziosk. Also, Applebee’s planned to have the devices installed in their eateries by the end of 2014. This was reported by Bruce Horovitz, a writer for USA TODAY in a Dec. 2, 2013, article.

Suzi Harkola wrote in www.pointofsales.com on April 25, 2013, about some of the advantages of this new automated system. These benefits are for both the business and the consumer.

Harkola says the tabletop computers increase customer loyalty and provide greater security. By not having to wait for the server to bring a bill at the end of the meal, tables turn faster. Ziosk estimates its system can shave up to five minutes off the meal time since diners don’t have to ask for the bill or wait for change.

The Bloomberg Report website, www.bloomberg.com, pointed out other benefits to this new method of paying for meals. Venessa Wong says Ziosk reports people are leaving larger tips under the new system — about 15 percent more,

on average. She says at Chili’s the suggested amount default is 20 percent.

The Bloomberg article also says people are showing a bigger appetite for appetizers. In many restaurants diners can order appetizers right away, with no waiting for a menu. Ziosk says tablets have increased starter sales by 20 percent.

The same is true for desserts. The tabletop devices have graphics with pictures of tempting desserts. Like appetizers, the sale of desserts is also up 20 percent at participating restaurants.

Another important advantage to the patrons is they have less chance of the misplacement of credit cards. Also, the system software allows the company to collect detailed server and restaurant performance.

It seems not everyone is enamored by the new technology. On July 25, 2016, Jessica Monsell related a couple of incidents on www.elliot.org. This site was created in 1997 by consumer advocate Christopher Elliot.

Monsell cites two incidents where customers used some of the choices on the computer screen as they waited to eat. Later, they realized there was a charge for viewing some videos or playing games.

One example was the Ed Lawrence family’s experience at a Pizzeria Uno. They discovered the $1.99 fee on their bill when they paid. Lawrence said his family did play the electronic trivia games offered at the table. He pointed out there was no button to accept or decline charges. The extra fee surprised him.

The second incident noted on the Elliot.com website tells about Amanda Glass and her experience at a Red Robin in Broken Bow, Okla.

Glass objected to the fact the screen had no pop-up message giving her the chance to acknowledge there would be a cost for playing the online games or viewing videos. She states she would not have purchased the service had she known there was a fee.

Like any technology, this one seems to be a double-edged sword. It seems it would behoove the diner to know about the pluses and pitfalls of this change in part of the dining experience.

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