From the New York Times...

It's an old article but I thought it was interesting. It's about the rise of salted caramel which is high on my foodie radar lately! While I was in Paris (OMG, that felt so amazing to type out!), I spent a good bit of time hunting down all things caramel! It became a small obsession! I was really bummed because one of the specialty chocolatiers that I had high up on my list was away on vacation while we were there. She carries what is said to be the best caramel in France in her shop! I definitely plan to make some this fall. I'll probably use David Lebovitz's recipe. I have absolutely no shortage of salt. I brought about three different kinds back home with be from Paris. It's going to be great....or it's going to be a disaster! We shall see!

Anyways, I'm getting back into the swing of things with posting and whatnot. We just got home from traveling for a month solid last weekend and then immediately got back into the work saddle which was rough! The chores are piling up around the house and I'm taking care of that today. Tomorrow we're trying out another place for brunch so I can add that to the ever growing pile of potential posts! I knew that the trip would inspire lots of new food writing but I am overflowing here! My brain is about to pop!

Anyways....here is the article!

Grinds

I know this is ridiculous but ever since we started up our garden, I cannot bring myself to throw away any more used coffee grinds at work.  I found this article today and I am reposting it here for my own reference...

Did you know that the average American consumes about 3 cups of coffee a day? That’s a lot of used coffee grinds going into the trash.

There are actually many ways you can recycle and reuse your old coffee grinds to help preserve the environment and maintain your health.  And for other ways to green your caffeine, check out the wiki all about having an eco-cup o' joe or maybe even look into drinking organic coffee!

A Cup of Joe Goes a Long Way

You’d be surprised at just how many different methods have worked for people:

• Touch up furniture and other wood scratches with grounds and a Q-tip.
• Sprinkle around areas where pesky insects, slugs and snails dwell to drive them away.
• Mix with soil as a natural fertilizer for plants.
• Dye clothing or paper.
• Rub into your dog as an organic flea dip.
• Fill old nylons and hang in your closet or fridge to repel odors.
• Use to fill old pin cushions.
• Scrub away grease and grime from pots and pans.
• Throw on ashes before cleaning out the fireplace to reduce dust from spreading.
• Feed to worms to help with your garden.
• Rub on your hands to eliminate odors.
• Mix ¼ grinds with one egg white and massage onto face like a mud pack.

If you’re not an avid coffee drinker but you live near a coffee shop or cafe, you can always ask them for the old grinds. Places like Starbucks actually give bags of used grinds away to people who use them for their home and gardens.

Recycling is just one way that we can help maintain the natural beauty of our environment, so next time you drink a cup of coffee save those coffee grinds for future use.

CONFIRMED!!!!

WEST WINDSOR: Trader Joe's to open new NJ store

Thursday, April 23, 2009 5:24 PM EDT

By Kristine Snodgrass, Staff Writer

WEST WINDSOR — The prayers of local Trader Joe’s fanatics have been answered. The specialty grocery chain will be opening a new store this summer in the Square at West Windsor shopping center off Route 1, a company spokesman confirmed.

Renovations are already under way in the former Sleepy’s mattress store that will become the new Trader Joe’s, in the Meadow Road complex that also includes a Lowe’s and a Pier 1. Sleepy’s has moved to another storefront in the center.

Recently listed by Consumer Reports as the second best grocery store in the country —behind Wegmans— Trader Joe’s is a privately owned, California-based company. It has more than 300 stores in 25 states and the District of Columbia, including seven locations in New Jersey. The nearest, in Westfield, is about 37 miles away.

West Windsor Township land use manager Sam Surtees said the company applied for permits for exterior and major interior renovations earlier this year. The new store will occupy about 10,000 square feet, which is within the normal range for a Trader Joe’s, company spokesperson Alison Mochizuki said.

About 80 percent of the items sold in the store will be from the Trader Joe’s private label, which sells a wide range of products, she said.

”We sell everyday items, such as cheese, eggs, fresh vegetables and fruit, and we also sell unique one of a kind items that you can only get at Trader Joe’s,” she said.

But that’ doesn’t mean the products will be expensive, she said.

”We consider ourselves a neighborhood grocery store... so we have very high quality food items at a very good value,” she said.

The Princeton-area location was selected because there are “lots of foodies,” she said.

There were at least two campaigns to bring the store to the area. A Facebook group called “Bring Trader Joe’s to Princeton, NJ!!!” has 374 members.

West Windsor resident Ann Summer said she worked with friends to try to encourage the company through its Web site to open a store in the area.

”It’s just a different kind of shopping experience, and I like their whole philosophy,” she said.

She’s shopped at other Trader Joe’s locations for years, even mapping store locations while on vacation to stop by, she said.

”I really like so many of their products, and they’re reasonably priced,” she said.

But customers will have to wait to find out if they’ll be able to get the store’s famous Two Buck Chuck wine at the new location. Ms. Mochizuki said she could not comment on whether the store would apply for a liquor license.

Only one of Trader Joe’s seven locations in the state holds a liquor license, according to the company’s Web site.

News of Trader Joe’s coming to West Windsor comes on the heels of the announcement that another township grocery store, the Princeton Junction Acme Markets, will close next month.