This being our 2006 Holiday Gift Guide

It's that time again! Yes, it's time to spend lots of money on... stuff! The holidays are here and grocerylists.org is lending a helping hand by seeking out the coolest gifts this season for all the special people in your life. Prices accurate as of 30 Nov 2006. For the gadget freak Egg & Muffin Toaster | "Need toast? You've got it. Want a poached or hard boiled egg? It's yours. And if you want them together in your favorite breakfast sandwich, the Egg & Muffin Toaster also warms your pre-cooked meat. Bingo... Ready to eat in about 4 minutes. It's sort of the drive-thru breakfast without the drive." ($38.89 now $33.99) For the phenomenally geeky foodie Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor | "Originally published in France, This book documents the sensory phenomena of eating and uses basic physics to put to bed many culinary myths. In each short chapter This presents a piece of debatable conventional wisdom — such as whether it is better to make a stock by placing meat in already boiling water, or water before it is boiled-and gives its history, often quoting famous French chefs, before making scientific pronouncements. In the chapter on al dente pasta, for instance, This discusses pasta-making experiments, the science behind cooking it and whether it is better to use oil or butter to prevent it from sticking. Most of the discussions revolve around common practices and phenomenon — chilling wine, why spices are spicy, how to best cool a hot drink..." ($29.95 currently on sale for $19.77!) For the person who needs a new toilet seat Deluxe Plastic Toilet Seat with Blue Bubbles | "This opaque, light blue toilet seat features a fun and interesting design of suspended bubbles. Built from durable plastic, the seat comes with chrome hinges to attach it to the toilet. Installation instructions are included. The seat fits standard-sized toilet bowls and is super easy to care for. Simply hand wash it with ordinary household detergents." ($39.39 — was $60.00!) For the those who were mullet'd and/or Madonna'd in the 1980s Classic 1980s Candies | "The 80's Decade Box contains: Nik-L-Nip Wax Bottles, Pixy Stix, Bit-o-Honey, Laffy Taffy, Jawbusters, Lemonheads, Rainbow Coconut Bar, Flicks, Tart 'n Tinys, Lotsa Fizz, Atomic Fire Balls, Jolly Joes, Tom's Peanut Butter Logs, Fizz Wiz, Wonka Bottlecaps, Wax Fangs, Lifesaver Pops, Bubble Gum Cigarettes, Smoothie Peanut Butter Cup, Zours, Wink Soda, Goetze's Cow Tail, Candy Stix Cigarettes, Giant Sweetarts, Zero Bar, Charleston Chew Chocolate, Now & Later, Candy Necklace, Bubblicious Paradise, Freshen-Up Bubble Gum, Jungle Jollies, Good 'n Plenty, Saf-T-Pops Swirl, Tiny Chiclets." ($29.95) For the impatient imbiber The One-Minute Drink Chiller | "Eliminating the wait associated with trying to rapidly cool packaged beverages, this device chills drinks 90 times faster than a refrigerator, and 40 times faster than a freezer (without risk of freezing). It cools cans of soda to 38 F in just one minute, and can chill a bottle of white wine to the low-50s F in less than four minutes. Ideal for last-minute dining events, as well as sporting events (a 12-volt car adapter is included), the chiller stops automatically when your drink reaches the correct temperature and is capable of holding one 12-oz. can or one wine bottle." ($89.95) For slobs who get peanut butter and jelly all over the furniture Cut-N-Seal | "A new twist on pocket sandwiches and tarts! Place your favorite filling between two layers of dough or bread, then cut and seal. 3 1/2 inches." ($8.75) For that lameass singer-songwriter you know Vintage Vinyl Record Snack Tray | "Designer Jeff Davis of Brooklyn has put a new spin on recycling by rescuing records and creating fascinating works of functional art. His vinyl snack trays are created from actual 12" albums and are perfect for fruit, chips or dry snacks. Individually made in New York, the shallow tray has the original album label intact and protected with a clear mylar seal. The 'Crooners' genre consists of essential artists such as Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin and Tom Jones! 'Rock Essentials' genre also available" — and there are coasters too! ($24.99 for the tray, $18.99 for a set of six coasters) For the deep fried fiend DeLonghi D650UX Cool Touch Deluxe Deep Fryer | "Make it all from chicken to chips, with an Exclusive Easy Oil Drainage feature, anti-odor filters, a nonstick interior and a viewing window that lets you keep your eye on the whole process. Exterior stays cool to the touch. 2.2 lb. capacity. With the extra-large frying basket, you can accommodate almost any type of food. And with the easy-clean oil drain system, you can forget about dealing with messy, hot oil. This ingenious system makes draining and recycling cooking oil safe and easy. Simply open the door on the front of the unit and drain!" ($49.99 after $20 rebate) For the fabulously wealthy do-it-yourselfer Ruffoni Distillator Set | "This lustrous copper distillator set from Ruffoni makes a cool decorative piece for a bar or shelf. Handcrafted in Italy, it is fully functional and can be used to distill water, perfume, flowers or vinegar. Its copper construction distributes heat evenly when cooking with no hot spots. Hand wash only. Imported." ($445.50) For the person who has a crappy corkscrew Rabbit Wine Opener Gift Set | "A great gift for a wine lover, this powerful, award-winning tool effortlessly extracts the cork from any wine bottle in 3 seconds with simple lever action. Handles with comfortable rubberized padding easily clamp onto a bottle's neck; the lever drives the tough worm into the cork with a push and then pulls the cork out cleanly with a simple pull. Releasing the cork involves the same action, only with the handles clamped onto the cork. Ruggedly constructed of polycarbonate and reinforced nylon, the cork puller has the heft of a fine, precise high-tech tool and comes by its name, Rabbit, because it resembles a bunny's head." (Originally $110.00 but now on sale for just $34.99) For early adopters with dirty floors The First Robotic Floor Washer | "Called 'the first consumer robot to replace the mop and bucket' by Popular Science magazine, the Scooba (invented by the experts who created the Roomba) is the automatic robot that efficiently and simultaneously prepares, washes, scrubs, and dries tile, linoleum, or sealed hardwood floors, without human intervention." ($299.95) For the person who likes to put local coffee shops out of business Starbucks Sonata | "There is no need to travel for this authentic Starbucks coffeehouse experience. Mild and flavorful Breakfast Blend, light and lively House Blend, full and earthy Sumatra and dark smoky French Roast coffee can be made right at home. Starbucks hot chocolate, assorted Tazo teas and chocolate hazelnut biscotti are arranged in this jute basket with a coffee scoop and two large Starbucks coffee mugs that will remind them of this wonderful gift throughout their day." ($39.95) For your sweet-toothed sow Licorice Piglets | "Cute mini-piggies await your cravings. Even a tightly topped tin can't contain these irresistible piggies. Handfuls of red and black, for those on each side of the licorice fence. Red licorice, 8 oz.; black licorice, 8 oz.; 1 lb. total." ($15.00) For that strangely sexy girl who likes to cook Stella Retro Apron in Scotch Green Fabric | "Stella was designed to be the apron you always hoped to find at a flea market but never do. With choice of button placement to adjust length, and a tie waist to adjust width, Stella fits a variety of sizes and shapes. The front vertical piping slims and flatters no matter how decadent your kitchen creations tend to be. Two roomy pockets hold a spoon, tissue, spare change or just your hands with comfort and style. 100% cotton." ($40.00) For the caffeine freak couch potato Slanted Mug | "We've all done it! Precariously placed a glass or mug containing our favorite beverage on our lap, only to have it spill on our clothes, not to mention our favourite chair. This mug's uniquely shaped base allows you to nest it easily and securely in your lap. Available in white, orange and terra cotta." Scroll down the page to see. ($35.00) For that snotty person in your life Booger Boy Boris Egg Separator | "Some people complained that our Peter Petrie Egg Separator was too tasteful. So we had to find something even grosser. Meet Booger Boy Boris! This rude little fellow is actually a useful kitchen tool. Crack in an egg, tilt it forward and watch the white part drip through the nostrils. Boris will even lend a helping hand... well, helping FINGER." ($12.99 ) And for fans of grocerylists.org, our very own book! Milk Eggs Vodka: Grocery Lists Lost and Found | "This book is a compilation of abandoned grocery lists that have been discovered in grocery carts, market floors, and parking lots across the country. If we are what we eat, then this book reveals deep truths about the average American (not to mention more mundane truths like a surprising number of people enjoy onions, and, for most people, mayonnaise is very, very difficult to spell). Separated into chapters (funny lists, sad lists, unhealthy lists, organized lists) the book also includes commentary by the author and some very special recipes created from found grocery lists. Sidebars and food facts round out the menu." This won't be on shelves until May 2007, but you can pre-order it now! ($19.99 currently on sale for $13.59!) There you go. For more great gift ideas, check out last year's gift guide. Happy Holidays, everyone! Love, The GLC Crew and keaggy.com

Posted at 10:22 PM Central Time

A short history of carbonated beverages in cans
"An advertising campaign for carbonated beverages advised consumers in 1956 to 'Enjoy Sparkling Soft Drinks!' and 'Life is Great When You Carbonate!' Soft drinks were being marketed as a digestive aid that helped the body absorb nutrients, maintain a balanced diet, and cure hangovers. As early as 1930, can manufacturers had begun to explore the possibility of adapting cans to package carbonated beverages. And beer and soft drink companies eagerly anticipated a means of delivering more volume, more efficiently to consumers." Posted at 5:34 AM Central Time

3 arrested in shopping cart prank
"Police Tuesday announced the arrests of three people accused of hoisting a shopping cart atop a flagpole, which then fell and seriously injured a grocery store employee." Posted at 11:55 AM Central Time

Chocolate & Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen
Someone else turned their excellent website into a book. Huzzah! Check out Clotilde's 'Chocolate & Zucchini: Chocolate & Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen': "As those of you who subscribe to the C&Z newsletter already know, my upcoming cookbook is now available for pre-order on Amazon (and on Amazon.fr, too). It feels quite peculiar to see it there, as does each step that leads to the book's release* and makes it more real: I have seen the production schedule, I have gone over the first-pass pages laid out as the final book will be, I will soon receive blads and galleys, and meanwhile I dream about the book one way or another almost every night. Sometimes I dream I am leafing through it and feeling pretty pleased, sometimes I dream I am leafing through it and finding horrifying goof-ups, and just last night I dreamt I was suddenly realizing that the book was 100% British recipes -- don't ask. If you'd like to read more about the bookwriting process, check these past entries..." Posted at 6:24 AM Central Time

List of grocery products that were commercial failures
One example: "Funky Fries | Introduced in 2002, Ore-Ida's frozen french fries were offered in new forms: chocolate-flavored, cinnamon-flavored, ring-shaped and colored blue. Promoted as 'not what a potato is supposed to be,' they were -- perhaps inevitably -- pulled from store shelves a year later, due to 'disappointing' sales." Posted at 6:41 PM Central Time

Turkey time!
Thursday is Thanksgiving here in the U.S., so we're going to take a few days off to relax. And eat. And drink. And relax. And eat. Meg Hourihan over at megnut has been rounding up a lot of Thanksgiving-themed tips so click on over to her site if you need some help and/or inspiration. See y'all next week!
→ Turkey tips
→ Thanksgiving pies
→ Vegetarian Thanksgiving
→ Thanksgiving ideas and facts
→ More...

PS: Going grocery shopping? Download a free PDF of our awesome preformatted grocery list. It's not just awesome, it's The Ultimatest! Posted at 7:26 AM Central Time

Fabulous fruits
What fruits are fabulous? Find out by reading these five lists: Top Ten Fruits; Fruits that are Kind to the Intestines; 31 Favorite Fruits and the Nutrients They Contain; Top 10 Fiber-rich Fruits; Top 7 Vitamin C-containing Fruits" Posted at 7:14 AM Central Time

Some Americans Lack Food, but USDA Won't Call Them Hungry
"The U.S. government has vowed that Americans will never be hungry again. But they may experience 'very low food security.' Every year, the Agriculture Department issues a report that measures Americans' access to food, and it has consistently used the word 'hunger' to describe those who can least afford to put food on the table. But not this year." Posted at 7:11 AM Central Time

Inventor of the Week: James Jacob Ritty
James Jacob Ritty, inventor of the first working version of a mechanical cash register, was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1837. Ritty was a barkeeper who opened his first saloon in 1871. In 1882 he opened the Pony House in Dayton, which quickly became a local 'hotspot' for dining, drinking, and gaming... One of the biggest problems Ritty had at his bar was that some of his employees were dishonest, and would take the customers' money and pocket it..." Posted at 12:01 PM Central Time

A visual grocery list, take 3
Here's a suggestion from a GLC reader named Jewel about how to shop for someone who doesn't speak the same language as you do:

take digital snapshots of each product she uses, put them into a mini-album; she can select the photos of items she wants and put them into an envelope, or you can keep a 'shopping' mini-album for the moment and a main-album that contains everything.

This answers an email I received in October: A visual grocery list? (scroll down to bottom of the page). Posted at 10:38 AM Central Time

Words of wit and wisdom
GLC visitor Shelley wrote a while back and shared this story that I thought was good enough to share with all y'all...

Bill, I'm groovin' on the shopping lists, and felt moved to share this story:

When I was in college, I went to a poetry reading by William Stafford, one of my favorite poets. It was a great reading. Afterwards, someone asked him about his strategies for dealing with writer's block. There was a pause, and then he said, "I lower my standards."

The entire audience burst into laughter.

He said, "I'm actually serious. If I can't write a good poem, I try to think of a good line. If I can't think of a good line, I try to think of word that I'm really loving. And if I can't even do that, then I try to write an amazing shopping list."

These words have inspired me as a writer for over 20 years now.

Thought you would maybe enjoy them, too.

Thank you for your work.

Thank you, Shelley! Posted at 9:53 AM Central Time

Robots. Pirates. Monkeys. And a contest with prizes.
There's a contest with prizes over at my semi-active, now cliche weblog Robot Pirate Monkey. Record a cover version of James Kochalka's "Monkey Vs. Robot" and send it to me. That's all. Everyone who does so gets a cool prize, and I'll buy one winner something from their Amazon Wish List (priced within reason). Deadline: December 3, 2006. Posted at 9:58 AM Central Time

Eco-shopping: Shopping with the Environment in Mind
"Eco-shopping at the grocery store is the practice of making purchasing decisions based on the environmental impact of a product. It is about asking the question 'Is there a more environmentally friendly alternative that would meet my needs?' The average American throws out their weight in packaging every 30 to 40 days. One out of every $10 spent at the grocery store pays for packaging." Posted at 6:02 AM Central Time

Cooking For Engineers: Cooking Tests: Bacon (Part I)
Have an analytical mind? Like to cook? Check out Cooking For Engineers... "Everyone's got a favorite way of cooking bacon, but what's the difference if I broil, fry, or microwave my bacon? Well, I tried to find out." Posted at 7:00 AM Central Time

Wyandotte woman finds humor and sadness in other peoples' discarded shopping lists
Another list collector (!): "At her pine kitchen table, where a home-baked apple pie sits beneath a glass dome, Jane Scarlett opens her fat manila folder of other peoples' shopping lists and tries to explain herself. 'The first one -- and I can't even remember which one it was -- I picked up without any intention of picking up any more. I remember thinking, 'I'll be damned! Somebody wrote this and never thought anybody else would see it.' ' ...As of this week, Jane has 325 discarded grocery lists, about five years' worth. She's not compulsive. Sometimes she forgets to look. But one Sunday, a few days after her oldest child left for college, missing him madly, she drove to Meijer in Southgate to look for lists in its vast parking lot. 'It was something to do,' she shrugs. 'To distract me.'" Posted at 8:26 PM Central Time

the (all american) history of shopping carts
"Between the 1930-40s cars and large electric refrigerators increased the size of food shopping trips. But they couldn't've done it alone without a third invention -- without the shopping cart!" Posted at 7:57 AM Central Time

Re: How long does it take for food to go through you?
"Food travels down the oesophagus at a rate of approximately 3 to 4 centimetres per second (1 to 2 inches), and the entire process takes about 5 to 6 seconds. In the stomach, food tends to hang around for a little longer and this depends on a variety of factors including the amount of food you have consumed, how much fat it contains, and also the acidity of the stomach. However, all food should have left the stomach within 2 to 4 hours. In the small intestine, digestion continues and absorption occurs..." Posted at 8:12 PM Central Time

MIT Advertising Lab: future of advertising and advertising technology
The MIT Advertising Lab thinks you'll like my upcoming book. I happen to agree. MIT's blog "follows the future of media and ad technologies, bridging the gap between geekdom and advertising..." Posted at 9:57 PM Central Time

Yahoo! Answers: Who would like to do my grocery list?
"I have $400 in my budget to do grocery shopping tonight. This needs to last me approximately one month. I am terrible with grocery lists. Anyone willing to help me plan meals and which groceries and commodities to buy that will get me the most from my buck? Thanks!! :) I have children so keep that in mind." Posted at 7:34 AM Central Time

Shopping list for kids and moms should add fruits and vegetables
"Diet advice is prone to change, but the benefits of eating fresh fruit and vegetables are constant, starting with children. So it's only natural that the government add produce to the grocery list for women, babies and young children supplemented through food vouchers." Posted at 7:32 AM Central Time

MAKING LISTS
The Kansas City Star writes about lists, and mentions my upcoming book: "A range of companies, including Amazon.com, book publishers, stationery makers and Internet sites, are pushing new products aimed at the growing appetite for list-making. In the next year publishing houses will roll out at least eight books of lists. One will feature images of almost 300 food-shopping lists that were found near supermarkets around the country. Others include a memoir culled completely from one woman's collected to-do lists, and Mountain Man Dance Moves: The McSweeney's Book of Lists, a compilation of satirical lists like 'The Collected Apologies of Lawrence H. Summers, President of Harvard.'" Posted at 8:33 AM Central Time

Free books: It's the November GLC giveaway!
UPDATE! The books are gone. Halloween's over and Thanksgiving is around the corner. Much of the U.S. is sliding into the cold, cold winter — and that makes me think of toast as I sit shivering here in St. Louis. It also makes me think of butter. And preserves. Mmmmmm, toasty and delicious, don't you think?

So... the first person to write in and request one of the books linked below gets it for free. Limit one per person and you must request a specific book and send me your mailing address -- although we won't use your email or postal address for anything other than sending you the book. Email me for a free book while they last!

Gone! Sent to Hannah of Richfield, Minnesota!
Toast: 60 Ways to Butter Your Bread and Then Some | "Toast, you say? Well, how about Toast with Wild Mushrooms, Truffle Oil, and Marsala? Or Crockpot Lamb Shanks with Toasted Cornbread? Or Toasted Lemon Pound Cake with Pears in Port? In this fun and tempting cookbook, more than 60 easy recipes take toasted bread and turn it into a base for delicious appetizers, snacks, sandwiches, main courses, and desserts. Toast is a clever way for cooks to expand their repertoire for tasty meals whatever the time of day. Any way you slice it, toast is one of the most versatile innovations ever to have popped up in the kitchen." —Amazon.com (List price: $16.95)

Gone! Sent to Jane of Indio, California!
Flavored Butters: Nuts, Dairy, Herbs, Fruit | "Once used in medicines and ointments, butter is now a luxurious component in all of our favorite foods an essential ingredient in desserts, a base for creamy sauces, and a simple spread for breads and pastries. In FLAVORED BUTTERS, food writer Offerico Maoz explores the history and culinary possibilities of this age-old dairy product, presenting more than 65 mouth-watering recipes for flavored butters and sauces, including instructions for making butter by hand. Rebounding from a bad rep in the 1980s, butter is making a comeback as recent studies confirm its health virtues over trans-fatty substitutes like margarine, shortening, and cooking sprays. Complete with recipes for low-calorie and nondairy butters, FLAVORED BUTTERS provides a fresh repertoire of sumptuous spreads so you can indulge away in this delicious, no-longer-guilty pleasure." —Amazon.com (List price: $12.95)

Gone! Sent to Carolyn of Minneapolis, Minnesota!
Gourmet Preserves [Chez Madelaine] | "The delightfully old-fashioned art of "putting up" needn't mean crates of fruit, interminable water baths, and a sweltering kitchen. The 130 delicious recipes in this book — including Cherry Preserves with Cassis, Apple-Ginger Jam, Cinnamon-Citrus Marmalade with Apricots, Ratatouille Marmalade, and Kir Cocktail Jelly — are made with small quantities of fruit and standard kitchen equipment. Prepared without commercial pectin, the preserves are lower in sugar than most, allowing the full flavor of the fruit to shine through — and some are made with no refined sugar at all. As a tasty bonus, the book gives recipes for quick breads and muffins that are perfect complements for the jams and jellies, as well as for desserts that make delectable use of those homemade preserves." —Amazon.com (List price: $14.95)

Love,
The GLC Crew and keaggy.com Posted at 10:04 PM Central Time

Fighting Cancer Can Start In Your Grocery Store
"When you eat a meal, are you thinking about what it can do for you in the future? All week on '12 News This Morning,' Caroline Lyders is investigating disease fighting foods.They started with a look at the best foods to fight cancer." Posted at 7:09 AM Central Time