Letter from England III

The clock is fnally ticking down on our stay here on the Dorset coast and we're very sad to be leaving. We had to make another trip to the Cauldron for lunch after a long hike up on the point overlooking the Channel. On a clear day they say you can see the coast of Wales. It was pretty clear but Wales was no where in sight. We did see some impressive cliffs and the ever present Isle of Wight off in the distance. Anyway, swwoned over the fresh caught local wild halibut I had for lunch, as well as the pan fried baby squid. The man's an inspiring cook, self-taught I'm assured, and deeply passionate about what he does, something I admire in a person whether they are a chef or a blacksmith (yes, I've know one or two blacksmiths). Having figured we be living on fish and chips in addition to our own cooking, we are still amazed at the quality of the food here in Swanage. Who knew? Well, the locals of course, but certainly not the tourists we've seen lining up outside the take-away shops along the quay. Not that there is anything wrong with fish and chips mind you, but one has to be selective about where they obtain them. I have to say that so fay we've hit the mark as far as eating England's national dish, although we have not had many. The best were in the Red Lion pub near Westminster in London. Absolutely sublime.

We are off Sunday to the quaint little village of Woodstock near Oxford to stay a couple of nights at the Feathers Inn. It comes highly recommended and is much closer to Heathrow for our Tuesday departure. As sad as I am about having to leave England, I'm anxious to get back to work and write a long piece about the food of this glorious country for TGR website. I'm sure my dear editor will be happy as well to have me back at my computer and I don't want to disappoint her even though I've seriously thought of chucking it all and staying at the Dorset seaside. In the end, however, I also love The San Francisco Bay Area where we shall spend the (hopefully) rainy winter planning our next trip to the UK. After all, there is a lot more to this little island yet to explore and no doubt more delicious food to taste. Cheers.

Letter from England II

Who knew that in this little seaside resort town there lurked the heart of a great chef. Dinner at the Cauldron Bistro, upon a friend's recommendation, proved to be an inspired meal, cooked for us by chef Terry Flenley. When we arrived, his wife, Margaret who serves as hostess, was quite excited about a large platter of mushrroms that a friend had brought in that day from here excursions in the hills. They had been put n the menu for the evening and we had them in a starter dish of pasta served with the mushrooms, garlic, olive oil and some perfectly ripe tomatoes. It was delicious. But the grass-fed, Argentinian Black Angus steak served with foie gras and a large homebaked crouton was the big hit of the evening. Everything about the meal was great and after a long chat with the chef I was convinced more than ever of his passion for what he does. I thought of my dear editor's chef/partner and thought if he had been there we might never have got out of there! Two of a kind.

A trip to Bath yesterday was very exciting, first to finally get to see the Fine Cheese Company, a lovelly cheese shop in the heart of this beautiful Georgian city. The shop was well worth the visit, as was the lunch at Jamie Oliver's Italian, a very hip and very good restaurant where the pasta maker was working next to us in the bar area as we sipped our cocktails. They make all their own pasta on the menu as well as most everything else. Oliver's passion for Italian food was evident in every mouthful and gave me a newfound respect for Italian cooking, if if it was translated by a bunch of Brits.

Overall, the food in England has been impressive, from the produce at our local greengrocer to the most haute cuisine at Rules in London, and pretty much everything in between. The British people are very interested in what they eat, at least as much as the French I found, and they take the dining experience very seriously. It's interesting for me to see because their culinary rennaisance has so closely paralleled our own. Banish all myths about English cooking, at least as far as we've found, and make tracks for this charming and enchanted isle.

Of course, there have been the drawbacks. Our drive home from Bath, after dark, was a bit harrowing. Did yoou know they drive on the wrong side of the road here? And they have the nerve to honk at me to get out of the way! They're very friendly though. Everyone in the on-coming cars would always wave frantically at us, just before they swerved out of the way and off the road. Curious. Anyway, I'm sure they have the same problem when they come to America. At any rate, as a good visitor, I always wave back. Cheers.

Letter from the UK

The English seaside in October is surprisingly warm, although the rain comes and goes. Nothing to keep us indoors, of course, and the rain only serves to make everything smell fresh and lovely. Banish all negative thoughts of English food, rumors started no doubt by former boarding school students and tourists on the cheap. In London last week and agai8n here in Dorset we have had some very tasty food indeed, starting with the national dish, fish & chips, to the more elegant game at Rules, London's oldest restaurant. It began in the late 18th century by John Rules and has entertained everyone from Charles Dickens and Lily Langtry (she used to share a corner table with the Prince of Wales) to Winston Churchill and today's celebrities. Outstanding,the ambiance, the food and the service.

Back to Dorset where my wife and I are housed in a 19th century house atop the cliff overlooking the sea, the Isle of Wight in the distance, and the village and beach below. We make regular trips to fishmonger, the green grocer, the butcher, the baker, and perhaps even the candlestick maker if there was one in town. Our kitchen was completely rennovated this year and we are the first to really cook in it, and cook we have. The other day, after a late afternoon hike on the beach, we returned to make a lovely fish stew out of leeks, potatoes, salmon, hailbut, and mussels, all cooked together in wine and chicken stock. Life just doesn't get any better. My only question remains, how will I break it to my dear editor that I'm never returning? Not to mention the owner of the house!

It's Your Call

On TGRTalk.com the discussion continues even when we're not on the air. Our new talk radio format works like an audio blog in a way. Audience members can listen to a topical conversation at The Kitchen Table and join in the conversation on the blog below the video roll. Recent posts include this comment from Mike Sackett at Kitchen Affairs in Evansville, Indiana, after listening to a segment on vendor relations:

"Vendors forget what every smart retailer knows. “You must satisfy your customer (the retailers) in order to have an on-going relationship.” When the vendors ignore or sleight the needs of the retailers, they only hurt themselves. Very few vendors ask the question we ask almost every customer “What can we do for you? What is it you need from us?”

We've had a lot of fun recording the show and discussing it. We just got off the air today with Stephen and Laura Havlek from Sign of the Bear in Sonoma; Chris Beykirch from Kitchen Kneads in Salt Lake City, Utah; Dean Eaton from Your Kitchen Store, Keene, NH; and Janet Ostrow from Premier Gourmet, Buffalo, NY. We had an incredible conversation about new products, the fourth quarter and vendor issues - just wait till this recording airs on Nov. 10th. In the meantime, join us again next Tuesday at 2 p.m. for the second part of Vendor-Retailer relations with the IHA's own Perry Reynolds and John Roberts of Blackpoint Management, Inc. here on http://www.tgrtalk.com/2009/10/the-kitchen-table/

A Focus on Vendor Relations

The Kitchen Table series this week brings the International Housewares Association’s Perry Reynolds and John Roberts from Blackpoint Management on the line for a conversation first broached at Retail 2020 – the independents educational conference co-sponsored with the IHA each summer. Reynolds and Roberts led a discussion on vendor-retailer relations during the event. They share what they learned with Editor-in-Chief Michelle Moran in this three-part series. This segment focuses on the inequities small retailers believe they face along with solutions develop from both retailers and vendors.

So listen in at TGRtalk.com, post your questions and comments and we’ll respond or even get you on the air for our next broadcast Tuesday, Oct. 27^th at 2 p.m.

You can also see what some retailers are doing to facilitate clear communications with vendors. Eugene, OR-based specialty retailer Hartwick’s created their own purchase order protocol, which they list on every PO that’s issued, along with a credit form they utilize in collecting credits. You can download these forms while listening to the conversation!

Is Mass Market the Answer?

I am saddened by the closing of Gourmet magazine.  After this November, trips to the mailbox will be less lively the third week of the month when my issue would arrive, and I'll have to make do with Bon Appetit.  It seems that 990,000 subscribers could not keep a publication viable in today’s marketplace where people trade recipes online or blog about their European vacations.

The publisher could not get enough upscale advertisers and since mass-market food product marketers prefer more celebrity-oriented publications--- think Oprah, Martha and Rachel, the decision was made to shut down Gourmet.

Where does this leave us?  The halo effect of magazines like Gourmet is that they served as a beacon for up-and-comers in our industry.  Many famous chefs got inspired by what they read as I’m sure many retailers who have made specialty foods their bread and butter.  That influence is gone.  Granted there is Cook's Illustrated--- a good, by-the-numbers publication that offers practical advice and does not rely on advertising to pay the bills.

So what will drive consumer tastes?  You know the names of the magazines and TV shows and it ain’t pretty.  If the marketplace can only provide vehicles for mass-market products then our niche is at risk.  Without something driving people to want something better--- then good enough will suffice.  There are 23 million people who consider themselves "Gourmet" cooks according to market surveys, and they are now under served.

Ron Jakubisin

jakubisin.com

The Chef's Pantry

The Blackberry Patch Company, of  Thomasville, Georgia, produces small batch, naturally flavored Gourmet fruit toppings from the ripest fruit of the seasons. Each Bottling is made with all natural, fresh, ripe berries, natural cane sugar and sometimes the addition or lemon juice or other real flavorings or spices.

The seasonal flavors, such as Blueberry, Blackberry and Raspberry contain no artificial ingredients and develop a true fruit flavor, from slow, small batch cooking style. The ripe, bright flavors are evident, without the overbearing sweet, associated with many larger production toppings. The consistency is that of syrup, so that may also be a surprise to some, who are used to the thick, “goopy” spoon sauces of some companies.

 

The flavor, bright, and color, true, are visible in the neat, tall jar, which has a home style, parchment colored label and little neck tag attached, ready for a gift, like /grandma used to do. I found the toppings good for pound cake and ice cream and also for things such as granola, pancakes and fresh yogurt, the natural ripeness, not lingering with any “sweet-bitter” after tones.

The Gourmet Topping from The Blackberry Patch has all the flavor and goodness, without the thorns. Get them before the season runs out.

The Blackberry Patch, 800-553-5598  www.Theblackberrypatch.com

Rewriting Retail in the New Economy

Yesterday, after I'd posted a draft for our thoughts on retail this winter, I read one of our local paper's analysis of shifts in the wine industry that really summarized what every industry now faces. As consumers have become newly focused on price and spending, every brand is called again to justify the value it delivers, to retain and re-earn its customers and bring them value.

 

Analyzing shifting demographics of the wine industry, Kevin McAllum noted, "Danny Brager, an alcohol analyst with The Nielsen Company, said there is some indication that wine drinkers seem pretty happy with the quality of wines under $20. In a series of three surveys spaced six months apart, the number of consumers who responded that they were finding good wine at lower prices increased from 28 percent to 41 percent.

 

It is a dramatic swing that is unlikely to reverse anytime soon, Brager said. 'Consumers are finding more good wine at lower prices and that may be hard to shake,' Brager said. The obvious implication is that the highest-end wines, particularly ones that don't have cult status and a rabid following, may be in for a shakeout, said Robert Smiley, director of wine studies at the UC Davis graduate school of management. 'Another way to say it, less politely, is some brands are going to fail,' Smiley said. 'People that are selling $150, $250 or $300 bottles but don't have the Screaming Eagle cult status, they're not going to be around in a few years.'"

 

I think that evolution is upon most industries, that American consumers are reconsidering their brand assortment, and the new economy offers an opportunity to reposition and rethink -- all across the board. It's a time of great flexibility and possible movement, a time when consumers are asking, "Do I really need ___?" in a way they were not two years ago. For those vendors that have been steadily honing their craft and their team, it's a real chance to sprint forward. And for all of us, a chance to strap on our boots and enjoy the climb. By Laura Havlek, Sign of the Bear, Sonoma, Calif.

 

Christmas is Coming

Once more, morning air turns chill with the nip that pumps adrenaline into the hearts of retailers everywhere, nudging, "Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming." This is a year to be a grown-up, to do homework and to analyze our assortment with an open mind. What worked in 2007 is yesterday's lesson. This is a year of quantum evolution. We're all learning again how to do what we do in a new economy. We come a little wiser from a boom economy, learning to prosper now, with a wholly changed set of rules.

 

Boomers are done buying at their former rate; the next generations bring a different mind-set to the table.

 

If it's fresh, fun and inexpensive, it's selling well -- especially with a dash of humor. Well-engineered tools are paying our rent this autumn. So are greener products as a sense of environmental awareness now moves into the "givens" of successful engineering.

 

It's a year for everyone, right up and down the supply chain, to learn again how to delight and surprise our customers; how to let them teach us what they want us to be; and to learn again how to sell, stock and inventory now. It's been a year for nuts-and-bolts mechanics: controlling inventory, forecasting, technical evolutions, predicting where we need to jump in and out, looking at supplier stock outages (re-sourcing key items out of stock too often, getting out of what is not paying rent…). A year to be a grown-up.

 

A comparatively flat year also brings the opportunity to look at so many of the projects that have lain on the to-do list for too long, from repainting to reorganizing to fixturing and signage, and improve sell rates with better, tighter presentation. And to step forward to train everyone to deliver an ever-better customer experience.

 

It's been a year to hone and winnow our assortment (a grocery friend calls it "evicting nonpaying tenants") as we move shelf space to fresh new looks, to focus on staying in stock of core pieces, and culling those items that have not turned in too long, or are not turning well enough.

 

Aggressively re-pricing the slow movers and learning what we always need to be in stock has worked well: our shelves are moving to faster-turn items, customers are excited by great deals on those "keep us humble" buying decisions (and we're glad to have the shelf back).

 

Training the fall's crop of high school employees, we remember again that the joy of retail is the people; and that we need to learn to serve another generation that comes through the door with a whole different set of expectations. Learning is fun.

 

In 2009, we've seen more movement in our vendor list (top 100 suppliers) than ever before, as some well-branded companies have really struggled and lost ground, and some timely unknown companies surge to the fore. We're all playing closer to the vest ...

 

We're all discovering again how to deliver what our customers want -- experience and assortment and display -- and looking to step forward into our next iteration.

 

It's a year to think again about the "givens" of our business, a year to question and grow. Change brings the opportunity to make things more as they ought to be, it's work and fun in equal measure, and Christmas is a-comin' ... and the joy finding the perfect match for the folks we love.

 

With hard work, though, and a dash of luck, Santa will roll right along also! We're listening for those reindeer. By Laura Havlek, Sign of the Bear,

Sonoma

,

Calif.