Organizing spices can rack the nerves
24.01.10
The kitchen is by far the most organized room in my house. I find washing dishes and reorganizing foodstuffs quite soothing, and when the kitchen is clean, I feel a bit like my mind was the drawer I'd decluttered and dusted, with everything neatly put back in place.
But that peace of mind is shattered every time I think of my spice drawer, or rather the collection of storage spaces (including a drawer) that together hold a mix of bags, bottles and jars of spices. Too many times I have bought more cinnamon or smoked paprika because I missed the half-full jar stuffed in a drawer or sitting on a shelf. The mess discourages me from experimenting, and it makes any spice-heavy recipe take that much longer.
I am not alone in this problem. Kitchen design Web sites, home cooking discussion boards and personal blogs are filled with odes to the perfect spice rack (inevitably discontinued, incredibly expensive or unusable in my kitchen) or guilty confessions about spice bowls and cluttered bins.
Source: Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Our Columnist Tries His Hand at the Hard Sell
24.01.10
I assumed my editors would select someone who could enunciate three-syllable words. I was wrong. The assignment came down hard: By 11 a.m. on Thursday morning I was to recast myself as a confident pitchman of tchotchke, widget and thingamabob alike.
After hyperventilating for a few quick days, I embraced my role as any savvy pitchman, actor or grifter would. I pored over product specs. I studied Mr. Mays' speeches . I bought a shirt in Mr. Mays' patented color of sky blue.
I even contacted Robert Galinsky, founder and headmaster of The New York Reality TV School , for advice on how to ace my audition. He suggested that I come up with a unique angle for my presentation ("Strong, bold, wild ... do you sing?"), that I smile ("If you have a pleasing, likable energy under your 'sell,' then your potential customers feel safe and warm about buying") and that I rethink my shirt-'n-jeans ensemble ("Make sure it has the look of an 'outfit,' not a 'misfit' ... corporate with flair").
Source: AdAge.com (subscription)
