Tiffany Tastes

We all Scream for (a little) Ice Cream

The economic crunch has hit some harder than others, and businesses aren't immune.  If you've recently visited the freezer section of your local grocery store, you might have noticed that something was not quite right.  In the old days, ice cream came in two standard sizes: half-gallon and pint.  However, if you look closely at some of your favorite frozen treats, you'll see that  most of your favorite brands of ice cream are a little less filling.  Instead of half-gallon containers, most companies have started selling ice cream in 1.5 quart cartons.  Most of the pint sizes have remained at 16 ounces, with the exception of Dove Ice Cream (15.10 ounces) and Haagen-Dasz which weighs in at an insubstantial 14 ounces.

The most interesting part is that these companies aren't charging consumers any less; in fact, most are even charging more.  Below, you'll find the most popular ice cream brands sold at Krogers in Memphis and the current (and former) sizes

1.5 quarts (previously 1/2 gallon or 2 quarts): Kroger Brand (regular and premium), Breyers, Edy's, and Yarnells

1.75 quarts (previously 1/2 gallon or 2 quarts): Kroger Brand (Value), Angel Food, Turner

Once a pint, still a pint: Kroger (regular and premium), Ben and Jerry's, Bluebell, Yarnell's

Once a pint, no longer a pint: Haagen-Dasz (now 14 ounces), Dove Ice Cream (now 15.10 ounces)

Of all the brands listed above, only Haagen-Dasz addresses the shrinkage on their website.  You can check out their article here. I cannot find any mention of the smaller carton sizes on any of the other brands' websites. 

Of all the ice cream brands in the grocery store, only one company still provides half-gallon sizes; that brand is Bluebell.  They even have, "Still a 1/2 Gallon" stamped on the package.

So, if you're okay with getting less ice cream for the same (or more) money, then continue to purchase 1.5 or 1.75 quarts of your same old regular brands.  If you're looking for a 1/2 gallon of ice cream for a 1/2 gallon price, then Bluebell is your best bet.  Or, buy a pint. You probably don't need to eat all that ice cream anyway.  :P

Not Much to Bragg about...

There are very few chefs in Memphis who are creating buzz like John Bragg. His restaurant, Circa by John Bragg, is thriving in the competitive downtown area where so many others are struggling. He was even voted the best restaurant in town by readers of Memphis Magazine. Of course, I had to see what all the fuss was about.

Circa seems to be striving for a very trendy, yet inviting atmosphere. Wine racks are used as room dividers, which could have been a problem if the restaurant were noisy, but the hubby and I were the only customers there at around 7pm on a Tuesday evening.

For his appetizer, Tom ordered crawfish beignets with red pepper remoulade. He was extremely excited about this dish; the description made him salivate. While the beignets were light and not at all greasy, they were bland, and the remoulade added very little flavor. I decided on the artisan cheese and meat platter: St. André Triple Crème, manchego, Bonny Blue chèvre, bresaola, chorizo, and capicola. The meats and cheese were of very good quality, but there were very few accoutrements- a bit of crostini and a few strawberries.

For my entrée, I chose the Georgia Bobwhite Quail stuffed with chorizo and served with polenta and seasonal vegetables. The quail was extremely tender, well-cooked, and well-seasoned. The polenta was creamy and thick, and the vegetables were crisp-tender. The overall presentation was delicate and hearty at the same time. I was quite satisfied with the dish.

Tom chose the daily special, lamb shank with a side of Parmesan gnocchi. The portion was huge. It looked like the Brontosaurus ribs that tipped over Fred's car in the opening credits of the Flintstones. It was fall off the bone tender with a flavor reminiscent of mom's pot roast. It was juicy and flavorful, but didn't seem as refined as something that would be served at this type of restaurant. The Parmesan gnocchi were actually deep-fried and flavored with chives. They had the taste and texture of fancy tater tots.

For dessert, we chose the “Sure Death” chocolate soufflé, which was served with vanilla gelato. It was dense, rich, and an appropriate end to the meal, but we've had much better versions. This one was nothing special.

Final Impressions: Come to think of it, there was nothing special about the meal at all. When I spend $150, I'd like at least one item to be memorable, and these items just weren't. Maybe I didn't select the correct choices. Either way, Circa would be a great place for a nice, romantic dinner or a girls night out. The quality of the food is excellent, but the taste is hit or miss.

Tiffany's Favorite Part: Chorizo-stuffed quail
Tom's Favorite Part: Chorizo-stuffed quail

Tiffany's Rating :) :) ½ out of :) :) :) :)

Circa by John Bragg
119 S. Main Street, Suite 100
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 522-1488

Average Appetizer Price: $9-$14
Average Soup/Salad Price: $5-$14
Average Entrée Price: $26-$36
Average Dessert Price: $6-$11
Bar Menu/Small Plates: $3-$8

Operating Hours
Sunday & Monday 5:00pm-10:00pm
Tuesday – Saturday 5:00om-11:00pm

Grilled Chicken Fiasco- An Update

It seems like I wasn't the only Memphian who was a perturbed by the lack of grilled chicken in Memphis.  The Commercial Appeal (the Memphis City paper)  ran an article last week that gave some insight on the dilemma.

"Of the 5,200 KFC locations nationwide, less than 200 have opted not to sell the grilled chicken -- 21 of them in Memphis."

"The nearly two dozen local locations that have opted out of KFC's healthier alternative are owned by Jonesboro, Ark.-based Fowler Foods Inc. "

Apparently the cost of the equipment it would take to provide the new grilled chicken was too much of an investment for Fowler Foods.

"Managers at several of Fowler's KFC locations said the reason Memphis is getting the short end of the drumstick is because placing grills in these facilities would cost the franchise owner thousands of dollars."

However, this new chicken seems to be very popular.  In my hometown, the KFC actually had to shut down one day last week because they ran out.

But Memphians, have no fear.  You can still get your grilled chicken at several suburban locations, including Collierville, Lakeland, and Millington.  This chicken lover took a trip to a Collierville KFC branch to sample this new taste phenomenon.  I took advantage of the 2-piece meal deal whch allows the customer to choose a leg and thigh or breast and wing combination with 2 sides, a biscuit, and a drink for only $3.99. 

I found the new grilled chicken to be quite tasty, even after 40 minutes (the time it took me to get home.) And the 2-piece deal is a tremendous value (but only for a limited time) So, if you're local KFC has grilled chicken, it's definitely worth the trip to try it out.  And,if you do, leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

Until next time...

It's Regional, Not Personal

Recently, my mom told me that she saw KFC commercial that featured grilled chicken. It looked so good, she had to try it. The results? It was good! Really good! She even said that the following Monday they were going to give away free chicken as part of “Un-Fryday.” Since I'm a huge advocate of healthier options at fast food restaurants, I decided to stop into a KFC to buy some for myself. Now, I hadn't seen any of the commercials, but my mom is usually right about this sort of thing. As I entered a KFC in East Memphis, I noticed that there weren't any signs about Un-Fryday. In fact, there wasn't any sort of advertisement for the grilled chicken at all. This struck me as odd, because surely they would want to heavily promote this new item. When I got to the counter, I asked the cashier about the grilled chicken, but apparently, “It is not available in the Memphis area.” Seriously? Do they just want us all to be fat asses? The girl apologized for their lack of grilled chicken and asked if I would like something else, but I just wasn't in the mood for fried chicken (someone make a note, that won't happen often :P). As I was driving home, the more aggravated I became.

I would think that Memphis would be a huge market for KFC given our proximity to Kentucky. I've heard rumors that I can get KFC grilled chicken in Mississippi, but I can't see driving 30 minutes for some chicken. Maybe I'll get some the next time I head down to the casinos...