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Out Of My Mind On A Tuesday Mornin'

Updated: May 19, 2023

I have blocked the following words from my online experience: COVID-19, protests, racism, NFL, Donald T. Trump, and Joe Biden. Now the only thing on my news feed are recipes and travel destinations that I cannot get to. I love it.

I don’t know about you but I love sushi, or should I say, I used to love it. Sushi used to be authentic: Nice fresh tuna rolls, fresh wasabi and pickled ginger, ginger salad and miso soup. Over the past few years, sushi has become overstuffed rice rolls filled with fried shrimp tempura, cream cheese and other high fat pollutants. So I decided to Sushi Wushi. That’s right my friends, make my own. With a little online research, I learned I needed a decent rice maker, couple rolling mats, seaweed paper, and fresh ingredients. I went to the only Japanese supermarket in town figuring they would have it all. No rice cooker, barely any utensils but they did have fresh ingredients, wasabi powder (that is the secret to the best wasabi), and Japanese rice (has to be authentic). I learned that sticky rice Is not just steamed rice, but steam rice blended with rice vinegar, a lot of sugar and a lot of salt. No wonder it tastes so good! I ended up making the rice in a saucepan and it turned out fine. I got to add as little rice as possible to the seaweed wrapper and add my fresh ingredients. I made homemade spicy sauce for the tuna (Japanese mayo, Sriracha, lemon juice and a touch of sesame oil), and I made the spicy tuna two ways: One very small diced cubes plus the spicy sauce and second, blended in a food processor for a few seconds plus the spicy sauce. Both versions were excellent. I ordered the rice cooker from Amazon for next time and highly recommend you try your own Sushi Wushi experience.

Our premier issue of the TNG Catalog is out and I have to say it is quite impressive. It is truly amazing with everything digital how people still love their catalogs. RH stock is at an all-time high and they are the king of catalogs. There is something special about catalogs that will keep them around for years to come.

Remember your first Cinnabon? OMG! That was when they made them fresh in the airport and you could smell them as you checked in. Ooeey, gooey and so tasty. They just introduced their first frozen line of breakfast foods with their cinnamon specialties taking center stage. YUM!

Equinox is open as are all gyms in MI. I have yet to go and doubt I will be going anytime soon. The club now opens at 6AM instead of 5AM and the classes are later too. I cannot imagine doing yoga or spinning with a mask on. Steam room, spa and cold plunge pools closed and zero amenities in the locker room too. And for all this, you get to pay the same $150 monthly fee. With Peloton announcing triple sales last quarter, how many people are ready to go back to the gym? Are you?

Is it time to blame CA for the downturn in the beauty business? After all, CA is the only state to close down salons and spas unless they perform the services outdoors. Remember CA accounts for 1/7 of the USA economy. Or should we blame face masks as women no longer need as much lipstick? Or should we blame COVID-19 as millions of workers no longer need to go to the office? Coty, Revlon and Sally Beauty keep trending down. I wonder how much longer Coty will stay solvent; if and when Revlon will finally sell; and the future of Sally (most likely private equity will take them out and/or they will spin off BSG). With airports still mostly deserted, cruise ships not sailing until 2021 and spas open with limited access and capacity, we have a long ways to go before we see normalcy again.

Speaking of normalcy, I love a good steak like the rest of us (unless you a vegan like Ben). I also like a good pizza, nacho and grilled wild salmon. But there is still nothing like fresh burgers and fries. I make my burger with Piedmontese beef (all the flavor of chuck but only 4% fat) and truffle fries using fresh cut potatoes and truffle oil. The secret to making the best fries? Soak in ice cold water for 2-3 hours, then dry with paper towel. Fry for a few minutes in 300F oil (do not brown) and take out and drain on clean paper towel. When ready to serve, fry for a couple minutes at 375F until golden brown, season and serve. So good!

Happy Tuesday!

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