Mother’s Day Recipes From Food Network Moms
In 1908, Anna M. Jarvis campaigned for the creation of an official Mother’s Day to honor her mother and for peace. Anna petitioned the superintendent of her mother’s church. She got her wish as the first Mother’s Day celebration took place May 10 of that year. Anna then spent the rest of her life protesting people for celebrating Mother’s Day. She ridiculed florists for selling flowers and even petitioned the US Postal Service to remove the words “Mother’s Day” from a stamp that also feature her own mother on it. Apparently she was just a tad bit crazy.
Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Rather than prodding mom into the cattle car that is the Olive Garden lobby how about actually cooking her something? After learning about the originator of Mother’s Day the idea of you cooking for your mother shouldn’t seem quite as crazy.
The Moms of the Food Network have put together a few recipes to help you show your mom a little love. Marcela Valladolid (pictured above with son Fausto), Sandra Lee, Paula Deen, Gina Neeley and Giada De Laurentiis help you to make a it a Mother’s Day to remember:
Food Network’s Facebook Page Flamed
Recently Food Network decided to Spam it’s fans via their popular Facebook Page with a shameless ad for Applebee’s. The post was a plug for Applebee’s 550 calorie (but high fat, high carb and high sodium) Weight Watcher’s menu. Neither Applebee’s nor Weight Watcher’s are companies I put much stock in as both have a long track record for taking their customers for granted. Apparently I am not alone.
The classic Spam advertisement soon received over a hundred negative comments from Food Network fans many of whom “unliked” the FN Fanpage because of this breach of trust. There were a few positive comments but most were made by people who’s profiles indicate their paychecks come from FN’s parent company Scripps Networks. Suspiciously missing from the post was the usual Facebook button allowing you to report a post as Spam.
Let’s forget for a moment that Applebee’s menu is littered with farm raised imported shrimp (which is toxic) and the lowest quality beef and chicken that is legal to sell in the US. Let’s forget that Weight Watcher’s is notorious for marketing a brand that has absolutely nothing to do with a healthy life style. Let’s concentrate on the fact that Food Network actually Spammed it’s Facebook fans. For shame, Food Network, for shame. I don’t expect Applebee’s or Weight Watcher’s to do right by the American people but I do expect that from you. For shame.
The Never-Tipping Pasta Bowl
Tis the season for all-you-can-eat specials.
There’s a nip in the air, the kids are back in school and restaurants are empty. It must be Fall. The main giveaway is that restaurants are running “bottomless” specials. After buying uniforms and school supplies parents are tapped out. There’s no money left for a night on the town. For this reason it is the slowest time of the year for the restaurant industry.
Servers hate this time of year because it means they have to work harder for less money. Why? Because to lure customers in many eateries are offering all-you-can-eat specials at super low prices. This is great for mom and dad but not necessarily for that struggling undergrad trying to put themselves through school.
Now this lecture is not aimed at those of you who take advantage of such bargains and leave a proper tip for service received. It is for those of you who rationalize that if you don’t tip the neighborhood mega buffet then why should this be any different. The difference is that you don’t have to go get your refills yourself. Someone brings them to you, freshly cooked mind you not poaching on a steam table for hours.
There are probably some of you reading this wondering, “How could anyone think that you wouldn’t have to tip just because the menu says all-you-can-eat?” That’s the other reason servers hate this time of year. These specials draw non-tippers like politicians to a kickback.
It also brings out the bingeaholics as well. These are people whose goal is to make the restaurant lose money. They will actually skip meals so that they can put away five, six and even seven portions of the never-ending special. What’s worse many bingeaholics are also non-tippers but even those who aren’t need to realize that if you are going to make the server fill your trough a half a dozen times with unending meatloaf you need to up your tip. Hey, you are already getting a break on the price so why not throw a few extra George Washingtons at that single parent trying to make ends meat?
Now from the consumer’s standpoint – if they can possibly offer you all-you-can-eat for under ten bucks do you think it is something you want to put in your body? Doubtful.
Don’t Wait to Honor Mom on Mother’s Day
Sunday is Mother’s Day. This, along with Valentine’s Day, is the busiest day of the year in the restaurant industry. As with V-day I am baffled at the number of people who believe the best way to show your love for someone is to spend 2 hours sitting in the lobby of a fern bar waiting for a table. How about some numbers – 80% of the people who are taking mom out for her
special day will do so between 11AM and 2PM Sunday. That is crazy! That means tens of millions of people trying to eat at the same time. What is wrong with taking her out Saturday night? Maybe take her shopping Saturday afternoon and stop by her favorite lunch spot.
Not to mention the message that sends to mom, “I know that you cooked me virtually every meal for the first 18 years of my life, but the one meal a year I am supposed to provide for you involves hanging out in the foyer of O’Apple Tuesday’s Garden and Cantina if you want to collect. Sorry I just don’t have time to cook for you myself.”
Nice logic – We can spend three hours at a chain restaurant, but I don’t have time to make something out of Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals.
The rub – if you refuse to cook then by all means take mom out to eat – she deserves it – but do you really have to take her after church like the other 27 million people in the country?
Food for thought.