Traditionally I come from a country where coffee is a staple moment of everybody’s routine at home or outside. In Italy you start the day heating your moka and waiting for that unique sound ready to serve two small cups; if you’re on the go, your espresso and a Nutella croissant with the newspaper under your arm depict the average bar goer in the morning. Plenty of cafes placed here and there that offer this important drink at any time of the day.
In Italy there isn’t that status-quo of tallorgrande paper cups to carry around while going to work or while driving to get the kids from school. However, the market for coffee in North America is a well established business that in the last twenty years managed to go beyond the beans, entering a whole new dimension of corporate branding and personal status.
Today sporting a cup in your hands is not about taste anymore, but about who you are. That cup is a beacon sending a subtle message to others about your life style and preferences. Corporate identities acquired a more powerful aspect when designers begun working with the experience element to be used in the equation. Advertisers could only go so far in convincing people to buy this or that product, that’s why understanding the user was essential to the business.
Famous brands like StarbucksandTim Hortons are the two essential names in coffee consumption in Canada. The former constitute a different brand loyalty from customers than the latter which attracts a different crowd. Starbucksis not just coffee but a way of life. Those who hold that large white paper cup with the green logo on it are not just drinking their beverage, they are telling others around they belong to another plain of society, usually a middle class and above, and they enjoying being seen with something in their hands that is a totem of status-quo: I can afford an expensive coffee and I belong to a circle of people similar to mine (usually the white collars).
On the other hand the Canadian chain Tim Hortons is a business which belongs to a broader percentage of the population; it encompasses the average Jane and Joe which rise early in the morning to go to work, who hold a trade which involves labor and specific manual/technical skills; I’m thinking about your neighbor carpenter, your middle school teacher, the plumber who just repaired your sink, the road worker with the yellow vest. It’s essentially a blue collar coffee for it’s accessible price and quality.
Two distinct cups for two distinct brands. Starbucks focuses more on the logo to visually engage those around the cup in suggesting status; Tims sports a different interaction with the user to engage a larger crowd through cost and quality accessibility.
The behavior of these two brands is visible everyday at any moment, whether at the mall, outside offices, while doing groceries, at the bank. Those who spend twice as much for coffee at Starbucks want to be seen, and that’s why the cup is designed to stand out: white with the bright and visible logo that is unique and easy to identify. It never changes. Whereas Tim’s has its cups shifting throughout the year in style with different seasonal themes and prize winning months (Roll Up The Rim contest).
So, in this quick analysis of coffee, the choice of cups goes beyond the beans; it’s not just the quality but a way of expressing one’s personal status and kinship to a specific mindset or group of people. There are other brands that might have worked too making the comparison; however, in Canada this polarization of brand choice offers an outstanding window of user behavior just by looking at a cup of coffee.
2 cups of chocolate chips (milk chocolate OR semi-sweet)
Instructions
Pour all the ingredients into a crockpot and whisk together until well combined. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and chocolate chips are melted. Whisk well before serving. Garnish as desired (which means MARSHMALLOWS of course!)
The flavours of fall are definitely in full swing and it’s no secret that the Tastitude of this particular season are some of my favourite tastes of the year. Often hearty, earthy, a little fatty and always rich and satisfying it’s just the type of food you crave as the weather turns colder.
Inside of the broad range of foods that make up fall eats is a fun and delicious category of food that might not be so glaringly obvious to most but due to the time of year and the types of food you find on these weekend warrior type menus they are for sure a pertinent part of autumn’s deliciousness.
Otherwise known as “Gameday Grub” we prepare and share these foods with our friends and family as we gather to watch our favourite fall and winter sports like football and hockey. They are very much a part of the fall food family. Sometimes regarded as little more than snacks or appetizers they can be under rated but when you think about it they most certainly fit with what we perceive as cold weather fare.
Dishes like thick chilies and crispy fried wings, hearty sandwiches and rich dips along with many combinations of meats and potatoes are standard culinary offerings as we sit to share our favourite sports.
They taste great, stick to your ribs, are easy to prepare and quite often require no utensils (maybe a few toothpicks and napkins). Just like any great eats quality ingredients are coupled with tongue inspiring seasonings and cooked in a variety of ways to produce irresistible flavour combinations that keep hungry fans satiated as the televised battles unfold on the big screen.
One of the best ways keep your game day food fanatics happy is to first know your fans. Once you have a good idea of what types of food might best please your armchair quarterbacks you can begin to map out all the plays you’re going the make from kitchen to table. You can elevate your game further by implementing some unexpected strategies.
By taking standard go to dishes and giving them some unique twists of your own design you can keep the opposition guessing.
Maybe you’ll make a curry chili, nachos made with smoked local cheese, charred wings with a little bourbon and sour cherry infused BBQ sauce or even a dip that goes way beyond artichokes and cream cheese.
No matter how you get your game on this weekend take some time to make your picks early so you can get a head start on formulating your culinary battle plans and use some of fall’s great flavours to feed some serious game day sized appetites. Here’s a recipe that will help you meet the trade deadline, keep you under the salary cap and be sure to give you a win this weekend. Game on!
– Chef House
Chef House’s Fried Chicken and Waffle Sliders
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 3″ pieces 1 cup AP flour 2 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp paprika 1 cup buttermilk 1 egg lightly beaten 1 cup panko Vegetable oil, for frying 12 small homemade waffles made with a ¼ pour of batter Maple syrup, for drizzling 2 tbsp melted butter
In a medium bowl, combine flour and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg and buttermilk. Pour panko into a third bowl. Working in batches, dredge chicken tenders in the flour mixture then dip in buttermilk mixture. Finally, toss in panko for the final dredge.
Meanwhile, pour about 2” vegetable oil into a large, deep skillet. Heat over medium heat until the oil reaches about 350F. Cook the chicken in two batches, flipping the chicken once during cooking, approximately 3 -4 minutes per side. Place the fried chicken tenders on a cooling rack lined with paper towels. Lightly season with salt directly out of the fryer.
Brush toasted waffles with melted butter. Top the half of the waffles with fried chicken and drizzle with maple syrup. Top with the remaining waffles and lightly drizzle again.
***Top your sliders with anything from your favourite cheese and apple slices to more traditional toppings like lettuce, tomato and mayo.***
The flavours of fall are definitely in full swing and it’s no secret that the Tastitude of this particular season are some of my favourite tastes of the year. Often hearty, earthy, a little fatty and always rich and satisfying it’s just the type of food you crave as the weather turns colder.
Inside of the broad range of foods that make up fall eats is a fun and delicious category of food that might not be so glaringly obvious to most but due to the time of year and the types of food you find on these weekend warrior type menus they are for sure a pertinent part of autumn’s deliciousness.
Otherwise known as “Gameday Grub” we prepare and share these foods with our friends and family as we gather to watch our favourite fall and winter sports like football and hockey. They are very much a part of the fall food family. Sometimes regarded as little more than snacks or appetizers they can be under rated but when you think about it they most certainly fit with what we perceive as cold weather fare.
Dishes like thick chilies and crispy fried wings, hearty sandwiches and rich dips along with many combinations of meats and potatoes are standard culinary offerings as we sit to share our favourite sports.
They taste great, stick to your ribs, are easy to prepare and quite often require no utensils (maybe a few toothpicks and napkins). Just like any great eats quality ingredients are coupled with tongue inspiring seasonings and cooked in a variety of ways to produce irresistible flavour combinations that keep hungry fans satiated as the televised battles unfold on the big screen.
One of the best ways keep your game day food fanatics happy is to first know your fans. Once you have a good idea of what types of food might best please your armchair quarterbacks you can begin to map out all the plays you’re going the make from kitchen to table. You can elevate your game further by implementing some unexpected strategies.
By taking standard go to dishes and giving them some unique twists of your own design you can keep the opposition guessing.
Maybe you’ll make a curry chili, nachos made with smoked local cheese, charred wings with a little bourbon and sour cherry infused BBQ sauce or even a dip that goes way beyond artichokes and cream cheese.
No matter how you get your game on this weekend take some time to make your picks early so you can get a head start on formulating your culinary battle plans and use some of fall’s great flavours to feed some serious game day sized appetites. Here’s a recipe that will help you meet the trade deadline, keep you under the salary cap and be sure to give you a win this weekend. Game on!
– Chef House
Chef House’s Fried Chicken and Waffle Sliders
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 3″ pieces 1 cup AP flour 2 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp paprika 1 cup buttermilk 1 egg lightly beaten 1 cup panko Vegetable oil, for frying 12 small homemade waffles made with a ¼ pour of batter Maple syrup, for drizzling 2 tbsp melted butter
In a medium bowl, combine flour and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg and buttermilk. Pour panko into a third bowl. Working in batches, dredge chicken tenders in the flour mixture then dip in buttermilk mixture. Finally, toss in panko for the final dredge.
Meanwhile, pour about 2” vegetable oil into a large, deep skillet. Heat over medium heat until the oil reaches about 350F. Cook the chicken in two batches, flipping the chicken once during cooking, approximately 3 -4 minutes per side. Place the fried chicken tenders on a cooling rack lined with paper towels. Lightly season with salt directly out of the fryer.
Brush toasted waffles with melted butter. Top the half of the waffles with fried chicken and drizzle with maple syrup. Top with the remaining waffles and lightly drizzle again.
***Top your sliders with anything from your favourite cheese and apple slices to more traditional toppings like lettuce, tomato and mayo.***
![vintageadvertising: “Did you get a bouquet with your coffee today?” Maxwell House [1956]](https://64.media.tumblr.com/978264b8097cb26e05cc323d0a5dd54f/fb2a62e951f06c9a-88/s1280x1920/aff6457093b158c7febd3c90336d11778635b1b5.jpg "vintageadvertising: “Did you get a bouquet with your coffee today?” Maxwell House [1956]")
