Month: May 2007

Posted on

Super Tasters & “foodies”

Krudo, Ostrich, Crocodile, Springboek and other yummy things

Here I am on a Jenny Craig Diet and my daughter sends me these wonderful pictures of meals from South Africa. The dinner above features Krudo ( a kind of deerlike creature), Crocodile, Springboek (antelope like) and Ostrich! The lemons don’t tempt me… but the rest looks fantastic! After all, Karen has pointed out that I am a ‘foodie’ (someone who has spent a lot of their career in and around the food industry)… but I do enjoy food… and just possibly more than most people for reasons that are becoming more understood.

My wife Laura discussed something about ‘super tasters’ in her Bio Psychology Class. Super tasters are folks who can literally ‘taste’ more from their food because of the increased density of taste receptors on their tongue. After some checking, it appears that my daughters and I are cursed or blessed with this affliction. It’s like everyone else in the world tastes in color while we taste in high definition. This has always made dieting a challenge for me and I have sought out the boredom of monotonous diets to counteract the fireworks presented by many new, exciting and interesting dishes. I have found that variety adds to my waistline while monotony doesn’t.

Are you a super taster? Take the test!

Karen has earned the the unsurprising ( to me ) reputation for being willing to try new South African dishes. She — like the rest of us — loves to try new things. This is no surprise to those of us who really enjoy the ‘taste’ of our food… 

Roger Freberg

 

 

Posted on

Chocolate Confection in South Africa

Chocolate and confectionery delights have always been one of my favorite things to savor. Karen mentioned that in South Africa she found a few items that might even perk my interest and I wondered what they could be?
A few of the many goodies available ni South Africa

So I checked around and found a blog or two that listed some of the names:

“From Chappies and Wicks to Super C and Sugus, Peppermint Crisp to Lunch Bar, Tex Bar to Chocolate Log, Beacon Slim Slab to Caramello Bears, Sweetie Pie to Holey Moleys. They are all there to tempt the sweet tooth.”

Another blog talked about: “Kit Kats, Jelly Tots, Sweetie Pies, Nik Naks, Peppermint Crisps, Cadbury, Top Deck, Bar One, Bubbles and Pine Nuts.”

Obviously some of the items I was already familiar and I was interested to see how well Cadbury and Nestle’ had been embraced in South Africa. Nestle’ has quite a site describing their offerings.

I think Karen is trying to tempt me.

Roger Freberg

Posted on

Love grows with those who help with a smile

An interesting study is about to be unveiled shortly at a Toronto conference this month that should shed a little light on why some relationships continue to grow… while others wain and still others expire. In the past, too much time — I think — has been spent to try to understand why relationships fail, so it is very refreshnig to look at the real trick … why do some relationships work?

Personal acts of kindness done with a smile go a long way to keep a realtionship warm 

Most people believe that it is the big and little sacrifices we do for each other that shows how much we care. However, this is only part of the story. What most folks don’t know — and research is beginning to show — is that sacrifices ‘willingly’ made… ‘cheerfully’ given… are the ones that endear us to others. Possibly, because we recognize that although their effort and kindness is a ‘choice’, they care more about our needs than their own inconvenience.

When someone does something ‘willingly’ for you — you know at a most profound level — that someone loves you. It is hard not to love someone in return who will move across the country, change jobs, or do the dishes with a smile. The smile makes all the difference.

So, if you are troubled about your relationship(s), ask yourself… what have I done to lighten another’s burden, to help advance some of their dreams or to put their happiness over my own? You’ve failed, if it is ‘all about you.’

As in the “Princess Bride”, sometimes the best answer to any request is”… as you wish.” And don’t forget to look them in the eye… and smile.

Roger Freberg