Play Meter

FROM THE EDITOR I s s e c suc A rec recipe for A r ipe fo really can't explain my fascination for those really can't explain my fascination for those cooking shows where chefs from all over the cooking shows where chefs from all over the world demonstrate how to cook things you world demonstrate how to cook things you know in your heart you'll never try. But know in your heart you'll never try. But nonetheless, I flip to one occasionally and nonetheless, I flip to one occasionally and dream of one day making something my dream of one day making something my family will never forget. family will never forget. .Actually, I did just that recently, but it Actually, I did just that recently, but it wasn't exactly how I envisioned it. I saw a fawasn't exactly how I envisioned it. I saw a famous chef making banana bread and mous chef making banana bread and thought that it couldn't be that difficult. In thought that it couldn't be that difficult. In fact, Bonnie (Theard, manfact, Bonnie (Theard, managing editor) brings banana aging editor) brings banana bread to work quite often bread to work quite often (also pumpkin bread, coffee (also pumpkin bread, coffee cake, etc.) so I guess I got a cake, etc.) so I guess I got a little carried away with my little carried away with my talents or what I thought talents or what I thought they should be. they should be. I wrote down the ingrediI wrote down the ingredients, preheated the oven, ents, preheated the oven, and was already counting and was already counting the praises before the eggs the praises before the eggs were cracked. OK, I don't were cracked. OK, I don't have really ripe bananas, have really ripe bananas, but I'll just mash these green but I'll just mash these green ones. Can't be THAT much ones. Can't be THAT much difference. Uh, oh. No butdifference. Uh, oh. No butValerie Cognevich termilk. But no problem, because I rememValerie Cognevich termilk. But no problem, because I rememEditor ber reading that you can substitute a tableEditor ber reading that you can substitute a tablespoon of vinegar in whole milk for the same spoon of vinegar in whole milk for the same results. Skim milk will probably be OK, but results. Skim milk will probably be OK, but was that cider, salad, or white vinegar? was that cider, salad, or white vinegar? Now let's see. This is going pretty well, Now let's see. This is going pretty well, but I don't have the type of flour the recipe but I don't have the type of flour the recipe calls for but I do have regular flour. After all, calls for but I do have regular flour. After all, flour is flour is flour. Gee, this calls for an awflour is flour is flour. Gee, this calls for an awfully lot of sugar. I can't see a single reason fully lot of sugar. I can't see a single reason why I can't go with Sweet N' Low instead for why I can't go with Sweet N' Low instead for that low-calfeel. feel. that low-cal It's all mixed and ready for the loaf pan. It's all mixed and ready for the loaf pan. Wait, who has loaf pans just sitting around Wait, who has loaf pans just sitting around the house? But a square glass dish looks the house? But a square glass dish looks inviting. I pop it in the oven, wait the allotted inviting. I pop it in the oven, wait the allotted 60minutes minutesand andviola! viola!ItItlooks lookstasty tastyeven even 60 though it's a little past "golden" brown. Well, though it's a little past "golden" brown. Well, looks aren't everything. This turned out to looks aren't everything. This turned out to be the most foul-tasting concoction I've ever be the most foul-tasting concoction I've ever encountered. It's going straight in the encountered. It's going straight in the garbage can. And you know what? I'm never garbage can. And you know what? I'm never PLAYMETER METER PLAY 12 12 using that recipe again! The bananas and buttermilk may not The bananas and buttermilk may not strike a cord, but how about getting valuable strike a cord, but how about getting valuable advice about opening and operating a firstadvice about opening and operating a firstclass FEC or the like? There is a certain class FEC or the like? There is a certain recipe to follow in order to offer up the locarecipe to follow in order to offer up the location you anticipate. Perhaps one such considtion you anticipate. Perhaps one such consideration is to hire the best people, train them eration is to hire the best people, train them properly, and be fair. One company took a properly, and be fair. One company took a look at their bottom line and saw a way to look at their bottom line and saw a way to cut costs by hiring "cheaper" people. They cut costs by hiring "cheaper" people. They reasoned that a warm body helping cusreasoned that a warm body helping customers is a warm body helping customers no tomers is a warm body helping customers no matter what they're paid. Right? And what's matter what they're paid. Right? And what's this about training? Just tell them what to do! this about training? Just tell them what to do! Consultants who offer their expertise Consultants who offer their expertise must feel like the banana bread recipe chef must feel like the banana bread recipe chef would have felt if he'd seen what an abomiwould have felt if he'd seen what an abomination I made of his creation. For instance, nation I made of his creation. For instance, one consultant told me he recommended a one consultant told me he recommended a demographic study to a client before he demographic study to a client before he made a costly investment. The advice fell on made a costly investment. The advice fell on deaf ears since it "was too expensive." The deaf ears since it "was too expensive." The client, willing to spend thousands, wasn't client, willing to spend thousands, wasn't willing to heed valuable advice. Then there's willing to heed valuable advice. Then there's the advice given to another would-be LBE the advice given to another would-be LBE owner: plan enough capital to see you owner: plan enough capital to see you through until the location becomes estabthrough until the location becomes established. "But I'll be making so much money lished. "But I'll be making so much money once I'm open! Then I'll just use those profits once I'm open! Then I'll just use those profits for whatever I need." for whatever I need." And the sensible, logical warnings about And the sensible, logical warnings about budgeting enough for updating equipment. budgeting enough for updating equipment. "I don't understand why my customers are "I don't understand why my customers are not coming back," noted one owner as he not coming back," noted one owner as he straightened the "out of order" sign on yet straightened the "out of order" sign on yet another old game. another old game. "There's plenty for everyone to do. Why "There's plenty for everyone to do. Why aren't I busier on weekends?" another aren't I busier on weekends?" another lamented never considering investing in toplamented never considering investing in topof-the-line redemption merchandise. Kids of-the-line redemption merchandise. Kids only need so many spider rings. In fact, this only need so many spider rings. In fact, this client balked at offering prizes of any form client balked at offering prizes of any form because he thought he was simply throwing because he thought he was simply throwing away his profit. away his profit. think you get the point. There's a right I Ithink you get the point. There's a right way to do things and there's a wrong way. way to do things and there's a wrong way. One way you get banana bread and compliOne way you get banana bread and compliments; the other way you get a full garbage ments; the other way you get a full garbage can and maybe a lesson learned . .A. using that recipe again! can and maybe a lesson learned. JANUARY1998 1998 JANUARY