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Photo credit: meatcards.com

Photo credit: meatcards.com

I was thoroughly tickled to find a product that, quite literally, combines my love of food and business…and is also a perfect complement to my appreciation of bizarre and corny humor. Enter MeatCards.

A group of fearless entrepreneurs have experimented – successfully, it seems – with laser printing onto beef jerky, to create edible, and highly original business cards made of meat. Going by their Twitter handles of @eagleapex and @tikaro, they share their prototyping process via photos on Flickr and offer information about purchasing their meaty wares by following them on Twitter (@MEATCARDS).

Rather than spring for a predictable “first come, first serve” basis for creating business card prototypes for new clients, they awarded the customized samples via a most unusual competition: The first fifteen people who submitted photos accurately recreating scenes of man vs. dinosaur, based on Frank Frazetta’s stylized, pre-historic/fantasy paintings, were winners of the coveted meat cards.

MeatCards.com has swiftly been garnering global exposure, with a spot on Chinese television and a viral Internet following. The following statement from their website may sum it all up, especially for us over-the-top, business-minded carnivores: “MEAT CARDS do not fit in a Rolodex, because their deliciousness CANNOT BE CONTAINED in a Rolodex.”

Take a bite out of business, have a good chuckle, and keep your eyes open at your next networking event. The local Big Cheese may be bringing some meat to the table.

Fruit roll-up flyers, anyone?

© Gilat Ben-Dor. All rights reserved.

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Abulafia, the bakery that has become an institution in the Tel Aviv/Jaffa (Yafo) area.

Abulafia, the bakery that has become an institution in the Tel Aviv/Jaffa (Yafo) area.

What makes a place an “institution”? No, not those kinds of institutions with straight jackets, mind you, but those places like Katz’s Deli in New York or Barnacle Billy’s in Maine. What makes a place elicit repeat business and a certain comfy notoriety? The predictable answer may be the combination of good food, hearty portions (that’s comfy!), warm service and a historic bent to the place. Add to that some childhood memories, and you’ve got the formula for a landmark locale.

Take Abulafia, the Jaffa-based boulangerie in Israel. They have expanded locations and gotten somewhat more slick in their distribution of their beigaleh and other savory baked treats, yet on a recent visit to Israel, after 18 years away, a funny thing happened to me. I did not necessarily recognize the original building (was it there in ’91?) but rather, I remembered what I used to order as a child from there…and had to get another. Take it all in: the flavorful sautée of onions, mushrooms, and yes, egg, all on a base of their hearty white beigaleh. It was nice to be back.

© Gilat Ben-Dor.

Abulafia's onion and egg bread: After 18 years away, it's nice to return and order an old favorite.

Abulafia's onion and egg bread: After 18 years away, it's nice to return and order an old favorite.

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Convenience may come at a price for this coarse Chardonnay.

Convenience may come at a price for this coarse Chardonnay.

The Wine Cube by Target (the big, red retailer) may do for unfussy adults what Capri Sun and Juicy Juice did for the lunch box crowd – offer a compact way to get liquid refreshment on the go. While not advocating a literal “one for the road” message here, the Wine Cube’s compact containers include a handy-dandy 4-pack of wine “juice boxes” and come in a series of varietal flavors (“Collect all 8!”): I spotted Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Cabernet Sauvignon 4-packs in the store, but according to Target’s official website, the Wine Cube also comes in Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz, Australian Chardonnay (as distinct from the other Chardonnay in the series), and seasonal offerings of red and white Sangria…all in a cube (or a box, really). These may be just the ticket for convenience-minded picnic goers who would still like to pair their goat cheese baguettes with something other than bottled water.

The packaging is certainly convenient – there are even Wine Cube holders, for those who want to accessorize, and the cubes themselves (lined cardboard) are stackable and unbreakable. You can take these with you to the beach, tailgate parties, or any other flask-worthy event.

But here’s the rub. I tried the Chardonnay of this series, both on its own (without food first) and, to simulate an actual picnic situation, I then tried it with both a ham sandwich and with a bevy of crunchy, salty snacks (it’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it). While these may not be ideal wine pairings for a Chardonnay (I’d sooner pair a Riesling with the ham sandwich and some bubbly with the snacks), my experiment was to see if the Chardonnay’s general versatility would stand up to these unusual pairings, and to see if the quality of this particular wine would complement the grown-up picnic experience without going gourmet. After all, versatility is perhaps the true definition of an “all-purpose” picnic wine.

The verdict? This wine was not to my liking – both on its own and with any of the paired foods. This Chardonnay lacked finesse and elegance, resulting in a bulky awkwardness on the palate and about as much subtlety as ketchup on a steak. Coarse would be an accurate descriptor. The alcohol – not the fruit – was at the forefront, causing an almost medicinal reaction in my mouth. Lest I get the Target police after me for calling their wine “medicinal,” I can only attest to trying the Chardonnay varietal of the Wine Cube thus far. Granted, this Chardonnay may be more at home with grilled chicken pasta or a turkey burger and loaded baked potatoes than with Cheetos– but if that’s the case, where do the “juice boxes” come in?  Or at the very least, let’s not compromise flavor for convenience.

Have any of you had a different experience with this wine? How about recommendations for other boxed wines, or other varietals in this series?

© Gilat Ben-Dor.

Target's Wine Cube in Chardonnay, one of several varietals in this series.

Target's Wine Cube in Chardonnay, one of several varietals in this series.

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Centro offers a fun, colorful atmosphere that can be dressed up or down.

Centro offers a fun, colorful atmosphere that can be dressed up or down.

By now, friends and family know the drill: whenever I go back to Fairfield for a hometown visit, everyone knows there will be at least one (or two) lunch dates set up at Centro. “So, uh, you wanna go to Centro?” I ask, as if suggesting a brand-new idea. “Sure,” is the knowing response, as my friends stifle a smirk. Centro again. This has been going on for nearly ten years. Yet I simply love this place and cannot seem to tire of it.

Centro has such a joyful, cheery atmosphere yet is stylish enough to make me don a string of pearls to have lunch with old friends. They even feature crayons and white paper tablecloths for, uh, the kids. Centro frames the best crayon masterpieces all around the restaurant. (I secretly wish to have my own drawing up on their wall, though they haven’t changed their chosen works in a while, so I may be out of luck.)

While I usually go for lunch, Centro is a great spot for a romantic dinner date, too. My absolute favorite dish here is the Penne All Vodka with chicken ($10.95), which involves penne pasta cooked to a perfect al dente (they just know not to over-mush it), topped with a flavorful mix of crispy pancetta, savory onions and rich, rich tomato vodka cream sauce (you can choose shrimp instead of chicken, by the way). I love pairing this with a refreshing glass of Pinot Grigio – the laid-back white wine that acts like a pleasant backdrop, akin to a favorite pair of jeans—nice jeans—that smoothly pairs with a whole host of trendy blouses.

I swear my other restaurant reviews will not be quite so emotional or nostalgic. If you’re in Fairfield, Connecticut, you have got to try this place out. And tell them I said hi.

Here are the nuts and bolts:

Who/What/Where: Centro has two sites (Darien and Greenwich, CT), but I am only obsessed with their Fairfield location.

Centro Ristorante

1435 Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06410
Tel. (203) 255-1210

Food: Contemporary Northern Italian cuisine such as soups and antipasti, fresh pastas, as well as thin-crust pizzas, salads and sandwiches. Lunchtime features a design-your-own-omelette offering, while dinnertime adds Piatti del Giorno entrees.

Catering, Take-Out and Kids’ Menus available.

Wine: Believe it or not, since this is more of a sentimental restaurant review, I am not armed with their wine list at the moment (nor is it available on their site, though the menu is). However, they do pay attention to their wines and have a nice selection even by the glass. I enjoy their Pinot Grigio with their fresh pastas.

Ambience and style: Light, airy, colorful and happy, yet with a sophisticated chic that keeps the both the social set and business bunch lunching here. When night falls, the two adjacent rooms create an energy of possibilities for the evening ahead. Great date spot, with a relaxed enough vibe that it won’t make you look like you’re trying too hard. In the warmer weather, enjoy dining al fresco on the patio. Amid a colorful canopy of umbrellas and fruit-printed tablecloths, you can people watch and gaze at the gazebo on the Green.

Special perks: Munch on long, crispy grissini breadsticks and flavorful marinated olives while deciding on your order. Or draw a picture on the white paper tablecloths using the crayons on the tables.

© Gilat Ben-Dor.

Dine al fresco on Centro’s patio, overlooking the quaint Fairfield Center.

Dine al fresco on Centro’s patio, overlooking the quaint Fairfield Center.

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