Toms Shout

A Short Review of the Legendary Vans Authentic Trainers Company

The originator of the Van business was Paul Van Doren. He was born in 1930 and was raised in and around the Boston region. Paul’s first job was arranged basically by his mother who, despairing over his lack of scholarly instincts, found him work at the shoe plant where she was working. This is where Paul first learned about shoes, serving, as it were, his apprenticeship.. Paul and the shoe industry got on well together and by way of hard work came to be Executive Vice President of Boston shoe firm Randy’s. Paul decided to go into the shoe industry for himself with three partners who formed the Van Doren Rubber Company, setting-up the factory in California in 1966. Paul was a good businessman and immediately saw the difference between the profit margins of factory and shop, so he opened a retail outlet . It went well with the company selling a respectable 12 pairs of shoes on their first day of trading which was March 16th 1966 - the shoes sold were the famous Vans decks (these later became known as Authentic).

The 1970s was to see a time of maturation for the business partly due to the introduction of new product lines including rubber mukluks (for the US Government) and wool lined canvas shoes.Vans were a big hit with skateboarders, who highly valued the stability of the shoe and cherished the sole’s slightly sticky nature, which provides grip. Vans were very popular in California throughout this period.

Nineteen seventy five saw the introduction of the Vans Era. Skateboarders really liked this product, enjoying the large number of appealing colours, the cushioned collar. The ubiquitous Vans Slip-on was introduced in 1979. It was in fact amazingly desired by skateboarders and BMX bike riders. The constant launching of massively successful new products delivered the company much success and subsequently the business boasted as many as seventy retail stores in California at the end of the 1970s. Vans also gained national and international dealers.

The 1980s can now be seens as something of a time of great change and upheaval for the company. To compete with the larger and more well know competitors and brands the company kept-up the pace of bringing new products to market as well as move into new markets, markets which had a demand for rugged sports shoes. Such markets included moto-cross and surfing. One particular example is the Vans Slip-on, which became widely popular in the US and, most importantly, internationally, opening-up many new customers for the company.

This period witnessed the original founder, Paul Van Doren, taking a step-back from total involvement in the daily running of the business.

Ceaseless growth and expansion caused financial problems. The situation came to a head and Vans declared bankruptcy in 1983. It took Vans three years to get back on its feet, though it did pay-off its creditors. The original founders sold the business to an investment firm: the business went on to be sold several times.

Vans came out of the 80s stronger, which led to success in the 1990s. Strategically things changed. The company moved manufacturing out of the USA, which unfortunately meant that the company’s manufacturing history in California came to an end as the plant there was closed. Continuing to move forward the company started to get behind and sponsor national events such as the ‘Inaugural Triple Crown’ series which eventually became the ‘Vans Triple Crown’ series, and the ‘Warped Tour’ music festival. The company opened skate parks: initially in 1998 in Orange County and the second in 2002 in Orlando. Vans also started obtaining naming rights e.g. to ‘BOWL-A-RAMA Bondi’, Australia.

Click Vans LoPros to read more.

Big Mother - The Wafu Restaurant

Don’t consider dining at the Wafu eaterie in Australia if you aren’t able to finish your meal, you’re likely to be asked to stay away in future.

Balance is the key in the Wafu - diners should order an amount that is “in harmony” with their appetites.

The Wafu website explains Chef Ichikawa’s policy in clear terms: “Re-think what you use and waste!”.

The under-current of this approach is ‘Japanese cuisine’ ‘guilt free’, or to put it another way: “Wafu is not just a restaurant, it is an extension of Yukako’s personal ethos toward nourishment and sustenance. Wafu is the expression of an ethical and spiritual commitment to food.”

Riviera Restaurant Destroyed by Fire

June 9, 2010: Firefighters were not able to save the Riviera Restaurant from the flames. The famous historic restaurant, situated 60 miles outside of Chicago, was absolutely gutted.

Dousing the fire was not easy for the reason that there were no hydrants in the neighborhood of the restaurant. Tankers were called in to transport water to firefighters.

Other crews from several communities in the region were also called to help.

No one was hurt in the fire. An investigation is at this time underway.

The Vulture Restaurant

Turkey has opened a restaurant for vultures to attempt to aid conservation of four species of the bird.

The district is the base of four vulture varieties, the bearded, the Egyptian, the Griffon and the Black vulture.

Igdir, near the border with Armenia was chosen for the site.

Italian Food - A Few Facts

Italian food is not just all about the oven pizza. Food has always played a large part in the Italian way of life. Sharing, enjoying, buying and preparing food are all done with a care and love that is not common in other parts of Europe. In Italy a meal is to be savored, whether with friends or with the family - it is a time to relax and slow down and not be hurried.

A meal in an Italian restaurant such as a Trattoria customarily has four or five courses: the antipasto, the primo, the secondo, the contorno and the dulce course. Also coffee and a digestive liqueur will be offered. Some meals such as Christmas, Easter and Weddings have more courses, often nine, ten or even eleven.

The standard Italian night-out would start with what is called an aperitivo. This is an alcoholic drink such as Vermouth, Campari or Prosecco wine, or perhaps a non-alcoholic fruit juice. This is often drunk at a separate bar with friends, prior to moving on to the meal. An Italian meal comes served in smaller portions and on more plates. Thus an Italian meal is really quite different from the equivalent in other countries.

At the restaurant one customarily would begin with the antipasto (literally translating as “before the meal”) which could be either a hot or a cold appetizer.

The first course (the primo) usually contains something hot like broth, risotto or pasta.

The second course is the main dish, ordinarily consisting of meat or fish, normally chicken, pork or veal. Since the World War Two beef has become far more popular in Italian cookery.

The contorno is typically a side salad or a side of grilled vegetables to accompany the second course.

The final course is quite varied. It might be a sweet dessert (such as panna cotta) or just cheese and fruit.

The meal is completed by one of Italy’s illustrious coffees and a liqueur. The liqueur acts as a digestive.

About Pizza

Pizza is the archetypal Italian dish. Actually it was invented in Naples (Napoli) to celebrate the 1889 visit of Margherita of Savoy the Queen Consort of Italy to that city by chef Raffaele Esposito. His first creation was named ‘Pizza Margherita’. To signify the white, red and green of the Italian flag he used tomato (red), mozzarella cheese (white) and basil (green). Prior to the Margherita there had been versions of food using a basic dough which was much favored by the locals.

Let’s Not Forget Pasta

An additional food class Italy is recognized for is pasta. Pasta is a common name for a range of foods that are made out of dough made from wheat and water and sometimes with vegetable flavorings and colors and eggs. There are hundreds of different types of pasta, due to the texture, shape and size. Consequently pasta can be used in countless different ways. Some of the most common forms are spaghetti (thin sticks), lasagne (sheets), macaroni (small tubes) and fusilli (small swirls of pasta).

Let’s Not Overlook Wine

Another chief part of Italian culture is wines. Italy is legendary for its wine and produces and exports more wine than any other country in the world. Vino cotto is a form of wine produced in central Italy, made for private use and not for sale commercially. The wine is cooked in a copper vessel until the volume is condensed to roughly half. This wine is allowed to mature for a some years, every year a a small amount of wine is added to compensate for evaporation.

Commercial Pizza Ovens

Restaurant Food Containing Alcohol Ban Reversed in Dubai

Dubai newspaper The National reports that the Dubai State has reversed a ban on food preparation using alcohol on the precondition that such type of food is visibly labelled in pizza restaurants and other eating establishments.

Dubai is reversing the 2003 law that prohibited cuisine preparation with alcohol as the mainstream Islamic residents could not identify when food contained alcohol. Although it announced the implementation of the law on Sunday, the decision has now been lifted. Food containing alcohol can now be served if was separated from other food and clearly labeled.

“We have found violations where hotels are not clearly stating alcohol content in their food,” it quoted him as saying. Awadhi also stated that alcohol should be handled like other “non-halal products” such as pork.

How to Bake a Pizza

A uncomplicated recipe for cheese and tomato pizza, whether or not you have your own pizza oven. To start with we provide a recipe for making the dough - fundamental to the total success of the pizza. After that, we give you a recipe for the sauce

For the pizza dough you will need:

• Salt 1tsp
• 120ml - warm water
• 1tbsp - olive oil
• 225g - white flour
• 1tsp - yeast (the fast action type if possible)
• 1/2tsp - sugar

For the pizza topping you will need:

• 125g - Buffalo mozzarella
• 4tbsp - Tomato Sauce
• 1tsp - Oregano Died
• salt, pepper

To Make Your Pizza Dough:

1) Add salt, flour together and blend yeast and sugar. Combine and cread a dough with a central space for adding oil and water.

2) Adding the oil and water, blend together with your hands. Add additional flour and water if necessary.

3) When the dough mixture is more or less firm and no remnants are left on the sides of the mixing bowl, you have finished.

4) Move the dough to a floured surface and continue to knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

5) Allow the dough to raise, this should be in around an hour. It helps to lightly oil a bowl and also the surface of your dough, wrap it in a clean dry cloth and leave in the bowl.

6) The dough will rise to approximately double its previous size.

7) Return the dough to a floured surface and knead for a few more minutes.

8) Stretch out your dough in a circle. Decide how thick or thin you want your pizza base to be.

Place the dough on a non-stick baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees Celcius. Spread your tomato sauce evenly over the pizza base. Now scatter the mozzarella around your pizza evenly and sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Drizzle with olive oil. Place on the top shelf of the oven and cook for around 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the base is firm. If required add your own choice of extra toppings. Remember to ensure all meat used has been previously cooked. Then return to the oven for a further 4-seven minutes.

Feel free to add ingredients to the topping, e.g. meat, vegetables or fish.

Food Dare Hits Belly and wallet

Illness From Food - massive Costs

A recent report from the USA describes the real and surprisingly high cost of foodstuff related illness. At more than one hundred and fifty billion US Dollars per year, the cost is far higher that formerly estimated.

Sandra Eskin - Director of Food Safety at Washington’s Pew Charitable Trust told a recent press conference.

That figure comes from medical services, medicines and the cost of sufferings and disability.

From Business Week

After the Crash a Nice Breakfast

Having crashed his car into the wall of the ‘Biscuits N Gravy’ restaurant, Charles Pierce, 92 then had breakfast in the restaurant.

He probably pushed the accelerator instead of the break, according to accident investigators!!

From: www. wesh.com/news/22157235/detail.html

Source: Restaurant Pizza Oven

There Actually Is Such a Thing as a Free Lunch

Would free like a free feast? It’s easy: just beat one of the dinner eating challenges outlined on the couponsherpa.com website and you’ll get your meal on the house.

Be warned though. You should definitely be a meat lover:  The challenge is virtually all meat based, varying from eating gigantic burgers to enormous pizzas and steaks.

You might picture yourself as the equivalent of a black hole, but are you also rapid eater? These meals are against the clock: if you don’t beat the clock, you pay.

After the Crash a Hearty Breakfast

A 92 year old Port Orange Florida man, who crashed his car into the side wall of the Biscuits n Gravy eatery suffering minor injuries in the process, climbed out and took his breakfast at the restaurant. Accident investigators speculate that he pushed the gas pedal instead of the break pedal!

Source: www. wesh.com/news/22157235/detail.html

Common Oven Cooking Ideas

As a guy I sometimes need a bit of help with cooking. I’m an OK cook, but I just need inspiration now and then. So I looked for a few handy cooking tips and I came across some scattered around the net. It’s a small list but with a bit of luck you will find it of use.

Some of the tips are oven related. A wide array of oven types exist. For example restaurant countertop ovens are a kind of oven found in a restaurant. A specfic kind might be the deck ovens which is by and large used for cooking food such as bread and pizza. The oven mentioned below is the normal oven seen in the residence kitchen.

Enjoy it!

• You can sweeten food by substituting carrots for a sauce.
• During roasting a joint the pan juices should be reserved for the gravy.
• Prepare in ample of time - it will preclude a great deal of stress.
• Want to avoid sodden broccoli? The avoid over-cooking it!
• It is not advisable to clean mushrooms with running water as they usually soak up the water. One should wipe them with a cloth.
• The potato ricer is a very multipurpose tool, especially for people who want to cook the best mashed potatoes.
• Salad can be diversified by use of red leaves.
• Soggy lettuce looks terrible. To avoid this use a salad spinner.
• The best type of vegetable steamer is one which has the ability to fold and sit inside a saucepan.
• If necessary the cook can use a dried teaspoon of Rosemary leaves as a substitute for a table spoon of fresh ones.
• The oven should be heated before putting meat in to ensure the exterior of the meat is seared and to make sure the juices are kept intact.
• Always employ a pan that is large enough - a bit bigger is far better than too small.
• When one purees soup they should use a hand blender since it is much easier than taking the ingredients to the food processor.
• When turning steak, tongs and spatulas are the best utensils rather than forks.
• Wine that the cook would not drink should not be use in cooking.

If you own a restaurant or fast-food outlet check out the blog post here: Get new Customers For Your Restaurant.

Reference: Deck Pizza Ovens.

New York Times Reports Bad Calorie Info

A report by the New York Times describes many inaccuracies in calorie information on frozen-meal packets and fast-food restaurant menus.

Data samples from 29 restaurants and 10 supermarket frozen meals showed big differences.  

So pay close attention to all food advice and double check information if you have concerns.

Source: www. nytimes.com

Reference: Countertop ovens