Senegalese Food

We had a GREAT Senegalese meal at YASSA African Restaurant (716 E. 79th Street in Chicago) and that prompts me to try to stick this video here...

UPDATED Sothern California Harbors

A possible work stoppage at the LA/Long Beach Harbors has been averted. Still needs ratification by the rank and file but looks like labor peace at least until 2010.

Olives as HEALTHY FOOD and Other Market News

The link is embedded in the title... (I know, you all knew that)...

This is a site that lists various Healthy Foods and this week it is OLIVES...

Check it out as it is an interesting read as is the site.

Also, post Meetings from this month alerts us to a looming shortage in NON PAREIL CAPERS this year in total from around the Mediterranean Rim (the only real source). Bookings should be done soon (quantities) and prices resolved later. Other sizes will be available in "normal" quantities. The harvests are underway right now.

For Olives... It is still a bit early as any drastic change in the weather will alter the outcome but it looks as if the crop in Spain will be of decent size. Queens will not be coming down in price but perhaps (in Euro terms at least) not going up so much as in the past few years. We'll see.

West Coast Harbor ILWU Talks on Hold...

There are bad winds blowing from every direction. Let's hope that agreements can be reached that will not cause a mess like the last time!

In case you may not remember, in 2002 the ILWU was locked out for 10 days as negotiations failed causing a back up of containers that was not resolved for MONTHS! Some importers went bankrupt in the wake of that mess.

EURO Strength... How Strong Can It Get vs. US $ ??

Let's not forget that the Euro Trading was introduced at $1.16 USD = €1.00 on January 1st, 1999... The US $ grew stronger as a result of our (USA's) Budget Surplus and stable growing economy....

The US $ hit a high point of $0.88 USD to €1.00 at the beginning of 2002 (when the currencies of each country were converted into EUROS)... November of 2002 it was at parity of $1.00 USD = €1.00 (my personal favorite rate!).

It arrived back at its $1.16 USD = €1.00 June 2003 and again, after a summer run up of the US $, in September of the same 2003...

Basically the dollar has fallen ever since, coinciding with our political, global and economic misadventures... Today we are in uncharted but long expected territory.

$1.38 = €1.00 (a far cry of nearly 60% from the high watermark and 22% for the starting point).

Where it will go in the near term.?

Weaker if we continue to have low interest rates vis a vis Europe. And still weaker yet if we continue to finance the wars against "TERROR" (what should have been against Al Qaeda) to the tune of $12 Billion per MONTH....

Impact on our business? It boggles the mind. Yet as long as the USA is really unaware of the consequences of what politically has been done, continues to buy Hummers and not have personal consequences to these events, my guess is...

Prices will go up. And Americans will pay more...

We'll see.

China Risks and China Profits

China risks here... and over there we are exporting our very best healthy cuisines...

One is perhaps a bit more rapid in bad results...

Yum Brands reports 11% growth in sales and the intention to open another 400 Pizza Huts & that very healthy KFC chain.

Good Eating China...

Risks and China Exports

It has been pretty prominent in the news that there are risks in dealing with China and their exports. It has been widely and wildly reported that FDA sees next to nothing of the food products entering into the USA and that the rest if the world has "less than our standards" when it comes to regulating, among other things, food products.

I do believe that risks exist.

In fact, I personally know that from many situations and visits to food producing facilities as well as raw material markets around the world.

I do believe that the risks are with us in everything we do and that there are ways to MINIMIZE and avoid encountering problems...

Here is how we do that at Blue Planet Foods, ltd.

FIRST....
We know with whom we are dealing.

This is the most important element. If you do not know the factory, the systems used there and most importantly, the integrity of the people with whom you are working... YOU WILL HAVE PROBLEMS...

SECOND...
Do not count on other government agencies only.

Blue Planet Foods knows and works with trusted sources. BUT we inspect every facility every year at least once. We have controls in place to identify problems BEFORE they leave the country of origin.

THIRDLY...
Take personal responsibility.

There are risks in everything... I tell people all the time that FOOD PRODUCTS are not manufactured from a mold... Parameters of quality will vary... Olives and Apricots may have pit fragments. Cans can be compromised... USE YOUR SENSES when you open a product... Look, Hear, Smell & use good judgement....

You'll come out okay...

Have a good 4th of JULY... and remember that the USA was founded by imperfect people attempting to create a more ideal world... They did not agree on everything... But they used their brains... (and did not have FOX NEWS propaganda!)

Think for a moment about the way we are today... Can we improve?