Tablebases.com Blog

Most everyone (of legal age, of course) knows what wine tastes, looks and smells like. Some astute observers may even know what it feels like. Well, a recent editorial on drinks website PUNCHDRINKS prompts a discussion not of taste, color, origin, terrior or finish, but of how wine sounds. That's right, the sonic properties of wines. Moving beyond the effervescent fizz of champagne, some have begun to consider how the sounds of wine can affect enjoyment, and also how drinks and sound interact to create an experience. The whole affair is rather….shall we say, niche, yet part of it is backed up by real research and exploration into the topic.  Continue reading →

  The Obama administration and FDA have just made sweeping changes to the way food nutrition labels are organized, with the goal of making them more useful and straightforward for consumers. There are quite a few changes on the table, including bolder and larger type face for calorie counts, as well as potentially reorganized categories aimed at helping consumers make quick and informed decisions at the grocery store. This will mark the largest significant change in American food labeling since their advent 2 decades prior. The proposed effects will not go into effect right away, the FDA will hear comments and concerns for 90 days, and then will likely give companies two years or so to adapt to the changes.  Continue reading →

  No shows, patrons who fail to show up for reservations or forget to cancel on time, are a constant source of pain in the restaurant industry. Everyone knows the stories, someone's car broke down, a babysitter cancelled, there was a death in the family. Excuses abound, and though many have legitimate reasons for missing a reservation, more still are blissfully unaware of how their casual attitude affects restaurant owners. As a recent article in the Edmonton Journal highlights, when a reservation is missed, it is highly likely that the table will remain empty, and the revenue that the restaurant was counting on goes out the door (actually, it never came in).  Continue reading →

Have you ever heard of a durian? The large, southeast Asian fruit is famous for it's smell and massive proportions. In the tropical countries where the fruit is native, it is famous for it's horned husk, creamy flesh and extremely pungent smell. Banned from many southeast Asian public transportation services, as well as many hotels, the epic scent has been given various descriptions, from rotten eggs, to raw sewage, to expired onions. While some loath the smell and taste of the "King of fruits", the opinions are polarized, with durian lovers claiming the giant fruit has a complex and unrivaled taste.  Continue reading →

Restaurants have long known that consumers have an appetite for fried foods, but the types of foods hitting the hot oil looks to be changing. According to a recent report from Nations Restaurant News, new vegetables and other foods options are starting to appear as deep fried items on menus. Previously unpopular foods, such as brussels sprouts and pickles, are showing up on menus across the nations as chefs hone in on changing consumers tastes. Continue reading →

Not too long ago, we talked about the environmental impact of coffee, from it's inception on the farm to the drink in your local café. Now, CNN has reported on another controversial internationally traded food item, cocoa. Much like coffee, the demand for high quality cocoa is predicted to increase dramatically. Also like coffee, those who grow cocoa beans and those who consume them are groups separated by an ocean of disparities, quite literally. The vast majority of the world's supply of cocoa comes from very poor communities in West Africa, Indonesia, and South American nations such as Brazil and Ecuador. Of them, more than 1/3rd of the global cocoa bean supply, thats approximately 1511 thousand tonnes per year, originates from a small west African nation, Côte d'Ivoire, otherwise known as the Ivory Coast. Continue reading →

The buzzwords "local", "sustainable", "seasonal" and "organic" have garnered a lot of attention over the past year, with consumers increasingly wanting more and more information about the source and quality of the ingredients used in restaurant dishes. While these terms are not certifications - the meanings can vary depending on what ingredients and locations to which they pertain - they are general indicators of a young movement in food, one in which quality trumps quantity or price. New data indicates that these words may be more than industry buzz. Continue reading →

  Today, discussions of environmental impacts and carbon emissions are commonplace. We know that modes of transportation and production are contributors, but what about the simple pleasures in life? SeriousEats.com reports the findings of two studies, one in Costa Rica, the other in El Salvador, that examined the carbon footprint of coffee, from production on the farm all the way to the café where you order your non-fat sugar free vanilla latte with two pumps and no foam. Continue reading →

  Recently a new consumer trend has been gaining traction in the US and UK, one that could be an unlikely cash cow for restauranteurs and bar owners. "Mocktails", virgin cocktails, have been around for some time, but were previously just liquor-free, sugar laden soda alternatives. Now, however, the beverages are gaining popularity and earning top spots on menus in all kinds of restaurant and bar establishments. Bartenders everywhere are honing their craft and exploring emerging liquors, and trying new flavors, many of which work incredibly well even in the absence of alcohol. While the non-alcoholic beverages may not keep your bar full on a Saturday night, they are an easy way to increase revenue and open up your drinks menu to a larger demographic.  Continue reading →

In an unusual turn of events, a woman in Virginia has been charged with defamation because of negative reviews of a local contractor that she posted on Yelp and Angie's list. Recently, Virginia ruled that Yelp must reveal the identities of seven anonymous Yelp users, because they left negative reviews and the court could not verify (without their identities) whether or not they had ever actually been customers of the business in question. The judge ruled that if the reviewer never in fact conducted business with the establishment, then their review was based on false statements and therefore not protected by the first amendment because "there is no constitutional value in false statements of fact".  Continue reading →