Open New Year's Eve and New Years Day

Hey all,

We will be open normal hours for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, 10am-11pm. Got a couple new things in stock and some replenishment. New in:

-Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi
-Lost Abbey 10 Commandments
-Anchor Old Foghorn Barleywine
-Brother David's Triple
-Brother David's Double
-Green Flash Hop Head Red
-Green Flash Triple
-Port Old Viscosity
-Hitachino White Ale

Happy New Year!

Nate

How much protein does one need to be in nitrogen balance?

The figure below, from Brooks et al. (2005), shows a graph relating nitrogen balance and protein intake. A nitrogen balance of zero is a state in which body protein mass is stable; that is, it is neither increasing nor decreasing. The graph was taken from this classic study by Meredith et al. The participants in the study were endurance exercisers. As you can see, age is not much of a factor for nitrogen balance in this group.

Nitrogen balance is greater than zero (i.e., an anabolic state) for the vast majority of the participants at 1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight per day. To convert lbs to kg, divide by 2.2. A person weighing 100 lbs (45 kg) would need 55 g/d of protein; a person weighing 155 lbs (70 kg) would need 84 g/d; someone weighing 200 lbs (91 kg) would need 109 g/d.

The above numbers are overestimations of the amounts needed by people not doing endurance exercise, because endurance exercise tends to lead to muscle loss more than rest or moderate strength training. One way to understand this is compensatory adaptation; the body adapts to endurance exercise by shedding off muscle, as muscle is more of a hindrance than an asset for this type of exercise.

Total calorie intake has a dramatic effect on protein requirements. The above numbers assume that a person is getting just enough calories from other sources to meet daily caloric needs. If a person is in caloric deficit, protein requirements go up. If in caloric surplus, protein requirements go down. Other factors that increase protein requirements are stress and wasting diseases (e.g., cancer).

But what if you want to gain muscle?

Wilson & Wilson (2006) conducted an extensive review of the literature on protein intake and nitrogen balance. That review suggests that a protein intake beyond 25 percent of what is necessary to achieve a nitrogen balance of zero would have no effect on muscle gain. That would be 69 g/d for a person weighing 100 lbs (45 kg); 105 g/d for a person weighing 155 lbs (70 kg); and 136 g/d for someone weighing 200 lbs (91 kg). For the reasons explained above, these are also overestimations.

What if you go well beyond these numbers?

The excess protein will be used primarily as fuel; that is, it will be oxidized. In fact, a large proportion of all the protein consumed on a daily basis is used as fuel, and does not become muscle. This happens even if you are a gifted bodybuilder that can add 1 lb of protein to muscle tissue per month. So excess protein can make you gain body fat, but not by protein becoming body fat.

Dietary protein does not normally become body fat, but will typically be used in place of dietary fat as fuel. This will allow dietary fat to be stored. Dietary protein also leads to an insulin response, which causes less body fat to be released. In this sense, protein has a fat-sparing effect, preventing it from being used to supply the energy needs of the body. As long as it is available, dietary protein will be favored over dietary or body fat as a fuel source.

Having said that, if you were to overeat anything, the best choice would be protein, in the absence of any disease that would be aggravated by this. Why? Protein contributes fewer calories per gram than carbohydrates; many fewer when compared with dietary fat. Unlike carbohydrates or fat, protein almost never becomes body fat under normal circumstances. Dietary fat is very easily converted to body fat; and carbohydrates become body fat when glycogen stores are full. Finally, protein seems to be the most satiating of all macronutrients, perhaps because natural protein-rich foods are also very nutrient-dense.

It is not very easy to eat a lot of protein without getting also a lot of fat if you get your protein from natural foods; as opposed to things like refined seed/grain products or protein supplements. Exceptions are organ meats and seafood, which generally tend to be quite lean and protein-rich.

References

Brooks, G.A., Fahey, T.D., & Baldwin, K.M. (2005). Exercise physiology: Human bioenergetics and its applications. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Wilson, J., & Wilson, G.J. (2006). Contemporary issues in protein requirements and consumption for resistance trained athletes. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 3(1), 7-27.

How much dietary protein can you store in muscle? About 15 g/d if you are a gifted bodybuilder

Let us say you are one of the gifted few who are able to put on 1 lb of pure muscle per month, or 12 lbs per year, by combining strength training with a reasonable protein intake. Let us go even further and assume that the 1 lb of muscle that we are talking about is due to muscle protein gain, not glycogen or water. This is very uncommon; one has to really be genetically gifted to achieve that.

And you do that by eating a measly 80 g of protein per day. That is little more than 0.5 g of protein per lb of body weight if you weigh 155 lbs; or 0.4 per lb if you weigh 200 lbs. At the end of the year you are much more muscular. People even think that you’ve been taking steroids; but that just came naturally. The figure below shows what happened with the 80 g of protein you consumed every day. About 15 g became muscle (that is 1 lb divided by 30) … and 65 g “disappeared”!

Is that an amazing feat? Yes, it is an amazing feat of waste, if you think that the primary role of protein is to build muscle. More than 80 percent of the protein consumed was used for something else, notably to keep your metabolic engine running.

A significant proportion of dietary protein also goes into the synthesis of albumin, to which free fatty acids bind in the blood. (Albumin is necessary for the proper use of fat as fuel.) Dietary protein is also used in the synthesis of various body tissues and hormones.

Dietary protein does not normally become body fat, but can be used in place of fat as fuel and thus allow more dietary fat to be stored. It leads to an insulin response, which causes less body fat to be released. In this sense, dietary protein has a fat-sparing effect, preventing it from being used to supply the energy needs of the body.

Nevertheless, the fat-sparing effect of protein is lower than that of another "macronutrient" – alcohol. That is, alcohol takes precedence over carbohydrates for use as fuel. However, protein takes precedence over carbohydrates. Neither alcohol nor protein typically becomes body fat. Carbohydrates can become body fat, but only when glycogen stores are full.

What does this mean?

As it turns out, a reasonably high protein intake seems to be quite healthy, and there is nothing wrong with the body using protein to feed its metabolism.

Having said that, one does not need enormous amounts of protein to keep or even build muscle if one is getting enough calories from other sources.

In my next post I’ll talk a little bit more about that.

Attention Gueuze Lovers

Has Arrived to Healthy Spirits. Tiny allocation. Get it while you can.

Cheers,

Rami

Butternut Squash Soup

Here's another wonderful winter soup, not a ton of ingredients, but ones that are in season and should be taken advantage of then they are here! A great combination of Acorn Squash with Butternut Squash and a hint of sweetness from the Orange Sweet Potatoes- a perfect combination!

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic, minced

2 TBSP grape seed oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

3 medium sweet potatoes, cubed

1 small-med. butternut squash

1 large acorn squash

4 cups of chicken broth

1/8 tsp curry powder

4 TBSP sour cream

s & p

This is what it looks like after simmering, before you puree it...

Directions:

Bake your squash on a roasting pan or cookie sheet on 375 for about 45 minutes- 1 hour (you can leave them whole, you just need to slice them in half and scoop out the seeds when they are done cooking and throw them away). Pierce them with a fork, when they are tender, remove them and let them cool until you can touch them. In a large soup pot, add your garlic, onion, and oil and saute for a few minutes. Add your sweet potatoes, carrots, curry and chicken broth and bring them to a boil. Let them cook for about 10 minutes, then add the flesh from your squash. Cover it and let it simmer for another 3o minutes. Puree your soup with a hand wand or a blender. Add s & p to taste and a dollop of sour cream to each bowl before you serve it.

Christmas day Schedule

Keeping up with our commitment to satisfy your lust for good beer, Healthy Spirits will be open today until 5 pm.

Merry Christmas,

Rami

415-255-0610

Molasses Crinkles...

OKAY- there are a million things left to do, but I couldn't help posting this new recipe that I tried today for Molasses Crinkles. I was searching for one that didn't have any shortening in it, and I stumbled upon these. I made a few changes and thought they turned out pretty darn delicious. I was later affirmed in that "darn delicious thought" when my husband came home and ate 5 of them.... did I mention he doesn't like sweets???? SLOW DOWN Buddy- those are Santa's cookies!!!

Here's the recipe, they have a wonderful combination of spices, they are dark golden in color and they are topped with sparkly sugar and cute little crinkles... you will love them too!

Ingredients

2 TBSP butter, melted

2 TBSP coconut oil (or vegetable oil)

1/3 cup dark molasses

1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1 large egg

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 TBSP cinnamon

1.5 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

white sugar to top the cookies with

(please excuse the random placement all over the cookie sheet- my 2 year was helping make these for Santa!!)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl add your melted butter and coconut oil, your molasses, brown sugar, egg and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl combine your flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt and sift until it's evenly blended. Then mix your dry ingredients into your wet. Mix well. Spoon out your dough and roll into 1 inch balls, then dip the tops of them into your white sugar. (I pour a little white sugar onto a salad plate and use that for dipping). Then place on your ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart and bake for 12-14 minutes. Remove and let them cool on a wire rack. They come out crinkled and chewy- yum!

Ommegange Chocolate Indulgence

The decadent and seductive Chocolate Indulgence from Ommegang has arrived.
Also, we were blessed with a second allocation of the 2009 North Coast Old Stock Ale Cellar Reserve Bourbon Barrel.
We received Russian River Damnation, Consecration, Supplication, Redemption.

Cheers,

Rami

38 g of sardines or 2 fish oil softgels? Let us look at the numbers

The bar chart below shows the fat content of 1 sardine (38 g) canned in tomato sauce, and 2 fish oil softgels of the Nature Made brand. (The sardine is about 1/3 of the content of a typical can, and the data is from Nutritiondata.com. The two softgels are listed as the “serving size” on the Nature Made bottle.) Both the sardine and softgels have some vegetable oil added; presumably to increase their vitamin E content and form a more stable oil mix. This chart is a good reminder that looking at actual numbers can be quite instructive sometimes. Even though the chart focuses on fat content, it is worth noting that the 38 g sardine also contains 8 g of high quality protein.

If your goal with the fish oil is to “neutralize” the omega-6 fat content of your diet, which is most people’s main goal, you should consider this. A rough measure of the omega-6 neutralization “power” of a food portion is, by definition, its omega-3 minus omega-6 content. For the 1 canned sardine, this difference is 596 mg; for the 2 fish oil softgels, 440 mg. The reason is that the two softgels have more omega-6 than the sardine.

In case you are wondering, the canning process does not seem to have much of an effect on the nutrient composition of the sardine. There is some research suggesting that adding vegetable oil (e.g., soy) helps preserve the omega-3 content during the canning process. There is also research suggesting that not much is lost even without any vegetable oil being added.

Fish oil softgels, when taken in moderation (e.g., two of the type discussed in this post, per day), are probably okay as “neutralizers” of omega-6 fats in the diet, and sources of a minimum amount of omega-3 fats for those who do not like seafood. For those who can consume 1 canned sardine per day, which is only 1/3 of a typical can of sardines, the sardine is not only a more effective source of omega-3, but also a good source of protein and many other nutrients.

As far as balancing dietary omega-6 fats is concerned, you are much better off reducing your consumption of foods rich in omega-6 fats in the first place. Apparently nothing beats avoiding industrial seed oils in that respect. It is also advisable to eat certain types of nuts with high omega-6 content, like walnuts, in moderation.

Both omega-6 and omega-3 fats are essential; they must be part of one’s diet. The actual minimum required amounts are fairly small, probably much lower than the officially recommended amounts. Chances are they would be met by anyone on a balanced diet of whole foods. Too much of either type of fat in synthetic or industrialized form can cause problems. A couple of instructive posts on this topic are this post by Chris Masterjohn, and this one by Chris Kresser.

Even if you don’t like canned sardines, it is not much harder to gulp down 38 g of sardines than it is to gulp down 2 fish oil softgels. You can get the fish oil for $12 per bottle with 300 softgels; or 8 cents per serving. You can get a can of sardines for 50 cents; which gives 16.6 cents per serving. The sardine is twice as expensive, but carries a lot more nutritional value.

You can also buy wild caught sardines, like I do. I also eat canned sardines. Wild caught sardines cost about $2 per lb, and are among the least expensive fish variety. They are not difficult to prepare; see this post for a recipe.

I don’t know how many sardines go into the industrial process of making 2 fish oil softgels, but I suspect that it is more than one. So it is also probably more ecologically sound to eat the sardine.

Ideas for Christmas Morning...

I usually like to have something pre-made for breakfast on Christmas morning, something I can heat in the oven or something simple that doesn't take a lot of time so I can focus on my family and not cooking. I usually make one of the following dishes:

• My Grandma's Spanish Potato Omelet- I make this the night before and then just warm it up in the oven the morning of. It's super filling and easy to serve in "pie pieces" or cut into cubes to snack on.
• This yummy Breakfast Strata- you make this the night before, again, really simple, it takes about 10 minutes to put it together, then you refrigerate it over night and heat it in the oven the next morning.
• And if you have guests coming over, you might enjoy something simple like these Banana Muffins or Blueberry ones... or you could even slice up some banana bread and have it out if you are having guests or want a treat for your family.
• I am trying a new recipe this year for Pumpkin Nut Muffins with Raisins. I don't usually post a recipe before trying it, but I won't be trying it until Christmas Eve, so if anyone else wants to try something new, give this recipe a go- from the looks of it I think it should be very festive and tasty... we shall see!

Pumpkin Nut Muffins with Raisins:

2 eggs beaten

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 TBSP honey

1 can pumpkin

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/3 cup water

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1.5 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat your eggs and add your sugar, honey, pumpkin, coconut oil and water. Then in a separate bowl, sift your flours, spices, baking soda & powder and salt. Then pour your dry ingredients into your wet and stir well. Add your nuts and raisins and mix well. Scoop into lined muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes. You can add a sprinkle of cinnamon & sugar mixture to the top if you desire.

The Abyss 2010

The long awaited Abyss has arrived. Small shipment and no bottle limits. We are promised a second shipment next week, but I would not count on it. Beer of the month club members can RSVP.

Cheers,

Rami
415-255-0610

North Coast Old Stock Cellar Reserve just arrived!

Hey guys,

Just received a shipment of the 2009 Old Stock Cellar Reserve aged in bourbon barrels. It's on the shelves now, with no bottle limits. We have been looking forward to this release for a while so get it while you can. Cheers!

Nate

Avocado-Mandarin Lettuce Wraps with Mediterranean Mushroom Salsa

Rolled Romaine Avocado-Mandarin Wraps

Crunchy romaine lettuce leaves make perfect fresh wraps.  These tasty rolls are stuffed with buttery avocado, succulent Mandarin orange pieces, and zesty Chinese mustard sprouts.  Served with a warm and spicy salsa of grilled mushrooms, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes in a Mediterranean-inspired dressing, the wraps are a filling, fun way to roll up your salad to enjoy with mixed vegetables.

 Lettuce wraps:
You'll need:  Romaine lettuce leaves, avocado, mandarin orange, chinese mustard sprouts, lemon juice, olive oil, agave syrup, minced basil, cracked black pepper, salt.

Mediterranean Mushroom Salsa:
You'll need:  mushrooms, zucchini, tomato, sprouted sunflower seeds, dried thyme, oregano, summer savory, pinch sage, cayenne, olive oil, lemon juice

 Here's How to Do It

The Wraps:  Break the core from the bottom of the romaine lettuce, separate leaves.  Cut bottom 1/5 from each leaf to remove the thick stem.  Wash and dry the leaves, and spritz with lemon juice, and a light sprinkling of salt, if desired. Roll each leaf up, gently cracking the center rib with your fingers as you roll. Let leaves uncurl, and set aside.

In a large bowl, 2 T whisk olive oil, 1 T lemon juice, 1 t agave syrup, and 1 T minced basil together. Add 1/4 C sprouted sunflower seeds.  Peel and dice mandarin orange into small pieces.  Add to marinade. Skin, seed and cut avocado lengthwise into long slices.  Carefully add to bowl and coat with marinade. 

Zucchini and Mandarin Orange Compliment One Another

The Salsa:  In a small bowl, whisk 2 T olive oil, 1 t lemon juice, with 2 t of mixed dried thyme, oregano, summer savory; add a pinch of sage and cayenne pepper to taste. Rinse and pat dry mushroom, slice and add to marinade.  Mix well to coat each piece with oil and herbs, and allow flavors to blend together in marinade for 20+ minutes.

Herbed Mushrooms Ready for the Grill

 Grill until mushrooms are soft and juicy, then add cubed zucchini and cheery cherry tomatoes, halved, and grill for a few minutes more. Put salsa in a serving dish, and lightly sprinkle with salt and cracked black pepper.

Mediterranean Mushroom Salsa with Sunflower Seeds

To Assemble:  Place a lettuce leaf flat, and line slices of avocado and pieces of orange along the wider top part of the leaf. 

Wraps roll up easily along 'pre-cracked' center rib

Cover vegetables with a generous pinch of chinese mustard sprouts, and roll from top down. Place on platter with rolled edge to the bottom. Garnish with a slice of avocado, a few sprouts and some mandarin orange.

Wrapped Up and Ready to Serve

To Serve:  Grab a wrap, smother it with salsa, and enjoy. 

Lettuce Wrap with Mediterranean Mushroom Salsa

                

 

Joe's Special

Looking for something simple and fast??? Here's an easy & quick recipe that's packed with protein and fresh greens- you can serve it anytime a day... breakfast, lunch or dinner... and it's easy to embellish if you want to add your favorites to it!

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs of ground turkey

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 onion, finely chopped

4 cups fresh spinach

4-5 crimini mushrooms, chopped

4-6 eggs, scrambled

s & p

drizzle of grape seed oil or olive oil

Directions:

Drizzle some oil in your large skillet, add your onion, mushrooms and garlic and let it saute for a moment, then add your ground turkey and break it up and season it with s & p. Let it brown on one side, then turn it over and let it cook another 3 minutes. Then add your spinach and let it cook for 3-4 minutes until it starts to wilt. Next, scramble your eggs in a separate bowl and pour it over the mixture, stirring it well until the egg cooks thoroughly (like a scrambled egg). You're done! Serve it as a breakfast dish, or reheat it for lunch, or choose it for dinner with some sliced french bread. Enjoy!

Nuts by numbers: Should you eat them, and how much?

Nuts are generally seen as good sources of protein and magnesium. The latter plays a number of roles in the human body, and is considered critical for bone health. Nuts are also believed to be good sources of vitamin E. While there is a lot of debate about vitamin E’s role in health, it is considered by many to be a powerful antioxidant. Other than in nuts, vitamin E is not easily found in foods other than seeds and seed oils.

Some of the foods that we call nuts are actually seeds; others are legumes. For simplification, in this post I am calling nuts those foods that are generally protected by shells (some harder than others). This protective layer is what makes most people call them nuts.

Let us see how different nuts stack up against each other in terms of key nutrients. The quantities listed below are per 1 oz (28 g), and are based on data from Nutritiondata.com. All are raw. Roasting tends to reduce the vitamin content of nuts, often by half, and has little effect on the mineral content. Protein and fat content are also reduced, but not as much as the vitamin content.

These two figures show the protein, fat, and carbohydrate content of nuts (on the left); and the omega-6 and omega-3 fat content (on the right).

When we talk about nuts, walnuts are frequently presented in a very positive light. The reason normally given is that walnuts have a high omega-3 content; the plant form of omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). That is true. But look at the large amount of omega-6 in walnuts. The difference between the omega-6 and omega-3 content in walnuts is about 8 g! And this is in only 1 oz of walnuts. That is 8 g of possibly pro-inflammatory omega-6 fats to be “neutralized”. It would take many fish oil softgels to achieve that.

Walnuts should be eaten in moderation. Most studies looking at the health effects of nuts, including walnuts, show positive results in short-term interventions. But they usually involve moderate consumption, often of 1 oz per day. Eat several ounces of walnuts every day, and you are entering industrial see oil territory in terms of omega-6 fats consumption. Maybe other nutrients in walnuts have protective effects, but still, this looks like dangerous territory; “diseases of civilization” territory.

A side note. Focusing too much on the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of individual foods can be quite misleading. The reason is that a food with a very small amount of omega-6 (e.g., 50 mg) but close to zero omega-3 will have a very high ratio. (Any number divided by zero yields infinity.) Yet, that food will contribute little omega-6 to a person’s diet. It is the ratio at the end of the day that matters, when all foods that have been eaten are considered.

The figures below show the magnesium content of nuts (on the left); and the vitamin E content (on the right).

Let us say that you are looking for the best combination of protein, magnesium, and vitamin E. And you also want to limit your intake of omega-6 fats, which is a very wise thing to do. Then what is the best choice? It looks like it is almonds. And even they should be eaten in small amounts, as 1 oz has more than 3 g of omega-6 fats.

Macadamia nuts don’t have much omega-6; their fats are mostly monounsaturated, which are very good. Their protein to fat ratio is very low, and they don’t have much magnesium or vitamin E. Coconuts (i.e., their meat) have mostly medium-chain saturated fats, which are also very good. Coconuts have little protein, magnesium, and vitamin E. If you want to increase your intake of healthy fats, both macadamia nuts and coconuts are good choices, with macadamia nuts providing about 3 times more fat.

There are many other dietary sources of magnesium around. In fact, magnesium is found in many foods. Examples are, in approximate descending order of content: salmon, spinach, sardine, cod, halibut, banana, white potato, sweet potato, beef, chicken, pork, liver, and cabbage. This is by no means a comprehensive list.

As for vitamin E, it likes to hide in seeds. While it may be a powerful antioxidant, I wonder whether Mother Nature really had it “in mind” as she tinkered with our DNA for the last few million years.

Healthy Spirits: Beer of the Month Club January 2011

Now ready for pick-up!

cheers,

dave hauslein
beer manager
415-255-0610

Favorite Holiday Treats...

Here's a recap on some Holiday Favorites I have posted in the past... the first 3 recipes are super simple, just take a few minutes to make and are great if you have little helpers that want to join you! The later two recipes take a little more time, but are well worth the effort- they are both delicious! Try your hand at these if you are looking for a sweet treat to bring along to friends, neighbors, or holiday gatherings this Christmas Season...

5 Minute Fudge

Peanut Clusters

Chocolate and Carmel Turtles

Hazelnut & Dried Cherry Biscotti

Peppermint Cookies

Molasses Crinkles

Healthy Spirits: New Arrivals

1. He'Brew Vertical Jewbelation (blend of all 7 Jewbelation anniversary beers, 100% aged in 6 year Sazerac Rye barrels)

2. Ale Industries Fysus (Extremely Limited blended, barrel aged barleywine)

3. Uncommon Brewers Baltic Porter (16oz can)


FYI: The Abyss should be coming monday afternoon.

cheers,

dave hauslein
beer manager
415-255-0610

Maknig to mayn tipos? Myabe ur teh boz

Undoubtedly one of the big differences between life today and in our Paleolithic past is the level of stress that modern humans face on a daily basis. Much stress happens at work, which is very different from what our Paleolithic ancestors would call work. Modern office work, in particular, would probably be seen as a form of slavery by our Paleolithic ancestors.

Some recent research suggests that organizational power distance is a big factor in work-related stress. Power distance is essentially the degree to which bosses and subordinates accept wide differences in organizational power between them (Hofstede, 2001).

(Source: talentedapps.wordpress.com)

I have been studying the topic of information overload for a while. It is a fascinating topic. People who experience it have the impression that they have more information to process than they can handle. They also experience significant stress as a result of it, and both the quality of their work and their productivity goes down.

Recently some colleagues and I conducted a study that included employees from companies in New Zealand, Spain, and the USA (Kock, Del Aguila-Obra & Padilla-Meléndez, 2009). These are countries whose organizations typically display significant differences in power distance. We found something unexpected. Information overload was much more strongly associated with power distance than with the actual amount of information employees had to process on a daily basis.

While looking for explanations to this paradoxical finding, I recalled an interview I gave way back in 2001 to the Philadelphia Inquirer, commenting on research by Dr. David A. Owens. His research uncovered an interesting phenomenon. The higher up in the organizational pecking order one was, the less the person was concerned about typos on emails to subordinates.

There is also some cool research by Carlson & Davis (1998) suggesting that bosses tend to pick the communication media that are the most convenient for them, and don’t care much about convenience for the subordinates. One example would be calling a subordinate on the phone to assign a task, and then demanding a detailed follow-up report by email.

As a side note, writing a reasonably sized email takes a lot longer than conveying the same ideas over the phone or face-to-face (Kock, 2005). To be more precise, it takes about 10 times longer when the word count is over 250 and the ideas being conveyed are somewhat complex. For very short messages, a written medium like email is fairly convenient, and the amount of time to convey ideas may be even shorter than by using the phone or doing it face-to-face.

So a picture started to emerge. Bosses choose the communication media that are convenient for them when dealing with subordinates. If the media are written, they don’t care about typos at all. The subordinates use the media that are imposed on them, and if the media are written they certainly don’t want something with typos coming from them to reach their bosses. It would make them look bad.

The final result is this. Subordinates experience significant information overload, particularly in high power distance organizations. They also experience significant stress. Work quality and productivity goes down, and they get even more stressed. They get fat, or sickly thin. Their health deteriorates. Eventually they get fired, which doesn’t help a bit.

What should you do, if you are not the boss? Here are some suggestions:

- Try to tactfully avoid letting communication media being imposed on you all the time by your boss (and others). Explicitly state, in a polite way, the media that would be most convenient for you in various circusmtances, both as a receiver and sender. Generally, media that support oral speech are better for discussing complex ideas. Written media are better for short exchanges. Want an evolutionary reason for that? As you wish: Kock (2004).

- Discuss the ideas in this post with your boss; assuming that the person cares. Perhaps there is something that can be done to reduce power distance, for example. Making the work environment more democratic seems to help in some cases.

- And ... dot’n wrory soo mach aobut tipos ... which could be extrapolated to: don’t sweat the small stuff. Most bosses really care about results, and will gladly take an email with some typos telling them that a new customer signed a contract. They will not be as happy with an email telling them the opposite, no matter how well written it is.

Otherwise, your organizational demise may come sooner than you think.

References

Carlson, P.J., & Davis, G.B. (1998). An investigation of media selection among directors and managers: From "self" to "other" orientation. MIS Quarterly, 22(3), 335-362.

Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Kock, N. (2004). The psychobiological model: Towards a new theory of computer-mediated communication based on Darwinian evolution. Organization Science, 15(3), 327-348.

Kock, N. (2005). Business process improvement through e-collaboration: Knowledge sharing through the use of virtual groups. Hershey, PA: Idea Group Publishing.

Kock, N., Del Aguila-Obra, A.R., & Padilla-Meléndez, A. (2009). The information overload paradox: A structural equation modeling analysis of data from New Zealand, Spain and the U.S.A. Journal of Global Information Management, 17(3), 1-17.

Curried Spinach-Red Pepper Stuffed Twice-Baked Potatoes

 Curried twice-baked potatoes make an interesting finger food. They are guaranteed to 'amuse the mouth' of anyone sampling them from a holiday snack tray.  The potatoes are baked until the inside is soft, and the lightly-salted skins are crispy. The potatoes are cut, and scooped out, and the center mixed with curry spices, spinach, sweet and hot red pepper, and ginger. The potatoes are stuffed, and baked again.

You'll need: baby potatoes, olive oil, spinach, sweet red pepper, hot red pepper, garlic, parsley, basil, lemon juice, black sesame seeds, curry powder, Italian-blend dried herbs, coconut butter, black pepper, salt

The Potatoes:  Scrub the potatoes, and dry them in a dish towel.  Rub skins with olive oil and lightly salt.  Bake in moderate oven until centers are soft. Allow to cool slightly.  Cut n half, and scoop potato into bowl.  Set skins aside.

The Vegetables:  Cut the spinach into small pieces; dice sweet and hot red pepper.  Finely chop garlic clove.  Mince parsley.
The Stuffing:  To the bowl of scooped potato, add 1 T coconut butter, 2 t curry powder,  1 t lemon juice, 1 t dried Italian herbs (thyme, oregano, savory) 1 t chopped fresh basil,   Blend well, and then stir in all vegetables except the parsley.

To Assemble: Using a small spoon, stuff each potato skin with filling. Place minced parsley on a small plate, and 'dip' each potato half, stuffing-side down, into herb.
Put potatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.  Bake in a moderate oven until heated through.  Serve warm.

Turkey Minestrone Soup

Here's another great recipe passed on from my mom. She's a great cook, always trying new things and passing on the good ones to me :) Perfect for a chilly day... enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery, chopped

8 cups chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes or 1 cup fresh chopped

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 cup orzo

1 can white beans

2 handfuls fresh spinach

s & p

** optional: handful of parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

Directions:

Take out your large stock pot for making soup, add a drizzle of oil, your garlic, onion, carrots, celery and ground turkey and let it saute until your meat looses its pink color. Next add your seasoning, then your chicken broth, canned or fresh tomatoes, beans and orzo and let it cook for another 8 minutes. Lastly, add your spinach and let it simmer for about another 5 minutes or so then serve!

Healthy Spirits: FIFTYFIFTY ECLIPSE!!!

No bottle limits, but only Beer of the Month Club members may reserve bottles. Open for shipping.

1. 2009 Vintage Elijah Craig (Very Limited)
2. 2009 Vintage Heaven Hill (Very Limited)
3. 2010 Evan Williams (Good Availability)
4. 2010 Four Roses (Limited)
5. 2010 Heaven Hill (Limited)


cheers,

dave hauslein
beer manager
415-255-0610

3 Liter Stone Double Bastard Ale 2010

New Arrival

We just received a tiny allotment of this year's release.

Get it soon it will go fast.

Rami

Healthy Spirits

Saturday Stuffed Mushrooms

Baby Portobello Mushrooms

Mmmmm Mushrooms...

there's nothing tastier than a well-seasoned, well-stuffed, and well-baked mushroom cap. A delightful appetizer, or an exciting Saturday afternoon snack, these marinaded mushrooms are simple to make for an informal family gathering, yet elegant enough for holiday entertaining.

A friend dropped in for an afternoon visit, and these lovely, juicy mushroom-stuffed mushroom caps had definite snack appeal.  They were served warm alongside squares of lightly toasted and buttered dark bread, caramelized whole roasted cloves of garlic, and small stuffed savory baked potatoes.

You'll need:  Baby portobello mushrooms, small zucchini, sunflower seeds, garlic, cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano, summer savory, sage, olive oil, lemon juice,coconut butter, agave or maple syrup, tamari or soy sauce, salt

The Marinade:  Whisk 1/4 C olive oil with 1/2 t agave syrup and the juice of a fresh lemon.  Add 1 each of dried thyme, oregano, summer savory, a pinch of sage, cayenne pepper to taste, and a light sprinkle of salt.  Mix well.


The Mushrooms:  Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth, and separate stems from caps.  Place caps and stems in marinade for at least 1 hour.

Mushrooms in Italian-Blend Herb Marinade

The Stuffing:  Remove the stems from the marinade, and chop into small pieces. Mince 1 clove garlic. Dice the zucchini, and lightly chop sunflower seeds.  Mix all ingredients together with 1 T coconut butter and 1 t tamari. Using a small spoon, scoop generous amounts of filling into each mushroom cap. 

Place generous scoops of stuffing in marinaded caps

To Bake:

Baby Portobello Caps Stuffed and Ready for Baking

Drizzle each cap with a bit of olive oil, or any marinade which has not been soaked up by mushrooms.  Place on a baking sheet, and put in a moderate oven for 10 - 12 minutes or until done.

Gorgeous garlic ready to be caramelized in the convection oven

The Garlic: Separate garlic bulb into individual cloves. Remove excess papery skin but do not peel. Place on in a hot oven until garlic softens and caramelized a golden brown.

Stuffed Baby Portobello Mushroom and Curried Baked Potatoes

 
To Serve:  Place caramelized roasted garlic in a heap in the center of a serving plate. Place stuffed mushroom caps on the platter with wedges or squares of lightly toasted dark bread, spread with a little coconut butter. 

To Eat:  Squeeze soft roasted garlic out of skin and on to bread, top with a stuffed mushroom cap.  These appetizers can be eaten with a small plate, knife and fork, or for the more adventurous, popped into the mouth as a delicious finger food.  Be careful, they are very juicy, and highly addictive.