That Meal Out

 It used to be a night out at a good restaurant was an affordable occassion. Now it's an expesnive trip out. why? Because a restaurant is a business like any other. They have expenses too and workers that have to be paid. It also costs to produce a steak dinner or a plate of pasta - just like any other business offering products.

Regular contributor Priya Krishna and Lia Syam explored this in today's New York Times Food section. There are many factors , the most importnt being food prices.They've skyrocketed , especially pork and beef. Restaurant owner Bruce Moffett used to charge twelve dollars for his Korean beef with crispy rice back in 2019. Three years later the dish now costs four dollars more. scallops are up 118 per cent, Keep in mind that sunflower oil comes from  war torn.Russia and the Ukraine. production is spotty hence the high price. On the Americna front, fuel and fertilizer have also gone up which factor into the wholesale cost. After food comes labor costs. Many eateries also give their employees health insurance and that can cost. Salaries have also risen. Even a Manhattan dishwasher can make close to a thousand dollars a week. Hiring a top chef can cost thousands a week. A no name executive chef can pull in $1200 a week. However being generous can affect the restaurant. Mr Moffatt has cut his days open to five instead of the usual six. That could mean thousands of dollars not being brought in.

Of course there are the extras. Liquor surprisngly is one of them. Yes a place can be a BYOB however if it has an extensive wine list anf good bartender then it elevates it. A 765 ml bottle of Laurent Perrier champagne is $38  when it was only $39 in 2019. Even wines have gone up.Sauvignons are now going for $50 as opposed to $45.Luckily bourbon and whiskey are not that expensive. The worst is the utiltiies. Again thanks to Russia invading the Ukraine has disrupted gas production, The natural gas that fuels water heaters and ovens has risen eighty-five per cent.The Good Food restaurant is upgrading its' water infrastructure and is passing the cost down to customers. Then there's new equipment and landscaping and the cost of that upkeep. Even though we don't think about it there;s the cost of dinner ware. Dishes and glasses, especially wine glasses ger broken all the times. Forks get lost in the laundry. It costs to replace them, epsecially wine glasses which can be sold for as high as $36  a glass. Takeout also is another rising cost.  To go boxes are about $120 a case. Then there's the utensils and straws (altough many places are forgoing the last).

Consider all this when you're eating out.Is it worth spending estra bucks for a good meal out? the answer is yes if you really feel you really deserve it. You can't put a price on a fun meal out.

That Famed Sauerkraut And Cheese Sandwich

Sauerkraut and cheese may be odd tastefellows yet they somehow work.A recent New YorkTimes Food recipe for an open faced sandwich confirms it. It 's an interesting mix to be sure.

I had to try it, adapting it to the microwave. I discovered  that someone in the recipe's comments section has their own version of it. It';s a microwave version , easily made without having to use the broiler as the original recipe calls for.

I tweaked it, with subbing in vegan cheese and yes I added hot dogs for more oomph..It starts with a rustic bread. I used a slice of unseeded rye.  It was topped with  heaping teaspoons of drained sauerkraut,

With saukerkaut you can put as much or as little as you want.It does add zing  but you don't want  it to be too overpowering,.

I used Field Roast Smoked Vegan hot dogs. These have the best flavor and go well with the sauerkraut and cheese. I cut them lengthwise and in half.

Then the cheese. I used Good Foods Nacho Dip which has a spicy bite instead of using the sliced jalapenos like in the original recipe.

It was then popping them in the microwave for three minutes.

The combo of flavors was like a bite of a ballpark frank with everything. It's zingy , spicy and cheesy. The original version uses shredded cheddar which makes for a bubblier , chewier bite. This isn't bad though. I may try it with vegan bacon next for a different saltier flavor. You could also put this  mix on a baked potato too.

Sauerkraut and cheese may seem an odd combo at first. Yet combined and cooked, they make an interesting pair. Try it for a different spin on grilled cheese.