The Cats Out of the Bag: Tuscan Cat Stew is Off the Menu

Famed Italian TV personality and chef Giuseppe "Beppe" Bigazzi is under fire for his love of “gatto in umido,” which is plainly translated into English as cat stew. Bigazzi hosts the popular late-morning chef program “La Prova del Cuoco,” where he made his admission. The network has suspended Beppe indefinitely amidst outrage from local and international animal rights groups.  Some are even calling for legal action against the host for inciting cruelty to animals.

The cat stew, like most other modern dishes using domesticated or nuisance animals, traces its roots back to the famine and poverty-stricken time immediately following WW2. Reeling in the wake of the Nazi occupation and Mussolini’s reign, Tuscans had to forgo the delicacies of their cooking in favor of more readily available fair e.g. cats. As life retuned to normalcy in antebellum Tuscany the dish fell out of favor and was quickly replaced with traditional Tuscan culinary delights such as bistecca alla fiorenta and cellentani alla boscaiola. Nearly all Tuscans see cat stew as a piece of history, not as a menu item.

Beppe disagrees. He stated that the stew wasn’t a way to stave off starvation, but rather as "one of the great dishes of the Valdarno." He even offered up culinary advice, mentioning that the cat should be left in a rapid stream for three days. His co-host (and cat lover) Elisa Isoardi tried in vain to change the subject. Reportedly during a break Beppe refused to apologize, expecting that “racist” environmentalists would be outraged. Beppe did later back peddle, claiming his comments had been misinterpreted, and that the whole idea was a “complete folly.”

Tuscany has a long tradition of culinary expertise extending well beyond daytime cooking programs. The Tuscan countryside is home to many of the finest wines, meat, recipes, and olive oils that the world has to offer. With fresh ingredients and home-made cooking, the food in Tuscany is truly a joy. Master Chef Carlo Innocenti even welcomes guests into his home, offering classes on how to prepare his family recipes. The meals are then shared over tall glasses of wine, courtesy of his son and sommelier Romeo. Tuscan meals must be experienced to be understood as they must come complete with the perfect wine pairing and tales about life lived the Tuscan way.

Tour operators and locals alike welcome guests to Tuscany year round. Visitors come for a variety of reasons including viewing the architecture, to appreciate art and sculptures, and of course Tuscan cooking and wine tours. Tuscan Way, found at http://www.tuscanway.com offers unique trips into the heart of Tuscany. Guests have a range of options, from staying in Carlo Innocenti’s home, perched atop a hill next to the town castle, to staying in rustic Tuscan villas surrounded by rolling meadows and vineyards. Before booking a trip to Tuscany it is highly recommended that you speak to the folks at Tuscan Way. They have the resources and capabilities to deliver a truly memorable experience. Buen Provecho!

Tourists considering a food and wine trip to Tuscany should contact Tuscan Way. They can be reached online at http://www.tuscanway.com or by phone at (800) 766-2390.

Energy Efficient Light Bulb Information Guide: What You Need to Know.

We all know that energy efficient bulbs are great for lowering energy costs, minimizing your environmental footprint, and reducing time spent on maintenance and replacing bad bulbs. However, after that things become a bit tricky. There are many different energy-efficient bulbs that use different technologies to run longer, cleaner, and using less energy. Reference the below guide to determine which technology is best for you:

CFLs: Compact fluorescent lamps, better known as CFLs, are leading the charge for screw-in replacements of incandescent bulbs.

Pros: CFLs use about 75% less energy and last ten times longer than the incandescent bulbs which they replace. Generally, this adds up to $30 in savings over the life of the bulb. Many CFL bulbs are built as screw-in replacements for old bulbs, meaning no modification is necessary to use them.
Cons: All CFLs contain a small, trace amount of mercury. Used and unbroken bulbs should be taken to a qualified recycling center. Broken bulbs should be fully cleaned up and disposed off while the room is well ventilated. For more see http://www.epa.gov/hg/spills/#fluorescent

LEDs: LEDs, or light emitting diode bulbs, are clusters of individual units which are grouped together for bright, clean light. Depending on the wavelength used in the diode they emit a desired tone, ranging from clear bright light to dark blues and purples.

Pros: LED light bulbs operate at a very cool temperature. They last between 50 to 100 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Further, since there are no fragile filaments or tubes they are very resistant to heat, cold, and shock.
Cons: High start up costs. LED bulbs do sell at a premium compared to CFLs. Of course, this is made up by an increased efficiency and lifespan, but the high cost can be a barrier to entry for business and homeowners.

HPS bulbs: High pressure sodium lamps are primarily used for flood lighting applications such as street lights or in large spaces including parking lots or garages. They are a type of sodium vapor lamp which are used heavily by indoor gardeners due to the color spectrum they emit being favored by plants.

Pros: Less light pollution than mercury-vapor lamps. HPS bulbs are great for locations where color rending is important. They are also very efficient, generating about 100 lumens/Watt. Indoor gardening.
Cons: Price and heat. Also, most HPS bulbs emit a tinted light which is generally not suitable for office or home use.

Traditional incandescent bulbs: Incandescent bulbs are the oldest of the modern wide-spread lighting technology still in use. A filament is heated, which generates both heat and light. These are being outlawed in many states and are being replaced by more energy-efficient technologies.

Pros: Cost of bulbs.
Cons: Most of the energy used is wasted as heat as opposed to light. Incandescent bulbs have a short life and are not energy efficient.

---
For guidance on purchasing energy efficient bulbs call the folks at Superior Lighting, Florida's light bulb experts. They can be reached on the web at http://www.superiorlighting.com/ or by calling (800) 432-7995.

Light My Fire: Energy Efficient Mood Lighting Sparks Valentine’s Day Passion

Chocolates? Check. Flowers? Check.  Energy efficient light bulbs… Check? 

As lovers make their Valentine’s Day preparations they must be sure not to overlook the lighting in their home. Nothing ruins the mood like a bare 80watt incandescent hanging from a string. Lighting technologies have come a long way, and Superior Lighting is here to help ensure a memorable night. Create the perfect ambience for that special time with your loved one. Some great products to help set the mood:

The first step is using inexpensive dimmer switches to control the brightness of your lights. Set the perfect tone by installing them in the dining and bed rooms. Reduce glare and dim your lights to that perfectly level of brightness that just screams romance. Newer energy efficient CFLs even have dimmer varieties.

For a bigger purchase, easy to install chandeliers are a great buy. Blend energy efficient bulbs with old-world ambiance for a new feel to an old room.

LEDs are most known for their long life and energy savings. Did you know they also offer far more options than old incandescent bulbs? Superior Lighting offers a wide range of cool, energy efficient LEDs including colored Christmas lights, creative shapes, and festive patterns. Regular white/clear LEDs can be given new life as inexpensive lenses are offered to give basic lights a new glow.

The big ticket item on our list:  iColor tiles. These colored LED light tiles replace your current wall or ceiling tiles. They provide a blank canvas for anything from solid colors which can be changed at the flip of a switch to swirling patterns or even medium resolution video. Call Superior Lighting for more about this innovative product. Just imagine the look on your partner's face when the bland bedroom walls are replaced by romantic colors or even scenes from your favorite love story.

We hope the above list helps make this Valentine's Day one to remember. For any questions about them, or lighting in general, it is recommended that you call the experts at Superior Lighting, Florida's light bulb experts. They can be reached on the web at http://www.superiorlighting.com/ or by calling (800) 432-7995.

Energy Efficient Light Bulbs: In with the old, in with the new

Two very different stories concerning energy efficiency lighting appeared on our radar this Monday. One deals with new technology, while the other is a testament to the strength of the original bulb designs. First, two of the 2010 World Cup stadiums are shifting from the familiar old projection lighting Jumbotrons, instead opting for energy efficient LED screens. Accompanying this story is the tale of the world’s oldest light bulb, a carbon filament model which was first flipped on in 1901.

     At least two of the World Cup venues are rolling out new LED screens for 2010 World Cup attendees. Spectrum Visual, billed as South Africa’s leading digital signage company, was awarded the contract for the screens, which will be in full use in both Nelson Mandela Bay and Mbombela Stadiums. LED screens are composed of individual LEDs which are directed via a master controller to display video images. These screens are a testament to the rapid strides LED technology has taken because they are fully visible in the daytime light of sunny South Africa. The screens are being billed by Spectrum Visual as the perfect storm of energy efficiency and functionality.
    Energy efficient LED light bulbs, whatever the usage, do bring a lot to the table. LEDs draw up to 90% less amperage in comparison to incandescent bulbs. This mean the higher initial costs are quickly off-set by lower electricity bills. Additionally, LEDs are rated for 100,000 hours compared to 3,000 hours for incandescent bulbs. The only concern is start-up price, with LED lights running at a premium to incandescent bulbs. This should be a thing of the past in the coming years, or perhaps months, as manufacturers refine their process and volume increases. While old-style bulbs may need to be replaces annually or even more frequently, energy efficient LED lamps have an expected usable life of up to twenty years.
    Related to long-lasting bulbs comes the next bit of news. At the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Station Number 6 in Northern California they celebrated a birthday. First screwed in in 1991, their hand-blown glass with carbon filament bulb turned 109 today. Residing in its second home, the bulb was moved, with full police and fire escort, in 1975 when the fire station was relocated. Interestingly enough, the bulb follows the design of Adolphe A. Chaillet, a fierce competitor to Thomas Edison. While Edison’s bulbs of course won out, the Chaillet model was shown to have a longer live and survive much higher voltages. Clearly energy efficiency is a much more important, and measured, factor now than it was at the turn of the 20th century.The more things change, the more they stay the same...
---
Superior Lighting's mission is to help our customers choose the most energy efficient lighting. We will lead the lighting industry by providing the best value in products and services to all of our customers and we will differentiate ourselves on the basis of our honesty and expertise.
Superior Lighting
3530 NW 53rd St
Fort lauderdale, FL
33309
800-432-7995
Hours: 8:30-5:30 EST

Florida Public Adjusters: One for The Good Guys

Local Miami Insurance Claims Adjuster and friend of the biz Florida Adjusting Services Team (who can be reached at http://www.fastclaim.net/) issued an interesting release this weekend. To view the statement in its entirety, take a look at http://www.prlog.org/10490786-hiring-public-adjusters-makes-dollars-and-sense.html.

Basically, it seems that insurance lobbyists got a Florida legislator to present a bill making it illegal for adjusters to contact someone for thirty days after a loss. The bill failed, but the state did instruct the Office of Public Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to research claims adjuster's effects on consumers.
Expected to be adjuster-negative, the report was anything but. According to the state researchers, public insurance adjusters, on average, obtain 547% higher settlements than policy holders who present claims and work directly with the insurance company. Sounds good to me!

Working with F.A.S.T. Claim in the past, I have always been impressed with the role Miami public insurance adjusters play in the time after a loss. From advocating for the public in the wake of serious ethical issues by insurance companies after Katrina, to seeing their day-to-day clients who simply are getting jerked around by the insurance companies, I have always been impressed with the integrity, ability, and hard work-ethic found in their team. Next time disaster strikes and the insurance company doesn't want to pony up definitely give them a call.

Best,
RP

Artisan Chocolate Fair: A Taste of Florence

Visitors to Florence from February 4th to 7th better bring their sweet tooth. The Artisan Chocolate Fair, an annual event, will be taking place during this time. Full of fun, free activities the fair includes chocolate sampling, shows, art, live music, and games. Look out for the working chocolate lamps; they are a very unique site that would make Mr. Wonka himself jump for joy.

The highlight of the show will be indulging in free samples courtesy of Tuscany's premier chocolate makers. Going well beyond the Hershey bar, samplings will include chocolate teas, coffees, and other drinks. As is par for the course in Tuscany, all treats will be accompanied by tall glasses of native vino.

Piazza Santa Croce, where this all takes place, will be open from 10 to 10 during this time, giving visitors and Tuscan natives alike plenty of time to explore and enjoy Florence's chocolate samplings.

While in town, travelers should be sure to experience Tuscany as a native would, the Tuscan Way. What does this mean? Staying in rustic Tuscan villas and enchanted castles, enjoying endless glasses of wine from nearby vineyards, and sharing tales of romance and intrigue over family recipes of the best pasta and sauces in the world. All are "must-do's" for visitors seeking a real Tuscan experience.

While there are a seemingly endless number of tour providers, they are not all created equal. Few truly deliver the blissful Tuscan experience. The premier Tuscany travel provider is Tuscan Way. They indulge guests with endless food and wine in serene settings. Days are filled with tours, museums, art, and culture, while nights are spend with food and wine, family and friends. A prime selling point is the guides who will accompany guests on their excursions. The Innocenti family, who have opened their doors to guests of Tuscan Way, share both their homes and recipes with visitors.

Whether you are visiting Tuscany for the chocolate fair, food, or culture play it safe and choose Tuscan Way as your travel provider. With a powerful mix of experience, properties, family, and access they are sure to please.

Tuscan Way, the premier Italian travel provider, can be reached on the web at http://www.tuscanway.com/ or by calling (800) 766-2390. Book today and buen provecho!

South Florida Energy Consumption and You

We in (ordinarily) sunny South Florida have been experiencing a rash of brown- and black-outs as of late. The current cold snap has brought record temperatures touching the high 30s in Miami; snow further north, and even dive-bombing iguanas.

The brown-outs are primarily being caused by the electric grid being overwhelmed by the use of electric heaters, which is typically unheard of in the Sunshine State. According to Reuters, electric consumption levels in Florida have reached all-time record levels. FPL set their all-time hourly record Monday with a stunning 24,354 megawatts, which is about 2,000 MW higher than the previous record demand. For reference, 1 megawatt can power ten thousand 100 watt bulbs. This is truly a startling surge in electrical consumption for the state.

While this raises larger Al Gore-esque questions of what resources should be used to create energy, ordinary people can do their part on a day-to-day basis by reducing their power consumption. It isn't hard, and usually saves you money. Some great methods to do so include:

1. Switching to energy efficient light bulbs
The two main types of energy efficient light bulbs and lamps are LEDs and CFLs. Both have slightly higher purchase prices than traditional incandescent bulbs, which is handedly off-set by their increases life and reduced power consumption. The case of every American home switching just one light bulb to an ENERGY STAR rated CFL shows how all stakeholders would gain. Homeowners save $600 million in annual energy costs. Greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions produced by 800,000 cars are not be sent into the atmosphere, and we have enough "extra" energy to light 3 million homes for a year. Seems like a win all the way around. New LED lights show similar gains, with tremendously longer usable lives compared to incandescent bulbs.

2. Going the solar route.
Reducing energy consumption is easy and shows immediate results, but equally vital is where this energy comes from. Solar and wind generated power are energy sources that are both plentiful and renewable. Switching to them not only makes fiscal and environmental sense, but gives home and business owners a (legitimate) feeling of independence. In speaking with Solaxiom International, Miami's solar and wind energy experts, it came to this author's attention just how important these technologies are. Further, they are much easier to install and operate then I originally thought. From partial applications, such as heating the pool, to full-fledged energy independence for business from warehouses to resorts look to see solar and wind energy generation become commonplace in the (very) near future.

3. Transportation
In 2007 transportation accounted for 28.5% of U.S. energy consumption. Granted, much of this is used by industrial vehicles (e.g. trucking or construction), but ordinary people can make a major dent into this figure. Switching to energy-efficient vehicles, using public transportation, and not minding putting the good 'ol fashioned shoe leather to use are all ways to reduce your personal energy consumption.

While this cold snap is sure to pass (I hope!), we must remember the lessons learned. Our energy usage has a tremendous impact on ourselves, those around us, and our children. Easy methods of reducing energy consumption, such as switching to energy efficient CFLs for your Florida business should become second nature to us. Everyone doing their small part will make the overall picture much prettier.

--
Superior Lighting, Fort Lauderdale’s leader in energy efficient lighting is always happy to talk. They can be reached online at http://www.superiorlighting.com or via telephone at (800) 432-7995.