Quality Matters

At Afternoon Tea, we always prided ourselves on the quality of what we made.  When we discovered some bakeries were using canned, commercially-made custards and pie fillings for their baked goods, it was something we decided we would never do.  We made everything from scratch.  We made our own pie crusts, we peeled apples, we made our own caramel, and we made our own fillings.  We never cut corners.

We didn't want any preservatives in our baked goods.  We wanted everything baked exactly the way we would do it at home, using the same basic, wholesome ingredients.

But quality extends not only to our baking, but to our day-to-day life, as well.  Do we pick quality over convenience, at least some of the time?  We can't cook and bake everyday, that's a given … everyone has too much going on to be able to pull that off, so convenience foods are a fact of life.  However, we should definitely look at all of our options and make the best choices.

A recent trend for grocery stores is carrying a number of chain restaurant-branded frozen foods.  They certainly have name recognition.  But what I also noticed is that they're not cheap.  A frozen bag of Chinese fried rice (branded by a very famous restaurant chain) was going for $8.99 at the store.

In the very same shopping center, just a few steps away, is a Chinese restaurant I frequent.  They sell a generous portion of fried rice (which looked to me to be about the same quantity, if not more, as the frozen bag) for the same amount of money.  As I held the frozen bag in my hand, I had to wonder why I would buy the frozen when the fresh is available to me just a few feet away at the same price.  Even if I put it in the freezer myself when I got it home, to have as a meal on another night, at least I know it was freshly made when I bought it.

For most folks, every penny counts, and that's understood.  There's always coupons and sales and gas points, so the convenience of the grocery store option makes sense for many.  But on those days when the pay-off is just not there, why not choose the freshest, most delicious option?  I'd gladly give up that extraneous box of cookies and spend the extra couple of dollars instead to enjoy a freshly made meal from one of my favorite restaurants.

One day I was sitting at the auto shop, waiting for the mechanics to work on my car, when I suddenly felt hungry.  Across the street was a fast-food place recognizable by its golden arches.  A few feet away from it was a French bakery.  Which do you think I went into?

I love a fast-food burger and fries as much as the next person, but the idea of checking out some ham-and-cheese croissants, a selection of quiches, or their soup of the day drew me into the French bakery like a magnet.

Quality matters.  Especially after a year of hardship, a year of settling for less, a year of holding back, a year of making do.  We've put up with a lot ... it's time to reward ourselves with a few quality choices.

Choosing quality makes us feel good about ourselves.  It tells us that we're worth the best.  It makes a difference in what we're putting into our bodies.  Opting for quality makes a difference in how we feel about our lives.  A latte every now and then from our favorite coffeehouse tells us we're worth it.  A sit-down restaurant over a drive-through shows us we're worth the time and the attention.  A good bakery lunch over a fast-food lunch is vastly more enjoyable, every time. 

Which is good … because they're opening up another new bakery not far from me pretty soon.  Can't wait to check them out!

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Enjoy previous seasonal blog posts:

Romantic Foods Something special ...	Romancing Your Life Setting the scene to fall in love with your own life
How It All Began The very beginnings of Afternoon Tea.	Baking is Love No one has to bake ... ever.  So when they do, you can bet that love is in there.
The Lenten Season A reminder that accepting the challenge of self-discipline is good for the soul	Spring Cleaning Tackling and taming the clutter
Dessert Not Optional Indulging your sweet tooth is not always a bad thing.	Starting Off with a Bang! Bust yourself free from 2020! States are opening up, it's time to make plans!
New Year's Resolutions A list of fun things to look forward to in the year ahead!	Never On The "1st" Date Laying the groundwork for the success of your goals and resolutions
Travel Plans Planning some new sights and scenery in the New Year	The Romance of Travel Falling in love with a new destination, adventure, and vistas
A Fresh Start Healthful smoothies to begin the year off right!	Salty Sweets Finishing salts on your dessert
How It All Began The very beginnings of Afternoon Tea.	A Tale of Two Bread Puddings So different, yet both so good!
A Very Foodie Town It's almost time for Restaurant Week again!	Top Chef - Colorado A celebrity in the family!
Cooking with Herbs Herbs are making a tasty appearance in some of your favorite desserts!	The Problem with Pesto ... It's so darned easy, you'll be making it all the time!
Herb Harvest There's nothing like growing your own fresh herbs!	Fresh! Locally-grown farm-fresh products and produce are the best!
Do-Gooders! Ana's non-profit, Healing Warriors Program, gives away a state-of-the-art electric wheelchair!	Congrats, HWP! Healing Warriors Program received a huge honor, and we were invited to the Pentagon to see it!
Baking Cakes Basic baking tips for beautiful layer cakes	Donate if you can! Healing Warriors Program, my sister's nonprofit, does very important work for our service members' complete health and wellbeing.