Hollister Grape and Fall Festival

Ten must do’s when dining out!

If you’re a ‘germaphobe’ like myself, dining out can pose a very real conundrum of possibilities for getting oneself into germy trouble. Restaurants, like people homes, can run the gauntlet from so clean you could safely like the floor to bastions of infectious cesspools. A place from which a budding pathologist could derive their post doctorate degree. Fortunately, with most establishments, things are on the cleaner side of the spectrum. This doesn’t mean you can let your guard down however. When someone said that ‘vigilance is the price of eternal freedom’ I’m sure they were talking about freedom from diarrhea or some such illness.

So what does the ‘vigilance germaphobe’ do when they eat outside of the sterile enclave of their homes? Thought you’d never ask! Following is my list of ten things I try and do when eating out:

1)      Never, ever go to an eatery on the spur of the moment. Check the place out well in advance. Talk to friends. The grapevine is a great source to find out if the place is safe. Also look up their most recent visit by the Health Department.

2)      Try and frequent only established eateries. Let any new establishments mature a bit (months) to see how well they fare. It’s much better if you hear about someone getting sick than being that person who got sick.

3)      When arriving at a restaurant that is new to you, go immediately to the bathroom and check for overall condition including the presence of soap, clean towels and hot running water. While there, wash your hands thoroughly.

4)      After being seated check out the person who will be serving you carefully. If they appear sick, then ask for a change of location or server. Men and women in this line of work are not paid very well and rarely are given time off for illness.

5)      In a similar vein, scan the people sitting closest to you. If someone has red eyes and is coughing up a lung it might be wise to relocate or even evacuate.

6)      Make sure you have a handy wipe to clean off the surface of the table yourself. Lacking this, watch the people cleaning table to see if they are using paper towels versus cloth or sponges. The later two can be loaded with germs from previous diners.

7)      When the menu comes, have a paper towel in your hand to grasp it with. Menus are notorious vectors for germs. When you are done ordering, discard the paper towel.

8)      If the place you’re eating at is say a Fish House, don’t order a hamburger. Stick with items that move off the menu quickly. The longer a food is in inventory the better the chance for problems to arise.

9)      Keep the food you eat simple, stupid. Shy away from the fancy dishes with drizzled sauces and such. For instance stick with grilled items that are medium well done. Take a pass on the creamy pasta salad until you get home.

10)   When you’ve finished eating make sure you pay with a credit card. This is one of the few times I use them. Credit cards are infinitely cleaner than exchanging currency at the checkout counter. If you must pay in cash, make sure you beeline it to the bathroom for a good washing.

There, that about covers it I think. None of these activities are all that difficult and shouldn’t keep you and yours from having a great time. Bon appetite!

Branson Bank in Forsyth to Hold Appreciation Day

Area pantry needs your help!

On a recent Sunday morning I was taking my sister to the Country Mart grocery in Forsyth Missouri when I had a chance to meet a trio of very nice ladies who were collecting for the Branson Hills Ministry Center Food Pantry.

In times that are proving ever more difficult for everyone, it is good to see people like Brenda, Darlene and Marietta out there donating their time so graciously.  In difficult times, it is community charities like this one that can make the difference for so many.

If you would like to support this effort then click on the Branson Hills link for additional information.

White Swan Fish House

This week I had the pleasure of eating at the White Swan Fish House located at 15709 US Highway 160 in Forsyth Missouri. This building used to be a laundromat for many years before being converted to an eatery. It’s owned and operated the by the same folks who run the very popular Danna’s BBQ in Hollister and Branson.

When you first walk in, there is a service counter on your left where you can place an order. A very nice person by the name of Bridget made me feel welcome as she clearly explained the menu items including the specials they were running at that time. I was told that the most popular meal is currently the Fried Catfish Quesadillas, although the Po-Boys sandwiches may give them a run for their money. Other menu items include the Grilled Seafood Tacos (sounds interesting) and their basket meals which can include shrimp, catfish, chicken, oysters or even craw fish. A special youngster meal is also offered.

In case you’re not familiar with this eatery, it’s located at 15709 Us Highway 160 just across from Comb’s Furniture. So, it’s conveniently located and there's plenty of parking for all. Current store hours are Monday through Thursday 11 AM to 2:30 PM and Friday and Saturday from 11 to 8PM. It’s always a good idea to call them at 417 546-2231, however just to make sure.

John is the manager and chef of a well run and clean establishment. I counted seating for about fifty plus not including a group section that would seat 16 and more. The background music was very pleasant and all around you are reminders of the fact that you are in a fish house. Following is my ranking on a scale of 1= awful to 10 = awesome!

Cost to eat: 7

Cleanliness: 9

Food: 9

Service: 9

Name that Park Contest

Forsyth Missouri will be getting a new park that is situated on Birmingham Road just off Hwy 76. When complete it will have two baseball fields, a walking path and playground equipment. The most important thing, however, it is won’t flood in the manner the Shadowrock has in the past.

The park is scheduled for completion by mid 2011 and folks can help out by giving it a name as part of a contest that runs until September 7th. It asks local residents to submit names (no person’s, service organization or business allowed) at City Hall or on the City’s Web site. You can save postage or gas by emailing your entry to the mayor (link is provided on entry page). The winning entry will receive a $50 saving bond after the announcement should be made sometime around September 17th. The winning entry will be based on how well it describes the distinctiveness, creativity, marketing and branding potential of the park itself.

I drove by this area but was unable to find any evidence of construction.

Empire Electric Rate Increase in September!

A rate hike of 13.35% was announced recently by Bill Gipson, president and CEO of Empire Electric Company. Apparently the Missouri Public Service Commission approved the increase after it was announced that he Plum Point generating station in Osceola, Arkansas was completed ahead of schedule. Accord to Mr. Gipson, “The new rates will allow us to begin recovery of the costs associated with the environmental upgrades at Iatan I and the new Plum Point generating station.”

What this means to the average customer of Empire will be and increase of about $13 a month per thousand kilowatts of use.