PJ’S, the Local Coffee to Compete with Starbuck

Black coffee

Starbuck coffee known as one of American symbols, has 28,218 coffee houses worldwide, even no corner without Starbucks in the USA. More than 2 thousand stores are opened each year which contribute to sales and share prices increasing in recent years. 

Since coffee is one of promising business, many states create their own brand to compete with Starbuck. We easily find grounded coffee beans as a gift or a souvenirs in tourist destination areas across America.

Cappuccino and regular coffee 

I stop by in one of coffee houses when I visited New Orleans, Louisiana last week. The PJ’s is a local coffee shop, founded by Phyllis Jordan (PJ’s) in Carrollton neighborhood, New Orleans in 1978. Since then PJ’S expanded its business to 150 locations across USA.

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Open hours

PJ’S plans to open new 100 franchise in several countries include Vietnam, Kuwait and Malaysia. Coffee business is booming in the South East Asia countries. Now, they have many choices in addition to Starbuck coffee.

PJ’s seems to compete with Starbuck in term of product variations, room convenient and even open hours. Surprisingly, the shop opens very early morning at 5.00 AM weekdays. Hopefully, the competition would bring up quality, variation of drink products and down the price.    

Live Brown Crabs Sold in the Grocery

Live brown crab

We have at least 6 types commercial crab sold in the USA markets, they are: dungeness crab; snow crab; jonah crab; stone crab and king crab. In facts, there are around 40 species of king crabs, but 3 only are widely sold in the market that are brown (golden), blue and red. 

What I found in the market is brown crab, scientific name is Lithodes aequispinus. The crab could reach 11 pounds weight and 6 feet leg span from tip to tip. The size I saw in the grocery in my town not so that big. The weight might be close to 4 to 8 pounds (2 to 4 kg), but the leg no more than 1.5 feet.

This crab distributed all over the world from North Sea to Atlantic Ocean to Bering sea to Mediterranean Sea. King crab which we saw in American groceries mainly come from Alaska, but also import from as far as Norway and Russia. 

Price sold in the groceries around US$ 6 per-pound, thus one brown king crab with 8-pound weight reaches price of US$ 48. Very much expensive for me.

Cooked crab shells turn to red 

How to cook live king crabs? It is easy, just boiling or steaming in the pot for no more than 30 minutes. Some groceries sold frozen crabs, these crabs cooked already, need several minutes to reheat by microwave or oven. 

All species of crabs or even shrimps regardless of their natural (raw) colors (brown, blue, black or golden), their shells will turn to red when cooked.

Banana Chips Sold in the Groceries

Banana chips 

I know that banana can be processed into chips, but I never taste it. When I visited to one of Mexican groceries in the city, I bought several medium bags. The price is quite cheap compared to potato chips. The taste little bit sweet and crispy.

Some people told me that there are two ways to make banana chip, first by frying with cooking oil and second by baking with oven of higher temperature. In Asia, it is popular to make banana chips by frying, while here in the USA, we often use oven to make chips.  

Medium bags of banana chips

The steps to make banana chips are following: Banana be peeled and sliced with whatever size we like (such as a thick of coin size). Sliced bananas could be dipping into flavor or certain ingredients or seasonings. Many people use honey, lemon juice or sugar liquid as dipping. Then either baking or frying. 

I never make banana chips by myself. I will try in the near future. Homemade is fresh and healthy.