Bottled Drinking Water - There has been much debate recently as to the quality of tap water and its comparison with bottled drinking water. Natural mineral water, spring water and bottled water in general have become very popular. Water coolers and filtration systems are popping up everywhere. I find it all very confusing. There is so much choice now in what should be a simple item. Water has become big business.
When I ask for some water at a restaurant, what used to be a straightforward request, I am asked a series of questions. Do I want sparkling or still water Do I want plain water or flavored I may choose from flavors such as lemon, strawberry or mango. I just want a glass of water! Is bottled drinking water superior to tap water Some people think so and the debate rages on. Tap water has got a bad image for itself but I can’t see anyone being harmed from it. A lot of people have turned away from tap water for reasons of health. They want something more pure, something that is natural with nothing taken away or added.
Some people think that the answer lies in putting tap water through a filter system and that has become big business too. I must admit that having drunk filtered water, it did taste better. I will also admit that I prefer some bottled drinking water to tap water. I find some of it a bit greasy but I like the more expensive ones. If filtered water tastes good and gets rid of the impurities, perhaps that’s the road we should all be going down. It’s less expensive in the long run and bottled drinking water does have an impact on the environment. All that water, which we could be getting from our taps, is being put in plastic bottles and shipped around the world. Then, we’re left with all the empty plastic bottles.
There is a snob value to water now, which is funny when you think about it. It falls from the sky and every one of us would die without it. Some people in developing countries do die because their water supply is contaminated. Despite all this, being seen with the latest French bottled drinking water, scooped at dawn from the crystal clear streams of the Alps by virgins, is a status symbol. So, I’m exaggerating, but not by much. The best water I ever tasted was from a stream in the Scottish Highlands. It must be all that rain.
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Broiler Pan (1)
...home at my job does not allow this luxury. I do feel it is very important to eat a meal together each day. My children are involved in many activities but we all try to make an effort to avoid...
Burr Coffee Grinder (2)
...camping or was lost in the wilderness and could not have my daily coffee. I might consider a lack of coffee even worse than a lack of food in that situation. I have learned a lot about how to make...
Cake Decorating Ideas (3)
...with a nice sunken fault line down the middle, as though there had been an earthquake in the cake. It tasted fine but it looked like garbage. So when it was time for my son’s birthday...
Cake Decorating Supplies (4)
...baking and host of great design ideas. You can find your designs online, or you can think them up yourself. Perhaps the best sellers you may have are the ones that you have come up with yourself....
Cake Designs (5)
...your cake, or you may have picked something out of their order book, but at times, perhaps you want something else. You can find your own cake designs and then ask them if they can replicate what...
Camping Cookware (6)
...home. I had seen camping cookware in the store as we were preparing to go, but I saw no reason to spend the money on it. This was especially true when we weren’t sure how the festival was...
Ceramic Coffee Mug (7)
...and still does drink, a lot of coffee, and perhaps years of watching her do so influenced me, but I’m not sure. What I do know is that I love coffee, and I can’t start my day without...
Cereal Boxes (8)
...you the truth. I don’t understand how the addition of one small person in my home could possibly cause the tripling of the number of cereals we need. It’s happened though. I...
Chef Choice Knife Sharpener (9)
...made and kept in good shape is very important to an enjoyable cooking experience, as anyone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen will tell you. You can skimp on other items of cookware, but...
Chef Hat (10)
...my dad. They both worked part time, and spent the rest of the time at home with me. They would make some of the most delicious meals that I have ever had to this day. I wanted to be just...
Chicken Dinner (11)
...about this dinner, but it was always so good, and we could not wait until the next time we could have one. The restaurant that made them is long gone, and that is a huge shame. It was by far one...
Chile Pepper Magazine (12)
...to-get magazine subscriptions. The Chile Pepper magazine is the hot pepper lovers’ dream come true. Any way you cut it, there’s a recipe you’ll love. The Chile Pepper magazine...
Chocolate Apples (13)
...but I would not waste my treat on such trivialities. I would always get a chocolate apple. One time I got a caramel apple instead, but it just did not compare. Nothing tastes like chocolate...
Chocolate Brownies (14)
...times, we like to make double chocolate brownies, or perhaps just make a double batch so that they are thick and chewy. If you enjoy chocolate brownies in your home like we do, you have...
Chocolate Cake Recipe (15)
...with her advice, but she will teach you anything that she knows. She is always willing to explain sewing, cooking, or advanced mathematics. There is one thing, however, that she guards jealously....
Chocolate Chip Cookies (16)
...was placed on every bag of Nestlé’s Semisweet Chocolate Chips. To this day, this cookie is reportedly America’s favorite! Visit www oyofbaking om to read more including...
Chocolate Covered Potato Chips (17)
...upon the sweet treats. Most of the selection was standard variety stuff. You had your gummy worms, popcorn, Icees, turtles, chocolate peanuts and raisins, ect. Then I saw them; chocolate covered...
Chocolate Covered Strawberries (18)
...perfect chocolate covered strawberries you need to use very good quality chocolate. The candy bar from the corner store is not going to work in this instance. The best chocolate strawberries are...
Chocolate Factory (19)
...sitter brought my daughter back to my home once and after she had told me what had happened, I wanted to wring her neck. I decided then and there that she should never be able to watch my child...
Chocolate Fondue Fountain (20)
...remember. Here’s one terrific idea that you may never have thought of, until now. A chocolate fondue fountain, which literally flows with chocolate, makes a spectacular decoration of...
Chocolate Peanut Butter (21)
...cookies are my favorite. To me, however, they do not work if they use the processed peanut butter. You have to get the all-natural kind that separates and needs to be stirred. Otherwise, the...
Coffee Can (22)
...out there who simply cannot walk out of their house in the mornings without a cup of coffee, you’ll find a new type of coffee can that will actually heat itself. Yes, you did hear that correctly....
Coffee Machine (23)
...He cleaned it and fussed over it. No one else was allowed to take care of it, not even Mama. It’s certainly true that we British don’t know how to make coffee, we are a...
Coffee Of The Month Clubs (24)
...World-Wide-Web in order to discover those hot coffee of the month clubs. What would you say to a fine, piping hot latte right now Wait, let me guess; you will take it. That’s pretty...
Coffee Shop (25)
...you can sit down to enjoy your coffee and be in your own world. There are sofas and tables, places to work if needed and magazines. The atmosphere is pretty laid back and casual. Not all coffee...
Cooking Courses (26)
...be fun as well as helpful in our lives. The first evening of the cooking courses found the four of us putting on hair nets and aprons. Of course we all thought this was quite funny. We...
Cooking For 2 (27)
...busy household now seems quiet and at times even boring. I have found that cooking for 2 is much less time consuming, so my evenings are longer. My husband and I go out to eat more often because...
Creme Brulee Torch (28)
...that are really amazing. The crème brulee torch allows me to be really creative in my sweet tooth designs. I am a regular sculptor in the kitchen. Ironically, I was never much...
Crock Pot Soup (29)
...of people around the world. We in America are blessed with an abundance of foods. No matter how modest your means, a healthy and tasty meal can be put together in no time, inexpensively and...
Cuisinart Grind And Brew Coffee Maker (30)
...beverage as fresh as possible. The freshness depends heavily on the beans. Freshly ground beans make the best cup of java. Not everyone has time to work with whole beans. The Cuisinart...
Custom Coffee Cup (31)
...want to succeed, no matter what business you’re in, you need to establish brand loyalty. You need to have the same customers coming back time and time again. You need to have them using your...
Cutting Boards (32)
...instead of your countertop. If you use your countertop to cut anything, you’re going to end up with scratch marks that you cannot repair, and you may also be trapping bacteria that will...
Dinner Party Ideas (33)
...that the guests were also having a good time. I needed dinner party ideas that would have a more relaxed feeling, rather than my husband and I spending time introducing people and spending the...
Dunkin Donuts Coffee (34)
...coffee in my machine. Some days I am in such a big hurry that I barely have time to get dressed let alone brew a fresh pot of Dunkin Donuts coffee. On these days it might be better for...
Easy Dinner (35)
...start to finish in less than half an hour. The best and easiest way to get a quickly prepared homemade meal to the table is to not use a recipe. Radical as this may sound, there’s...
Food Containers (36)
...containers are taking over my life. If I had a place outside to store garbage it would be much easier to deal with the food containers. I don’t though, and my husband must take each...
Food Poisoning (37)
...and I was fine after that. Perhaps that was a strange virus with a very short life span rather than food poisoning, though I may never know. I do know that on my local news it seems that more...
Fresh Seafood (38)
...think about buying online. Many people have yet to make any purchase from the web so if you were to suggest that they buy their fresh seafood from the Internet they may think you’re crazy....
Frying Pan (39)
...to be. I am always careful with them, but they never last. I have spent money on an expensive one and have not been happy with it. I have come to realize that a good frying pan is not about...
Gaggia Coffee Machine (40)
...the local java house to see which ones are worth my time. My wife and I do this routine together. The truth is you never know if you don’t give it a shot. I can’t live with that kind...
George Foreman Indoor Outdoor Grill (41)
...in the George Foreman Indoor Outdoor Grill in the first place was that I had recently moved into a new condominium complex. According to the homeowner’s agreement that I signed, I...
German Chocolate Cake (42)
...to say that I’m an expert, at least in my own mind. Not one to be found baking a cake that often, I do give it a try every now and again. One of my favorites is German chocolate cake. However,...
Grocery Shopping (43)
...manage to have a headache by time I get home. There are many different places where I can go, however, I like to go where I can save the most money. This may be ending shortly however, because...
Healthy Breakfast (44)
...You can have whatever you want as long as it’s not too fatty or too sugar laden. Cereals are good, along with whole milk, and fruit is always a good idea to have with any healthy breakfast....
Healthy Dinner (45)
...absolutely a myth. Cooking is becoming a lost art in the United States, a truly sad commentary on our society. You’d be surprised to learn that even as a non-cook (“i...
Hot Chocolate Maker (46)
...somehow steam the milk better, or keep the temperature just right I wouldn’t have been the first one to buy a hot chocolate maker, but now that he had it, I was a bit curious. Let...
Hot Chocolate (47)
...the hot chocolate protein shake. Using the microwave, some whey protein, skim milk, and a little sugar-free chocolate syrup, I made a hot, healthy breakfast for those cold mornings. The hot chocolate...
Hot Pepper Plants (48)
...if filled up with planters sprouting your own hot pepper plants. For me, it started purely by chance. I was at the Farmer’s market and found a stall that was selling hot pepper...
Hot Pepper Sauce (49)
...on hot pepper sauce, you’d be surprised by how much effort people put into getting just the right flavor with just the right kick. From Tabasco pepper sauce through powdered cayenne pepper...
Hot Peppers (50)
...gatherings as well as gatherings for friends. I have learned that it is important to keep in mind the likes and dislikes so guests. My family loves spicy food. My mother never thought a...
How To Cook (51)
...time with it. I guess some just have that special touch and others do not. I do know how to cook, but I guess I am not interested in it enough to give it my full attention, and I tend to...
Ice Cream Franchises (52)
...jerky. Okay, that’s actually not one of them. I’m pretty certain that vegetarians don’t like beef jerky. I think they eat soy jerky or something rather. No, but seriously; ice...
Ice Cream Machine (53)
...best ice cream makers in the neighborhood. All of my friends would come over to have sweet, frozen treats from the ice cream machine. No one was surprised when I grew up and had an ice machine...
Italian Cooking (54)
...she made was flavorful and made with high quality ingredients. We lived on a dairy farm so there were always fresh dairy products and meats. We also had huge vegetable gardens, a strawberry...
Jalapeno Stuffed Olives (55)
...the host rattled off the simple ingredients to this hot delicacy. I was thrilled to discover that there were just a handful of items I need to make this great appetizer for my own affairs. I just...
Japanese Teapots (56)
...of great value. They may not be the most expensive items on the market but everyone has a particular favorite. My favorite is a Japanese teapot. The one that I owned was grey with cherry...
Jobs For Cooks (57)
...are major questions to address. I will be the first to admit that it took me most of my college career to finally decide what I wanted to do for a living. Call it trial and error if you will....
Kitchen Table (58)
...deserves some thought as to its design, decoration, materials and durability. The size of your family plays a part too. Even if you’re single, you’ll still want to consider occasions...
Kona Coffee (59)
...a rich, delicious and spicy aroma not found elsewhere in the coffee world. Coffee came to the Kona region of Hawaii from Brazil, in the form of cuttings. Although these cuttings took many...
Latte Coffee (60)
...with a latte coffee of some sort from Starbuck’s. I will fully admit that I love their pumpkin spice latte. It’s great because of their secret syrup. The espresso on the other hand...
Lemon Pepper (61)
...at least once a week and that is about as far as my seasoning skills have taken me. Let’s just say that I eat a lot of chicken. I know how to throw salt and pepper on a dish or lob some...
Low Acid Coffee (62)
...are quick to catch on to what’s hot on the market, what sells and what consumers will pay a premium price for. Good marketing strategies tout particular characteristics of products and...
Low Carb Bar (63)
...if they plan to stay strong and function properly as they age. And let’s not forget about what we consume. Currently the focus is on carbs. Or should I say lack there of The truth is people...
Low Carbohydrate Recipes (64)
...Of course there are thousands of low carb recipes out there, so that is not the problem. The problem is that we are taught to crave carbohydrates above everything else except for fat. We can cook...
Low Fat Cooking (65)
...jobs, and there are also many things to do in the home that keep people from going outside and exercising. Because of this, low-fat cooking has become more and more important There are many...
Lunch Box (66)
...for a lunch box that is strong, and for one that has a secure latch. The last thing you want to happen is for your child’s lunch box to be smashed, or for it to fall open spreading food all...
Maple Sugar Candies (67)
...it is very big business in the northern US states for those who choose this as a way to make some money. For some, this is a hobby that doesn’t bring in a lot of money, but...
Mason Jars (68)
...across a display in a local store and it reminds me of my childhood. Funny how something as simple as mason jars in a store display can bring back pleasant feelings from long ago. Mason...
Menu Designs (69)
...comes from two sources. The food you eat will have a huge impact, but you also get a feel of the place by the exterior and interior design and the menu designs you see. The menu designs can...
Milk Bottles (70)
...milk bottles. In those days, you didn’t need to go to the store for milk. The milkman delivered all your dairy products right to your doorstep. Every day but Sunday, you could hear...
Nutritional Information (71)
...problem is that most of the nutritional information out there is too hard for someone to understand. This, along with the need to save time, makes many family susceptible to making the wrong choices...
Organic Products (72)
...I don’t mean that you’re a Big Mac if you consume McDonald’s every day of the week. But, if you do resort to fats-food that often, you should be concerned with your health....
Outdoor Cooking Equipment (73)
...about the old-school charcoal grills. You know, the ones you used as a child. I completely got addicted to the grilled meats and vegetables. The smoky flavor sets my taste buds at ease. What...
Paper Plates (74)
...food and cake have been eaten, perhaps you can take advantage of having them for a few days after the party. You might eat a few meals on paper plates and be able to relax for a few extra moments...
Personal Chef (75)
...too hard for the average person to follow. They are great in theory, but the stuff you have to cook is just not possible. We are all busy, and as much as we would like to have the time to whip...
Quick Dinner Recipe (76)
...together. This is often a challenge, but I feel it is important for us to gather as a family daily. The dinner hour tends to get shorter depending upon the activities that are happening....
Quick Dinner Recipes (77)
...it is one of my favorite quick dinner recipes. I only call it quick because the preparation on my part is minimal. Sadly, most of my quick dinner recipes are not healthy ones. This is...
Restaurant Dinner (78)
...I’ll go to a Spanish Tapas bar or a French Bistro. I’ve also been known to eat goulash at Hungarian restaurants and sushi at Japanese sushi bars. It all depends what mood...
Romantic Restaurants (79)
...more money when they are having a lavish and elegant meal out with a loved one. It has been proven time and time again, that when restaurants are playing classical music in the background, patrons...
Sabatier Knives (80)
...work with the best. Hey, who doesn’t If I’m going to be the one preparing all the food, which I am in my house, I want the quality Kitchen Aid appliances and a great set of knives. These...
Salt Shaker (81)
...herbs and spices. She had her own salt shaker at the table for meals. She began cooking without using salt. Our family meals were much blander. It is amazing how much flavor salt adds to...
Simple Recipes (82)
...cooking a little harder to come by. Neither spouse wants to come home from a long day of work to tackle two hours of cooking, and you can count me among those people. I love to cook for my family,...
Small Microwave Oven (83)
...days. Things like spaghetti with meat sauce, chicken stew or lasagna all warm up perfectly inside a small microwave oven. Each person can heat up their own portion when they have a few minutes to...
Sources Of Vitamin B (84)
...of vitamin B. Vitamin B-1, or thiamine deficiencies can cause leg cramps, weak muscles and enlarging of the heart. Foods that are rich sources of vitamin B-1 include organ meats, wheat...
Steak Sauce (85)
...eat it and have it taste amazing. Perhaps the secret is putting the right steak sauce on before the meat is cooked. I have been going to Applebee’s a lot lately, and the reason is...
Table Etiquette (86)
...“use your napkin!” The tone of the instructor indicated their horror. Breaking table etiquette was almost a crime. Today, while attending a party, you may notice table...
Take Out Boxes (87)
...tend to be easy to get rid of, I have a problem with old pizza boxes piling up. When it comes time to take out the garbage, my husband seems to want to forget to discard of the take out boxes...
Teapot Cake (88)
...that includes a tea party. If you aren’t an avid baker you can certainly use a couple of boxes of cake mix to make this showpiece. Choose the favorite flavor of the birthday...
Teflon Sheet (89)
...make cooking easier all the way around. One thing that I don’t know what I would do without is the Teflon sheet that I have to use in the oven. The Teflon sheet is great for cooking...
Vegetarian Crock Pot (90)
...different dishes. One delicious dinner that takes just a few minutes to make is vegetarian crock pot chili. Ground beef has long been the staple of chili. There’s no mistaking that...
Wedding Cake Decorating (91)
...The wedding dress, the limousine, the band and food for the reception all can total what seems like a small fortune. If there is a way to save money most brides and their grooms are happy to...
Wedding Cake Designs (92)
...aspects of this tradition. I personally like sorting through all the wedding cake designs. How can anyone not Here’s the deal; you’re going to need one seriously fancy...
Wedding Cookies (93)
...together. I then combined orange food coloring with granulated sugar and rolled the cookies into the mixture. I added a plastic stem leaf. The looked like tiny, sparkling peaches. My second...
Whole Foods Market (94)
...I live in an area without a lot of natural food stores, you see, but I try to eat healthy. This can be hard to do. I would love to buy locally grown stuff, but often that is not an option....
Wood Fired Pizza Oven (95)
...down to the nitty gritty, it turns out the greatest pizza competition in the United States is between New York and Chicago. Both states bring completely different pies to the table. While New York...