Earth Day Special: 10 Questions for . . . Mark Caserta, Co-owner of 3r Living

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . . , Senior Editor Daniel DiClerico speaks with Mark Caserta, owner of 3r Living, a retailer of green home decor and furnishings and other products with locations in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and Maplewood, New Jersey (shown). Here, Caserta gives his take on the green movement, reveals which products sell even in a down economy, and talks about the impact of the recession. e-mail | Twitter

When did you open the Brooklyn shop, and what was the inspiration?
We celebrated our five-year anniversary of the original Park Slope, Brooklyn, store last week. The Maplewood, New Jersey, location opened in October 2007. My wife, Samantha Delman-Caserta, had worked in retail for many years, and I did nonprofit and government work for the environment. So our business melds those two interests, a retailer that sells green products.

How has the business evolved over the past five years?
Back in 2004, it was very hard to find products that met our 3r criteria. We had a hard time keeping the Park Slope store stocked. Over time, the market has grown. A lot of people are coming out with great stuff, to the point where we have to turn down a lot of vendors. The competition is tough, and products are now shipped to us from all over.

Don't the energy costs of shipping go against the green mission of your business?
The answer I usually give to the shipping question is that we want the market for green products to grow, and in order for it to grow there have to be buyers and sellers. It's mostly small businesses that we're supporting.

I have a preference for locally made goods. Unfortunately, manufacturing in New York has been decimated over the past 30 years. The one thing you can find locally is people who make their own jewelry. We have a lot of people making unique jewelry out of found objects, for example rings and earrings made from the inside of watches and electronics.

Green is a somewhat elastic term. How do you define it?
We have several criteria. First, we look for products that are eco-friendly in some way, whether they reduce waste in the manufacturing process, are made from recycled or reused materials, or are fair-trade products. 3r merchandise also has to be affordable, because we believe firmly that green should not be a luxury. You can't make an impact if it's only wealthy people buying your products. It must be stylish, too. You shouldn't have to sacrifice beauty in your home just because you want to be green.

Which of the three Rs—reuse, reduce, recycle—is the hardest to mesh with modern life?
When we first opened, I probably would have said reuse. Americans used to love new. But with the advent of eBay and Craigslist, you have a lot of people looking for good, used products, which benefits the environment. So these days, the hardest R is probably reduce. But the current economic climate is reintroducing the idea of waste reduction, since it can end up saving money.

What's the best example of saving by reduction?
Look at water bottles. Bottled water is one of the biggest environmental issues. Millions of these plastic containers are thrown out every day, ending up in landfills, waterways, and sewers. We've carried reusable water bottles in our Brooklyn store from the beginning, with the idea being that tap water is healthy and clean and virtually free. It's amazing how much you can do for the environment just by using a reusable container.

It sounds as if the recession is an issue. How hard have you been hit?
A lot of people think we're recession proof because we're a green business. And up until the holiday season of last year we weren't impacted. But since January 2009 we've been heavily impacted. The adage is that when people are better off it's easier for them to think about the environment. And right now, they're concerned about their jobs and their savings. But I do think the focus of the Obama administration has been good in that green and money savings and the future all go together.

10 Questions for . . . Sarah Susanka, Architect

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . ., Senior Editor Daniel DiClerico speaks with Sarah Susanka, an architect and the best-selling author of The Not So Big series of books, the first of which came out in 1998. Here Susanka shares tips from her latest book and explains why remodeling will make the nation more energy efficient.

What is the Not So Big House philosophy?
It's all based on the belief that a smaller, well-designed house doesn't have to feel smaller. This can be a real conundrum for people, but good design, because of its layout, truly does give the feeling of more space. When I moved to California from England when I was 14, I noticed with some amazement that no one ever sat in the formal living and dining rooms, and that the foyer was basically reserved for door-to-door salesmen. That began my interest in design, and I ended up bringing the sensibilities I'd developed by observing the different cultures to my practice.

Have Americans embraced your ideas?
Around the time I was writing The Not So Big House, the sociologist Dr. Paul Ray came out with his study of cultural creatives, people who care deeply about things like quality and sustainability. That was very much my audience, but at the time it was the minority. Since then and especially since 9/11, more people have reevaluated what's important in their lives. In recent months, it's off the charts. All of a sudden it's mainstream to believe that a smaller, better-designed house is most desirable. (Read more about this trend in our Buzzword on rightsizing and this interview with architect Marianne Cusato.)

So what's going to happen to all the McMansions?
The best answer I have is that, as happened with many Victorian mansions built years ago, today's McMansions will be converted into duplexes and triplexes. I just don't see people living in 6,000-square-foot houses for the long-term. But if McMansions can't be adapted for multifamily use, I'd at least like to see their materials reclaimed.

Why did you decide to write Not So Big Remodeling?
I was actually asked to do a remodeling book shortly after writing The Not So Big House. It was obvious that there were a lot of people who wanted to know whether they could apply my ideas to their existing house. The challenge was getting submissions from architects, because small-scale remodels are not necessarily their most glorious work. I wanted to show the really clever, but often subtle, tricks that make a house so much more livable.

Which remodeling solutions work best?
Most houses have ceilings at the same height. I think this is why people have a universal hatred of 8-foot ceilings. They become monotonous. So one of the things I advise a lot is lowering the ceilings in hallways to 7 feet so that when you move into the kitchen and other living areas, the ceilings pop up to 8 feet making the spaces feel taller. It's a fairly simple project that has enormous impact.

10 Question for . . . Julie Moir Messervy, Landscape Designer

In this installment of 10 Questions for..., Senior Editor Daniel DiClerico speaks with Julie Moir Messervy, landscape designer and author of Home Outside: Creating the Landscape You Love. Here Messervy talks about her landscaping philosophy, details how to create an energy-efficient yard, and offers tips for a few inexpensive upgrades that you can do as spring approaches.

What's so great about the great outdoors?
Going back to nature gets the blood going and gets you away from the stale air of your house, whether you're outside exploring, maintaining the yard, or just swinging in a hammock. Then there's the whole curb-appeal component of improving the exterior of your house. I've seen property values increase by as much as 20 percent.

Even in this market?
You can move shrubs around and dig beds and lay bulbs. You can even lay a brick terrace, although that requires more labor and know-how. You may not see quite the same return on the investment today, but all these activities are an opportunity to get back outside, which is my underlying desire, to get everybody back out onto the land.

What's the message of your new book?
The land around your house is just as much home as what's inside its walls. We just forget it sometimes.

There's a good deal of Eastern philosophy in the book. Where does that come from?
I lived in Japan for a year and a half in grad school and fell in love with Japanese gardens and worked closely with a garden master. All my books are deeply influenced by the design principles I learned there. For example, chapter five is all about the placement of objects in a landscape, which has to do with focal points and frames. That's not talked about in garden books, but it's so important to creating a beautiful journey throughout the property.

Sounds interesting, but what about the nitty-gritty, get-your-hands aspect of yard work?
On the one hand, there's an underlying philosophy to the book, but I stripped it down to the bare essentials so that you don't need to have studied philosophy to be able to get a lot of great tips. There are a lot of before and after shots, and I also included a lot of diagrams, plans, and case studies.

Why did you decide to include a personality test?
The personality test is meant to help readers figure out what kind of landscaping designer they are. You can be a reserved or expressive; practical or conceptual; principled or personal; orderly or relaxed. The test also asks about aesthetic preferences: formal or informal; symmetrical or asymmetrical; representational or abstract. In my role as a designer, my job is to get all that into the design I create. My goal with this book is to make the process simple enough for people to do on their own.

How much does it cost to start sprucing up a landscape?
The beauty of plants is they're very inexpensive. If people are willing to dig their own beds and plant their own trees, they can get huge impact for just a few hundred dollars. An even simpler project is to put out a bird feeder, near a bush so that the birds have cover and in front of a window that you look out of a lot. Right there you've created a vignette that's inexpensive, helpful to nature, and in constant flux. Another simple project is to add a freestanding fireplace with a couple of Adirondack chairs around it. You don't need a big expensive built-in fireplace to sing songs and roast marshmallows.

10 Questions for . . . Peter M. Christopher, Home Inspector

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . ., Associate Editor Gian Trotta speaks with Peter M. Christopher, of Fairfield, Connecticut-based Fairfield Home Inspections LLC. Here's his take on the common problems that can make foreclosures, fixer-uppers, and even apparently well-maintained homes a very bad investment and what you should look for in a home inspection.

What problems in a home should raise flags for a potential buyer?
There are two things that make me recommend against someone buying a home. Mold is one; look for stains and spots on ceilings, especially in closets, and around attic beams. Mold removal can be very costly and the chances of getting rid of all of it are slim to none. (Editor's note: See "Gauging mold's harm" for more hints on detecting mold, including mold that is not always visible.)

Hidden in-ground oil tanks are another big problem. If I find any evidence of one, I tell my client to have the homeowner show the paperwork from the removal. If a tank has leaked oil into the soil, it can cost you up to $100,000 to deal with the problem.

(Editor's note: Some states, such as New York, have programs to help remove these in-ground tanks to avoid future problems. Other companies offer "tank insurance" to homeowners who have in-ground tanks that claim to cover clean up costs should a spill occur.)

Also, if the house is in disarray, that's always a bad sign; sloppy people put a bigger strain on systems.

Are there any risks in buying a foreclosed home?
Buying foreclosed houses is always more risky. People who have lost or are losing their homes become sloppy and lose the incentive to maintain it. Plumbing is one of the biggest problems I have found in foreclosed homes. Either the pipes are damaged from not being winterized or the seals have gone bad due to lack of use. Keep in mind that a bank will not fix anything in a foreclosed home. The sale is "as is," and some banks will not allow a home inspection.

In older homes, what kind of structural problems do you often see?
In 19th-century homes, the support posts are embedded in dirt, and termites have usually gotten into them. Frayed electrical wires and ungrounded two-prong outlets are also problems in older homes.

Do some new home face problems because they were built too tightly?
The two worst things for a home are a lack of ventilation and moisture intrusion. If a home cannot breathe, it will rot out, and that's why mold is very common in newer homes. Also, homes that were built with wet, damp lumber can contribute to mold growth later.

Any special advice for heating and ventilation systems?
See whether the boiler or burner has a maintenance sticker. If it's had a lot of service calls in a short interval or if the system itself is old and greasy, that's a bad sign and you should consider a replacement. Storage-tank water heaters should be replaced eight to 12 years after installation.

What's the worst house you've ever inspected?
I can't think of just one—but some of the memories have been really bad. I've been in homes were I got bug bites all over me. I've been in basements that have been converted into illegal apartment where 10 immigrants were living like animals. I've seen electrical outlets installed inside the shower stall (shown). I've been in homes used to cook crystal meth. And I've seen main beams removed to install garage-door openers.

Have there been some nice houses to balance these horrors?
The best house I recall inspecting was one I was involved with while it was being built. The client would have me come in every two to three weeks to inspect and make suggestions on what was going on.

10 Questions for . . . Dan Holohan, Founder of HeatingHelp.com

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . ., Associate Editor Gian Trotta speaks with Dan Holohan, a former heating-industry pro whose 10-year-old HeatingHelp.com provides plumbing- and heating-related information and lively, active forums for consumers and industry members. Here's his take on how the industry is dealing with the recession; Joe the Plumber; and energy-saving technologies.

Your site is full of history of the industry as well as current plumbing and heating practices. Why the mix?
The history on the site makes people feel a part of something big and important, and it makes problems timeless. I want readers to know they're not the first to have banging pipes. I spent 19 years as a writer and sales-promotion guy in the heating-equipment business trying to get contractors to buy our products. I did a lot of research and realized there's also so much social history tied in with the mechanical engineering of heating. Much of this came out when I started writing books, such as The Lost Art of Steam Heating, in 1992, doing seminars, and publishing newsletters.

Who is your audience?
It's a combination of contractors, engineers, wholesalers, manufacturers reps, manufacturers, homeowners, industrial people—just about everyone who has a heating system or needs to work on one. The visitors are mainly from North America, but we also get people from all over the world.

During the recession, has there been a shift to more maintenance work as opposed to new construction? How has the downturn affected the green part of the business?
New construction has tanked, but people still need heat since Mother Nature makes no allowances for budgets or ignorance. Stuff breaks, so there's a part of our business that's recession-proof. I was seeing a shift toward green things, but this seems to be slacking off since the price of fuel went down. I think there's going to be a huge business in insulation.

Joe the Plumber certainly made a lot of news during the presidential election. What's your take on Joe?
The visitors to our site had a lot of fun with him. Opinions, as you might expect, split along party lines. I think Joe was making the most of his moment, and I'm glad that moment has passed.

What advances hold the most promise for cutting the cost of heating water?
Heat-recovery systems, which recover thermal energy from drainpipes, and small-pipe systems that consume smaller volumes of hot water make sense to me. But I think solar water heaters hold the most promise, and not because the technology is green but because it's simple and proven. I'm also following a new type of hybrid water heater that uses heat-pump technology to extract heat from the air to preheat the incoming water. And some new commercial water heaters are getting efficiencies that are close to 100 percent.

10 Questions for . . . Arlene Blum, Biophysical Chemist

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . . , Associate Editor Kimberly Janeway speaks with Arlene Blum, Ph.D., a biophysical chemist, author, and avid mountaineer. Blum recently won a Purpose Prize for 2008, which recognizes individuals 60 and older who are working to solve some of society's pressing problems. Blum won for her work to mobilize scientists, industry, and consumers to limit toxins in household products. Here's her take on toxins—including their impact on humans and consumer awareness—and the link between mountain climbing and her current work.

How are you working to limit toxins?
I'm executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute, and we're bringing scientific unbiased peer-reviewed data to government, industry, and nongovernmental groups to help make more informed decisions about which chemicals should be used in consumer products. We've stopped 10 bad standards just by putting together good information and people.

What's your latest achievement here?
We mobilized scientists, firefighters, and nonprofits around the world to persuade the International Electrotechnical Commission to reject a flammability standard that would have resulted in adding unneeded and potentially toxic fire retardants in the plastic enclosures of all consumer electronics, such as computers and printers.

Are chemicals in household products tested for their long-term effects on human health and the environment?
Our government requires health information only for foods, drugs, and pesticides. Consumers have no protection at all against toxic chemicals in household products.

What's the standard in Europe?
In Europe they reverse the burden of proof. Manufacturers have to show that chemicals are safe before they introduce them. In the U.S., chemicals are innocent until proven guilty.

How do toxic chemicals affect human health?
A big chunk of cancers, birth defects, thyroid disease, and neurological and reproductive impairments may be environmentally based. Reducing toxic chemicals in our homes and our bodies could help reduce these problems. I'm especially concerned about the chemicals that are persistent and biocumulative. These chemicals can migrate out of our couches and our TVs into dust and then into our bodies. Some are fat-loving and can stay in our fat for a very long time. They can also wind up in soil and rivers and then make their way into our food supply.

In 1977, your research led to a ban of the fire retardant Tris in children's garments, including sleepwear. How did Tris affect children?
We found that as soon as kids put on pajamas, you could find cancer-causing breakdown products in their urine the next morning. Tris was immediately taken out of sleepwear, but it's now being used in furniture foam.

10 Questions for . . . Tyler Jones, Home Builder

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . . , Senior Editor Daniel DiClerico speaks with Tyler Jones, president of Blue Heron Development, which built the New American Home 2009 at the International Builders' Show in Las Vegas. Here, Jones talks about the project's biggest innovations, offers his take on alternative energy, and discusses what the future holds for the U.S. housing industry.

What's it like having this year's International Builders' Show in Las Vegas and being the builder of the show home?
The housing market in Las Vegas has been hit particularly hard by the subprime meltdown, so it's nice to get a little positive energy back into home building. Blue Heron has implemented green-building technologies from the beginning, offering innovative options that aren't available in most communities in Las Vegas. So the New American Home project was a natural progression for us, an opportunity to apply our philosophy on a larger scale.

What innovative design elements are on display in the home?
I think the most unique feature on this home is its extreme indoor/outdoor relationship. All the interior spaces have large pocket doors that disappear into the walls, allowing the main living areas and bedrooms to be opened up to the outdoors. All the outdoor spaces, meanwhile, are set up as living areas. So rather than a feeling of "Here's the house, here's the yard," each room relates to a specific use on the outside. Las Vegas has a great climate, so people tend to spend a lot of time outdoors. Even when they're inside they like to open up the home to the outside.

Don't you have to worry about keeping out of the hot Nevada sun?
The secret is passive solar design, whereby you put a lot of glass on the south and north sides of the home. The south-facing glass has a series of shading devices that shade the glass in the summer. In the wintertime, when the sun takes a lower path, they let the heat in. The north-facing side doesn't get direct sunlight, so you can expose that glass to the outside, allowing in more natural light.

What green-building practices came up on the project?
The New American Home is like a laboratory for all the latest technologies and practices. One of the most unique is the insulated-concrete forms (ICFs) that we used for the exterior walls. ICFs are 3-foot wide, 18-inch high interlocking forms that look a lot like Legos. You stack the forms to create exterior walls and then pump concrete into the voids. The result is an insulation value of about R-50, which is maybe three times more efficient than a typical framed-wall system. And ICFs work both ways, reducing air-conditioning loads in hot climates and locking in the heat where it's cold.

Does alternative energy play a role in the design?
Solar technology is a big part of the house. We have a photovoltaic solar system that over the course of the year ends up creating more electricity than the house consumes. For a 9,000-square-foot home that's a major accomplishment. In the summertime the house will create a surplus of electricity. The utility company will give us a credit for that power, which we'll end up using in the wintertime when we're not quite creating enough energy.

Another energy efficiency measure is the use of LED fixtures. Almost all of the canister lights in the house are LED, which draw about 6 watts per can, versus the 60 watts you might get from standard incandescent. And LEDs give off a very warm glow, so it's a zero-compromise solution.

10 Questions for . . . Libby Langdon, Interior Designer

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . . , Senior Editor Daniel DiClerico speaks with Libby Langdon, a New York City-based interior designer who appears on HGTV's Small Space, Big Style; her new book, Small Space Solutions, is due out in March 2009. Here, Langdon reveals her favorite paint colors, shares several space-expanding tricks, and talks about the latest in lightbulbs.

What's your attraction to small spaces?
While traveling the country for my first show, Design Invasion, I saw that people have space constraints everywhere you go. I realized that I have a lot of tips for people who are intent on making their tight quarters feel larger and function better.

What are a few of your favorite tricks of the trade?
• Use full-scale shelves and cabinets. Pieces that go all the way up to the ceiling visually draw the eye upward making the ceiling seem higher and your space feel larger.
• Put your walls to work by mounting shelving to display collections and store items that would otherwise waste precious table space and create clutter.
• When hanging drapes, mount the rod where the ceiling meets the walls. This will also expand the space visually.
• Avoid using all wood furniture, which gives a room a clunky feel. Mix in glass-topped tables to give the room a lighter, airier and more open appearance.
• Position a large mirror on the wall directly opposite a window or a door with panes in it. This will amplify the available natural light.

Can color be used to expand a space?
People are often petrified to paint a small space a color because they think it's going to make it look smaller. That can be the case if you paint all four walls a bold hue. Instead, choose an accent wall, maybe the wall that your headboard is on in the bedroom (see picture) or that your sofa is on in the living room. Paint that accent wall a rich, wonderful color and keep the other three walls a neutral, mellow color, like a soft tan. What happens visually is that the dark wall recedes and it tricks the eye into thinking the space is bigger than it is. (Learn more about specialty paints.)

What advice do you have for choosing paint colors?
Flip through a few design magazines to find colors you like. Nine times out of 10 they'll list the names of the colors in the resource guide at the back of the magazine.

What role does lighting play in opening up a space?
Layers of light add depth and dimension and make a small space seem visually much larger. This might mean a combination of overhead fixtures, undercabinet lighting, wall sconces, and table lamps. Always try to light all four corners of a room. If you can't see a corner, it's as if it isn't even there. I can't tell you how many times I go into small rooms that are lighted by a single lamp. Even in a small room, four or five lights are not too many. You also want to think in terms of tall, large-scale lamps. People tend to fall into the "small space, small accessories" trap. But a tall lamp will spread a lot of light, while again tricking the eye by creating a sense of scale and height.

You use a lot of lights. Are you a fan of compact fluorescent lightbulbs?
I do like CFLs for efficiency but not always for the quality of their light. I prefer LED lights, which manufacturers say last up to 60,000 hours. I find the quality of LEDs to be brighter and truer. I've found some that are around $40, so they're starting to come down in price.

(The quality of light from CFLs has improved. CFLs labeled "soft" or "warm" white will more closely resemble incandescent lightbulbs, while those tagged "bright white," "natural," or "daylight" will give off a whiter, crisper light.)

10 Questions for . . . Fernando Pagés Ruiz, Contractor

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . . , Senior Editor Daniel DiClerico speaks with Fernando Pagés Ruiz, contractor and author of Affordable Remodel: How to Get Custom Results on Any Budget. Here, Ruiz talks about the upside of the economic downturn, details common remodeling pitfalls, and offers tips for slashing winter heating bills.

How has the credit crunch impacted the remodeling industry?
We had been in a kind of remodeling frenzy. People could justify the expense of remodeling with the rising value of their homes and the fact that it was relatively easy to get money through a second mortgage. Now that justification is over.

Even in good times, the best returns on remodeling investments were only around 90 percent, according to Remodeling magazine's annual "Cost vs. Value" reports. How many mutual funds do you know that advertise to customers that they'll get back 90 cents on every dollar invested? So remodeling was never an investment, and it more obviously isn't now. The motivation for remodeling should simply be that you plan to live in the house and you're spending money to make it how you want it.

Should home sellers be more motivated to make improvements?
If you're selling your house, the idea of getting it into the best selling shape makes tremendous sense, given the intense competition out there. Again, you won't necessarily get the dollars back, but you'll be able to move your house, whereas the neighbor who hasn't done any updating or maintenance may not.

Can homeowners negotiate lower costs on their projects?
It's a time to find good deals because many contractors who were used to doing a job for 40 to 60 percent over cost will now do it for 20 percent over cost. But depending on the contractor, negotiating can be a good or a bad strategy. You may end up with half a project if the contractor is in distress and looking for some cash flow and agrees to do the job for half the price of what he knows it will take. Chances are he won't be able to finish that job. So it is also a time to be careful.

So how do you protect yourself against the project-half-finished outcome?
In remodeling, the advantage always goes to the one with the most information. That's usually the contractor. And contractors know more than they let on. The only way to balance that is to become educated. I tell people it should take six to nine months to develop a plan and get to know the products. By the time you talk to your contractor, you should be able to tell if he knows his stuff or not. And you should definitely know more about your project than he does. You should be a very smart consumer by that point.

What other mistakes do homeowners make?
Starting the work all over the house. This is usually a guy thing, the do-it-yourselfer who starts jumping around doing this and doing that until he finally runs out steam and the house is a mess. You need to start with an overall plan, even if you're going to complete the work in stages. With the plan in place, you can segregate the house into sections and proceed from start and finish in an organized, logical manner.

Can you offer any rules of thumb for determining when a project goes from a DIY-friendly one to pro-required job?
Anything that has to do with safety. If you need to put in new gas lines, for example, it's a good idea to call in a plumber.

Manufacturers have made some projects easier, like tiling a laminate floor or installing a ceiling fan. But leave the skilled work to the professionals, like trim carpentry. If you want your cabinets installed correctly, there are a bunch of things a trim carpenter will know that you won't.

10 Questions for . . . Guy Fieri, Food Network Host

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . . , Michael DiLauro, a product-information specialist for Consumer Reports, speaks with Guy Fieri, the tattooed, indefatigable restaurateur and host of the Food Network's Guy's Big Bite, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives (a.k.a. "Triple-D"), and Guy Off the Hook. From the floor of the recent 2008 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Fieri talks about diner classics, his favorite kitchen tools, eating on a budget, and hangovers.

You travel around the country a lot. What does America like to eat?
Comfort food. Everyone you ask says comfort food.

What would you suggest for a Diners, Drive-ins and Dives-themed party?
Go full-blown burger joint . . . burgalicious. Burgers are great because you can dress them up so many different ways, which is lots of fun. The other great thing about burgers is that they can be cooked so many different ways. Throw them on a grill or a flat-top, or bake them in foil. I was just at a joint where they steam the burgers.

What tips can you give for preparing diner classics at home?
Use quality products and ingredients. A diner classic like chicken-fried steak is basically just fresh meat and breadcrumbs, and if you go quality with the ingredients, you can't go wrong. Also, keep it simple.

What is the one kitchen tool you couldn't live without, and what is your favorite small appliance?
I couldn't live without a knife, because it is the root of it all. You have to be able to manipulate the product. My favorite tool is an immersion blender.

Any tips or techniques for using a small appliance that most people have at home?
Blenders are great because you can roast up some tomatoes, onions, and garlic, blend it up with some chicken stock, and you got a great tomato soup. (Here is Fieri's slightly more involved recipe for tomato soup.)

How is the economy affecting dining out?
I think it's not as bad as you might believe, and there are a bunch of reasons. People eat out because they don't cook or they don't cook well. dining out is also entertaining, comforting, and something people appreciate.

Are the places you feature on Triple-D more or less affected by a slow economy?
Those joints are middle market, which is doing better than the high end right now.

What food goes the furthest toward stretching a family food budget?
Whole-grain pasta, because it is healthy, ethnically diverse, can be prepared multiple ways, and can be eaten hot or cold.

One member of your entourage just handed me a beer. What is your favorite food for a hangover?
Anything greasy. I like chicken wings and stromboli.

How many miles have you driven on Triple-D, and how many pounds have you put on since the show began?
We put 125,000 on the bus last year. As for my weight, I haven't put on a single pound; I'm the same trim 215 pounds.

Essential information: Check out Fieri's new book, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: An All-American Road Trip . . . with Recipes!