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In this issue...

• Is cottage cheese the new pandemic toilet paper?

• How to spot counterfeit Canadian currency

• By the numbers X 10 + 1

• Smucker's changes its packaging for first time in nearly 30 years

• Before you go: 7 things you may have missed in the news

• Trivia: Did you know?

• Quotes of note

• Enjoy the outdoors with the Greater Moncton Walking Group

• Dream Like Taylor! - a fabulous coloring book for Swifties by Rose Michaels

• Monday, March 23: Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night

Is cottage cheese the new pandemic toilet paper?

Cottage cheese recipes on social media are rampant. And you know what, they're actually pretty good! But sometimes they're so good that stores run out... something that's been happening in Montreal.

Article excerpt: "There seems to be a cottage cheese shortage hitting grocery stores in the Montreal area, and social media may be to blame.

Mena St-Onge visited three stores before tracking some down. 'I went to Maxi, I went to Super C,' she said. Finally, Esposito’s on Sherbrooke in NDG had some in stock.

For St-Onge, it’s not about chasing a trend. 'I’m diabetic. It’s a good source of protein for me,' she said.

It’s a good source of protein for everyone, which is exactly why cottage cheese has been blowing up on social media.

Younger consumers are driving the demand, said Sylvain Charlebois, a professor at Dalhousie University and director of the Agri-Food Analytical Sciences Laboratory.

'The beauty of the TikTok trend related to cottage cheese is that they made the ingredient versatile. You can do a lot of different things. You can actually make breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, snacks. And that’s what makes the cottage cheese issue so popular,' he said."

If you're on social media, check out some of the viral recipes that use cottage cheese. They're usually quick and easy. Here are a few:

• Viral Cottage Cheese Recipe (High Protein & So Easy)

• Cottage Cheese Ice Cream | TikTok Viral Recipe | High Protein Ice Cream

• Put Cottage Cheese in the Air Fryer and Magic Happens! 7 Viral Recipes That Actually Work!

• 3 Easy Cottage Cheese Bowls That Are INSANELY Good | and Keto!

Read: Got cottage cheese? Montreal shoppers are having trouble finding it.

How to spot counterfeit Canadian currency

To my knowledge, no one has ever slipped me a counterfeit bill, but I would be so unhappy if someone did. Can you imagine finding out that the $100 bill someone gave you is actually fake? It's one thing if they did so innocently, but scammers know exactly what they're doing, and you're the one who ends up in trouble for unknowingly passing along the bill to someone else.

Article excerpt: "RCMP in New Brunswick are warning the public and business owners about counterfeit cash circulating in the Florenceville (New Brunswick) area.

Police said on Thursday a business reported that an employee had accepted a counterfeit $100 bill. According to police, the bill closely resembled Canadian currency, both in appearance and texture, however the primary indicator of its illegitimacy was the faint wording of 'prop money' printed on the silver security section.

'(It) is convincing enough that it could easily be passed as real currency if the recipient is not paying close attention,' said police in a news release Friday.

RCMP said counterfeiters often rely on quick transactions and distracted moments."

The article gives some tips on checking your money to see if it's the real deal. Information that's always good to know!

Read: Real vs. fake: How to distinguish counterfeit cash from genuine currency.

By the numbers X 10 + 1

• 1. The viral no-bake Japanese yogurt cheesecake, 2 ways

• 2. Divorce is 3 breakups

• 3. 4 Halifax restaurants compete to see who has the "Best Donair in the World"

• 4. 6 small Bluetooth speakers you can use in the shower

• 5. Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026: Best in Show Awards - the 10 top mobile gadgets you need to see

• 6. Here are the 6 best Google Pixel 10 upgrades coming in the next Pixel Drop update

• 7. The Internet can't believe ageless model Chuando Tan just turned 60 years old

• 8. 80 books every man should read

• 9. Heated Rivalry fans were surprised to see the $12,000 security deposit required to rent “the cottage”

• 10. A&W reports Q4 and 2025 financial results, with annual sales increasing to $1.92 billion

• Bonus: Canadian Living: 32 seasonal recipes to cook in March

Smucker's changes its packaging for first time in nearly 30 years

The recent changes made to Smucker's jam labels don't seem that dramatic, but if people only knew how much time and money went into these things, they'd be surprised. The meetings. The draft versions. The debates. It may only seem minor, but well-known brands do a lot of work and research before implementing these things.

Article excerpt: "Smucker’s has a berry exciting new look.

The jam jars’ 'new and fresh' label redesign was revealed during J.M. Smucker Co.’s 2026 Consumer Analyst Group of New York Conference presentation, which took place on Feb. 18.

The food company announced that the fruit spreads’ modernization effort will debut this spring and that it is the 'first redesign in nearly 30 years,' according to the presentation. 

The former label for the Strawberry Jam had the signature Smucker’s logo and illustrations of strawberries with vines and flowers. The updated label has that same logo but with only three strawberries. Instead of the greenery behind the berries, the label has a pink gingham pattern. Plus, below the illustrations, there is more text detailing that the jam is 'spreadable, with blended fruit.'" 

Regardless of the new labels, it's still pretty good jam, if you ask me. Will any consumers actually even notice the revisions? Likely not many - which always makes me wonder why brands spend so much money on these things unless the changes are major.

Read: Smucker's changes its packaging for the first time in nearly 30 years.

Before you go: 7 things you may have missed in the news

• 1. All the SAG Actor Awards 2026 winners: See the full list (see photo)

• 2. The must-see red carpet looks from the 2026 Actor Awards

• 3. Spring fever hits Canada in March, but snowstorms still lurk

• 4. Quebec wants its poutine cheese curds to squeak on the world stage

• 5. Gas prices skyrocket in parts of Canada amid Middle East escalation

• 6. A hotter, wetter South is becoming a breeding ground for mold

• 7. How to start seeds indoors (and the mistakes most beginners make)

St. Patrick's Day is on Tuesday, March 17

With spring just around the corner, our attention turns to St. Patrick's Day on Tuesday, March 17. Here are some links to help you get ready:

• 1. 6 ways to manifest good luck this St. Patrick’s Day!

• 2. 11 Irish recipes to make for St. Patrick's Day

• 3. 12 easy St. Patrick’s Day recipes for family celebrations, school parties and more

• 4. 13 Irish side dishes perfect for St. Patrick's Day

• 5. 13 St. Patrick’s Day recipes that feel straight out of Dublin

• 6. 17 green nail ideas for St. Patrick’s Day and beyond

• 7. 20 Irish appetizers to kick off St. Patrick's Day

• 8. Bring the magic this St. Patrick’s Day with Lucky Charms!

• 9. Most-awarded Irish whiskey brand Teeling Whiskey shares how to celebrate St Patrick's Day "the right way"

• 10. Recipe: Shamrock Shake Pie

Trivia: Did you know?

Prior to acting, Beatrice Arthur (Maude, The Golden Girls) had a career as a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Quotes of note

• 1. "When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy."

- Rumi (1207-1273), mystic and poet (see photo)

• 2. "I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains."

- Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl  

• 3. "Love is my mother. Joy is my sister. Knowledge is brother. Wisdom is my soulmate."

- Matshona Dhliwayo 

• 4. "Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."

- Leonardo da Vinci 

• 5. "The best traveller is one without a camera."

- Kamand Kojouri 

• 6. "The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."

- Nicolas Chamfort 

• 7. "Some ghosts are so quiet you would hardly know they were there."

- Bernie Mcgill, The Butterfly Cabinet 

• 8. "Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat."

- Alex Levine

• 9. "Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy."

- William Butler Yeats 

• 10. "Never wrestle with pigs. You both get dirty and the pig likes it."

- George Bernard Shaw

Enjoy the outdoors with the Greater Moncton Walking Group

In March, the group is walking on the Northwest Trail with meet-up in the parking lot of YMCA Moncton North at 70 Twin Oaks Drive.

The group meets for walks every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. New participants are always welcome! For more information, please contact Wayne Harrigan at 506-386-2187 or via email.

Dream Like Taylor! - a fabulous coloring book for Swifties by Rose Michaels

Step into Taylor’s sparkly world with Dream Like Taylor! - a fabulous coloring book for Swifties - the ultimate coloring book for young fans who adore Taylor Swift and want to shine just like her! Filled with fun and fabulous illustrations, this book celebrates Taylor’s music, fashion, kindness and creativity. Color girls who sing on stage, play guitar, write songs, and dress in dazzling styles all inspired by Taylor’s amazing journey. Whether you’re a future superstar, a dreamer or just love to color, this book will make your imagination sparkle. Grab your crayons or markers and get ready to color your way to stardom... Swiftie-style! A total of 50 images are available in the book with a blank page on the other side of the image if you want to use markers.

• Amazon Canada: amzn.to/4hSY1dB

• Amazon USA: amzn.to/4p62coN

To view the entire list of Rose Michaels' colouring books, visit her website or follow her Facebook page.

Monday, March 23: Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night

The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club Trivia Night will be held at St. Louis Bar & Grill, 1405 Mountain Road, Moncton, on Monday, March 23, beginning at 6:30 p.m. $10 per person (cash only).

Participants may play as teams or individuals. The winning team gets 50% of the door receipts as their prize.

It is strongly suggested that participants arrive by 5:15-5:30 p.m. for a seat. Trivia begins at 6:30 p.m. sharp and is usually over by 8-8:15 p.m. Everyone welcome!

Please note that restaurant reservations are NOT available for this event. First come, first served. Limited seating of approximately 50 guests.

Participants may bring an optional non-perishable food item (box of granola bars, Kraft Dinner, cereal, canned goods, etc.) for distribution at Krista Richard's Community Sports Program events, of which the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club is a sponsor. Any donations will be gratefully received and provided to Krista for distribution to her program participants (school-aged children from Moncton-area schools).

Since Rotary Trivia Nights began in 2016, the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club has donated more than $20,000 to Atlantic Wellness, Karing Kitchen, Ray of Hope Kitchen, Salvus Clinic, The Humanity Project, BGC Moncton (Moncton Boys & Girls Club), Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Project Linus - Moncton Chapter, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Children's Wish Canada, Krista Richard's Community Sports Program and Bicycle Program, Diabetes Canada's D-Camps for kids, and Anglophone East School District's School Supplies Drive, among others.

The Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club gratefully acknowledges the kind and generous sponsorship of our restaurant partner, St. Louis Bar & Grill.

PLEASE NOTE: There is a no telephone rule at these events. The answers cannot be researched except among discussion with your team members.

Facebook event listing: bit.ly/4ssUTJw

About this newsletter

Brian Cormier's Weekly Update is distributed weekly from September to June. If you're reading this newsletter online and want to subscribe, please email me, fill out the subscription form on my website, or subscribe via the "Join Our Email List" button at the top of the newsletter (if you're viewing this in a browser.) This newsletter is not published in July and August and on holidays.