Rant thread

[EastWest Gal]

Trying to purchase a $20K item and no one will give you all the specs needed to make an intelligent decision (swim spa). Grrrr!


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

[FireBug]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound Is there a place in SF where you can get imported poulet de Bresse?

ok...you went all Frenchy hoity toity on me there. Had to look that thing up. If Sf restaurants don't have it, I don't know who would.

I was born an raised in The City so if you would have asked me how to get an "It's it" I could have helped you out. Sorry.

[MRG]

I had to look that up too. That's a chicken breed to taste great! Apparently there are some being raised in both Canada and the US. I know they're not from Bresse. There's also a US hatchery selling chicks for $29.00 apiece. All you have to do is raise them properly for 4 months.

[NW-Bound]

Frenchy hoity toity? Just for asking if I can go to SF instead of all the way to France to taste the bird? Just now, see on the Web that it is not easy to get this bird in France either.

Hey, I am not a gourmand. See the other thread, where I am doing my first sous-vide steak ever? I need to go out to check on it now.

[FireBug]

Ok... now we're getting this rant thread ramped up.


I understand...alz good. but you really don't need a specific reason to visit SF

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound Is there a place in SF where you can get imported poulet de Bresse?

Maybe not, but give Amazon a try?

[NW-Bound]

We have been to SF so many times over the years, that I literally lost count. But if Bresse chicken is offered there, well, that will give us an impetus to stop by once more in our next RV trip, which is 1 month away.

And I learned about this famed bird after our last visit to France. Hopefully, I will remember to inquire about it during the next visit.

Meanwhile, I just had my first sous-vide steak, and I am heading to the other thread to report on it.

[Meadbh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooch96 Free range chicken just means the birds have access to a concrete pad with a little fresh air for part of the day. Cage free means they arent in cages, but have probably never seen the sun nor felt fresh air in their feathers. These are minimum standards, I'm sure many farms treat their livestock better. Vegetarian fed chicken is terrible for the birds. Chickens are naturally omnivores: worms, bugs, carrion are all part of the diet of jungle fowl (their wild sisters). They also love their greens such as dandelions, lettuce, and grass. Factory birds are fed almost exclusively corn and enough vitamins and antibiotics to keep them alive long enough for slaughter. Diet, overbreeding and lack of exercise are probably the biggest reasons for the currently ultra-bland eggs and chicken flesh consumed today. I'm a fan of modern medicine and therefore prejudiced to thinking there's nothing wrong with the antibiotics. I'm also not an enemy of factory farming. We live in a society where even the poor suffer from obesity. Factory farming is what has led to the ultra cheapness of food. I'll take mass obesity over mass starvation anytime. I have a small backyard flock and my girls are uber healthy. They get a few hours outside of their coop almost every day. No shots, never been sick. The yolks in their eggs are dark golden, almost pumpkin colored, which is the natural color when they have access to fresh greens (March to October). Their eggs are also super delicious. I wince every time on the rare occasion when I get the sawdust flavored variety at a diner.

Below are the choices at my local supermarket. I've been buying the free range eggs and would never go back to the cage ones. Like yours, the yolks are dark golden and the flavour is far superior.

Overwaitea first to use Cage Eggs signage

[Meadbh]

OK. Finally remembered something to rant about. Delivery services (Canada Post, UPS) which deliver the package directly to the depot without making any attempt to deliver it to my home. Apparently I am supposed to follow the tracking and pick it up myself. I live in a condo building, but that's no excuse. Last month I had to visit the UPS depot and struggle with two boxes from Amazon, one of which was large.

In fairness, my new iPad Air 2 was shipped via Purolator, arrived on time, and the delivery person actually used the intercom. Thank you, Purolator.

[growing_older]

Is this a Canadian Rant thread?

Quote:

Thank you, Purolator.

[Meadbh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by growing_older Is this a Canadian Rant thread?

Yup, eh.

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArkTinkerer Does anyone remember when the wings were the cheap part of the chicken? Now wings cost more than the thighs! I have my eye on some rabbit. Specifically the one getting into my garden. Eliminate the problem and provide dinner in one shot! Literally!

I remember when chicken wings were free !!

My parents were poor for a few years, so in the summer we ate chicken wings on the BBQ every night, as the butcher would give them to us for free.

I still like them, but would rather buy boneless skinless chicken breast at $1.80/lb than pay $3.00 lb for wings...

It was the bars that drove the demand and price up

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREd I am getting more and more selective with my poultry. I find supermarket chicken disgusting most of the time, slimy, with a nasty texture, bland taste, and a faintly foul smell as well. It makes me want to become vegetarian. So I don't eat a lot of chicken, but when I do I spring for a local, free-range chicken from my local butcher. It is very fresh and tasty. Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

I would enjoy that. Soon a Whole Foods is coming 4 blocks away, I hope their chicken is good. High quality high price independent butchers so far have not done really well in Seattle, I think it may take a larger city of affluent people. Many of the young affluents around me either eat out all the time, or are vegans.

I find that I have replaced all my chicken and some of the beef and pork with wild caught fish. Not the same, but very good, and reasonably priced. Often in mid winter Pacific cod is 7-$10/#, and sole, rock fish, calamari. oysters, Oregon shrimp all winter long are cheaper than I would pay for similar edible portions of high quality free range chicken. Thursday I paid $20/# for a magnificent halibut steak ( I usually buy steaks, as all the fat is around the backbone and lean halibut is too lean.) Halibut is not plentiful enough anymore to have it often, or I would have to ration it. Seasons are short and tightly monitored,

A little later the good salmon runs begin, and I 'll be down to wild fish, grass fed lamb chops, and mostly grass fed burger (sometime I really want nice fat market trim ground beef, and it never seems to be available grass fed. The meatcutters could make some 20% fat ground meat by using the fat saved from the people who want low or zero fat in their ground meat, but I think it might be a hard sell to the type of people who shop at whole foods. So I buy Safeway 20% market trim, no meat not cut in their shop included.) I also have gone to about 5 cans/week of King Oscar brisling sardines for snacks. And of course bacon. The last good pork chop I had was when my buddy went out of the weaner pig business.

Ha

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha I would enjoy that. Soon a Whole Foods is coming 4 blocks away, I hope their chicken is good. High quality high price independent butchers so far have not done really well in Seattle, I think it may take a larger city of affluent people.

I'm trying to think of a larger city of affluent people than Seattle, in the U.S., but with no success thus far....

There is a Whole Foods not too far from me, and while it was being built I could hardly wait. But, that said, I never go there because it is much more expensive (and more crowded) than I had envisioned at that time.

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R I'm trying to think of a larger city of affluent people than Seattle, in the U.S., but with no success thus far.... There is a Whole Foods not too far from me, and while it was being built I could hardly wait. But, that said, I never go there because it is much more expensive (and more crowded) than I had envisioned at that time.

Same here. Is it really less affluent than San Francisco or Austin?

[M Paquette]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound We have been to SF so many times over the years, that I literally lost count. But if Bresse chicken is offered there, well, that will give us an impetus to stop by once more in our next RV trip, which is 1 month away.

The US domestic version of the Bresse is the blue-foot chicken. It's served at a number of restaurants in the SF area, usually 'when available'.

Marin Sun Farms has them from time to time in their Rockridge (Oakland) and Point Reyes Station shops. Most seem to go to their CSA poultry 'subscription' customers. Fulton Valley also produces them, but mostly for the restaurant trade.

[cooch96]

Okay, I'm getting warmed up on this rant thing.

Does anyone else here abhor Hickory Farms?

To wit: their sausage tastes like plastic, probably from all the wax they introduce; their mustards are mostly corn syrup; and the cheez spreads are abominations of cheese-inspired dairy by-products!

And their customer service is even worse! Or at least it was the last time I bought a gift from them (fourteen years ago; I was young, stupid, and frequently drunk).

How are they still in business? Is it simple inertia, like the tradition of fruit cakes? thank goodness that seasonal travesty is nearly extinct.

Whenever DW and I get a box from Hickory Farms, my first reaction is to wonder what I did to the giver. Did I kick their dog the last time we visited or make fun of their drapes?

My second reaction is to plot my passive-aggressive revenge. But absolutely not by sending them a Hickory Farms gift in return. Though poetically justified, That company will never get another dime from me.

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 Same here. Is it really less affluent than San Francisco or Austin?

Likely not compared to Austin, but Seattle is Podunk compared to the north part of San Francisco city. Also western LA, Boston, DC, parts of Manhattan, Chicago north coast and others too. What counts I think is not average or median income, but a sufficient number of affluent customers concentrated in a fairly small area.

Ha

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooch96 Okay, I'm getting warmed up on this rant thing. Does anyone else here abhor Hickory Farms? To wit: their sausage tastes like plastic, probably from all the wax they introduce; their mustards are mostly corn syrup; and the cheez spreads are abominations of cheese-inspired dairy by-products! And their customer service is even worse! Or at least it was the last time I bought a gift from them (fourteen years ago; I was young, stupid, and frequently drunk). How are they still in business? Is it simple inertia, like the tradition of fruit cakes? thank goodness that seasonal travesty is nearly extinct. Whenever DW and I get a box from Hickory Farms, my first reaction is to wonder what I did to the giver. Did I kick their dog the last time we visited or make fun of their drapes? My second reaction is to plot my passive-aggressive revenge. But absolutely not by sending them a Hickory Farms gift in return. Though poetically justified, That company will never get another dime from me.

I'm glad I'm not alone in my dislike of their "food". I guess people buy their stuff never having eaten it.

I have no idea what they do to that "cheese" stuff. It makes my mouth burn.

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooch96 Does anyone else here abhor Hickory Farms?

I think I did buy something from them decades ago. Once. Overpriced and not very good. But they make a pretty package and that's all that it takes for someone buying a gift when they don't know what else to give.