Hold the Salsa?

[Alan]

Our waistlines can't Mexican food these days so we don't go that often

Since moving back to Baton Rouge we are only a mile away from an excellent outdoor fresh produce market which is excellent. We too believe that the less processing the better, although you still get bacteria spread to fresh produce before the picking and processing even begins.

Unless people are dropping like flies we'll keep on eating our high veggie diet. I still just don't think this latest outbreak is serious enough to worry about - more danger on the roads.

In fact this morning while walking to our local tennis courts DW and I walked on the road while we could as the grass on the side had been fresh cut and was very wet from early morning dew (it was 7:30). Baton Rouge doesn't even provide the smallest of shoulders on their roads but this is a very wide road, 4 lanes with a turning lane and we were walking facing the oncoming traffic. Very little traffic and every one that approached us pulled out to pass us but one woman driving a large SUV just would not budge an inch and we had to jump onto the verge to avoid her. She wasn't on the phone, doing her make-up or anything, I had full eye contact but she simply forced us off the road.

 

[haha]

When I lived away from town I would give myself a mild case of food poisoning every few months or so, because i would get home late and hungry, and not be very discerning about the age of the leftovers that I prepared.

Since moving to the city with supermarkets an easy walk this hadn't happened once- if in doubt, I throw it out. Likewise I shop 4 or 5 times a week, so nothing is old.

I hate enteric infections, and I hate them even more in some cheap hotel in a foreign country.


Ha

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Update

Salmonella found in Mexican-grown jalapenos - Infectious diseases - MSNBC.com

Boo hiss one of my favorite things..

 

[tangomonster]

Thanks for the update, NML! Ironically, I just went out for Mexican food last night and will be going again on Thursday. Guess I won't worry about it (too much)---this crisis may be waning and who knows what the next dangerous produce item will be?!?

 

[W2R]

I just KNEW there was a good reason why I hate jalapenos!!!

We ate at Chevy's again last week, and I really enjoyed it. It was absolutely jammed, and we got the last table or nearly so. We both left the jalapenos on the serving plate, though. Blech.

 

[Dawg52]

Speaking of salsa, here's a my version of a southwest scrambled egg. As I scramble a couple of eggs I add a couple of spoons of Sam's southwest bean and corn salsa, a slice of cheese, a dash of tabasco sauce, and a little black pepper. Simple but good. Of course don't forget a couple of slices of bacon on the side. Doesn't take much to keep a single guy happy.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Ah yes, the scrambled eggs with salsa mixed in has an actual name...'wrecked eggs'.

Guess its a good thing I went for the regular Carls Jr. Six Dollar Burger for lunch today and didnt go for the Jalapeno burger instead, as I almost did.

I'm going to have to go with the gut belief that after a couple of hours in the smoker wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cream cheese and sausage that the salmonella is killed off.

 

[HFWR]

I had fresh salsa with chips at Tino's on Saturday afternoon. There's nothing wrong with.....ack!!!

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Uh oh. Either the salsa got him or the reflective foil in his attic caused an overload and the house collapsed on him...

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Im having a pretty good crop this year. I should have about 6 or so to pick in a week. No poopie and bad stuff on my jalapenos!

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I discovered when I had three plants a couple of years ago that a) they grow pretty well around here and b) they freeze well.

 

[Goonie]

Im having a pretty good crop this year. I should have about 6 or so to pick in a week. No poopie and bad stuff on my jalapenos!

I discovered when I had three plants a couple of years ago that a) they grow pretty well around here and b) they freeze well.

All of my peppers (Jalapeño, Anaheim Hot, Cayenne, Sweet Banana, Better Bell) are doing great! The plants are absolutely loaded! I've been picking peppers for over 2 weeks now, with no end in sight. And what we don't need for immediate consumption get frozen for future use.....In fact we just used up the last frozen batch (from last year) last week.....they do freeze well.

Also the 'Small Frye' cherry tomatoes are producing about 12-18 'maters per day now. The Early Girl Bush 'maters are just starting.....had them on BLT's Saturday! Yum! And I picked 2 zucchini squash this morning.

So, to blazes with contaminated, virus-laden Mexican produce! Let 'em use their tainted jalapeños as suppositories....if you catch my drift (wink-wink, nod-nod).

 

[unclemick]

Hmmm - tomatos grow like crazy but peppers just don't like my soil or something - jalapeno,banana, bell - does better but not great. Plants grow but fruit is wanting.

heh heh heh - I may have to turn in my green thumb.

 

[NW-Bound]

I am confused by the current epidemic of salmonella-contaminated fruits.

Is the contamination only on the surface? If so, can't it be washed off with water laced with a bit of clorox, or hydrogen peroxide? I remember in the old days, people use iodine as disinfectant in water to wash fruit and vegetable. I know that in the US, we are accustomed to just eat fruit and veggie off the supermarket bins. In Asia, people always wash them carefully.

Or is the contamination systemic?

Please enlighten me.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

As I understand it, its systemic and enters through the stem.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Breaking news, opinion and commentary - Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

As it turns out, several years ago the food industry lobbied against improved documentation of fresh vegetables that would have led to identifying this problem far more quickly because it was "too expensive". Unfortunately the losses from people cutting back on suspected produce were about 10x what the costs of the improved documentation system were.

 

[ERD50]

Unfortunately the losses from people cutting back on suspected produce were about 10x what the costs of the improved documentation system were.

And in a free market, these produce companies should realize their mistake, and willingly put the protections in place, so that they can make more profit.

Capitalism doesn't always work so well. Like people, companies do stupid things from time to time. Like people, they sometimes take a short term gain over a long term investment that would provide greater gain.

But I have yet to see a better alternative. - ERD50