Today, I took a leisurely cruise North, to Birds... Nothing to do with fowl, it's an out of the way meat market/store, some 40 miles up from where I live! It is an old IGA store so far off the beaten path, directions to the place are like finding Treasure Island! They have an old time meat counter.. take a number and God help you if you don't know what you want when they ask! Today, I came away with 6 thin cut pork steaks($1.19lb.!) Two English cut roasts(1.89lb.!) Round roast($2.99 and perfect!), 6lbs. of ground lean round(1.99lb.), a Williams Pinnconning Cheese X-sharp for $8.00 a lb.! Bologna, pepperoni, and a couple of other items made it a trip well worth while!
I get my hands dirty once in a while.. buying food like this puts me in closer touch with the people who bring goods to the markets we attend. It is primal, when marketing types aren't needed- just good plain food, waiting a caring person's attention to turn it into an elegant meal.. Good ingredients aren't exspensive- having some one else do the work is!
Going to a restaurant is not about eating, it's about someone else doing all that work
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23 comments:
yeah it's about doing the work...
I learn so much about cheese, reading your blog. Does that make you cheesy?
[har]
Really, any place that charges four times for cheese what they do ground round, I'm in. But those are incredible prices. If I tell my husband he'll want to move there.
We've got a couple of good butcher shops like that around here too. One does a lot of smoked meats and signature sausages.
I'll look for a place like that around here. Our farmers market sells fresh, organic meat, but that's as adventuous as I've gotten.
When I was a little kid, there was a store on the corner. I remember following the old, bald guy who ran to the store down dimly-lit aisles, past shelves of Breeze detergent with hand towels and wash cloths inside (he didn't carry the large size that had the bath towels)to the meat counter, where he'd custom slice boiled ham (yay!) and pepper loaf (yuck!) and wrap it up in white paper, then write the price on the outside with a grease pencil. On a good day, I got to spend the change on penny candy.
Nice memory -- thanks!
I wonder if the IGA's with meat counters are specific to Michigan? My dad ALWAYS went to this random IGA miles from our house to get cold cuts, meat, etc. Exactly the same as you describe it!!
you need to treat yourself and go shopping around the five boroughs of NYC one day - that would be a treat you would never forget....
Can I send you a list? And can I send one to Doggybloggy too?
Darngirl- Probably once a week, we might get fast food, or go to a restaurant- and it's usually because I was too lazy to cook!
CDB- This particular brand and type of cheese is usually $11-12 bucks a pound. Imagine a sharp cheddar, only creamier..
Jeff- The West side of Grand Rapids has 4-5 excellent meat markets- but nobody can beat this place for price on the cheaper cuts of pork and beef..
K- I was on the road for 30+ yrs in my sales job... I know where all the good places are hidden in West Michigan!
Jeanne- You just described Bird's Market!
Tavolini- The meat cutter at our local Sams Club is my age. His parents owned the neighborhood IGA where I grew up!
DogB- I'd be a kid in a candy store in your town!
Finn- Be more fun if you visited instead! DogB's is where I think we both want to go!
We have a great butchers here... and me matie Roger 'use' to be a sausage maker working from his converted garage, he made 25 different flavours and they was the best sausages for miles and miles, then the bugger upped and moved back up north.... them lucky northern bastards....
x
Marmy- I have made sausage, and recently geared up to make it again.. I love sausages, but I got some from Bird's market once, and thought it quite bland...
I'm SO going to have to take a cheese class.
Kate- Cheese would have to be my top rated food of all time. I have found very few types I dislike, disregarding cheap, bad cheese! I collect cookbooks/food books and have gained a reasonable knowledge on cheese- amazing stuff! With the current economic changes, there will be a wholesale slaughter of milk cows for half their worth- making them into hamburger! This won't make good cheese cheaper, that's for sure..
All GREAT buys indeed Buff!!!!
Do you remember Wilon's Cheese Shop in Pinconning??
On our side of the state before I-75 was built, that was a MUST STOP on your way "Up-North".
Have a good one brother....G
Galen- I went to Pinconning, to Williams, and bought a wheel(12lbs.?) of cheese there once! I still have the round wooden box in came in!
Pretty good deal on the meat there, Dick.
When I go to a restaurant, it IS about eating, but it's also about PAYING someone else for doing all the work, lol !
Hi UncleBuff!!
Holy cow...I am so floored at the prices! Our food is kind of expensive here--but not New York Expensive like DoggyB's ;) You came home with meat fit for a king. Can't wait to see what all you are going to make. :)
--snow
You are spot on Buf! It REALLY is about someone else doing the work!
I am about to make Shahi( royal) Chicken in a couple of hours ( its marinating) ...
Heff- They closed most of the locally owned joints around here. It's either chain restaurant, fast food, or high end corporation owned places... sucks!
Snowniece- This place is so rural, the locals up there don't have a lot of choices- and they are loyal to this place!
Mona- Royal Chicken sounds..Royal! Please share recipe, if it's not too secret!
Sounds amazing. Wish I could have come with you..
sooo....much....meat!!! it's daunting.
Belle- You strike me as a "fit in anywhere" kind of person! You'd have fun...
Pink- We'd have to scruff you up before going in- this store doesn't see many "high maintenance" NYC chicks!
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