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Food Thread: Bad Beef Is A Democrat Plot!

I was in Costco a few weeks ago and had a hankering for beef (it was a day that ended in "Y"), so I cruised past their refrigerator cases to scope out the possibilities. I usually do that wherever I am shopping, even if I am not planning beef for the next several meals. Remember...I am a shopper of opportunity, and you should be too!

I didn't see anything that caught my eye or stimulated my salivary glands, but there was one package of NY strips that had a very nice deep red color. Granted, they weren't particularly marbled, and at second glance the color was a different red than I usually see. But the price was right, and I was a bit distracted, and [insert multiple excuses here].

You know what's coming next. They sucked. No real beefy flavor, the texture was mediocre, and they weren't juicy. What the hell? Was it a stray primal of "Select" grade? Was it a stray vacuum pack that hadn't been wet-aged enough? Was it a Democrat cow?

I should have trusted my instincts and walked away...but the dark side is strong!

Next I'll be grabbing packages of Beyond Meat, and that will be the end!

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One of the worst things about social media and the instant gratification that modern phones provide is the destruction of the family meal.

I might be channeling King Canute, or shoveling sh*t against the tide, but I will speak my mind when someone pulls out a phone at my table. It's the height of rudeness, and it sends a signal that the invitation that I extended to you to come to my home and enjoy conversation and a meal is worth less than the little jolt of endorphin you get from a funny cat video or that oh-so-important text.

So stop it.

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Yeah...we are close to the last of the tomatoes, although luckily they have been quite good this year. I know...I know...New Jersey is supposed to have great tomatoes, but I have not been really impressed for many years.

I cut the tomatoes an hour or so before eating and put them on some paper towel to drain a bit. Don't salt them early or they will get mushy! Then a thin slice of mozzarella, a bit of minced basil, a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar and a splash of olive oil! All done! although pepper is nice too!

Anyone do anything appreciably different?

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A post shared by RachaellsRecipes (@rachaellsrecipes)

Sorry about the Instagram blather...but the video is great! Does anyone know how to embed the video without all the other crap?

Just ignore the powdered sugar and the maple syrup, and all will be well.

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It's starting, and I despair for America.

[Hat Tip: Hrothgar]

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Dining Etiquette: how to master the basic table manners

[Hat Tip: Weasel]

Midwest Fine Dining

[Hat Tip: Misanthropic Humanitarian]

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[Hat Tip: Powerlineblog]

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The oyster imperative remains in effect, especially now that we are in the summer months. Yup, I'm not afraid of oysters in the summer! (Except that my usual source was sold out, so I am an oysterless Dildo, and you know how bad that is!) And send pork rib roasts from the front end of the pig where all the good and fatty meat lives, carrots that don't taste like stalky chalk, garlic...lots of garlic! (but no basil! My basil is not doing well this year!), well-marbled NY strip steaks and elk backstrap to: cbd dot aoshq at gmail dot com.

And don't think that the rest of you are off the hook with maple syrup and French Toast: I'm still watching you! And I am watching you perverts who shake Manhattans and keeping a list for the Burning Times.

And yes, I used to demand fancy bourbon, but let's face it, $1,200 for a bottle of bourbon is just stupid, insulting, and a ghastly affront to most people's palates and wallets. I think the sweet spot is $40-$60 for excellent and interesting bottles, and bumping that to $100 gets you an incremental improvement in quality, but nothing mind-blowing. More than that and I think you are paying for hype and rarity, which may look good in your liquor cabinet, but doesn't translate to more quality in the bottle.