Random Minutia

Is There a Conspiracy Going on Here? Over two years ago Norm and I discovered prepared meat dishes by Harris Ranch at our local Safeway. I enjoy their boneless beef short ribs and their beef stroganoff. Last week we went to go pick up some for dinner and lo and behold not one Harris Ranch item was on the shelf in the meat department. I made some inquiries with the store management and it turns out they have discontinued carrying that product for some stupid product by Hillshire Farms. So we went to Albertsons and they didn’t have it either. It’s the best precooked meat product on the market and yet nobody will carry it. It’s far superior to anything by Hormel or Tyson.

Other of my favorite but never to be found items at our local grocery store: Welch’s Red Grape Juice and Smuckers Apple Jelly. Maybe I just have unique tastes?

Ace of Cakes: I’ve seen this program a couple of times on the Food Network and it has given me the willies over the thought of ever eating one of those overly decorated artsy cakes. Sure, there’s a lot of artistic talent and creative ingenuity that goes into designing a cake that looks like Wrigley Field, but I wouldn’t eat it. Why? Because when you watch them preparing one of these cakes you see how much they handle the fondant to model it into some form such as you would with clay and yet they aren’t wearing gloves. Also the cake artists are constantly scrutinizing their work and talking to each other in such a way that they could be spitting all over your cake and you would never know it. That’s just plain gross! Maybe not all cake artists are as careless as these people.

Years ago I went to a wedding where they served one of these fancy cakes made of fondant and it’s the toughest icing I’ve ever had. Sure it looks pretty, but I would prefer regular old-fashioned cake with butter cream icing any day in the week.

Cravings: I don’t know why it is but today I’m craving meatloaf sandwiches. I love the meatloaf my mother makes, too bad she lives six hours away and Norm doesn’t cook very well. I’ve tried to find good meatloaf in restaurants around here but everybody puts bell pepper and/or Italian sausage in their mix. Both are anathema to me.

Tapioca pudding fresh from the stove sounds really good right now. I like it served warm — bummer — I forgot to get some at the grocery store today! Norm, why didn’t you remind me?

Out-Blogged! Norm has really gotten the blogging bug now that he’s podcasting again. He’s already prepared blogs for the rest of the week. I’m lucky if I blog once a week anymore. It’s nice to know that he has a good hobby! I’m not jealous — no not one bit! Actually, I’m rather proud of him. 🙂