Sunday, February 25, 2007

THIS is a Rant

Long-time readers may remember that we have occasionally made mention of the modest store in East Rochester known as the Village Fair ("Our Meats are Freshly Cut").

Bonnie stopped there yesterday to pick up some Delmonico steaks (at least what passes for Delmonicos nowadays, what with high-priced restaurants claiming the prime cuts) and brought them home. I thought, when I put the package in the refrigerator, that it looked a bit odd.

Tonight, as I was preparing to cook dinner, I asked her, "How many steaks did they give you?"

"Three, as always. Why?"

"The package was one-layered, and it isn't very wide."

When I unwrapped the paper, I discovered three narrow steaks that looked nothing like Delmonicos; they did, however, bear a strong resemblance to strip steaks. I asked Bonnie if she had seen the steaks before they were wrapped, and she said only briefly. Then she related the story.

She told me that she had gone up to the counter and spoken to a younger man in his mid-30s and asked for Delmonicos. After a few moments of inspection and hesitation, he asked the older counterman, who was somewhere in his 60s, if there were any in the back. The older gentleman detailed a particular shelf in the cooler and the younger man disappeared, returning in a matter of moments with a plastic-wrapped hunk of meat.

"Is this them?" the younger man inquired. The older man, who was busy with another customer, indicated that it was, indeed, "them", and the younger man, after saying "These look like strip steaks", cut off three slices to the thickness that Bonnie indicated and quickly wrapped them.

We would just like to say to the young man, if he should happen to Google 'Village Fair + East Rochester NY', "You were right. They were strip steaks. You obviously have more knowledge of meat than 'Uncle Tonio' or whatever non-butcher it was that they brought in to serve the customers on Sunday. Keep up the good work, and don't let the old fart try to fool you again."

If you should be in East Rochester on a Sunday, wait until Monday when the regular butchers return to work. You won't be sorry.

Peace.

Bonnie and Walt

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

well, that is annoying, isn't it?
Did you go complain?
Marti

Anonymous said...

tis butt a strip of the ol block
not half the steak it used to be
(next up:  grow mold with me)
sorry your meat could be beat
grins, debra

Anonymous said...

Okay, as a lover of Delmonico stake, I am horrified!  But I also remain quite amused at your rant.  You call that a rant?!!!  LOL

Anonymous said...

Oh I would kill for a good Delmonico one of these days!!  Thank you so much for reminding me.  I do so hope you get a credit on those Delmonicos.  Uncle Tonio needs glasses.  Hugs,
Lisa