[Sca-cooks] Putting this list to the task...

[Mike C. Baker]

> Maire exclaimed:
>   <<< Holy sh**! We don't have anything like that here, so 
> I'd have to buy it retail, and if I can get it, it's 
> something like 6 dollar a pound.
> *sigh*
> The cheapest beef I saw for sale on Friday was a "special" at 
> just under $3/lb. >>>
> 
> Huh? I thought you were in an area that raised a lot of beef cattle.
> 
> Stefan

"Raising" .NotEqual. finishing / butchering / packing (packaging or more
complex).  I graduated high school at the county seat of what may have
been the most productive county in Oklahoma for sheep -- but the chances
of finding local-raised lamb or mutton in the local supermarket was
generally dead nil.  To the best of my recollection, 95% of the market
sheep-based meat was frozen and from New Zealand, and that was in the
mid-70s.  With a single exception in my memory, the rest was probably
from Wyoming or Idaho.  If you REALLY wanted local lamb / mutton, you
had to deal with those raising them, or an auction at local / state /
other livestock fair / exhibit, and *then* give the butcher careful
instructions if you wanted anything besides ground meat and maybe one
decent package of chops.

As to price, we'll not mention the long-since-discussed differences in
cuts.

Related food content:  was listening to "The Splendid Table" on WDUQ as
I returned from this afternoon's errand. ***   Lynne Rosetto-Casper [sp.
approx] was discussing her recent experience with grass-fed beef, and
differences in prep as opposed to grain-fed (which *generally* is more a
reference to finishing than full-cycle).  She referred in particular to
trying to support local, sustainable cattle production, and was able to
get locally-produced beef (at a premium).

More in a few days, or as I take a break from the packing & cleaning
process. (see P.S. and P.P.S.)

Adieu, Amra / ttfn - Mike / Pax ... Kihe

Mike C. Baker
SCA: al-Sayyid Amr ibn Majid al-Bakri al-Amra, F.O.B, OSCA
"Other": Reverend Kihe Blackeagle PULC (the DreamSinger Bard)
Opinions? I'm FULL of 'em
alt. e-mail: KiheBard at hotmail.com  OR MCBaker216 at cs.com
   Buy my writings!:   http://www.lulu.com/WizardsDen
   http://www.livejournal.com/users/kihebard/

P.S.  Rolling west into the Midrealm Wednesday morning.  If y'all don't
hear from me for a few days, Don't Panic.

P.P.S.  Have announced elsewhere, but I don't think I've copied
sca-cooks list previously:  I'm beginning a mundane contract-to-hire in
Naperville Illinois on February 5th.  Have already made preliminary
contacts with the Shire of Vanished Wood.

***  today's errand:  yesterday started with my car key breaking.  There
was much good news:  it did not break off in the ignition, it did not
break off in the door lock, AND I had a spare.  The weird part was that
I heard a <tink> on the pavement just as I opened the back door to
re-load my tool tub, with the key ring still in my hand.  Didn't know
that it was the key that broke until I took a moment to look for the
metal thing that I knew had just hit the ground and saw an inch-long
piece of cut / ground metal...