Grocery Stores in the USA

[SaraSara]

I keep a flock of chickens in Uruguay. They are what in the States is called "free range chickens", wandering all over the place and into the neighboring fields. They seem to be forever scratching around in the dirt looking for bugs and seeds, but they don't eat grass. They also eat crushed corn from our corn patch.

I've learned that chickens go on egg-laying sprees, and then take some time off - sometimes we are up to our ears in eggs and some other weeks we just have a few. To my great disappointment, they taste the same as the ones I get at the local market.

Sorry for the digression - has nothing to do with US grocery stores.

 

[arty]

I keep a flock of chickens in Uruguay. They are what in the States is called "free range chickens", wandering all over the place and into the neighboring fields. They seem to be forever scratching around in the dirt looking for bugs and seeds, but they don't eat grass. They also eat crushed corn from our corn patch.

I've learned that chickens go on egg-laying sprees, and then take some time off - sometimes we are up to our ears in eggs and some other weeks we just have a few. To my great disappointment, they taste the same as the ones I get at the local market.

Sorry for the digression - has nothing to do with US grocery stores.

I get a kick out of people who pay more depending on the color of the egg, lol.

 

[davonz]

Chickens eat grass?I never heard that before.

Yes, chooks love grass.. and also house hold scraps..

You got me curious about the feedlot thing, and I'm going to do some research. I have done a lot of driving around the countryside here and have seen only one feedlot so far. Will post whatever I find out.

I can remember reading in a farming mag that around 45% of cattle are now reared in feedlots in arg.. 3 times more that 10 years ago..

 

[sergio]

I'm not a farmer either but there are partially grass fed chickens. Chickens also need grains. I guess free range was the term I should have used. I don't know about the Uruguayan chickens mentioned here but I can vouch for the Pennsylvania-German chickens being much more tender and flavorful than the supermarket variety. I'm not sure if they are part grass fed or just raised under more healthy conditions.

 

[Napoleon]

I'm not a farmer either, but I have some friends who've been to a Chicken Ranch.

;-)

 

[katti]

While you guys are dreaming about the great US grocery stores, and complaning about the bad quality food here, I went to Jumbo and bought the most delicious, fresh, high quality white asparagus. So for those who got hungry talking about food, buy and prepare these great vegetables!!

 

[Liam3494]

The chicken I buy from the local butcher is free range, as far as I can tell. The way that usually tells, is a yellowish taint to the fat, rather than watery, white fat - Or at least so I was told by a chef, who usally knows what he is talking about.... If that helps....

 

[sergio]

While you guys are dreaming about the great US grocery stores, and complaning about the bad quality food here, I went to Jumbo and bought the most delicious, fresh, high quality white asparagus. So for those who got hungry talking about food, buy and prepare these great vegetables!!

Yes, some days you can find something good, then the next it will be gone not to return for ages. Glad you enjoyed your asparagus.

 

[LAtoBA]

I don't like butter croissants but am very partial to medialunas de grasa, coarse and crunchy. Now, just to prove that Argentines have hopelessly plebeian palates, I must confess that i didn't like the croissants I tried in Paris - too fluffy and buttery, with no body. But the brioches were heavenly.

Interestingly enough I may be one of the few extranjeros that actually prefers the medialunas (de manteca) here over the ones in the US or elsewhere. You mentioned something about them being more coarser or maybe denser is a better word? And that's exactly what I like about them.

Can't speak on Paris, never been.

 

[SaraSara]

Interestingly enough I may be one of the few extranjeros that actually prefers the medialunas (de manteca) here over the ones in the US or elsewhere. You mentioned something about them being more coarser or maybe denser is a better word? And that's exactly what I like about them.

Can't speak on Paris, never been.

"Denser" is what I had in mind. The Parisian croissants were about as dense as Wonder Bread.

Same goes for the ones in the US, which have the added disadvantage of being too buttery - they feel distinctly greasy, and have no flavor.

Of course, this is just my very biased personal opinion. Only to be expected from a tasteless Argentinian.....