Nice.
It's Ostrich.
I find it kind of funny. It's such a nice rich red meat with a firm texture like other red meats but it leaves me wanting more flavour. If you use more than salt and pepper you can lose it all together. Is that what you found?
Around here it's really expensive so I haven't had it for a long time.
Normally, when it comes to meat I use salt and black pepper. My gratin had a lot of flavour du to the garr... carrots, onions and cream, but I think it all came out well balanced. The wine wasn't too heavy either.
Occassionally a German grocery chain, established in Sweden - Lidl - sometimes offere some special products. This week's offer were beefs for ostrich (strauss in Russian) and kangoroo and American products (fast food). Last week was an UK food special.
300 gram of ostrich costed approx 3 USD. There are farms here and there in the area but I guess most of the meat goes to the restaurants.
Occassionally a German grocery chain, established in Sweden - Lidl - sometimes offere some special products. This week's offer were beefs for ostrich (strauss in Russian) and kangoroo and American products (fast food). Last week was an UK food special.
300 gram of ostrich costed approx 3 USD. There are farms here and there in the area but I guess most of the meat goes to the restaurants.
Here the two German retailers had a minor price war on Christmas involving Serrano ham. So I bought a whole 6.5kg ham for under £30.
6.5kg of dry cured ham is a LOT!
As of now we have about a quarter left but once we are down to the bone I can finally make a proper Minestrone!
PS: Ostrich is Strauss in German too! Out of curiosity what is it in Swedish?
6.5kg of dry cured ham is a LOT!
As of now we have about a quarter left but once we are down to the bone I can finally make a proper Minestrone!
PS: Ostrich is Strauss in German too! Out of curiosity what is it in Swedish?
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Costco over here will have "shopper opportunities" -- a reason that you go to their warehouse stores even when you don't need 36 rolls of TP. Two years ago they had Serrano ham on special. This past year I bought a Kitchen-Aid mixer for 40% less than the lowest price on Amazon.
Their promo for Serrano ham D'Artagnan 18 Month Aged Boneless Spanish Serrano Ham >> Grocery - Video Gallery
It's $199.95 for 4.5 kg!
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Our Costco had 6 bottles of 2011 Chateau Petrus for ~$3000. A few weeks later it was gone, I assumed they sent it to another market. When I asked they said no, someone bought one and tasted it and came back and bought the other 5 for cash.
Scott - I thought the Costco store in Victoria was a big-box, but when we stopped in to do our grocery shopping for a two week vacation at VRBO in Maui last March, the wine and spirits section put any private store here, and at least one of Province of BC LCB stores to shame for selection - and even after currency conversion, the prices were much lower.
sadly, in NJ owing to the liquor laws only one Costco carries EtOH. In Ohio, however they have the complete selection.
Last Petrus I had was at La Cote Basque before it went poof. Somebody else bought.
They had a several day period when they re-opened but didn't yet have NY liquor license so you could bring your own stuff without corkage. My daughter-in-law wheeled in an igloo ice-chest filled with an assortment of burgundies. I brought a "marc de bourgogne" most often used to strip the varnish off old furniture.
Last Petrus I had was at La Cote Basque before it went poof. Somebody else bought.
They had a several day period when they re-opened but didn't yet have NY liquor license so you could bring your own stuff without corkage. My daughter-in-law wheeled in an igloo ice-chest filled with an assortment of burgundies. I brought a "marc de bourgogne" most often used to strip the varnish off old furniture.
When someone else paid I ordered the marc of Romanee Conti after dinner. It was no better.
Marc is a sort of French version of Grappa. And people who have tried grappa has propably tried a €/$5 bottle of "no-name grappa" that could be better used in the lawn mower.
If sticking to grappa, a carefully produced grappa beats the **** out of almost anything. We tried several kinds in Rovereto - Marzadro - all absolutely
.
We have a few bottles of Marc d'Alsace not opened yet. So let's see if its more perfect to clean windows.
If sticking to grappa, a carefully produced grappa beats the **** out of almost anything. We tried several kinds in Rovereto - Marzadro - all absolutely
.We have a few bottles of Marc d'Alsace not opened yet. So let's see if its more perfect to clean windows.
Marc and Grappa are made from grapes, Alsace is known for eau de vie which is fruit based though they also make a wonderful marc from gewurztraminer. In Italy Nonino makes some wonderful grappas. Marc de bourgogne has a special place in the hearts of those that know it.
That seems expensive rather than a promo given that it costs more per kg than I paid for 6.5kg. For that I would expect at least Iberico.
Then again I have no idea what the import duty might be but it is usually fairly high for meat.
Also I don't see how a whole Serrano ham can be boneless and being on the bone was one of its attractions beyond the stupid low price. I always wanted to make minestrone but it was difficult to find a Parma or San Daniele ham bone and Serrano is pretty much the same as San Daniele.
Aldi even threw in a wooden stand for safe slicing and a completely useless knife. If Aldi or Lidl do it again this year I will buy two or three!
I like a good vegetable soup but in Italy (our friends there did run a restaurant/hotel) I've learned that the difference between vegetable soup and real minestrone is that for minestrone you boil a dry-cured ham bone (no meat) in the water first before adding the veg. It don't work with meat stock, the dry-cured ham bone is the difference between minestra and minestrone.
I may have been indoctrinated by Elena (owner and chef of above mentioned hotel) and knowing the incredible regionality of Italian cookery it might be different in other parts of Italy. In fact it could be different in the next village down the road!
I may have been indoctrinated by Elena (owner and chef of above mentioned hotel) and knowing the incredible regionality of Italian cookery it might be different in other parts of Italy. In fact it could be different in the next village down the road!
I believe meat (of any kind) is a later addition to Minestrone and since there are so many hearty soups made with meat or meat stock, I like to keep it middle aged (tomatoes and potatoes are ok), if not old fashioned (not allowed). Again, I look at it as a challenge to come up with something not wanting.
If a restaurant serves it with meat, I will order something else as I like the Chef to also enjoy the challenge.
If a restaurant serves it with meat, I will order something else as I like the Chef to also enjoy the challenge.
