Text 6241, 67 rader
Skriven 2006-10-06 06:51:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av DAVE SACERDOTE
Ärende: The Lie of Angus 363
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 DS> Additionally, the "Beef Grades" page of their website notes that
 DS> they do package USDA Prime Certified Angus Beef and USDA Choice
 DS> Certified Angus Beef.  But it also shows via a "pyramid" 
 DS> illustration that only about 10% of CAB goes out under those
 DS> grades.  Most of it is Select or lower - but every single cut
 DS> is still Certified Angus. ( see http://tinyurl.com/obpbo )

That's not what I got from the pyramid at all. I thought that
the beef under the Certified Angus designation had to be either
USDA Prime or Choice, and that there is other Angus, uncertified,
if you will, that fills the lower echelons.

I'll agree that "Angus" by itself doesn't mean anything, and the
beef can of course be, based on its upbringing, of any grade, but
it would appear that the "certification" from this trade group
would guarantee its being of the top two USDA classes.

Here's a nomenclature question. The adventure begins when Carol
and I went out to what up to now has been one of our favorite
local eateries, Allison's. The place has become known for good
portions of good food at fair prices (made palatable by monthly
$10 off two dinners coupons), a formula for success. We started
with a respectable clams casino, then Carol had the seafood
Caesar, three quite large shrimp and a pile of fried squid
rings over a cheesy-dressed salad; and, seduced by an excellent
presentation of this dish that I'd seen on a previous visit, I
got the grilled scallops in red pepper coulis with kalamata
olives and crispy polenta. When I'd seen the dish before, the
scallops had been 3 or 4 12-counts - the reason I noticed was
that there had been a gasp of surprise from the table next to us
when it was presented to them, so I took that opportunity to spy
on them by way of the bathroom. What I got was 4 thirtys, barely
2 oz of food, smaller than your modern-day Almond Joy bar, sided
with an olive salad, a big wedge of somewhat soggy crispy polenta,
and some stir-fried zucchini in large unpalatable chunks. I gave
much of the zucchini to Carol and left the soggier half of the
polenta, and I estimate that I got 250 Calories for $16.95; if
I'd eaten all the squash and porridge, I might have gotten 300.
I guess I should have put up a fuss about the scallops, but too
late now. Watching the place wither on the vine after the all
too clear visitation by the accountants will be the best revenge.
Oh, yeah, the squid rings on Carol's salad were underfried and
not fresh (though the shrimp were quite nice). Anyhow, I was
very hungry on leaving the restaurant. So we stopped by the
Shopper's, which used to be a "food warehouse" but now competes
only with the grossly overpriced Food Lion and Giant Food. Things
looked a tad bleak, but Carol did notice some "boneless short ribs"
for about $3.49. Now, if you consider the short rib and imagine
boning it out, you get a peculiar cut - some quite nice tender
fatty meat in  thinnish pieces, next to a big thick piece of silver
skin. I've never seen "boneless short ribs" that had anything to
do with short ribs. Usually I've seen off-cuts of round or chuck
that, if the unwary purchaser heeds the instructions on the
label and grills them, turn into unchewable doorknobs. Well, in
among the dross were some pieces of what I know as sirloin tips.
So I picked up a pack for under $4 and had me a terrific meal.

I can see the plea of regional variation for such terms as club
steak, navel brisket, and 7-bone steak (the 7 always looking a
bit too much like a T, to catch abandoned husbands unaware), but
what about "boneless short ribs" and the ubiquitous "country
style ribs," both quite remote from the ribby part of the anatomy.
I did well, of course, but what of the myriad of shoppers who get
stew meat and can't figure out why it grills up so tough?
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