...is usually dependent upon one's income; but that does not mean that finer things are out of reach of those who don't make all that much. In saying that I should also point out that what is defined as one man's finer thing, may be defined as another's crude crud. Well if what I am about to describe is crude crud to some, all the better, because that will likely leave more for folks like me and most of you.
Today I am going to drive into the old neighborhood in Glendale/Ridgewood in Queens which is part of New York City. Yes it really should be 'neighborhoods', but neighborhood fits the feeling better that I have for those adjacent once upon a time German-American neighborhoods. Once there I plan to do a little shopping for a dinner we are having this weekend. My wife, Linda wants to cook a German dish for our daughter Celina's boyfriend. It was his birthday yesterday. So the wife will be cooking schweine fleisch (spelling?). Basically that means pig's flesh, mmm good. She uses a pork tenderloin for an out of this world roast. Most places around here do not sell pork tenderloin as it should be sold, fresh with a nice amount of fat. Nowadays the supermarkets and most butchers cut a pork roast missing all the fat. That is not good, too dry. So I'll head off to a German butcher, one of 3 choices that still remain open there, to pick up the proper cut of pork, and then probably spend another $50-$75 or more on German smoked meats and cold cuts (almost all made right at that butcher), some great mustard with horseradish in it, some great Lithuanian Bread and a corn rye bread (probably two of the heaviest breads known to man), and some other fine tidbits.
Then I'll be off to Rudy's Bakery to pick up some Lindser Tarts, the best I have ever eaten, along with some other delectable baked goods of the sweet type. This place has butter cookies actually made with butter as opposed to a butter/shortening combo. It has great crumb cakes, other cakes, pies, cookies, pastries, and Black Forest Cake too. All out of this world delicious.
The thing about these two places, besides them selling great ethnic foods (ethnic from Western Europe at that) is that these two neighborhoods have changed markedly in ethnicity over the years, but these places and a handful of others have been able to remain in business. Many of the folks in theses neighborhoods nowadays do not shop at these businesses, especially the German butcher. I am guessing a lot of their business comes from people like me who moved away, but yet travel back for those things we cannot get where we live now. Yet they carry on, and I am darned happy to shop there at least a few to several times a year.
Of course anyone could enjoy these great foods, but as it stands now most places are being overrun by things like fast food joints, and ethnic food establishments from the third world. I like many different types of food, but I'll be damned if I am only going to eat the ethnic types of food that seem to be popular today. Yes I do eat them, but I do not forgot my own heritage, the or old neighborhood and the great things of which it was made - so I go back when I get the chance to enjoy some of the finer things it has to offer; and hopefully to help assure through my little bit of shopping there that those things keep being offered. In that way my family and I enjoy some of the finer things life has to offer.
All the best,
Glenn B
No comments:
Post a Comment