Saturday, October 30, 2010

Mmm . . . arm

[Somewhere in east-central Illinois. Photograph by Michael Leddy.]

Happy Halloween.

11 comments:

  1. Shopping for bratwurst yesterday, I found a great deal at Aldi -- about 10 for 2.50. I can't remember the exact quantity/price, but I do remember putting them back when I read that "pork hearts" were one of the main ingredients. I don't want that kind of specificity. :D

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  2. In a way, I want that kind of specificity, because it keeps me from buying the stuff, despite my nostalgic affection for it. :)

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  3. Well, I expect organ meats in sausages (that's why sausages were invented), and would never buy brats that did not contain such wonderful ingredients as pork hearts (and lard!) rather than modified food starch or other fillers. After all, the point of sausages is that you're not supposed to think about what goes in them (and if you source them from a reputable butcher, you should have nothing to worry about). Organ meats have far more vitamins and minerals than muscle cuts, though I'll admit that I prefer my organ meats ground up (except chicken hearts, which I don't mind eating whole).
    Waste not, want not...

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  4. So I can’t interest you in arm?

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  5. As much as I enjoy Aldi, I'm not sure "reputable butcher" are the first words that come to mind.

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  6. If I were making sauerbraten, you could interest me in either arm or shoulder. These are both tough cuts (as are their analogs in your extremities, which I would not be interested in and not only because I do not care for either Chianti or fava beans - though that was liver, wasn't it?)

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  7. No Marty Piletti at Aldi, Rachel. :)

    Norman, yes, it was liver. I’m still not sure whether that sign was meant as a joke, though I don’t recall seeing arm before.

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  8. No joke: http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--36079/arm-roast-beef.asp

    I can imagine the fun you'd have if County Market ever advertised a special on this: http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--36075/top-sirloin-butt-roast-beef.asp

    Now I'll shut up.

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  9. Thanks, Norman. I ’m not sure whether pairing arm and Halloween is meant to be funny or not.

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  10. Typical me! Of course the point of your posting was the juxtaposition of "Halloween" and the "arm" in arm roast. Department of Duh (this department has a very thick dossier on me in its Major Clueless Person file)! But then, my Autism Spectrum Quotient (http://apps.facebook.com/autismspectrumtest/?ref=mf) is 47. With my tendency to take something literally unless I have seen it before, I'm always the last person to get this kind of joke, As to whether this sign was intentionally funny or not, I cannot say. Probably not. More likely a neurotypical who wasn't paying attention.

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  11. One thing I’ve found when writing online is that leaving a joke to speak for itself can be tricky. What looks like a joke to me isn’t always obviously one without more framing. Another thing I’ve found is that I too often miss the obvious.

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