"Jean B." wrote
> cshenk wrote:

>>> Yeah, I'm curious about that one, too. :~)
>>
>> Depends on where you are. Squid was probably the cheapest meat in Sasebo
>> Japan.

> Ah yes. I wonder why I decided I wasn't going to cook Western food when I
> lived in Japan? But in Sasebo, perhaps you had access to a PX.

Yes, called 'commisary' for the Navy but same thing. It was not cheap even
there, but was better than out in town until you learned to shop and eat
'local style' which we did (grin).

Here's a pic of the Sasebo Commisary.

http://www.cfas.navy.mil/Gallery/Gallery_MB5.html

It's about the size of 3 larger 7-11's inside. Award winning for small
commisaries and well deserved for the wonderful service they manage in that
tiny space they have to work with. They did it by 'rotating stock' meaning
one week you could get dry pintos, another week you'd find dry limas, 3rd
week might be dry black eyed peas etc. White flour was always there but the
self rising might not be and there may not be any other types (though by the
time I left they were rotating in and out whole wheat and rye etc).

When ground beef exceeded 4.50/lb, they would bring on the '60% lean' to get
it down to 3.50/lb. Stateside would have .49/lb chicken parts and we'd have
2.79/lb same parts shipped in frozen.

Oh, and frozen Wonderbread for only 2.50 a loaf! (breadmakers were very
common there as there was very little selection, very high priced, always
pre-frozen, or local stuff and thats one thing the locals dont really do
very well)