I find myself less and less often going to the big time grocery store
concern (Schnucks, formerly Albertson's; Kroger). I'm more often shopping
at what would be called a convenience store a mile down the road. I can ask
the manager there to stock things for me and he does. That's so cool! He
just ordered some Stouffer's spinach souffle for me.

For meats I do find myself going to a meat market. Unfortunately there
isn't a great fish market nearby so I have to rely on the grocery store for
that, but they have decent (for an inland state) fish selections. I rarely
eat chicken anymore; I prefer cornish game hens if I do eat poultry and yes,
I buy those at the grocery store.

This little store has a decent stock of fresh produce, too. (For the items
I can't find there I go to the vegetable market.) They do always have great
cabbage and fresh (in season) from Ripley, TN tomatoes.

Austrian Tomato Soup
from Austrian Cooking & Baking, circa 1951, by Gretel Baer
(book sent to me by Margaret Suran)

2 lbs. tomatoes
1 onion
2 carrots
small piece celaeric
3 oz. butter
a little lemon juice
sugar to taste
2 oz. cooked rice
grated lemon rind
bay leaf
salt & pepper

Wash tomatoes; cut into halves. Scrape carrots; slice. Cut onion finely.
Melt butter; fry onion until golden brown. Sprinkle with flour; fry
lightly. Add halved tomatoes, carrots, celaeric, bay leaf, lemon rind and
salt & pepper. Cover well with water and simmer until vegetables are
tender. Pass through a sieve [into another cooking pot]. Add sugar and
lemon juice. Do not be afraid of adding a generous amount of sugar - about
3 tablespoons - tomato soup should have a distinctly sweet flavour.

Place the cooked rice in the center of each soup bowl. Pour hot tomato soup
over it and serve.

Talk about great with grilled cheese sandwiches!!

Jill

jmcquown wrote:

> I find myself less and less often going to the big time grocery store
> concern (Schnucks, formerly Albertson's; Kroger). I'm more often shopping
> at what would be called a convenience store a mile down the road. I can ask
> the manager there to stock things for me and he does. That's so cool! He
> just ordered some Stouffer's spinach souffle for me.
>
> For meats I do find myself going to a meat market. Unfortunately there
> isn't a great fish market nearby so I have to rely on the grocery store for
> that, but they have decent (for an inland state) fish selections. I rarely
> eat chicken anymore; I prefer cornish game hens if I do eat poultry and yes,
> I buy those at the grocery store.
>
> This little store has a decent stock of fresh produce, too. (For the items
> I can't find there I go to the vegetable market.) They do always have great
> cabbage and fresh (in season) from Ripley, TN tomatoes.
>
> Austrian Tomato Soup
> from Austrian Cooking & Baking, circa 1951, by Gretel Baer
> (book sent to me by Margaret Suran)
>
> 2 lbs. tomatoes
> 1 onion
> 2 carrots
> small piece celaeric
> 3 oz. butter
> a little lemon juice
> sugar to taste
> 2 oz. cooked rice
> grated lemon rind
> bay leaf
> salt & pepper
>
> Wash tomatoes; cut into halves. Scrape carrots; slice. Cut onion finely.
> Melt butter; fry onion until golden brown. Sprinkle with flour; fry
> lightly. Add halved tomatoes, carrots, celaeric, bay leaf, lemon rind and
> salt & pepper. Cover well with water and simmer until vegetables are
> tender. Pass through a sieve [into another cooking pot]. Add sugar and
> lemon juice. Do not be afraid of adding a generous amount of sugar - about
> 3 tablespoons - tomato soup should have a distinctly sweet flavour.
>
> Place the cooked rice in the center of each soup bowl. Pour hot tomato soup
> over it and serve.
>
> Talk about great with grilled cheese sandwiches!!
>
> Jill

A store manager's willingness to stock something most likely depends on how
common it is and how well it might sell. Naturally, they don't want things on
their shelves that only a few people will buy; things that will sit there for
years. OTOH, if it's a special order for one customer who they are sure will
purchase such things, a manager who does that is very cool. I would expect a
manager of a smaller store to be more attentive than one of a large store.

Gary




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My co-op has no problem with ordering a case of just about anything they
sell (or anything their distributors offer that's related to what they
_do_ sell). I have heard of other supermarkets (typically independents
or smaller chains) which also will let you order a case of whatever,
sometimes at a small discount.

sd

On Sat, 04 Oct 2003 09:07:03 -0500, sd > wrote:

>My co-op has no problem with ordering a case of just about anything they
>sell (or anything their distributors offer that's related to what they

That's the key. Larger supermarkets and chains have a big book with
computer print-outs of items that their distributors have. The
supermarket might order it for you... or not. I've never had much
luck getting stuff, Duncan Hines Orange Supreme Cake and Salada black
tea are two examples.

That's why when companies say "Ask your local store to order (our
product)" I get irritated. Not only because it usually doesn't work
but because they don't care enough to push the product themselves.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

"jmcquown" > writes:

> I can ask
>the manager there to stock things for me and he does. That's so cool!

All of the major chains in my area will do so. A couple even have a special
section called "By Request" or something similar for folks who placed special
orders.

Connie
************************************************** ***
My mind is like a steel...um, whatchamacallit.

"jmcquown"
<snip>
They do always have great
: cabbage and fresh (in season) from Ripley, TN tomatoes.
:

Awwwww. I like Ripley. I have a couple of friends that have
lived there forever, minus a couple of years when they were in
Illinois... Thanks for the reminder that I need to send them a
card.

Oh, and great sounding recipe, too... definitely sounds better
than Campbell's*. <G>

Curly Sue wrote:

> That's the key. Larger supermarkets and chains have a big book with
> computer print-outs of items that their distributors have. The
> supermarket might order it for you... or not. I've never had much
> luck getting stuff, Duncan Hines Orange Supreme Cake and Salada black
> tea are two examples.
>
> That's why when companies say "Ask your local store to order (our
> product)" I get irritated. Not only because it usually doesn't work
> but because they don't care enough to push the product themselves.

At the market where I shopped before they were bought out and rebuilt,
they must have had a gazillion complaints about what they *didn't*
carry. It was so annoying. So they put up a big sheet of paper with
lines for people to write what they wanted stocked. That thing filled
up in no time, like, TAKE A HINT. I wrote Scotch Brite kitchen
sponges, like, is that some kind of obscure item? and Kraft American
cheese, not the singles! the deluxe. I know it was a smallish store
for claiming to be a supermarket, but come on. And, no, they never
did stock my two requests.

Well, Albertsons bought out the chain, built a big new store, thank
you very much. People were practically skipping up and down the
aisles when they first opened the new store.

nancy

When I was looking for Steen's Cane Syrup a while back, I contacted
local grocery chain (Straub's in STL) through their web feedback form.
The VP in charge of that kind of thing decided to order some and stock
it in the stores. That's the only thing I've tried to get ordered, so I
have no idea how common that response would be.




Brian Rodenborn

"Curly Sue" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 04 Oct 2003 09:07:03 -0500, sd > wrote:
>
> >My co-op has no problem with ordering a case of just about anything they
> >sell (or anything their distributors offer that's related to what they
>
> That's the key. Larger supermarkets and chains have a big book with
> computer print-outs of items that their distributors have. The
> supermarket might order it for you... or not.

I'll second that. When I first moved to CA, it frustrated the heck out of
me that the local Safeway and local Albertson's carried a multitude of Old
El Paso proudcts--except the two I wanted it seemed (Refried Beans with
green chiles and the taco seasoning). Safeway said they couldn't get it for
me; Albertson's did get it.

No one can get my diet Sundrop, but then again, there is no supplier that
they can go too.

I may try to ask for some of the green label Karo Syrup, which I use in
baked beans. Both stores have the light and dark corn syrup, but not the
pancake syrup. It'll be awhile though as I brought a bottle back with me
last thanksgiving, and the only thing I use it for is baked beans.

I'm also going to have to torture someone over the fact that there is no
colby cheese to be bought in this town. I thought it was a fairly common
cheese... Lot's of colby jack, but no just plain colby..

We have a third local chain, the Nuggett, which has 5-6 stores max, I think.
I've never tried to special order anything through them.

On a different vain... Back home, one of the grocery stores (very small
regional chain) was bought out by another very small regional chain. They
stopped carrying a favorite breakfast item of my sisters. Mom inquired, and
they told her the company had stopped making it... Interestingly, yet a
third local chain, still stocks the item, and we're going on five years now
since the other chain told us they stopped making it...

On Sat, 04 Oct 2003 07:01:07 -0600, Gary > wrote:

>jmcquown wrote:
>
>> I find myself less and less often going to the big time grocery store
>> concern (Schnucks, formerly Albertson's; Kroger). I'm more often shopping
>> at what would be called a convenience store a mile down the road. I can ask
>> the manager there to stock things for me and he does. That's so cool! He
>> just ordered some Stouffer's spinach souffle for me.

>A store manager's willingness to stock something most likely depends on how
>common it is and how well it might sell. Naturally, they don't want things on
>their shelves that only a few people will buy; things that will sit there for
>years. OTOH, if it's a special order for one customer who they are sure will
>purchase such things, a manager who does that is very cool. I would expect a
>manager of a smaller store to be more attentive than one of a large store.

Eggzactly. Many new supermarkets in this blue-collar area open with
terrific selections of meat, deli, fish, veg, cheese, etc., and
gradually revert to prevailing taste. Even things in Food Lion's
(regional chain) weekly ads are frequently not available at the store
near me -- no advertised chevre or brie or Tecate beer. If the local
manager *does* kindly take requests, if it doesn't come on the Big
Truck, that's the end of the story. The local personnel do their best,
I think but the Big Truck rules.

In article >, says...

> A store manager's willingness to stock something most likely depends on how
> common it is and how well it might sell. Naturally, they don't want things on
> their shelves that only a few people will buy; things that will sit there for
> years. OTOH, if it's a special order for one customer who they are sure will
> purchase such things, a manager who does that is very cool. I would expect a
> manager of a smaller store to be more attentive than one of a large store.

The Shaw's near me didn't have shallots for the longest time. Day before
yesterday I was making a nice steak sauce that absolutely required
shallots. Lo and behold, there they were near the garlic, tomatoes and
other items.

They're getting better at this store. They do acknowledge that there is
still an Italian presence as well as a Hispanic presence.

You can tell it was needed in this area. The place usually has a pretty
large crowd in it most days after 5PM.

>From: Frogleg

>The local personnel do their best,
>I think but the Big Truck rules.

Yup. You got that right. I have free reign to order anything for my customers
as long as it's available from our distributor. I can even order a lot of
threesies...meaning I'm not stuck with an entire case of an item if it doesn't
appeal to others. Frozen foods do come by the case, which can be 8-10 or even
24, but I figure if one person is asking about it, there might be others who
will enjoy the product.

My only obstacle, other than availability through Tree of Life (our major
grocery distributor) is storage space. My tiny store has limited department
shelving available and zero back storage space so I have to be very careful how
I order.

Which brings me to another problem. Invariably I will make space for a high
demand item because I'm such a nice person, which may mean closing out
something that isn't moving well. I swear, every time without fail, that ONE
person who liked that product that only comes in twice a year will show up
within a week and wonder why it isn't there anymore. GROAN! I bite my lip from
saying...if you LIKED it so much why didn't you buy it when it was here??????

hehehehehe
Ellen

SportKite1 wrote:
>> From: Frogleg
>
>> The local personnel do their best,
>> I think but the Big Truck rules.
>
> Which brings me to another problem. Invariably I will make space for
> a high demand item because I'm such a nice person, which may mean
> closing out something that isn't moving well. I swear, every time
> without fail, that ONE person who liked that product that only comes
> in twice a year will show up within a week and wonder why it isn't
> there anymore. GROAN! I bite my lip from saying...if you LIKED it so
> much why didn't you buy it when it was here??????
>
> hehehehehe
> Ellen

(laughing) well yeah, that's inevitable. I'd politely ask them where they
were purchasing it in the meantime

Jill

(SportKite1) writes:
>
>You got that right. I have free reign to order anything for my customers
>as long as it's available from our distributor. I can even order a lot of
>threesies...meaning I'm not stuck with an entire case of an item if it
>doesn't
>appeal to others. Frozen foods do come by the case, which can be 8-10 or even
>24, but I figure if one person is asking about it, there might be others who
>will enjoy the product.
>
>My only obstacle, other than availability through Tree of Life (our major
>grocery distributor) is storage space. My tiny store has limited department
>shelving available and zero back storage space so I have to be very careful
>how I order.

Many small retailers store stock at home, they devote a room, basement, garage,
attic, even a closet... then take the appropriate IRS/State tax deduction...
you could probably storage frozen/refrigerated goods at home and then
depreciate the appliance, deduct the space, the electric, even any
maintainence, including the cost of an extended equipment warranty.
Essentially, as a small business owner, you can have a huge chest... hehe... at
no cost.


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

Frogleg wrote:

> >A store manager's willingness to stock something most likely depends on how
> >common it is and how well it might sell. Naturally, they don't want things on
> >their shelves that only a few people will buy; things that will sit there for
> >years. OTOH, if it's a special order for one customer who they are sure will
> >purchase such things, a manager who does that is very cool. I would expect a
> >manager of a smaller store to be more attentive than one of a large store.
>
> Eggzactly. Many new supermarkets in this blue-collar area open with
> terrific selections of meat, deli, fish, veg, cheese, etc., and
> gradually revert to prevailing taste. Even things in Food Lion's
> (regional chain) weekly ads are frequently not available at the store
> near me -- no advertised chevre or brie or Tecate beer. If the local
> manager *does* kindly take requests, if it doesn't come on the Big
> Truck, that's the end of the story. The local personnel do their best,
> I think but the Big Truck rules.

I would never expect a large food chain to even listen, much less stock something
at *my* request. OTOH, that gives the smaller stores an advantage over the big
ones. That's a way for them to take customers away from the big chains.

Gary






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SportKite1 wrote:

> >From: Frogleg
>
> >The local personnel do their best,
> >I think but the Big Truck rules.
>
> Yup. You got that right. I have free reign to order anything for my customers
> as long as it's available from our distributor. I can even order a lot of
> threesies...meaning I'm not stuck with an entire case of an item if it doesn't
> appeal to others. Frozen foods do come by the case, which can be 8-10 or even
> 24, but I figure if one person is asking about it, there might be others who
> will enjoy the product.
>
> My only obstacle, other than availability through Tree of Life (our major
> grocery distributor) is storage space. My tiny store has limited department
> shelving available and zero back storage space so I have to be very careful how
> I order.
>
> Which brings me to another problem. Invariably I will make space for a high
> demand item because I'm such a nice person, which may mean closing out
> something that isn't moving well. I swear, every time without fail, that ONE
> person who liked that product that only comes in twice a year will show up
> within a week and wonder why it isn't there anymore. GROAN! I bite my lip from
> saying...if you LIKED it so much why didn't you buy it when it was here??????
>
> hehehehehe
> Ellen

Being a small independent also gives you leeway to buy rare items from local
growers and producers, which indirectly also helps their economy. If there's a guy
down the road that grows a certain kind of mushroom for example, you can get the
exact amount you need without being bound to a set amount.

Maybe, if you have *any* room at all in back, you could save those rare items that
don't sell well, for when those few who do use them come in. When they ask, you
could tell them you have them in the back.

Gary




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Craig Welch wrote:

> Our nearest supermarket is quite good at request items, but they
> won't get one-offs -- and I don't blame them. If I were to ask for
> something and they get it and I don't buy it, they're stuck and
> that's hardly fair.
>
> Two items I've asked them to stock in the last year or so are nori
> and rollmops. They've done so in both cases.
>
> Meat we buy from a the butcher. He'll get whatever we want. In the
> last two months, he's got in some rabbit and some quail for us. He
> also keeps aside good cuts that he might know we'll like (eye fillet
> most often) and cuts it just as we like it. We go there on Friday
> afternoons, and see him later at the pub. I buy him a beer from time
> to time.
>
> Groceries we get (oddly enough) from the grocer-shop. The guy there
> http://www.abc.net.au/brisbane/stories/s932766.htm will get anything
> at all to order for us. Oddly enough, he doesn't stock chillies,
> no-one else wants them. But he has them growing wild out the back,
> so he gives them to us for free.
>
> --
> Craig

I know that if *I* were a grocer, it would (depending on the size of the
store) take at least three requests from different people before I'd get
what they wanted. I think that would be a fair criteria. In fact, I've
seen places that have said that if a few more people request *it*,
they'd get it (but not for *me* only). Otherwise, it'd just sit there
taking up space.

Gary




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>From: (PENMART01)

>Many small retailers store stock at home, they devote a room, basement,
>garage,
>attic, even a closet... then take the appropriate IRS/State tax deduction...

Since marked shelf life is limited on groceries, this method wouldn't benefit
my situation. Gotta move most things quickly or you lose.

As for frozen foods, freshness is optimum in the first month of delivery due to
the commercial freezers automatic defrost cycle. It is very important that I
rotate frozen food quickly, which is one of the reasons I'm hesitant to special
order frozen foods.

I had a guy come in heavy handedly and insist that I stock Toffutti Blueberry
Pillows. He bought one package, went back to Atlanta, and I had to toss the
other 11 of them in the garbage after they went past their 2 month expiration
date

I learned and won't do that again.

Ellen

Gary wrote:

> I would never expect a large food chain to even listen, much less stock something
> at *my* request. OTOH, that gives the smaller stores an advantage over the big
> ones. That's a way for them to take customers away from the big chains.

It never hurts to ask. I have had some luck in getting one of the large local grocery
stores to order things for me. Then again, I have had department managers tell me
that the things I was asking for were not available, and then I find them in a store
a few blocks away.

>From: Gary

>Being a small independent also gives you leeway to buy rare items from local
>growers and producers, which indirectly also helps their economy.

I am contacted daily by vendors. I don't buy by telephone. Send me samples,
I'll do testing with my employees and myself.

A couple months ago, I got one phone call from Boomi Bars. Told them to send me
a sample. They make 20 varieties of whole nut/seed food bars. They sent me one.
I shared the one cashew/almond bar with two of my employees. We now carry 5 of
their bars and I will re-order the almond protein bar in triplicate once a
month because I can't keep it in stock. The rest of the bars are moving half
the time, but are excellent products. When season picks up I expect them to
disappear. They are simply put, the finest nut/seed bars on the market today.
They are a small town op in NC. And I buy direct.

>Maybe, if you have *any* room at all in back, you could save those rare items
>that
>don't sell well, for when those few who do use them come in. When they ask,
>you
>could tell them you have them in the back.

I don't have storage at my location, but am fortunate that there are 4 other
locations in my mini chain...one being a 20K sf location I can transfrer in
special orders within 3 days.

Can you ask your grocery store to stock stuff?

From: (jmcquown)
I find myself less and less often going to the big time grocery store
concern (Schnucks, formerly Albertson's; Kroger). I'm more often
shopping at what would be called a convenience store a mile down the
road. I can ask the manager there to stock things for me and he does.
That's so cool! He just ordered some Stouffer's spinach souffle for me.
For meats I do find myself going to a meat market. Unfortunately there
isn't a great fish market nearby so I have to rely on the grocery store
for that, but they have decent (for an inland state) fish selections. I
rarely eat chicken anymore; I prefer cornish game hens if I do eat
poultry and yes, I buy those at the grocery store.
respone: I have only found one mid size family owned store in my area
that will do their best to order items that I can't find at the larger
chain stores, I remember a few yrs. back trying to find colored large
size marshmellows for a halloween cake i baked -used the marshmellows
for the witches body-
Called around the local chains N got no where for a special order for
them.
That store gain a loyal customer since. Any one who lives in the metro
detroit area should ck. out Hoilday Market in Royal Oak. The meats N
fish are worth the extra drive

SportKite1 wrote:


>
> I had a guy come in heavy handedly and insist that I stock Toffutti Blueberry
> Pillows. He bought one package, went back to Atlanta, and I had to toss the
> other 11 of them in the garbage after they went past their 2 month expiration
> date
>
> I learned and won't do that again.
>
> Ellen



Our local Albertsons will send someone to shop the
competitors if they carry what a customer wants and
call you when the items come in. They sell to you
at the price they paid, as a courtesy and convenience
(and to keep you out of the competitors' stores!)

gloria p

Dave Smith wrote:

> Gary wrote:
>
> > I would never expect a large food chain to even listen, much less stock something
> > at *my* request. OTOH, that gives the smaller stores an advantage over the big
> > ones. That's a way for them to take customers away from the big chains.
>
> It never hurts to ask. I have had some luck in getting one of the large local grocery
> stores to order things for me. Then again, I have had department managers tell me
> that the things I was asking for were not available, and then I find them in a store
> a few blocks away.

Yes, that's what I'm talking about: apathy. That's a nice way of telling you, "Who cares?
Get lost! (I can't be bothered with what the *customer* wants)". The bigger the chain,
the more prevalent that attitude is.

Gary




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SportKite1 wrote:

> >From: Gary
>
> >Being a small independent also gives you leeway to buy rare items from local
> >growers and producers, which indirectly also helps their economy.
>
> I am contacted daily by vendors. I don't buy by telephone. Send me samples,
> I'll do testing with my employees and myself.
>
> A couple months ago, I got one phone call from Boomi Bars. Told them to send me
> a sample. They make 20 varieties of whole nut/seed food bars. They sent me one.

Only ONE bar? Gee, I hope that didn't break them (no matter how good they are)!
When sending samples, one would expect someone who is trying to drum up business to
be a bit more generous than that.

> I shared the one cashew/almond bar with two of my employees. We now carry 5 of
> their bars and I will re-order the almond protein bar in triplicate once a
> month because I can't keep it in stock. The rest of the bars are moving half
> the time, but are excellent products. When season picks up I expect them to
> disappear. They are simply put, the finest nut/seed bars on the market today.
> They are a small town op in NC. And I buy direct.
>
> >Maybe, if you have *any* room at all in back, you could save those rare items
> >that
> >don't sell well, for when those few who do use them come in. When they ask,
> >you
> >could tell them you have them in the back.
>
> I don't have storage at my location, but am fortunate that there are 4 other
> locations in my mini chain...one being a 20K sf location I can transfrer in
> special orders within 3 days.

That would work if they have three days to wait. )

Gary






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wrote:

>
> Can you ask your grocery store to stock stuff?
>
> From: (jmcquown)
> I find myself less and less often going to the big time grocery store
> concern (Schnucks, formerly Albertson's; Kroger). I'm more often
> shopping at what would be called a convenience store a mile down the
> road. I can ask the manager there to stock things for me and he does.
> That's so cool! He just ordered some Stouffer's spinach souffle for me.
> For meats I do find myself going to a meat market. Unfortunately there
> isn't a great fish market nearby so I have to rely on the grocery store
> for that, but they have decent (for an inland state) fish selections. I
> rarely eat chicken anymore; I prefer cornish game hens if I do eat
> poultry and yes, I buy those at the grocery store.
> respone: I have only found one mid size family owned store in my area
> that will do their best to order items that I can't find at the larger
> chain stores, I remember a few yrs. back trying to find colored large
> size marshmellows for a halloween cake i baked -used the marshmellows
> for the witches body-
> Called around the local chains N got no where for a special order for
> them.
> That store gain a loyal customer since. Any one who lives in the metro
> detroit area should ck. out Hoilday Market in Royal Oak. The meats N
> fish are worth the extra drive

I tend to like the old mom & pop family owned stores myself, but, you
always end up needing the larger ones, too, for the necessities that they
have that the smaller ones don't.

Gary




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Puester wrote:

> SportKite1 wrote:
>
> >
> > I had a guy come in heavy handedly and insist that I stock Toffutti Blueberry
> > Pillows. He bought one package, went back to Atlanta, and I had to toss the
> > other 11 of them in the garbage after they went past their 2 month expiration
> > date
> >
> > I learned and won't do that again.
> >
> > Ellen
>
> Our local Albertsons will send someone to shop the
> competitors if they carry what a customer wants and
> call you when the items come in. They sell to you
> at the price they paid, as a courtesy and convenience
> (and to keep you out of the competitors' stores!)
>
> gloria p

Hmmm... that's pretty decent of them!

Gary




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In article >, Craig Welch
> writes:

>Gary > wrote:
>
>>Being a small independent also gives you leeway to buy rare items from local
>>growers and producers, which indirectly also helps their economy. If there's
>a guy
>>down the road that grows a certain kind of mushroom for example, you can get
>the
>>exact amount you need without being bound to a set amount.
>
>That is a plus. I would estimate that about half of the produce
>carried by our grocer is grown within a 50 mile radius. We often see
>the stuff delivered ... the avocados, for example, are grown by our
>neighbours.

So you have avocado a few weeks of the year...

I doubt the typical stupidmarket anywhere in the US at any time during the year
carries more than 5% local produce.... the vast majority is imported from all
points across the country and all corners of the world... if half your grocer's
produce is local there isn't much variety during most of the year.


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````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

On Sat, 04 Oct 2003 17:25:46 -0600, Gary > wrote:

>Frogleg wrote:
>> If the local
>> manager *does* kindly take requests, and it doesn't come on the Big
>> Truck, that's the end of the story. The local personnel do their best,
>> I think but the Big Truck rules.
>
>I would never expect a large food chain to even listen, much less stock something
>at *my* request. OTOH, that gives the smaller stores an advantage over the big
>ones. That's a way for them to take customers away from the big chains.

Alas, the "smaller stores" here are 7/11 or even more downscale food
marts. Every 'gourmet' grocery in this area of 330,000 people has
failed within a few years (as well as most non-chain restaurants). I
could drive 25mi to Williamsburg to shop (or I could move!), but it's
easier to whine. :-)

Craig Welch wrote:
> On 05 Oct 2003 03:38:43 GMT, (PENMART01) wrote:
>
>>> That is a plus. I would estimate that about half of the produce
>>> carried by our grocer is grown within a 50 mile radius. We often see
>>> the stuff delivered ... the avocados, for example, are grown by our
>>> neighbours.
>
>> So you have avocado a few weeks of the year...
>
> A few months of the year ...
>
>> I doubt the typical stupidmarket anywhere in the US at any time
>> during the year carries more than 5% local produce.... the vast
>> majority is imported from all points across the country and all
>> corners of the world... if half your grocer's produce is local there
>> isn't much variety during most of the year.
>
> Huh? There's a great variety. It's seasonal variety, which is
> excellent. And when local cherries run out, we get American
> cherries, for example. No problem at all.

Of course there are things that aren't made/produced here.

The small market I was referring to buys things from local farmers *in
season*. Tomatoes from Ripley, TN. Apples from Mississippi (which is just
a few miles down the road). Peaches from Arkansas (just across the river).
In the winter they get pecans and other nuts from around here, too. Raw
peanuts are a staple crop; I love boiled peanuts!

1 lb. raw peanuts in the shell
1/2 c. salt (I use rock salt!)
8 c. water

Bring the water to a boil and add the salt. Rinse the peanuts then add to
the pot. Reduce the heat and simmer the peanuts about 2 hours. The longer
they sit in the brine, the saltier they taste. You can also add spices and
sauces for flavoured peanuts. Worcestershire and Tabasco, for example.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:

> In the winter they get pecans and other nuts from around here, too. Raw
> peanuts are a staple crop; I love boiled peanuts!

Paula Dean made them ... I can't say they looked very tasty, but
what do I know? Are they an acquired taste?

nancy

Gary wrote:

>
> Yes, that's what I'm talking about: apathy. That's a nice way of telling you, "Who cares?
> Get lost! (I can't be bothered with what the *customer* wants)". The bigger the chain,
> the more prevalent that attitude is.

Sometimes they just don't know. A number of years ago I was looking for Seville oranges to
make marmalade. They are usually only around for a week or two, so as soon as I hear they are
in I have to rush out to get some. I stopped at a grocery store and when I could not see
them I asked one of the produce department clerks if theory were in or if they were
expecting. He said " Oh yeah, I know the ones you mean. They are really delicious".
Obviously he didn't have a clue about Seville oranges. They make great marmalade, but they
are horrible to eat.

On Sat, 04 Oct 2003 17:25:46 -0600, Gary >
spake:

|I would never expect a large food chain to even listen, much less stock something
|at *my* request. OTOH, that gives the smaller stores an advantage over the big
|ones. That's a way for them to take customers away from the big chains.
|
|Gary

Funny. I've made special requests at Super Stop&Shop, and they
have complied, and called me to boot when the stuff came in.

maxine in ri

On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 10:25:13 -0400, Maxine in RI >
wrote:

>On Sat, 04 Oct 2003 17:25:46 -0600, Gary >
>spake:
>
>|I would never expect a large food chain to even listen, much less stock something
>|at *my* request. OTOH, that gives the smaller stores an advantage over the big
>|ones. That's a way for them to take customers away from the big chains.
>|
>|Gary
>
>Funny. I've made special requests at Super Stop&Shop, and they
>have complied, and called me to boot when the stuff came in.

I've asked our local price chopper to get more flavours of Diet Rite.
Though they were already getting the cola, so it wasn't something entirely
new. They added one new flavour, and not the one I wanted most. *shrug*

--
Siobhan Perricone
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or
that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only
unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American
public." -- Theodore Roosevelt, 1918

You have a choice: www.deanforamerica.com
Feel free to contact me about him, he was my governor and "boss" for 10 years.

"If the percent of minorities in your state has anything to do with how you
can connect with African American voters, then Trent Lott would be Martin
Luther King, Jr." - Howard Dean

Maxine in RI wrote:

> On Sat, 04 Oct 2003 17:25:46 -0600, Gary >
> spake:
>
> |I would never expect a large food chain to even listen, much less stock something
> |at *my* request. OTOH, that gives the smaller stores an advantage over the big
> |ones. That's a way for them to take customers away from the big chains.
> |
> |Gary
>
> Funny. I've made special requests at Super Stop&Shop, and they
> have complied, and called me to boot when the stuff came in.
>
> maxine in ri

Must be the exception, not the rule. )

Gary




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