Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
for taking samples. And he deserves it!

http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html

I don't know about the guy using "too much"
cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
I remember hearing stories about during WW2
people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
and diners because it was rationed.

Mark Thorson > wrote in message
...
> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>
> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html

ALRIGHT! It's about time businesses culled these freeloading,
graze-as-you-go, social misfits from the PAYING customers!

> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
> the volume of the coffee?

A regular customer would turn his daily cup of coffee into a
slushy of sugar and cream "because he paid for it." I still
remember his request: twelve sugars and eight creams.

The Ranger

Mark Thorson wrote:
>
> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>
> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>
> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
> and diners because it was rationed.

I wonder what sort of response would've been given had the 'customer'
asked the 'vendor' for a sample taste? I so dislike it when I buy
something, examples = sunflower seeds and pistachio nuts, on to discover
they are stale & rancid after I've bought them then brought them home!

Sky

--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice

Mark Thorson wrote:
> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>
> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>
> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
> and diners because it was rationed.

Thing is, at least with the produce, the Berkeley Bowl will GIVE you a
sample of any fruit you want, so there's no need to steal it. I am so
annoyed with people who stand there nibbling away at the produce I'm
about to buy.

Serene

--
Super Cool Toy Store (I've played with them, and they really are super
cool): http://supercooltoystore.com

"I am an agnostic only to the extent that I am agnostic about fairies at
the bottom of the garden." -- Richard Dawkins

On Sun 11 Jan 2009 08:34:35p, Mark Thorson told us...

> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>
> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>
> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
> and diners because it was rationed.
>

If there were still automats, you could make a free cup of soup with the
free hot water and catsup.

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
************************************************** **********************
Date: Sunday, 01(I)/11(XI)/09(MMIX)
************************************************** **********************
Countdown till Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
1wks 1hrs 7mins
************************************************** **********************
Money is truthful. When a man speaks of honor, make him pay cash.
************************************************** **********************

Serene Vannoy wrote:
> Mark Thorson wrote:
>> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
>> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>>
>> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>>
>> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
>> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
>> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
>> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
>> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
>> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
>> and diners because it was rationed.
>
> Thing is, at least with the produce, the Berkeley Bowl will GIVE you a
> sample of any fruit you want, so there's no need to steal it. I am so
> annoyed with people who stand there nibbling away at the produce I'm
> about to buy.

There was an article in the paper some time ago about these
grazers, especially at a local orchard/produce place. People
would walk in, grab a bag of grapes or a bunch of cherries and
eat them as they shopped. Like Aesop's fable, they'd get to the
checkout swinging an empty bag.

Berkeley Bowl's farmers must be losing a fortune for them to
take such drastic measures. I imagine there were big signs
that people ignored.

Not sure about the coffee thing. I have seen people put
10 packets of sugar into a cup of coffee. I don't know if
it qualifies people to be banned or whatever.

nancy

On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 07:49:05 -0500, Nancy Young wrote:

> Serene Vannoy wrote:
>> Mark Thorson wrote:
>>> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market for taking samples. And
>>> he deserves it!
>>>
>>> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>>>
>>> I don't know about the guy using "too much" cream and sugar in his
>>> coffee. Did it exceed the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
>>> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse. I remember hearing
>>> stories about during WW2 people would abuse sugar offered at
>>> restaurants and diners because it was rationed.
>>
>> Thing is, at least with the produce, the Berkeley Bowl will GIVE you a
>> sample of any fruit you want, so there's no need to steal it. I am so
>> annoyed with people who stand there nibbling away at the produce I'm
>> about to buy.

Reminds me of that episode of The Simpsons where Lisa sees Marge eating
two grapes while shopping, and makes her pay for them at the checkout.

> There was an article in the paper some time ago about these grazers,
> especially at a local orchard/produce place. People would walk in, grab
> a bag of grapes or a bunch of cherries and eat them as they shopped.
> Like Aesop's fable, they'd get to the checkout swinging an empty bag.
>
> Berkeley Bowl's farmers must be losing a fortune for them to take such
> drastic measures. I imagine there were big signs that people ignored.
>
> Not sure about the coffee thing. I have seen people put 10 packets of
> sugar into a cup of coffee. I don't know if it qualifies people to be
> banned or whatever.

Rather than banning customers, surely it would be easier just to provide
them with one or two packets and refuse them -- or charge extra for --
additional packets?

On Mon 12 Jan 2009 05:49:05a, Nancy Young told us...

> Serene Vannoy wrote:
>> Mark Thorson wrote:
>>> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
>>> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>>>
>>> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>>>
>>> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
>>> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
>>> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
>>> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
>>> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
>>> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
>>> and diners because it was rationed.
>>
>> Thing is, at least with the produce, the Berkeley Bowl will GIVE you a
>> sample of any fruit you want, so there's no need to steal it. I am so
>> annoyed with people who stand there nibbling away at the produce I'm
>> about to buy.
>
> There was an article in the paper some time ago about these
> grazers, especially at a local orchard/produce place. People
> would walk in, grab a bag of grapes or a bunch of cherries and
> eat them as they shopped. Like Aesop's fable, they'd get to the
> checkout swinging an empty bag.
>
> Berkeley Bowl's farmers must be losing a fortune for them to
> take such drastic measures. I imagine there were big signs
> that people ignored.
>
> Not sure about the coffee thing. I have seen people put
> 10 packets of sugar into a cup of coffee. I don't know if
> it qualifies people to be banned or whatever.
>
> nancy
>

I agree with the issue of "sampling" fruit. However, preferences in sugar
and cream in coffee vary widely. If the store feels they need to limit
that, then they should post a sign by the coffee bar noting the limits.
When coffee is offered free, most people would naturally assume that the
sugar/sweetner and cream would also be free to the degree that they need
it. It's not as though they're filling their pockets with it.

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
************************************************** **********************
Date: Monday, 01(I)/12(XII)/09(MMIX)
************************************************** **********************
Countdown till Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
6dys 17hrs 46mins
************************************************** **********************
If a string has one end, then it has another end.
************************************************** **********************

In article 0>,
Wayne Boatwright > wrote:

> On Mon 12 Jan 2009 05:49:05a, Nancy Young told us...
>
> > Serene Vannoy wrote:
> >> Mark Thorson wrote:
> >>> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
> >>> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
> >>>
> >>> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
> >>>
> >>> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
> >>> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
> >>> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
> >>> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
> >>> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
> >>> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
> >>> and diners because it was rationed.
> >>
> >> Thing is, at least with the produce, the Berkeley Bowl will GIVE you a
> >> sample of any fruit you want, so there's no need to steal it. I am so
> >> annoyed with people who stand there nibbling away at the produce I'm
> >> about to buy.
> >
> > There was an article in the paper some time ago about these
> > grazers, especially at a local orchard/produce place. People
> > would walk in, grab a bag of grapes or a bunch of cherries and
> > eat them as they shopped. Like Aesop's fable, they'd get to the
> > checkout swinging an empty bag.
> >
> > Berkeley Bowl's farmers must be losing a fortune for them to
> > take such drastic measures. I imagine there were big signs
> > that people ignored.
> >
> > Not sure about the coffee thing. I have seen people put
> > 10 packets of sugar into a cup of coffee. I don't know if
> > it qualifies people to be banned or whatever.
> >
> > nancy
> >
>
> I agree with the issue of "sampling" fruit. However, preferences in sugar
> and cream in coffee vary widely. If the store feels they need to limit
> that, then they should post a sign by the coffee bar noting the limits.
> When coffee is offered free, most people would naturally assume that the
> sugar/sweetner and cream would also be free to the degree that they need
> it. It's not as though they're filling their pockets with it.

As long as they are consuming it on the premises and not taking it home,
I don't see what the problem is.
--
Peace! Om

"Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once." -- Anonymous

"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
...
> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>
> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>


If the store isn't offering "samples" then eating a couple of pieces of
fruit without paying for it then calling it "sampling" is tantamount to
theft, IMHO. His excuse was he'd gotten some iffy fruit from them in the
past. So what? Produce is always iffy.

Jill

Mark Thorson > wrote in
:

> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>
> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html


I think it's a bit harsh, and maybe a little draconian!!

If that would be the case here, I'd be banned from nearly *every* fruit
and vege store I go into.


Like today. Two cases of cherries sitting there. I sampled 2 from each
case.
The ones on the left were from a different region to the right, and the
left was *way* sweeter.

I also sampled some grapes.

Luckily I did. There were like sour sops!!

If I'd just blindly bought them, and taken them home, I would have had
to ditch them. Too sour.

I only taste small items, I *don't* try anything larger than a
cherry/grape.

The larger items..... apricots, peaches, nectarines etc, you can usually
go by feel and smell.




--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia

You will travel through the valley of rejection;
you will reside in the land of morning mists...and you will find your
home,
though it will not be where you left it.

Sky > wrote in news:496AD8CC.2664
@NOsbcglobal.SnPeAtM:

> Mark Thorson wrote:
>>
>> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
>> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>>
>> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>>
>> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
>> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
>> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
>> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
>> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
>> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
>> and diners because it was rationed.
>
> I wonder what sort of response would've been given had the 'customer'
> asked the 'vendor' for a sample taste? I so dislike it when I buy
> something, examples = sunflower seeds and pistachio nuts, on to
discover
> they are stale & rancid after I've bought them then brought them home!
>
> Sky
>


*Every* time, no exception, that I go to buy prawns, I ask for a taste
first. If they don't want to give me a taste, I don't buy.

*Every* batch of prawns is different.

From the area they are caught in, to the way they are cooked.

I've had some that are as sweet as honey...... and the next day the same
sized prawns are as salty as anchovies...... because they were a
different batch, off a different boat, cooked differently.

--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia

You will travel through the valley of rejection;
you will reside in the land of morning mists...and you will find your
home,
though it will not be where you left it.

On 2009-01-12, Sky > wrote:

> something, examples = sunflower seeds and pistachio nuts, on to discover
> they are stale & rancid after I've bought them then brought them home!

Bingo!

Or worse. Howzabout a full blown weevil infestation from bulk foods,
requiring tossing lots of food and spending even more money to buy sealed
containers.

The difference between samplers and grazers is easily discerned. Someone
eating a whole banana or apple is obviously not sampling. One almond from a
bulk bin is not grazing. You can bet your ass I'm gonna sample stuff like
bulk nuts before buying. I've been burned buying stale food too often.
OTOH, I know the produce people will provide a sample when asked.

As for the coffee, considering the profit margin on a cup of coffee costing
over a dollar a cup, punishing a few people loading up on sugar and cream is
shortsighted. If it rankles so much, quit selling coffee or provide a
serviced booth like a Starby.

I liked the BB for it's great produce selection, but quite frankly, the
place is a dump. It's old, run down, and not very clean. It tries to put
too much food in too small a building and so the aisles are cramped and hard
to maneuver in. It makes for impassable cart jams and flaring tempers.
People actually ram their carts into you to get you to move when you are
caught in the same unavoidable jam. Overall, I think the BB is a horrible
shopping exerience and couldn't care less if I was banned for life.

nb

Serene Vannoy > wrote in news:6t04ecF894m3U2
@mid.individual.net:

> Mark Thorson wrote:
>> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
>> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>>
>> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>>
>> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
>> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
>> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
>> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
>> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
>> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
>> and diners because it was rationed.
>
> Thing is, at least with the produce, the Berkeley Bowl will GIVE you a
> sample of any fruit you want, so there's no need to steal it. I am so
> annoyed with people who stand there nibbling away at the produce I'm
> about to buy.
>


Quite a few of the greengrocers around this area provide 'tasting
trays' in their fruit section. For everything from grapes, to
oranges/grapefruit.

They lose maybe 6-12 items per day (except for the grapes!!!)........
but they sell a helluva lot more because people know what they are
getting.

And it's quite funny that most people, when confronted with a tasting
tray, won't taste the item, but will buy it out of hand because they
think that "Hey, if he's got it out there, it must be alright!"

--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia

You will travel through the valley of rejection;
you will reside in the land of morning mists...and you will find your
home,
though it will not be where you left it.

Sky > wrote in message
...
[snip]
> I wonder what sort of response would've been given
> had the 'customer' asked the 'vendor' for a sample taste?

There wouldn't have been a response because the department
managers allow controlled sampling but you _have_ to ask.

It's in direct response to "regular customers" coming in every
day -- for, oh let's just say, lunch -- and never paying for
more than a bottle of water or juice. Sure they purchase
something... Uh-huh.

The Ranger

jmcquown wrote:

> If the store isn't offering "samples" then eating a couple of pieces of
> fruit without paying for it then calling it "sampling" is tantamount to
> theft, IMHO. His excuse was he'd gotten some iffy fruit from them in
> the past. So what? Produce is always iffy.

I was wavering until I read the article. My local fruit stand offers
samples of some things. The owner actually stands there and hands them
out. A local grocery store often has samples of fruit. And I sympathize
with people who buy a bunch of fruit and get home and find that it is
not very good. However, this guy's excuse lost credibility by sampling
two apricots. One might have been a sample, but taking two was theft. I
won't try to fend people who have cup of sugar with their coffee.

On a similar vein, I was eating in a restaurant when the people at the
next table asked for another bottle of ketchup. The waitress pointed
out that there was more than half a bottle on their table, but the
mother said that their son would need at least a full bottle on his
fries. IMO they would have been justified to refuse. The condiments
would have cost them more than they made on the fries.

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
m...
> jmcquown wrote:
>
>> If the store isn't offering "samples" then eating a couple of pieces of
>> fruit without paying for it then calling it "sampling" is tantamount to
>> theft, IMHO. His excuse was he'd gotten some iffy fruit from them in the
>> past. So what? Produce is always iffy.
>
> I was wavering until I read the article. My local fruit stand offers
> samples of some things. The owner actually stands there and hands them
> out. A local grocery store often has samples of fruit. And I sympathize
> with people who buy a bunch of fruit and get home and find that it is not
> very good. However, this guy's excuse lost credibility by sampling two
> apricots. One might have been a sample, but taking two was theft. I won't
> try to fend people who have cup of sugar with their coffee.
>
Just my 2 cents, but if someone needs that much sugar in their coffee they
don't really want coffee. They should be popping caffeine pills instead

Jill

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Mon 12 Jan 2009 05:49:05a, Nancy Young told us...
>
>> Serene Vannoy wrote:
>>> Mark Thorson wrote:
>>>> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
>>>> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>>>>
>>>> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>>>>
>>>> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
>>>> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
>>>> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
>>>> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
>>>> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
>>>> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
>>>> and diners because it was rationed.
>>> Thing is, at least with the produce, the Berkeley Bowl will GIVE you a
>>> sample of any fruit you want, so there's no need to steal it. I am so
>>> annoyed with people who stand there nibbling away at the produce I'm
>>> about to buy.
>> There was an article in the paper some time ago about these
>> grazers, especially at a local orchard/produce place. People
>> would walk in, grab a bag of grapes or a bunch of cherries and
>> eat them as they shopped. Like Aesop's fable, they'd get to the
>> checkout swinging an empty bag.
>>
>> Berkeley Bowl's farmers must be losing a fortune for them to
>> take such drastic measures. I imagine there were big signs
>> that people ignored.
>>
>> Not sure about the coffee thing. I have seen people put
>> 10 packets of sugar into a cup of coffee. I don't know if
>> it qualifies people to be banned or whatever.
>>
>> nancy
>>
>
> I agree with the issue of "sampling" fruit. However, preferences in sugar
> and cream in coffee vary widely. If the store feels they need to limit
> that, then they should post a sign by the coffee bar noting the limits.
> When coffee is offered free, most people would naturally assume that the
> sugar/sweetner and cream would also be free to the degree that they need
> it. It's not as though they're filling their pockets with it.
>
No, but there are those that will take advantage. Worked with a fellow
once who would fill his pockets with "free" paper matches, after dinner
mints, individually wrapped toothpicks, etc. After all, they were
"free." A restaurant cashier finally told him that they really only
expected people to take one of each, not double hands full. Didn't slow
him up at all. I suspect he was emptying the "free" sugars and creamers
at the table into his pockets too.

"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
...
> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>
> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>
> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
> and diners because it was rationed.

If the guy took a sample and then made a purchase, I'd just write it off as
cost of goods sold. If, OTOH, he is a regular taster and never buys, good
riddance. At best, I may try a grape or cherry and buy, or not, according
to the taste. I'd never take an apple though.

I wonder how much cream and sugar the coffee guy used. I know a couple of
people that use about equal milk to coffee and loads of sugar as the norm.

PeterLucas wrote:
> I think it's a bit harsh, and maybe a little draconian!!
>
> If that would be the case here, I'd be banned from nearly *every*
> fruit and vege store I go into.
>
>
> Like today. Two cases of cherries sitting there. I sampled 2 from each
> case.
> The ones on the left were from a different region to the right, and
> the left was *way* sweeter.
>
> I also sampled some grapes.
>
> Luckily I did. There were like sour sops!!
>
> If I'd just blindly bought them, and taken them home, I would have had
> to ditch them. Too sour.

No, you would have had to take them back to the store and say they were
sour!

I can't imagine sampling fruit or any other produce without asking.

George Shirley wrote:
> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>> On Mon 12 Jan 2009 05:49:05a, Nancy Young told us...

>>> Not sure about the coffee thing. I have seen people put
>>> 10 packets of sugar into a cup of coffee. I don't know if
>>> it qualifies people to be banned or whatever.

>> I agree with the issue of "sampling" fruit. However, preferences in
>> sugar and cream in coffee vary widely. If the store feels they need
>> to limit that, then they should post a sign by the coffee bar noting
>> the limits. When coffee is offered free, most people would naturally
>> assume that the sugar/sweetner and cream would also be free to the
>> degree that they need it. It's not as though they're filling their
>> pockets with it.
>>
> No, but there are those that will take advantage. Worked with a fellow
> once who would fill his pockets with "free" paper matches, after
> dinner mints, individually wrapped toothpicks, etc. After all, they
> were "free." A restaurant cashier finally told him that they really
> only expected people to take one of each, not double hands full.
> Didn't slow him up at all. I suspect he was emptying the "free"
> sugars and creamers at the table into his pockets too.

I would agree if the guy was filling his pockets with sugar
packets/etc. He needs to go away. But if he was putting
it in his coffee ... I don't think they could really say anything.
People like their coffee the way they like it. I don't take sugar
at all, do I get a discount? No.

In the cafeteria at work they had problems with people stealing
all the ketchup/sugar/etc. They started keeping it right by the
cashier so they'd see what you were taking. Some people
just have to make things worse for everyone.

nancy

"Janet" > wrote in news:6t162lF8ne5fU1
@mid.individual.net:

> PeterLucas wrote:
>> I think it's a bit harsh, and maybe a little draconian!!
>>
>> If that would be the case here, I'd be banned from nearly *every*
>> fruit and vege store I go into.
>>
>>
>> Like today. Two cases of cherries sitting there. I sampled 2 from
each
>> case.
>> The ones on the left were from a different region to the right, and
>> the left was *way* sweeter.
>>
>> I also sampled some grapes.
>>
>> Luckily I did. There were like sour sops!!
>>
>> If I'd just blindly bought them, and taken them home, I would have
had
>> to ditch them. Too sour.
>
> No, you would have had to take them back to the store and say they
were
> sour!


Yeah, spend an hour (just the travel time), and $10 worth of petrol to
return $3 worth of grapes. I think not!!


>
> I can't imagine sampling fruit or any other produce without asking.
>


Don't know about your supermarkets over there, but if you can find a
worker in some of the Coles and Woolworths supermarkets over here (that
isn't on a register), then it's like winning the Lotto!!


I *taste*, I don't "graze". I only taste something if I'm going to buy
it, and then only if it's stuff like grapes and cherries.


--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia

You will travel through the valley of rejection;
you will reside in the land of morning mists...and you will find your
home,
though it will not be where you left it.

In article >,
"jmcquown" > wrote:

> "Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
> > for taking samples. And he deserves it!
> >
> > http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
> >
>
>
> If the store isn't offering "samples" then eating a couple of pieces of
> fruit without paying for it then calling it "sampling" is tantamount to
> theft, IMHO. His excuse was he'd gotten some iffy fruit from them in the
> past. So what? Produce is always iffy.
>
> Jill

I do always taste grapes before buying them as they are unpredictable.

But, I only eat ONE!

I never take samples of anything else tho'. I go by texture, color and
smell instead.

Or the "ring" tone I get from gently thumping apples and melons.
--
Peace! Om

"Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once." -- Anonymous

On 2009-01-12, Dave Smith > wrote:

> not very good. However, this guy's excuse lost credibility by sampling
> two apricots. One might have been a sample, but taking two was theft.

They were two different apricots. BB typically has several varieties of
any produce. Still, he should have asked.

This whole customer vs merchant thing has been going on since the dawn of
business and is not going to be resolved any time soon. Portion control was
invented years ago to prevent pigging out on condiments, but portion
packaging is costly. Does the merchant really save? Also, I have to wonder
just how much animosity is generated by the BB's attitude and policies. I
don't doubt for a second some people now delight and go out of their way to
get over on the BB. I'm of the opinion the owner is a real jerk.

nb

In article >,
PeterLucas > wrote:

> Sky > wrote in news:496AD8CC.2664
> @NOsbcglobal.SnPeAtM:
>
> > Mark Thorson wrote:
> >>
> >> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
> >> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
> >>
> >> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
> >>
> >> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
> >> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
> >> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
> >> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
> >> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
> >> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
> >> and diners because it was rationed.
> >
> > I wonder what sort of response would've been given had the 'customer'
> > asked the 'vendor' for a sample taste? I so dislike it when I buy
> > something, examples = sunflower seeds and pistachio nuts, on to
> discover
> > they are stale & rancid after I've bought them then brought them home!
> >
> > Sky
> >
>
>
> *Every* time, no exception, that I go to buy prawns, I ask for a taste
> first. If they don't want to give me a taste, I don't buy.
>
> *Every* batch of prawns is different.

You eat raw prawns???

With fish, I ALWAYS ask for a smell is all.

>
> From the area they are caught in, to the way they are cooked.
>
> I've had some that are as sweet as honey...... and the next day the same
> sized prawns are as salty as anchovies...... because they were a
> different batch, off a different boat, cooked differently.

I've had to give up on scallops. :-(
That damned preservative they use on them is as bitter as aloe.
--
Peace! Om

"Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once." -- Anonymous

In article >,
notbob > wrote:

> On 2009-01-12, Sky > wrote:
>
> > something, examples = sunflower seeds and pistachio nuts, on to discover
> > they are stale & rancid after I've bought them then brought them home!
>
> Bingo!
>
> Or worse. Howzabout a full blown weevil infestation from bulk foods,
> requiring tossing lots of food and spending even more money to buy sealed
> containers.
>
> The difference between samplers and grazers is easily discerned. Someone
> eating a whole banana or apple is obviously not sampling. One almond from a
> bulk bin is not grazing. You can bet your ass I'm gonna sample stuff like
> bulk nuts before buying. I've been burned buying stale food too often.
> OTOH, I know the produce people will provide a sample when asked.
>
> As for the coffee, considering the profit margin on a cup of coffee costing
> over a dollar a cup, punishing a few people loading up on sugar and cream is
> shortsighted. If it rankles so much, quit selling coffee or provide a
> serviced booth like a Starby.
>
> I liked the BB for it's great produce selection, but quite frankly, the
> place is a dump. It's old, run down, and not very clean. It tries to put
> too much food in too small a building and so the aisles are cramped and hard
> to maneuver in. It makes for impassable cart jams and flaring tempers.
> People actually ram their carts into you to get you to move when you are
> caught in the same unavoidable jam. Overall, I think the BB is a horrible
> shopping exerience and couldn't care less if I was banned for life.
>
> nb

I simply inspect bulk foods for weevils.
I was going to purchase some ground orange peel for the shark steaks I
served to guests the weekend after Christmas.

I found webs in it. <g> Weevil moth cocoons.

I showed it to the girl that was filling the bulk bins and she said
she'd take the jar to her supervisor.

I ended up going with the ground lemon peel instead along with dill
weed. I also layered some fresh slices of lime over it.

The citrus flavor soaked into the meat well during electro-grilling.
There will definitely be a repeat on THAT dish. ;-d

Vac packed frozen shark steaks have been $3.99 lately. They really are
very pleasant eating.
--
Peace! Om

"Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once." -- Anonymous

Omelet > wrote in
news

>>
>> *Every* time, no exception, that I go to buy prawns, I ask for a
>> taste first. If they don't want to give me a taste, I don't buy.
>>
>> *Every* batch of prawns is different.
>
> You eat raw prawns???


LOL!!!


Most of the prawns we buy here are already cooked.


But you knew that..... go back to driving your Mac Truck!!



>
> With fish, I ALWAYS ask for a smell is all.


I can see, before I have to smell.

99% of the time, I buy whole fish and have them clean and fillet it in
front of me.


(I'm sick of getting snapper spikes stuck in my finger joints!!!)


>
>>
>> From the area they are caught in, to the way they are cooked.
>>
>> I've had some that are as sweet as honey...... and the next day the
>> same sized prawns are as salty as anchovies...... because they were a
>> different batch, off a different boat, cooked differently.
>
> I've had to give up on scallops. :-(
> That damned preservative they use on them is as bitter as aloe.


Bugger!!

But then, the rule of thumb applies......... if you live in a desert,
don't buy seafood!!



--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia

You will travel through the valley of rejection;
you will reside in the land of morning mists...and you will find your
home,
though it will not be where you left it.

On Jan 12, 8:39�am, Omelet > wrote:
> In article 0>,
> �Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Mon 12 Jan 2009 05:49:05a, Nancy Young told us...
>
> > > Serene Vannoy wrote:
> > >> Mark Thorson wrote:
> > >>> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
> > >>> for taking samples. �And he deserves it!
>
> > >>>http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>
> > >>> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
> > >>> cream and sugar in his coffee. �Did it exceed
> > >>> the volume of the coffee? �Was he feeding his
> > >>> family off this stuff? �That would be an abuse.
> > >>> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
> > >>> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
> > >>> and diners because it was rationed.
>
> > >> Thing is, at least with the produce, the Berkeley Bowl will GIVE you a
> > >> sample of any fruit you want, so there's no need to steal it. I am so
> > >> annoyed with people who stand there nibbling away at the produce I'm
> > >> about to buy.
>
> > > There was an article in the paper some time ago about these
> > > grazers, especially at a local orchard/produce place. �People
> > > would walk in, grab a bag of grapes or a bunch of cherries and
> > > eat them as they shopped. �Like Aesop's fable, they'd get to the
> > > checkout swinging an empty bag. �
>
> > > Berkeley Bowl's farmers must be losing a fortune for them to
> > > take such drastic measures. �I imagine there were big signs
> > > that people ignored.
>
> > > Not sure about the coffee thing. �I have seen people put
> > > 10 packets of sugar into a cup of coffee. �I don't know if
> > > it qualifies people to be banned or whatever.
>
> > > nancy �
>
> > I agree with the issue of "sampling" fruit. �However, preferences in sugar
> > and cream in coffee vary widely. �If the store feels they need to limit
> > that, then they should post a sign by the coffee bar noting the limits. �
> > When coffee is offered free, most people would naturally assume that the
> > sugar/sweetner and cream would also be free to the degree that they need
> > it. �It's not as though they're filling their pockets with it.
>
> As long as they are consuming it on the premises and not taking it home,
> I don't see what the problem is.

Of course, the retailer does extensive sampling before purchasing
produce. Used to be every produce market would offer samples, in fact
they'd aggresively push them on you, they'd slice apples, oranges,
plug melons, etc. I see no crime in sampling produce... providing
it's a sample, not eating the entire pound of grapes. At the market
in town where I shop the produce employees when asked will gladly
offer samples of cut fruit, especially summer fruit... there'll
invaribly be a platter of quartered peaches, nectarines, plums,
apricots, melon hunks etc. right at the display. Stores offer samples
because they know that by doing so customers are more apt to buy and
far less apt to over sample. Many larger food stores hire an army of
sample attendants stationed in practically every aisle... I can assure
you they are not losing any money with this practice.

As to the occasional patron apparently abusing the cream/sugar in
coffee... if the proprietor can't afford that kind of occasional
customer they've no business being in business... banning someone is
obviously an issue of control, that sort of proprieter needs
professional psychiatric counseling. At the prices charged for
coffee these days the customer filling half the cup with sugar and
cream is saving the proprietor money by taking less coffee... if not
then the coffee houses are obviously gyping everyone, which of course
at the typical prices charged they are. In truth the coffee
wholesalers provide the sugar packets gratis along with the nitrogen
packed coffee packages as an incentive to buy from them... they
typically provide far more sugar packets than the business could
possibly use... even after the store emplyees bring handfuls home
(along with coffee packages - there is far more theft by employees
than patrons) there are still too many to store so they end up in the
trash. And anyway all the condiment packets are figured into the
prices, they're paid for many times over, especially by those who
don't use condiments... far more use no sugar than use extra sugar.
At the prices charged for coffee nowadays even if someone uses twenty
packets of sugar and fills their cup halfway with cream the store is
still turning a profit, perhaps a larger profit since coffee costs
more than sugar and cream.

Dave Smith said...

> jmcquown wrote:
>
>> If the store isn't offering "samples" then eating a couple of pieces of
>> fruit without paying for it then calling it "sampling" is tantamount to
>> theft, IMHO. His excuse was he'd gotten some iffy fruit from them in
>> the past. So what? Produce is always iffy.

The only time I free sample fruit and vegetables is at the "pick your own"
harvests at the farm on the edge of town. Before I pick a basket of peaches
I'll have to try one. Same for sweet corn. At least they haven't been
picked over by shoppers with germy hands! Way out in the fields it would be
a shame to come in, check out and then find they're not ripe and sweet.


> I was wavering until I read the article. My local fruit stand offers
> samples of some things. The owner actually stands there and hands them
> out. A local grocery store often has samples of fruit. And I sympathize
> with people who buy a bunch of fruit and get home and find that it is
> not very good. However, this guy's excuse lost credibility by sampling
> two apricots. One might have been a sample, but taking two was theft. I
> won't try to fend people who have cup of sugar with their coffee.

Trader Joe's puts out a pot of coffee and you get a mini-dixie cup (a few
sips worth). You'd probably be hard pressed to put one packet of sugar in
it. They frequently sample some of their products next to the coffee. They
offered an olive tapanade on crackers that I tried and bought a jar. It was
very good. If they hadn't offered it I probably wouldn't have thought to
buy any. They also have a table or small freezer with the sample products
available right there so you don't have to hunt the store for it.


> On a similar vein, I was eating in a restaurant when the people at the
> next table asked for another bottle of ketchup. The waitress pointed
> out that there was more than half a bottle on their table, but the
> mother said that their son would need at least a full bottle on his
> fries. IMO they would have been justified to refuse. The condiments
> would have cost them more than they made on the fries.

Then there's the flip side of that coin, at the restaurants serving
gargantuan food challenges like 72 ounce porterhouse steaks, 6-pound
cheeseburgers & cheese fries, 12 pound giant pizzas, 12 egg omelet and hash
browns or 25 dozen oysters all in the hopes of a free meal or a little
prize money?!? I can't figure out the mind set.

Andy

In article >,
Mark Thorson > wrote:

> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market for taking samples. And
> he deserves it!
> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html

Interesting story. Several weeks ago I was considering the clementines
special at Cub and asked Steve The Produce Guy if they were good ones.
He asked if I wanted a sample and I said I didn't need one, that I was
just wondering if he'd either tasted them himself or had any feedback
one way or the other and I put a bag in my cart. He insisted on peeling
one for me. They were great!

I'll admit to pinching a grape to determine taste but I think one bite
from two different apricots is excessive. A lifetime banishment from
the kingdom seems excessive, too. JMO.

> I don't know about the guy using "too much" cream and sugar in his
> coffee. Did it exceed the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse. I remember hearing
> stories about during WW2 people would abuse sugar offered at
> restaurants and diners because it was rationed.

I know people who think nothing of grabbing (or asking for) several
packets of condiments or a fistful of napkins to take home for use
there.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
<http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amytaylor>
December 27, 2008, 7:30 a.m.: "I have fixed my roof,
I have mended my fences; now let the winter winds blow."

In article >,
"Ed Pawlowski" > wrote:

> If the guy took a sample and then made a purchase, I'd just write it off as
> cost of goods sold.

Do you think he'd buy the one he'd taken a bite of, Ed? I don't.

--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
<http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amytaylor>
December 27, 2008, 7:30 a.m.: "I have fixed my roof,
I have mended my fences; now let the winter winds blow."

"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Ed Pawlowski" > wrote:
>
>> If the guy took a sample and then made a purchase, I'd just write it off
>> as
>> cost of goods sold.
>
> Do you think he'd buy the one he'd taken a bite of, Ed? I don't.
>
I think he should be banned for life for not eating both apricots.

On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:24:40 GMT, notbob > wrote:

>I liked the BB for it's great produce selection, but quite frankly, the
>place is a dump. It's old, run down, and not very clean. It tries to put
>too much food in too small a building and so the aisles are cramped and hard
>to maneuver in.

It's always been that way. Either you deal with it or shop somewhere
else.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:44:44 -0600, Sky wrote:

> Mark Thorson wrote:
>>
>> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
>> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>>
>> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>>
>> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
>> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
>> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
>> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
>> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
>> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
>> and diners because it was rationed.
>
> I wonder what sort of response would've been given had the 'customer'
> asked the 'vendor' for a sample taste? I so dislike it when I buy
> something, examples = sunflower seeds and pistachio nuts, on to discover
> they are stale & rancid after I've bought them then brought them home!
>
> Sky

did you return them? i think most grocers wouldn't say boo if you asked
for a refund.

your pal,
blake

In article > ,
PeterLucas > wrote:

> Omelet > wrote in
> news >
>
> >>
> >> *Every* time, no exception, that I go to buy prawns, I ask for a
> >> taste first. If they don't want to give me a taste, I don't buy.
> >>
> >> *Every* batch of prawns is different.
> >
> > You eat raw prawns???
>
>
> LOL!!!
>
>
> Most of the prawns we buy here are already cooked.
>
>
> But you knew that..... go back to driving your Mac Truck!!

Most here are raw. :-) I CAN get cooked and peeled prawns/shrimps, but
they are frozen in sealed 2 lb. bags if I'm not getting them at the fish
counter.

I just had some for lunch.

> > With fish, I ALWAYS ask for a smell is all.
>
>
> I can see, before I have to smell.
>
> 99% of the time, I buy whole fish and have them clean and fillet it in
> front of me.
>
>
> (I'm sick of getting snapper spikes stuck in my finger joints!!!)

I always smell pre-filleted fish.
>
>
> >
> >>
> >> From the area they are caught in, to the way they are cooked.
> >>
> >> I've had some that are as sweet as honey...... and the next day the
> >> same sized prawns are as salty as anchovies...... because they were a
> >> different batch, off a different boat, cooked differently.
> >
> > I've had to give up on scallops. :-(
> > That damned preservative they use on them is as bitter as aloe.
>
>
> Bugger!!
>
> But then, the rule of thumb applies......... if you live in a desert,
> don't buy seafood!!

Fresh in the shell scallops with roe from Central Market are good, but
expensive.
--
Peace! Om

"Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once." -- Anonymous

"Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message
5.250...
> On Mon 12 Jan 2009 05:49:05a, Nancy Young told us...
>
>> Serene Vannoy wrote:
>>> Mark Thorson wrote:
>>>> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
>>>> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>>>>
>>>> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>>>>
>>>> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
>>>> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
>>>> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
>>>> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
>>>> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
>>>> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
>>>> and diners because it was rationed.
>>>
>>> Thing is, at least with the produce, the Berkeley Bowl will GIVE you a
>>> sample of any fruit you want, so there's no need to steal it. I am so
>>> annoyed with people who stand there nibbling away at the produce I'm
>>> about to buy.
>>
>> There was an article in the paper some time ago about these
>> grazers, especially at a local orchard/produce place. People
>> would walk in, grab a bag of grapes or a bunch of cherries and
>> eat them as they shopped. Like Aesop's fable, they'd get to the
>> checkout swinging an empty bag.
>>
>> Berkeley Bowl's farmers must be losing a fortune for them to
>> take such drastic measures. I imagine there were big signs
>> that people ignored.
>>
>> Not sure about the coffee thing. I have seen people put
>> 10 packets of sugar into a cup of coffee. I don't know if
>> it qualifies people to be banned or whatever.
>>
>> nancy
>>
>
> I agree with the issue of "sampling" fruit. However, preferences in sugar
> and cream in coffee vary widely. If the store feels they need to limit
> that, then they should post a sign by the coffee bar noting the limits.
> When coffee is offered free, most people would naturally assume that the
> sugar/sweetner and cream would also be free to the degree that they need
> it. It's not as though they're filling their pockets with it.
>
> --
> Wayne Boatwright
> (correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
>
When I worked at the coffee shop on a local 'foo-foo' university (Lehigh) we
had to lock everything up nightly. Outside the shop(pe) was a small dining
area and a condiment counter that had the usual cream, sugar, salt, pepper,
ketchup, mustard, relish, etc. as well as plastic utensils and napkins. We
had to inspect the area hourly to refill and when we closed down in the
evening, we had to put everything under lock and key as a full container of
sugar or all the utensil containers would be empty when we arrived in the
morning to opening prep. Seems if you can afford to pay upwards of $60K a
year for your college education all these things are 'gimmes'. I actually
stopped a girl from off loading the forks into her purse and asked her 'what
about others needing them'....her response was a blank stare and 'so what, I
want them, I got them first. After all, they have YOU to put more out, and
since I'm having a party at my dorm, when do you expect to put them
out?'........Pompous twit. Needless to say, I didn't stay there too long,
as even Walmart paid better with less aggrevation!

The only thing I will take out of a restaurant/eating area of a
store/grocery is napkins. Once they put them on the table out of the
dispenser, they are required to toss them, so I just toss them in my purse.
Then I only take what came with the meal or was left by waitstaff, never
emptying the dispenser.
-ginny

blake murphy wrote:
>
> On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:44:44 -0600, Sky wrote:
>
> > Mark Thorson wrote:
> >>
> >> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
> >> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
> >>
> >> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
> >>
> >> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
> >> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
> >> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
> >> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
> >> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
> >> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
> >> and diners because it was rationed.
> >
> > I wonder what sort of response would've been given had the 'customer'
> > asked the 'vendor' for a sample taste? I so dislike it when I buy
> > something, examples = sunflower seeds and pistachio nuts, on to discover
> > they are stale & rancid after I've bought them then brought them home!
> >
> > Sky
>
> did you return them? i think most grocers wouldn't say boo if you asked
> for a refund.
>
> your pal,
> blake

Yep, I've been known to return unsatisfactory food stuffs back to the
grocery store.

Sky
--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice

"jmcquown" wrote:
> "Mark Thorson" wrote
>
> > Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
> > for taking samples. �And he deserves it!

If they're samples why shouldn't someone partake.c'mon, they're
*samples*. duh

> >http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>
> If the store isn't offering "samples" then eating a couple of pieces of
> fruit without paying for it then calling it "sampling" is tantamount to
> theft, IMHO. �His excuse was he'd gotten some iffy fruit from them in the
> past. �So what? �
>Produce is always iffy.

And that's exactly why a patron has a right to sample produce, and
should... the gamble should always be on the proprietor, never the
patron. Whenever unpackaged, unattended food is openly displayed
legally it's an offering to taste as well as buy. Besides, most
produce department employees when asked will be very happy to provide
samples... more intelligent store managers hire attendants
specifically for providing samples... the psychology behind foisting
samples on patrons is that more than twice as many after sampling will
buy who wouldn't have otherwise because with witnesses they feel
embarrassed not to... sample attendants are trained to specifically
offer samples to patrons shopping with a companion, and especially
when with young children... once a parent hands their kids a few
sample grapes, a cookie, a hunk of cheese, etc. it's a done deal, most
will buy. Samples are excellent bait. Loose unattended fruit is
bait, therefore by definition is meant to be sampled... it's polite to
ask but if no one is nearby to ask then it's perfectly okay to
sample. Whenever you enter a store that is open for business you are
an invited guest, exactly the same as when you visit a friend who has
a bowl of fruit out on the table... it's they who would be rude if
they deny you access.

In article >,
Sky > wrote:

> blake murphy wrote:
> >
> > On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:44:44 -0600, Sky wrote:
> >
> > > Mark Thorson wrote:
> > >>
> > >> Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
> > >> for taking samples. And he deserves it!
> > >>
> > >> http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
> > >>
> > >> I don't know about the guy using "too much"
> > >> cream and sugar in his coffee. Did it exceed
> > >> the volume of the coffee? Was he feeding his
> > >> family off this stuff? That would be an abuse.
> > >> I remember hearing stories about during WW2
> > >> people would abuse sugar offered at restaurants
> > >> and diners because it was rationed.
> > >
> > > I wonder what sort of response would've been given had the 'customer'
> > > asked the 'vendor' for a sample taste? I so dislike it when I buy
> > > something, examples = sunflower seeds and pistachio nuts, on to discover
> > > they are stale & rancid after I've bought them then brought them home!
> > >
> > > Sky
> >
> > did you return them? i think most grocers wouldn't say boo if you asked
> > for a refund.
> >
> > your pal,
> > blake
>
> Yep, I've been known to return unsatisfactory food stuffs back to the
> grocery store.
>
> Sky

So have I. I've even returned cooked scallops that were so bitter as to
be inedible.
--
Peace! Om

"Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once." -- Anonymous

Omelet said...

> In article >,
> "jmcquown" > wrote:
>
>> "Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > Banned for life from popular Berkeley market
>> > for taking samples. And he deserves it!
>> >
>> > http://cbs5.com/local/berkeley.bowl.ban.2.823933.html
>> >
>>
>>
>> If the store isn't offering "samples" then eating a couple of pieces of
>> fruit without paying for it then calling it "sampling" is tantamount to
>> theft, IMHO. His excuse was he'd gotten some iffy fruit from them in
the
>> past. So what? Produce is always iffy.
>>
>> Jill
>
> I do always taste grapes before buying them as they are unpredictable.
>
> But, I only eat ONE!
>
> I never take samples of anything else tho'. I go by texture, color and
> smell instead.
>
> Or the "ring" tone I get from gently thumping apples and melons.


I'm probably most picky about avocados. They must have the nib on, no dents
or tears or it tends to rot rather than ripen. I probably spend more time
examining avocados than anything at the produce market.

I also fuss over the Fuji apples, since they've got to be the right shape
for my apple-peeler gizmo.

The bags of seedless grapes I get have always been great, as well as the
plastic 1lb. tubs of jumbo strawberries, sweet with a satisfying crunch. I
can eat either in one sitting, usually.

Plums are very iffy in sweetness or tartness.

Andy