http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x45147Oh my.
Tab Donating Member (1000+ posts) Sun May-25-08 06:44 PM
Original message
Foods that suck due to year-round commerce
Being in my mid-40s, I remember "real" foods (and a lot of junk too), that you just can't buy in the store anymore. The insistence on being able to buy certain foods year-round have rendered many of my favorites tasteless. If you have any, add them to this list.
To start:
Tomatoes (everyone's complain, although UgliRipe is actually near to what I remember)
Strawberries (it's almost like, why bother)
Watermelon (incredibly sweet and juicy then, only the seeded is remotely close, and you can't even buy that anymore - just seedless. There used to be nothing better than watermelon on a hot summer's day - now I'd be happy having a juice pop instead).
Thankfully the blueberries I get are somewhat seasonal and decent.
Watermelon and strawberries, though - may they R.I.P.
MountainLaurel Donating Member (1000+ posts) Sun May-25-08 07:26 PM
Response to Original message
1. Cucumbers
At the stores, they are usually hard, tasteless, and covered with wax.
You know, franksolich has a "weird" (quotation marks intentional) habit that drives people nuts, and has driven people nuts ever since franksolich was a little lad.
Cucumbers grow in abundance in Nebraska--and they're surely growing in abundance right at the moment--and franksolich dines on them like other people dine on popsicles.
A hot summer day, the sun beating down harshly, and it's an easy matter to yank a cucumber off the vine and chow down on it. Since the dirt's clean, the vegetable's clean too, so no need to go inside to wash it off.
Warpy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Sun May-25-08 08:14 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. The waxy ones are vile but you can still get Gherkins toward the mid to end summer. They're put out for picklers but they still taste like cukes and don't have that foul wax all over them. Another alternative, although not as flavorful in cucumber sannies are the European cukes that have the plastic wrapper instead of wax. The latter are pricey, though. I mainly use them in cucumbers with sour cream, something those waxed jobs are just too pumped full of water and and too tasteless to use.
Anybody who's grown backyard broccoli, green peas and sweet corn will add them to the list, too.
Another one of these ".....and the idiot who praises, with enthusiastic tone, every century but this and every country but his own....." primitives:
MountainLaurel Donating Member (1000+ posts) Mon May-26-08 12:54 PM
Response to Reply #3
4. We often splurge on the European ones
For cucumber sandwiches. But even those do not stand up to the ones we used to get from my grandmother's garden served with a little salt sprinkled on top.
grasswire Donating Member (1000+ posts) Mon May-26-08 02:08 PM
Response to Reply #1
6. the variety you want is called "Kirby"...
....and should be available in the summer most anywhere. They are sometimes called "pickling" cukes, too. I hear that Asian markets often carry Kirby cukes, too. They're just delicious.
Husb2Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Mon May-26-08 11:03 PM
Response to Reply #6
8. Our Pan Asian market has Kirbys year round, but right now they are TOP NOTCH
They're easily the best cukes there are.
Hmmmm. Oh, never mind. Continuing on:
yellowdogintexas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Mon Jun-02-08 02:46 PM
Response to Reply #8
18. you got that right. Love those little things.
that is what we used to grow in our gardens when I was growing up
sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Sun May-25-08 07:51 PM
Response to Original message
2. Oranges
I grew up in California. Those round orange balls in most grocery stores ain't oranges. And peaches aren't hard rocks or mushy rot. Find a local orchard or field and go pick 'em.
grasswire Donating Member (1000+ posts) Mon May-26-08 02:06 PM
Response to Original message
5. farmer's market?
If you buy from local farmers, you'll do better. Perhaps there's a farmer's market or a farm stand near you.
Please support your local farmers.
The gassy primitive obviously doesn't look all over Skins's island.
I remember a thread where primitives frankly admitted the "farmers' market" produce sold in Massachusetts at least, comes from.....Florida.
Nay Donating Member (1000+ posts) Mon May-26-08 07:02 PM
Response to Original message
7. Apples, tomatoes (I now grow my own), melons in general.
me b zola Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue May-27-08 12:22 AM
Response to Original message
9. Celery
I don't even bother buying celery any more. Yeah, tomato's, I've learned that to actually taste a tomato from the grocery store I need to buy it in a can.
housewolf Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue May-27-08 01:33 AM
Response to Original message
10. Peaches
If they aren't picked ripe, they never ripen up. Even if they soften up, they're not good, sweet, delicious peaches. I keep trying supermarket peaches just because I keep hoping... and keep being disappointed. Found a few good ones at local farmer's markets, but the growing season is so short.
Totally agree with you about strawberries - those big, hard sour flavorless things just make me shake my head.
Warpy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue May-27-08 01:17 PM
Response to Reply #10
12. Nothing picked green will ever ripen properly
no matter how much ethylene gas they spray on it. Oh, it'll look better than the hard, white strawberries or green peaches that were picked early because they transported more easily, but they'll never taste like the real thing.
My local supermarket occasionally has white peaches in the fall from a local grower. Those are the peaches I live for. Otherwise, I just don't bother.
Dover Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue May-27-08 12:59 PM
Response to Original message
11. The local (within the state) varieties of peaches and oranges are wonderful.
Can't beat a Texas peach or oranges from the Texas border area. Sweeeeeeet and juicy. And I get my strawberries locally too (a pick-your-own place nearby). Same with watermelons and tomatoes if I can get the locally grown ones. If not at a farmer's market, then there are lots of vendors along the main roads just outside of town that set up and sell out of the back of their vehicles.
However, buying any of it out of season and at a grocery store is another matter. Tasteless. So I will either not buy much of it off season, or if I've thought ahead I can freeze some of the really good peaches, strawberries, etc. to eat later in the year. I'm trying to get my garden up to speed so that it's producing many of these things...cuz as we all know, there's nothing like homegrown.
BarbaRosa Donating Member (903 posts) Tue May-27-08 02:03 PM
Response to Original message
13. Sure seems like our Albertsons is devoting a lot more shelve space for pre-packaged heat and serve 'food' products.
wildeyed Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed May-28-08 01:47 PM
Response to Original message
14. I am trying to grow my own watermelons this year.
An Amish heirloom variety called Moon and Stars. If I get any, I will post about how they taste.
hendo Donating Member (599 posts) Wed May-28-08 05:22 PM
Response to Original message
15. Weird
in Colorado they are almost all only available seasonally, except for the fruits we get from Chile in the winter. So, fortunately, the fruit usually tastes pretty good.
If you want to get away from bland tomatoes, I recommend heirloom tomatoes. Standard tomatoes have been bred to be able to travel long distances and have long shelf lives.
What the Hell are "heirloom" tomatoes?
Perhaps the tomatoes that grow on the William Rivers Pitt qualify?
Everybody knows the composition of the William Rivers Pitt, and can suspect the source of seeds for tomatoes that grow there, having passed through pigs of yore.
tigereye DU Moderator Donating Member (1000+ posts) Thu May-29-08 11:35 PM
Response to Original message
16. I have tasted strawberries from California that are pretty damn close to
what I remember as a kid in the 60s. (I live in Pa)
And I have to say that organic fruit from Whole Foods has some of that real taste.
Crisco Donating Member (1000+ posts) Sat May-31-08 07:57 PM
Response to Original message
17. UgliRipes Are Okay, But Generally I only buy tomatoes when they're in season at the farmers' market.
If there's a small, indie green-grocer where you live who has good contacts with local farms, you're in luck!
wryter2000 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-03-08 07:41 PM
Response to Original message
19. Apples
Apples are just mush these days. I only buy them at the farmer's market when they're in season, fall and winter.
Time for franksolich to get preachy here.
Democrats, liberals, and primitives are, allegedly, socially-conscious and concerned for the poor, while we on this side are, allegedly, cruel cold-hearted selfish beasts.
There's a lot of people in this world, malnourished and unnourished.
franksolich, when in the socialist paradises of the workers and peasants with free medical care for all, saw lots and lots and lots of hungry people.
One thinks the primitives, rather than griping about the quality of foods, should be grateful to God that they have food, period.
