Hi-Ho, the Derry-O

[Chris_]

Hi-Ho, the Derry-O

Let's say you're preparing dinner and you realize with dismay that you don't have any certified organic Tuscan kale. What to do?

Here's how Michelle Obama handled this very predicament Thursday afternoon:

The Secret Service and the D.C. police brought in three dozen vehicles and shut down H Street, Vermont Avenue, two lanes of I Street and an entrance to the McPherson Square Metro station. They swept the area, in front of the Department of Veterans Affairs, with bomb-sniffing dogs and installed magnetometers in the middle of the street, put up barricades to keep pedestrians out, and took positions with binoculars atop trucks. Though the produce stand was only a block or so from the White House, the first lady hopped into her armored limousine and pulled into the market amid the wail of sirens.

Then, and only then, could Obama purchase her leafy greens. "Now it's time to buy some food," she told several hundred people who came to watch. "Let's shop!"

*snip*

Obama, in her brief speech to the vendors and patrons, handled the affordability issue by pointing out that people who pay with food stamps would get double the coupon value at the market. Even then, though, it's hard to imagine somebody using food stamps to buy what the market offered: $19 bison steak from Gunpowder Bison, organic dandelion greens for $12 per pound from Blueberry Hill Vegetables, the Piedmont Reserve cheese from Everson Dairy at $29 a pound. Rounding out the potential shopping cart: $4 for a piece of "walnut dacquoise" from the Praline Bakery, $9 for a jumbo crab cake at Chris's Marketplace, $8 for a loaf of cranberry-walnut bread and $32 for a bolt of yarn.

The first lady said the market would particularly appeal to federal employees in nearby buildings to "pick up some good stuff for dinner." Yet even they might think twice about spending $3 for a pint of potatoes when potatoes are on sale for 40 cents a pound at Giant. They could get nearly five dozen eggs at Giant for the $5 Obama spent for her dozen.

Spare no expense for the wife of Teh Wun.

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[NHSparky]

$20/lb for bison steaks?  I can get dry-aged ribeye or tenderloin for less than that at a "frou-frou" place I occasion in Dover.  I can buy bison steaks (depending on what kind) for well under that--only the bison tenderloins approach $20/lb.  And remember, if you like well-done meat, bison isn't a good choice.  Low in fat and all that, you know--best to cook it medium-rare.

$12/lb for greens?  How about $1.79 for a bag-o-salad, hon?

Even the "gourmet" cheeses at said frou-frou shop are well under $30/lb.  Yes, I've seen some around half that price, but rarely higher.

$8 for a loaf of bread?

Sounds like this is a place basically geared to separate pretentious assholes from as much of their money as possible.

[JohnnyReb]

You mean to tell me that this isn't some sort of onion parody?

Michelle better buy some ham hocks and turnip greens and fatten up her already oversized BOO-TAA because when these pretentious assholes leave the Whitehouse she's going to land hard on it.

[Chris_]

$20/lb for bison steaks?  I can get dry-aged ribeye or tenderloin for less than that at a "frou-frou" place I occasion in Dover.  I can buy bison steaks (depending on what kind) for well under that--only the bison tenderloins approach $20/lb.  And remember, if you like well-done meat, bison isn't a good choice.  Low in fat and all that, you know--best to cook it medium-rare.

$12/lb for greens?  How about $1.79 for a bag-o-salad, hon?

Even the "gourmet" cheeses at said frou-frou shop are well under $30/lb.  Yes, I've seen some around half that price, but rarely higher.

$8 for a loaf of bread?

Sounds like this is a place basically geared to separate pretentious assholes from as much of their money as possible.

In her case, we're being separated from our tax dollars so she can show off to the press.

[Ree]

Can we call her Imelda now?

[IassaFTots]

Can we call her Imelda now?

I dunno.  I think that is an insult to shoes.  The lady buys WEEDS!  How freaking difficult is it to grow a dandelion?

[Chris_]

I dunno.  I think that is an insult to shoes.  The lady buys WEEDS!  How freaking difficult is it to grow a dandelion?

Should be pretty easy with all the fertilizer they've been spreading.

[NHSparky]

Personally, I think she should have the same access to water for growing her food as California farmers get for growing food WE ALL EAT.  Betcha she'd sure change her tune real fast.