All natural meat?
04/24/2009
We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons. ~Alfred E. Newman
Pete was asked an interesting question the other day: “Why is your meat more expensive than so and so’s? They’re both all natural, right?”
WRONG. “All natural” on a label refers to the meat after it has been processed. Many retailers call their meats “antibiotic free” meaning that when tested, there are not residual antibiotics—it doesn’t mean that the animal was raised without their use. According to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, “natural” can be used on a label as long as a product does not “contain any artificial flavor or flavoring, coloring ingredient, chemical preservative or any other artificial or synthetic ingredient; and the product and its ingredients are not more than minimally processed (ground, for example).” Under these guidelines, CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation—the source of most meat in the USA) beef, pork and chicken can be labeled all natural. Under these guidelines, it includes animals that have received antibiotics and hormones to promote rapid growth.
So what does Marczyk’s “all natural” mean? All our meats are raised without the use of antibiotics or hormones. None-Ever. They are naturally raised, outside, with room to roam. “We are concerned with husbandry and genetics, vegetarian feed and supporting family farms,” says Paul Marczyk. “but most of you don’t need a story… the proof is in the taste,” he says. Marczyk meats and chickens are antibiotic free, hormone free, and free range. If you ever wonder, just ask! Read more at http://www.nimanranch.com/index.aspx
Where do we get our fish?We get most of our fish from Seattle Fish Company, a family-owned company founded in 1918. They are the Rocky Mountain region’s largest supplier of seafood. Paul calls daily to find out what is fresh and special. Seattle supports sustainable fishing, and is one of the first American companies to be certified by the Marine Stewardship Council as an official “chain of custody” supplier certified as sustainable from catch to consumer. This is a big deal!
How about Chickens? Your response to our Northern Colorado Poultry (NoCoPo) chickens, raised in Nunn, has been so positive that we are now almost 100% NoCoPo! They’re fed a 100% vegetarian diet, then all the bugs and grubs they can catch. “Uncle Bill” delivers fresh birds weekly, mostly 3-4 lb’s each. How fresh? Processed on Wednesday, brought to Marczyk’s on Friday. The taste is rich, and the texture very meaty. They are sold whole, but cut to order at the customer’s request.
What’s Fresh Now?
It’s Alaskan halibut season, super fresh halibut is something you should not go without. Halibut cheeks available too, call first because these are the first to go. 303 894-9499. Market price.
Fresh ramps! Ramps are wild leeks, hand dug in April and May only, and taste like garlic and onions both. Staff favorite. $3.99/bunch.
Cheese Love
I take our cheese selection for granted…that is until a group of preschoolers come in and start asking questions. We hauled out a beautiful wheel of Lincolnshire Poacher from Neal’s Yard Dairy for them to touch and smell. This is a cheese that has not changed in 100 years. It’s covered in muslin, and is the most deliciously moldy and rich thing, with a little paper tag attached by wire, telling the date it was made. They were impressed! Right here in our Colorado backyard are 2 great cheese companies, MouCo and Haystack dairies. MouCo Colorouge “starts with pasteurized whole milk, obtained from a herd of Jersey and Holstein Cows. The cheese is gently ladled by hand into forms, then turned and “smeared” by hand for two weeks. Like Jazz, the flavor changes as it ages. Soft and creamy with mild buttery overtones, which give way to a complex spicy tone and furthering depths of complexity.” Yum. $6.99 each.
Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy makes quite a few chèvre logs, our favorite is the applewood smoked log. Over salads, or mixed into mac and cheese, it has just the right smokiness to add depth. $5.99 each.
New!
Baked Ziti. Al dente ziti with a zesty ground beef tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese, topped with fresh mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, and fresh basil. $6.99/lb.
First it was whoopies, now it’s half-moon cookies. John, our baker, grew up in Rome, New York, eating and loving half-moons as a kid. Come to find out half-moons were first created at Hemstrought’s Bakery, just down the road in Utica. (All you NYC folks calm down: the vanilla bottom cookies were created in the city, these have a chocolate bottom.) Half-moons are huge chocolate cake/cookies on the bottom, with a fat layer of ½ white buttercream, 1/2 chocolate buttercream on top. $1.49.
Chocolate cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting. Good for 6 ppl. $9.99.
Recipe
In honor of our very own Kevin Hickman returning to his home state, Kentucky, to run a marathon, we found a famous Kentucky tradition: Hot brown sandwiches with turkey, bacon, cheddar cheese, and sliced tomato and other ingredients. Run Kevin run!
Hot Browns
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound cooked turkey, thinly sliced
8 slices toast, crusts trimmed
4 slices tomato
8 strips bacon, cooked
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Melt butter in saucepan over medium-low; add flour and stir until smooth and bubbly. Add milk, salt, Worcestershire sauce, cheddar cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly.
Cut toast in half diagonally and place on a baking sheet (or use individual baking dishes). Arrange turkey slices on the toast and cover with hot cheese sauce. Top with tomato slices and bacon strips then sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese over each sandwich. Place under broiler until hot and bubbly and lightly browned.
Hot brown sandwich serves 4.
