Grocery prices

Limited to grocery produce now in western PA everything tastes like paper. Tried 2 different farmer's markets here last summer and despite being a somewhat rural area they didn't hold a candle to the farmer's markets of Wisconsin. Missing the flavor and freshness.

I identify with this! So often grocery store fruit and produce just looks and tastes dead. But, unfortunately, having access to great local farmer's markets is a privilege, so I try to keep things in perspective. Interesting that the western PA farmer's markets are so weak. Are they the actual farmers? Or just people re-selling wholesale food outside in the market format.

I find it odd, too, that western PA farmer mkts are not so good. I grew up in NE PA and remember the opposite. Wonder what's going on?

[Jenise]

Are they the actual farmers? Or just people re-selling wholesale food outside in the market format.

Astute question. The farmers markets where I used to live in the giant basin of Los Angeles and Orange counties where there were really no farms anymore were mostly the latter. Those who lived closer to Ventura County had many good, authentic farmers. But where I was, just a tomato guy who came up from down near San Diego and occasionally someone selling avocados off their own trees, but those were rare. The markets up here are all the former. It's wonderful.

Not reselling wholesale foods and not farmers. A handful, not more than 5-6 people selling a very few items from their home garden. More people selling very ordinary baked goods, jarred jams, pickles etc. I would have to go much further out into farm country to see roadside stands usually with limited but tasty offerings. Not possible for me to get away for long enough to search these out or get into the city proper.

[Jenise]

How long before you get back to Wisconsin, Christina? Must be painful to be away when a lot of your fruit is coming in.

[Jenise]

From today's Journal:

The U.S. economy’s rebound from the pandemic is driving the biggest surge in inflation in nearly 13 years, with consumer prices rising in May by 5% from a year ago.

The Labor Department said last month’s increase in the consumer-price index was the largest since August 2008, when the reading rose 5.4%. The core-price index, which excludes the often-volatile categories of food and energy, jumped 3.8% in May from the year before—the largest increase for that reading since June 1992.

Wonder if it's as good as Selzer's, which is no longer out here. I've had to do with Boar's Head, which is a pale reflection of the PA stuff.

I don't usually buy cold cuts, but when I saw to my great delight that my local supermarket is carrying Seltzer's Lebanon bologna, I couldn't resist buying some. Boy, is that stuff good!

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Lucky you, Paul, have a few slices for Larry and I!

Isn't it? I envy you. One supermarket here used to carry Seltzer's, but they switched to a Texas outfit. Haven't bought anything from their deli since. The other supermarket has Boar's Head Lebanon Bologna, but there's an order of magnitude of difference. And it ain't positive. There's really no substitute.

I live near Italian grocers so buy mortadella. Should I want bologna, too?

Lebanon bologna is named after Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, where it was developed by Pennsylvania Dutch settlers in the 1700s. It's a semi-hard beef sausage with a texture similar to Italian salami. It's made from ground up beef, spices, and curing salts. The sausages are left for 10 days and then hardwood slow cold smoked for four days. Lebanon bologna is very smoky and spicy (not in the hot sense). It has a completely different appearance, texture, and flavor from Italian bologna.

-Paul W.

Anxious to check out prices in WI on my return July 6. Husband has neighbors coming to pick strawberries, snap peas and zucchini blossoms now. Red and black raspberries will likely be in harvest before return. I planted wasabi arugula and Malabar spinach before I left which should be ready on my return. Will be there long enough for the cucumbers, Romano beans, tomatoes and escarole head harvest. Yeah !

Thanks for the primer, Paul.

[Jenise]

Lebanon bologna is named after Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, where it was developed by Pennsylvania Dutch settlers in the 1700s. It's a semi-hard beef sausage with a texture similar to Italian salami. It's made from ground up beef, spices, and curing salts. The sausages are left for 10 days and then hardwood slow cold smoked for four days. Lebanon bologna is very smoky and spicy (not in the hot sense). It has a completely different appearance, texture, and flavor from Italian bologna.

-Paul W.

It has a vinegary, sour flavor too which I think is it's most excellent feature.