Capitalism has hit us like a hurricane. It has left mayhem and devastation in its wake. We have become a society of people that eat horrible food, drink terrible beverages, and compromise our taste at every turn. The very existence of Taco Bell proves my point. I rest my case and we’re on to Long John Silvers. The only hope out there exists in a few small spots in our country and these are the places that I would like to talk to you about today.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania is one of the last places on earth where a true farmer’s market exists in the world. Local farmers and bakers bring their goods to market every day. Fresh produce straight from the farm and baked goods to die for. FRESH! Imagine that every day you could eat something daily that isn’t in a box and frozen. Butcher shops selling fresh goods from their farms. Things that are never frozen with no preservatives. Is this still possible in today’s society? There are two places in Lancaster that you need to check out before you die. The first is the mercantile market in downtown near Franklin and Marshall college. Local merchants with baked goods that will melt your face! The second is Ginny’s Diner. Ginny’s is an old school stainless steel diner with homemade food and hardy portions. This place will straight up kill your diet but, what a way to go! A trip to Lancaster is like stepping back in time to a place where people actually cooked and food didn’t come in a box or a bag. You may not think that this is possible but, it happens here every day.
Bagliani’s market is Hammonton, New Jersey is the other place that I would like to talk to you about today. Bagliani’s is part deli, part market, and part butcher shop. They make everything on the property. The butcher shop cuts and prepare their own steaks, chicken, sausage, and various other delicacies. They offer a selection of over fifty cheeses. They make their own pepperoni! They have a full deli that offers everything under the sun. They roast their own turkey! FRESH! Every day they make these numerous selections. I’m beginning to slobber on my keyboard. I’ll be right back. I’m sorry but, I have to go to Bagliani’s market.
I’m back. The absolute avalanche of garbage that we eat everyday cloud the clear cut choice of quality over quantity. Malcolm Gladwell’s observation is incomplete. We have a plethora of choices in our society today but, somewhere along the way, we accepted quantity over quality.
Jeff,
ReplyDeleteYour post made me LOL, but only at the end. In the beginning, my thoughts were right alongside yours. My mother raised us with all organic food. She grows most of her fruits and veggies in our garden, and my dad and my younger brother (who is 20, not super young!) are hunters, so they bring in most of the meat. I despise fast food, and if I ever go to McDonald's, the only thing I get is Iced Coffee or an ice cream cone (because it's SO good!). But I do not accept quantity over quality. Even when I'm at college two and half hours away from my parents making waitress salary and going to school full time, I still buy organic food because I feel better when I eat it and it's better for me without all the added preservatives and hormones! But anyway, this is a really cool topic and I'm very interested to hear your TED talk.
Jeff,
ReplyDeleteI really like your topic. Reading your blog made me hungry. Lol. Unless I have no other choice, I never eat fast food. It always makes me feel gross! But I must admit, I am guilty of eating the healthy prepackaged meals. I have no idea why I eat something that taste nothing like what it is, and has zero flavor. I am always in a rush and because it’s so hard to find somewhere to get a healthy meal on the go, I stick to the healthy choice meals. I rather have quality over quantity any day though! Shockingly, the diner near me is one of my favorite places to eat. I have had better food their then 5 star restaurants.