There's a new shopping center downtown and I've been curious about one of the stores in it. Since I was headed that way to pick up something next door, I decided to stop in and satisfy my curiousity. I mean, how could anyone not be curious about this:
They have literally barrels-full of different types of dried meats. Hundreds, probably.
There were barbeque sauces, spice rubs, and Cajun seasoning.
Weirdo dried vegetables.....
and pickles of various kinds.
Sweet stuff.....
and tequila worm suckers. Who the hell eats this shit?!
Check out the décor of the place. You can't move anywhere in the room without eyes following you.
And last, but not least, they sell t-shirts. In case you can't read them, they say:
* Tree huggin' is ok....as long as you're climbing up to your DEER STAND!
* VEGETARIAN--Ancient tribal slang for the village idiot who can't hunt, fish, or ride.
* WARNING You are entering a RED NECK AREA. You may encounter American flags, armed citizens, the Lord's Prayer, country music, and beef jerky.
* I like cats I just can't eat a whole one by myself!
An employee who was obviously very proud of her new store followed me around, offering me samples and telling me about how this location is "the 53rd opened in the USA so far!" She was very enthusiastic. I asked her if they mostly get Doomsday Pepper types in, but she assured me that all kinds of people love jerky. Oh. Okay.
I bought one tiny can of Cajun spices since I'd spent so long walking around taking pictures and I hated to not buy something. When Miss Jerky Enthusiast rang me up she slipped a free bumper sticker in my bag.
And no, I won't be putting that on the Scion.
I love beef jerky, which I know as biltong. A friend in South Africa knows of my love of biltong, and every time he comes over to France he brings some for me. The last time he came he brought quite a big pack, AND LOST IT. I still haven't got over the shock.
ReplyDeleteYou'd have loved this place. They had dozens of kinds of beef jerky for sale. After I saw the dried insects that the sales lady swore were people snacks I felt too nauseous to contemplate actually eating anything.
DeleteThe insect snacks were all the rage here in Germany maybe 10 years ago. I remember them being sold at the Christmas Market, and my shuddering when I first saw them. I don't know anybody who has eaten any of it, but they are supposed to be really good for you - full of proteins, and apparently, "the food of the future", because a lot easier and more sustainable to grow and produce than the larger animals such as cows and pigs.
ReplyDeleteThe disgust we may feel is of course simply in our heads, because we weren't raised on larvae and crickets. Other folks may not understand how we can kill and eat cows and so on. Actually, eating one animal does not really differ from eating any others - they are all dead animals in the end.
PS: I am not vegetarian or vegan. When there is a good piece of meat, well prepared, I enjoy it. I just don't NEED meats and sausages etc. all the time and hardly ever buy it for myself.
DeleteNever had beef jerky - it doesn't really appeal, though we've given the dogs beef jerky flavoured treats, which smell terrible. Pork rinds are popular on this side of the pond, and in the UK they are known as pork scratchings (gross, I know), are very greasy and salty, and are sold in pubs as a snack to have with a drink.
ReplyDeleteI purchase the dried mealworms but they are for the birds, can't imagine eating them as a treat.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen or tasted Jerky. The closest is pork crackling which my mother used to bake, it was very tasty as I recall. Yes, there is a product called Pork Scratchings which is small artificial pieces of rashers. Tasty and very salty and sold in pubs to make the drinkers more thirsty!
ReplyDeleteIn England we call pork rinds pork scratchings. They are fairly popular as a snack in pubs. Thank you for taking us around the Beef Jerky Outlet. I bet that Ginger and George would have loved the various aromas in there. You should have bought Gregg some Crick-Ettes as a symbol of your affection.
ReplyDeleteOh Gosh, I love Jerky and almost any kind of hot sauce. And southern made pork rinds are yummy. I have never made them.
ReplyDeleteNot quite a hillbilly but I am from the South West.
cheers, parsnip and thehamish