How Do You Educate People On Higher End Food Ingredients

Bill_Tex_Landreth · February 17, 2009, 4:15pm

I routinely cook or talk about cooking to non foodie types. People that want to argue that all salt is the same, a steak shouldn’t be $50 a pound, etc. I do my best to explain why Wagyu is pricey and why certain salts have benefit over others…but sometimes I just get that blank stare. Does anyone else have this problem and if so, how do you get across the message that it isn’t just blatant snobbery?

LMD_Ermitano · February 17, 2009, 4:29pm

Hey, Tex.

It happens to me a lot it seems. I just don’t let it bother me, though, admittedly, it used to. I now realize some will not or cannot see the difference, so, I figure they are better off as they are. Fine cuisine or wine are not for everyone.

Jack_Bulkin · February 17, 2009, 4:44pm

I usually get choice words when people use my recipies that require Kashmir Mogra Cream Indian Saffron. It costs over $400.00 an ounce.
Other saffrons work but not the same.

Bill_Tex_Landreth · February 17, 2009, 4:50pm

Just mixing it up…wouldn’t want to get into a rut.

Mark.Ricca · February 17, 2009, 5:04pm

It’s the same way with wine, Bill.
You just keep throwing it out there. Some will stick, some won’t. Usually though, tasting is believing.

Rob_MacKay · February 17, 2009, 6:51pm

Some people just don’t get it.

Even though my wife and I cook everything we can think of and try to use the best ingredients, we are just at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to meat. We get ours from a local butcher shop and it is really good stuff but we have yet to try Wagyu since it is not available from any of the local butchers.

Bill_Tex_Landreth · February 17, 2009, 6:53pm

Rob MacKay:

Bill Tex Landreth:

I routinely cook or talk about cooking to non foodie types. People that want to argue that all salt is the same, a steak shouldn’t be $50 a pound, etc. I do my best to explain why Wagyu is pricey and why certain salts have benefit over others…but sometimes I just get that blank stare. Does anyone else have this problem and if so, how do you get across the message that it isn’t just blatant snobbery?

Some people just don’t get it.

Even though my wife and I cook everything we can think of and try to use the best ingredients, we are just at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to meat. We get ours from a local butcher shop and it is really good stuff but we have yet to try Wagyu since it is not available from any of the local butchers.

Word around the campfire is that Flannery now has dry aged Wagyu in house…well worth the trip IMNSHO.

Rob_MacKay · February 17, 2009, 6:55pm

Well worth the trip to where?

Bill_Tex_Landreth · February 17, 2009, 6:56pm

Corte Madera.

Rob_MacKay · February 17, 2009, 7:03pm

more details please… I keep seeing you guys talk about Flannery. Perhaps I need to jump on the train.

jordan_whitehead · February 17, 2009, 7:10pm

make them eat it.

can anyone say that choice meat from the local grocery store is better than falnnery or other dry-aged prime beef after trying eat. You may not be able to convert them but you can prove your point. Did this exact thing with my wife’s family, especially her grandfather who takes great pleasure in arguing with everyone.

Bill_Tex_Landreth · February 17, 2009, 7:12pm

Sorry…my fault for assuming that most people know of what I am talking about.

Bryan’s Fine Foods up in Corte Madera Town Center just north of SF across the Golden Gate Bridge. Great butcher that provides world class beef/veal/pork/seafood with customer service better than anyone in any business. He gets the top tier of the top 2% of USDA Prime beef in the country and now he is aging his own Wagyu cattle primals. Regardless of the choice of beef, the quality cannot be beaten.

http://www.bryansfinefoods.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(disclaimer: I have zero financial interest in Bryan’s Fine Foods, but I do receive a discount based on volume and frequency of ordering)

Dick_Krueger · February 17, 2009, 7:12pm

The nice thing about being in Santa Fe full time now, is that most of our friends are food and wine geeks. When we were in SoCal we had a number of friends that weren’t as interested in food and wine as we are. In fact, sometimes we’d have friends over for dinner - they would be sufficiently overwhelmed that we’d never get invited over to their place. They’d be afraid to cook for me.

Bill_Tex_Landreth · February 17, 2009, 7:14pm

Happens to me.

Rob_MacKay · February 17, 2009, 7:16pm

Bill Tex Landreth:

Rob MacKay:

more details please… I keep seeing you guys talk about Flannery. Perhaps I need to jump on the train.

Sorry…my fault for assuming that most people know of what I am talking about.

Bryan’s Fine Foods up in Corte Madera Town Center just north of SF across the Golden Gate Bridge. Great butcher that provides world class beef/veal/pork/seafood with customer service better than anyone in any business. He gets the top tier of the top 2% of USDA Prime beef in the country and now he is aging his own Wagyu cattle primals. Regardless of the choice of beef, the quality cannot be beaten.

http://www.bryansfinefoods.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(disclaimer: I have zero financial interest in Bryan’s Fine Foods, but I do receive a discount based on volume and frequency of ordering)

you order and get stuff shipped to texas?

Bill_Tex_Landreth · February 17, 2009, 7:17pm

Yup…just had 45 pounds delivered on Friday.

Rob_MacKay · February 17, 2009, 7:18pm

Next time I am in Texas I need to invite myself to your place. Of course you are welcome if you ever make it out this way.

Mel_Hill · February 17, 2009, 7:18pm

To the BANK!!!

Bill_Tex_Landreth · February 17, 2009, 7:22pm

Always an open door at my place for beef and wine.

Rob_MacKay · February 17, 2009, 7:23pm

Cool. We have the same policy at our place. One or two of the forum rats here have been there for it. I think they were pretty happy with the results.