Squeaks wrote:

> Our traditional Christmas dinner is prime rib with Yorkshire pudding
> (the DH, who is generally entirely clueless in the kitchen, has become
> something of an idiot savant when it comes to Yorkshire pudding - his
> puds turn out brilliantly) and we generally order 2 rib roasts from
> Gelson's (an upscale SoCal market) b/c they've always delivered top
> notch meat and I won't scrimp on a Big Dinner such as this. The DH
> either read or heard about Costco's meat, which is supposed to be top
> notch, too. He wants to order our roasts from Costco, selecting the
> prime 4+ pounders, but not having tried their meat dept. wonder if
> anyone can weigh in on the quality of their meat. Their roasts aren't
> *that* darned much less, running about $75 per roast, but he'd like to
> give it a try. I have reservations about *anything* edible from Costco
> that doesn't live in a freezer, as I've seen mice scurrying from
> pallet to pallet during *daylight* and shudder to think what surfaces
> might be contaminated by the little buggers.
>
> What say you?

I had your same misgivings up until several years ago. Then I tried it (on
Bob Pastorio's recommendation, I believe) and I haven't looked back. Costco
meats here are higher-quality than in any of the grocery stores around here,
and on a par with the highest-grade butcher here. Their standing rib roast
is fully the equal of the butcher's.

Bob