> Doug Kanter wrote:
>
>> Time for a show of hands. Who likes their deli meat sliced so thin,
>> you can
>> read text through it, but it takes 10 minutes to separate enough of
>> it to
>> make a sandwich? Unless you're buying prosciutto to wrap around
>> something,
>> this seems ridiculous, but it seems to be what I get most of the time
>> unless
>> I tell the deli clerk otherwise. And, this is in 5 different
>> locations of
>> the same supermarket chain.
>

The pre-sliced deli meat that I see in the case at the supermarket deli
is usually sliced thin, but not superthin. It's too thin for making a
deli platter -- you can't separate the slices neatly. But sometimes
it's too thick for my toddler, who likes it thin and shredded (not that
he eats it much).

As for how long it's been there -- I usually shop before 7 a.m., and
that's when the deli folks are just getting there and starting to slice
things. They slice up a whole bunch of whatever's on sale and will move
quickly. And I would bet it goes quickly, because they replace those
"pre-sliced" piles throughout the day. The less-oft-purchased meats and
cheese are sliced to order. (That's at Giant...at Harris Teeter,
everything seems to be sliced to order).

What bothers me about the deli case is the salads and side dishes in the
case. They are displayed in huge bowls, but they all look like they
have been sitting around and have crusted over and congealed...whether
it's potato salad, hummos, or whatever, they all look as though they
were left uncovered for a long time. No way I'd buy any of that!

And yet at Whole Foods, their salads, dips, and sides look (and taste)
very fresh, but are also stored in open bowls inside a glass case.
Could it be a difference in the humidty inside the case?