The convenience food business is getting ridiculous while they test
just how much lazy people are willing to pay for "convenience". I
don't know how long these have been out, but I got a free package
for buying some meatballs that I would have bought anyway. It's
about 1/4lb of pasta cooked and packaged in a hermetically sealed
bag.

https://www.barilla.com/en-us/produc...sta?sort=alpha

My store sells them for $1.68. Which comes out to $6.72/lb. Normal
price for a pound of Barilla dried pasta is $1.25. So that's a 550%
increase in price.

Sheesh. I felt stupid jsut getting one for free.

-sw

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> The convenience food business is getting ridiculous while they test
> just how much lazy people are willing to pay for "convenience". I
> don't know how long these have been out, but I got a free package
> for buying some meatballs that I would have bought anyway. It's
> about 1/4lb of pasta cooked and packaged in a hermetically sealed
> bag.
>
> https://www.barilla.com/en-us/produc...sta?sort=alpha
>
> My store sells them for $1.68. Which comes out to $6.72/lb. Normal
> price for a pound of Barilla dried pasta is $1.25. So that's a 550%
> increase in price.
>
> Sheesh. I felt stupid jsut getting one for free.

I got a free package. I gave it away. I was told it wasn't very good.

On 11/3/2018 8:49 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
> The convenience food business is getting ridiculous while they test
> just how much lazy people are willing to pay for "convenience". I
> don't know how long these have been out, but I got a free package
> for buying some meatballs that I would have bought anyway. It's
> about 1/4lb of pasta cooked and packaged in a hermetically sealed
> bag.
>
> https://www.barilla.com/en-us/produc...sta?sort=alpha
>
> My store sells them for $1.68. Which comes out to $6.72/lb. Normal
> price for a pound of Barilla dried pasta is $1.25. So that's a 550%
> increase in price.
>
> Sheesh. I felt stupid jsut getting one for free.
>
> -sw
>

Only way I could see buying that was if I wanted it for a lunch at work
where it is not easy to cook pasta. Usually I'd just bring it from home
as leftovers.

On Sat, 3 Nov 2018 19:49:12 -0500, Sqwertz >
wrote:

>The convenience food business is getting ridiculous while they test
>just how much lazy people are willing to pay for "convenience". I
>don't know how long these have been out, but I got a free package
>for buying some meatballs that I would have bought anyway. It's
>about 1/4lb of pasta cooked and packaged in a hermetically sealed
>bag.
>
>https://www.barilla.com/en-us/produc...sta?sort=alpha
>
>My store sells them for $1.68. Which comes out to $6.72/lb. Normal
>price for a pound of Barilla dried pasta is $1.25. So that's a 550%
>increase in price.
>
>Sheesh. I felt stupid jsut getting one for free.
>
>-sw
I saw it on the shelf last week. Not interested

On Sat, 03 Nov 2018 22:25:45 -0600, U.S. Janet B. >
wrote:

>On Sat, 3 Nov 2018 19:49:12 -0500, Sqwertz >
>wrote:
>
>>The convenience food business is getting ridiculous while they test
>>just how much lazy people are willing to pay for "convenience". I
>>don't know how long these have been out, but I got a free package
>>for buying some meatballs that I would have bought anyway. It's
>>about 1/4lb of pasta cooked and packaged in a hermetically sealed
>>bag.
>>
>>https://www.barilla.com/en-us/produc...sta?sort=alpha
>>
>>My store sells them for $1.68. Which comes out to $6.72/lb. Normal
>>price for a pound of Barilla dried pasta is $1.25. So that's a 550%
>>increase in price.
>>
>>Sheesh. I felt stupid jsut getting one for free.
>>
>>-sw
>I saw it on the shelf last week. Not interested

I've no home interest, of course, but convenience is in the eye of the
beholder. A food-fussy child can be accommodated easily with something
like this, and so can an office worker with a microwave or a student
away at school or anyone whose talents lie beyond even the simple
boiling of water. These people exist and since take-away meals are
becoming such a large part of eating these days, the price comparisons
do not look so insane.

Though one can easily boil up pasta and store it in the fridge for
mini-uses, it tends, without care, to get sticky, which some find a
bother, especially if it is eaten with only a bit of butter or oil or
a sprinkle of cheese.

True, and while this is the sort of product I'd walk by in the market
while rolling my eyes, I don't find it any more nutso than buying a
container of boiled eggs at the store and that seems to be a product
that has caught on. That is sort of a WTF item, too, AFAIAC.

Barilla has also put out a line of high end pastas - they refer to
them as artisinal. These are not fresh made, they are dried and
sittin' on the shelf.

Every manufacturer tries to expand their shelf facings. Ideas get
researched, R&D gets involved, taste tests are done...a good
percentage of these things vanish in market, but ya gotta give the
companies. A for effort. No one wants a static bottom line. Besides,
all that research made me a very decent living over the years.

On Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 7:38:19 PM UTC-6, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On 11/3/2018 8:49 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
> > The convenience food business is getting ridiculous while they test
> > just how much lazy people are willing to pay for "convenience". I
> > don't know how long these have been out, but I got a free package
> > for buying some meatballs that I would have bought anyway. It's
> > about 1/4lb of pasta cooked and packaged in a hermetically sealed
> > bag.
> >
> > https://www.barilla.com/en-us/produc...sta?sort=alpha
> >
> > My store sells them for $1.68. Which comes out to $6.72/lb. Normal
> > price for a pound of Barilla dried pasta is $1.25. So that's a 550%
> > increase in price.
> >
> > Sheesh. I felt stupid jsut getting one for free.
> >
> > -sw
> >
>
> Only way I could see buying that was if I wanted it for a lunch at work
> where it is not easy to cook pasta. Usually I'd just bring it from home
> as leftovers.

Exactly!! And WRAPPED IN SINGLE USE PLASTIC!! DUMB!!!! :-(

And that's why United Statesians generally are dumb as ****! Can't even BOIL WATER!! Many actually BUY THAT CRAP! :-(

My Indian housemate puts her cooked pasta lunch in a GLASSLock snap on lid REUSABLE container, and she GAVE ME ONE TOO! :-) She is so sweet! :-)

John Kuthe...

Julie Bove wrote:
>
> I got a free package. I gave it away. I was told it wasn't very good.

That's dumb. Your own tastes are very different from others. You
might have loved it. At least the dog or the goat would have
eaten it happily.

Pamela wrote:
>
> How can "ready pasta" be truly al dente? Ugh.

It wouldn't be al dente at all but I laugh at this fascination
about "al dente." I have absolutely no problem with soft pasta. I
make my own pasta maybe half the time and best thing to do is
cook it within an hour or so. The fresh pasta is still soft,
cooks very quickly and certainly never al dente. It's the best in
the universe and that's why I even bother to make it. The fresh
taste and mouth feel is so much superior, imo.

That dry pasta sold is mostly a stale mess. Takes long to cook
just for rehydration. Get tired of waiting forever for it to
cook? Just take it out early and proclaim you like al dente. No
thanks.

I use Mario Batalli's recipe for pasta and egg noodles. Very
simple and very good fresh made.

On 11/4/2018 9:15 AM, John Kuthe wrote:

>
> And that's why United Statesians generally are dumb as ****! Can't even BOIL WATER!! Many actually BUY THAT CRAP! :-(
>
> My Indian housemate puts her cooked pasta lunch in a GLASSLock snap on lid REUSABLE container, and she GAVE ME ONE TOO! :-) She is so sweet! :-)
>
> John Kuthe...
>

I boil water for pasts in a big batch and freeze some to use later.

On Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 9:12:53 AM UTC-6, Gary wrote:
> Pamela wrote:
> >
> > How can "ready pasta" be truly al dente? Ugh.

Not likely. That's why I don't care for prepared baked beans in a can! Mush! :-(



> It wouldn't be al dente at all but I laugh at this fascination
> about "al dente." I have absolutely no problem with soft pasta. I
> make my own pasta maybe half the time and best thing to do is
> cook it within an hour or so. The fresh pasta is still soft,
> cooks very quickly and certainly never al dente. It's the best in
> the universe and that's why I even bother to make it. The fresh
> taste and mouth feel is so much superior, imo.

I can ONLY imagine! I've never has freshly-made pasta. The "el dente" comes FROM the drying of the pasta because to be nonperishable it MUST BE DRIED all the way to the core!


>
> That dry pasta sold is mostly a stale mess. Takes long to cook
> just for rehydration. Get tired of waiting forever for it to
> cook? Just take it out early and proclaim you like al dente. No
> thanks.

I've never had fresh, so I do the best I can with dried.

John Kuthe...

On Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 10:27:32 AM UTC-5, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On 11/4/2018 9:15 AM, John Kuthe wrote:
>
> >
> > And that's why United Statesians generally are dumb as ****! Can't even BOIL WATER!! Many actually BUY THAT CRAP! :-(
> >
> > My Indian housemate puts her cooked pasta lunch in a GLASSLock snap on lid REUSABLE container, and she GAVE ME ONE TOO! :-) She is so sweet! :-)
> >
> > John Kuthe...
> >
>
> I boil water for pasts in a big batch and freeze some to use later.

You must have a lot of room in your freezer if you can freeze boiled
water for later use.

Cindy Hamilton

On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 10:11:49 -0500, Gary wrote:

> Julie Bove wrote:
>>
>> I got a free package. I gave it away. I was told it wasn't very good.
>
> That's dumb. Your own tastes are very different from others. You
> might have loved it. At least the dog or the goat would have
> eaten it happily.

Once she reads or hears something and makes that preconceived
decision something is yucky or evil, there's no changing it.

-sw

On Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 10:13:01 AM UTC-6, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> On Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 10:27:32 AM UTC-5, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> > On 11/4/2018 9:15 AM, John Kuthe wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > And that's why United Statesians generally are dumb as ****! Can't even BOIL WATER!! Many actually BUY THAT CRAP! :-(
> > >
> > > My Indian housemate puts her cooked pasta lunch in a GLASSLock snap on lid REUSABLE container, and she GAVE ME ONE TOO! :-) She is so sweet! :-)
> > >
> > > John Kuthe...
> > >
> >
> > I boil water for pasts in a big batch and freeze some to use later.
>
> You must have a lot of room in your freezer if you can freeze boiled
> water for later use.
>
> Cindy Hamilton

No, but I keep a couple of old washed out plastic bottles of frozen water in my freezers (I have two! Shared Student Living!) filled then burped of extra water to allow for freezing expansion then capped and frozen!! Making for block ice with handles!! I can take them out, out them in coolers or just to make for more freezer space.

John Kuthe...

On Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 10:17:12 AM UTC-6, Sqwertz wrote:
> On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 10:11:49 -0500, Gary wrote:
>
> > Julie Bove wrote:
> >>
> >> I got a free package. I gave it away. I was told it wasn't very good.
> >
> > That's dumb. Your own tastes are very different from others. You
> > might have loved it. At least the dog or the goat would have
> > eaten it happily.
>
> Once she reads or hears something and makes that preconceived
> decision something is yucky or evil, there's no changing it.
>
> -sw

Many seem that way, all over the planet!

John Kuthe...

On Sat, 3 Nov 2018 21:38:15 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

> Only way I could see buying that was if I wanted it for a lunch at work
> where it is not easy to cook pasta. Usually I'd just bring it from home
> as leftovers.

I always cook up extra pasta so I can make other noodle dishes or
sides quickly within the next 10 days or so. Carbonara, pesto, or
simple garlic buttered parsley noodles are a few of my standbys.
Right now I have extra cooked farfalle in the fridge (as well pasta
salad from the farfalle)

-sw

On 11/4/2018 8:18 AM, Pamela wrote:
> On 15:27 4 Nov 2018, Ed Pawlowski > wrote in
> :
>
>> On 11/4/2018 9:15 AM, John Kuthe wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> And that's why United Statesians generally are dumb as ****! Can't
>>> even BOIL WATER!! Many actually BUY THAT CRAP! :-(
>>>
>>> My Indian housemate puts her cooked pasta lunch in a GLASSLock snap
>>> on lid REUSABLE container, and she GAVE ME ONE TOO! :-) She is so
>>> sweet! :-)
>>>
>>> John Kuthe...
>>>
>>
>> I boil water for pasta in a big batch and freeze some to use later.
>
> I guess you have to thaw it carefully to prevent the water getting too
> soggy.
>


It's the freezer burn that is the problem.

On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 08:58:30 -0500, Boron Elgar
> wrote:

>On Sat, 03 Nov 2018 22:25:45 -0600, U.S. Janet B. >
>wrote:

snip
>>>
>>>-sw
>>I saw it on the shelf last week. Not interested
>
>I've no home interest, of course, but convenience is in the eye of the
>beholder. A food-fussy child can be accommodated easily with something
>like this, and so can an office worker with a microwave or a student
>away at school or anyone whose talents lie beyond even the simple
>boiling of water. These people exist and since take-away meals are
>becoming such a large part of eating these days, the price comparisons
>do not look so insane.
>

I've got time to cook it. I understand your point about convenience
but my feeling is that 'people' are losing something important when
they lose track of how to boil pasta, bake a potato or boil an egg.
Janet US

On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 16:00:55 GMT, Pamela >
wrote:

>On 15:12 4 Nov 2018, Gary > wrote in
:
>
>> Pamela wrote:
>>>
>>> How can "ready pasta" be truly al dente? Ugh.
>>
>> It wouldn't be al dente at all but I laugh at this fascination about
>> "al dente." I have absolutely no problem with soft pasta. I make my
>> own pasta maybe half the time and best thing to do is cook it within
>> an hour or so. The fresh pasta is still soft, cooks very quickly and
>> certainly never al dente. It's the best in the universe and that's why
>> I even bother to make it. The fresh taste and mouth feel is so much
>> superior, imo.
>>
>> That dry pasta sold is mostly a stale mess. Takes long to cook just
>> for rehydration. Get tired of waiting forever for it to cook? Just
>> take it out early and proclaim you like al dente. No thanks.
>>
>> I use Mario Batalli's recipe for pasta and egg noodles. Very simple
>> and very good fresh made.
>
>We differ. I like firm pasta. Assuming we are talking about only plain
>pasta (tagliatelle, penne, etc), then fresh pasta is almost always too
>soft for my liking.
>
>Store bought fresh pasta has become very popular but I find it's not
>inherently superior to dried. A lot of fresh pasta may have supermarket
>shelf appeal but when cooked it can sometimes be mushy junk food -
>especially filled fresh pasta.
>
>For handmade pasta at home, I follow Hazan and imagine she's not very
>different from Batali as the two worked together. I make a lot of
>pasta and air dry the remainder which that makes it nice and hard
>when cooked. You'd probably hate it!

Like most children, Gary doesn't like to chew.

On 2018-11-04 10:04 AM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
> On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 08:58:30 -0500, Boron Elgar
> > wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 03 Nov 2018 22:25:45 -0600, U.S. Janet B. >
>> wrote:
>
> snip
>>>>
>>>> -sw
>>> I saw it on the shelf last week. Not interested
>>
>> I've no home interest, of course, but convenience is in the eye of the
>> beholder. A food-fussy child can be accommodated easily with something
>> like this, and so can an office worker with a microwave or a student
>> away at school or anyone whose talents lie beyond even the simple
>> boiling of water. These people exist and since take-away meals are
>> becoming such a large part of eating these days, the price comparisons
>> do not look so insane.
>>
>
> I've got time to cook it. I understand your point about convenience
> but my feeling is that 'people' are losing something important when
> they lose track of how to boil pasta, bake a potato or boil an egg.
> Janet US
>
We are being bombarded with ads on the TV for food+menu delivery
services such as: makegoodfood.ca
I can't see them being over successful yet as there is still high
unemployment in Calgary from the oil price crash.

On 11/4/2018 11:51 AM, graham wrote:
> On 2018-11-04 10:04 AM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
>> On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 08:58:30 -0500, Boron Elgar
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> On Sat, 03 Nov 2018 22:25:45 -0600, U.S. Janet B. >
>>> wrote:
>>
>> snip
>>>>>
>>>>> -sw
>>>> I saw it on the shelf last week. Not interested
>>>
>>> I've no home interest, of course, but convenience is in the eye of the
>>> beholder. A food-fussy child can be accommodated easily with something
>>> like this, and so can an office worker with a microwave or a student
>>> away at school or anyone whose talents lie beyond even the simple
>>> boiling of water. These people exist and since take-away meals are
>>> becoming such a large part of eating these days, the price comparisons
>>> do not look so insane.
>>>
>>
>> I've got time to cook it. I understand your point about convenience
>> but my feeling is that 'people' are losing something important when
>> they lose track of how to boil pasta, bake a potato or boil an egg.
>> Janet US
>>
> We are being bombarded with ads on the TV for food+menu delivery
> services such as: makegoodfood.ca
> I can't see them being over successful yet as there is still high
> unemployment in Calgary from the oil price crash.
>


Too much money trying to find a place to go.

On 2018-11-04 12:53 PM, Taxed and Spent wrote:
> On 11/4/2018 11:51 AM, graham wrote:
>> On 2018-11-04 10:04 AM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
>>> On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 08:58:30 -0500, Boron Elgar
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Sat, 03 Nov 2018 22:25:45 -0600, U.S. Janet B. >
>>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> snip
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -sw
>>>>> I saw it on the shelf last week.Â* Not interested
>>>>
>>>> I've no home interest, of course, but convenience is in the eye of the
>>>> beholder. A food-fussy child can be accommodated easily with something
>>>> like this, and so can an office worker with a microwave or a student
>>>> away at school or anyone whose talents lie beyond even the simple
>>>> boiling of water. These people exist and since take-away meals are
>>>> becoming such a large part of eating these days, the price comparisons
>>>> do not look so insane.
>>>>
>>>
>>> I've got time to cook it.Â* I understand your point about convenience
>>> but my feeling is that 'people' are losing something important when
>>> they lose track of how to boil pasta, bake a potato or boil an egg.
>>> Janet US
>>>
>> We are being bombarded with ads on the TV for food+menu delivery
>> services such as: makegoodfood.ca
>> I can't see them being over successful yet as there is still high
>> unemployment in Calgary from the oil price crash.
>>
>
>
> Too much money trying to find a place to go.
Or, in this case, the hope that someone has too much!

On Sun, 4 Nov 2018 08:21:09 -0800 (PST), John Kuthe wrote:

> On Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 10:17:12 AM UTC-6, Sqwertz wrote:
>> On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 10:11:49 -0500, Gary wrote:
>>
>>> Julie Bove wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I got a free package. I gave it away. I was told it wasn't very good.
>>>
>>> That's dumb. Your own tastes are very different from others. You
>>> might have loved it. At least the dog or the goat would have
>>> eaten it happily.
>>
>> Once she reads or hears something and makes that preconceived
>> decision something is yucky or evil, there's no changing it.
>
> Many seem that way, all over the planet!

Kinda like your notion that you're smarter than all of us and are
some sort of Grand and Invincible Environmental Steward.

-sw

On Sun, 4 Nov 2018 14:06:14 -0600, Sqwertz >
wrote:

>On Sun, 4 Nov 2018 08:21:09 -0800 (PST), John Kuthe wrote:
>
>> On Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 10:17:12 AM UTC-6, Sqwertz wrote:
>>> On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 10:11:49 -0500, Gary wrote:
>>>
>>>> Julie Bove wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> I got a free package. I gave it away. I was told it wasn't very good.
>>>>
>>>> That's dumb. Your own tastes are very different from others. You
>>>> might have loved it. At least the dog or the goat would have
>>>> eaten it happily.
>>>
>>> Once she reads or hears something and makes that preconceived
>>> decision something is yucky or evil, there's no changing it.
>>
>> Many seem that way, all over the planet!
>
>Kinda like your notion that you're smarter than all of us and are
>some sort of Grand and Invincible Environmental Steward.

Don't give him any ideas now.

On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 10:04:09 -0700, U.S. Janet B. >
wrote:

>On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 08:58:30 -0500, Boron Elgar
> wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 03 Nov 2018 22:25:45 -0600, U.S. Janet B. >
>>wrote:
>
>snip
>>>>
>>>>-sw
>>>I saw it on the shelf last week. Not interested
>>
>>I've no home interest, of course, but convenience is in the eye of the
>>beholder. A food-fussy child can be accommodated easily with something
>>like this, and so can an office worker with a microwave or a student
>>away at school or anyone whose talents lie beyond even the simple
>>boiling of water. These people exist and since take-away meals are
>>becoming such a large part of eating these days, the price comparisons
>>do not look so insane.
>>
>
>I've got time to cook it. I understand your point about convenience
>but my feeling is that 'people' are losing something important when
>they lose track of how to boil pasta, bake a potato or boil an egg.
>Janet US


Times change, people change - my grandmother's generation usually made
cakes from scratch, my mother's made them from mixes, now there are
microwave mug cakes. Still, people are out there making cakes.

I do not think cooking basics will be abandoned, just altered. I
don't usually boil eggs any more. I have a fabulous electric gadget
that makes them perfectly for me with no supervision at all.

When I grew up, no one I knew even baked potatoes in the oven. There
was a terrific stove-top thing to do them in. (wow, look at how pricey
the old $1.95 item is now.

https://www.houzz.com/products/conte.../pid=118981061

This is me, of course - very accepting of newer ways of doing things,
from electronics to kitchen toys. History sorts out the winners from
the losers. Food gets made, whether it is an old fashioned Sunday
roast or a sous vide tenderloin and all of that is fun. Think of it
this way...I have not kneaded bread in ages. New fangled stretch and
fold is so much more interesting, yet there are those who still swear
that 10 minutes of elbow grease with a lump of dough is the only way
to do it.

(you know, lol, the kinds of things I am not accepting of, natch)

>On Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 7:38:19 PM UTC-6, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>> On 11/3/2018 8:49 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
>> > The convenience food business is getting ridiculous while they test
>> > just how much lazy people are willing to pay for "convenience". I
>> > don't know how long these have been out, but I got a free package
>> > for buying some meatballs that I would have bought anyway. It's
>> > about 1/4lb of pasta cooked and packaged in a hermetically sealed
>> > bag.
>> >
>> > https://www.barilla.com/en-us/produc...sta?sort=alpha
>> >
>> > My store sells them for $1.68. Which comes out to $6.72/lb. Normal
>> > price for a pound of Barilla dried pasta is $1.25. So that's a 550%
>> > increase in price.
>> >
>> > Sheesh. I felt stupid jsut getting one for free.
>> >
>> > -sw
>> >
>>
>> Only way I could see buying that was if I wanted it for a lunch at work
>> where it is not easy to cook pasta. Usually I'd just bring it from home
>> as leftovers.

I have never and would never eat mystery meat meat-a-balles.
Takes no effort at all to grind meat and make meat-a-balles.
I'd not eat those things if they gave them to me for free.

wrote:
>> On Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 7:38:19 PM UTC-6, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>> On 11/3/2018 8:49 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
>>>> The convenience food business is getting ridiculous while they test
>>>> just how much lazy people are willing to pay for "convenience". I
>>>> don't know how long these have been out, but I got a free package
>>>> for buying some meatballs that I would have bought anyway. It's
>>>> about 1/4lb of pasta cooked and packaged in a hermetically sealed
>>>> bag.
>>>>
>>>> https://www.barilla.com/en-us/produc...sta?sort=alpha
>>>>
>>>> My store sells them for $1.68. Which comes out to $6.72/lb. Normal
>>>> price for a pound of Barilla dried pasta is $1.25. So that's a 550%
>>>> increase in price.
>>>>
>>>> Sheesh. I felt stupid jsut getting one for free.
>>>>
>>>> -sw
>>>>
>>>
>>> Only way I could see buying that was if I wanted it for a lunch at work
>>> where it is not easy to cook pasta. Usually I'd just bring it from home
>>> as leftovers.
>
> I have never and would never eat mystery meat meat-a-balles.
> Takes no effort at all to grind meat and make meat-a-balles.
> I'd not eat those things if they gave them to me for free.
>

Popeye, yoose could use them for butt plugs.

All yoose *** friends could come over and felch them out. Yoose'd like dat.

On 11/4/2018 5:51 PM, Hank Rogers wrote:
> wrote:
>>> On Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 7:38:19 PM UTC-6, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>>> On 11/3/2018 8:49 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
>>>>> The convenience food business is getting ridiculous while they test
>>>>> just how much lazy people are willing to pay for "convenience".Â* I
>>>>> don't know how long these have been out, but I got a free package
>>>>> for buying some meatballs that I would have bought anyway.Â* It's
>>>>> about 1/4lb of pasta cooked and packaged in a hermetically sealed
>>>>> bag.
>>>>>
>>>>> https://www.barilla.com/en-us/produc...sta?sort=alpha
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> My store sells them for $1.68.Â* Which comes out to $6.72/lb.Â* Normal
>>>>> price for a pound of Barilla dried pasta is $1.25.Â* So that's a 550%
>>>>> increase in price.
>>>>>
>>>>> Sheesh.Â* I felt stupid jsut getting one for free.
>>>>>
>>>>> -sw
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Only way I could see buying that was if I wanted it for a lunch at work
>>>> where it is not easy to cook pasta.Â* Usually I'd just bring it from
>>>> home
>>>> as leftovers.
>>
>> I have never and would never eat mystery meat meat-a-balles.
>> Takes no effort at all to grind meat and make meat-a-balles.
>> I'd not eat those things if they gave them to me for free.
>>
>
> Popeye, yoose could use them for butt plugs.
>
> All yoose *** friends couldÂ* come over and felch them out. Yoose'd like
> dat.
>
>
What sauce works best?

On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 16:18:33 -0500, wrote:


snip


>
>The one pasta I can no longer find is alphabets, I like them for soups
>but they seem to have disappeared. I think perhaps the dies are too
>expensive to maintain... after all there are 26 dies.

snip

I've told you before that if you want me to I would send you packages
of the alphabet pasta. However, alphabet pasta is available through
Amazon. 4 or 5 brands are available
Janet US

On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 16:07:59 -0500, Boron Elgar
> wrote:

>On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 10:04:09 -0700, U.S. Janet B. >
>wrote:
>
snip I
>don't usually boil eggs any more. I have a fabulous electric gadget
>that makes them perfectly for me with no supervision at all.
>

snip
good to know about the egg gadget. Have been thinking about it

U.S. JanetB., I have used both a Sunbeam electric egg cooker (8 hard boiled or soft-cooked at a time, or 4
your-choice poached eggs), which I believe is no longer manufactured, and an Oster, which I have
had, but it cooks fewer eggs. I have seen the Sunbeam on eBay, and am tempted to buy one of
the new ones there, just to have a back-up. I absolutely recommend it.

I have often recommended an egg cooker in this group, whenever people start arguing about the
best way to boil fresh eggs so they will peel easily. With one of these, fresh? No problem. I have
made 3 dozen deviled eggs for a casual after-the-honeymoon wedding reception in a couple hours.

N.

On Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 11:08:03 AM UTC-10, Boron Elgar wrote:
> On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 10:04:09 -0700, U.S. Janet B. >
> wrote:
>
> >On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 08:58:30 -0500, Boron Elgar
> > wrote:
> >
> >>On Sat, 03 Nov 2018 22:25:45 -0600, U.S. Janet B. >
> >>wrote:
> >
> >snip
> >>>>
> >>>>-sw
> >>>I saw it on the shelf last week. Not interested
> >>
> >>I've no home interest, of course, but convenience is in the eye of the
> >>beholder. A food-fussy child can be accommodated easily with something
> >>like this, and so can an office worker with a microwave or a student
> >>away at school or anyone whose talents lie beyond even the simple
> >>boiling of water. These people exist and since take-away meals are
> >>becoming such a large part of eating these days, the price comparisons
> >>do not look so insane.
> >>
> >
> >I've got time to cook it. I understand your point about convenience
> >but my feeling is that 'people' are losing something important when
> >they lose track of how to boil pasta, bake a potato or boil an egg.
> >Janet US
>
>
> Times change, people change - my grandmother's generation usually made
> cakes from scratch, my mother's made them from mixes, now there are
> microwave mug cakes. Still, people are out there making cakes.
>
> I do not think cooking basics will be abandoned, just altered. I
> don't usually boil eggs any more. I have a fabulous electric gadget
> that makes them perfectly for me with no supervision at all.
>
> When I grew up, no one I knew even baked potatoes in the oven. There
> was a terrific stove-top thing to do them in. (wow, look at how pricey
> the old $1.95 item is now.
>
> https://www.houzz.com/products/conte.../pid=118981061
>
> This is me, of course - very accepting of newer ways of doing things,
> from electronics to kitchen toys. History sorts out the winners from
> the losers. Food gets made, whether it is an old fashioned Sunday
> roast or a sous vide tenderloin and all of that is fun. Think of it
> this way...I have not kneaded bread in ages. New fangled stretch and
> fold is so much more interesting, yet there are those who still swear
> that 10 minutes of elbow grease with a lump of dough is the only way
> to do it.
>
> (you know, lol, the kinds of things I am not accepting of, natch)

My wife and daughter and I went to McDonalds today. The place had been renovated and it was a pretty good glimpse as to the corporate direction McDonald's wants to take in some locations. The joint was more upscale with dark colors and dramatic, high-intensity led lighting. They're copying the Starbucks' vibe.

There's more open seating with fewer booths, the chairs aren't fixed to the floor, and there's more individual seating. They might be open to people lingering in the restaurant. There were kiosks for ordering and paying. You select from the big screen what you want and then take a table tent with a number on it. They want to cut back on humans taking orders. This is going to be and important trend.

The front counter has been greatly shortened so any order for pickup has less room for holding. The front counter had a wide opening with no door. They are expecting people to wait at a table and have their food delivered to the table. It's a good idea. Now I don't have to hang around the pickup area listening and waiting for my number to get called. It was quite a relaxed experience. The old way was like cattle waiting to be fed.

On Sun, 4 Nov 2018 18:11:00 -0800 (PST), Nancy2
> wrote:

>
>U.S. JanetB., I have used both a Sunbeam electric egg cooker (8 hard boiled or soft-cooked at a time, or 4
>your-choice poached eggs), which I believe is no longer manufactured, and an Oster, which I have
>had, but it cooks fewer eggs. I have seen the Sunbeam on eBay, and am tempted to buy one of
>the new ones there, just to have a back-up. I absolutely recommend it.
>
>I have often recommended an egg cooker in this group, whenever people start arguing about the
>best way to boil fresh eggs so they will peel easily. With one of these, fresh? No problem. I have
>made 3 dozen deviled eggs for a casual after-the-honeymoon wedding reception in a couple hours.
>
>N.

thanks for the recommend
Janet US

On Sun, 4 Nov 2018 20:16:37 -0800 (PST), dsi1 >
wrote:

>My wife and daughter and I went to McDonalds today. The place had been renovated and it was a pretty good glimpse as to the corporate direction McDonald's wants to take in some locations. The joint was more upscale with dark colors and dramatic, high-intensity led lighting. They're copying the Starbucks' vibe.
>
>There's more open seating with fewer booths, the chairs aren't fixed to the floor, and there's more individual seating. They might be open to people lingering in the restaurant. There were kiosks for ordering and paying. You select from the big screen what you want and then take a table tent with a number on it. They want to cut back on humans taking orders. This is going to be and important trend.
>
>The front counter has been greatly shortened so any order for pickup has less room for holding. The front counter had a wide opening with no door. They are expecting people to wait at a table and have their food delivered to the table. It's a good idea. Now I don't have to hang around the pickup area listening and waiting for my number to get called. It was quite a relaxed experience. The old way was like cattle waiting to be fed.

You're reviewing everything except their food. Enough said.

On Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 5:12:53 AM UTC-10, Gary wrote:
> Pamela wrote:
> >
> > How can "ready pasta" be truly al dente? Ugh.
>
> It wouldn't be al dente at all but I laugh at this fascination
> about "al dente." I have absolutely no problem with soft pasta. I
> make my own pasta maybe half the time and best thing to do is
> cook it within an hour or so. The fresh pasta is still soft,
> cooks very quickly and certainly never al dente. It's the best in
> the universe and that's why I even bother to make it. The fresh
> taste and mouth feel is so much superior, imo.
>
> That dry pasta sold is mostly a stale mess. Takes long to cook
> just for rehydration. Get tired of waiting forever for it to
> cook? Just take it out early and proclaim you like al dente. No
> thanks.
>
> I use Mario Batalli's recipe for pasta and egg noodles. Very
> simple and very good fresh made.

I had some great noodles tonight. It's made by Sun Noodle and it's ramen type noodle. This stuff was sitting in the refrigerator for quite a while. My daughter had to ask me to inspect it for mold. There did not appear to be any. This stuff is fresh, refrigerated. noodles and requires only a couple of minutes to cook up. My daughter cooked them up perfectly - a skill that I did not know she had.

Sun Noodle only makes fresh noodles and they make the product for most of the ramen shops in Hawaii and certain parts of the mainland. If you can get your hands on some, you should grab it forthwith.

https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/04/...socks-off.html

"Pamela" > wrote in message
...
> On 01:00 4 Nov 2018, "Julie Bove" > wrote in
> news >
>>
>> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> The convenience food business is getting ridiculous while they test
>>> just how much lazy people are willing to pay for "convenience". I
>>> don't know how long these have been out, but I got a free package
>>> for buying some meatballs that I would have bought anyway. It's
>>> about 1/4lb of pasta cooked and packaged in a hermetically sealed
>>> bag.
>>>
>>> https://www.barilla.com/en-us/produc...e/ready-pasta?
>>> sort=alpha
>>>
>>> My store sells them for $1.68. Which comes out to $6.72/lb. Normal
>>> price for a pound of Barilla dried pasta is $1.25. So that's a 550%
>>> increase in price.
>>>
>>> Sheesh. I felt stupid jsut getting one for free.
>>
>> I got a free package. I gave it away. I was told it wasn't very good.
>
> How can "ready pasta" be truly al dente? Ugh.

I don't think it can. Then again, the average eater likely wouldn't know al
dente if it bit them!

"Gary" > wrote in message ...
> Julie Bove wrote:
>>
>> I got a free package. I gave it away. I was told it wasn't very good.
>
> That's dumb. Your own tastes are very different from others. You
> might have loved it. At least the dog or the goat would have
> eaten it happily.

I'm not big on pasta and I can't eat that brand as it may contain egg. And
the dog doesn't eat pasta unless it's rice pasta.

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 10:11:49 -0500, Gary wrote:
>
>> Julie Bove wrote:
>>>
>>> I got a free package. I gave it away. I was told it wasn't very good.
>>
>> That's dumb. Your own tastes are very different from others. You
>> might have loved it. At least the dog or the goat would have
>> eaten it happily.
>
> Once she reads or hears something and makes that preconceived
> decision something is yucky or evil, there's no changing it.

I don't like the no boil pasta or instant rice. I can't eat the Barilla
brand as it may contain egg.

On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 18:13:18 -0700, U.S. Janet B. >
wrote:

>On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 16:18:33 -0500, wrote:
>
>
>snip
>
>
>>
>>The one pasta I can no longer find is alphabets, I like them for soups
>>but they seem to have disappeared. I think perhaps the dies are too
>>expensive to maintain... after all there are 26 dies.
>
>snip
>
>I've told you before that if you want me to I would send you packages
>of the alphabet pasta. However, alphabet pasta is available through
>Amazon. 4 or 5 brands are available
>Janet US

I probably didn't see your post, I almost didn't see this one.
I ordered the Ronzoni from Amazon... Thank You.
You might be interested in seeing how the different pasta shapes are
made: https://www.dmaldariandsons.com/

We had one of those stovetop potato bakers.
A more realistic price:
https://www.amazon.com/Better-Housew...70_&dpSrc=srch


On Sun, 4 Nov 2018 20:16:37 -0800 (PST), dsi1 >
wrote:

>On Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 11:08:03 AM UTC-10, Boron Elgar wrote:
>> On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 10:04:09 -0700, U.S. Janet B. >
>> wrote:
>>
>> >On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 08:58:30 -0500, Boron Elgar
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >>On Sat, 03 Nov 2018 22:25:45 -0600, U.S. Janet B. >
>> >>wrote:
>> >
>> >snip
>> >>>>
>> >>>>-sw
>> >>>I saw it on the shelf last week. Not interested
>> >>
>> >>I've no home interest, of course, but convenience is in the eye of the
>> >>beholder. A food-fussy child can be accommodated easily with something
>> >>like this, and so can an office worker with a microwave or a student
>> >>away at school or anyone whose talents lie beyond even the simple
>> >>boiling of water. These people exist and since take-away meals are
>> >>becoming such a large part of eating these days, the price comparisons
>> >>do not look so insane.
>> >>
>> >
>> >I've got time to cook it. I understand your point about convenience
>> >but my feeling is that 'people' are losing something important when
>> >they lose track of how to boil pasta, bake a potato or boil an egg.
>> >Janet US
>>
>>
>> Times change, people change - my grandmother's generation usually made
>> cakes from scratch, my mother's made them from mixes, now there are
>> microwave mug cakes. Still, people are out there making cakes.
>>
>> I do not think cooking basics will be abandoned, just altered. I
>> don't usually boil eggs any more. I have a fabulous electric gadget
>> that makes them perfectly for me with no supervision at all.
>>
>> When I grew up, no one I knew even baked potatoes in the oven. There
>> was a terrific stove-top thing to do them in. (wow, look at how pricey
>> the old $1.95 item is now.
>>
>> https://www.houzz.com/products/conte.../pid=118981061
>>
>> This is me, of course - very accepting of newer ways of doing things,
>> from electronics to kitchen toys. History sorts out the winners from
>> the losers. Food gets made, whether it is an old fashioned Sunday
>> roast or a sous vide tenderloin and all of that is fun. Think of it
>> this way...I have not kneaded bread in ages. New fangled stretch and
>> fold is so much more interesting, yet there are those who still swear
>> that 10 minutes of elbow grease with a lump of dough is the only way
>> to do it.
>>
>> (you know, lol, the kinds of things I am not accepting of, natch)
>
>My wife and daughter and I went to McDonalds today. The place had been renovated and it was a pretty good glimpse as to the corporate direction McDonald's wants to take in some locations. The joint was more upscale with dark colors and dramatic, high-intensity led lighting. They're copying the Starbucks' vibe.
>
>There's more open seating with fewer booths, the chairs aren't fixed to the floor, and there's more individual seating. They might be open to people lingering in the restaurant. There were kiosks for ordering and paying. You select from the big screen what you want and then take a table tent with a number on it. They want to cut back on humans taking orders. This is going to be and important trend.
>
>The front counter has been greatly shortened so any order for pickup has less room for holding. The front counter had a wide opening with no door. They are expecting people to wait at a table and have their food delivered to the table. It's a good idea. Now I don't have to hang around the pickup area listening and waiting for my number to get called. It was quite a relaxed experience. The old way was like cattle waiting to be fed.

On Sun, 4 Nov 2018 21:48:00 -0800 (PST), dsi1 >
wrote:

>
>I had some great noodles tonight. It's made by Sun Noodle and it's ramen type noodle. This stuff was sitting in the refrigerator for quite a while. My daughter had to ask me to inspect it for mold. There did not appear to be any. This stuff is fresh, refrigerated. noodles and requires only a couple of minutes to cook up. My daughter cooked them up perfectly - a skill that I did not know she had.
>
>Sun Noodle only makes fresh noodles and they make the product for most of the ramen shops in Hawaii and certain parts of the mainland. If you can get your hands on some, you should grab it forthwith.
>
>https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/04/...socks-off.html

An acquaintance worked for Sun Noodles for years and had only praise
for them.

They are international suppliers and our friend traveled all over the
world for them.