Foodie F-Rants: Whole Foods Union Square

In my futile search for pork butt to make my tomato sauce, I was unable to locate any at my local Food Emporium or D'Agostino. A trip to Gristede's would be a walk on the sanitary wild side and I knew that the Garden of Eden did not carry this cut of meat either.

That being said, I wound up in the scariest, most dreaded place in Manhattan: the Union Square Whole Foods. I have never understood the draw of this supermarket.

It is small, expensive and if you are looking for natural, organic products you are half a block away from the best Greenmarket in the city, so what gives?

Unfortunately, I did find my pork butt here; along with a co-worker of mine shopping for his boyfriend's birthday celebration and coincidentally purchasing pork butt. Unfortunately the fun and friendliness ended there! After waiting in line ten minutes for one of the four butchers on staff to help me, I finally managed to wedge myself through the crowds, pork in hand, and made my way towards the checkout. The frenzy downstairs was only surpassed by the frenzy upstairs!
And just when I thought I was safely stuffed in the ridiculously long checkout line, the woman behind me started screaming at me! Apparently, the line snaked around two prepared food islands! I apologized to the freak and calmly let her know that I was unaware of the line and wasn't trying to "cut". Is there such a thing as "Supermarket-Rage"?

Safely out of harm's way, I patiently waited with my pork, debating how critical it was to my dish. I also found myself wondering why is this particular supermarket all that? I have made two trips here and I do not think there prepared foods or produce are any better than anything you can get elsewhere and twice as expensive.

Enlighten me, people, enlighten me!

Rock me Vacqueyras

It has been a bit of dull week on the culinary front. Basically, I'm more determined this week to eat my way through my freezer and cabinets than to hit new culinary heights.

Tonight's dinner was simple; some puttanesca sauce (which yesterday found it's way on top of some roughy from Trader Joe's) over a sauteed chicken breast with roasted well-seasoned winter squash. Quick. Easy. Healthy.

The one thing that can elevate an otherwise ho-hum weeknight dinner is a great glass of wine.

Tonight's wine was a 2004 Vacqueyras from Domain de Montvac ($15) purchased at Crush when the Boston girls came to town. This type wine was one of my favorites on our journey through France and I found it full and well rounded. You can taste the terroir and one sip and it brings me back to our amazing French culinary adventure.

A simple way to make the "ordinary extraordinary"! (thanks Michael Chiarello!)