The Good Stuff and Some Bad News

Wow there’s been a lot going on in the last few days. To top it all off I’m off to Providence for the better part of this week with the fussy little children in tow. This Wednesday is already time for another Ask the Profussor, and I still want to weigh in on my picks in the Metroland poll before it closes.

So I have to squeeze a lot of things in today’s post. Because there is one local area restaurant that is doing something amazing, I’m going to file all of this under “The Good Stuff.” It has been far too long since I’ve highlighted a local business for doing good by doing right. And today I’m pleased as punch to share some news from More Perreca’s.

There is other news too. Some of it is good. But some of it is really really bad. First the good stuff.

More Perreca’s Puts Local Grass Fed Beef on the Menu
Lacking a proper press release, and for the sake of expediency, I have taken the liberty of copying and pasting the below directly from Perreca’s Facebook page:

MORE Perreca’s has teamed with local farmer, Buckley Beef to offer our customers an exceptional Grass Fed Beef experience. Our new dinner menu features a Grass Fed Beef Meatloaf Wrapped in Bacon.

Buckley Beef’s Grass Fed Beef is LOCAL, USDA-inspected, lowerin fat and higher in protein, vitamin E and other omega 3s than conventional, grain-fed beef.

Perreca’s loves Buckley Beef because is it healthy, lean and full of flavor. We also love the fact that they practice sustainable farming methods to produce their all-natural beef.

You may have seen my love for this Schenectady Italian restaurant’s eggs in purgatory, but now all of a sudden there is a lot more to love. Can’t wait to give this a try once my diet is over in a few weeks.

Maker’s Mark Will Leave Their Burbon Well the F*ck Alone
File this under the good news category too. After intense public pressure from teh internets the corporate big wigs at Maker’s Mark realized that maybe it may not be a great idea to water down their classic and beloved product while keeping the same name, packaging and price.

Yep. Maker’s is going to stay the same.

Never let it be said that complaining on Facebook and Twitter is a useless endeavor. Sometimes it can work to save a brand from itself. If you want to read the story on the AP, it’s here.

If You Buy Pre-Washed Spinach You Could Be In Peril
I really didn’t want to include any bad news today, but I felt like it would be irresponsible not to warn people about the E. coli recall that is affecting spinach distributed to most U.S. states. The details are here.

If I can get up on my soapbox for just a minute, it still astounds me how many people put raw spinach into a smoothie and think nothing of it. Look, I eat unsafe food all the time. You can pry my rare burger away from cold dead hands. But I’m well aware of the risks. Some things are totally worth it. For me raw fluid dairy is not, raw milk cheeses totally are, rare meat is, and raw spinach totally isn’t.

Mahars is Dead, Long Live Mahars
Yesterday was the last day for Mahars in Albany. It’s a sad day for many. But there is no reason it needs to be missed. There is another Mahars in Castleton. Yes, it means you have to drive there. But I had to drive to Mahars in Albany. This one at least has ample parking as Castleton is pretty much a ghost town except for the Stewart’s across the street from this better version of the Albany original.

That’s right, I said better. Comfy chairs, more seating, plenty of books, and open at noon seven days a week. Plus it’s right on the river.

Castleton is only a 20 minute drive from Albany, which makes this location albeit further no less convenient than its former Albany cousin. So no whining. They have the same computer and printouts there. And it’s amazing how when you sit down to ponder that beer list how much the place feels like Mahars, even though it may look a little different inside.

Okay. That’s it. Next stop Providence.