Anticlimax: Raw Milk Event Postponed

I was all ready.  I was set.  I was going to cover the Raw Milk Event for two blogs.  Two!  (Since my paleo-lifestyle posts here at C of P usually get cross-posted to Modern Paleo.)

Today having been primarily a work-from-home-in-an-old-comfy-t-shirt type of day, I had gone upstairs and had a brief wardrobe crisis due to lack of clean laundry (I almost tweeted "What does one wear to a Raw Milk Event?" but thought better of it).  I didn't just want to show up in a shlumpy old t-shirt, if I was going to be a Reporter On The Scene.  I settled on my red shirt since it was clean festive and I was going to a Cinco de Mayo thing afterward.  Then I found my camera, composed my list of questions, in case I forgot when I got there, and finally made it out the door for the 3-minute drive over to Figueroa Produce.

Upon arrival, I got rock star parking.  Normally this would be seen as a Good Thing, but my immediate thought was more along the lines that this didn't particularly bode well as an indicator of strong attendance for the event. They weren't exactly lined up down the sidewalk or anything.  I only tweeted this thing about a million times - where was everybody?

Then I saw it: there was a sign on the door.  "Event canceled, we hope to reschedule soon."  I had to read it like 5 times.  Apparently Organic Pastures had canceled that morning.  Wanting a better explanation of some kind, I went on in anyway, and, not seeing any of the owners hanging around the front area, headed back to the meat department.

I figured that if there wasn't going to be any raw milk sampling or raw milk information to be consumed, then I might as well gaze at the beautiful grass-fed beef in all it's glorious array.

Rick, the chief butcher peopleguy, was there.  We chatted and he didn't seem to know much about the Raw Milk Event or why it had been canceled.  By now, my disappointment was sinking in.  I had been really excited to take pictures of the Raw Milk peopleguy in action, and check out the sample table, and explain in a really cool voice that I was covering the event for my blog (two blogs, actually).

I decided that some retail therapy was in order, of the grass-fed kind!

I checked over the meat in the case and there was a fantastic, thick chunk of gleaming red meat right there, calling to me.  "What's that one?" I asked.

"Chuck" said Rick.

"Will you grind it for me?"  I asked.

"Sure, no problem!" he answered.

That piece turned out to be 3 1/2 pounds, which was a little much.  The piece next to it was only just over 2 lbs. and I settled for that instead.

He put it in the grinder.  My gloom lifted as I watched it emerge from the nozzle.  He expertly caught the whole mass of it with one hand, and put it back through a second time before he bagged it up and put the sticker on it and I was on my way.

I got home and pulled off a small hunk of the freshly ground chuck, salted it, and popped it into my mouth.  I've always liked my beef rare, but I'm beginning to think that cooking it at all pretty much ruins it.  (Plus it's a lot easier to eat this way when you've recently had a tooth pulled, which is my case.)

I guess if my big event for today isn't raw milk, the next best thing is a little raw grass-fed chuck.  I'm still a little disappointed, but what can you do?  Stay tuned for future updates...

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, they are looking to hire a part-time butcher peopleguy, experienced only.  If that's you, call Anthony, Luis, or Ruben at Figueroa Produce at 323-255-3663.