Shortages Real and Feared

[gkelly]

When my brother was an infant/toddler he could do that. I remember once he was eating chicken soup -- swallowed the broth and the vegetables and spit out the chunks of chicken.

 

[hanca]

I don't like turkey at all -- on Thanksgiving I generally eat a drumstick mostly because it has the most crispy skin.

Next week will be just my husband and me, and we're planning to make an assortment of side dishes and a cheese plate. Stuffing, cranberry sauce (for him), baked cinnamon apples, sweet potatoes, maybe some asparagus.

UK’s Christmas meal is turkey, my birth country’s Christmas meal is carp. I don’t dislike turkey, but I do find it boring and bland. I do hate carp with passion. So we replaced both meals with duck and with lamb. Not very traditional, but at least we enjoy it more.

 

[Japanfan]

Mine is based on my departed beloved grandmother's recipe, which was celery and onion softened in a ton of butter then mixed into oven-toasted white bread cubes, then a few eggs beaten with sage, salt and pepper mixed in.

You are not the only person to mention using eggs in stuffing.

It has never occurred to me to use eggs in a stuffing - especially since mine has sausage and chestnut, to go with a heavy turkey/protein meal.

What exactly do the eggs add to the stuffing?

 

[clairecloutier]

What exactly do the eggs add to the stuffing?

Moisture, and I would assume coagulating properties to help the stuffing have a custardy mouthfeel.

I’ll have to check, but I think my traditional bread stuffing recipe includes eggs.

 

[Japanfan]

Moisture, and I would assume coagulating properties to help the stuffing have a custardy mouthfeel.

I’ll have to check, but I think my traditional bread stuffing recipe includes eggs.

My egg-less stuffing is always moist - I use chicken stock as needed, and the sausages and cornbread I use are always moist.

And I don't know why anyone would want a custardy mouthfeel with with stuffing. It's a savory stuffing, not a custard. I don't see any relationship between the two dishes. It doesn't make sense - like putting a sweetener on a steak to give it sweet mouthfeel makes no sense.

 

[clairecloutier]

Well, first of all, there is such a thing as savory custards, so it's not like custards are exclusively sweet. Secondly, what I mean by custardy mouthfeel is that sort of moist clingy feel that you get with, say, the inside of French toast, which is obviously bready, but also somewhat custardy. When you think about it, traditional bread stuffing is basically a lot like bread pudding, except one is sweet and one is savory. Bread pudding usually includes a couple eggs, so it doesn't seem so odd that bread stuffing might either.

 

[once_upon]

It seems when people couldn't get smaller turkeys, or turkey breasts, they went to roasting chickens. I had ordered a roasting chicken but got a fryer chicken.

I researched the difference, it seems the only difference is the poundage and age. Roasting chickens usually 4-6 pounds, Fryer chickens 3-4. Guess I got the right size.

I also got a boneless turkey breast - just not my preferred brand, but we will have turkey and left overs for Thanksgiving.

I guess I should think about if I want ham or prime rib for Christmas. We may just have things like cheese/sausage/crackers, spinach artichoke dip/bread or chips and similar stuff for New Years.

 

[Lizziebeth]

I found some fresh bone in turkey breast and bought the smallest one they had. Just checked and it weighs 4 lbs. This is good because we will not have to eat turkey for a week. I hope it's good.

 

[Aceon6]

I found some fresh bone in turkey breast and bought the smallest one they had. Just checked and it weighs 4 lbs. This is good because we will not have to eat turkey for a week. I hope it's good.

The butcher advised us to get a whole breast of about 8 lbs and freeze half. Given the convolutions he’s gone through to get breast, small turkeys and duck, he’s concerned that there may be fewer choices at Christmas.

 

[rfisher]

I picked up an order from Walmart today. I had to wait almost 20 minutes because they were so busy. The guy who brought the order out to the car said it was lucky I'd ordered toilet paper and paper towels early because the shelf stocks were gone. Today gone. I got everything on my order, but glad I did it today and not later in the week.

 

[once_upon]

The butcher advised us to get a whole breast of about 8 lbs and freeze half. Given the convolutions he’s gone through to get breast, small turkeys and duck, he’s concerned that there may be fewer choices at Christmas.

I just looked at our butcher's web page. It looks like they still have ham, prime rib and limited turkey. I guess I need to figure out if we can Tertris the freezer to purchase some soon.

 

[Parsley Sage]

I don't know what my family is doing for Christmas but I bought a turkey breast yesterday and put it in the freezer for Christmas.

 

[Jenny]

Moisture, and I would assume coagulating properties to help the stuffing have a custardy mouthfeel.

Bingo. And it's not like a dessert custard at all, it's more like the interior of french toast or a Yorkshire pudding, only there's not a centre to this thing. It's 1-2 eggs for an entire loaf of bread.

Plus I learned to make it from my beloved grandmother who passed away some years ago, so you're not allowed to question it

 

[Susan1]

I remember a For Better or Worse comic once years ago, where Farley the dog was eating the family’s leftovers, and was spitting the peas out. After he was done, his bowl was empty and the peas were scattered on the floor around the bowl.

My cousin Lynn had to take her dog to the vet this morning (and wait in the car!), and one thought led to another (I took Sadie with me to the printer to get our skating dress company brochures the day after Thanksgiving because I was getting her nails cut at the vet after I got back from the rink and the printer was closing early and they said to bring her with me!) - https://fborfw.com/strip_fix/strips/15/fb151004.jpg

 

[BaileyCatts]

I don't have to go to the store very often since I'm just me, but why don't they ever have chocolate chip ice cream when I go to the store! Like none at all, not in any brand, cause believe me I look. There ain't never no chocolate chip ice cream and hasn't been since this whole thing started. At least not when I go to the store there ain't none there. I want chocolate chip ice cream. .

 

[Aceon6]

@BaileyCatts They rarely have DH's favorites and mine at the same time. I spoke to the frozen food manager and he said that many of the big producers cut back production. I guess it's similar to what happened with soda... the most popular items are available, but if your looking for diet, caffeine free, your choices are limited.

 

[once_upon]

@Aceon6 that explains why there is hit and miss availability for the low sugar ice cream that my husband eats.

My grocery store has implemented limits on paper products and some meat products again. I'm thinking they are doing this to avoid the hoarding that led to major shortages in the spring.

 

[KCC]

I haven't been able to find rice for a long time. They have the high-priced fancy stuff, but not the generic long-grain rice that we tend to use.

 

[meggonzo]

@BaileyCatts They rarely have DH's favorites and mine at the same time. I spoke to the frozen food manager and he said that many of the big producers cut back production. I guess it's similar to what happened with soda... the most popular items are available, but if your looking for diet, caffeine free, your choices are limited.

I always see caffeine free diet coke! I could probably start a small business by shipping it to FSUers.

 

[Parsley Sage]

Butter seems to be a bit scarce in my area.

 

[spinZZ]

I haven't been able to find rice for a long time. They have the high-priced fancy stuff, but not the generic long-grain rice that we tend to use.

If you have an Asian foods market near you, try that. Usually a lot cheaper than the supermarkets. Minimum package size is typically 10 lbs, though.

 

[spinZZ]

Interesting scenario at Costco on Tues. Cases and cases of bottled water piled high and deep. Lots of hand sanitizer, liquid hand soap, and disinfectant wipes. The health supplies aisle even had a good supply of bottles of isopropyl alcohol and alcohol pads. Except for one occasion in Aug when a guy had just unpacked a case of bottles of alcohol, I haven't seen bottles of alcohol or alcohol pads since Feb.

Different story at paper goods. Not totally bare, but only a few packs of their regular brands; instead of the mountains that they have during normal times. Costco also appears to have diversified their supply chain: some paper goods made from bamboo, and some paper goods packaged for the commercial market, rather than for the residential market. Fortunately, I had stocked up on my regular brands when there was a good supply Aug - Oct.

I figured this week would be a lull after the Thanksgiving crush and before the Christmas crush. Kudos to Costco for maintaining early senior-citizen hours. No problems. I have a feeling that my state (NJ) will issue an advisory stay-at-home warning soon.

 

[Aceon6]

I can’t find 1 or 2 liter diet ginger ale anywhere. My stores have 8 oz cans or 12 oz cans, but nothing in bottles. I see the opposite with DH’s Pepsi, bottles but no cans. I know I’m spoiled, but I’m really looking forward to a time when everything on my list is there when I shop.

 

[Prancer]

Butter seems to be a bit scarce in my area.

Butter comes and goes here--plenty one week, almost none a couple of weeks later.

 

[Jenny]

The thing I can't get is a block of parmesan cheese. For the past few months it's either showing as out of stock or when it says it's available, it doesn't come. Haven't had any other issues since May thankfully.

 

[MacMadame]

We now have 3 cans of Mixed Nuts. We order Deluxe Mixed Nuts (no peanuts) but get mixed nuts (includes peanuts). Mr. Mac is fine with the mixed nuts but I don't like peanuts that much.

 

[spinZZ]

We now have 3 cans of Mixed Nuts. We order Deluxe Mixed Nuts (no peanuts) but get mixed nuts (includes peanuts). Mr. Mac is fine with the mixed nuts but I don't like peanuts that much.

Some brands of mixed nuts are real ripoffs: they're 50% or more peanuts. Nuts have become a major part of my diet for various health-related reasons. I buy separate packages of different nuts and make individual servings of mixed nuts. If you try to make a big batch of mixed nuts, they settle unevenly and don't stay mixed uniformly.

 

[myhoneyhoney]

I finally found a bottle of Tilex. Hallelujah!!

 

[AxelAnnie]

Well this was unexpected. I need a refill on an anti-depressant that I have been taking for years.
My pharmacy said they did not have any and could not get any. I called three other pharmacies...same story.

I found a website on line that lists medications and their availability. There is no branded Zoloft in the entire USA.

Remember reading that tons of people have started taking anti-depressants because of *********? Somebody has my pills!

Thank goodness for Canada and online pharmacies!

Zoloft btw is not something you can just stop. Bad side affects.

 

[Debbie S]

Paper towels have become increasingly scarce in my area. I have 1 roll left so was getting a bit worried. But today, I found them at Staples, of all places. (I went there for a spiral notebook. ) They had some cleaning products but no bathroom cleaner, alas.

Small grocery (not big box) had no plum/roma tomatoes and very few melons today, but not sure if it's YKW-related or delivery was just delayed.