Thursday, September 29, 2011

Upstate Adventures, Part II: They Will Smoke Your Hand- Fun Times in Albany and Oscar's Smokehouse

Onto the second leg of our journey. This place definitely needs it's own post, not only because my friend Mav has been waiting for this post all month. Not only because out of the many pictures The Fisherman and I took, I could only whittle it down to more than twenty pictures. Not even because it is beloved by Rachel Ray. Seriously, watch an episode that requires bacon, you'll see the blue and white package. Yep, that there is Oscar's Smokehouse's famed bacon. That's why they need their own post, they are that awesome!!

Anyway, I dedicate this to my friend, sister in The Great White North, and unofficial possessor of New Yawk City Ass Kicking Street cred, Mav. Thanks for being such an awesome friend all these years (sheeesh, 8 years I believe), and for taking me and the Fisherman on a tour of the lovely Saratoga region. 

Enough mushiness, onto meatier matters, ha!

WE'RE HERE!!

 
Our destination!! The pigs, they speak to me!


Where all the magic happens, the smoke house!


Smoked cheeses. I love smoked foods, I lurve cheese. Smoked cheese, AWWWWWW YEAAAH!


List of delights. The Fisherman and I got the elk sausage, we haven't tried it yet. We shall keep you posted.


More deliciousness!


Praying at the altar...I mean, placing their orders...


Refrigerator of glory!


Cheeses save!! Preferably those with bacon.


Spread 'em! I didn't get any cheese spreads because I'd forgo the crackers anyway...


This semi-Polish girl loves her kielbasa (as does The Fisherman)


Petite ham (means a lady can carry it in her purse, since it's petite)


Chocolate piggies *squee*


Peppermint pigsy dust, delightful


Why the peppermint pig stuff, a primer here


Chocolate covered bacon (I hate to admit this, but I think there should have been more bacon rather than more chocolate. Blasphemous I know!)


The famous bacon!


Tapping my inner Paula Deen. Hey y'all!


When pigs fly indeed!

Our cooler with our booty


Our spoils, spread out (we even got treats for my doggies!!)


All in all, Oscar's is one of those scenarios where you ask yourself, "Is it worth it to pay more for something that is better quality, but I get less of it?" For some people, quality isn't an issue, or it's outside of their price range. 

While I'm hardly at the level to go CSA, farmers market and snub my nose at the sub-par quality of most grocery store items, I do think it's a good idea to work towards the "less is more" attitude, where you spend the money on good quality ingredients and food, you just buy and eat less of it. Especially when it comes to the calorie and energy needed foods like meat and dairy. Eat less but better stuff. And you waste less too! No letting food spoil!! As a wise relative and blogger once wrote "you spend one year in Purgatory for every crumb of bread you waste."

Next, the last leg of our Upstate adventure, a lovely trip to a chocolate shop I couldn't walk past if it were located in New York City

2 comments:

  1. Oh man, this place looks like it definitely goes in the "splurge when you can" category. Bonus: the pics of you on the pig are adorable.

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  2. Actually it wasn't terribly expensive. I spent $60 on my haul. I don't remember what The Fisherman bought, it was all mixed together. But, if you look at how much food, especially meat, costs, it's worth the little extra. I'm working towards that "less is more," but I'm not quite there yet.

    The pig was awesome. The Fisherman was being shy so I had to. Totally worth it! If only I had my pink cowboy hat from Bass Pro Shop!

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