Want a devastatingly good burger? (Of course you do.) First read this, which teases out literary meat porn over five pages. The article focuses on a New York City meat supplier that provides many of Manhattan's greatest burgers. It's great stuff, and re-reading it this morning has solidified my dinner plans for this evening.
Why do you care about meat suppliers and burgers more than 1,500 miles away, written in an article that's more than a year old? For one, it explains why some restaurants can get away with charging more than $20 for what was originally considered a pedestrian menu item. It also illustrates how some serious burgermeisters devote an inordinate amount of time to their craft, determining custom blends of brisket, rib eye, short rib and other cuts of meat for exclusive burgers at restaurants.
And finally: You care because you can now eat a LaFrieda burger right in your own home.
LaFrieda Meat Purveyors has made many of their offerings available for sale over the internet. Customers can purchase lamb, pork, beef and custom blend burgers similar to those featured in many New York City restaurants with a click of the mouse.
The fresh shipment method adds $29 to an already high cost of $21 for four 6 oz patties, but it avoids the flavor loss involved in freezing meat. That works out to twelve bucks a burger delivered to your door, and you still have to buy buns, toppings, and cook.
New York Magazine asked Mark Pastore, a partner in the business, why he was building a second facility in new Jersey.
"We're building that to accommodate our existing customers." He added that while the company may need to hire a few more people to work the phones, it has no intention of hiring a sales staff. "I'm married to this business," Mark said. "I personally know everyone we serve, and I always will."
Looks like they caught the meat marketer in a misstep. I somehow doubt I'll ever get to know Mark Pastore, but I'm still pretty tempted, and I might get to know his burger really soon.
