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Things are winding down at the Hyde Park Co-Op and the other day everything in the store was marked down to 40% off. I visited in the evening so things were pretty well picked over but I spent a fascinating hour looking at all the unwanted foods that nobody would touch even at dramatically reduced prices.



















Me? I stocked up on Vigo hearts of palm ($0.59), Aunt Nellie's corn relish ($1.30), Tony Packo's hot dog sauce ($1.83) and Deutz brut ($23.99).

I love this post, Rene! I can't wait to hear what you whip up with the hearts of palm and hot dog sauce. I'll join you at the Treasure Island next month.

I think you just made Gary's month.

What a beautiful concept for a photo essay (and that's a hell of a price for a six pack of prune juice).

Hammond

Hey, that's great! Did you leave any for the rest of us? I might have to make a run.

Looks like Coach Ditka's stock has really plummeted. Did they have any of his wine? I can't say that I've ever been tempted to try it, but it might be better than the cherry schnapps.

...and Holy Crap, that's a bottle of Old Krupnik!

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krupnik)

The drunkest I've ever been in my life combined that with quite a few other potables (and caviar, and Georgian cheese bread). I might have to snap it up just for old times' sake.

Thanks. It could make for a good Iron Chef: have the contestants shop at the Co-Op closing sale, then prepare dinner. I'm with you in being thankful it won't become a Dominick's.


I have to say my opinion of Hyde Parkers went up a bit seeing that they refused to buy some of this crap even at low prices.


Thanks. Shall I get you a six pack or two and perhaps a jug of Clamato?


There were about 20 bottles of Deutz left at the end of Wednesday but I don't know what the current supply is.


Yeah, the Ditka salsas didn't seem to be moving at all. There was no Ditka wine. I never had any interest in it but might have considered a bottle at 40% off.


I came very close to buying that bottle but decided against it. If you get it you can make yourself a Busy Bee Stinger: "Brandy and white crème de menthe with just a dash of Krupnik for the taste of honey." That was the signature cocktail at the great and much missed Busy Bee in Wicker Park.

Kind of you to offer. We've actually had a jug of Clamato in the back-up refrigerator for about three years. Somehow, we never find opportunity to crack it.

Hammond,

Here you go, the highest and best use of Clamato, RevrendAndy's Bloody Mary recipe. One sip of these and you will be buying Clamato by the case.

Enjoy,
Gary

=-=-=-

Bloody Mary
Andy Bloom

6 Servings

1 32 ounce jar Clamato juice
5 Shakes Celery Salt
10 Grinds Fresh Black Pepper
5 Shakes Dill Weed
5 Shakes Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco or Louisiana Hot sauce to taste
2 jalapenos, Sliced in half and seeded
1 750 ml. bottle vodka
1 lemon, Cut in wedges

Mix first 6 ingredients and let sit 24 to 48 hours.
Add Jalapenos to the vodka and let sit for 24 to 48 hours.
Strain Vodka.
Fill a glass with ice and add Clamato mixture and vodka.
Squeeze a lemon wedge in each drink and add more hot sauce if desired.
If you wish garnish with pickled vegetable of your choice.

True....

Though I will admit to an occasional, very occasional, fondness for canned menudo, which is what I'd guess the cans of La Preferida Beef Tripe Stew are.

Terrific photo sequence, lots of fun to scroll through.

Enjoy,
Gary

I think I remember those Lilek-like cans of Prairie Belt sausage turning up in Mike's Strack & Van Til photo essay too. Someone must not be afraid of it! (That someone is not me.)

I can't believe nobody is buying the Dr. McGillicuddy's!?
Not only will it get you really hammered, you'll have fresh breath.

GWiv, thanks for the Bloody Mary recipe. We have all the ingredients (except for the jalapenos), so this seems the appropriate way to deploy our aged Clamato.

I bet Clamato is also really good with cheap beer. Why is no one snatching up the Galliano?

And what the sweet hell is Wham? Answer? This.

I love that the fake ham is certified kosher (dairy)

One time I climbed aboard an El train only to find one of the seats occupied by an empty can of Prairie Belt sausage, with a plastic spoon in it. Riders carefully skirted those seats, preferring to stand.

I see a jar of Hell on the Red salsa! Mustn't be any homesick native Texans shopping there.

Clamato is VERY big up here in French Canadia. The local Costcos (a new one just opened, making it Montreal's *eighth*) can't hardly keep it in stock. I think the usage is pretty close to Gary's recipe.

And what about that Velveeta?? Man, I'd scoop THAT up, a necessity in Mac 'n Cheese.

Someone mentioned the Busy Bee. Is/Was that the old timey Polish restaurant somewhere under the el? Famous for congregating politicians and etc? I ate there oncet and enjoyed myself. If memory serves it was about 15 mins on a 10 o'clock vector from the loop. That's all that I remember about how to get there on the el.

Geo

Thanks, Rene, it's good to know where I can get a deal on canned quail eggs and Cheez Whiz.

I believe the alternate name for the Bloody Mary made with Clamato is a Bloody Ceasar. That is how my former colleagues in Toronto referred to it. Yes the late lamented Busy Bee was under the EL at North Milwaukee and Damen. Last I remember a place called the Blue Line was in the space.

I stopped at the Co-Op on its last day to see what was left. The remaining stock had been consolidated in two sparse aisles. No more liquid smoke, the quail eggs and jackfruit had been snapped up, all the booze was long gone and even the Wham had found a taker. In fact everything in my previous pictures had been sold with one exception.

Hi,

You can often find Emeril products at Odd Lots.

I have to admit to having a can of quail eggs on my shelf for several years. The more I think about it, the less appealing that impulse buy now seems.

Regards,

That Great Northern Steak Sauce is very good if you add it to a pot roast along with some Maggi and a bay leaf. That's how my Ma used to make it.

I still maintain that BV's is great stuff - I always have a bottle on hand...but it hardly seems worth the $5 of gas from Evanston to go down there and snap it up; I don't think it's much more at the Jewel!

I will never know what posessed me to pick up my first unassuming-looking bottle...

Tangent: This reminds me of the late, great, low-brow "Gordon Elliot's Doorknock Dinners" on the Food Network. Accompanied by Aussie giant Elliot, a professional chef (in one case Morimoto himself) would knock on the door of a random house and make dinner using only the ingredients on hand in the host's kitchen. My larder is a bit thin at the moment due to limited space, but I have to say I was shocked at the dearth of basic ingredients in most of the households. What was even more shocking, though, was the predominance of convenience foods.



In light of the photographic evidence presented here, I have been forced to reconsider my earlier post. Perhaps it's not the disconnect between "Ditka" and "salsa" concepts. I think that, for a bargain, one could get over that barrier. Instead, it might be that Hyde Parkers still love Mike Ditka after all these years. Feeling as they do, his loyal fans just can't support the humiliation of seeing the Coach out of his football helmet, improbably gussied up in a giant sombrero. (Note that the logo on his wines features his brushed up buzz cut.)

WBEZ ran a segment this morning about the Hyde Park Co-op, in which it was billed as "the Southside version of Lambeau Field, minus Brett Favre."

More support for my hypothesis about the penetration of sports analogies into the Mind of the Consumer. It's not just about Gatorade, folks.

Ewww. It reminds me of my eye-gouging days working at Hinsdale Hospital, the mind-numbingly boring job that went unrelieved by the cafeteria offerings - strictly vegan, which meant menu after uncreative menu of "turkey-like" sandwiches and "beef-like" stew.

I shudder at the memory. Thank god vegan cooking has come further along. I'm sure Wham! was in their steam table at some point.

However, Meatless Wham! is a great name for a band, am I right?