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So, fish and rice? You can find those anywhere. If you're really into Asian food, you can easily find ponzu, mirin, sesame oil, etc. Heck, I have char siu and soy sauce in the cabinet. Tempura "mix" is made from flour/corn starch and water.
Maybe people aren't that acquainted with certain ingredients and to them they appear to be exotic or "gourmet." I've been informally studying food for years and these ingredients are kind of average in the big scheme of these for Asian cooking.
Fish, rice and BROCCOLI.
Don't you see your argument is applicable to ALL food?
I guess I could swap out the Barramundi Fillet with a can of Starkist. Better yet, a generic!
Everything boils down to a protein, starch and veg with some flavorings. And technique. Eggs are simple to cook, right? But it's the dish that hiring restaurant chefs test their new hires with the most.
That's really not the point anyone made. And maybe someone will be inspired to make something they think is hard like risotto. . Maybe you're not "really into Asian food" but feel like trying something that looks good.
I hate to break it to you ... but history has proven when you give something for FREE to the masses of poor people they will promptly sell / trade it for something else they want more
I would go all in on any bet and state for the record that 97% of the spices you would give away for free or donate would be either: thrown away immediately or promptly traded for cigarettes drugs alcohol or sold for 10% of their value to someone looking to flip and re-sell them in another market
sad but true ........
That's overly cynical, no? Why do you think that people who need food, and are willing to cook for themselves, would turn a bottle of dried basil into a black market commodity? I assume that people go to food pantries because they need food and want to cook. What would be their motivation to barter away the very things that make food taste good?
Then again, I might be naïve about these matters, because your comment reminds me of another conversation I had recently. A woman at work told me that she knows people who will allow her to use their EBT cards (food stamps) for forty cents on the dollar. Apparently, she had recently encountered someone who was asking for 50%, which she thought was outrageous. I asked her why someone who needs the government to subsidize their food shopping would turn around and transfer that benefit to someone who can pay for her own food. Don't they need to eat? She told me that they either get more than they need, or prefer to have cash to buy fast food (or other things). I was pretty astounded that a) this woman had no qualms about telling me that she participates in this fraud; and b) it is so common that there is a "going rate".
That's overly cynical, no? Why do you think that people who need food, and are willing to cook for themselves, would turn a bottle of dried basil into a black market commodity? I assume that people go to food pantries because they need food and want to cook. What would be their motivation to barter away the very things that make food taste good?
Then again, I might be naïve about these matters, because your comment reminds me of another conversation I had recently. A woman at work told me that she knows people who will allow her to use their EBT cards (food stamps) for forty cents on the dollar. Apparently, she had recently encountered someone who was asking for 50%, which she thought was outrageous. I asked her why someone who needs the government to subsidize their food shopping would turn around and transfer that benefit to someone who can pay for her own food. Don't they need to eat? She told me that they either get more than they need, or prefer to have cash to buy fast food (or other things). I was pretty astounded that a) this woman had no qualms about telling me that she participates in this fraud; and b) it is so common that there is a "going rate".
You can't make the majority of the meals they send for much less than the $9.95 unless you have an EXTENSIVE international spice and sauce collection, cooking wines, vinegars, demiglaces, cheeses, a fresh herb garden, every type of pasta and grain, etc.
You CAN make a regular dinner for much less than $9.95. It's apples and oranges. You can't compare a pork chop and applesauce to homemade schnitzel with lingonberry jam, herb roasted fingerling potatoes and a fresh vegetable medley. You can't compare spaghetti with ragu and a lb of ground beef to bucatini Alfredo with goat cheese, fresh peas and pine nuts. I urge you to find any recipe from the companies and price them out. You can see the prices are on point. The ones that are pricier than buying yourself usually make up for it in the flavor profile. I have gotten a lot of interesting grilled cheeses and pizzas that are probably cheaper to buy but I would have never thought of it myself.
Don't you see your argument is applicable to ALL food?
I guess I could swap out the Barramundi Fillet with a can of Starkist. Better yet, a generic!
Yeah I was thinking frozen tilapia and Uncle Ben's...same thing, right?
I don't use services like Blue Apron, and I'm not going to say they're always a good (or bad) deal. But the false equivalencies being suggested here are becoming ridiculous. A story about a 2oz portion of chicken thigh and 3oz of pasta with a tsp of cider vinegar on top isn't really all that instructive in most cases.
What a lovely idea! No one should be eating bland food (unless for medical reasons), but one does need to spend a bit upfront to begin to build a spice collection. I think it's something that you can do quite easily. You can procure spices in bulk from online sellers, and package them yourself in bottles or small plastic bags. The warehouse stores (Costco, Sam's Club, etc.) sell commercial-sized bottles of most basic spices, so you could get those and break them down into smaller portions as well. I'm not sure where your distribution points would be, but you probably already have someplace in mind. Go for it!
I really don't have anyplace in mind. In fact, I have no idea how to even get started with this idea. It's just something I believe is a need, and I would love to do something about it.
Start the research, I guess, and start looking for potential donors, maybe see about a grant for the space. I can't do this out of my home, we don't have the storage for it.
You can't make the majority of the meals they send for much less than the $9.95 unless you have an EXTENSIVE international spice and sauce collection, cooking wines, vinegars, demiglaces, cheeses, a fresh herb garden, every type of pasta and grain, etc.
You CAN make a regular dinner for much less than $9.95. It's apples and oranges. You can't compare a pork chop and applesauce to homemade schnitzel with lingonberry jam, herb roasted fingerling potatoes and a fresh vegetable medley. You can't compare spaghetti with ragu and a lb of ground beef to bucatini Alfredo with goat cheese, fresh peas and pine nuts. I urge you to find any recipe from the companies and price them out. You can see the prices are on point. The ones that are pricier than buying yourself usually make up for it in the flavor profile. I have gotten a lot of interesting grilled cheeses and pizzas that are probably cheaper to buy but I would have never thought of it myself.
Define "international." If it involves curry, for example, it is VERY easy to make your own with the use of a grinder. I have done it since I moved out of moms at 18. Same with jerk, Cajun, you name it. There is no secret potion that renders their mixes better than what you can stir up in your own kitchen. Asian food? Most of their spices are VERY basic, which is what makes it so enjoyable across the world. Cooking wines are dirt cheap, and last forever. Maybe a twice a year investment. What's international spice? Cumin? Turmeric?
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