Another "I love Costco" thread ........

[Stinky The Clown]

I just finished the last of two sacks of Carnegie Deli pastrami. Its packed nice and wet in plastic pouches than can either be microwaved or boiled (in the bag). Boiling is a ten minute process and nuking it is a 4 minute process.

Cut open the bag and .... Pastraminirvana!

This stuff tastes damned near as good as if it had just been cut by hand in New York. A little moosturd ..... a couple of slices of nice Jewish rye with seeds and its heaven in your hand.

Each package is 12 ounces, which makes two huge sangwidges or three normal size.

The stuff has the Carnegia Deli name all over it but also has Costco's own Kirkland barnd on it. I don't recall what we paid for it, but it was worth twice whatever it was. I'm guessing we paid around 10 bux, which is kinda high, but what would you pay for a huge deli sangwidge, yanno? :shrug:

Y'oughtta try it! :hi:

[mike_c]

1. I'll have to look for it-- I've been buying pastrami they sell in tubs...

...which I have to divide into portions and freeze unless I want to eat nothing but pastrami for a week or so. I microwave the slices. It's quite good, but the packages you're describing sound more convenient

[SW FL Dem]

2. We tried that a few weeks ago.

It was awesome. Even hubby, who grew up in Brooklyn said it was the best pastrami he's had since we left NY.

[Tab]

3. Speaking of which...

How do you make pastrami? It's cured in sugar and salt, right? What cut of meat is it?

On edit: I love a good pastrami.

[mcscajun]

4. It's a brisket...and here's how you turn that into Bliss = Pastrami

http://bbq.about.com/cs/barbecuetips/a/aa022302a.htm

[mcscajun]

5. How's the fat/lean ratio on it?

A really good Pastrami sandwich needs some fat.

So much purchased Pastrami is just far too lean to make a good hot sandwich.

[Stinky The Clown]

7. You are soooooooo right!

Lots of what gets shoved on on us as 'pastrami' is drek made from beef round or some such.

This stuff was honest-to-gawd proper brisket pastrami with the right amount of fat and packed in its own natural juices.

As I said, if you didn't know, you'd swear this stuff was hand cut just for you in New York.

[mcscajun]

8. Woo-Hoo!!

I have got to get into a Costco. I know SOMEbody in my extended family has a membership. (It just doesn't pay for me, living alone as I do in a very small house.)

I should have Known if it had the "Carnegie Deli" name on it, that it would be okay. I've eaten in many a Kosher Deli in The Bronx and in Manhattan over the years, but I just finally got into the Carnegie Deli last Fall. The Pastrami sandwich was heaven on bread, and they give you paper and a sack to wrap the excess up in for the next day's sandwich. There's Enough of it, certainly. The sandwich cost just a bit more than what your Deli Pack from Costco did.

http://www.carnegiedeli.com/

[mike_c]

11. you might be surprised--

I live alone too, in a house that's perfect for one person and five cats, but gets a bit tight when two people try to coexist in it. Not much storage space, but I've been creative about adding shelving in out of the way places (of course now I have to be a contortionist to get the dryer door open...). Anyway, I do more than half of my grocery shopping at Costco. I have a small chest freezer (bought at Costco). Most items that I buy in large containers are simply things that I'd buy that much of anyway, just over a longer time period and for more money elsewhere, e.g. I only buy toilet paper like maybe twice a year 'cause it lasts so long. Seriously, Costco works perfectly for me now that I know what to buy there and what NOT to buy there. For example, I buy most fresh produce elsewhere unless I'm planning to make a single big recipe, because I just can't eat it fast enough in those quantities (exception: romaine lettuce and mandarin oranges, which Costco has the BEST available, IMO-- actually, most of their produce is as good or better then the stuff at Safeway, etc). For most other things, Costco is perfect, even though the quantities are large. The price is certainly right, and the quality of EVERYTHING I buy there is superior. I usually just divide the large packages of things like meats up into freezer bags and store it as individual portions.

[mcscajun]

12. I'd joined three years ago, thinking I'd save money on tires, at least

and yes, stock up on other things. They didn't have tires for my car (I'd already joined at a cost of $40-45, I don't recall exactly.) I wound up buying tires from Sears as usual. After that, I went back to Costco twice in one year, spent a total of maybe $100, and found the savings just weren't there for me, so I didn't renew my membership.

I should add that I'm a fusspot about food, and don't buy frozen meats and rarely send meats to the freexer. But I DO want that Pastrami! :)

[wryter2000]

6. I'll look for that

Another reason to love Costco -- their stock has done well. About a year and a half ago, I decided I loved the company, so I should buy some stock. (About $100 worth. Martha Stewart, I'm not.) At the time, Costco was offering to add some money if you bought stock through www.sharebuilder.com. Any stock, not just Costco stock. With my money and Costco's, I bought $132 worth of stock. It's now worth $163. Not bad for my investment of $100.

[politicat]

9. My current Costco loves are the goat cheese and the ciabatta....

Slice open a ciabatta, spread some of the goat cheese on, cut some grape tomatoes in half and put on the cheese, sprinkle some basil chiffonade over all (or basil paste or pesto paste if your basil plants have given up on you), toast in the toaster oven for 5 minutes...

Heaven.

Simple taste, I know. But I'm in love.

[NMDemDist2]

10. my basil plant is going strong

and that sounds great!

[fortyfeetunder]

13. The winter coupon book

This Week: Pork steak coupon....yum...
I take these nice juicy pork steaks, put in a roasting pan, top them with half a peach slice and out in the kettle grill they go....

And I am going to ask a friend to smoke the rest!

[babylonsister]

14. I'm tres' jealous, you know, almost to the point of

starting a Sam's Club thread, as I don't have Costco here.:cry:

[NMDemDist2]

15. Sam's Club to Costco is like

WalMart to Nieman Marcus

there is just no comparision in quality

Hopefully you'll get one soon!

[babylonsister]

16. Gee, thanks for that hideous comparison.

No Costco's in Houston's future, I'm afraid. We are overrun with WalMarts and Sam's Clubs, sadly.

[NMDemDist2]

18. there's hope in Texas, here's a list of the Costco's already there

Texas
Arlington
Austin
East Plano
El Paso
Fort Worth
Katy Frwy at Bunker Hill
Lewisville
NW San Antonio
San Antonio Sonterra Park
Southlake
West Plano
Willowbrook

http://www.costco.com/Warehouse/Location.aspx?country=United%20States

and WillowBrook is Houston no?

Address:
12405 N. Gessner Rd.
Houston, Texas 77064
http://www.costco.com/Warehouse/LocationTemplate.aspx?Warehouse=675

[babylonsister]

19. Thanks, AZDD6! There IS hope! Houston is

huge, and I don't live too close to WillowBrook, but I'll now keep an eye out for a huge Costco near me in my future. I would LOVE to dump Sam's as I have Wallyworld!

[NMDemDist2]

20. Costco is worth the trip (I know HUGE, I live in Phoenix)

plan a monthly trip there and dump Sam's Club, you'll be happy you did......

[lavenderdiva]

21. not true, there's a Costco on Katy Freeway

and its wonderful! There's another Costco out near Willowbrook Mall on 249 as well....

[NMDemDist2]

23. looks like West Houston has em all

Katy Frwy at Bunker Hill
1150 Bunkerhill Rd
Houston, Texas
77055


Willowbrook
12405 N. Gessner Rd.
Houston, Texas
77064

http://renderv303.bay.prod.mappoint.net/render-30/getmap.aspx?key=7676E55D996D2E98CA52

[Stinky The Clown]

17. The contrast is striking .......

.... from the quality of the products to the attitudes of the employees. Costco is as it should be whereas Sam's Club is ......... shitty stuff and angry employees

[blue neen]

22. The Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownies

are out of this world. You get 6 packages for about $7.50. My family loves them.

I drive an hour each way to shop at Costco. It's worth it. I did write to them and asked them to build more Costco's in this area. The market is definitely there. They replied and said they would let their Real Estate Department know.

We need to give them positive reinforcement! They're the greatest! :)