Stepping out of my door in BA, no matter what the agenda or the day, things happen which never fail to surprise me.
I admit I am pretty accustomed to how things roll here. That said, having grown up in the UK, certain practices and norms for society over here I simply can´t get used to. Random things happen all the time. Sometimes things I consider to be good, bad, some just downright inexplicable.
Curious indeed for this British Boluda.
Today in my local “Chinos” (Chinese-run supermarket), I had simply popped in to make an inquiry. Oblivious to the world I wait my turn to be able to talk to an assistant. I turn my head, and I am confronted by a wall of cow flesh (or half a dead cow to be precise), bouncing past me.
The cow carcass is huge (albeit only a half), and the little man dressed in white overalls carrying it looked slightly dwarfed in size in comparison. Slapped over his shoulder he was pretty swift in movement, and looked like he knew what he was doing as he hauled the load through the middle aisle of the supermarket.
My eyes followed him as he went to the “butchers quarters”, at the back of the shop and disappeared for a sec. Curious, (and a bit nosy) I tilt my head and look down the aisle to the meat counter, and through the back door. The half cow is hung on a hook in the back room.
Urhh.
Ok, alright, fair enough. Even though having almost been whacked in the face by dead cow leg a few seconds ago, I shake off the immediate shock. Acceptance of the situation filters through my mind, and just as it does…. oh, the other half of the cow cadaver comes flying through.
This time I can do nothing but stare. Everyone is just getting on with their business as per.
The British side of me has seen dead cow before, but not right up in my face. It was being carried as if the bloke bearing the burden had just finished skinning the poor bugger.
Odd odd odd.
In the world I am more accustomed to, these kinds of processes are well-hidden, and with good reason.
Later I pondered how hygienic it is to carry meat in such a way (uncovered and over shoulder), also wondered how long the meat had not been refrigerated for.
The Chino supermarkets don't have great fame for their hygiene, but this one in particular turns off its fridges at night to save money on electricity.
Best not think about it.
Lesson learned?
Don´t buy beef from my local Chinos.
I understand your shock, but just because you can't see the operation at other stores doesn't mean that it's more hygienic. How do you think the meat gets to the stores anyways? Delivery guys have to carry it to the butchers who then chop them up.
ReplyDeleteThis vaguely reminds me a the urban legend of a woman who sued for emotional damages because the chicken she bought wrapped in plastic at the grocery store still had its head on.
To point out the obvious, the meat we eat comes from dead animals.
I completely understand your point Beatrice! The thing is, after I wrote this I got to thinking about how the hell they transport it in England, and is it more hygienic anyway?
ReplyDeleteHahaha wow the woman who sued for emotional damage? That's just ridiculous!
It's funny you should mention it, because in England over the past few years a couple of celebrity chefs have been bringing meat practices out into the open by making several documentaries. Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsey have both been on quests to see exactly how the animals we eat are killed, and treated through out the whole process. Was an eye opener indeed for the public to be able to see the cruel treatment of chickens on British farms. There was a large "buy free-range chicken" campaign afterward, because everyone had been left so shocked by what they had seen.
To be honest, I do think it is a little ridiculous that I should be shocked to see such the flying cow. It caught me off guard. Anyway, I think we may be might have the wool pulled over our eyes a bit too much in England.
I'm sticking by my hygiene points about the Chinos in general though. They turn off their fridges at night to save money on electricity.