My Twelve-Dollar Chicken

Yesterday's venture to the Santa Monica Farmer's Market was bountiful expedition...

I finally got there in time to get at Chicken from the vendor from Lily's farms. This chicken was supposedly a forager... ate bugs and grasses and whatever was on the ground in its encampment...

It cost $12. and it was only 3-lbs. That's $4 a pound... My dad gets his rotisserie chickens from Costco for about $5. And it's for a bigger bird - fully cooked - ready to eat.

Is it worth the difference?

If I listen to the Foraged meat propaganda (i'm growing increasingly cynical in general now - thanks Chomsky) this chicken will be more nutritious since it's eating a variety of foods... and if you are what you eat, then this chicken that ate bugs and grasses and seeds will have more omega-3s and such. It also didn't have any added hormones or antibiotics... so that's why it wasn't as plump and fatty as the Costco chicken.

How was the flavor?

Well - it was excellent...

But that's because I know how to roast a chicken. I soaked it in a Saltwater bath (a koshering/cleaning technique)... rinsed and patted it dry... drizzled it with Olive Oil & fresh Lemon, Seasoned it with salt & pepper, fresh thyme & stuffed the cavity with the lemon wedges and more thyme. Popped it into an oven heated to 425 and after 15 minutes i reduced it to 375 for the rest of the cooking time.

But any chicken that I roast like that will come out tasting good...

so what's the difference?

well - they didn't pack any giblets (boo!), but there was less fat (yay!).

So is it worth the luxury? well - it's still cheaper than eating at a restaurant... and I feel good about my purchase... I don't want to eat meat or poultry at restaurants anymore... I feel so guilty about it... Like I'm betraying my cause... Where did this guilt come from?

I'm sure at the next bbq i'll just say "Fuck it - pass the chicken my way"

balance... i must find the right balance.

I also bought some ground Bison... It's in the freezer - I'll let you know how that comes out when i get around to cooking it. I'm gonna let this chicken feed me for a few days... can't eat it in just 2 or 3 sittings since i'm tightening my belt...