Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Food in the time of a pandemic


Recommended Posts

46 minutes ago, JeanneCake said:

@heidih yes. This weekend i have 21 wedding cakes, and 4 events with just petite pastries or a plated dessert.  It's always busy the week after July 4th due to vacations that people plan around resort wedding destinations. 

 

Yes, I am more tired than I can  remember being and I haven't forgotten those %$#& hot cocoa bombs last December to give you an indication of just how busy this week is.  And people still call to see if there is a chance they can get something for the next day.....nit to mention the bride who called Friday afternoon to say she wanted to check in about her cake. 

Of course, can you remind me of the date again? 

Sunday.

The 18th? I ask

No. This Sunday. The 11th. 

 

WTF?!

 

Because doesn't everyone think a cake will magically appear when it hasnt been ordered or paid for? 

(Yes, we are making it happen and yes she paid.  A lot.)

Oh my! Yu are admirable and we are your cheerleaders.  Take care of yourself.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Just when I think food supplies are back to normal, it seems everyone is out of Schweppes Bitter Lemon Soda. Tragic.

 

We are into a period of on-again and-off again lockdowns (currently out of lockdown) with a 5 km travel radius allowed for essential services unless they are not available within that distance. That doesn't get me to a big chain supermarket but I do have a closer Aldi and IGA. Don't tell anyone but I have a few legitimate excuses to go into the CBD and have been known to buy groceries or takeaway coffee while I'm there (of course I would never just sneak in, shh!).

 

I can get drinkable coffee nearby from Skip's Skateboard Shop. Heck of a nice guy who supports the community and skateboarders of all ages.

  • Like 3

It's almost never bad to feed someone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, haresfur said:

Just when I think food supplies are back to normal, it seems everyone is out of Schweppes Bitter Lemon Soda. Tragic.

 

It's funny you mention this.  We have a houseguest right now that drinks Schweppes diet tonic water and vodka.  I started a month ago trying to find it.  Online it was ridiculously expensive.  I ordered some--again a month ago--and it still isn't here.  Anyway, I went to the big city grocery store and they didn't have any either.  He had to settle for Canada Dry diet tonic water.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They have imposed rationing of certain liquor at the State-run stores in Philadelphia. The word is, it is due to a glass bottle shortage for those suppliers. 

  • Sad 3

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast" - Oscar Wilde

Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, BeeZee said:

They have imposed rationing of certain liquor at the State-run stores in Philadelphia. The word is, it is due to a glass bottle shortage for those suppliers. 

@Shelby see boxed wine has its place ;)

  • Like 3
  • Haha 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, MetsFan5 said:

A bartender last night told me there’s a glass shortage; they’re not getting certain Mexican liquors and beers despite placing orders. It’s always something. 

PA LCB is rationing certain liquors due to supply issues

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

oddly enough, there is an issue with sports drinks (Gatorade and Powerade). The shelves have been pretty empty for a couple of weeks - there is a sign about supplier issues. My husband drinks the sugar free version while playing golf, guess we'll switch to diluted coconut water for the rest of the season.

  • Sad 1

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast" - Oscar Wilde

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, BeeZee said:

oddly enough, there is an issue with sports drinks (Gatorade and Powerade). The shelves have been pretty empty for a couple of weeks - there is a sign about supplier issues. My husband drinks the sugar free version while playing golf, guess we'll switch to diluted coconut water for the rest of the season.

 

Those sorts of drinks are go-tos for people with the flu, so I imagine people are stocking up in COVID hot spots.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, dtremit said:

 

Those sorts of drinks are go-tos for people with the flu, so I imagine people are stocking up in COVID hot spots.

 

I'd never heard of drinking these when one has the flu.  Interesting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Supposedly Pedialyte is better if you are recovering from the flu...less sugar. I suspect the issue is more around the plastic bottles. They seemed to have the smaller bottles (6 pack format).

  • Like 1

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast" - Oscar Wilde

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
On 9/27/2021 at 10:11 AM, BeeZee said:

oddly enough, there is an issue with sports drinks (Gatorade and Powerade). The shelves have been pretty empty for a couple of weeks - there is a sign about supplier issues. My husband drinks the sugar free version while playing golf, guess we'll switch to diluted coconut water for the rest of the season.

 

Same here, except it's just Gatorade. Powerade has been plentiful. This happened once before during the pandemic, and then, too, it was only gatorade.

 

I've noticed random shortages of different products in the past three months. One grocery trip, it was frozen orange juice concentrate. Another, it was half-and-half. And yesterday, it was plain potato chips (there were plenty of the flavored ones, plenty of tortilla chips, assorted other chips) and ALL varieties of Pringles.

 

  • Like 1

Don't ask. Eat it.

www.kayatthekeyboard.wordpress.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Random shortages, definitely. Even if I go to the Shop Rite near my office, which is about 30 miles from the one by my house, I'll find different things missing likely due to them being owned by different "buying groups". To some extent, it seems like if there is a product that has different "options"...the most popular one is on the shelf. So for the dairy products, my guess is they put their efforts into distribution of milk rather than cream, to satisfy more customers.

  • Like 2

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast" - Oscar Wilde

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This was at our closest Food Lion:

IMG_7229.thumb.jpg.e295fc9a1822f03ceff845befb3413de.jpg

This is part of the packaged deli/Lunchables section.  I don't buy much from here (I don't think I've ever purchased a Lunchable), but noticed it as I walked by.  Kroger is notorious for bad stocking.  Not sure why they will have whole sections bare in multiple stores and Food Lion, Publix, and Walmart look fine.  This is the first time I've seen this much empty space at Food Lion in months.  

  • Sad 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haven't seen Philadelphia brand cream cheese at Wegmans all week. Went to Giant tonight and they had tons of Philadelphia brand cream cheese; I bought one pound.  Might try the latest craze, smoked cream cheese.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not a totally successful shopping trip. One of the staff told me the truck from Melbourne was 5 hours late, but it looked like more that a single truck being delayed. I would assume the delay is related to covid and the lockdowns. 20211016_095541.thumb.jpg.9dfc4c36bae4f12df7a0c3ae3bf0afaf.jpg

  • Sad 5

It's almost never bad to feed someone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Produce department was well stocked today, but this is the bottled/boxed juice aisle. There was also a sign in dairy about unavailability of half&half and heavy cream. Gatorade still mostly out of stock, Powerade was stocked, but some flavors missing.

 

 

 

ABF7BB69-6F97-41DE-8716-E3127A5369C3.jpeg

  • Like 1
  • Sad 5

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast" - Oscar Wilde

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On my way back from the pharmacy I hazarded into Shoprite.  The scrofulous little limes were now in a smaller area.  The price had increased.  Their former location was now a vast display of bottled lime juice.  Potatoes were nice though.  I saw two cans of cranberry sauce on the shelf.  I bought them.

 

The woman in line ahead of me threw a nasty scene.  As she left the cashier explained "We are all a little stressed."  She added:  "I've been working for ten hours."

 

Edited by JoNorvelleWalker
punctuation (log)
  • Sad 7

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

On my way back from the pharmacy I hazarded into Shoprite.  The scrofulous little limes were now in a smaller area.  The price had increased.  Their former location was now a vast display of bottled lime juice.  Potatoes were nice though.  I saw two cans of cranberry sauce on the shelf.  I bought them.

 

The woman in line ahead of me threw a nasty scene.  As she left the cashier explained "We are all a little stressed."  She added:  "I've been working for ten hours."

 

Good move buying the cranberry sauce.  I've been wondering about turkeys this year.  Even though we don't make one for Thanksgiving, we always buy one for later use.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, MetsFan5 said:

I’ve had a hard time getting zero sugar Gatorade in basic flavors. I’m trying to stock up because I’m nervous my booster will give me a fever since my second shot did. 

Take an alleve as prophylaxis

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...