Fairway Supermarket Gift Card - How to Spend?
September 26, 2011 8:14 PM Subscribe
I received an unexpected gift card today for Fairway. Help me spend it! I am looking for suggestions for extravagant, high quality items I would normally not buy. I am not a foodie and do not do much cooking.
Fairway is an upscale supermarket in the New York area. The amount on the gift card is ridiculous – even after giving sixty percent of it away, I am left with a significant surplus to spend at this store.
So what gourmet items should I get that I'd never normally think of, and what should I skip? Sea salt, vinegars, spices, cheese, jams, teas, sauces, chocolate, produce, whatever, go nuts, recommend your favorite item or something you have read about or something you have always wanted to try!
(I have no food allergies, and am not picky)
Fairway is an upscale supermarket in the New York area. The amount on the gift card is ridiculous – even after giving sixty percent of it away, I am left with a significant surplus to spend at this store.
So what gourmet items should I get that I'd never normally think of, and what should I skip? Sea salt, vinegars, spices, cheese, jams, teas, sauces, chocolate, produce, whatever, go nuts, recommend your favorite item or something you have read about or something you have always wanted to try!
(I have no food allergies, and am not picky)
Which store would you be going to? For my money, I would proceed straight back to the cheese and fish counter and go crazy. They also have a nice selection of dry aged beef in the cold room.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 8:25 PM on September 26, 2011
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 8:25 PM on September 26, 2011
Response by poster: computech, the Harlem, UWS and Pelham Manor stores are all options and will definitely be going to 2 out of 3. What kind of cheese would you get? And what kind of dry aged beef?
maryr, thanks, rum caramel bars and Old World Hot Chocolate sounds amazing!
posted by mlis at 8:37 PM on September 26, 2011
maryr, thanks, rum caramel bars and Old World Hot Chocolate sounds amazing!
posted by mlis at 8:37 PM on September 26, 2011
Best answer: Fairway has a world-class cheese counter. Steve Jenkins, one of the partners, literally wrote the book on cheese. So yes, head directly for the cheese counter and stock up on some nice cheeses that you might never buy otherwise. Just give the cheesemonger on staff some idea of what you like and s/he will guide you very competently.
Fairway also has an exclusive importing relationship with several European (mostly French and Spanish) artisan producers of jams, oils, salts, capers, and a variety of other shelf-stable items. There's an end-cap or aisle in each of the stores dedicated to these Fairway exclusives, and they're worth spending some money on, since they tend to be great. I love the La Trinquelinette jams, especially.
You might also do well to stock up on costly items like dried mushrooms (morels, chanterelles, etc.) and oils. Fairway has an excellent selection of both.
posted by yellowcandy at 8:38 PM on September 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Fairway also has an exclusive importing relationship with several European (mostly French and Spanish) artisan producers of jams, oils, salts, capers, and a variety of other shelf-stable items. There's an end-cap or aisle in each of the stores dedicated to these Fairway exclusives, and they're worth spending some money on, since they tend to be great. I love the La Trinquelinette jams, especially.
You might also do well to stock up on costly items like dried mushrooms (morels, chanterelles, etc.) and oils. Fairway has an excellent selection of both.
posted by yellowcandy at 8:38 PM on September 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: One reason I like California: you could use it on wine! But if I had to pick items that most people would like that are luxury items, I would go for: 1. USDA Prime or Wagyu steaks - look for lots of marbling, grill on the hottest fire or pan you can manage, preferably in a place you can tolerate smoke, like outside. It's not necessary to cook all the way through, rare to medium rare is best. 2. Marcona almonds require no cooking, hopefully you'll never look at almonds the same way again. 3. Aceto balsamico tradizionale. Look for those exact words, anything else could be really really good but it's not the same. The "vecchio" variant is different but not necessarily better. Drizzle on strawberries sprinkled with black pepper, fried eggs, salads, meats, really anything.
OK, now here is my list of less safe choices, again assuming that you don't want to get into involved preparation. 1. Truffles. Black to start. Oils are not the same, though they are lovely in their way. Look for butters that are expensive and state a truffle percentage (if there's no statement, it could well be zero). Frozen is OK; the real thing is never cheap and sometimes you just have to trust your store. Stick a bit on eggs, pizza, or even the above steak, though that might cause the lily to collapse under the weight of the gilding. 2. Foie gras terrine (preferred) or mousse. The size of the pieces does not affect the taste, but look for something that's 100% foie gras, if they have it. Again, if it's $15 a pound it may have some for flavor but it's not the same. 3. A seriously runny cheese. Like bad cold runny. Époisses is the classic variety but I've had excellent luck (though I've not been to a Fairway) asking the cheese person for "stinky cheese." There are some excellent domestic varieties, though without other evidence I would go for French and raw milk (cru lait). These are older than 60 days so they can legally be imported even though the milk has never been pasteurized.
If I were to die tomorrow, I might start with the almonds to nibble, bake crostini to have with the foie gras and cheese, enjoy a grilled Prime steak topped with truffles, and finish with perfect end-of-season strawberries or insalata caprese drizzled with plenty of balsamic.
posted by wnissen at 8:42 PM on September 26, 2011 [5 favorites]
OK, now here is my list of less safe choices, again assuming that you don't want to get into involved preparation. 1. Truffles. Black to start. Oils are not the same, though they are lovely in their way. Look for butters that are expensive and state a truffle percentage (if there's no statement, it could well be zero). Frozen is OK; the real thing is never cheap and sometimes you just have to trust your store. Stick a bit on eggs, pizza, or even the above steak, though that might cause the lily to collapse under the weight of the gilding. 2. Foie gras terrine (preferred) or mousse. The size of the pieces does not affect the taste, but look for something that's 100% foie gras, if they have it. Again, if it's $15 a pound it may have some for flavor but it's not the same. 3. A seriously runny cheese. Like bad cold runny. Époisses is the classic variety but I've had excellent luck (though I've not been to a Fairway) asking the cheese person for "stinky cheese." There are some excellent domestic varieties, though without other evidence I would go for French and raw milk (cru lait). These are older than 60 days so they can legally be imported even though the milk has never been pasteurized.
If I were to die tomorrow, I might start with the almonds to nibble, bake crostini to have with the foie gras and cheese, enjoy a grilled Prime steak topped with truffles, and finish with perfect end-of-season strawberries or insalata caprese drizzled with plenty of balsamic.
posted by wnissen at 8:42 PM on September 26, 2011 [5 favorites]
If I had (near) endless money to spend at Fairway, I would throw a Cheese, Olives, Good Bread, and Other Good, Decadent Things Party.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 8:48 PM on September 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 8:48 PM on September 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Get some good extra-virgin olive oil and a couple of vinegars (balsamic, red, champagne, your choice). A salad dressing is a beautiful thing. I don't know if they sell them, but you'd also be served to have a decent pepper mill and some whole black peppercorns. Now you're only a bag of mesclun away from a pretty nice salad.
Get yourself a whole air-chilled chicken. Stuff the cavity with a lemon that you've poked with a fork a few times, a half an onion, and maybe some thyme or garlic. Roast at about 350 until a thermometer reads 160 (you have a thermometer, right? If not, do they sell them?), and you'll have the best roast chicken you've ever eaten.
posted by Gilbert at 8:49 PM on September 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Get yourself a whole air-chilled chicken. Stuff the cavity with a lemon that you've poked with a fork a few times, a half an onion, and maybe some thyme or garlic. Roast at about 350 until a thermometer reads 160 (you have a thermometer, right? If not, do they sell them?), and you'll have the best roast chicken you've ever eaten.
posted by Gilbert at 8:49 PM on September 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
I favor the runnier, stinkier cheeses, and I wouldn't be able to make it past the smoked salmon and lox without getting at least a pound or two. To be honest, I don't have any idea about the beef, but every time I walk past the case, I promise myself that I will try it eventually.
Yellowcandy's idea about the items with a long shelf life, such dried mushrooms and oils, is spot on. Buy it now and sock it away. A bottle of high quality balsamic vinegar will also make your life a better one.
Other delicious things that would find their way into my cart: cashews, dark chocolate (for my boyfriend), organic vegetables, fresh baguettes, olives, preserves.
(I live a small stone's throw from the Harlem store, and am in there at least two or three times a week, so I am well familiar with what they carry.)
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 8:54 PM on September 26, 2011
Yellowcandy's idea about the items with a long shelf life, such dried mushrooms and oils, is spot on. Buy it now and sock it away. A bottle of high quality balsamic vinegar will also make your life a better one.
Other delicious things that would find their way into my cart: cashews, dark chocolate (for my boyfriend), organic vegetables, fresh baguettes, olives, preserves.
(I live a small stone's throw from the Harlem store, and am in there at least two or three times a week, so I am well familiar with what they carry.)
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 8:54 PM on September 26, 2011
Since you don't cook much, is it valid at the restaurant at the UWS location? Treat yourself to a meal (or two).
posted by booksherpa at 9:04 PM on September 26, 2011
posted by booksherpa at 9:04 PM on September 26, 2011
Response by poster: i_am_a_fiesta, yes, exactly, but I need names, what kind or brand of Other Good, Decadent Things would you get? (I may throw a party)
Thanks for all the awesome answers so far!
posted by mlis at 9:06 PM on September 26, 2011
Thanks for all the awesome answers so far!
posted by mlis at 9:06 PM on September 26, 2011
Best answer: If they've got it, perhaps some Little Scarlet jam from Tiptree? Absolutely delicious, and expensive.
posted by shivohum at 9:08 PM on September 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by shivohum at 9:08 PM on September 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If you like caviar the fairway on 74th has osetra and beluga around $120-$150 an ounce.
Olives won't make a big dent but you probably will be able to find a $30 a lb Parmigiano-Reggiano but then you would have to cook.
A good prosciutto di parma might run you $27 or so a pound. Always worth it, good prosciutto is like a gift from the gods, I eat it on a baguette with fresh mozzarella and a bit of olive oil and balsamic and fleur de sel
Fleur de sel will run you about $20 unless you buy the kind with truffle bits in it, I love that kind for meat. Pink himalayan salt will run you maybe $10
They also have grass fed Hereford steaks, which I prefer to Wagyu. You want 14-21 day dry aged ,they run about 2+ inches thick at fairway. I go for porterhouse or ribeye.
In all honesty Citerella next door has a better rep for smoked fish but Fairway probably has a comparable selection. Nova is the cheapest smoked fish, sable is more expensive, smoked sturgeon will run about $45 a lb
If it was me and I was throwing a dinner party. I would probably buy smoked salmon, couple pounds of prosciutto, several types of cheeses ( brie, smoked gouda, etc), white aspargus, good salt for seasoning meat, several dry aged porterhouse or a nice standing rib roast,
All told im thinking $500-$600, probably in the $200 range for the meat alone.
posted by Ad hominem at 9:51 PM on September 26, 2011 [3 favorites]
Olives won't make a big dent but you probably will be able to find a $30 a lb Parmigiano-Reggiano but then you would have to cook.
A good prosciutto di parma might run you $27 or so a pound. Always worth it, good prosciutto is like a gift from the gods, I eat it on a baguette with fresh mozzarella and a bit of olive oil and balsamic and fleur de sel
Fleur de sel will run you about $20 unless you buy the kind with truffle bits in it, I love that kind for meat. Pink himalayan salt will run you maybe $10
They also have grass fed Hereford steaks, which I prefer to Wagyu. You want 14-21 day dry aged ,they run about 2+ inches thick at fairway. I go for porterhouse or ribeye.
In all honesty Citerella next door has a better rep for smoked fish but Fairway probably has a comparable selection. Nova is the cheapest smoked fish, sable is more expensive, smoked sturgeon will run about $45 a lb
If it was me and I was throwing a dinner party. I would probably buy smoked salmon, couple pounds of prosciutto, several types of cheeses ( brie, smoked gouda, etc), white aspargus, good salt for seasoning meat, several dry aged porterhouse or a nice standing rib roast,
All told im thinking $500-$600, probably in the $200 range for the meat alone.
posted by Ad hominem at 9:51 PM on September 26, 2011 [3 favorites]
Good suggestions. A few more I didn't see already: Top quality truffle oil, also the excellent pricey walnut and hazelnut oils, the most aged and syrupy balsamic vinegar you can find, top quality red wine per the Fairway wine person, saffron strands if they have them, and the most wonderful jams and chutneys they carry.
posted by bearwife at 10:02 PM on September 26, 2011
posted by bearwife at 10:02 PM on September 26, 2011
Best answer: Cheese - if they have any of these, pick them up (eat at room temp for best taste): pecorino foglie di noci, selles sur cher, colston basset stilton, anything from vermont butter and cheese creamery, cabot clothbound cheddar
Marcona almonds
Truffles and/or truffle oil
Saffron
Jamon Iberico de Bellota - pretty much the best cured meat in existence. I think they sell it at the Harlem store.
Aged balsamic
posted by melissasaurus at 6:09 AM on September 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
Marcona almonds
Truffles and/or truffle oil
Saffron
Jamon Iberico de Bellota - pretty much the best cured meat in existence. I think they sell it at the Harlem store.
Aged balsamic
posted by melissasaurus at 6:09 AM on September 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
Jamon Iberico de Bellota. Oh, yeah, thanks melissasaurus, I forgot about that one.
posted by wnissen at 10:09 AM on September 27, 2011
posted by wnissen at 10:09 AM on September 27, 2011
The UWS Fairway was the hub of my life when I lived walking distance from it. I miss all the great whole bean coffees, the olive bar, the smoked salmon, all the dark chocolate near the checkout, the whole roast chickens stuffed with rosemary; but by a long shot, my fave is that cheese department, one of the wonders of the world. Go when it's not busy and tell the cheesemonger that you've got a gift card and want to be blown away by cheeses.
I'm envious!
posted by Protocols of the Elders of Sockpuppetry at 12:16 AM on September 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm envious!
posted by Protocols of the Elders of Sockpuppetry at 12:16 AM on September 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Go to the UWS olive oil bar during a quieter time of day (Fairways is never really quiet) and do a tasting. They usually have a bunch of their regional house oils poured into little dishes with a basket of bread cubes hidden in the corner. You can taste them all and compare and find your favorite. (Team Puglia!) Then buy a bottle of that.
Don't worry too much about brands of jam or chocolate or whatever - just get what looks good to you. There won't be much leeway to go wrong.
posted by CunningLinguist at 6:43 AM on September 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Don't worry too much about brands of jam or chocolate or whatever - just get what looks good to you. There won't be much leeway to go wrong.
posted by CunningLinguist at 6:43 AM on September 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you like granola, I recommend looking for bars or granola from the 18 Rabbits brand. Oh! And just about the greatest treat I've had from Whole Foods outside the produce section - if they have "fig salami" (near Christmas?), I highly recommend it. It's basically a pressed dried fig roll and it's really yummy and hilarious at the same time.
posted by maryr at 8:24 PM on September 26, 2011 [1 favorite]