Fresh squeezed, home made..?

There is a restaurant that I used to frequent that sold fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast and during the day. When you'd order OJ, they would squeeze it for you right before your eyes - each glass made to order.

Some time ago they started selling juice that was squeezed elsewhere, purchased in one gallon sized plastic containers (like the milk jugs), and the juice was poured from the containers whenever a glass was ordered.

I questioned the owner of the restaurant and asked how she could sell the juice as "fresh squeezed" and she replied that when the juice was made, it was fresh squeezed. The fact of the matter is that the customer, and even the staff, didn't know for sure how old the juice was that was poured from the container - a day? two? a week?

Over the years we have all seen juice described as "fresh squeezed" on various restaurant menus, and in most cases the juice was squeezed elsewhere at some undetermined time. Now, am I being picky by suggesting that this juice is not fresh squeezed? Do you get such juice at your favorite breakfast place, and accept it as fresh? I don't, and I don't buy juice that's poured from plastic jugs. And I cannot help but wonder what other "fresh" items come prepackaged from somewhere else.

It was mentioned in another thread that some places sell pre-wrapped Costco muffins that are described as fresh or home made? What actually constitutes a "home made" muffin or pastry? I'd think to deserve that description the item must at least have to be made on the premises. What do you think?

What's your point? Are you suggesting that because some government agency says old, processed, frozen items can be designated as "fresh," they are fresh? Personally, I've long ago stopped using the government as my reference point for anything regarding food

Bingo! When I used to see "Home made" on a menu, I believed the food was made in someone's home and brought into the restaurant. Of course, I'm older and, perhaps, wiser these days, and have come to realize that was just nonesense. Now home made can mean anything, just as fresh can mean anything.

But I bet back in the good ol' days, there were a lot of places selling real, home made pies or cakes. It wasn't long ago that the little Italian deli I frequent was selling home made chocolate turtles made by the owner's daughter. She'd make them at home, wrap them, and put them out on the deli counter in a little straw basket. Mmmmm - they were good. And Margaret, one of the long-time clerks in the store, would sometimes bring in her famous Crostata di Ricotta alla Romana, slice and wrap it, and offer it for sale in the cheese display.

That's the case here, too. However, Joe Zarri, the deli's owner, started his business before a lot of the regulations now in effect took place, and he was "grandfathered" in for a lot of things. When he sold the business, John, the new owner, had to put in new refrigeration, new floors, new electrical, yadda yadda yaddda. Now you can't get a warm salami sandwich - all the sandwich meats are cold because of the stupid regulations regarding refrigeration. If I want a room temp sandwich - which is nice and flavorful - I have to call ahead and ask John or Margaret to make it and set it aside for pickup later in the day. Or I have to let it sit in the car for a while and warm up on the dash board.


That's great! Just like my grandfather. When he retired and moved to Miami, he couldn't not work, and ended up working in some produce markets for a number of years. He was a produce guy all his life, and when he retired, he sold his stores and moved to Florida, where he then worked in the same type of stores he retired from.

IMO, it's wonderful that you're doing what you're doing. Your knowledge and experience can be helpful to so many people - if they take a moment to listen and learn.

Just a little parenthetical aside: After grandpa Jack sold his stores, he wanted to keep working, and was looking for a part time job. At the time I was working for the E.J. Korvette supermarket chain, and asked Julie Kravitz, the head of the produce department, if he might have a spot for grandpa. He said that there were no openings, but then asked who my grandpa was. When I told him he said that he'd find a place for him. Grandpa Jack had quite a reputation in the NYC produce business, and Julie was grateful to have him working at the store in The Bronx.

It was grandpa Jack who got me interested in, and understanding of, good fruits and vegetables, and why I'm such a stickler for high quality produce these days. Grandpa Jack would love some of the current farmers' markets. Back in the day, he'd buy directly from the farmers. They'd drive in to the produce market in NYC in their trucks, and Grandpa Jack would buy directly from them. Sometimes I'd go with him to the market - we'd leave at 2:00am and head to the market, buy produce from all over the east coast - citrus from Florida, apples from upstate NY and New England, vegetables from local farms in NY and New Jersey ... the farmers and growers would often save the good stuff and special deals for Jack - he'd pay top price for top goods, and was, in addition, very friendly and outgoing. Everyone, it seemed, liked him.

Nice memories ....