Make friends with your butcher

Yup that's the title, and well that probably sums up the entire post!
Week one of living lightly (ok in Lenten prep) and my new tip is indeed to make friends with your local butcher. (Glad I spell check cause that last word was actually a swear the way I wrote it first!)

I remember my parents going to speak with the butcher before shopping but myself I'm always shying away from the meat man in the back. It's not a wonder why. Fingers dripping in blood and rainboots up to their knees, not so appetizing when you are looking for um...good eats.
Well I've overcome some of my butcher fear. I'm learning to look past these short failings, including in the local Nob Hill butcher named Frank, who yes has red hot lips tattooed to his neck!

My first impression needless to say left me a little wary, but ahh, never judge a book by its cover.

When making a visit on Friday to the local meat section of Nob Hill I was on the hunt for the cheapest ground beef in town. A chub, thats right 10 lbs of beef. On sale it was 1.69 a lb. For Cali thats pretty good. Reg sale prices on Gr Beef 80 percent lean runs about 2.49 a lb. Adds up to a lot of savings when you buy bulk.

I looked pretty funny with my chub of beef slung over my right shoulder about as long as a rifle.
Looking through the rest of the meat section a second sale caught my eye for pork loin chops at about 1/3 of the regular cost if purchased again in chub style and free slicing was included.

Off I go for my first meet with the "Meat Man."

Frank let me know that his blades were dripping in bl.... no not blood, bleach, for the evening clean, I would need to wait a good 10 minites. No problem.
I came back to nicely sliced chops!

Frank then said, "look come with me, I'm going to show you around the meat section a bit. Sounds like you know how to look for a good deal, let me give you some hints."

Frank told me I should alway come to him first and he will tell me if a deal is really good or not, and if not, when he expects prices to drop. At this time rib eye in bulk was 67 dollars instead of the regular 100 dollars. MAN I WANT A FREEZER!

When I left Frank, full of joy at my big save, I looked back to wave goodbye and Frank smiled and said God Bless you Maam!

Made my day!