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If you've had a hankering for some good old southern cooking or perhaps a
craving for a seafood dish from the New England area, but you won't accept any
substitute for the "real" thing, there is good news. With the age of
the Internet you no longer have to travel cross-country, or even leave the
comfort of your own home. Now there are all kinds of Web sites offering regional
favorites that can wet any ones appetite and to guide us through some of these
web delights are the authors of Eat Your Way Across The
U.S.A., Michael and Jane Stern. CBS This Morning ordered the following six meals representing
different regions of the U.S.A. through the Internet and Michael and Jane
checked them for delivery time and cost, packaging, meal preparation time,
price, and of course taste (how fresh, flavorful and authentic). Here are the
results:
MID-ATLANTIC/NEW YORK
New
York Breakfast: H & H Bagels in NYC - One dozen assorted bagels
with choice of 2 cream cheeses and Nova Scotia salmon (lox). Serves 4-6.
Taste: it's a
classic NY breakfast, very honest, authentic and fresh. In fact, close to
hot as you can get for overnight shipping. Even the Fed-ex driver inquired
about the wonderful smell, says it was driving her crazy. Also, proportion
of cream cheese and lox to bagels was nearly perfect.
Preparation:
None. Only need a knife to cut the bagels and spread the cream cheese.
Delivery:
Overnight via fed-ex, arriving between 9:30 and 10:00am.
Price: $34 plus
$21 for shipping & handling = $55
Web Site: www.hheastbagels.com
NEW
ENGLAND/MAINE
Lobster Bake (Down East Feast): The Lobster Net Co. - Two
hard-shell Maine lobsters (1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lbs.), clam chowder, steamers, corn on
the cob or Maine potatoes with butter and lemons. Also includes pot, shell
crackers, forks, bibs, & place mats. Serves 2.
Taste >: This is a true Yankee shore dinner. So fresh they
send live lobsters. It's like going to the seafood market.
Preparation:
20-30 minutes to cook. All you need to do is boil water. Includes exact and
specific directions, even on how to crack the shells.
Delivery:
Overnight. Must cook and eat same day of delivery.
Price: At $95
is expensive, but includes shipping. Crazy to spend the money if you live in
the New England area, but if yu're in Omaha or Nebraska you might want to
splurge.
Web Site:
www.thelobsternet.com
andis another similar service, but not
affiliated with the Fulton Fish Market in N.Y.
DEEP SOUTH/LOUISIANA
Cajun: Deanie's Seafood in Metarie,
Louisiana - Seafood gumbo with marinated crab salad and marinated olive
salad. Serves 2.
Taste: very
exotic Cajun/Creole. This is something you can't get outside of southern
Louisiana. It's so authentic that it might be more enjoyable for those
already very familiar with this kind of cuisine. The olive salad is very
strong and luscious with a powerful garlic taste. The crab paws in the crab
salad are bit hard to crack and no cracking utensils are included.
Preparation:
Heat the gumbo
Delivery:
Overnight via Fed-ex is extremely expensive. Also leakage occurred from
all the plastic containers.
Price: Shipping
and handling cost almost three times as much as the food. $21 plus $59 = $80
Web Site: >www.deanies.com
DEEP
SOUTHWEST/TEXAS
Southern BBQ: New Braunfels Smokehouse - This Texas Fixing's
meal is a half size portion serving approx. 6 people. It includes smoked beef
brisket, 4 pork and beef sausages, 2 sides of baby back ribs, and BBQ sauce.
Taste: TBD
Preparation:
Fully cooked vacuum-packed and shipped frozen. But usually the meat
arrives thawed. If there's no defrosting required just heat up.
Delivery: 2
days UPS, or overnight. (It did not arrive for scheduled Tuesday delivery)
Price: $37 plus
$7 = $42
Web Site: >www.nbsmokehouse.com
MIDWEST/CHICAGO
Deep-dish pizza: Edwardo's of Chicago, Ill - 9" stuffed
spinach pizza. Serves 2.
Taste: It has a
creamy richness unlike flat pizzas. Franchises or chains have tried to
recreate this pizza, but still lack the Chicago character. And don't let its
small size deceive you, it's very rich and substantial.
Preparation:
Heat froze pizza for 40-45 minutes. (Fortunately pizza freezes well)
Delivery: 2-3
day standard delivery with A.I.T. or overnight
P >rice: $20 plus $15 for shipping = $35
Web Site: >www.featuredfoods.com
WEST
COAST/CALIFORNIA
Contemporary California Cuisine: Cook Express out of San
Francisco, California - Offer 5 different meal kit entrees such as Asian Salmon,
Filet Mignon, Mustard-glazed chicken, pan-roasted halibut, roasted duck. Menu
changes every month. Serves 2 & up.
Taste:
Ready-to-go delicious sophisticated meals you would expect to get at a
high priced restaurant. Includes sauces and garnishes. (Steak and halibut
were the ones ordered)
Preparation:
This is cooking for dummies. All the hard work has already been done as
if you had your own prep chef. 30 minutes to cook and heat up. Assumes
nothing and includes very detailed instructions.
Delivery:
Overnight via Fed-ex. Orders taken Monday through Thursday by 12pm EST
for next-day delivery. Includes a time/temperature gauge to ensure your meal
kit is safe to cook and eat.
Price: Very
reasonable. Entrees for 2 are between $19 and $30 dollars plus $12.95 for
shipping. So, the average entree for 2 is $25 plus $13 = $38
Web Site: >www.cookexpress.com