Craft

When I first shopped Bluescreek farm meats at the North market I found myself in a state of awe.  The product offering was diverse, pristine and it was clear that those folks know ALL about it.  Frankly, I also thought that they were mean.  I know, it's seems harsh...  (Spoiler alert: I was right!  And wrong!)

I used to joke that they were soooo mean because they had to be sooooo nice to their animals.  This is a clearly premium selection.  There are certain products there, which price prohibits my use as a reseller, that set a new standard for me about how a cut was supposed to taste.

You don't really get a full understanding of "a thing" until you do it a lot, or watch it being done by someone who is an expert.  I watched the folks do their thing last night and it was breath-taking.

I took the Bluescreek "Beef 105" course yesterday.  David and Cheryl graciously invited us into their space as David and Tim worked, step by step on a set of primals.  Every step was explained and when it would have been impractical to continue the breakdown because of the necessity of a saw, they pulled meat from the case to show the end product.  Jamie and Cheryl were also on top of tons of hints and tips for the preparation of every cut we were shown.

I learned a lot, a few of which I'll mention here...

The fact the factory farming is dangerous was re-enforced
As a chef, you are always striving for perfection through control.  The larger your operation gets; the less control you CAN exert.  I am as confident about a product I get from David and Cheryl as one I were to fabricate with my own two hands.

Those folks aren't mean.
They're focused, deeply, on being respectful to an expensive product that they work very hard to provide.   They do love their animals, which may seem contradictory to some, and respect the sacrifice.  It appears that a lot of care is taken to make use of every bit.

Repetition
As a cook, I pride myself on my knife skills.  Put a chicken near me, and that chicken is DOOMED.  Produce doesn't stand a chance!  A cow...  Uh...  Maybe if I just...  Nope.  If I turn it...  Nope.  David and Tim know, instinctively it seems, where to cut to separate this from that.  It's an ease that comes from years of practice.
As much practice as I'll get in the coming years, I'm never likely to be able to make it look that easy.

I feel like I'm doing a disservice to Jaime and Cheryl,  the ladies are clearly knowledgeable and probably capable of butchering circles around me.  That's ok with me.

Thank you folks for your hospitality and knowledge.