Why Is It So Challenging To Find Certain Foods In Central New York?

Whether I want to make some fairly simple dish or a very complicated one, it seems Central New York never has quite what I need to do it.

All I ask is why? Why must it be so difficult to find beef short ribs? I don't get it. Yesterday, I made this dish called Peposo Dell'Impruneta, and it called for three pounds of meaty beef short ribs. You would have thought I was seeking out the fountain of youth. Sure, I found some at grocery stores, they first off were super expensive. Second off, they had next to no meat on the bone. The weight of the package was all bone, to be honest. I ended up having to substitute with chuck.

Now that is one of the simple things. One of the more complex things would be something like Guanciale. Guanciale is pork cheek that is cured and almost bacon-like. Being that it is an odd part of the animal and only really used in authentic Italian food like Carbonara, I could understand not being able to find it. But good short ribs? Come on.

I recall a few weeks ago trying to find dried chile peppers and it was nothing short of a struggle. I just can't understand why on earth this needs to be so difficult in Central New York. We are only 4-hours away from the biggest city in the country, and the one with the most diversity.

But really, if you know of a place to find a good variety of Italian meats, help a brother out!