Droughts and recalls

Food

March 21, 2007

Anonymous The McAlester News-Capital Wed Mar 21, 2007, 09:28 AM CDT

The Great Peanut Butter Drought of 2007 may be almost over.

This weekend, I saw two shelves stocked with peanut butter at our local supercenter. Now, that’s not what we are used to seeing but it’s better than seeing just two jars of organic peanut butter and nothing else. At least there were jars of crunchy Jif. That was a good thing. And there were some other varieties. I guess it also made sense that the bottom two shelves had bread on them. You didn’t have to go to another part of the store to get that item for your pb&js.;

I still wonder why other brands besides Peter Pan and Great Value got pulled from the shelves during the recent outbreak of possible salmonella poisoning from those two brands. And why it was so hard to find peanut butter around town for more than a month. But, I got more peanut butter so I’m covered for now.

That was Saturday, my day to do my weekly shopping — which includes buying dry and canned food for my feline companions. I bought the usual brand — Special Kitty in the bag and the beef and liver flavor in the cans.

All was well for myself and the cats — until later that day when I read about the pet food recall. That was quite a shock to see how many brands of pet food were made by the same company — from the expensive kinds to the low-priced ones. But still I felt sure Special Kitty wouldn’t be included. Horror of horrors! Special Kitty was among the brands recalled.

I went to my pantry and grabbed a bag of the dry food and a couple of cans so I could check the labels. Then I immediately went to the Web site listed and looked to see if my varieties were included. They weren’t, thank goodness, at least so far. We don’t do pouches of chunks and gravy. My kitties just don’t like that kind. They lick the gravy off and leave the little chunks in their dish. That’s why we do the cans of solid food.

Whew, what a relief! I hate to think I was killing my cats just by feeding them what they usually eat and trying to keep them happy. My kitties trust me to feed them and keep them healthy. And I trust the food manufacturer to make food that keeps my cats healthy, just like we all do. It’s sad when that trust is denied.

I understand the possible affected products have been pulled from store shelves. That’s a good thing. I just hope our local stores haven’t gone so far as to pull all the cat food and dog food products from the shelves just like in the peanut butter drought.

My cats need to eat on a regular basis and while I did buy more food for them before the January ice storm, just to be prepared, I don’t think I’m ready to not buy cat food for more than a month.

We shall see, come Saturday, how well my kitties will eat. I hope they eat well and remain healthy.

Contact Teresa Atkerson at family@mcalesternews.com.

Text Only

Food

All Saints' Episcopal to hold craft and chocolate sale
The men and women of All Saints’ Episcopal Church are hand-crafting goodies and gifts for the community to purchase for a loved one this Valentine’s Day.

February 7, 2012 3 Photos
SLIDESHOW: Super Bowl by the numbers The nation's biggest sporting event produces some staggering statistics, from the number of chicken wings consumed -- 1.25 billion -- to the amount of money some people plan to bet on the game.
February 2, 2012
VIDEO: Tavern in Colts country welcomes Pats fans
The Super Bowl host city loves its Colts and loves to hate the archrival Patriots. But a bar on the doorstep of Lucas Oil Stadium stands out as a geographic anomaly.

February 2, 2012 1 Photo
Quick Fix
This is a great way to serve leftover turkey. It’s a one-pot meal — a hearty casserole with turkey, mushrooms and pasta with a light touch.

November 29, 2011 1 Photo
Culinary SOS:
The Beachcomber was happy to share its rich and creamy take on this classic comfort food, which we’ve adapted.

November 29, 2011 1 Photo
Quick Fix
Juicy veal cutlets with a tangy Roquefort sauce creates a tasty dish.

November 9, 2011 1 Photo 2 Stories
Onion soup satisfies on chilly fall night
French onion is one of my favorite soups, especially in the fall. The hearty beef broth flavor, the silky melted cheese and the baguette slices toasted just right make it pure comfort food on a cool day. Add a side salad, and it becomes a complete, satisfying meal.

November 9, 2011 1 Photo 1 Story
Beer of the month
Rodenbach Grand Cru is a Flanders red ale, a Belgian style that is lighter-bodied but deeply complex. Despite its relative lightness, a well-executed Flanders red is sweet, sour, fruity, dry, rich and clean all at once.

November 9, 2011 1 Photo
Got leftover pumpkin?
The simplicity of this dish lends itself to improvisation. For a little crunch, sprinkle toasted pine nuts on top of the finished slices. For color, top with a little finely chopped parsley. For DIY crostini, serve with a plate of goat cheese and crackers.

November 2, 2011
Big bowl of chili will warm a fall day
A big pot of chili is a great fall go-to dish and a good tailgate option that easily feeds a crowd.

November 2, 2011
More Food Headlines

It's awards season? Which 85th Academy Award nominated movie for Best Picture is your fave?

Food

Search Results

Droughts and recalls

It's awards season? Which 85th Academy Award nominated movie for Best Picture is your fave?

Site Map

Contact Us