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Monday, August 4, 2008

Quail—for Fido?

The first time some information about grass fed, raw, locavore, super-premium-ultra-wonderful dog food crossed my desk I said, “Hmmm, I feel nothing about this, neither highs nor lows,” and so I put the information about Restoration Raw dogfood somewhere out of the way.

But when I heard of a second spot in Minneapolis selling ultra-super-beyond-the-beyond dog food, my reporter’s instincts revved up: Scoop Moskowitz Grumdahl, on the case!

Just the facts: Woody’s Pet Food Deli opened up near the corner of Xerxes Avenue and 50th Street in Edina on July 12th. They sell fresh, raw, ground up chicken, beef, duck, elk, Cornish game hens, lamb, pheasant, quail, rabbit, and turkey.

But why?

Molly, who answered the phone when I called, explained: “We are promoting a whole food diet for pets, the focus of our store is providing that whole food diet through cooked or raw meats.”

I immediately asked the big questions: “Quail? Seriously? Quail? Who feeds their dogs quail, besides the Tsarina of Russia in 1901?”

Actually, I didn’t ask that. She seemed too nice.

The answer seems to be that quail (which will set you back $5.80 for a pound) is meant as cat food. That actually makes sense to me, not the $5.80 part, but the quail-for-cats part. I always have thought it’s pretty hilarious to feed cats beef, because what are the chances of a tabby taking down a bull in the wild? Just lean back and picture it for a minute: that Fancy Feast spokescat batting away at a bull’s jugular. Anyhoo, I always figured it would probably be easy-peasy, and cheap, to raise mice to can and feed to cats, but no one did it because, well, who’s going to buy a can of mice?

My final thought: I wonder if whole, ground up pheasant makes good stock? Anyone who tries this, please, write in! Because if three of you do it, I’m pretty sure I can sell it as a trend story to the New York Times.

Woody’s Pet Food Deli
3008 West 50th St., Minneapolis
612-208-0335
woodyspetdeli.com

 

Posted on Monday, August 4, 2008 in Permalink

Comments may be edited for length, clarity, or appropriateness.

Reader Comments:
Aug 5, 2008 03:18 am
 Posted by  johnsmith5082

I heartily approve of the name of this cute little creperie in Northwest Portland — I have visited on several occasions and have never once been displeased. Nestled snugly between larger buildings, Le Happy’s tiny yellow storefront invites passersby on 16th Avenue to take a peek inside this quirky little place. Inside, the theme is continued in a more subdued manner, with interesting art and oddities such as a collage of thick-rimmed broken spectacles glued to the wall and a bathroom decorated with photo booth strips.
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johnsmith

Minnesota Treatment Centers

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About This Blog

Dear Dara is the place where Minnesota Monthly readers can interact with our dining critic and senior editor Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl. What makes her so special? She’s been reviewing restaurants and covering food and wine in the Twin Cities since 1995, most notably asCity Pages’ restaurant critic, but also for Gourmet, USA Today, Wine & Spirits, Bon Appetit, and Saveur. She’s been included in five editions of the Best Food Writing anthologies, and been nominated for seven James Beard Awards – though, to tell you the truth, most of the time the medals from her four wins are buried under a pile of chocolate wrappers at the back of her desk. This blog will be where she’ll answer your questions, (though probably not all of them), dish on her latest discoveries, reflect on breaking news, and generally bring the plate to the page.

Send your dining questions to Dara! Email her at dmgrumdahl@minnesotamonthly.com.
 

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