Deli Department Nonsense 7581Charles Gifford Charlie, my friend, since you address me as "dear", I have to reply in kind and not be insulting, right? If you really get...
Doug Kanter
Can't you speak?
Something wrong with your story. An experienced deli clerk will know about the range of thickness applicable for each product... you must shop from a chain that hires itinerate pimplely faced teens as deli clerks. Every deli I've ever been to the clerk holds up the first slice and asks if it's ok... most will actually offer the first slice as a taste and at that point the thickness is agreed upon (I don't ever accept a taste, don't want to spend the next few hours with salami breath and in need of dental floss). Actually at most delis I've frequented the clerk initially dials in a thin slice and tosses that one in the trash... that exposed surface is considered highly contaminated, especially from those delis that wrap the end with plastic wrap and never change it over the entire length (high quality delis never wrap the ends). One shouldn't buy more sliced to order cold cuts than will be consumed within two days... deli slicer blades even if wiped clean are unclean, the face of every slice is contaminated by the slicing and should be consumed as soon as possible. Packaged cold cuts like Oscar Meyer are sliced and packaged robotically in a clean room environment... once opened those type have a much longer shelf life than sliced to order from the deli, but they taste so awful I have to wonder why any germs would want to visit.
In any event I always inform the deli clerk about the thickness I want at the same time I place my order... problem solved.
Sheldon
