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| Letters From Our Customers Dear Jan, Here is a copy of the email I sent to rick.allen@starbanner.com. Thanks for the time you spent with me on the phone.
Best wishes, Jayne Carol, Raleigh NC Dear Rick, This is a message from a private citizen. My name is Jayne Carol. My husband and I have been investigatingthe possibility of moving to the Ocala area from N.C. As with many folks considering a move, one needs to investigate the things that are important to one's individual life style etc. We were dismayed to find - at first glance - that no grocer in the area (incl. Publix) carried meat or chicken that is of the quality we have become accustomed to at our nearby Whole Foods Grocers - free from hormones and nitrates. I made lots of phone calls and inquiries and am thrilled that we have learned about FLORIDA FRESH MEAT COMPANY.They are located in Summerfield. The selection of free range chicken and grass fed beef and other meats is wonderful for us to learn about.Perhaps you have covered this company already in your newspaper. But even if you have, this kind of business and the food they offer should be shouted from the rooftops! America needs to get on board - for the health of its people - to meats etc that are free from the additives that are causing major diseases and health problems. Our interest in this is from no personal association with these people. It comes from an enthusiasm in seeing this fine type of business be successful at this crucial time in the health of our nation - on many levels! And here it is in Ocala, Florida! Please consider doing a story - front and center - on this FLORIDA FRESH MEAT COMPANY. Think what an impact your readers can have before them - to understand the importance of what they put into their bodies! Thanks for your consideration from a future resident of Ocala Jayne Carol, Raleigh, NC What a treat for us to visit your farm and facility, meet all the friendly people, and taste the new pork sausage! Delicious! Thanks for the warm hospitality, Jan Alberto & Amy Galvan, Galvan Accupuncture & Herbal Medicine, Gainesville, Fl I couldn't have had a better steak - or a better hamburger! Thanks for sending these to me. Based on just the texture of the chopped meat vs the conventional Winn Dixie beef - I don't think I'll ever buy corn fed again. I've found too many articles, people and references lately and have been posting the most interesting ones on my FB page - and recommending that people visit your page for a link to your website to order a value pack.. :-). Mac Ambo, Hollywood, Florida My name is Chef Anthony. I am a local Personal Chef in the Jacksonville, Florida area. I want to share my absolutely wonderful experience having "The Beef Baron" as my "protein" vendor. I was introduced to Jan Costa by my wife when we were at the North Magnolia Market in Ocala,Fl. She brought a sample of his grass-fed ground beef over to me and said "Taste This!" My response was "WHOA! Where did this come from?" Since then I have used all the meats that Florida Fresh Meat Company has to offer. Not just for my family's needs, but for my clients needs as well. I have gladly referred Florida Fresh Meat Company's products to other chefs that travel in my immediate circle. They all have the same response "Where can we get more?" Obviously, there are other products out there but no one comes through like Jan Costa and the Florida Fresh Meat Company. Simply the best !!! Chef Anthony Scaife Southern Fusion Unltd. LLC
"See With More Than Just Your Eyes"
I visit the farmers market often and recently bought ground black angus beef from the Florida Fresh Meat Company. After a bit, the beef was thawed and opened to prepare a meal. When I opened the package and smelled the angus beef I could not believe the most appealing, smell that came from that beef. I smelled it again because it was so incredible. Then I just let the aroma of the opened package of uncooked beef fill the air in my kitchen. Gosh! He must put spices in this meat for it to be in the raw form and smell so appealing. I just had to ask him at the very next market. He said he does not put spices into the black angus beef. He told me the quality of the beef is the result of the cows eating a variety of fine grasses. Thus the cows produce a much finer beef. When I returned to the market today, I purchased ground beef, roast, and ribs so that my family can enjoy the finer beef.
Thank you for allowing all of us to eat healthier beef by bringing your meats to the Gainesville Florida Farmers Market, making them available to our community. Sandra Cox, Gainesville, FL Laurie and I enjoyed one of your 60 day dry aged Delmonico steaks this evening. We ramped up the heat on the grill to 600 F+ and seared it on all four sides for one minute each. The result was amazing! Rich, concentrated beef flavor with all the extra flavor that only dry aging can provide! Enhanced with a bottle of cabernet sauvignon from South Africa, it was an ing dining experience. I can foresee the day when these steaks will be available by 'subscription only'. I can only hope that we will be on your 'short list' of favored customers. Whether dry aged or wet aged, your products are amazing to beef lovers like me. From strength to strength & Good Yom Tov! -Dr. Laurie & Mrs. Susan Harrison - April, 2011 Dear Mr. Costa, My Students and I would like to take a moment and thank you for the Beef Demonstration at Johnson & Wales University, meat lab on Tuesday, September 13, 2011. The students and I enjoyed your information on your company, the products you produce and the reasons why you produce them. They were impressed with your goals, desire and passion to produce pasture raised, humanely treated, hormone & antibiotic free, gourmet grass fed animals.
The Beef Short Loin you provided was exceptional. This Short Loin provided the portions cuts of Porterhouse, T-bone and NY Strips. They were really impressed with your knowledge of how to cook these cuts. The comments about the taste, flavor and appearance were very positive. Many Students commented that the beef was tender and flavorful. The Students and I were really impressed by the health benefits to eating your beef and difference in taste between conventional beef and your beef.
On a personal note, I would like to thank you for taking the time, effort and expense of sponsoring this beef Demonstration. The Students and I had a learning experience that we will remember throughout our lives and careers. Yours Truly, Chef Alan Lazar CCE, ACE - September 15, 2011 My wife and I buy from you in the Haile farmer's market on Saturday mornings. We've had a variety of beef and pork cuts (pork loin tonight for dinner) and just tried the chicken this past Saturday. Everything is out of sight good. We'll be sure to pass along the word about you and Florida Fresh Meats to our friends. PS the dog loved the bone too! Thank you, Rick & Laurie Ferreira, Gainesville FL, August 2011
Not ever knowing if the beef you buy has been glued together or not and providing that it is beef in the first place, I am sick and tired of feeling lethargic after eating a steak in restaurant or bought in a supermarket. When we purchased meat from Florida Fresh Beef and had our first taste of their beef, it reminded me of how beef used to taste in the 60's. We actually feel refreshed and full rather then sleepy, bloated and still hungry. James Matthews, Palm Beach, FL. - 2011 I just tried your 60 day wet aged delmonico. I must admit that going into this, I was skeptical & perhaps prepared to be unjustly critical. I was wrong. The beef had the delicious concentrated (or enzyme activated) flavor that sets aged beef apart from its significantly lesser counterparts available at Publix, Fresh Market or Whole Foods. I was concerned about the obvious tenderness of the beef, considering that one of the hallmarks of dry aged beef is its ability to stand up to the fork and knife. What I was not prepared for was the almost buttery unctuousness of each bite which, coupled with the concentration of flavor was a hitherto unknown experience. One does not need to eat much of this very rich concentration of mouth-feel and flavor to be fully satisfied. The steak was a masterpiece!! (I'll probably be eating it for the next several days since my steak weighed nearly a full pound). Just for the record, my steak was approx 2" thick. I gave it a light seasoning of sea salt & fresh ground pepper. I heated the grill as hot as it could go & seared quickly on all four sides; total cooking time was about six minutes (perhaps a bit less). The result was a caramelized, slightly crusty exterior & a cool red interior. Perfect!!! Conclusion: I thought that wet aging would produce expensive, water-logged, slightly funky beef; I stand corrected. Wet aging created a combination of concentration, unctuousness & mouth-feel that is unique and deserves to be considered on its own merits independently of traditional dry aged beef. Susan Harrison, Ocala FL - April 2011 Jan, the beef sausage was a huge hit...he LOVED IT! Plan to pick up some next time we see you. Shannon P, Ocala, FL - 2011 I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 1987 - have been using insulin since 1988. The last few years I have been experiencing severe leg pains, often waking me up four or five times during the night. The last four months I have been careful to restrict myself to organic meats and when possible, local or organic vegetables and grains. The biggest difference has been since I have stopped buying super market beef, pork and chicken - the leg pains have stopped completely. I attribute it to vegetarian diets, no hormones or antibiotics in the animals diet and making sure any processed meats do not contain nitrates. It may not work for everyone, but between Florida Fresh Beef and Laughing Chicken products, I have not had the leg cramps since October. Linda Smith, Gainesville, FL - 2011 Hi, Jan Just wanted to report back to you that I cooked the lamb roast this week, with a Moroccan rub. It was great. I roasted it medium rare, and it is tender and juicy. Thanks so much for being at Haile that Saturday!
Emily, Gainesville Florida - 2011 Hi Jan, Hope you had a nice holiday. All the beef arrived safe & fresh! My son already had the steak & thought it was the best he has ever had in Florida. He is the one who worked at Prince Meats in Iliinois, so he knows beef! Will be dropping your company name to my meat eating friends. Happy New Year! Best Wishes! John & Angela Bomba - 2011 To: Beef Baron (Jan Costa) Subject: Thank you for the fresh delicious food Thank you everyone for providing food to feed our conference attendees….. see you next year! Nola Wilson Small Farm Extension Agent Marion County Extension Service Ocala, Fl 34470 First of all, I just want to say what a pleasure it is to be your 'neighbor' at the Haile Village market. The pride that you have in your product creates a warm glow of energy that permeates our end of the street! That pride is fully justified. My husband, Laurie, and I recently shared one of your Delmonico steaks. Laurie's vocation in life is fine food (his full-time job is medicine, though). He said that your beef is the best he has ever tasted. I must say that I fully agree. My late father was a connoisseur of dry aged beef. Together, we would seek out the best purveyors from New York City to the stock yards of East St. Louis. I am certain that your product would have been at the top of his list. You have an amazing product! It takes real courage to subject fine beef to the dry aging process (after all, you lose so much of the weight!) but the concentration of flavor in properly dry aged beef has no comparison. Your product shows that you have taken care and time to ensure that what you bring to the market is the very best. May you go from strength to strength! Jan, you are an awesome businessman! Maria, you are as sweet and good as you are beautiful! Erik, you and your sister are the very soul of kindness and encouragement! Love you all!! Susan Harrison, Ocala Florida - 2010 Just wanted to thank you for the meat I bought from you in the last few months; it satisfied many cravings! For all of you out there that are considering getting meat from Florida Fresh Beef Company, I bought the Sirloin Tip Roast, Porterhouse, Brisket, Chuck Roast, London Broil & Ground Beef. They were all exceptionally good. The meat is slightly gamey with a deep beefy taste. The aged cuts responded very well to the aging process. The aged Porterhouse (made it on the grill) and Tip Roast (made roast beef out of it) were really tender and rich. I couldn't tell the difference between the Porter House I made and the same steak served at an upscale restaurant - seriously good! I followed Jan's recipe for the Tip Roast - never had roast beef so tender and full of taste (and pretty easy to make.) A few weeks ago I pickled the Brisket for seven days and made corned beef out of it, sliced it thin, put it on some rye bread; delicious! Made plenty of meat sauce out of ground beef I bought, now it's all gone! Getting ready to order more! I experiment with cooking as a hobby and I work as a chef in an Italian restaurant. I think the Florida Fresh Beef Company has got something great going on. You can't get this kind of quality for this price anywhere that I know of. Anyway, clean and to the point, it was and is a culinary delight. Jan, keep up the good work and thanks again! Ohad J Paris Gainesville, Florida - 2009 | |
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