Bad Meat

I tried to bring two tenderloin over to our friends’ house yesterday, because they were feeding not only us but 15 other people besides. Luckily, I had  Annie here who went to culinary school and trusts the witness of her own eyes. When she uncovered one of the tenderloins,she studied it a while, then called to me to come closer.  "Am I hallucinating or is this meat green?” she said, so we turned the lights up brighter. It looked okay; I mean sort of grayish the way beef will look before you cook it but heck I'd bought it at Whole Foods."I'm sure it's fine," I said cheerily until Annie began searing it for me. That’s when it began to smell. I mean really smell, with a rank, sour and rancid smell. It sent something up your nostrils that made you recoil, a smell that would make most household pets slink off and hide under the furniture - well all but the dogs of course who devour stuff like this and somehow don't die..I'm afraid last night's diners would have died if they had eaten this meat.There was nothing to be done at that late hour but  I called Whole Foods anyway and explained my problem. I mentioned that the ‘Sell By’ date was still well in the future so it should have been fine. I said, "Why don't I bring it in and you can see it for yourselves?"“That’s Okay!” they quickly said back. "You don't even need your receipt. Just bring in that ‘Sell By’ sticker from the wrapper so we can trace down the source. We're happy to give you your money back.”I don't know what you're eating at your Labor Day cookout but if it's beef tenderloin and it's from Whole Foods, well, you just might want to stick with the macaroni salad!