A Delicatessen in Stainless Steel???

Bondforever

In For Your Eyes Only...what does this line mean? Anyone have an idea?

Bill Tanner

I don't think it means anything - just a mis-guided attempt at humour.

Why is everyone suddenly so interested in this line? This is the second post I've come across this morning on the subject.

Dr J No

Well a delicatessen is a shop that sells things like cooked meats, cheeses and salads. So I presume that Blofeld is so desparate he is willing to give Bond a shop made entirely of stainless steel. That's how I understood it.

Alex

In Cubby's day the local gangsters would grease (bribe) business establishments. The phrase comes from offering to buy brand new delicatessens. Stainless steel being the best to offer. It's not nonsensical, it's just an old La Cosa Nostra saying.

But someone else will explain it better then I.

Dr Shatterhand

Quoting Alex:
In Cubby's day the local gangsters would grease (bribe) business establishments. The phrase comes from offering to buy brand new delicatessens. Stainless steel being the best to offer. It's not nonsensical, it's just an old La Cosa Nostra saying.

But someone else will explain it better then I.

You are absolutely right. This line was mentioned in Cubby's autobiography WHEN THE SNOW MELTS. It refers to Italian mafia members offering this as a bribe to get something in exchange. A delicatessen in stainless steel was and still is the top of the line quality. Simply put, your food is better prepared on a surface that is easily cleaned and will not have bacteria clinging to it. Unlike a wooden cutting board or other surfaces. Also, keep in mind that many vendors during the early 1900s sold their food on the streets of New York in carts. If someone had a shoppe or delicatessen, they were obviously doing very well.

For years everyone from John Glen to Michael Wilson had no idea where this line came from. It is finally revealed that Cubby was the inspiration for having it in the film. A personal touch so to speak - even though many of us never got the joke.

SPECTRENumber1

I've wondered about this as well, now I know. Thanks for bringing it up Bondforever!

Fekkesh

I've always loved that line.
Even better now to know the story behind it, thanks !

DAWUSS

I actually wondered what he was talking about a little bit ago (and searching for it actually took me some time - since I only caught the "stainless steel" bit at the time.

I know, this'll prolly be dismissed as an unneeded bump, but I felt like chiming in anyway