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Shopping Lists/Kitchen Notebooks


Jamie Lee

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Marlene, you have beautiful handwriting.

I've had people look at mine and ask, "Is this in English?"

Edited by andiesenji (log)

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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:smile: Thanks Andie. It comes from being left handed and being forced to make sure I didn't have that backwards lefthanded slope.:biggrin: My husband's handwriting is some form of alien communication, I'm convinced. I'm also old enough to have taken 4 years of shorthand through high school, although I can't remember a single squiggle, even though I aced the course. It would sure come in handy when taking down recipes now.

There'll likely be more added to this list in the morning, as I'm still taking stock of what I brought back from the cottage and what I don't have since I wasn't here all summer.

Next weekend, when I host a dinner party, there'll be other lists, such as make ahead lists, etc. I'll try to remember to take pics of them.

Edited by Marlene (log)

Marlene

Practice. Do it over. Get it right.

Mostly, I want people to be as happy eating my food as I am cooking it.

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Thanks for the post, Marlene - I agree with Andie, your writing is beautiful!

What are you going to do with the ham hocks and feet? Is this something you can easily get at your "regular" grocery store as opposed to a butcher?

Jamie Lee

Beauty fades, Dumb lasts forever. - Judge Judy

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The fresh hocks and feet are for pork stock. They are usually readily available at my local Sobeys. I've never seen pigs feet anywhere else.

Marlene

Practice. Do it over. Get it right.

Mostly, I want people to be as happy eating my food as I am cooking it.

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When I make lists, I usually bring two copies. One is my handwritten list (for me), the other is a typed list in largish print (for my husband, who has vision problems). It's handy, because there are certain sections of the store where I can be standing there for a good fifteen minutes, so when he starts getting irritated, I just send him off to pick up a few other things on the list!

Most of the time, though, we're not list people. Or, rather, I write a list... and promptly forget it at home.

Misa

Sweet Misa

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I'd love to see "out of the USA" lists:  Torakris, Chufi, helenjp, Abra, Peter the Eater... 

I'm not much of a list making kind-of-guy, but they're occasionally given to me. I also regard most recipes as general guides and will never consult an owners manual unless absolutely necessary. I have, however, saturated my environment (home and office) with mechanical pencils and spiral-bound graph paper in case I am struck with a good idea. This doesn't happen as often as I would like to think, but over the years I have filled dozens and dozens. I'll take a look (and a picture) for some that are food-related. . .

Peter Gamble aka "Peter the eater"

I just made a cornish game hen with chestnut stuffing. . .

Would you believe a pigeon stuffed with spam? . . .

Would you believe a rat filled with cough drops?

Moe Sizlack

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Marlene, I believe you have the nicest left handed writing that I have ever seen. As a leftie and backwards sloping one at that I usually can pick out a fellow leftie's writing. I wouldn't have picked yours.

I am an avid list maker although compared to many of you I am a dismal rookie. I have to have a list for the cottage as it is 30 minutes to town. I keep a running one going while I am there and date it as I was finding that I had multiple old lists in my purse that I didn't throw away. The reason that I couldn't tell/remember if it was old or new is that I don't cross off in the store, but just do a mental check if I have everything. Thus I would end up with multiple tins or boxes of the same thing "just to be on the safe side" However, I do arrange my list by category and usually in the order that my usual store is set up.

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I only make "real" lists for large meals. The rest of the time, I rely on impulse purchases. :biggrin:

I will, however, stick a scrap of paper in my wallet when a reminder is needed for things that are necessary, but only purchased occasionally (batteries, aspirin, coffee filters, etc.)

Here is a list from a recent meal prepared for a group of teens and adults at a community program (the budget was $2 pp!) (I do not get paid for preparing the meal, it is a volunteer position)

gallery_51874_5165_106724.jpg

gallery_51874_5165_17597.jpg

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It's interesting... of list makers, there seem to be some of us, me included, that organize lists roughly according to the layout of the markets we frequent, and those of us who don't.

This organization has become increasingly important to me, as medical issues have made getting around more difficult. With the sizes of the markets I go to, if I had to run back and forth, I'd have to use the store-provided scooters. (In my worst days, I did actually have to resort to that, but it made me terribly self-conscious.... )

Anyway, thanks to all for continuing to provide your notes and lists. I study all your lists, and while I don't post all my questions, I find them endlessly fascinating!

:wub:

Jamie Lee

Beauty fades, Dumb lasts forever. - Judge Judy

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Anyone ever lost their list in the grocery store? I have a bad habit of putting it down, especially in the veg. or bread and then a few aisles later have to retrace my steps to find it safely nestled in the onions or some such place.

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It's interesting... of list makers, there seem to be some of us, me included, that organize lists roughly according to the layout of the markets we frequent, and those of us who don't.

This organization has become increasingly important to me, as medical issues have made getting around more difficult.  With the sizes of the markets I go to, if I had to run back and forth, I'd have to use the store-provided scooters.  (In my worst days, I did actually have to resort to that, but it made me terribly self-conscious.... )

Anyway, thanks to all for continuing to provide your notes and lists.  I study all your lists, and while I don't post all my questions, I find them endlessly fascinating! 

:wub:

I have my own scooter, which is much speedier than those the store makes available and no one should feel self-conscious about using one. Mine has the small front basket and a larger one that fits into the "trailer-hitch" on the back, but I usually just pull a regular basket around with me, using one of these

Jumbo Carabiners

hooked to a lower front corner of the basket to make it easier to hold.

I bought several of these last year, gave some away as stocking gifts, but have one on each of the grab handles on the backs of the seats in my van, plus a couple of others in the van. I always have one hooked onto the strap of my purse for the use described above and also for, when I am on foot, for carrying multiple plastic bags.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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Anyone ever lost their list in the grocery store? I have a bad habit of putting it down, especially in the veg. or bread and then a few aisles later have to retrace my steps to find it safely nestled in the onions or some such place.

Frequently! Until I made the list pages in my daytimer - no more lost lists else I am really in trouble since all my money is also in my daytimer. :shock:

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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Anyone ever lost their list in the grocery store? I have a bad habit of putting it down, especially in the veg. or bread and then a few aisles later have to retrace my steps to find it safely nestled in the onions or some such place.

Frequently! Until I made the list pages in my daytimer - no more lost lists else I am really in trouble since all my money is also in my daytimer. :shock:

That reminds me of the reason I no longer carry a PDA, after leaving two behind in markets during a rather hectic three-month period a couple of years ago.

Insurance replaced the first one but I was too embarassed to claim the second loss. However I did immediately notify the security company to "kill" the PDA each time. I decided I simply had no pressing need for a PDA in addition to my cell phone.

In fact, scrolling up and down checking a long list was far more time consuming with the PDA than with just a paper list, assuming I remembered to take the list with me in the first place.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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Yikes...sorry everyone. I don't know how my question re lost lists posted so many times. I don't feel that fanatical about it to post 4 times!!!

Anyway I do feel comforted that I am not alone.

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I occasionally seperate my list into store areas, but most of the time it's short enough that I don't need to. That said, I'm horrible about forgetting to buy things, even sometimes when it's on the list.

Kate

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cat fud (yes, spelled that way, extra points if you know where that's from)

The Far Side?

You got it! :biggrin:

I LOVE that cartoon, it still makes me laugh, and from the day it was published our cats have eaten nothing but "cat fud". Not that they know the difference.....

Marcia.

Don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wanted...he lived happily ever after. -- Willy Wonka

eGullet foodblog

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If I forget to take a writing utensil with me when I'm at the market, I'm sunk.

And, even if I do, I seem to start my next list just as soon as I put the groceries away. (would help if certain members of my family would remember to put things on the list which has had the same holding space for some 3 years and if they'd quit putting boxes of cheerios with 5 bits left in the box back on the shelf; one tablespoon of milk does not a gallon equal).

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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If I forget to take a writing utensil with me when I'm at the market, I'm sunk.

And, even if I do, I seem to start my next list just as soon as I put the groceries away.  (would help if certain members of my family would remember to put things on the list which has had the same holding space for some 3 years and if they'd quit putting boxes of cheerios with 5 bits left in the box back on the shelf; one tablespoon of milk does not a gallon equal).

Or an ice cream carton, carefully placed behind another in the freezer, containing only about half a cup of ice cream.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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Snowangel:

What is that about us humans? My my bro and I seemed to have an inbred adversion to taking the "last" of whatever... even though we just had to eat it and then put it on the list...

My mom would just get crazy about two crackers in the Triscuit box, two tablespoons in the milk carton, a quarter cup of cereal in the Crispies box.

Why are we/kids so famously afraid of taking the "last" (Probably a new thread in the making!)

Damn, I still do that even tho I'm single and living on my own! :hmmm:

Jamie Lee

Beauty fades, Dumb lasts forever. - Judge Judy

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Here's the latest grocery list, still a work in progress, to be executed tomorrow:

gallery_15557_1141_8768.jpg

Things I've added since this picture was taken:

SF hard candy

cat fud (yes, spelled that way, extra points if you know where that's from)

antihistamines

Marcia.

Nothing is better than frying in lard.

Nothing.  Do not quote me on this.

 

Linda Ellerbee

Take Big Bites

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cat fud (yes, spelled that way, extra points if you know where that's from)

the far side - with the dog pointing into the clothes dryer(or was it a front loading washer). we used that, too when we had kitties. thanks for a great reminder.

Nothing is better than frying in lard.

Nothing.  Do not quote me on this.

 

Linda Ellerbee

Take Big Bites

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Tomorrow morning I am going shopping with a friend who is legally blind- she has some sight but can't see details. She has an embosser printer hooked to her computer so she can print her shopping lists. She tried a voice notekeeper but also has a bit of a speech impediment so she had more problems listening to the thing than she has with the braile lists.

What is amusing to me is that I take far more time trying to interpret some of my scribbled notes on my shopping list than she does with hers. We both use scooters but hers has a nifty proximity alarm, of which I am envious. She also has a wide armrest on one side which I think is a terrific idea for anyone but she uses it to hold her shopping list and her NoteTeller, which reads paper money.

The last time we shopped together she had more items on her list but was finished well before me. I guess I take extra time to look at things when I know perfectly well what they are. Just another time-wasting activity. I may have certain advantages when shopping for vegetables, but when shopping for clothes, Gail has some too. She has an amazing ability to feel of fabric and know if it is a blend or pure cotton or ? The only time I have been able to fool her was when I handed her one of the new towels made from bamboo.

Of course I won't be able to do that again, now she knows the "feel" of it.

What I can't figure out is how she can tell the difference between apple varieties. Oranges are a cinch the navel is distinctive but Gail can tell the difference between a Fuji and a Braeburn. I can't even tell by looking.

Which remind me, I do have to put apples on my list..........

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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I'd love to see "out of the USA" lists: Torakris, Chufi, helenjp, Abra, Peter the Eater... (not inclusive!)

As you know we all shop together (wouldn't it be fun if we could)... :biggrin:

My everyday lists are:

emails like this one to and from my husband

*では餃子のかわを買って帰る。

(So I'll buy potsticker pastry sheets on the way home.)

* Emails to self - hard to read the screen on the run...

* whiteboard on fridge. Subject to sabotage from people wanting to write notes about lack of socks (look on your own bedroom floor, kid) or the words to their favorite songs.

- back of old receipts, old envelopes, but must be cut neatly to receipt size!

For special occasions, obsessive as it is, I get out the colored pencils (from 2003 New Year notes)

gallery_7941_961_9232.jpg

This one says "4 ebi (prawns) and 1 sausage", reminding me that my brother in law was with us, and my younger son hated prawns.

Normally I write the ingredients above each sketch, and keep a running total of common ingredients at the bottom of the page. However, if the picture is detailed, I often don't need to write anything to remember what I need - I picked this page because it actually had words on it! (But the pix aren't as pretty :sad: ).

The note on the left was scribbled standing up in the church kitchen, and is a shopping and prep list for takikomi gohan (rice cooked with seasonings and vegetables). I have no shame, I write in English or syllabic script, not going to write "prawns" in characters without a good reason!

:blush: Doesn't anybody else color their shopping lists in?

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