Grocery Shopping

[huiray]

Yes, Claus' is a nice place and I am glad to have it here.  They are also one of the places which will process your wild game for you.  They're just south of downtown Indy, just over 9 miles from me by the usual way I would drive to them. :-)

 

There are other such places around here, including a more upscale one – Goose the Market, (as well as their sister shop Smoking Goose) which I have also posted about in this thread as well as the stuff I've got from that place. GtM is less than 5 miles from me. :-)  GtM has other stuff as well including wonderful cheeses and vittles and jarred/canned gourmet stuff and other groceries, both fresh and dried and frozen.  They also get in very fresh fish and shellfish too - once a week, from Chicago, and you can place orders with them for whatever fish you want and they will try to get it for you.  (Yes, there are various other fishmongers and fresh fish counters here too, ranging from very good (and expensive) to passable (and much cheaper))  GtM is also one of the places to get local shrimp (from the salt-water shrimp farms in the central Indiana area) either from their occasional brought-in supply or by request.

[CatPoet]

I am NOT going to take  a picture of my grocery shopping,  it is the big haul for the month and yes I am  now tired.  But this part of  what I got.

7 kilos of inner chicken fillets,  3 kilos of  mix ground meat   50% pork and 50% beef,   2 kilos of pork mince, 1½ kilo of smoked bacon ,  2½ kilo of ground chuck, 2 rings of  Falu sausages, 300 gram of smoked ham, 1 kilo of  gouda ( not great gouda but it will do for pizza), 12 kilo of flour , 20 packets of dry yeast,  stock cubes, potato starch ,  corn starch, white PAN  corn flour,  500 gram of chocolate both white and dark, sugar,  powdered sugar, vanilla, 4 litre lactose free milk,  4 cartoons of lactose free yoghurt, pickles,  veggies and  a lot more and  2 strawberry plants  Fontaine.

 

We have  filled  8 big  Tesco canvas bags with food.  Yeah I am in Sweden but I use  Tesco bags from the UK.

 

I only have the dirt to pick up.

[radtek]

I keep canvas bags as well.

 

CatPoet is this a bulk buy for the summer or do you have a small army to feed?!

[huiray]

Groceries 2015-0529

 

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Asia Mart

 

Wolfberry leaves (they look like these) - not regularly found, always nice when they appear.

Maitake mushrooms

Kai-lan

Fuzzy squash

Scallions

Korean radishes

Limes

Jicama

Vietnamese coriander (Rau Răm; Persicaria odorata)

Pickled mustard packs (harm choy/syun choy)

Shallots

Stewing chickens (unfrozen!!!)

Pork spare ribs, short-cut Chinese style)

Po-lei (pu-erh) tea, reasonably OK grade

Fresh skinny wonton noodles

Glutinous rice w/ pork & shiitake mushrooms in lotus leaf (frozen)

Fresh soft & firm tofu

HK style wonton wrappers

 

Viet Hua Food Market

 

Chicken wings, middle portions only

Fresh shrimp

Shaohsing "Hua Ti" cooking wine, "Supreme" grade

Bulldog tonkatsu/vegetable-fruit sauce

Garlic

 

The Fresh Market

 

"Blue Sea" sea salt

Kosher salt

TFM Madras curry powder (I didn't feel like making my own mix nor going to an Indian place or to Penzeys)

Fresh Middleneck clams (farmed)

EV olive oils (Arbequina, general mix - both California Olive Oil Ranch)

 

 

 

[huiray]

At Broad Ripple Farmers' Market (BRFM) & Carmel Farmers' Market (CFM) today, 2015-0530.

 

BRFM:  Ramps (FAT bulbs; $10/lb), wild-collected oyster mushrooms, baby zucchini w/ flowers still on, broccoli, young Swiss chard, young beets.

 

CFM:  Asparagus, portobello mushrooms (not pictured), baby curly kale leaves (special request to the vendor), sugar snap peas.

 

 

The ramps today came from around Portage, IN.  Appropriate - the source of the ramps I've been picking up from this vendor has been "progressing north" with each passing week.  The earliest ones I got this year, from a different vendor (the owners/originators; at the Indy Winter Farmers' Market) were these (mid-April) from south of Bloomington, IN.

[CatPoet]

radtek: well we are a family of  3 that goes through roughly  14 kilos of meat per month ,  that dinner and lunches  but it was such a great deal on the chicken ( one  of the better brands) , I got 7 kilos  of inner fillets for the normal price of 3 kilos and since there is a party next weekend , I thought, chicken sound  great and in my budget.  12 kilo of flour, well that is all I need for cakes ( making 3 ) and   all the bread and pizza this month.

 

Oh we have nothing  gowning yet in this area more then in green houses, been a lousy May.

Edited May 31, 2015 by CatPoet (log)

[huiray]

BRFM & CFM on Saturday.

 

Tuscan kale, leaf celery, savory, green garlic, asparagus.

 

An enormous Savoy cabbage.

 

Tomatoes, baby zucchini w/ flowers, hickory hot-smoked (then frozen) sockeye salmon bellies.

 

...and strawberries.

[huiray]

Today:

 

BRFM – baby zucchini w/ blossoms on, 2 big bunches of basil (for pesto), green garlic, young onions/getting-larger spring onions, farm-fresh eggs.

 

CFM – baby portobello/just-emerging criminis (by special request; harvested by breaking off pieces from the mycelium colony shortly after emergence of the fruiting body), shelling peas (picked last night), young spinach.

 

Claus' German Sausage & Meats – a slice of Pikanter Leberkäse, a chunk of coarse Braunschweiger, 4 Weisswurst, some good ground chuck beef.

 

Amelia's/Bluebeard – half a loaf of semolina bread.

 

 

The stuff from Claus' plus the bread.

 

The budding criminis.

 

A nice snack a short while ago.

 

[huiray]

Today:

 

BRFM – baby zucchini w/ blossoms on, 2 big bunches of basil (for pesto), green garlic, young onions/getting-larger spring onions, farm-fresh eggs.

 

CFM – baby portobello/just-emerging criminis (by special request; harvested by breaking off pieces from the mycelium colony shortly after emergence of the fruiting body), shelling peas (picked last night), young spinach.

 

Claus' German Sausage & Meats – a slice of Pikanter Leberkäse, a chunk of coarse Braunschweiger, 4 Weisswurst, some good ground chuck beef.

 

Amelia's/Bluebeard – half a loaf of semolina bread.

 

 

The stuff from Claus' plus the bread.

 

The budding criminis.

 

A nice snack a short while ago.

 

[radtek]

Thanks CatPoet! 

 

I was thinking of "the Budget" in general and more precisely the "grocery budget" that I go by. I try to stay within the constraints set for myself. Interested to know about other's dealings in this area...

 

At the moment, it's just me so I've budgeted $300 for groceries and $150 per month for any alcohol. My restaurant budget is set at $50 so it forces me to adhere to the prior two. I also go to the store with a list that is fairly comprehensive and take a disciplined approach while there.

[SylviaLovegren]

I am NOT going to take  a picture of my grocery shopping,  it is the big haul for the month and yes I am  now tired.  But this part of  what I got.

7 kilos of inner chicken fillets,  3 kilos of  mix ground meat   50% pork and 50% beef,   2 kilos of pork mince, 1½ kilo of smoked bacon ,  2½ kilo of ground chuck, 2 rings of  Falu sausages, 300 gram of smoked ham, 1 kilo of  gouda ( not great gouda but it will do for pizza), 12 kilo of flour , 20 packets of dry yeast,  stock cubes, potato starch ,  corn starch, white PAN  corn flour,  500 gram of chocolate both white and dark, sugar,  powdered sugar, vanilla, 4 litre lactose free milk,  4 cartoons of lactose free yoghurt, pickles,  veggies and  a lot more and  2 strawberry plants  Fontaine.

 

We have  filled  8 big  Tesco canvas bags with food.  Yeah I am in Sweden but I use  Tesco bags from the UK.

 

I only have the dirt to pick up.

 

Where do you store all that?  Do you have a giant fridge and freezer?

[huiray]

Friday 2015-0619 / Saturday 2015-0620.

 

 

Viet Hua Food Market

Fresh chicken wings, a slab of pork belly, 2 lbs baby clams, bitter melons, galangal, “Thai” basil (rau húng quế), young kai-lan, scallions, coriander leaves, soft tofu [Hinoichi], “spiced” (heh!) tofu (臭豆腐) [Water Lilies brand], mung bean sprouts, fresh mangosteens.

 

 

Asia Mart

Short-cut pork spare ribs, ground pork, 5 lb bag of shallots, fresh wood-ear fungus, dried shrimp (har mai), dried black fungus, dried Chinese mushrooms (香菇 variety), dried lily flowers, fresh rice noodle sheets (hor fun), frozen pork meat balls, frozen fish balls, garlic, ginger, bottled radish kimchi (kkakdugi), Persian cucumbers.

 

 

Broad Ripple Farmers’ Market

Chioggia beets, baby zucchini w/ blossoms on (yes, more!), tomatoes, assorted hot chillies (red, finger, Jamaican, jalapeños, etc).

 

 

Carmel Farmers’ Market

Fresh garlic heads (new crop; full-sized), green beans, chanterelle mushrooms**.

** First of the season that I’ve seen.  The guy from whom I picked it up “held it for me” (thanks, bud) and said it was the first he’d seen too, and he hadn’t even had any yet himself – but knew that when he got home there would be more for the picking tomorrow.

 

 

Saraga International Market

Bone-in beef short ribs, more “Thai” basil, fresh curry leaves (கறிவேப்பிலை; Murraya koenigii leaves).

 

 

Carniceria Guanajuato #3

Fresh tamales (pork, chicken, cheese/jalapeño)

[huiray]

Saturday 2015-0627.

 

BRFM: Red carrots, Shishito peppers, new Red Gold potatoes, basil, English peas, green garlic, baby zucchini w/ blossoms, Peppermint Swiss chard.

 

CFM: Music garlic (new harvest), green zucchini, tomatoes.

 

 

 

The Fresh Market: Freshly ground peanut butter, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, pine nuts, brioche hot dog buns.

[huiray]

Friday – Saturday, 2015-0703/0704.

 

 

Caplinger's Fresh Catch:  Littleneck clams.

 

The Fresh Market:  Fedelini pasta [De Cecco], Italian parsley, fresh Bing cherries, bottled clam juice [bar Harbor].

 

Broad Ripple Farmers' Market:  Chiaggia beets, red-skinned carrots, yellow carrots, curly green leaf & baby red-tinged Romaine lettuces, young Roma beans, heritage tomatoes, fresh shiitake mushrooms.

 

 

[huiray]

Today at Broad Ripple Farmers' Market (BRFM) & Carmel Farmers' Market (CFM):

 

BRFM:  Zucchini blossoms, baby zucchini w/ blossoms on, 2 bunches sweet basil, small/new Yukon Gold potatoes, Shishito peppers, Roma beans, French filet beans, frisee & curly green lettuce, big head of broccoli, farm-fresh eggs, vine-ripe tomatoes (Mountain Stream & Big Dena)

 

CFM:  Chinese long beans (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis), small Portobello mushrooms, Chanterelle  mushrooms, English (shelling) peas, a loaf of "epi" "wheat-stalk" bread.

 

...and, from a local grocery:  Hot & Spicy Big Reds (a locally produced/famed franks - see here).

 

 

[huiray]

Saturday 2015-0718

 

 

Broad Ripple Farmers’ Market:  Chanterelle mushrooms, Peppermint Swiss chard, Red Russian kale, celery, basil, green onions (almost negi-size), French filet beans.

 

Carmel Farmers’ Market:  Dragon Tongue beans, green & purple Chinese long beans, Siberian Red garlic (fresh crop), “ugly” tomatoes (for soup), poblano peppers, green zucchini, “specialty” melon (a cross between Honeydew & Cantaloupe).**

 

** Could be a Galia melon; but this one is kind of BIG, from what I read and see on the web.  The Wiki article says the average weight is 1 kg, but also says that those grown in Pakistan range between 1 – 10 kg (mine is ~7 lb = ~3.2 kg).  Well, the guy at the market chose one of the biggest there for me – there were smaller ones there for sure; and I know him to be an excellent grower of melons…

 

 

 

 

Amelia’s Bakery:  Half a “City Loaf” (a whole wheat & young sourdough type)

 

Goose the Market:  Local Folks Stoneground Express mustard, Dodge City salami, Andouille sausage, Rigani Loukaniko salami, Jamon Serrano (forgot to ask about the specific producer of their current stock), St Agur blue cheese, Ameribella cheese.

 

The Jamon Serrano was sliced out as ~2 mm slices -- meant to be used in a steamed chicken dish, not to be eaten "as is".

 

 

 

Hotel Tango Distillery:  a half-bottle (375 mL) of Golf Gin.

 

Batch & bottle hand-numbered on the back label.

Edited July 19, 2015 by huiray (log)

[huiray]

From Broad Ripple Farmers' Market & Carmel Farmers' Market.

 

Small portobello (cremini) mushrooms, blue oyster mushrooms, Shishito peppers, sweet Carmen pepper, Tuscan kale, yellow squashes, broccoli florets, Japanese Trifele tomatoes, a freebie Cherokee Purple tomato, green zucchinis, "ugly" tomatoes.

 

Beef short ribs.

 

Sugar Cube melons, Saturn peaches.

 

Siberian Red (bottom left), Siberian Blue (bottom right), Spanish Roja (top) garlic.

 

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From Namaste Plaza.

 

Reserve basmati rice. ("Reserve" is the brand)

Dunar Alonga basmati rice.

Thai-type green chillies.

Dosakaya ( "Lemon Cucumber"; a kind of cucumber, also described as a squash)

Fresh turmeric rhizome pieces

Fresh drumsticks

Small purple eggplants (oval, "Indian-type")

Curry leaves (கறிவேப்பிலை; Murraya koenigii)

Edited July 26, 2015 by huiray (log)

[huiray]

2015-0808.

 

Broad Ripple Farmers' Market:

Kalettes, basil, small Red Gold potatoes, Carmen Italian sweet pepper, Black Krim & Cherokee Purple tomatoes, Chocolate Stripe tomatoes, Early Golden plums.

Carmel Farmers' Market:

Purple & green Chinese long beans, blue oyster mushrooms. shiitake mushrooms, young kale, Japanese Trifele tomatoes, chanterelle mushrooms, Galia melon. Also an "epi" loaf, and pale blue & pale green shelled eggs (both not pictured).

 

 

 

 

 

Asia Mart & Viet Hua:

Fish paste, pork bones, short-cut pork spare ribs, canned unpeeled straw mushrooms, canned slender bamboo shoots, black sesame oil, fuzzy squash, water spinach (kangkong/ong choy), guo zi choy (wolfberry leaves), kai-lan, daikon, scallions (6 bunches at $1 for 3 bunches), coriander leaves, ginger, fresh woodear mushrooms, soft tofu, mung bean sprouts, [Asahi] nori maki arare (a kind of Japanese rice cracker wrapped with seaweed - very tasty, addictive); whole white pepper, pork neck bones.

 

Edited August 9, 2015 by huiray (log)

[Smithy]

Huiray, you shop the way I want to. I end up overly challenged to use it all in time, and have been working toward more realistic quantities (for our household), but it's difficult to restrain myself at the height of the season. I *think* your photos give me vicarious satisfaction instead of leading me into temptation, but I can't be sure.

What did you think of the Saturn peaches?

[huiray]

Heh.  Smithy, I try myself too. :-)  Thanks.

 

I like the Saturn peaches, but I doubt I would always prefer them. They're a nice change from the normal ones. They ARE firmer than the "commonly-found" ones and quite fragrant.  Sweetness - I guess they are sweeter, but good normal ones at the height of season are pretty good too.  They dry out faster (going wrinkly) than the common ones, probably because of the greater surface area relative to volume of flesh. Skin maybe a little thicker, though. The ones I got were about 2.5 inches in diameter on average. 

[huiray]

Saturday 2015-0815.

 

Broad Ripple Farmers' Market:

Chioggia beets, basil, sort-of flat romano-type yellow wax beans, young carrots, French filet beans, Papa Cacho fingerling potatoes. Also free-range pastured chicken backs & necks (not in picture).

 

Carmel Farmers' Market:

Galia melon, peaches, ripening poblano peppers, Zephyr squash, Japanese Trifele tomatoes.

 

[huiray]

Asia Mart:

Fuzhou flour vermicelli special grade [Lucky Swallow], ground pork, almond (puff pastry) wafers [K.W. Inc., NY, NY], sliced pork hocks, large-leaf type mustard greens (kai choy; 芥菜) (small plants!!), firm tofu [Hinochi], half a Chinese roast duck, Thai basil, coriander leaves, fresh flat rice noodles (hor fun) [Lee's Noodle Co.], frozen beef-tendon balls [Venus], canned sardines [Ligo], bone marrow (bulalo) flavor instant noodle bowls [Lucky Me! Supreme], instant noodles wheat gluten stewed duck flavor bowl [Little Cook], shrimp flavour instant noodle packs (Mì Lẩu Thái Hương Vị Tôm) [Vina Acecook], saté onion flavour instant noodle packs (Mì Hảo Hảo Sa Tế Hành) [Vina Acecook], nori maki arare [Asahi].

 

Viet Hua Food Market:

Scallions/green onions, ong choy (rau muống), kai lan (芥蘭), long bok choy (small plants), mung bean sprouts, chicken wings (middle pieces only), fresh lotus roots, hot long green chillies, lemons, head-on large shrimp.

Edited August 22, 2015 by huiray (log)

[huiray]

Today:

 

Broad Ripple Farmers' Market:

Leafy green lettuce, Romaine lettuce, "standard" tomatoes, Pink Beauty tomatoes, basil, Lion's Mane mushroom (in "pre-shaggy" stage).

 

Carmel Farmers' Market:

Chinese long beans (green & purple), baby purple lady's fingers, shiitake mushrooms, pale green/blue eggs, roma beans.

 

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Yesterday:

 

Viet Hua:

Scallions, coriander leaves, mung bean sprouts, live shrimp (brought home swimming in a bucket of water).

 

Carniceria Morelos (at 96th Street Station):

House-made Mexican chorizo, dried hibiscus flowers (Flor de Jamaica), piloncillo sugar, stock cubes (Maggi – caldo sabor a pollo; Knorr – caldo con sabor de pollo, caldo de tomate con sabor de pollo, caldo con sabor de camarón).

 

Namaste Plaza:

Curry leaves (Murraya koenigii), a large-leafed beginning-to-flower green "Indian" variety of edible amaranth (Tandaljo Bhaji) (see below).

 

 

[huiray]

Saturday 2015-0919.

 

Broad Ripple Farmers' Market: 

Tomatoes, hot red chubby chillies (Banana type), ripening poblano peppers, small sprouting-type broccoli heads, a loaf of epi bread (pain d'epi), an enormous head of green cabbage (almost a foot across and about 11 lbs by weight), red and green muscadine grapes.

 

Carmel Farmers' Market: 

Costata Romanesco squash/zucchini, beautiful bushy turnip greens with small turnips attached :-), a small cantaloupe, nice head of green lettuce, a pack of beef short ribs.

 

Viet Hua Food Market: 

Big live shrimp, Manila clams, smaller (dead) head-on shrimp, baby kai-lan (芥蘭苗), baby pak choy (bok choy), couple of "cebollita"/negi-type green onion stalks, bunch of ong choy (kangkong; water spinach; water morning glory; Ipomoea aquatica), fresh lotus root segments, Thai eggplants, a nice (US-grown) pomelo, a pack of small "wife cakes"** (老婆餅) (a.k.a. Sweetheart cake; winter melon puff; &etc – see here for just one link with some chit-chat)

 

Pic of some of the baby kai-lan from the big bag of it that I got.

 

** See here (scroll down) for a pic of what I got.

Edited September 20, 2015 by huiray (log)

[Arey]

Made one of my several times a year 45 milw trips up the Black Horse Pike to Williamstown NJ to go to the Stoltzfuss farmers market to buy meat.  I bought a flank steak for Sunday dinner (and yes, I have to drive 45 miles to get a flank steak) a delmonico steak for tomorrows dinner, knockwurst, bratwurst, weisswurst, and breakfast links.  At the poultry counter I bought 3 bone in skin on turkey thighs, four large chicken legs and a "chicken roast" stuffed with cheese and spinach for tonights dinner.  If I just had an freezer, instead of only the small freezer above the fridge I could have bought a lot more.  They carry all sorts of pork products and they had a really nice chuck roast and some boneless short ribs, which I would have bought if I had anyplace to put them.

The Stolzfusses are a Lancaster Mennonite/Amish family  which have markets throughout the area  From Lancaster Co. PA to South Jersey. They provide an enormous selection of ready to cook and precooked foods, produce, candy, bakery product and all sorts of artery clogging options.

But they do sort of make me realize the very limited grocery shopping  possibilities available in my area itself.  There is a local. butcher shop I go to, but the selection is limited, and he's still hasn't gotten over the excitement of having been featured on Diners, Dives, and Drive-ins. And to really get his attention and get him to listen to you, you have to start with "Whadda ya think of them Iggles/Philies?"  Otherwise you just stand there saying "No,no. One inch cubes!" to no avail, while the customers on either side of you debate with the butcher what the Iggles/Phillies need to do to make the playoffs. Other than the butcher shop, the island has 2 WaWas and an Acme.  There is one other market on the island, but in the past several years its had three different owners and the most recent owner apparently feels there's no point keeping the shelves stocked between Labor Day and Memorial Day. So the shelves are half empty between the two hollidays, but he could at least take advantage of the opportunity  to wipe the dust and crud off the shelves.  I had been going to this market a couple of times a week since 1971, I knew the cashiers and the staff, and the deli counter guy knew what I was going to order before I even got to the counter, but now I go to the ACME and shopping for groceries isn't the same.