Grocery Shopping

[blue_dolphin]

@huiray, I love your shopping posts and often wish I could come along and see the shops and how you make your selections.  Reading your posts is the next best thing and I certainly appreciate the time you take with these posts.   I do hope you will continue to show and tell us about the fruits (and vegetables and ...) of your shopping trips and I would love to see or read about others like @Thanks for the Crepes duckling/fish shop story above, with or without pictures.  @Deryn's 70 mile trek across the frozen tundra to Walmart is curious to me as well. Now, until very recently, the closest Walmart to me was about 25 miles away and in SoCal traffic it could probably take as long  but I would have passed dozens of grocery stores and palm trees  on my route.

 

Edited February 5, 2016 by blue_dolphin (log)

[Deryn]

Oh my gosh, Huiray ... please don't take what I said the wrong way (re-read my last sentence, please!). While what I wrote about my location and winter, etc. is true, it was all tongue in cheek to stop my drooling - but I guess it didn't come through on the flat page even though I added emoticons. My apologies if you misunderstood what was really a compliment and thanks to you, not a criticism of you or your post or your grocery haul. Thanks for the Crepes - thank you .. you explained it all better than I could.

 

I am VERY happy for you that you can get such wonderful produce and meats, etc. where you are. I love looking at the pictures of them. Thank you for posting them.

 

The other day I was fortunate enough to find some (not totally decrepit) lemongrass stalks at that store 70 miles from here ... that is a BIG treat, believe me. And it was also a bumper day because for the first time in at least a month, I also acquired a small bunch of flat leaf parsley (which is not easy to find around here because it seems people in this neck of the woods are stuck in the 70s and love their curly parsley so that is often the only thing one can find - and that often only in small plastic herb packs for $2.99). I also picked up a pack of baby bok choy and yu choy so my cart was aglow with green too. I am not complaining even though there are many days I miss living in places like Vancouver or even the DFW area where these basics are so commonplace you can find them in a corner store down the street. Here one enjoys the small pleasures and tries to feel grateful by recalling the day when the plane brought a crate of oranges into Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit) years ago and the town celebrated at the sight of the first fresh thing to be seen on the shelves for weeks (even at a price that was 20 times what someone in Montreal, much less Miami, might pay for such a small gem).

 

One learns to appreciate the 'small things' here, and those days when one has small but lovely surprises in the produce department. But, still ... I would trade you 3 fresh North Atlantic lobsters for a small bag of kaffir lime leaves.

[huiray]

Thanks to all who posted follow-ups and words of encouragement. Appreciated.

[sartoric]

On 5 February 2016 at 0:56 AM, Deryn said:

Oh my gosh, Huiray ... please don't take what I said the wrong way (re-read my last sentence, please!). While what I wrote about my location and winter, etc. is true, it was all tongue in cheek to stop my drooling - but I guess it didn't come through on the flat page even though I added emoticons. My apologies if you misunderstood what was really a compliment and thanks to you, not a criticism of you or your post or your grocery haul. Thanks for the Crepes - thank you .. you explained it all better than I could.

 

I am VERY happy for you that you can get such wonderful produce and meats, etc. where you are. I love looking at the pictures of them. Thank you for posting them.

 

The other day I was fortunate enough to find some (not totally decrepit) lemongrass stalks at that store 70 miles from here ... that is a BIG treat, believe me. And it was also a bumper day because for the first time in at least a month, I also acquired a small bunch of flat leaf parsley (which is not easy to find around here because it seems people in this neck of the woods are stuck in the 70s and love their curly parsley so that is often the only thing one can find - and that often only in small plastic herb packs for $2.99). I also picked up a pack of baby bok choy and yu choy so my cart was aglow with green too. I am not complaining even though there are many days I miss living in places like Vancouver or even the DFW area where these basics are so commonplace you can find them in a corner store down the street. Here one enjoys the small pleasures and tries to feel grateful by recalling the day when the plane brought a crate of oranges into Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit) years ago and the town celebrated at the sight of the first fresh thing to be seen on the shelves for weeks (even at a price that was 20 times what someone in Montreal, much less Miami, might pay for such a small gem).

 

One learns to appreciate the 'small things' here, and those days when one has small but lovely surprises in the produce department. But, still ... I would trade you 3 fresh North Atlantic lobsters for a small bag of kaffir lime leaves.

 

"I would trade you 3 fresh North Atlantic lobsters for a small bag of kaffir lime leaves"

Trade with me, I'll provide a large bag of kaffir lime leaves and pay for shipping ! 

 

Seriously, I too drool over your shopping @huiray Please keep posting.

[HungryChris]

Just returned from a trip to Cranston, RI to replenish my supply of kimchi. The brand I like best is Kimchi Pride http://www.kimcheepride.com/about.cfm which for some reason is becoming harder to locate lately. The local Oriental market switched brands recently and now carries a brand that is good, but just not as good as this stuff.  I started out buying the pint size jars and quickly graduated to the quarts, then moved on to the half gallon jars, which I love for my pickle making. When I arrived at the market in Cranston, they only had one left and I was faced with the prospect of leaving empty handed or with a gallon tub. I chose the latter. I think I am up for it. Kimchi fried rice, anyone?

HC

 

[Anna N]

So many, many possibilities for kimchee!  Kiimchi pancakes, roasted cauliflower with kimchi cream,  kimchi soup and I have not even got serious yet!  

[kbjesq]

On 2/16/2016 at 10:38 AM, Anna N said:

So many, many possibilities for kimchee!  Kiimchi pancakes, roasted cauliflower with kimchi cream,  kimchi soup and I have not even got serious yet!  

And Kimchi fried rice!  Color me jealous.  Around here the price for one pint of Kimchi is $11.99, which is how I ended up watching YouTube and learning to make my own (the quick pickle kind, I seem to have no luck with long fermentation)

[cakeslover]

My grocery shopping list for this week looked like this:
ground beef, gound pork, tomato paste, rice, 2 small cabbage some onions, smoked bacon and smoked pork hock, a bottle of wine, tomatoes, potatoes and some garlic.

[Tere]

Trip to Ludlow Food Centre planned for tomorrow (we need sausages, bacon, rapeseed oil and cheese) so I thought I'd show my Sainsbury's shop. A bit of an outlier because I bought All The Beans In the World to try out, and I was planning to make prunes in Armagnac but didn't buy enough Armagnac so that's postponed for a week. Not much weekday food as I'm away for a couple of days and out with Mum for lunch on another day.

 

 

Chicken breast fillets to sous-vide for weekday lunches.

Best of British tomatoes - usually good and sweet.

Half a cucumber

Cut runner beans from halfway across the globe no doubt.

2 lemons

Beef tomato

Cat food

Orange juice

Preprepped cauliflower cheese for roast beef. I could make my own but to be honest this one is cheap and tasty and means I am not swimming in leftovers in the week.

Custard for ice cream - I am swimming in egg whites in the freezer as it is. I'm going to add some cream saved in the freezer and some Provencale milk jam I found in my fridge clearout to make dulce de leche ice cream.

Two tins of tomato puree for Sunday's chili.

Brandy for consumption, Calvados because we have none and my husband likes it and I was poking through the brandy section looking for the Armagnac

Prunes for prunes in armagnac

Buffalo mozzarella. One of my go tos in the week is a simple tomato and mozzarella salad.

Sour cream for chili

Single cream for tonight's partridge dish and to go with the frangipane pudding I am making from some plum jam that needs using up and apples from the freezer, treat for husband as he is at the tired and grumpy stage of busy season.

Bag of ground almonds for same

Pancetta for chili as speck is not available

Roast beef topside. This may go in the freezer if we see something nice at the Food Centre.

Chorizo for chili

Portabello mushroom for cooked English breakfast on Sunday (eggs, bacon, sausage, black pudding, (store bought) hash browns, tomato, mushrooms)

Eggs for same

Shallots

Chestnut mushrooms for tonight's partridge

White wine vinegar as we are low

Anya potatoes

Polenta because I'm going to try making cornbread for the chili

All the beans and legumes - I think there's kidney, black, pinto, butter, cannelini, red and green lentils and green and yellow split peas. Forgot the chickpeas but we still have a couple of tins to use up anyway.

Edited February 19, 2016 by Tere (log)

[Anna N]

@Tere

 

I know you did this for our benefit, that is explain why each item  was purchased. The last time I made up a grocery list I made a quick note beside each item in a similar fashion to indicate why I was buying it. I have a terrible habit of reading recipes buying the ingredients and then forgetting both the recipe and the ingredients!   Now if only I could find that list.

[Tere]

I am actually looking at this wondering why I've bought 2 lemons! I know I need one for tonight's meal, no idea about the other. Oh well. It's not like they don't keep.

[Anna N]

 

Ha ha -- found my list!   Sharing it for your amusement.   This is from an online grocery service that serves my area.   I am given the name of the person who picked my order and I must say she did a very good job of selecting fresh looking and vibrant produce.

[Deryn]

I need an online grocery service to deliver to me here in the boonies. Anyone in Ottawa or TO want to start one? I will send my Asian grocery list pronto!

[kbjesq]

6 hours ago, Anna N said:

 

Ha ha -- found my list!   Sharing it for your amusement.   This is from an online grocery service that serves my area.   I am given the name of the person who picked my order and I must say she did a very good job of selecting fresh looking and vibrant produce.

Good grief, your cauliflower is still almost $5 and English cucumbers are $2.99? I guess that I will not complain about my $3 cauliflower (down from $5.50 a few months ago). English cukes range from 75 cents to $1.99 around here. 

Strangely, the organic veggies are getting cheaper than "conventional"  veg in my local markets. 

Sadly, we don't have any grocery delivery service available (other than Amazon pantry, which doesn't really count) 

 

[Anna N]

@kbjesq

 

 I pay a premium for everything by using this service.  It is by no means an economical way to do one's grocery shopping.  But when it's cold and snowy and you are physically limited in your ability to get around  it has a place.  I am usually fortunate in that friends and family either do my grocery shopping for me or take me to do my own.   Not only do I pay a premium but there are some things that seem to me are readily available in the store but not apparently in the warehouse.   But once or twice a year I am grateful that it is there when I need it.  

[Deryn]

2 hours ago, kbjesq said:

Good grief, your cauliflower is still almost $5 and English cucumbers are $2.99? I guess that I will not complain about my $3 cauliflower (down from $5.50 a few months ago). English cukes range from 75 cents to $1.99 around here. 

Strangely, the organic veggies are getting cheaper than "conventional"  veg in my local markets. 

Sadly, we don't have any grocery delivery service available (other than Amazon pantry, which doesn't really count) 

 

 

Those aren't grown in Canada this time of year, kbjesq, so they have to be shipped from CA or Mexico most probably. And then there is the Canadian $ exchange - so you can count on 30 percent extra there. It is sad though that I, located far from a major city, think Anna's prices are a bargain for the most part right now. And I am sure the produce she got is much fresher than I can get here too. I long for spring.

[kayb]

I made a quick dash by the grocery this afternoon to pick up just a few things for meals for the weekend (have a house guest here). Corned beef, swiss, Russian dressing and kraut to make Reubens tomorrow; Brussels sprouts to roast with the chicken shawarma tomorrow night, Worcestershire because I was almost out and that just Will Not Do. And a couple of bottles of veggie juice to go in smoothies.

[Tere]

Update to my grocery list with our Ludlow Food Centre adventures! It's a very well regarded farm shop selling products from a large local estate, as well as other local produce. http://www.ludlowfoodcentre.co.uk/Content.aspx?ID=1

 

First stop was the cafe, since it does a mean burger and fish and chips, all set in a big open plan green oak building. It was full but thankfully we didn't have to wait too long. We shared the burger (Hereford beef from the estate, Gloucester Old Spot bacon from the estate, Shropshire blue cheese and the usual pickles and relishes) and fish, chips, peas and home made tartare sauce. 

 

 

 

 

Shop entrance. They have these cute little baskets but we were hardcore and found a trolley just in case  Kamado firelighters for scale.

 

 

 

The cheese counter. So good, and they have cheese fridges showing them maturing. Some is imported, but there's plenty of local stuff, and they make cheese on site.

 

 

 

Local rapeseed oil. I use this as my day to day cooking oil.

 

 

Local counties are well known for their cider, and there's several cider makers not very far from the centre. Here's some of their wares, along with local bottled beers, and local spirits. Chase is probably the best known and there's quite a story attached to it. Basically the local crisp / potato chip is Tyrrell's and this is the company the founder built after he sold the business and had a falling out. He started off as a potato farmer and when they fell out they wouldn't use his potatoes, so in a "If life gives you lemons" he decided to make vodka with them. It's pretty good.

 

 

 

 

All the sausages! We like the Cumberland ones the best, and bought a big batch for the freezer. I like the salami hanging up behind. Chatted to the butcher to see if they had a means to obtain fresh blood for black pudding and discovered they used dried. If I ever need pig's trotters I can get them here for free if I give them some notice.

 

 

 

 

The cold section has black pudding and the like, and also excellent pasties and pies. I've also included a veg shot to prove there was some!  I didn't bother taking a photo of their excellent bakery section as we got there quite late and they were basically sold out.

 

 

 

Our haul: Cumberland sausages, unsmoked back bacon, two bottles of their excellent tomato ketchup, local muesli for hubby, Great Ness rapeseed oil, two bottles of a new cider to try, 4 cheeses (Cheese with No Name and Monkland cheese made on site, Hereford Hop, and a local Cheddar style cheese), and some freezer stuff, two good size pheasants from their shoot, diced game, diced venison, ox cheek, and duck legs. Not cheap but worth it once in a while, and actually the sausages and bacon are cheaper and better than supermarket premium brands.

 

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Thanks to my dear family, my first ever visit to an Asian superstore (Hmart).  My mind was blown.  Came home with pork belly and kimchee.  Would love to explore there when we had more time.

 

[Anna N]

2 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Thanks to my dear family, my first ever visit to an Asian superstore (Hmart).  My mind was blown.  Came home with pork belly and kimchee.  Would love to explore there when we had more time.

 

Be careful what you wish for!  Kerry Beal and I can while away a whole morning and put some serious dents in our food budgets. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

24 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Be careful what you wish for!  Kerry Beal and I can while away a whole morning and put some serious dents in our food budgets. 

 

Fortunately I seldom get out of bed before noon,

 

Unfortunately Hmart seems to keep long hours.

[Deryn]

I can't tell you how Welsh Dragons make me both cry and jump with delight (courtesy of my late father - our house was filled with them and I still have a few here now). To see a whole case filled with Welsh cheeses (presumably since the dragon was flying above) made me so nostalgic (and yes, I like the cheese too .. not just the red and green). That market looks wonderful, Tere - (and would even without the dragons) ... I am jealous. Thanks for the photo tour.

[Tere]

It was mostly British cheeses but not all Welsh (and some cheese from other places too). I'm not sure why the flags were displayed if I am honest, although it's only about 10 miles from the border there. Someone was feeling Welsh I guess!

[blue_dolphin]

33 minutes ago, Tere said:

I'm not sure why the flags were displayed if I am honest, although it's only about 10 miles from the border there. Someone was feeling Welsh I guess!

 

Maybe they were featuring some Welsh foods around the St. David's Day (March 1) holiday?  Or someone was feeling Welsh !

[Tere]

D'oh. yeah it might have been St. David's Day.