Relishments

Savoring life in the Berkshires

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Not-so-super markets

Published on January 4, 2009 By Emily. Updated on November 17, 2010

One might think that the best way to make and eat food that I actually desire would be to go to the store and get it myself.  This always seems like a good plan until implementation.  First of all, I’m pretty sure it’s only necessary to go to the store once or twice a week, if all members of my household can get organized enough to decide what they want and put it on a list.  There’s only four of us, usually three, so to me it makes sense.  Easier said than done, however,  but I eventually get my parents to decide on what the leftovers already in the fridge are being used for via a very, very circular discussion.  I know there’s an element of driving me crazy just for the sake of it, but how to remedy that I’m not sure.  Maybe I’ll do something crazy like move out in six months.

At any rate, I decided to make this pasta dish I’ve done once before (because the leftovers were, after all, claimed for other purposes), wrote down the ingredients and headed to my local grocery store.  It was upon entering said institution that I recalled my hatred for grocery shopping, especially here in town. Reasons below:

  1. I hate shopping carts and think they should only be used when completely necessary.  My list was pretty short, so I grabbed a carry basket (or whatever they’re called) and set about my shopping.  Of course, I end up with more food than I can comfortably carry and spend a third of my trip looking foolish and frequently putting the basket down to rest my arms.  But I didn’t have to push one of those misaligned, big carts that don’t fit down the aisle when someone is coming up the other side.
  2. Something happens to people when they enter grocery stores in general.  It seems the majority of them think they’re in a museum.  They’re wandering up and down the aisles, looking around as though they’re never seen food before.  Armed with my list and a sense of purpose, I like to get in and out of supermarkets as fast as possible.  Result: I’m annoyed with pretty much every other shopper.
  3. In the defense of my dazed and confused co-shoppers, my supermarket is notorious for having a limited selection and discontinuing items with frustrating frequency.  So, as annoyed as I was, I too am standing at the meat display trying to determine if there’s any chance the supermarket carries ground sirloin (they didn’t).  The same applies to some varieties of pasta.   I understand that we live in a small town, but it’s frustrating.  And it adds to the general confusion and my specific frustration.

At any rate, I survived.  The point of all the foolishness of going to the supermarket is to get food and I did and I’m very excited about cooking it and having something yummy for lunch at school this week.  I also picked up the ingredients to make some black and white cookies with my sister that I can hopefully post the results of later.  Finally, I went to the library, where I do advocate browsing and taking one’s time, and checked out Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential which I am so excited to read.  Review to follow, of course.

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Filed Under: food, life Tagged With: family, lists, shopping, supermarket

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Ultimate Recipe Showdown: Comfort Food »

Trackbacks

  1. Relishments » Cleaning out your kitchen says:
    November 17, 2010 at 7:15 am

    […] turkey cutlets for me at the supermarket yesterday, after I casually inquired whether or not our notoriously annoying store even carried them because I wanted to  make a recipe from the current issue of “Every Day […]

  2. » Highlights: Grocery Shopping » Relishments says:
    January 15, 2012 at 8:15 pm

    […] Highlights: Grocery Shopping  Posted by Emily at 7:30 pm Jan 152012   Oh, grocery shopping.  One might think that, after 3 years of blogging and 2 and a half years of being the primary food purchaser in our household, I would have learned to like going to the supermarket.  I like menu planning, and I like cooking, and I like clipping coupons, but I still don’t like the actual act of going to the store.  I guess that’s one thing that hasn’t changed since 2009. […]

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This week I - drove across the state for 4 days of This week I
- drove across the state for 4 days of 8 am to 4 pm professional development
- was incredibly impressed with the facilities and food at @wyliecenter and @tuppermanor
- wandered my undergrad campus at dusk
- started to wrap my head around @openscied
- spent quality time with @ryntintin12
- enjoyed several of Beverly's breweries and restaurants including @thecastlebeverly, @backbeatbrewing, @lavictoriataco, @oldplantersbrewing
- Enjoyed an evening with one of my closest friends from college
- took deep breaths and watched birds at the ocean 
- visited the mall and Whole Foods primarily to see what life is like for the other half of the state
- rediscovered a love of taking the scenic route, making unplanned detours and checking out small towns along the way
It was a cold and cloudy morning, but we made it t It was a cold and cloudy morning, but we made it to our second annual strawberry picking at @mountainviewfarm413, which included E's first tractor ride (she was very excited). We picked about 9 pounds of strawberries and I'm looking forward to eating them! 🍓
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#NorthAdams #NAmazing
Scenes from this morning in Adams, featuring @shir Scenes from this morning in Adams, featuring @shiredonuts, Poseidon Coffee, the Ashwillticook Rail Trail, St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Adams Free Library and beautiful flowers.
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I don't have clear words to express my feelings ab I don't have clear words to express my feelings about the state of the world lately. As a teacher and a mother, it has been extra difficult this week to be fully present in my roles without thinking about innocent lives that should have had longer on Earth. How what has happened in each of the many mass shootings this year can happen anywhere. If you are feeling sad and frustrated too, you are not alone.

I don't have answers, but I'm trying to take care of myself and my biological and school families. I'm saying "I love you" a lot to my children and my students. I'm closely following and sharing the work of @everytown while contacting my state and federal representatives and the president. I'm going for walks and getting fresh air and trying not to overload on news. I'm sharing good resources in my stories as I see them.
UPDATE: the giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats @aloh UPDATE: the giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats @alohr3!

 @thelazygenius' second book, The Lazy Genius Kitchen, is finally here and I'm so excited! I don't purchase many books, but I pre-ordered this last July because I knew it would be right up my alley and then I pre-ordered a second copy because I knew that I'd want to give one away.

Author Kendra Adachi has been one of my favorite voices in recent years. Her principles (shared through her first book, The Lazy Genius Podcast and her Instagram) have helped me focus my priorities and give myself more grace. 

This book is NOT a cookbook (it has just 2 recipes), it is a kitchen guide - to help you "have what you need, use what you have, and enjoy it like never before". It is beautiful (full color!) and thoughtful.

I'm very excited to send this book to one of you.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment below with one of your greatest kitchen struggles. 
I'll draw a winner at 8 pm on Friday, May 6.
This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram or The Lazy Genius, Kendra Adachi.
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#LazyGenius #KendraAdachi #NameWhatMatters #TheLazyGeniusKitchen #TheLazyGeniusWay #BookGiveaway
This morning we took advantage of @massmoca's Berk This morning we took advantage of @massmoca's Berkshire Teacher and Social Worker Appreciation Day free admission. After enjoying the student Art Invitational exhibit, the 4 of us took in several of the other galleries. Mass MoCA always impresses and it was delightful to be able to be out in the world with my kids.
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My January and early February menu plans for my @m My January and early February menu plans for my @mightyfoodfarm vegetables are finally up on the blog. See how we're making use of these beautiful items, as well as the items from the other pick up we made in the past month. 
Link in profile.
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#MightyFoodFarm #EatLocal #EatSeasonal #VermontGrown #CSApickup #CSAshare  #KnowYourFarmerKnowYourFood #MenuPlanning #MealPlanning #igers413 #igers413_food #BerkshireFoodies
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