Well, my body has completely adapted to the new clock. I went to bed at 9:30 last night and woke up fresh as a daisy at 6:30am. And it was already getting light outside. Dang, I should totally be working on a farm!
Which brings me nicely back to my Monday. Monday morning Rebby and I went to Barb's Country Kitchen for breakfast, being very nostalgic for the country style breakfast with gravy over everything. I hate to say it, but it was a bad move. It seems that since they've opened the back room or whatever, the breakfast has gone downhill. The gravy was definitely out of a can and tasted like chemicals. The bacon was kinda gross. Boo. It wasn't the worst biscuits and gravy I've ever had (that honor is still held by the restaurant in the tiny airport in Zainsville OH) but it was pretty bad. Of course, I am a snob---rebby said it tasted fine to her. Oh well.
After the unsatisfying breakfast, I went on my maiden voyage to Trader Joes. I took a couple of bags, my backpack, and $100. I was ready.
Thankfully it wasn't insanely crowded---I was still jostled several times by people with more money than me, but nothing like the horror stories I had heard about the grand opening weekend. I tried to look carefully at everything on offer...there were a couple of sections I wasn't able to get very close to, and I wasn't willing to hang around all day to check them out. My overall impression is---the dried fruit and nuts section is awesome. I got some dried mango and freeze dried strawberries which I used to make that stellar granola yesterday. I picked up a tiny round of dubliner irish cheddar that was so cute I couldn't resist, and a tub of fresh mozzarella medallions that are very good and were pretty cheap. The cheese deals seem pretty good overall, but there's always the strip. I think that TJs really excels in frozen pre-prepared stuff, and well....I'm trying to get away from that. I did buy some frozen organic sugar snap peas, which are delicious. But, they were grown in CHINA. Why am I eating vegetables grown in china? That just doesn't seem right to me. (foreshadowing) I got some pretty good candy, and some really good multigrain bread, and some delicious organic ground beef, and some really yummy natural bacon. But the greatest find for me was New Mexico Pinon Coffee. Oh yes. It was such a thrill to see the red foil bag--it instantly reminded me of christmas in Albuquerque. The first pot I brewed up was like nostalgia in a cup. So good. So I will go back to TJs at least for that, sometimes. Also, I bought some soy creamer to try out for the restaurant and I have to say it is way more delicious than silk soy creamer. So hopefully we will be able to get that by the case from TJs and then we won't have to deal with whether or not Frankferd is going to send Silk this week. (they haven't for the past month or so) I got some antiperspirant and toothpaste also..both fine. In general, there aren't many reasons for me to make the trip, I have to say. But I'm glad it's here. If it takes some pressure off of Whole Foods that would be nice...I'd like to be able to shop at WF again. But I can't while it's like running the gauntlet of privilidged white people.
So after my shopping trip I caught the 77 bus and came home and promptly made myself a little organic lunch. The sugar snap peas were delicious, like I said, but the China thing is too weird. The organic beef burger was super yummy. While I ate I looked at the computer a little bit, and read through a lot of stuff on The Ethicurian, one of my favorite new sites. So there I was, reading about local and sustainable farming while eating vegetables grown in CHINA. It just didn't seem right. So I decided to educate myself at the library! Unfortunately The Omnivore's Dillema was checked out, but I printed out info on a couple of other books at my local branch. And then, I somehow realized that Monday is the day of the East Liberty Farmer's Market!!!!!! What luck!
So I headed down to the library where I got out Coming Home to Eat by Gary Paul Nabhan. I'm having sort of a hard time getting into it, but I'm not giving up. I asked the nice lady at the desk if she could direct me to the farmer's market, which she did.
And then.....I fell in love.
I walked in to the parking lot next to the McDonalds (ha!) and there were TONS of farmers with their wares. Fresh local vegetables, organic eggs and meats, jams and jellies, pies, cider....my god. I wandered around in a daze for a while, checking out all the offerings. Then I started to collect. Cider, beautiful little garnet yams, organic lettuces, and then I went to the stand at the far end, where I really fell in love with this tall strapping farm boy. He had long blonde hair with little pirate braids in it. Oh my. He lovingly wrapped my fresh beets with tops, brussels sprouts, and SPINACH. I lovingly handed over my $8.00. Swoony swoon swoon.
Why OH Why have I not been going to the farmer's market all summer long?!?!? I am a fool. I have three more weeks to go. But I only have three more days to eat the rest of the produce in my fridge before Monday!
I think I'll make a big vegetable dinner tonight for rebby and me before we go out to the brillobox to see the random bullshit show. Monday night I had a great dinner of steamed spinach, rice and beans, and yams roasted with tamarind sauce. I need to eat like that all the time. It all comes down to the dishes, really. If I can train myself to do the dishes immediately I'll be happy to cook vegetables every night of the week. Pray for me.
Next up: Sunday night with the offensive comedian, Saturday WEDDING, Friday SHOW!
Which brings me nicely back to my Monday. Monday morning Rebby and I went to Barb's Country Kitchen for breakfast, being very nostalgic for the country style breakfast with gravy over everything. I hate to say it, but it was a bad move. It seems that since they've opened the back room or whatever, the breakfast has gone downhill. The gravy was definitely out of a can and tasted like chemicals. The bacon was kinda gross. Boo. It wasn't the worst biscuits and gravy I've ever had (that honor is still held by the restaurant in the tiny airport in Zainsville OH) but it was pretty bad. Of course, I am a snob---rebby said it tasted fine to her. Oh well.
After the unsatisfying breakfast, I went on my maiden voyage to Trader Joes. I took a couple of bags, my backpack, and $100. I was ready.
Thankfully it wasn't insanely crowded---I was still jostled several times by people with more money than me, but nothing like the horror stories I had heard about the grand opening weekend. I tried to look carefully at everything on offer...there were a couple of sections I wasn't able to get very close to, and I wasn't willing to hang around all day to check them out. My overall impression is---the dried fruit and nuts section is awesome. I got some dried mango and freeze dried strawberries which I used to make that stellar granola yesterday. I picked up a tiny round of dubliner irish cheddar that was so cute I couldn't resist, and a tub of fresh mozzarella medallions that are very good and were pretty cheap. The cheese deals seem pretty good overall, but there's always the strip. I think that TJs really excels in frozen pre-prepared stuff, and well....I'm trying to get away from that. I did buy some frozen organic sugar snap peas, which are delicious. But, they were grown in CHINA. Why am I eating vegetables grown in china? That just doesn't seem right to me. (foreshadowing) I got some pretty good candy, and some really good multigrain bread, and some delicious organic ground beef, and some really yummy natural bacon. But the greatest find for me was New Mexico Pinon Coffee. Oh yes. It was such a thrill to see the red foil bag--it instantly reminded me of christmas in Albuquerque. The first pot I brewed up was like nostalgia in a cup. So good. So I will go back to TJs at least for that, sometimes. Also, I bought some soy creamer to try out for the restaurant and I have to say it is way more delicious than silk soy creamer. So hopefully we will be able to get that by the case from TJs and then we won't have to deal with whether or not Frankferd is going to send Silk this week. (they haven't for the past month or so) I got some antiperspirant and toothpaste also..both fine. In general, there aren't many reasons for me to make the trip, I have to say. But I'm glad it's here. If it takes some pressure off of Whole Foods that would be nice...I'd like to be able to shop at WF again. But I can't while it's like running the gauntlet of privilidged white people.
So after my shopping trip I caught the 77 bus and came home and promptly made myself a little organic lunch. The sugar snap peas were delicious, like I said, but the China thing is too weird. The organic beef burger was super yummy. While I ate I looked at the computer a little bit, and read through a lot of stuff on The Ethicurian, one of my favorite new sites. So there I was, reading about local and sustainable farming while eating vegetables grown in CHINA. It just didn't seem right. So I decided to educate myself at the library! Unfortunately The Omnivore's Dillema was checked out, but I printed out info on a couple of other books at my local branch. And then, I somehow realized that Monday is the day of the East Liberty Farmer's Market!!!!!! What luck!
So I headed down to the library where I got out Coming Home to Eat by Gary Paul Nabhan. I'm having sort of a hard time getting into it, but I'm not giving up. I asked the nice lady at the desk if she could direct me to the farmer's market, which she did.
And then.....I fell in love.
I walked in to the parking lot next to the McDonalds (ha!) and there were TONS of farmers with their wares. Fresh local vegetables, organic eggs and meats, jams and jellies, pies, cider....my god. I wandered around in a daze for a while, checking out all the offerings. Then I started to collect. Cider, beautiful little garnet yams, organic lettuces, and then I went to the stand at the far end, where I really fell in love with this tall strapping farm boy. He had long blonde hair with little pirate braids in it. Oh my. He lovingly wrapped my fresh beets with tops, brussels sprouts, and SPINACH. I lovingly handed over my $8.00. Swoony swoon swoon.
Why OH Why have I not been going to the farmer's market all summer long?!?!? I am a fool. I have three more weeks to go. But I only have three more days to eat the rest of the produce in my fridge before Monday!
I think I'll make a big vegetable dinner tonight for rebby and me before we go out to the brillobox to see the random bullshit show. Monday night I had a great dinner of steamed spinach, rice and beans, and yams roasted with tamarind sauce. I need to eat like that all the time. It all comes down to the dishes, really. If I can train myself to do the dishes immediately I'll be happy to cook vegetables every night of the week. Pray for me.
Next up: Sunday night with the offensive comedian, Saturday WEDDING, Friday SHOW!
posted by sheryl at 8:37 AM
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