Here are three things I like about supermarket shopping here:
1) you can push your child around in a big plastic car-like contraption which is fixed to the front of the trolley (which I remember to call a cart), and it is big enough to fit 3-yo and 6-yo in together. It's a bit hard to manoeuvre, but the happy children are worth the trouble. You can weave up and down the aisles, which are twice as wide as UK supermarkets, saying "you're not steering very well", and make them practise parking neatly in front of the Cheerios. I am anticipating receiving comments saying "we have those car-trolleys in my local Tesco", but they didn't have them in my local Co-op in Scotland, nor in the Morrison's which was 10 miles away (one less reason to ...), so they are new to me.
2) you can buy cactus leaves in the fruit and veg section. This makes me feel I am living an exotic abroad existence. It is one of my ambitions to find out how to cook them.
3) when you read the cooking instructions on packets, it gives alternative cooking temperatures and times for high altitude. This doesn't apply to me, but gives me another shot of that exotic abroad feeling.
Catcus leaves? That's a new one to me. Then again, I've never lived in a place where they grow. Good luck cooking them!
ReplyDeleteThe cactus leaves reminded me of one of my favourite movies - Tortilla Soup. I think he just whacked them on a barbeque. Let us know what they taste like when you've had a try - exotic to be sure.
ReplyDeletesounds interesting, I spent most my childhood moving from one continent to another, probably eaten mosty things too, but never tried cactus leaves ... is it like aloe vera? maybe its for juicing which cactus is it? Be interesting to know.
ReplyDeleteZoë :)
I used to shop at Dillon's when I lived up in your neck of the woods. Every new place I live brings a new favorite grocery. My favorite here is called Piggly Wiggly.
ReplyDeleteAre there things you can't find in the grocery stores here that you miss?
yeah, like marmite? will somebody please tell me what marmite is? it gets mentioned at one time or another on every british blog i've read....
ReplyDeletei grew up on Piggly wiggly. but i'm pretty sure the one in duluth didn't carry cactus leaves.
a friend that i have traveled with across the US always buys her trip gifts in the local grocery store. it's a great idea--beignet mix and chicory coffee in louisiana, BBQ sauce in north carolina, salsa in texas, wild rice in minnesota.
Cactus leaves - lucky to find cabbage some days!
ReplyDeleteJust saw you enjoyed the Pilot's Wife - I loved that book.
Looking forard to lots of photos from you. My blog yesterday was about a similar man.
Have enjoyed catching up on your blogs. The fireflies beguiled me when I was at a barbeque at a house by Lake Michigan many years ago. And maybe it was the chiggers that bit me so intently - or the mozzies - didn't like them quite so much.
ReplyDeletetimes for high altitude huh - wow! Maybe they could write 'time while kids are snapping at your heels with hunger too'
ReplyDeleteI didn't like those car things on the front of trolleys when my kids were small. They could get in and out and they'd be out and off down the aisles before I could spot them.
ReplyDeleteI generally told them there were none free and jammed them into the seats instead - where they were trapped for the duration.
We lived in Oklamhoma in the 80's when the Great Dane was stationed with the Americans on training at Tinker Air Base. I well remember the grocery stores that were marvels of cool tile, full freezers, wide aisles and several varieties of absolutely everything! They were also open until midnight - unheard of up here in those days.
ReplyDeleteWe have those things in Tesco in Tiverton (well, someone had to say it, and bizarrely we do!). Can't begin to imagine what you'd do with a cactus leaf!!
ReplyDeletejx
I thought you sucked cactus leaves when you'd left your partner for dead in the desert, having stolen his rights to the gold mine, only to die several reels later as vultures wheel overhead. Cooking them sounds less exciting, somehow - but don't let me stop you.
ReplyDeleteNo, you don't get cactus leaves in Scotmid, although I hear sales of black pudding are doing well. It's gone upmarket here. Goodness knows why. It'll never be exotic to me.
ReplyDelete