Wednesday, April 23, 2008

To Market

I've lately (well, in the last two days) become obsessed with a certain post on salad cream, an apparently everyday English occurrence. Now that I have seen it in person at the Fairway today, I suddenly understand all the wisecracks and must acknowledge, then quickly move on, that it looks disturbingly and unappetizingly like a certain other substance that shall remain nameless because this just isn't that kind of a blog. Nevertheless, the recipe sounds so tasty. Then this morning, still ruminating mildly on all the tasty English foodstuffs that I can't procure, I ventured out to market where I discovered, in a moment of pure serendipity and coincidence, that Fairway has an entire aisle of it. Here's some of what I made off with, posing all lined up like joyful little soldiers (are soldiers usually joyful?):




My faves. The baked beans are pretty much just baked beans, but SUCH beautiful packaging, don't you think?

I'm so pitifully Anglophilic...

Here's some more of my grocery haul, American-style:




I can't get enough of the iced tea. I like it SO much better than homemade. I was thrilled to find the gallon size. It's enormous isn't it?

Also the Meyer lemon. Sublime. I'm going to make candied lemon peel and preserved lemons (suggested by Faycat) after we use the juice for lemonade and salad dressing.

Some days marketing is just so life-affirming.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

I second the preserved lemon idea. We did some with our own (yes, Meyer - people in SoCal are super snotty about exactly which kind of lemon you have - yet sometimes lumpy and a trifle embattled/diseased) a year or two ago, and they made yummy chicken tangine. The overly-sour for everyone tangerines we harvest have had their skin candied, as well. I've still got scads of that in a cupboard.

Right now I'm thrilled about sauerkraut. We just opened our crock of homemade after a month and it is super yummy.

I think I know what you're getting for Christikah this year...

XO

Allison

faycat said...

I'm so jealous. Fairway is impossible to get to without a car...

Suzanne said...

We don't have Fairway out here, but we have a hole lotta other stuff to replace it!

First off, we actually have a Meyer's Lemon Tree. I put that in caps because it deserves to be in caps. It's a gem! Produces year round and oh, oh, oh, so sweet and perfect. We have a huge crop right now ~ way more than we can use, so if you get your address to me via Robyn, I'll send you some. I'm surprised you can get them in your stores. They aren't usually sold in stores, only at farmer's markets because they don't travel well (very thin skin). And usually only in warmer climates. Aren't they insane? I know. Sometimes beauty comes in such a tiny package.

I loved your post and the photos. What a nice, pretty haul! Also, nice fireplace. Is that in your kitchen or is it your dining room. Very warm and comforting photo. Good job girlie.

Oh, and I should tell you that after feeding the ferals this morning I stopped at the market and bought 3 mangos for 99 cents! I can see your mango and just want to brag!

Happy Wednesday!
XO

INNER VOICES said...

she can see your mangos.. heh heh..

Suzanne said...

Whoops, almost forgot about the iced tea. Martha Stewart lived at Turkey Hill in CT. You think she has a piece of that action?

Suzanne said...

How the hell did he pop in? I was only gone a second! And yup, I can see your 1 mango! Apparently you're missing the other one! God help us.

Cece said...

I love iced tea, but somehow nothing beats my homemade iced tea. I am happy to say that I get my boys to drink it over soda pop. Gotta love that.

We are having starch heaven for supper tonight. Home Fried chicken, homemade mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob. UMMMMM YUMMMMM.

kylie said...

i just want to know, whats that thing that says "pour it on porridge"?
oh yeah, we dont have fairway here, either
cheers

kylie said...

leah,
i've been reading some of your favourite posts, some time soon i might even post comments.I was going to comment now but my concentration span seems to have shortened after a mild telling off from the other half.....
anyway, keep an eye out
k

Anonymous said...

I have it on good authority that the first of your 2 pkgs. for the hot sauce swap have left the building. It will all be explained in the package.

Anonymous said...

Hey Allison, I do plan on chicken tagine. I've never done it before, but I hear tell that Grandpa Michel used to make a version right in their fireplace...and I love sauerkraut, any kind from canned to homemade. For seder this year I made two roast chickens and tucked a quartered lemon in each. The lemon came out so tender and sweet that we ate the whole thing, peel and all. Kisses to M.L.K-W!

xoxo and love!

Anonymous said...

Faycat--I know, it's true. But then there's always the issue of parking at the other end, coming home--as in, there never is any. But I must admit, I've been to Fairway THREE times this week...

Anonymous said...

IV--if you intend mangos as a double entendre, then Suzanne's right--I have one and she has three! Unless maybe you're into alien chicks...

I'm coining a new acronym ala Monk--I LOLed out loud:

LOLOL

so, LOLOL

Anonymous said...

Suzanne!! Thanks for the nice compliment!! Lots o' exclamation points!! that fireplace is in the living room, and we used it all winter every day. I love a fireplace that doesn't smoke you out of the room! We have a fireplace in our kitchen too, but it doesn't have a hearth (!!) so if we want to use it, we'll have to put one in. I'm hoping to do this so that I can sometimes cook in it...

I may take you up on the lemon offer! Unless maybe I do decide to try a little tree. I might just go for it and hope for the best--it's not inordinately expensive and could be fun.

Anonymous said...

Cecile, that is one of my all-time favorite meals. How do you fry chicken? I've never done it. I mean, what do you put on the outside? And what kind of oil do you fry it in?

I'm hungry.

Anonymous said...

Hi Kylie, the Pour it on Porridge is really just syrup, but it's yummy syrup. And the tin is so nice for when you're done.

That's cool that you're looking at some of the old posts! I got the idea from IV--he has "best of the Voices" which is funny, and also interesting to go back and take a look. It really is like peeking into someone's journal.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous!!! I'm so excited! TWO packages, what fun!

Suzanne said...

Hi baby. Lemons are always on the table and the offer still stands if you're interested. I have something special for you on my blog. Please take a look, but don't forget to comment.

Have a beautiful Thursday.

XO

INNER VOICES said...

be wary of what you post... cecile might find it boreing.... hahahahaaaa.

so did you whip up a batch of the "salad cream"? it looks like he took some time to write out the recipe... could be good?

Anonymous said...

I've just rec'd notice that the second pkg. has made it to the post office. The first is coming to you priority mail from about 6 states away, the second (mail type unknown at this moment) will be arriving from 5 states away.

Suzanne said...

Inner Voices, for God sakes, boring is spelled boring. Hey, pay attention. I can't babysit every day. Hell, I can barely spell anything correctly myself.

Cece's never going to live that down. And she shouldn't! She deserves exactly what she gets. I wounder what she's making for the dessert carnival? I have a feeling it might be a revenge dessert. We'll have to keep an eye on her. She's a sneaky-peat.

XO

Suzanne said...

Wow..I wonder how you spell wonder?

Well of course I'm laughing. Take foot and insert it directly into mouth then give it a good shove. Hey, I'm not perfect!

INNER VOICES said...

hey suz! thanks for the imput! i keep it in mind and practice my speeling...

Suzanne said...

I.V.

"I keep it in mind..." What are you a freakin' cave man?!

Honestly, I think the spelling errors/typos are often the best part about blogging. Okay Mr. Bigshot, get your act together. You're killin' me. Hell, I'm killin' me. I should be dead by dawn.

Suzanne said...

Whoop! Leah, hey! This is still your blog, right?

INNER VOICES said...

um you failed to notice....

"imput"
"speeling"

not mention the fact that i never, ever capitalize things....

yer slippin...



hahahahahahaaaaa....

Leah said...

IV--I'm going to make the salad cream today, for real. I can't figure out what I'm going to put it on, though.

I like the lowercase--it's devil-may-care of you.

and Suzanne--help yourself to my blog--you can have joint custody! ; ) Look at that--I used an emoticon!!!! First time ever!!!!!

Shutterspy said...

I love the packaging for Marmite, Heinz beans and Lyle's golden syrup. There are some other nice products with classic packaging, but I can't think of any.

Wait, you don't have Marmite in America do you?

I LOVE Marmite! How can you not have Marmite? O_o

We have none in the house at the moment though - it's Pesach :)

I hate salad cream. Urgh. I don't like my salad dressed at all. I like it plain and fresh. Mayonnaise can be okay with it though.

You *buy* iced tea? O_o Okay... :-S

Actually, I've never tried iced tea. It sounds horrible. I don't mind cold tea, which is good seeing as I'm very forgetful and often forget to drink my tea for about an hour!

:-D

Leah said...

Hi Shutterspy! We have a treyf spot in our microwave--my husband has his non-pesadik stuff in there. It's a little loosey-goosey around here.

They do have marmite at the Fairway--I'll be sure to try it out.

And at our house we like our salads dressed with just lemon juice and sometimes pepper ground over it. Yum.

Maybe iced tea is an Amurrican thang...

Anonymous said...

Hi Leah,

I wanted to come visit your blog and say, "Hi!"

Also, wanted to apologize for posting that photo...Suzanne reminded me of your phobia. I hope you'll forgive me and come visit again. NO MORE YUCKY PHOTOS...well, if I do post them (which I probably won't) I will WARN you, k?

xoxoxo

BBC said...

I like baked beans. But I don't do much fancy stuff, just something to keep me going is fine with me.I did buy some crawdads today, never tried them before and will have them tomorrow.

Won't have any sex, but I will have them.

Well, I'll have sex, but alone. 'sigh'.

Cece said...

well, first of all you have to choose your chicken very carefully. I buy chicken that has been grain feed only, no antibiotics and no water added. (I can't remember the name brand.) Secondly, I wash mine with lemon juice. ( other people let their chicken sit in buttermilk over night, but I"m not that fond of buttermilk.) Then I roll the chicken in all purpose flour (add salt, pepper, and any other seasoning to the flower you like. Wesson corn oil, or a vegetable oil are both acceptable oils for frying. Get you oil very hot (it should sizzle when you sprinkle flour into the skillet or pot.) Then fry the chicken until it floats. 3-4 pieces usually takes around 30-40 minutes. (It is wonderful.) If you like baked BBQ chicken, I have an excellent recipe for it too. Put chicken is a large backing dish. Preheat oven to 350. Pour in KC Masterpiece Honey BBQ sauce and regular honey until you completely cover the chicken. Bake for approximately 60-90 minutes. Anyway, I hope your stomach isn't growling too badly.

Cece said...

?????LEFT FIELD!!!!!!!!!!!

Leah said...

Yum! Fried chicken. I'd really like to try it. I'm a little scared of deep-frying. Occasionally we do french fries, but Sarge handles the hot oil.

I don't think there are any other vegetarians here, Suzanne. At least not on this go-round. I stopped being one when I realized I couldn't be consistent with the leather-wearing. Also, I craved tuna salad. I have this sneaking feeling that Hedgehog might end up as one. Maybe then I'll follow her lead.

Crawdads are crawfish, right? We have tons of them in our lake in the Adirondacks, but they seem to retreat into their rocky lairs at the speed of sound when we approach. I don't know how anyone ever catches them!

Shutterspy said...

Wow, you have Marmite over there? I thought it was exclusive to the UK!

It must be rare over there though.

Okay, if you haven't tried it before, I want to warn you that most people have it spread very thinly so you can hardly see it. Not me, my brother or my uncle, but most people.

So...don't slop it on like chololate spread unless you love:-
- strong flavours
- to feel very thirsty (high salt content)
- hurting your mouth

:-D

I find it's nicest on buttered warm toast made from white bread. I think I tend to put a little less on toast as it seems tobe even stronger when warm, but I'm not sure (haven't had it for a while now).

The slogan for Marmite is (or used to be) 'you either love it or you hate it' so only buy the smallest jar to start with just in case you hate it!

:-D

Leah said...

Shutterspy, that is so funny! It is rare over here--I've only found it in the one place. My husband likes it, and thought I should try it too. I think I'll try it just like you suggested--on the buttered toast. And yes, I bought the teensiest tiniest jar I could find!!!