Short stack
Just a quickie this week! Started my new job on Monday and between that and some freelancing and social fun, things have been a bit hectic. Speaking of which, I suppose it's time to announce what that job is (Haul readers get the exclusive first peek.)
I'm now editing a modest-but-well-funded new media outlet on agriculture — it's called Ambrook Research and you can read some of the stories they published before my arrival. It's an incredibly appealing opportunity, even if it only lasts 3 months. This is the first time I've been given near-full editorial control, which is both thrilling and terrifying! Glad I still have the capacity to be excited by this painful industry.
(Also if you want to watch a pretty, slickly produced video about tAmbrook Research's parent company check this out.)
I'll leave you with one little anecdote from the surplus grocer this week. The lean seltzer times are done, you'll be relieved to hear, as the store got in a massive amount of Polar, Bubly, and Schweppes (Canada Dry shipments appear to come in separately). Our kitchen is back to its natural state — five huge tote bags full of cans getting in the way of the toaster oven and stubbing my toes.
ANYway I haven't shared this before but there is one cashier at the surplus grocer who doesn't seem to like us very much. I have a few pet theories as to why but no hard data. All I know is that she nakedly glares while she rings us up, and has never exchanged a word of greeting or farewell.
No big deal, everyone else is so warm or at least pleasantly neutral that we don't pay it much mind. This week, however, cranky cashier was ringing up one of my enormous seltzer hauls when a can of strawberry mango sprung a leak. I held up the hissing can with gritted teeth and an exaggerated look of woe and she just stared at me! Clearly it was my problem to deal with. I kind of Mr. Bean-ed around with the actively messy can until the door guy took pity on me and nudged over a little trash can.
The finale to this story was so good, though. Cranky cashier, without a word, gestured her head at the pool of seltz that had accrued in front of her register. She then handed me a cocktail napkin procured from who-knows-where and gestured I should get cleaning. Cowed, I kneeled down and started doing it until door guy rushed over nervously laughing and told me I didn't have to do that. I caught him shooting her a look like "Play nice!"
I truly don't mind the mysteriously sourced bad vibes from this one lady — it's all party of life's glorious casserole, amirite? Gotta have sour to appreciate the sweet.
Until next week, my vibrant frangipani.
xo,
Jesse
Featured Items
At the beginning of the pandemic we bought an enormous bottle of Knorr chicken bouillon powder, with kind of a doomsday prepper attitude. If we couldn't leave our house to pick up stock and other sundries, this extremely salty, freeze-dried chicken powder would have to do — just add water. As of writing this, we are almost at the end of the blessed bottle, which made this new Haul item such a treat to behold — and why we bought way too much of it! Low-sodium broth for miles.
(I did just read a thought-provoking piece on how bouillon is actually the better product, in terms of giving the home cook a choice of how strong to make it, and in terms of the relative carbon footprint of concentrated powder vs. liquid. Wish I could find the link, but you get the gist.)
Doesn't this look fun? We have lots of Latin hot sauces, some Asian ones, but this may be our first Indian(style) selection. I have a good feeling.
This is really good apple cider vinegar — it's got those organic, homestyle "with the mother" vibes. Sadly most of it has been going toward my homemade fruit fly traps this summer (quarter cup of vinegar plus 5 drops of dish liquid in a small jam jar with holes poked in the lid). Feels like a waste, so I'm weirdly hoping the fruit flies enjoy it as their last meal.
This is such a scam! These are virtually indistinguishable from regular Cheetos and I find the little plant leaf in the "Simply" logo to be so egregious. (Check out this great read on why clean labels are BS.) To be fair, Cheetos taste great no matter what.
Cooking Diary
I'm going to start sharing a weekly excerpt from our dining diary, unless you complain and say you hate it. Here are two entries from lovely Abby:
