The majesty of flight
I went away for a week, so the number one order of business was a trip to the surplus grocer. Before noon. First day back.I always concoct an urgent need - this time it was half and half. It's a product I use every day, but we honestly had enough to last another week. Abby barely raised an eyebrow,
I went away for a week, so the number one order of business was a trip to the surplus grocer. Before noon. First day back.
I always concoct an urgent need - this time it was half and half. It's a product I use every day, but we honestly had enough to last another week. Abby barely raised an eyebrow, and I thank her for it.
Anyway, there was a pigeon flying around inside the store. Loved to see it. He stayed high enough to dodge grabby workers and swinging brooms, serenely vibing on his own mischief. Everyone in the store watched his flight loops intently, almost reverently. It doesn't happen every day!
That reminds me: My favorite shrimp burrito source in San Francisco didn't mind letting pigeons inside; it gave a certain ambiance, to be sure. At some point, however: 1) someone complained, 2) the shop closed down, and 3) the birds were cleared by city decree.
I was very excited when that taqueria re-opened, but honestly missed how gross it had been. Somehow I'd confused filth with flair; everything felt too sanitized. A friend later sent me a picture of a curly little hair he found in his taco, to assure me they were still kind of gross.
That was almost 10 years ago. I've changed, surely. I don't romanticize squalor nearly as much, and I've reported on food poisoning enough to (grudgingly) admit it's real. Yet the surplus grocer gets a full pass, as far as I'm concerned.
More on that another day! Thanks for reading.
xo,
Jesse
Featured Items
Speaking of half and half, check out this one from the archives. I was absolutely tickled by its Extreme branding: "The maximum creaminess allowed by law!" Calling it "Coffeehouse" is a deft touch, like us lucky civilians are finally able to access the professional-grade shit. (Don't be sad, looks like this product is in trouble.)
Excited to try this one! So simple: Add water, roll into balls, fry in a half inch of oil. I've had a soft spot for Knorr products since I was 22 and poor, trying to cook fancy for dates. "Oh, this? Just some quattro formaggi I whipped up, no bigs."
I noticed the Knorr falafel mix said the brand was "Formerly Telma," which I googled (one of my top skills). It's a popular Israeli food company, which got swallowed by the German company Knorr, which was itself acquired by ubiquitous Unilever some years back. I'll let you know if the globalized falafel sucks.
One dollar! Pricing at the surplus grocer is all over the map. This fancy kraut typically retails at 6 bucks a package, not to mention it's hard to get ahold of. Wasn't totally sure what to use it in, but settled on a tangy Eastern European-ish soup recipe. Please come over—I made way too much!