Your Grocery Store Is Ripping You Off

I had a wise African-American colleague named Wendell.  He said to me, "You know whitey getting ready to move into a neighborhood when they get their Starbuck's and an expensive grocery store.  Why do [white people] spend so much money on food?"  Good question.

I'll admit it.  I spend way too much money on food.  Now, it should be mentioned at this point that American's, by far, spend a much smaller percentage on their food than any other country in the world.  This is primarily due to industrialized agriculture and government subsidies of specific crop products.  Christian Lander's actually said that Whole Foods is like church for white people.  It's where you will definitely find a whole bunch of Caucasians on Sunday, after they've had brunch at a local cafe that serves local, artisanal, sustainable, organic cuisine and fair-trade coffee.  Brunch of course being the greatest excuse ever for day drinking.  If that doesn't make you happy enough, the grocery store I go to actually has two bars in it.  Two! One for wine and one for beer.  Happy shopping!

This is where we've been deceived.  Prior to World War II, grocery stores were not omnipresent.  Generally shopping involved going to the butcher, the dry goods, and the green grocer at the very least.  It was tedious to stop at several venues.  The supermarket changed all of that.  Now, everything is in one location with a huge parking lot and gas was cheap.  Fast forward to modern day and the standard grocery store also has a pharmacy in it too.  Now you can get sick eating the standard American diet and get your drugs to counteract the effects in the same place.  Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet.  But here's the problem, now that all of the products have been put under one roof, the prices of all these products are factored in together to maintain profit for one merchant.  That means that the grocer can create "loss leaders" to generate traffic.  That is he might put ribeye steaks on sale, so cheap in fact that the store might only be breaking even or losing money on the meat. (Which, ironically, is already artificially cheapened by government subsidies of corn crops.) However, strolling through the produce aisle lemons are $1 each and a tiny bunch of basil is $2.99.  No wonder the standard American is fat.  The grocer doesn't care that he maintains little to no profit on steak, he's taking you to the bank to on fresh fruits and vegetables.  America is the only industrialized country where food has an inverse relationship to price.  That is, the higher the concentration of calories in a product, the cheaper it generally is if you examine it as a calorie/cost ratio.  (Again, directly related to agricultural subsidies.)

Enough of that, I actually am typing this to share with you my produce haul this morning.  Yes, I go to Whole Foods, but I don't buy my produce there.  It's way too expensive.  Instead, I journey to the magical land of Stanley's, an honest to god produce store that's so cool it doesn't even have a website.  Now, this isn't a normal haul.  I'm on a juicing and vegan cleanse this week so it's a bit abnormal for me to buy this much stuff.  And on another point, I never go with a shopping list.  I go and only buy what's on sale.  That generally means no expensive asparagus or brussel sprouts for me when they're out of season.  Stanley's has them but I don't buy them until they're dirt cheap.  This is another great way to save money.  Don't use a shopping list. Just buy what's on sale and build your meals around that.  (Granted, you have to be a pretty good cook to pull that off.  Which thankfully, I am.) Even better is now that it's winter, you can really stock up on a lot of hard winter vegetables that don't require refrigeration and just stock 'em up in your cupboards-squash, parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes-you get the idea.

Here's my take:

• 2.24 lbs. lemons, 2.20
• 7.5 lbs. Honeycrisp apples, 13.41
• 4 bunches of organic kale, $1.98/each
• 1.1 lb. broccoli, .98
• basil, .98
• 4 lbs. carrots, 1.93
• 6 lbs. cucumbers, 5.59
• 3 lbs. cauliflower, 1.41
• 2 large avocados, 1.49/each
• 5 lbs. Granny Smith apples, 2.75
• celery, 1.35
• 2 eggplants, .74
• spaghetti squash, 1.59
• 2 lbs. sweet potatoes, 1.37
• 2 lbs. brussel sprouts, 3.26
• 1 lb. snow peas, 3.25 (ouch, a bit pricey on that item)
• 2 pints of grape tomatoes, .98
• 2 pints of blackberries 1.96 (steal!)
• 8 lbs. of yellow and orange peppers, wait for it, wait for it .  .  . 1.61! That's right, .20/lb. on an item that is generally $2/each in a normal grocery store.  

A huge amount of this is going to be juiced but let's take some time to examine a few of the items that a bought a bunch of.  I got 7.5 lbs. of Honeycrisp because they were down to $1.79 lb.  That's awesome.  Honeycrisp are generally about $3/lb.  And apples keep well, think about it, growers and distributors store them and sell them to you next spring but charge a boatload.  Eat them while they're fresh and cheap.  All the squash, potatoes, onions, etc. are going to stay good for weeks.  And why did I buy 8 lbs. of peppers?  Because they were .20/lb.  They're going to be roasted and packed in olive oil.  Next time you're at the deli or in the Italian section and you're paying $5 for a tiny jar of roasted peppers, remember this.  A couple months ago I bought an entire CASE of strawberries for $1 that were just on the verge of going bad and I made 10 pints of awesome strawberry jam.  How much does jam normally cost by the jar? And it doesn't taste nearly as good as homemade, not even close.  

See that picture at the top of this post?  That's how much produce I hauled in for $61.  If you consider that that's what my wife and I will eat all week, that's pretty cheap. The moral of the story is, search out your community for your local produce store.  If you can't find one, I challenge you to journey to the Latin or Asian grocery stores where you're going to find similar prices, albeit a more limited selection.  Don't fall for the standard trap.  Beat the system and stop being fleeced by your grocer for eating more vegetables and fruit.  To your health.  Cheers.  

Sangria

 

Far be it from me to disparage beer, the holy institution that it is, except that it can get a bit .  .  . heavy.  Don't get me wrong, I just returned from a family gathering where I brought a mini-keg of Bell's Oberon--the perfect summer beer.  (FYI, the perfect beer for the rest of the year is Bell's Two-Hearted.)  Also, beer goes very well with classic picnic foods such as hamburgers, sausages, cheese, and such.   However, it can be limited.  One doesn't generally pair beer with say, a NY Strip and grilled asparagus.  Though if you wanted to, it could definitely be a very sour ale, very many of which are almost more wine-like than beer.  A very good example of this is Jolly Pumpking Artisan Ales 'La Roja'. I'm very pleased that many of these sour Flemmish ales are making into stores and places like my local haunt, Longman & Eagle.  ('La Roja' is not at L&E but there are sour ale selections available from other competent breweries.)

Enter the forgotten summer beverage option: Sangria.  Generally my summers are soaked in New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and rosé wines.  But then, you want to mix it up but not necessarily with hard liquor or beer.  Sangria is the answer.  Sangria is generally wine, brandy, sweetener, fruit, and sometimes carbonated water is added just before serving.  This is all up to the discretion of your taste, what is available at the market, and what alcohol content is desired. 

Making sangria should be more of an organic experience, than following a recipe.  Any of you who have read my blog are well aware that I despise recipes, I believe they hamper creativity and discovery of new possibilities.  Start at the wine shop.  Wander the aisles and see what's on sale.  What wines do you normally like?  The quality of wine is a balancing act.  It absolutely has to be something that you would drink straight out of the bottle. However, it certainly shouldn't be expensive.  No one needs to be pouring fruit or brandy into say, a bottle of Domaine Serene Evansted Reserve. However, this is not necessarily the time to be dowgrading to Woodbridge.  You can use any type of wine: red, white, rosé, or sparkling.  You can also use a mix of different types of wine to adjust to your taste. 

Before you leave the liquor store pick up a bottle of brandy.  (Just a quick review on brandy.  Brandy is a distilled spirit made from grapes regardless of where it's produced. Cognac is brandy from the region of Cognac, France. By the way, next time you're ordering an after dinner drink and want Cognac, ask if they have Armagnac. It's generally cheaper and just as good.) Again, this is not the time to go top shelf, but it should be table quality--something that you would sip straight.  You could use some Louis XIII if you're a shipping mogul.  In the event you're not a financial titan, search for a good Spanish table brandy.  Just something decent. In the event you're in a liquor store with limited selections, Christian Brothers is very affordable and decent.  Oh, and grab a bottle of seltzer or club soda on the way out if you're thinking you'd like something lighter.

Off to the produce store.  It's much more important to pick fruits that are on sale or in season, that specific fruits that a recipe calls for.  Besides, on sale and in season generally go hand in hand.  Citrus fruits are generally a standard base no matter what type of wine is being used, lemons, limes, and oranges.  More exotic citrus would also be acceptable:  kumquats, meyer lemons, key limes, blood oranges, Buddha's Hand .  .  . think outside the box.  Now you could just go with a shotgun approach and just throw in whatever fruit looks good that day, or you can try to do a theme.  Think of a red sangria with different types of berries.  How about a rosé sangria with stone fruits such as apricots, peaches, cherries, and nectarines.  White sangria with green apples, Anjou pears, and green grapes?  Sparkling sangria with blueberries, strips of lemon zest, and mint? 

Now you're home.  Cube or slice all the fruit you need.  Make a batch of simple syrup.  (For the neophyte: That's one part water to one part sugar that has been heated to dissolve the sugar and cooled.)   The morning of or the day before mix the fruit, wine, and brandy.  The sangria needs time for the flavors of the fruit and alcohol to meld, so preferably the day before. 

To serve add brandy, simple syrup, ice, and carbonated water if you're using it.  I'd generally add a cup of brandy to a sangria base that had been made from two bottles of wine.  Then add the syrup and seltzer.  Taste your sangria and add the sweetener sparingly.  This will all depend on the flavors, the ripeness of the fruit, and the amount of brandy and/or seltzer that is being used.  Sometimes, I don't even add any syrup. You can serve it over goblets with ice in the pitcher or in the glasses.  You can also serve it in a punch bowl.  Keep it cool with a large ice cube made out of a water baloon. Of course, remove the latex from the ice cube before floating it in the bowl. 

Enjoy your sangria and feel free to leave any questions in the comments section. 

A Tale of Two Shrimp

I have always been frustrated by the relative bland flavor of shrimp cocktail.  Even more bothersome is that there is that the tail has always been left on for presentation or as a so called means of holding onto the shrimp.  Where is the shrimp going anyway?  Is it going to jettison away from one's grip while you are distracted with your martini?  Then I'm left holding a shrimp tail that has to be disposed of.  When I make shrimp cocktail, I remove the tail.  No one has ever complained.  And if you want to be crazy like a sushi chef, you can actually shell the shrimp gently until you get to the tail then, ever so gently, wiggle the tail shells away and you will be left with the inner tail which can be eaten.  Now that's presentation.

One of my favorite ways to eat shrimp is how it is served at local Japanese restaurant. There they serve the main body of the shrimp raw on sushi rice.  It is accompanied by the disembodied head which has been every so lightly encrusted with Panko, fried, and is served with a sweet, vinegar dipping sauce.  Yummy.  But, that is far too involved for today's conversation.  (And yes, I said 'disembodied' on purpose even though I realize its redundant to the context.)

Another way I love to eat shrimp is in a scampi.  Basically, this is just shrimp that has been broiled in a large amount of butter, garlic, lemon juice, and perhaps a few cherry tomatoes.  Generally it is served over some angel hair and garnished with parsley.  A delicious summer meal.  But why must shrimp cocktail and shrimp scampi be divorced so?  I have decided no more, my friends.  Please enjoy my recipe for Scampi Cocktail, and enjoy two great shrimp dishes in one appetizer! They key to this dish is that the shrimp are served warm!

Scampi Cocktail

• U14 prawns or larger
• butter
• olive oil
• freshly chopped garlic
• lemon juice and wedges for garnish
• ketchup
• chili sauce
• prepared horseradish
• parsley for garnish
• S&P

Shell and clean the shrimp fully.  Butterfly the top of the shrimp and removed the GI tract.  That's the dark line that people often trick themselves into believing is a blood vessel.  It's not.  

In a saute pan, gently saute butter, olive oil and chopped garlic until you can just smell the garlic.  Don't burn the garlic! Add the prawns, season with S&P, and saute for several minutes on one side, flip the prawns and saute for a couple more minutes, taking care that you're not burning the garlic.  Alternatively, you could also broil this dish as well.  If broiling, a little panko bread crumbs on top would be wonderful.  With either preparation, finish with a generous squeeze of lemon juice.  

Gently pour all the shrimp, butter, oil, and garlic into a serving dish or platter and garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve hot to room temperature with a cocktail sauce.

*To make the cocktail sauce simply mix equal parts of ketchup and chili sauce and season to taste with prepared horseradish.  Place another dollop of horseradish on the cocktail sauce for presentation and so that guests can increase the spiciness at will.  Enjoy!