I Went Shopping: Restocking the Pantry

Yesterday began like many Saturdays in Halifax with a visit to the Farmers Market.  It wiped us out, pushing and shoving our way through the crowds, but we returned home with so many good veggies!  Thanks to the good people at Hutten Family Farm, Four Winds Farm, Elmridge Farm, Boulangerie La Vendeene (and the people just outside the market whose name I can never remember--sorry) for feeding us for the week!

Without quite planning to, we spent the rest of the afternoon visiting the little grocery stores in Halifax picking up some staples to restock our pantry.

At Italian Market

Rustichella d'abruzzo Spaghetti and Linguine, Italpasta orzo, a six pack (plus one) of San Pellegrino Aranciata.  Aurora Arborio Rice and, a little treat for me, Matiz Torta de Acete, a yummy 'olive oil crisp bread,' sweetened and flavored with sesame and anise.  So good!

We love Rustichella d'abruzzo pasta.  Who would have thought that an item that has only 2 ingredients could have such a wide range of quality?!  But pasta does, and at $5.99 a pack, this linguine is our special treat and not our everyday pasta.  The Benedetto Cavalieri pastas were 'just in!' at the Italian Market, so we thought we would try them out as another special occasion pasta.

At Super Natural Health Products

'English Muffin' Mesh Ball Pincer Spoon Tea Infuser to drink "Tea - a part of a healthy lifestyle," a small bag of almonds, and Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Chewing Sticks.

And finally, Tien Phat Asian Grocery, where we bought the bulk of our items today.  I've been cooking a lot of Asian inspired foods in Halifax thanks to the availability of groceries and websites like Just Hungry.  And I'll post some recipes soon for things like vegan base for udon and soba soups, and some experiments with making a curry noodle soup.

At Tien Phat
Gina Mango Nectar, Maesri Green and Masaman Curry pastes (both vegetarian), Wang Miso, Banh Trang Rice Paper to make summer rolls, Mae Ploy Coconut milk, Indochine Rice Sticks, Rose Vermicelli (thicker noodles), Shigeno Ajisenryu Zaru Udon, Green Label Soba, Pearl River Bridge Golden Label Superior Light Soy Sauce, Kikkoman Tamari, Ann Instant Honeyed Chrysanthemum Drink.

I'm not sure with the Japanese brands particularly if the names are right, most of the packaging is in text I cannot read.

Right now I am drinking the Instant Honeyed Chrysanthemum Drink.  I thought it would be a tea, but no, it is an instant powder.  Duh!  It says instant on the box.  Despite my surprise and initial skepticism of an instant drink, I love it!  It smells like chrysanthemums and tastes like honey and is delicious on this gray day.  I look forward to trying all of these things and seeing what happens!  And I promise--my summer as a bad blogger has come to an end.