I Didn't Go Shopping: Springtime in England

Readers--it's spring!  I've left snow in North American Halifax to discover that things are alive and blooming in the other Halifax.

I'm back in the United Kingdom, in Yorkshire this time. I came to England's Curry Capital, Bradford to research the south Asian immigrants who have been living here for over fifty years. They came to work in the wool mills that defined Bradford since the nineteenth century.  The mills closed down in the early 1980s, and they remain empty today.

More recently Bradford achieved infamy when some people burned copies of Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses, setting off a big debate about multi-culturalism and what that means, that continues today.

The city is not the most cheerful place, but there's a lot going on, and so much new construction.  People live here, and they are making the best of it. You know how I love my little markets, and I've found several here in Bradford. I didn't buy anything, but I looked!

 Little puris

so much supari

so many chilis!

syrups for serbeth

Unfortunately, I'm not here long enough to do a lot of cooking.  As much as I thought the South Asian food scene was going to be the most interesting thing to discover on this trip to England, I've been more taken with another food to do.

I've discovered plans for the royal wedding.  You may have read that Kate chose a traditional fruitcake with 'Joseph Lambeth technique' icing.  I didn't know people did fruitcake for weddings, it sounds delicious to me. And apparently they are going for 'traditional and elegant' with that Joseph Lambeth technique icing. I wonder if it will be all white.

While the happy couple and their 1,900 guests are eating cake, you can help yourself to some pie. I saw these at the grocery store the other day.

Nothin' says lovin' like "a dash of brandy in lovely pastry."

Dandy!  To wash down your pie, Schweppes encourages you to celebrate the perfect couple, Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton, with what else, a Pimm's Cup.

I asked the people I am staying with and their friends if they were paying attention to the wedding.  At first they said no, but then they slowly started bringing out one by one all the details they knew about the couple. The fashion show at St. Andrews, Kate's pictures of William in her childhood bedroom, Diana's engagement ring.  I asked why weren't they against the monarchy.  A young man said the royal family brought in way more money for the country than they cost. At first silence to a pragmatic answer, and then a young lady said, 'but it's nice!' and there was suddenly a chorus of 'yeah, it's nice!' in the room.

Many people have said that the wedding is something for everyone to be cheerful about, a moment of renewal that will bring the whole country together.  Springtime for Britain and the Monarchy.  And while we might not be invited to the 'traditional and elegant' wedding, at least they're letting us drink Pimm's.

Unless you keep halal of course, like many of the South Asians in Bradford.  In that case, no beef and bacon pie, and no alcoholic Pimm's cups.  Perhaps multi-culturalism has failed, but now, if being part of the 'whole country' means celebrating 'tradition and elegance' I'm not sure that's so nice.

I Went Shopping: Thanksgiving at the Halifax Farmers' Market

It's been nearly a month since I last posted!  Don't know how the time has gone by.  Sorry dear readers. Now it is nearly Thanksgiving in America, and there will be so much cooking and picture-taking this week that I hope it makes up for my bad behavior.

Today we went to the Halifax Farmers Market and stocked up for Thanksgiving.

From Elmridge Farms, we bought

Fingerling Potatoes

Multi-colored carrots

A butternut squash

A buttercup squash

Parsley

Parsnips

Yellow Onions

Sweet Potatoes

Celery

We found Brussels Sprouts at the Elmridge Farm Stand, but we are not sure where they came from.

Selwood Green Farm

Yukon Gold Potatoes

Yellow Onions

Carrots

Pasture Hill Farm

Leeks

Turkey

Sunchokes

Satisfaction Feast

Samosa

Cookies

Boulangerie La Vendeene

Square White Loaf

Froment

The mushrooms, hot peppers, green and yellow peppers came from a stand whose name I can't remember.

I am definitely going to be making Gourmet's Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie, which came out so beautifully last year.  I think I will bake a vegan pumpkin pie with coconut milk, and a conventional pecan pie.  And, what I am really looking forward to, I am going to make my own seitan Turkey!

Stay Tuned!

And Happy Holiday Planning!

We Went Shopping: starting an Indian pantry

This week's Diwali-preparedness post has to do with stocking an Indian pantry.  Indian food is often considered complicated and requiring a lot of ingredients.  It really doesn't have to be, but you do need a very different set of basics than you do for European-ish foods.

I had the great pleasure of traveling this past weekend to see a friend in Rochester.  Abby just moved there to start school, and needed to restock her pantry to make delicious (and cheap) Indian food all winter long.  We went to India House, which has a small but awesome selection of dried, fresh and frozen foods, toiletry items, and also religious icons and holiday supplies.  So if you are looking for diyas to celebrate Diwali with, your local Indian grocery store will probably have them.

We wanted to keep the items basic and the costs down, so that really, with just the addition of fresh vegetables, Abby could make easy, simple dinners.  Here's what I suggest, clockwise from top left.

* Chick peas

* Turmeric powder

* Urad dal

* Massoor dal

* Red Chili powder

* Whole black peppercorns

* Mustard seeds

* Garam Masala

* Cumin seeds

* Asofetida (hing)

The total for these ten items came to $23.00, and along with rice, provide the basis for a whole lotta cooking.  With the addition of green chiles, onions, ginger and garlic, you can make so many recipes, with only these basics and vegetables.

The most perfect comfort food, Pongal, only needs these ingredients, plus the optional addition of ginger and butter.  Or to make basic dal, just pick up some onions, ginger, and green chiles.  Same thing for basic cauliflower curry or potato curry.  A squeeze of lime and a handful of cilantro make these dishes extravagant!

As you come across recipes, for instance, last week's channa masala, you can add, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves to your pantry.  Or to start making south Indian dishes, dried tamarind, sambhar powder, coriander seeds, and methi seeds.  You will start adding different dals and flours.  One day you will eventually have amchoor powder and then you will really have a powerfully stocked Indian pantry.  But it can start with just these 10 things!

Happy cooking!

 

I Went Shopping: eating nearly everything at Sahadi's

A new write in to I Went Shopping!  Friend and blogger Olivia at eating (nearly) everything sends in this post from New York City.  Olivia's blog deals with eating with a gluten allergy, and I love that she showed us the gluten-free choices she made.  Sahadi's is a little Middle-Eastern market on Atlantic Avenue in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn.  People love the store for their selection of nuts and dried fruits, and they also have a lot of spices and other things, but I'll let Olivia tell you about it.

"At Sahadi's market on Atlantic Avenue!  Middle-Eastern (and the surrounding areas) delites! AND IT IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER from Trader Joe's! So it was an interesting end result bounty.

First picture--

* cerignola olives (green and nutty and hard!) from sahadi's

* gluten free mac & cheese from trader joe's!  gross!

* mini rice crackers (TJ)

* in front of them is a tin can of smoked trout, as I attempt to eat lower on the food chain

* yogurt

* English toffee (trader joe's) WHICH IS AMAZING and covered in pecans - i never buy dessert at the grocery store because it seems like a  "bad idea" even though of course i am going to eat dessert, every day, so i might as well accept it and move on rather than stealing away to the deli like a thief in the night and returning with a pint of Haagen Dazs.

above the toffee is some FIG SESAME JAM--that + goat cheese + olive slice + cracker = a delicious appetizer

* apple

* brown rice pasta (the best kind of gf pasta i have found)

* gf french rolls (not that good, but they were out of my brown rice bread)

* bananas

* avocado (always)

* garbanzo beans (I will make your channa masala!!)

* eggplant, for a Moroccan tajine!

Second picture--the reusable Sahadi's shopping bag

 

Third picture--frozen okra!  What can I make with that?  I remember having some DELICIOUS fried okra in India.... [I'll get working on a post Olivia!  I love Okra too--HiH]

Fourth pic--the fig jam glamour shot.

Fifth pic--yogurt soda (did not buy - cannot carry heavy things like that on the B65 bus!!)

Sixth--orange blossom water!  See above (did not buy) but researched as I was shopping with my cousin and we will be hosting family Christmas this year, orange blossom water sounds like the type of thing one might need for an exciting xmas celebration...

So pleased to be part of the I WENT SHOPPING effort.  

xooxx

olivia"

Thank you Olivia!!  And let us know what you decide to do with the orange blossom water, I love that fragrance.

I Went Shopping: Plants People Goes to Ubud!

Today, my sister and Plants Person wrote in an I Went Shopping review of her honeymoon trip to Bali.

"Splurging on the villas we stayed in during our two week honeymoon to Bali didn't leave much of a budget in the way of shopping, but how could we come back without a few mementos and some gifts?

"I was in love with these painted baskets that all the Balinese women use daily to transport goods on their heads from home to temple, from temple to home. When we were on one of our snorkeling trips, our guide packed all of our lunches, fruits and drinks into one of these baskets as well. I was on the search for one at the Ubud Market and I finally found this one! 

"Shadow puppets were a must-have purchase for me as well. I came out of the market with these two--one of Goddess Saraswati and one of Lord Rama. I'm sad to ruin the surprise, but one of these is for our beloved HiH writer herself!  [Thanks!]

"HiH reader JORJ introduced me to Big Tree Farms in Bali, an organization that works with local farmers to make the highest quality, fairly traded and organic sea salts, peppers and coconut palm sugars. I got a variety to use and share: Mundok white peppercorns, Balinese  Sea Salt (Kechil course and fine pyramids), and my absolute favorite--coconut palm sugar scented with turmeric.  I have used this everyday since returning in my chai!  Yesterday, I coated some strawberries and raspberries with it and put that over chocolate ice cream! 

"Threads of Life is a non-profit organization based in Ubud that works to preserve the textile traditions of Indonesia promoting hand-loom, natural fibers and dyes. I drooled over all the textiles they had, but could hardly afford one for myself (think $500), so I came away with these two, naturally-dyed, handwoven little clove sachets ($1.50 each), and that little instrument in the center that kind of looks like a pipe is the tool they use, filled with hot wax to make batik cloth. 

"Misc items from the Market: tiny spoons for eating yogurt or ice cream or for scooping spices, postcards.

"One of our favorite places was the Museum Puri Lukistan in Ubud. We were in awe of the detail and depiction of some of the epic stories that we saw performed in dance throughout our visit and decided to pick up the museum catalog."

 

 

Thanks for the post!

 

If you have been shopping, and would like to share, you are welcome to send in a post too.  Just get in touch.  Here's one last picture of a Balinese market.

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.

I Went Shopping - Sakura Matsuri Edition

Near Piccadilly Circus, lies a stretch of bakeries and chocolatiers: La Duree, La Maison du Chocolat, Godiva, a who's who of fabulous displays of sweets.  They went all out for Easter, perhaps especially La Maison du Chocolat, who had a Safari scene reminiscent of the film, Madagascar.

Lions!  Giraffes!  Hippos!  And also snuggling bunnies!

The Japanese confectioners, Minamoto Kitchoan celebrated Sakura Matsuri with this beautiful window display.

There were more inside!  So many beautiful little treats, and all gorgeously displayed.  I was too embarassed to take pictures inside, so I came home for a photo shoot.

The one on the left is Sakuramochi (with leaf).  The cherry blossom and the leaf were pickled, like less pungent umeboshi.  The one on the right, Sakuradaifuku, had a gently flavored bean filling.  Both were good, and I think I liked the Sakuramochi better, the sourness of the cherry blossom and leaf added a nice complication to the fragrant sweetness.

I love the cherry blossoms.  When I worked at the Brooklyn Museum, I would take walks at lunchtime in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to check on the flowers.  And at the height of the blossoms' opening, the Esplanade would fill with people, and the petals would shower down like the prettiest, most delicate ticker tape parade, and everyone would be so glad that it was spring!

When I arrived in London, I was so pleased to see that the tree outside my window was in full bloom.  With every rainstorm and every strong gust of wind, I worry the petals will come raining down, but look!  They are still reaching out to the sun and calling to the bees.

Happy Spring!

I Went Shopping - Old Kent Food Centre

This is the inaugural post in a new series called "I Went Shopping."  Slate has recently discovered the thrill of sharing your purchases with other people.  Puh-lease, I had the idea for a blog dedicated to pictures of sharing shopping years ago.  I think the nucleus for the idea began in 2007, when a friend and I returned to his apartment, displayed, and photographed the bounty of our trip to Hyderabad.

India inspires great feeling towards purchases because the voyage out is long, the shopping itself uncovers new things (and even new categories of things!), and often, you don't know when you will return.  On my trip to India this past winter, my sister, our friend and I nightly took out our purchases and laid them out to narrate to each other the work of that day.  Of course we had been with each other continuously, it was not only about showing what we had bought, but also reidentifying with those objects by telling why they were desired.

Here in London, I've been feeling disoriented by the time changes and the distance from homes.  I spent yesterday organizing my life and then went shopping to fill my cupboard.  I first went to Tesco, and the items I bought there were necessary and not so interesting.  But at the Old Kent Food Centre, a favorite of mine, I just wandered the aisles and marveled at the range of products.

The Old Kent Food Centre is a halal butcher shop and grocery store.  The above picture doesn't adequately capture its treasures--just in this aisle, there were pickles from Turkiye, Iraq and India, fish sauce and chili pastes from Thailand, and this treasure from the USA I found at the far end.

Crystal's Louisiana Hot Sauce, bottled for the Arabic-reading world, and sold in London.  I didn't pick any up today, but here's what I did get:

The produce there is so beautiful, the herbs especially are so fresh and green that I wanted to pick up some cilantro and mint too, but resigned myself to this big bunch of parsley only.  I bought some white wine vinegar, canned tomatoes, hot red chillies, pickled gherkins, lemon roasted almonds, sesame crisps, cerassie tea ("Old traditional folk tales of the Caribbean suggests Cerassie tea to be a good cleanser of the blood, giving a healthier, fitter and stronger body."), cardamom tea, and jasmine hair oil.

So far, the real winner is the Ahmad cardamom tea.  It's delicious, and with milk and sugar, tastes like an Indian sweet in liquid form.  So good!  The white wine vinegar made a delicious dressing for my salad, and I have yet to try anything else.  Except for the jasmine hair oil which doesn't smell like anything.  Oh well.

In the Old Kent Food Centre, as I heard the men talking without understanding a word, spoke with a woman about the best brands of tea, and took in the world of pickled vegetables, I felt content.  A feeling similar to the one I had the day before in Monmouth Coffee, a local roaster that buys their beans from organic producers around the world.  They did not have my favorite coffee in stock, and when I asked why, the bean man explained that this year's crop had only just come in, and they hadn't tasted it yet to see if they liked it.

I've been thinking a lot about these two experiences and why we shop.  When shopping, we experience the tension between desire and fulfillment.  I wanted the Balmaadi Estate coffee, but it is unavailable to me at this time of year.  I have limited resources, and yet in the market I am overwhelmed by goods, all packaged and bright, and potentially delicious.  I know nothing about these foods, I can read the label, but I have to make hard choices and take a risk with each item.  Both of these experiences opened me up to the bigness of the world, the ways in which we are connected through the chains of supply and demand to people far away and yet also the limited ways in which we participate in the world.  It may only be as a customer in a shop, but even without spending, we have the chance to see the world, which is so often shuttered from us in our everyday lives.

I say see the world, but not necessarily because of the origins of the particular products I bought that day.  It's not the series of food items like a parade of nations that inspires the feeling.  This is not an experience to be had at the supermarket, which is a timeless space of limitless fulfillment.  There, the fruits and vegetables are the same regardless of the season, and the foods, whether Lincolnshire sausages or ginger from China are available to the point where they lose any sense of their origins.  The unavailability of the Balmaadi coffee beans at Monmouth makes the coffee I had there in the fall all the more precious, and the cup of coffee I did have on Monday, produced by Familia Mamani Mamani in Bolivia, more precious too.  The Old Kent Food Centre also inspires the feeling that the foods come from somewhere, and mean things to the people they were originally produced by and for, which remain beyond my understanding.

But not beyond my enjoyment!  More soon after I try the pickles...