Shopping America

I am having trouble getting enough time to write and post! And every time I have half finished something, WordPress destroys it instead of saving it as a draft.

So, I have been experiencing the joys and madness of American stores. Among the joys is that if I go to the right neighborhoods, I can buy just about any ethnic ingredients I know how to use and many that I haven’t a clue how to use. I am dazzled by the variety and I think it would be a lot of fun to experiment with them. Among the woes is that real Italian ingredients are not that common and I am not sure of the quality when I find things. Meat is especially scary. It is cheap as dirt, but is it full of hormones? Has it been humanely or at least decently reared? I don’t know how to answer those questions, but then in most great world cities I think it would be equally difficult. Citta’ di Castello is only 144,000 people and the butchers all can tell you who reared the meat they are cutting that day. You may already know the farmer, or you would be free to go look at the farm if you don’t. That would hardly work in Rome, Torino or Napoli.

The other day I needed a couple of handsful of spinach which would be chopped and added to a cooked stuffing. All the store had to offer was pre-washed baby spinach at a scary price. I ended up buying frozen chopped spinach instead.

Even common and suspect olive oils are way too expensive. Anything with any sort of pedigree is outrageously overpriced. Why is that? Don’t they want Americans to be healthy? Beans are cheap enough. however. Chili peppers come in a variety to stagger the imagination : D.

Yesterday we went shopping at a different supermarket and Jane carried the ad with her. Why? Because IF you bought this and that and spent over $25 you could get this other and that other at extremely low prices. It was very complicated.

Before I even flew here I had ordered some things from Land’s End. Admittedly, this is not a resource I knew before moving to Italy, but I have aged almost nine years since then and Land’s End is appropropriate for me now. They make pants that reach the waist and bathing suits which cover more. I bought a suit that looks like a 1940s evening gown and I am quite happy with it. I am as Italian as I am American, but I can’t bring myself to wear a bikini at my age as my friends do. Some things are too ingrained to change. In Italy, most women my age don’t wear jeans, but maybe if they could buy these super jeans at this reasonable price, they might start. This was such a success that I went online and ordered two more pairs.

My dear eg took me to Target. I like that store! Not only did I fill my cart with dental and facial care products that I can’t get at home, but they had sports bras with cup sizes! Comfort I hardly knew existed. Really. Generally, prices for cosmetics, etc., were about half those in Italy and not just the 20% lower of the IVA or VAT. I think Italians are being taken for a ride on prices. I paid US $6.95 for a mascara that I priced 2 weeks ago in Italy at euro 9.95. At the present exchange rate that’s double. I like Target, and I think we should have them in Italy and call them “Bersaglio”.

I didn’t find pane Carrasau anywhere and the lavash I found was too thick. I am still looking for a substitute, because I know I have had something similar enough, but I can’t remember what it was.

Still to come are a trip to G Street fabrics, which is inspiring to me, Mother’s Day at an Indian restaurant and a three screen food mill for eg that is light enough to use. I think US companies over build sometimes to get higher prices and end up with a product that doesn’t work well.

I’ve been able to produce some Italian meals quite easily. Sometimes they are the 5 to 6 course real, whole hog Italian feast and sometimes copiable and cheap and simple. Last night we had two Pugliese vegetarian pastas, a broccoli inspired by Puglia and a dessert. It took 15 minutes to make and 2 hours to eat. I reckoned it cost about US $7 to feed all six of us. That’s hard to beat anywhere, right? Here is one of the two pasta recipes. This should serve 4 if you also serve a vegetable or salad and bread.

Pasta with beans and cherry tomatoes

8 ounces or 250 g eggless pasta in a compact form– not noodles or spaghetti

• good olive oil
• a good pinch of crushed red pepper or a chili pepper that you crush in your fingers
• 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
• a tin of canellini beans
• a couple of handsful of cherry or grape tomatoes

Heat the water for the pasta and salt it. Add the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking (mine was 8 minute pasta last night) heat some oil in a big frying pan with the red pepper and the garlic. When the garlic shows signs of cooking, add the beans, juice and all. Simmer over medium low heat until 3 minutes before the pasta should be done, then add the tomatoes and stir around.

When the pasta is done, drain it and toss it into the pan with the beans and mix thoroughly. Taste and correct for salt. Serve with a thread of raw oil over it.

I don’t know why this pasta doesn’t want cheese on it, but I know it is true.

I’ll post the other, also cheap and fast, recipe later this week.