my grocery ad for the week!

Wow! Are they new? There aren't any in SF, or the larger Bay Area. That would be worth a drive to explore.

I hope they're expanding, and will "expand" our way.

This is the post of all posts that pricks at my memory bank the most and conjures all kinds of wonderful unique recollections of time spent with my aunt and cousins in North Carolina. I haven't been back there for many years. enigma72, you have made my mind travel clear across the Atlantic Ocean!

I can't believe the jalapenos on offer at less than a dollar for 3lbs! And amongst all the other good things, the almonds at such a good price compared to British prices.

I have to say, as silly as it sounds, whenever I see that ¢ sign I am reminded in such a light-hearted way of so many memories, not just the generally cheaper prices but the variety, the access to goods that were hitherto beyond me before I visited the US.

I dare say that there is stuff over here that many American people can't get in their local stores and that's how I felt when I sampled things for the first time that were readily available to me in the US, items that were straight out of the movies and straight into my real-time Wal-Mart shopping basket/trolley, a feeling that is at once almost overwhelming and certainly exciting.

I will never forget my first time in a Wal-Mart, in Dunn NC; my aunt and cousin had taken me there for a look around. As we approached the entrance there was a gentleman in staff uniform who was very welcoming indeed. I had never been greeted like this at a store before. I remember even now reaching into my pocket for a tip to give him (I had arrived at JFK airport en route to NC, and also had a stopover in Norfolk VA, before being met at Raleigh airport by my folks, and during these transfers I had quickly learned the art of tipping in the US, at airport restaurants and to airport guides/helpers etc) But when I was about to give the Wal-Mart meet-and-greet fellow a banknote, my cousin quickly saw what I was doing and said "What are you doing?" (all the while knowing precisely what I was about to do!) "What are you, crazy? You got a lot to learn, Chris!" he said. So with that I patted my wallet back down in my pocket and instantly learned that meet-and-greet is part of American shopping, not to be tipped but to be expected and appreciated. And, boy, did I appreciate it, because it was new, it was unheard of as far as I was concerned.

(And my first Wal-Mart experience was great, by the way. I went back many times to the chain on subsequent visits to NC and other states and thoroughly enjoyed myself on each occasion) This probably sounds a little silly to folks to whom Wal-Mart is just another every day experience but I loved it. I can tell you that the Wal-Mart in Av. Insurgentes Nte. 131, in Mexico City, does not stray too far from its US buddy, except for signage of course. I wanted to seek a branch out during my visit there. And I wasn't disappointed!

The assistants were very friendly and understanding to my English-language enquiries when my basic Spanish let me down on occasion. During my first visit to the aforementioned store I managed to engage in a conversation with one of the floor assistants who was actually studying English in her spare time, and she told me that the reason almost nobody in Mexico City (or at least those born there, do not speak English is that there is simply no need to, as nearly all of them are too poor to leave Mexico) - and quite apart from anything else, English lessons in the schools there are rarely taught.

I also noted that US currency is no longer recognized there as an everyday currency. On a previous visit, years before I returned to Mexico again, I found that the US dollar was the chief currency and was what you used in most exchanges. Apparently there was a decision by the Mexican government some years ago to rid the country of the dollar in order to flush out drugs money and laundering between Mexican and US cartels. But most recently, in my experience the peso is now exclusively what gets you by in Mexico City.

Again, Mexico introduced me to little things that have stayed with me over the years, much like things from the US : chicken dumplings, beef jerky, sausage biscuits and gravy. With Mexico it was jalapeno sauce! The absolutely delicious local recipe that I tasted was superb, just the right amount of flavour, texture, zing and aftertaste. The best I can do to replicate it for now is a £1.09 (US$1.39 or MX$28) for a plastic bottle of the stuff, sadly made in England. 

I think I'm straying a little here, but back to Cost Less Foods, and those strawberries remind me of a visit to a pizza restaurant in North Carolina,  before the onslaught of popular brands like Pizza Hut, Dominos etc  in the UK. I went to a restaurant near Dunn and had a wonderful pizza with family. Just when I thought the meal was over the waitress delivered another platter to our table. This was also a pizza but it was a dessert pizza, topped with pear, strawberry, apple, orange, mango etc - but minus cheese! It was another USA food first for me and I thoroughly enjoyed sharing the slices.

Well, I could go on all night, recounting things. Anyway, enigma, I have in fact signed up for the Cost Less Food Company weekly email subscription, and I have received my first one which begins "Hello, Valued Customer!" - I'm looking forward to reading about all the great deals that I actually have no chance of taking advantage of! 

Thanks so much for your ad alert enigma72  it really got my memory going with lots of very pleasant recollections!  

My grocery list from the latest ad -

Seedless watermelon 2.98 
Seedless green grapes .88 lb
Pork Spare Ribs twin-pack 1.68 lb
Boneless Beef Tri Tip Roast 2.68 lb
Boneless Pork Tenderloin twin-pack 2.48 lb
Dr Pepper 12oz 24-pack 5.88 (plus CRV, whatever that is)

Lovely list!

enigma72

do you do a Santa Maria tri-tip bbq a lot?

My grocery list from the latest ad -

What's the deal with the El Monterey frozen foods? Are they any good at all? I can't imagine eight burritos for just $2.58!!! Are they tiny? Okay, let's try an 8-pack, and chance some taquitos while we're at it.

8-PACK El Monterey Burritos (Spicy Picante variety) $2.58
21-PACK El Monterey Taquitos (Beef and Cheese) $3.98
Fritos Original $1.98

Thanks very much.

Has it really been a week since the last list? Yes, it has!

I'll have a tin of pitted black olives - these tinned ones are just right for splitting and putting on pizzas 78c
Twin Pack Spare Ribs $1.68 per lb
EZ Peel Raw Prawns 2lb Pack $7.98
Boneless Beef Tri Tip Roast $2.98 per lb
Oreos $1.98 (ever since I saw someone eating them very deliberately in the film 'Rounders' I've wanted to try them)


* in fact, here is a clip of him eating the Oreo  (Clip rated 18, some swearing)




"and, oops, it's the end of the film and a spoiler if you have yet to see it.