This year we're hosting Thanksgiving. Normally it's not our holiday and dear sister-in-law "S" dishes up drumsticks. However we're the last men standing with a working kitchen, so it's up to us to feed the masses. You see, three of our family households in Lewistown are in the midst of major renovations. That means three out of four kitchens are out of service. So, our condo it tis!
The biggest difference between suburban
and urban life is the grocery store. City
markets are small, intimate, and frankly
crowded. One must carefully navigate
narrow passages with mini carts more
appropriately scaled for toddlers. Given
most apartments are small, few have the
space to stock up. Therefore jumbo size
options are extremely limited. I dream
about Charmin MEGA Rolls every day!
Once you depart Manhattan, one can
wander aisles for miles. Big is better
beyond the outer boroughs. It's easy
to log miles completing one's list. I'm
not sure what the appeal of these vast
linoleum floored barns is. However,
everything is very clean and therefore
one never sniffs a whiff that would
indicate that food is being sold within
these organized and sanitized spaces.
City folk frequent the market on
a daily basis. Carefully selecting
what's freshest for that evening's
repast. Those in the provinces
shop weekly to fill their cart with
seven days of sustenance. The
true die hards shop monthly at
Warehouse Clubs to stock up on
"deals" that require substantial
storage space between trips.
While exurban epicurian epicenters are
gigantic, their selection is not. You see,
quantity doesn't always mean quality.
The big joints seem to simply serve up
more of the same stuff. When searching
for something unique, I'm more apt to
find it at my local urban market than at
a suburban super store. I select from
over twenty types of Olive Oil versus
five brands in multiple sizes. Many can
bag a bunny in their backyard. But few
can grab rabbit from their refrigerator
case any day! Hop back to the city!
Shop far flung aisles and one must acknowledge that the components
of civilization are only available at
my Manhattan market. That said,
I can purchase most of my needs
in Lewistown. Our only grocery
has Irish butter, olive oil I'll abide,
and organic lamb chops. My only
wish is for better cheese. However
they still tote your loot to the lot!
