Modern Shopping
I saw a supreme example of patience at Hy-Vee the other day.
I had bought an eggplant. I never check my receipts, but this time, as I was walking out the door, I did happen to glance at the receipt and saw that I had been charged for beets. I was sure I hadn’t bought any beets. I went back to the checkout girl.
“I didn’t buy any beets,
Comments
Gloria,
this is a funny one. I kind of like the aplomb that people at the checkout counter exhibit whenever ANYTHING
happens in that store.
Can you imagine attempting to be polite to thousands of customers every day? It must be thousands because of the closing of the other "big" supermarket in town.
And I love the Wally World story too.
I wouldn't be a checkout person for all the tea in China and all the dark chocolate in Belgium.
xxoo Jacqueline
One time in HyVee a bagboy said "UGH!" as he put a jar of artichoke hearts in my bag. The cashier said, "Don't make fun of the lady's food!" The boy said, "But there were hearts in that jar!!"
It seems like vegetables are unidentified objects in Iowa!
OOOOHH I think this may be a generational thing! Many of the "kids" working in the grocery store have only been alive since 1990 or later. Many of them have never seen these vegetables in their native state let alone eaten them. How often do eggplant or beets appear in a fast food menu? How many of them grew up with a vegetable garden in their backyards or at least knew someone with a vegetable garden? Then I have to confess that 1) I never knew what a fresh beet looked like until I started grocery shopping regularly at 19 and 2) I had never eaten eggplant until my late 30's - and I was born 4 decades before 1990! Loved the jar of "hearts" story, Joyce! Food truly is a wonderful way to build bridges over cultural and generational differences. Maybe along with including babies at all important meetings, favorite family dishes should be shared as well.
This is a recurring situation you are writing about. I am always having to inform the checkers what the vegetation item is that I am buying, but at least they ask. When my son was little his favorite foods were artichokes and avocados. Now, little kids don't even now what they are. They just aren't exposed to enough variety because most parents are just too busy to cook and both parents must work. If the parents are smacking their lips over an artichoke feast, the kids will get the idea it is something good to try. A lot of parents just give in and cook the kids what they want -- my granddaughter wants "butter noodles" and her parents hop to it.
I have a recent checkout story, too. Yesterday after church Judy and I shopped at one of the amazing thrift stores here in Sun City. I was getting checked out; Judy had just checked out. The checker was waiting for change from the manager. Judy had given her a bill, then decided she had the correct change and said, "Give me back my $20, I have the correct change." So the checker gave her the $20 lying on top of the register. Then, as I was checking out, she said to the manager who came with the ones she needed, "Oh dear, I think that lady that just checked out only gave me a ten and I got it confused with the bill I had here waiting for you to bring change." Thus ensued a long discussion, with Judy trying to give her another ten and convince her she could just call and tell her if the till was over, and the checker saying she was going to get into trouble, and the two of us telling her she would be in less trouble to be $10 over than under, and Judy would simply leave her name and phone number, and Judy insisting she really didn't remember if she'd given her a $10 or a $20, but the checker said the cash register said her change was only $3 and some cents, which would indicate a $10 -- and in the meantime the line is lining up as we dither like a bunch of forgetful Sun City residents! I don't think I would want to be a checker! Especially here where forgetfulness seems to be contagious! (And how am I going to get all these thrift store clothes back to Montana unless I send them UPS? And where am I then going to wear them!) Judy says we'll just have a garage sale when we are ready to move again.
Every where!!!
I went in a supermarket I.G.A. not Hallmark, we have as yet not been contaminated, in Australia. I wanted some cigarettes {I gave up smoking 6 mth ago}. There was a power cut so the prices could not be scanned. I saw a carton was $27.50. I was short of cash and my visa could not be scanned so I asked for 2 packets ( ten in a carton). So I asked for the price and was charged $5.- I said that was not enough at least $5.50 but most likely $6.- He looked around for the manager did not see one so he was adamant $5.- was right. One of these days I have to stop there and give them another $1.- Without a electronic calculator the checkout boys or girls are lost. Arithmetic at school?????? Love you ALL. Jack
Gloria Dear,
Could you please tell me what you do with an Egg plant, I have seen them I even had a taste(no taste is a better expression)so I decided never to try them again,Same with beets or artichokes. When I grew up Pumpkin was cattle fodder, I have finally learned to like the soup if you put plenty of other things in it.Lots of people are crazy about lettuce, to me absolutely tasteless, shows you I am not a rabbit. vegetables are not my favorable food. Brussles sprouts I like but at $ 14.- a kilo I prefer 2 kilo's of grapes, same price. Mieke love's beans, I will eat them, further collie,leeks celery red onions and capsicums mixed with apple garlic and ginger are more my preferences if I have to have vegetables. Now back to Egg Plant. I prefer a glass of rainwater, more taste. So next blog might be a cooking Lesson. I need that too. Love you ALL though. Jack
Now, I don't know what capsicums are! It sounds like you make some delicious vegetables with garlic and ginger! Yum, yum. I LOVE vegetables. Even plain steamed vegetables!
Is food really that expensive in Australia?
Does anyone have a good eggplant Parmesan recipe to give to Jack?
I heard something very nice about Australia the other day. I heard that when you take a taxi, you sit up front with the taxi driver, and isn't that nice?
P.S. I forgot to say that eggplant is one food that must be cooked thoroughly. It's not a vegetable that you want firm, not at all.
My father-in-law makes the best eggplant parmagiana. You need plenty of time and motivation to attempt it. Here's the recipe:
Peel the eggplant. Slice from the end so you get round slices, about 1/4" thick. Sprinkle the slices lightly with salt. Layer the slices in a colander. Put a large plate under the colander to catch drippings, and a small plate on top with a weight to press the eggplant slices. (This will remove excess moisture.) Allow to sit for several hours or overnight. Remove from the colander and pat the slices dry with paper towels. Dip slices in beaten egg then in breadcrumbs. Spray Pam on a baking sheet, spray some on the slices, and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven. Layer slices in a baking pan with homemade marinara sauce, sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese, and grated parmesan cheese. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Yum!
Thank you for the recipe, Joyce! I have asked a very dear friend for her recipe that she served my husband and me last summer, but she has been too busy to give it to me. It was wonderfully prepared and I thought it was chicken. I will try to find a recipe now for the homemade marinara sauce and give this a try!
I have a very simple Italian eggplant parm receipe:
skin eggplant
slice into 1/4 inch pieces
dip each piece in 1egg and a little water mixed up in shallow bowl
dip each eggy slice in flour or breadcrumbs(your choice)
coat cookie sheet with oil or oil spray
BAKE slices until slightly soft - 10 minutes? whatever watch them so they don't overbake
layer sauce(if you make it -- good for you),then eggplant slices, then mozzarella cheese and shake some parm on it; layer again until pan or glass baking dish is full, ending with sauce on top and parm sprinkled over.
Bake dish for 45 minutes.
Delisciouso!
My sister's secret to making eggplant Parmesan was to cut the slices as thin as possible, so the dish itself was many-layered. Of course, frying the breaded layers in olive oil before layering in the pan didn't hurt either.
Fried breaded seasoned eggplant all by itself is super-wonderful too, Jack! Nice and crisp and flavorful!
You can always substitute the eggplant with zucchini!
Now I'm hungry for the greasy eggplant parm I used to make by frying the little critters in olive oil before layering. It takes a lot more time, but it is good. I find that the sauce is what makes all the difference.
If you love garlic -- use a lot.
If you love basil -- the same, etc.
Anything tastes better with your favorite type of sauce on it. Yes, even think, crunchy eggplant slices. Personally, I like my eggplant to be soft but not indistiguishable(this is too a word) from the sauce.
Eggplant parmesan is a wonderful dish, but when I don't have time to prepare it I make ratatouille, which has many of the same ingredients and takes much less time.
Slice and chop an eggplant (if you need to salt it first for 30 minutes, go ahead). Then chop a sweet red pepper, an onion, a zucchini, mushrooms and mince a couple cloves of garlic. Heat some olive oil in a large skillet or kettle and gently saute all the vegetables together over medium heat until they become limp - usually about 5-6 minutes. Stir in some oregano and basil, and if you like, a dash of hearty red wine. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste and serve with plenty of freshly grated parmesan or asiago. Enjoy!
You are making my mouth water for ratatouille!