Small Discoveries

Today has been a day of discoveries for me.  First, I've discovered that I should never go grocery shopping--especially at SuperStore--without having eaten breakfast, unless I want to spend seventy bucks on tasty things.

(This doesn't show all the things I bought, but it does show most of the food.)

Having said that, I ended up buying a lot of tasty things that I'd never tried before; and while I haven't dug into all of them yet, I've already learned more than I thought:

PC Baby Dill Pickles with Garlic [link].

I never really liked pickles until now.  These aren't sugary-sweet like most bread-and-butter pickles.  And they're also not overly vinegary like most other pickles I've tried.  And as a bonus, they're tiny.  Only downside: I could only find them in the 500 mL jar, and I want moar!  However, for $2.18 for the jar, I'd still call it a decent purchase.

Island Farms Victoria Style Cream Cheese [link].  I bought this serendipitously.  Philly was $4.90-some for a 400g tub, and this was $3.99 for a 500g tub.  And as a bonus, it's made in BC.  I've only ever really had Philly cream cheese (unless you count bad experiences with Lucerne and no-name), so I didn't know what to expect from "Victoria style" cream cheese.

First thing I noticed was the texture.  It's looser, more liquid than Philly, and I got the feeling I could have poured it out of the tub if I wanted--though the entire tub might pour out!

Curious, I stuck a finger in it and tasted.  HOLY CREAM.  You know how heavy cream (like whipping cream) has that beautiful sweet dairy taste?  It tastes like that; but also with the tang I've come to associate with cream cheese.

I suspect this goes with everything; but I have only yet tried it with the aforementioned pickles, and slices of Ambrosia apples.  Cream cheese and apples seem like common sense, but cream cheese and pickles--who knew!  (Extra: Cream cheese, apples and white wine were a brilliant combination!)

Hungarian Salami: the larger redder one.
Genoa Salami: the smaller paler on one top.

Salami.  I never used to know what salami was, besides some kind of dry-ish sausage that my mom sometimes put on sandwiches when I was a kid.  I hated pre-sliced meat that came in vacuum packs; they were always wet and in my young mind, gross.

But one day, in the last year or two, I tried "Genoa salami".  And it was interesting.  I think maybe I expected it to taste like pepperoni, but there was this strange, unexpected taste.  I suspect it's the "fermented meat taste".  It was also chewy.  And "meaty", which I don't know why surprised me--maybe I expected it to taste like spices?

Ever since, I'd been meaning to try salami again.  For most people, maybe salami is no big deal, but bear in mind, I thought it was icky as a kid.  But every time I'd go to the deli, I'd be hugely intimidated by the vast selection of salamis--not to mention their pices.  I hadn't realised there were so many types of salami!

Today, I happened to be near a Miller's Meats by accident.  I nosed around their frozen foods.  Chicken livers for $6.59 /kg was cheaper than Safeway ($7.91 /kg), but still nowhere near SuperStore ($4.14 /kg).  They also had some Manitoba-made perigies, and a good selection of frozen lamb from New Zealand--though, a bit pricey.

However, their deli was reasonably-priced, in fact cheaper than Superstore!  Most salami were $2.19 /100g, whereas SuperStore charges around $2.50 /100g.  The staff were friendly and helpful--even let me taste some salami.  I bought about 75g each of Genoa and Hungarian salamis; and a jar of rosehip spread.

(Another reason to eat breakfast before going out: so I don't accidentally drop my newly purchased jar of rosehip spread on my way out the door!  Thankfully the staff let me take another one after checking my receipt.)

The Genoa salami tasted exactly as I remembered: meaty, just a little smoky, and with that same "strange" flavour.  The Hungarian salami was much bolder in comparison; much saltier, smokier and "meaty", but it didn't have as much of the mystery flavour.  I'd say the Genoa salami was "mild" compared to the Hungarian; but I liked both--just for different reasons.


Other things I bought today but haven't yet tried, and will likely blog about soon:

• White Stilton with cranberries [link]
• Rosehip spread (it will be a while before I open this, though)
• PC Glazed Pork & Chicken Liver Pate - 4 Peppercorns [link]
• PC Smoked Mussels
• PC Goat Brie [link]

I also passed The Frenchway on my way home, and through the window saw a few loaves sitting on the "50% off" shelf, so I just had to see what kind they were!  I ended up getting a seed-filled bread with lots of flax and I think sunflower seeds for $2.25--a steal of a deal!  It may or may not be the same one I got last time, which I think they called something like "Happy Sunflower Loaf".  I wish they had a menu so an awkward person like me could lurk before ordering.  

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