It's proving surprisingly tricky to create a weekly shopping list for Handsome Son to use. He cooks, but differently and less elaborately than I do, so some items I can't convey very well to a shopper unfamiliar with them. And I don't always know the label name of the item.
The results are a bit comic. There's macaroni here as a result of my needing rotini and being unable to recall the name, so asking for curly pasta.
And he texted me to ask if potato flakes are the same as instant mashed potatoes. Since I use them for thickening and for breading instead of crumbs, I'd forgotten that.
But he's such a good guy. Since we establish he can never go wrong buying Gala or Fuji apples, he meticulously gets some of each every time I list them.
And he figured I would no longer be interested in Goya after their CEO's disgraceful speech, so my beans are nowadays house brand.
When I realized the store he works at, and shops for me, has mixed cheese ends, he varies what he chooses. Hence the provolone recently, also Swiss, Muenster,and plain old jack.
I used to shop high end for cheese, and would study the display before deciding. But I'm not asking him to make special trips and then read my mind to figure out what I want. So it's either sharp cheddar or ends, and it does fine.
I've adapted to what I get at the farm, online and via Son. I'm still dining pretty well. And I'm lucky.
This personal hero works two jobs, one remote gig in software, formerly his full-time pre-recession occupation, one at the grocery store, and still has fun, down the shore today, and never fails with my shopping. So what's a bit of curly pasta between friends?
Speaking of dining, while I was outside reading my meters to send pix to the utility company who can't send readers right now, I thought I may as well pick the few green tomatoes. Saving farm seeds to try next year.
The farm tomatoes are so much better, and redder, and more numerous, that I may declare the home season done, toss the foliage, and have fried green tomatoes. Breaded with potato flakes.
I have never used potato flakes for breading. Good?
ReplyDeleteYour son is a darling. It IS hard to make a list for someone else to use to shop. Almost impossible. But in the end it all works out.
I like potato flakes instead of bread crumbs. I don't want to waste my baked bread making crumbs, and the kind you buy is usually too salty for my taste. So I've used oatflakes, tend not to crisp up, cornmeal, okay a bit gritty, and the potato flakes are pretty good. They crisp up pretty well. Worth a try.
DeleteHandsome Son is definitely a good guy.
Handsome son is a treasure! I like using the term handsome son. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI forget the name, there's a store brand of potato flakes that no matter what I try to hide the flavor, they still taste like cardboard.
What a gem!He loves you a lot. Shopping for someone is an interesting way to learn more about them and I suspect he appreciates what he's learning, as do you. I have changed where and how I shop and have had some interesting experiences.
ReplyDeleteHe's really doing well for me. It's nice that we're still friends now that he's older, too. It's not a given.
DeleteI always enjoy reading about Handsome Son who obviously loves his mom. :)
ReplyDeleteHe's not such a bad guy! Yorkshire understatement.
DeleteI never think to have fried green tomatoes. Great idea. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteIt's also a wickedly funny novel by Fannie Flagg. Movie, too. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe.
Deleteyears ago I came down with walking pneumonia, and was stuck in the house for about two weeks or more. He offered to go shopping, this brave man who was familiar with the beer aisle and the cigarette rack.
ReplyDeleteSo I made out a list. specific as to what, but not to where. Cheese, potatoes, eggs, butter, milk, bread, on and on and on.
Three hours later he returned, exhausted. he said, I don't know how you do it! I got the cheese, and then went all the way over to the produce aisle, and then back for the eggs, and the butter, over to the milk...
Oh dear. I had to explain that I had listed them as I remembered them, not where they were when I shopped. It went much better the next time. And now, of course, he out shops me, mr. no nonsense shopper, whiz down this aisle, skip that aisle, no lingering, no thinking it over..
It says a lot about how your son was raised, and how he is generally.
Seems to me I read that novel, years ago. I must look it up to be sure...
That's hilarious. Sounds like a list given by a poet, full of associations, to a engineer ready to attack it linearly..
DeleteHandsome Son has made lemonade from a life that started out largely brain dysfunctional lemons. He's kind and tactful and forbearing. I don't think he got this from his judgy old Mom! But all compliments happily received.
Funny I should read this this morning because I just returned from the Dreaded Grocery Shop. I hate grocery shopping anyway and in these times it's even more filled with angst. I shop not only for us but also for an elderly friend who buys far more than we ever do. She lives on junk food and there's normally not one healthy thing on her list. How's she's lived to be 92 (also smokes) in such good health is amazing. This morning she got a basket of peaches whether she wanted them or not. Sometimes I sneak some 'good stuff' into her order and she doesn't complain....at least not in my hearing anyway!
ReplyDeleteSome people really defy the odds. Speaking of learning about people from shopping as i think e said earlier, yesterday handsome Son commented that I really shop on a shoestring. He's been shopping for several months and noticing how frugal my list is. It's all ingredients, not prepared food. I do buy from the farm too, but even that's not expensive. He knows how well I eat, having been my guest many times.
DeleteIf you have the patience and time and facilities to cook it's good.