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10-08-2011, 12:02 PM
Re: (...)
I'm just curious it seems we all have basic ingredients available to us, and yet even that is based on region.
So..what are some things you wish you get your hands on easily but can't?
For me it's asian condiments. I can find the basic ones but not harder to find items like bean paste. And of course the elusive pork belly
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My biggest complaint is the lack of pasta. Folks around here eat spaghetti, thin spaghetti, and angel hair. Not a buccatini in sight! No "Little Italy" in these parts. We are lucky to have other good ethnic stores, ie Mexican, Asian, Indian.
Practice safe lunch. Use a condiment.
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I think Asian is the hardest - especially the elusive ones like Thai, fresh Asian herbs and veggies. I can get pork belly (Mexican grocery store!).
Anything Trader Joe's is an issue.
But good grass fed beef, and fresh veggies (at least while the fruit stand and Farmers' Markets are open) are easy.
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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Thanks for the reminder - no Indian, or Middle Eastern ingredients here. I did find buccatini at a Mexican grocery.
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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Lol I was just thinking about Labs....I shudder to think of his list.
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Seriously, as bad as it is here, his list must be a long one. If I had to pick. Fresh herbs would top the list, I think.
Daphne
Keep your mind wide open.
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Grass fed beef here is no problem, if you want to pay upwards to $10.00 lb, same for lamb, and free range chicken is not much cheaper. Certainlky out of my price range, even for the house, let alone catering.
Practice safe lunch. Use a condiment.
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Asian is o.k. here, but if anything smells of 'gourmet' forget it!! Have to go to the big city.
Yeah Labs has mentioned a number of things not available - especially when we do a Birthday dinner (AHEM, BIRTHDAY DINNER, does anyone remember these????????)
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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Oddly enough, with the import stores, that meat market with special ingredients and a few surprises in the supermarkets, I can actually find Asian ingredients more easily than Mexican ones. No stores or farmers' markets have poblano peppers, Anaheim peppers, serrano peppers (except for ONE supermarket a couple of years ago, so I bought and froze a bunch of them), guajillo peppers (likewise), [i[nopales[/i] (although that one supermarket has had the prickly-pear fruits a few times) or epazote.
If blueberry muffins have blueberries in them, what do vegan muffins have?
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Wait Labs..you can get Asian but not mexican spices?? As for the chilis do they have them canned that you could use?
