Bear Cuisine

Pro's Ranch Market

I am fascinated by grocery stores;even the most ordinary of them can be interesting. When I have time I look upon my visit to the grocery store as part archeological dig ("What is buried in the back of this freezer?") and part anthropological exploration. (What does this food say about our foodways, our culture, the fabric of our society?)

A recent addition to the grocery store landscape in Albuquerque is the Pro's Ranch Market in the North Valley. A trip there is like going to Mexico. It's jammed with all the fruit and vegetables that you would need for Mexican cooking as well as the pantry staples that a Latino household would use. You hear Spanish spoken more often than you hear English. It's boistrous and a riot of color greets you on every isle. Whenever I am there, it feels as if I'm in the middle of a great big fiesta.

Looks like I'm going to have to dig out my copies of Rick Bayless and Diana Kennedy.

These are a few of my favorite things

I was on the local and sustainable bandwagon long before Barbara Kingsolver wrote Animal, Vegetable and Miracle. She did inspire me to work even harder at buying local and she helped to renew my interest in canning and otherwise preserving the harvest. I quickly realized,however, that I needed those wildcards she allowed in her own efforts to eat locally. "Wildcards" are those items that you simply find you cannot live without that come from somewhere other than your own food shed. Everyone gets a free pass on tea, coffee and some spices. Thank Goodness! My life would be immeasurably impoverished if I were forbidden the pleasures of Sichuan Peppercorns or cinnamon or.... The list could go on far longer than would be of interest to anyone--including myself. 

Back to the wildcards. These change from time to time, but I find that Trader Joe's has items that regularly find their way into my shopping cart and then into the pantry. They make life easier and they make for food fun. 

These toffees are scrumptious and make a great dessert by themselves or as add-ins to ice cream.

Puff Pastry makes a great turnover or you can use it as a "crust" for a pot pie. They make splendid appetizers or cheese straws. 

These make an easy dinner when all energy for cooking has deserted you. They can be added to a soup or served as an appetizer. We all love them--even Hallie.

These can heat in the oven while the pasta is cooking on the stove. Use them anytime you are in a hurry and want some bread to accompany dinner. They freeze well.

Whenever I have exhausted my store of corn frozen from last summer, I turn to TJ's frozen roasted corn to add to soups and stews.

These are a rare treat. They come, not from TJ's, but the Spanish Table. These are Mexican Coca Colas which are made with cane, rather than high fructose corn, syrup. Served ice cold with a great burger or dog.... Life rarely gets better than this.