You get tomatoes that actually have a smell. Preferably that smell is tomato. But under no circumstances do you get one of those scentless plastic-y ones. Ew.
Ideally, the tomatoes are still clinging to a piece of vine, and are plump and squishy enough that you get a strange urge to cuddle them.
At each ethnic market (because you will go to a minimum of two, of course), you purchase at least one tin of something of which you are only 64% sure of it's contents. Such as, "I think these are mushrooms. They might be eggs of ........ something. But prolly mushrooms."
A store employee searches around in the back for 'the last one' of something.
You choose your tea, olive oil and bread by which brand has the least amount (preferably none) of discernable English words on it's bottle or wrapper.
You poke things a lot. This gesture serves to help determine the contents, to call your boyfriend's attention to something, or in the case of the Asian market, to determine if the item in question is in fact still alive. (It happens.)
When you question a store employee about what something is, and he gets an evil glint in his eye and says it's a traditional delicacy, beware. This goes doubly if you suspect the item might be liquor. Trust me, the only person who will drink what you're holding is his great-grandmother, who lived through at least two major wars, and still gets up at the crack of dawn. This is only for the very, very adventurous soul.
If you wonder if you're in the right place, you're in the right place. If you are the only native english speaker in the building, you're in the right place. If eyes follow you curiously the entire time, you're in the right place. If you suspect they are raising the prices for you when they translate them, just go with it, because you're in the right place. If ringing up your purchases involves sign language, you're in the right place.
You get flowers. Fact - Flowers make people more civilized. They bring as big a change to a room as a lighting fixture.
You get sliced bread and non-sliced bread. Both should be of a quality that it can be eaten plain.
You buy spinach. If you don't know what to do it with it, ask me and I'll tell you.
Don't distain soup mixes. They can be easily jazzed up with fresh stuff, which gives the impression of 'real cooking' with minimal effort.
You buy more pasta than premade pasta sauces. Because pasta with olive oil and pretty much any fresh vegetable is a refreshing change.
You get at least one item of vegetables or produce that wasn't on your list, just because it's in season and looks good.
You buy ginger root. Either to actually cook with, or just because it makes you look cool.
You buy your aspirin and any sort of 'intimate' product at a large supermarket chain, because in moments of pain, you want familiar, not 'what the natives did.'
You just assume a rate of loss on tupperware, and just pick up a few more each trip. For your sanity.
You recycle and buy recycled. It's quite possibly the easiest way to make a positive difference.
You don't overbuy on the fruit and bread. No point in letting it go to waste before you can get to it. It's easy to stop back in a week later for bannas, and bread, and use the express checkout.
Spend a few minutes on that one of the aisle with the lightbulbs and extension cords and stuff. Odd are high that there is something there that you keep forgetting to put on your list.
You get an 'are you sure?' after you decline help to your car.
Ideally, the tomatoes are still clinging to a piece of vine, and are plump and squishy enough that you get a strange urge to cuddle them.
At each ethnic market (because you will go to a minimum of two, of course), you purchase at least one tin of something of which you are only 64% sure of it's contents. Such as, "I think these are mushrooms. They might be eggs of ........ something. But prolly mushrooms."
A store employee searches around in the back for 'the last one' of something.
You choose your tea, olive oil and bread by which brand has the least amount (preferably none) of discernable English words on it's bottle or wrapper.
You poke things a lot. This gesture serves to help determine the contents, to call your boyfriend's attention to something, or in the case of the Asian market, to determine if the item in question is in fact still alive. (It happens.)
When you question a store employee about what something is, and he gets an evil glint in his eye and says it's a traditional delicacy, beware. This goes doubly if you suspect the item might be liquor. Trust me, the only person who will drink what you're holding is his great-grandmother, who lived through at least two major wars, and still gets up at the crack of dawn. This is only for the very, very adventurous soul.
If you wonder if you're in the right place, you're in the right place. If you are the only native english speaker in the building, you're in the right place. If eyes follow you curiously the entire time, you're in the right place. If you suspect they are raising the prices for you when they translate them, just go with it, because you're in the right place. If ringing up your purchases involves sign language, you're in the right place.
You get flowers. Fact - Flowers make people more civilized. They bring as big a change to a room as a lighting fixture.
You get sliced bread and non-sliced bread. Both should be of a quality that it can be eaten plain.
You buy spinach. If you don't know what to do it with it, ask me and I'll tell you.
Don't distain soup mixes. They can be easily jazzed up with fresh stuff, which gives the impression of 'real cooking' with minimal effort.
You buy more pasta than premade pasta sauces. Because pasta with olive oil and pretty much any fresh vegetable is a refreshing change.
You get at least one item of vegetables or produce that wasn't on your list, just because it's in season and looks good.
You buy ginger root. Either to actually cook with, or just because it makes you look cool.
You buy your aspirin and any sort of 'intimate' product at a large supermarket chain, because in moments of pain, you want familiar, not 'what the natives did.'
You just assume a rate of loss on tupperware, and just pick up a few more each trip. For your sanity.
You recycle and buy recycled. It's quite possibly the easiest way to make a positive difference.
You don't overbuy on the fruit and bread. No point in letting it go to waste before you can get to it. It's easy to stop back in a week later for bannas, and bread, and use the express checkout.
Spend a few minutes on that one of the aisle with the lightbulbs and extension cords and stuff. Odd are high that there is something there that you keep forgetting to put on your list.
You get an 'are you sure?' after you decline help to your car.
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