Shopping for food here almost the opposite of shopping for food at home, in a number of ways. The food is much fresher, especially the fruit and vegetables, and the storage space at present much more limited, especially in the case of the little bar size fridge. And not much point in buying large storable quantities when we won’t be here long enough to use them. So, easy enough to buy only one kilo of yoghurt - it has to fit in the fridge and no problem getting more when it’s gone. And not tempted to buy ten kilo bags of flour as I would at home. No oven anyway. And why buy enough oranges that they begin to deteriorate before they’re eaten when there are more around the corner. A little more difficulty with learning not to buy the largest size of a staple when it’s much better value for money. Hence we now have a bottle of [well, this is embarrassing - predictive text, like a brilliant but indiscreet child knows what should follow “bottle of “ in my writing and jumps in with “wine!” - exclamation mark mine]. Yes, we now have a 568 ml bottle of Worcestershire sauce, or most of one. Suitable for use in making and freezing large pots of soup and stew, whilst we have a freezing compartment suitable for making ice cubes if we keep up with the defrosting. Actually have never really learned to cook for only two people, but hope blooms.
So today’s foray necessitated by the fact that tomorrow is a holiday and nothing other than the peripteros and probably the Indian shop on the corner will be open. That’s three holidays in thirteen days, which took us by surprise the first year. Not that we have ever been at much risk of wasting away. Bread, oranges, bananas, onions and a bottle of apricot brandy because I love apricot and it was on sale.
Good thing about apricot brandy’s being dead cheap because also proves to be dead horrible. Had expected, at the price, it to be uncomplex, domestic, too sweet, suitable for pouring on yoghurt. Had not expected overwhelming smell and taste of coconut, of which I’m not fond. And no discernible apricot flavour. Refer to label. What is agricultural alcohol? Related to fuel for tractors? No, seems just from fermented agricultural products, as in potato vodka. OK. Not domestic either. Peeling off Greek label shows minute info in Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian. Really? Would have expected better of the Baltics, though they did have the good sense to export it. Rest too small to read so resort to magnifier. Now Spanish and English revealed. “Delicious liqueur with the juicy flavour of sun-ripened apricots enriched with a hint of brandy. Excellent to be drunk straight or mixed in cocktails.” Clear violation of the trades description act. Ah well, lose some.
Posts
