Chubby Bunny

Supermarket Trip

Despite the super hot and rather humid weather today, Mom, Dad and I ventured over to our local Pathmark.

I enjoy supermarkets. I really do. And today after we picked out watermelons and continued to the meat section, I accidentally lost my parents. The way a little kid gets lost in a supermarket. But I eventually found them. And lost them again. Then wandered, wandered…

Since we went in the morning, the supermarket wasn’t very crowded yet. Perhaps this isn’t the weekend to stock up on barbecque goods for a cookout. It made me happy to see people standing in the aisles, spread out, checking labels for nutritient content and expiration dates. Some where just reading about the product. I cruised down the aisles that were filled with cookies and candy. My Little Pony fruit snacks cost less than Care Bear fruit snacks. Transformer and Batman both cost the same. Of course these were on the bottom two rows and the granolas and more advanced snacks (eg. Fruit by the Foot and Yogos…I have a story about Yogos…) are located on the shelves above.

I’m impressed that Pathmark has finally taken a step forward to be a little more like Whole Foods. Kashi and Environ-Kids cereals can be found, as well as other candidates that were initially available at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s only. At the checkout line, there’s a sign now that says you get 2 cents back for every shopping bag you bring in. Sweet, though I like saving a dime for using my handy dandy NYU tote made from recycled Poland Spring bottles.

I lost my parents, but I found orange juice.

By far, this is the happiest looking OJ I’ve ever come across. Simply Orange, eat your heart out. The fortification is not that different from the “adult” OJ that on the right. But the packaging is very appealing for children and those young at heart. And there are a few extras, like vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene (remember, retinol or retinal– alcohol vs. aldehyde– may build up in the body; beta-carotene is water-soluble and can be converted into vitamin A as needed. Excess is excreted.)

I also bought really bad licorice candy.

It was a dollar and I had never seen the brand before. Because it was a dollar on sale (retail price 1.50) I had low expectations. It wants to be like Panda licorice, but doesn’t make the cut. The texture is strange; not chewy and kinda comes apart with smooth lines whe you bite into it. The flavor is also not very intense. I should have gone for the Good ‘n’ Plenty. I’m really sad. The best licorice I’ve had so far was imported from Italy; the texture was hard, but oh boy was it delicious. I found it a Buon’Italia in Chelsea Market and haven’t forgotten it.

See, in the states and most other countries outside Europe and prolly the Scandinavian countries, I believe the rule of thumb is to use wheat flour, molasses and licorice extract to make licorice candy. This results in a “cookie” like texture (eg. Twizzlers, Panda and possibly Kookaburra– which I haven’t tried!) Sometimes it’s corn syrup instead, resulting it a tacky, jelly sort of candy (eg. the Scottie Dogs I adore!) In Europe and Scand., their candy is less adulterated. It’s intense and sometimes pure licorice. It’s crazy, but crazy good at the same time; the distinct flavor is pretty unforgettable (and for some, maybe unforgivable, depending on your take on licorice.)

I found my parents. They had a pie. Pecan pie. And ice cream. Turkey Hill has a Fried Ice Cream flavor. Scary. We bought two cartons: chocolate PB (yum) and something else that I don’t remember.

The lines were long, so I shuffled around in my flip-flops. After getting a raincheck for Mueller’s elbow macaroni (I had no idea they came in 2 lb boxes) I wandered around some more. I examined the coffee aisle carefully. Ground beans. Whole beans. Different brands– did you know Entemann’s has their own coffee out? Sweet. But it may take forever to finish a bag, since I seem to be the only one who drinks it.

Have you noticed that the candy aisle is divided into two major categories? Chocolate and not-chocolate? They have an impressive chocolate selection, showing signs that they’re trying to get higher-end, possibly “gourmet” chocolates on their shelves. Touché, Pathmark.

For the first time ever, Mom paid for the grocercies by credit card. :O Shocking, I know.

We re-entered the hot summer weather and trekked home. Dad had the ice cream in tow and went on without us for the sake of getting it home before it melted. Mom and I pushed our shopping cart. I re-learned that we didn’t actually buy this shopping cart. It was left here when my parents moved in by the previous home owners. It’s about as old as I am, if not older. And it makes a racket on the side walk, but it’s wide and does its job.