filed in Daily Life
The Glee of Staples
Over the weekend, I visited my favorite spot for gourmet food supplies, on the hunt for Callebaut bittersweet chocolate chips. I was happy roaming the aisles, ogling the exotic spices, grains, pastas, olive oils, soup stocks, cheeses and every shape of cooking vessel that one could imagine. Other than the chocolate chips, I didn’t buy anything. It was enough just to be in close proximity to such lusciousness. It reminds me of the way I feel browsing designer shoes. What are your staples?
Check back tomorrow when I’ll set the date for our challenge.
Painting by Thomas Levy-Lasne
Discussion
8 comments for “The Glee of Staples”
Leave a Reply
About this Site
FIRST PERSON SINGULAR is a guide to surviving, thriving and sometimes just getting through a single day. Created by Wendy Braitman (more…)
Follow First Person Singular
Greatest Hits
© 2010 First Person Singular. 
Diet Coke, pasta, parmesan cheese, milk, cereal or frozen waffles, pb&j, Limon potato chips, and something dessert like, but that changes depending on mood.
Reading that list, one could conclude I either have small children or am still living in a college dorm somewhere.
Neither is true, unfortunately. I’m apparently culinarily immature. But at least I don’t have Kraft mac & cheese. I hate that stuff.
Tortillas, fresh mozzarella, olive oil, almonds, Sleepytime tea, spinach, cherry tomatoes and a good bottle of white/champagne!
I can have nothing in my house but these and I would be content.
In addition: my non-edible staples include my LL Bean boots (UGG style) and a cozy pashmina to wrap up in during these chilly Wisconsin winters!
**side-note** I was just in Milwaukee for the New Year and I was able to roam the aisles of one of my favorite Italian grocery stores (hence the fresh mozz staple!!), I had all the time in the world. All to myself, embracing my singleton status!
I hunger for cherry tomatoes this time for year. Have to wait for summer for the good ones.
My staples include: nonfat milk, egg substitute, bananas, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, tea bags (almost any flavor will do), Lean Cuisine spaghetti with meat sauce, whole wheat bread and Green Giant Steamers.
I’m not much of a cook, either, and I’m always dieting. I also would consider grapes to be a staple, except that, unlike bananas, my local market doesn’t seem to be able to stock good ones when they’re not in season.
I go for seasonal food. Like tomatoes only in summer, and then I binge on them, and have to wait 8 months for them to come around again.
Olive oil. Nuts–walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds–unsalted, of course. And local, free-range eggs (even the raw yolks from those taste delicious!)
And 88% cacao dark chocolate from Endangered Species chocolates (the one with the black panther on the label).
I love to cook, so yes, the gourmet food store is a heavenly experience. However, I get equal joy from a trip to my favorite wine & spirits shop for a bottle of Champagne, and to restock my selection of brown liquors – Single Malt Scotch, Irish Whiskey, Rye Whiskey, and my favourite Bourbon. It all helps with the cooking….
Have you tried Carpano, the best Vermouth ever? It makes the most awesome Manhattan.http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1005139