spice of life in my pantry
Tom and I were standing at the Wegmans deli counter on Sunday, trying to decide what kind of cheese we wanted and listening to people order around us, when I was struck with the not-very-original observation that a supermarket is emblematic of the benefits of modern, developed-world life.
I live in a time in which it is possible for me to develop a preference for one type of cheese over another. More than that, it is possible for me to develop that preference to the point where I choose one type of cheese for a turkey sandwich, another for putting on my spaghetti, and still a third for serving on crackers.
I can have fresh vegetables in the dead of winter, and popsicles in summer. Seafood that’s flash-frozen on the boat allows me to have things people used to only get in Alaska. I can buy mortadella imported from Italy and just a few aisles over get seaweed crackers from Japan and guava nectar from South America.
And yet there are people out there who actually grow up and go to college having never eaten more than 6 different meal menus in their lives. Who are these people? Why do they disrespect the embarrassment of riches available at even the smallest local market?
When we’re busy, Tom and I do tend to fall back on the recipes we’re comfortable with, but we have so much fun experimenting with new things. I can’t wait to test ‘em out on y’all on our new dining table. 