Bulk Buying Continues to Rock!

My regular readers know I was in Austin these past few days...and since I missed my opportunity to shop Central Market during my February trip, I had a little list I'd been saving up.

I have been wanting to make Macarons...the French meringue sandwich cookies using almond flour for some time now.  I went to our local stores and did find it at one location...a very small package for TWELVE FREAKING DOLLARS!

Uh, I don't think so!  I bought some almonds...I have a food processor...and knew I could grind my own.  It's been so horribly humid down here I've been afraid to make them...so I still have the almonds waiting.  So, when I went to Central Market in South Austin (my favorite store)  I was so happy to find Almond "Meal" aka ground almonds for $6.99/pound.  I got 1/3 pound and it only cost $2.52!  Happy days!

Then I got some Turbinado Sugar...bulk $1.49/pound.  Awesome.
10 whole nutmegs for $1.36. 
A quarter pound of sesame seeds for under a dollar....and
.15 pound of poppy seeds for $1.35 (that's a goodly amount of those tiny seeds!). 
Also got some beautiful pecan halves...not that cheap, but they were local to South/Central Texas, and I like that.  They taste fabulous (I have nibbled on a small handful).  Got more of the bulk Callebaut semi-sweet chocolate chunks I love for baking.  Oh, yes...and organic roasted soy nuts for munching.  Yum!

I was nearly dancing in the aisles :-)

Next I was searching for some pure vanilla extract and found, instead (well, in addition to), a jar of Pure Vanilla Bean Paste...which I'd been searching for since I started seeing it in recipes.

I was nearly exhausted from my excitement in the bulk section - and seeing Source Code at the theater around the corner at the Westgate Theater.  My hubby and I agreed...the movie really kept you engrossed...I didn't nod off once (I'm prone to nodding off in a theater when they lose my attention).  We both give it two thumbs up.  It's kind of freaky premise, but it is a good movie.  I also had an awesome lunch in the Central Market Cafe...their Asian Chicken Char Sui Salad is a great favorite of mine.

We attempted to go to Costco...because I like Kirkland's Vanilla...but there was not a parking place to be found!!!  We went to the Sam's Club instead.  Tone's 100% pure Vanilla extract with no corn syrup was under $7 for 16 ounces...it smells pretty good...hope it is a "good buy".  My sister likes this brand and I saw lots of the Tone branded spices in her cupboards.  They used to own a bakery...they should know.  Hope it's good because I am going broke buying vanilla down here in little bottles!!!

OK, well, that's that for the Austin food shopping excursion.

At the risk of being repetitious...buy bulk when you can...but only if it is a large volume turnover bulk seller.  A wonderful way to have low-cost fresh spices, flours, nuts, and sugars that you pay big bucks for when pre-packaged.

Now, I'm off to find recipes for these fun products!

Bon Appetit, Y'all!!!

PARAGRAPHS ON PADRE BLVD

One of the wonderful, cozy spots to visit on South Padre Island is Paragraphs on Padre Blvd.  Joni (and Griff) have created a lovely independent book store filled with a really huge variety for such a little shop!  Comfy chairs, good conversation, and an amazing schedule of events are just the icing on the cake for anyone who loves a nice space to browse for books.  For me, book stores have almost become the libraries of today...when I was young we went to the library to whisper together and socialize, sitting at long tables in uncomfortable chairs, dragging our homework there to work with other like-minded individuals.  Book stores often serve a similar service these days...in Austin the big box stores are so crowded with folks on their laptops and cozied up reading in the chairs that it is difficult to find a place to perch.  Like so many other small jewels on the island, a small book store is a true gem to find!

Paragraphs has taken the best parts of library, book store, and social "salon"...and incorporated them into the island's only oasis for those of us who love books, love to visit, and enjoy hearing interesting people speak about their passions.  I have been to book signings in the big city, lined up for a signature, no time to chat with the author...nothing like the book signings here!  Paragraph's "Meet the Author Series" are like a "social"...people visit, there's usually snacks of some sort, frequently wine, coffee, or tea...it's like we've gone to Joni's home and she has entertained us at a fine, yet comfortable, soiree.  (I can come with no make-up, shorts, and flip flops... I'd never have done that in the big city!)  I've listened to Seth Patterson talk about his outstanding El Valle, I've joined a circle of exceptional women who talked about living their dream as they read excerpts from Pat Avery's Roll Call: Women's Voices and most recently I spent 3 hours watching an amazing young artist, Michael Clark, create an outstanding oil painting in just 3 hours as he described his technique and displayed his beautiful works highlighting scenes on the Texas Gulf Coast. (He also has roots in Austin so that was an extra perk for me :-)  Upcoming events may be found on the Paragraphs' Facebook Page and they always seem to have something coming!

This week, Joni shared a fabulous little rum cake...I am determined to duplicate it.  She said a friend shipped it to Griff from the Caribbean...something like a Tortuga Rum Cake.  If I get around to making my take on it, I'll blog about it you can be sure!  Past events have featured yummies from Zeste, cheese and crackers, chocolates, and other little yummies.  What book store does that?  We are so fortunate to have them.

Visitors needing to get out of the heat...this is a great place to stop in.  You'll find activities you can take to the condo or hotel for the kids...lots of stuff on their shelves for the tots...including some toys and craft ideas besides an array of coastal-themed children's books.  There are no whispering library voices in Paragraphs...just lots of happy and interesting people. 

Living on or near South Padre Island is a wonderful thing...Paragraphs on Padre Blvd just makes it all the better!

Bon Appetit, Y'all!

Where Do YOU Buy Your Herbs and Spices?

$.18 for  1/2 ounce of dried thyme!

I mentioned in my last post that I was in Austin this past week-end.  I always go to Central Market for any specialty items I can't find in the lower Rio Grande Valley.  I could rave endlessly about Central Market...it is an H.E.B. gourmet grocery store - and the first one was in my previous home of Austin, Texas (now they have two)...lots of organics, interesting and unique items, excellent Choice and Prime grade meats, an outstanding seafood market, huge wine and beer selection, cheeses from around the world as well as local, bakery extraordinaire, deli case that will knock your socks off...flowers, produce that rocks my WORLD.  Ahhh, you can see I am a fan :-)

Central Market is not cheap.  I can spend $100 faster than you could blink an eye and not even have a whole bag of groceries.  Today's excursion, though, resulted in some really good bulk bargains as well as some difficult-to-find veal shank (so I can make my Osso Buco for Valentine's Day dinner), apple wood smoked bacon from the meat case, and a beautiful pork tenderloin to wrap that bacon around!  The BEST buy, though, of all things in the entire store, are the bulk herbs and spices.  If I can avoid it, I don't buy many bottles of spices.  I buy little packets from their bulk section.  Today...Thyme and Sesame Seeds.  The thyme was 18 cents...yes EIGHTEEN cents for .48 ounce.  For more volume than comes in the McCormick .37 ounce plastic jar, which I pay any where from $2.49 to $4.00 per bottle to purchase.  THAT is a savings!

I wanted to make some Sesame Catfish so I bought an amount sufficient to make the recipe...for FORTY-EIGHT CENTS people! 

Sesame seeds in bulk - the only way to go!

If you have access to bulk herbs, nuts, baking chocolate, dried fruits...I can almost guarantee they are cheaper than buying a pre-packaged amount.  Check it out...I bet you are surprised! 

Besides the cost savings, it is THE way to keep your herbs and spices fresh.  If I pay $4 for a tiny bottle or tin of something...I'm much less prone to throw it (and all of its compadres) away at the "recommended 6 months to a year after opening".  Until I started using bulk spices I had spices for YEARS.  Now, it is easy to say "okay, today is bulk spice replacement day"...and I don't have an issue with throwing away the remnants of something that cost a quarter or two.  I know I have used them up over the year...and whatever is left can go away.  I replace the whole kit and caboodle for under $5 to $10.  It's an excellent solution.  I also can keep a stock of small bits of rarely used spices on hand for a most reasonable cost!

My other bulk purchases this week were organic roasted soy nuts (we eat them for snacks and we eat them in our own home-made trail mix the teen takes in his lunch instead of chips),

Organic roasted soy nuts -
my salty snack of choice!

Callebaut milk chocolate (for those upcoming Valentine's confections)

Yum - I'll be happy to chunk this bad girl up
into luscious ingredient-size pieces
(with a nibble here and a nibble there!)

and Callebaut semi-sweet chunks for some special chocolate chunk cookies ($4.99/pound in bulk - compared to $10.95 for 12 oz. package at Williams-Sonoma).

Callebaut Semi-chocolate chunks - a great buy!

I love Central Market - I love shopping - I wish to high heaven they would put one in somewhere south of San Antonio!!!  Until then, I'm happy to grab what I can on my somewhat frequent excursions to see family in Austin.  (Got to see the 7-year-old granddaughter play basketball on Saturday - she shot, she scored!  That was the real treat of the day!)  If you have knowledge of a similar resource for herbs and spices down here in South Texas - please share!!!  There is a small bulk section (not herbs and spices) at the HEB in Harlingen...but the soy nuts I bought there were hard as a rock - which bespeaks low turnover.  That's a problem, so buy sparingly the first time you try a source.  For those who live elsewhere, I know Whole Foods has a great bulk department...it seems to be more common in the co-ops and natural foods resources I have seen as we've travelled.  Check your area, because it's a great thing once you find it!

I can't wait to search out some recipes to utilize my fun purchases...and to make the recipes I planned to make when I bought some of the others.  Considering we have an abnormally frigid cold front roaring towards the Texas Gulf Coast, I'm thinking a few days in the kitchen is a very good way to stay warm!!!

Bon Appetit, Y'all!

Cactus Flower

I have lived here for 2 1/2 years - renovated a condo - bought new furniture - bought coastal theme decor... and somehow missed a jewel of a gift shop right on the main drag of South Padre Island.  I'd seen Cactus Flower - even mentioned to my husband a time or two "we should stop in there"... but I never stopped.  I admired the painted cactus flower mural on the outside of the building but I really couldn't see anything from the road other than furniture...so I thought it was a furniture store.  Just didn't stop.  Oh, was I wrong....

Yesterday my body became filled with happy shopping endorphins, because after a fabulous lunch, friends KM and IB said they were going to go shopping at the "big sale"...WHAT big sale???  I asked... Cactus Flower...wanna come?  Boy, am I glad I said yes!



Photo Source:  www.spadre.com/cactusflower.htm

Now you might wonder why I'm writing about a gift and furniture store on a foodie blog...well, let me tell you why.  It was like the hallelujah bells rang when I rounded the corner to find a wall filled with kitchen gadgets.  I LOVE kitchen gadgets.  Kitchen "stuff" of any kind is an instant draw for me.  I was in heaven :-)

What a beautiful store and a lucky break for me.  Friday (Nov. 5, 2010), Saturday, and Sunday only...their annual pre-Christmas 20% off everything except furniture sale is going on.  I found several items...items I just had to have...I mean, come on...20% off guys! (Plus I had birthday money burning a hole in my pocket thanks to John's parents!!!)

I love little ramekin dishes to put "stuff" in

Here's a peek at some of my finds...some nifty little shell-shaped pieces (I'm a ramekin/mint dish addict - I use them for all sorts of things), some new coasters (ours are plum worn out from all the coastal humidity "drippins" from our glasses and Diet Coke cans), a pair of silicone tongs I'd been seeking for months - thin enough to fit in my toaster and grab wayward pieces of stuff without potential shockage, AND, the big score, a Christmas gift for my Mom that she is going to just LOVE (obviously can't post a picture - she reads my blog)!!!  I found lots of stuff I didn't get - but would have loved to acquire :-)  Dishes, glassware, funny napkins, unusual cards, stunning glass art, jewelry, wall art, furniture, pull knobs for kitchen cabinets, as well as the cabinets...they have carpet, specialty food, cookbooks, unusual kitchen gadgets, candles, home scents, purses, Christmas decor to suit any home... un-freaking-believable!!! <sigh> I was in shopping heaven.  I was still there when KM and IB left!  I had to look at every little thing. 

The gift at check out!

To add icing to this lucious day of decadence...they popped in a little complementary bag of Aromatique potpourri - in my favorite scent "The Smell of Christmas" - when I checked out.  Lovely staff...lovely things! 

My new coasters - Manatee Cove!



This store was one of the most beautifully decorated-for-the-holidays shops I've ever been in...and I've been shopping all over the United States!  Very upscale - very friendly people (not always the case in upscale shops) and the range of selection - well, just shocked to find it on our little island.  Mostly shocked that I managed to miss it all this time!!!

If you are in the area - it behooves you to stop in before they end their sale on Sunday and take advantage of that 20% off - if you aren't local or in the area this week-end - stop in on your next trip down.  Many items are quite expensive - but there are reasonably priced items as well (whew!)  Wowser - thanks KM and IB for hooking me up!  I doubt my husband will thank you, but I shorely do  <coastal pun intended> :-)))

I LOVE living la vida isla!