PLATES-Grocery List 9/7-13

I have been doing grocery shopping for close to 40 years. One of the reasons is my Mom did not drive. At first, I would take her grocery shopping. After a while, she would write out the list and I would do it for her and save her time. Being part Scottish, I would also clip coupons. Some of that saved money would find its way into my pocket if I could save money (she knew about this and encouraged my thriftiness).

When I moved off to college, I stayed with an aunt on weekends and would often make grocery runs for her. She was amazed I could find my way through the aisles and bring home not only what was on her list, but also things I observed she "needed."

Later, I had an efficiency dorm. Stuck in a deserted college town with nothing better to do, my college roommate and I would often go grocery shopping on Saturday night. Our greatest find was mis-marked blueberries. This was "back in the day" when stockers would put a sticker on each item and the checkers would ring them up. I had received a yogurt machine for Christmas (another story for another time) and we decided to make blueberry yogurt. The two of us found a whole case (or two) of blueberries at Safeway tagged 39 cents instead of $1.39. We had blueberry yogurt and pancakes ... and even created a few other blueberry recipes. I don't know how many cans we discovered, but we left college with more than a can or two of blueberries in our belongings.

After college (and getting married), the grocery stores were a long way from the East Texas town where we lived but they were on my travel route. Plus the Mini-Max stores were clients, so it was "good business" for me to shop there. Since I enjoyed cooking and she was going to college completing her masters degree, it worked out, too.

Moving to Houston, I worked in Houston near a wide assortment of grocery stores, large and small. I would duck in and out of them in my rounds and find the weekly values. A guy friend, who was also into cooking, would compare shopping lists. Somehow all the females with whom we worked (I think there were 20 ladies and only 4 guys at this place) would be mesmerized he and I would spend lunchtime planning not only meals for an entire week, but also how to double and triple coupons (while eating our homemade molé or lasagna) when their husbands had no clue coupons even existed ... or who Vlassis was (and still is).

Through the years, when I visit friends and relatives, part of my travels includes going to Dierberg's, Schnuck's, Publix, Winn-Dixie, Ralph's, Minyard's and other "fun" places.

My Dad and I enjoy going to the grocery stores and checking out things - especially the bakery and the meat counter. This comes from my time growing up and one of my fondest childhood memories ... going with Dad to Plagens' and Kowalski's to get meats to grill and choose lunch items, respectively.

As you can imagine, I don't shop in just one place in my area. And yes, I "know" associates in a number of stores and they "know" me!

With that in mind ... here's the picks of the week from grocery stores in the Houston area. I'm hoping this can become a weekly blog feature (and make me post something), but without the long introduction!

Some of these are not things I will be buying (frozen pizza), but I try to spot good food deals for YOUR carts and baskets.


CENTRAL MARKET
Prince Edward Island Mussels - 2/lb bag for $6.99


WHOLE FOODS
has a "Deal-A-Day" ... check the ad for the one you like


H-E-B
Boneless Beef NY Strip Steaks - $3.77/lb
Large Cantaloupe - 98¢
Bartlett Pears - 77¢
Nilla Vanilla Wafers - $1.50
HEB Buns - $1
HEB Soft Drinks - $2/12 pack
HEB Potato Chips - $1.50
Red Baron Pizza - $2.50
HEB Tortillas - BO/GOF
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or New Belgium Fat Tire - $11.97/12 pack


KROGER
Kroger Value Fresh Split Chicken Breasts - 99¢/lb
Assorted Pork Loin Chops - 1.99/lb
Ground Turkey - 1.79/lb
Springdale Milk - 2.99/gallon
Black Seedless Grapes - $1/lb
Medium Cantaloupe - 99¢
Big K Soft Drinks - $2/12 pack
Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt - 4 for $5


RANDALLS
Fresh Boneless Pork Loin Roast - $1.88/lb
On the Vine Cluster Tomatoes - 99¢/lb
Signature Cafe Family Size Pizza - $5 each
St Arnold beer - $6.99/6-pack


SPEC'S
St Arnold ... all varieties - $6.99/6-pack
Shiner ... all varieties - $5.99/6-pack
Newcastle ale - $11.99/12-pack

PLATES - Hatch Chili Peppers

Okay ... so I gotta get my act together and start posting something on a daily basis.

How about something I found today.

Hatch Chili Peppers are 39¢ a pound at Whole Food Markets in Sugar Land.

I don't know if they;'re that price at YOUR Whole Foods, but they are at mine.

Jay Leno joked about Whole Foods again last night ... the US has a $14 trillion debt. To get a handle on $14 trillion, imagine grocery shopping at Whole Foods every day for a month ..." (audience laughs) ...

Well audience, the laugh's on you this time. Hatch chili peppers are 99¢ to $1.49 elsewhere in town. And their quality is considerably less than here at Whole Foods.

For those who haven't tried them, Hatch Chili Peppers are like Vidalia Onions - truly one of a kind. It's the soil in Doña Ana County, NM that makes it unique.

Most suggest roasting the peppers over an open flame to bring out their flavor. You can do this is a skillet or on a grill. The stores have special pepper roasters and they made a big deal out of it on Friday's saturdays and Sundays.

They are also good "raw" ... chopped and diced and used in recipes like you would a bell, jalapeño, anaheim, or poblano peppers.

There are two kinds of Hatch chili peppers, mild and hot. Believe the billing (and just hope the peppers aren't mislabeled when you buy them).

Grab the recipes at the stores ... from Hatch quesadillas (and tortillas), to cornbread and scones and cookies!

I'll give you MY favorite Hatch Chili recipe tomorrow.

PLATES - Saint Arnold Divine Reserve 11

While many folks are running around … or standing in line ... or reading Tweets and Facebook posts about six-packs of Saint. Arnold’s eleventh release of Divine Reserve, I have mine. It’s a Double IPA with LOTS of hops. I’m not a hop head so I’ll be sharing and trading some of mine. But kinda’ like collecting baseball cards when I was a kid, I had to get my six-pack.

Two words about getting my six pack – Thanks, Jackie!

While this IS a post about DR11, it’s also about relationships.

Jackie is the “beer girl” ... more correctly the Beer Specialist ... at Whole Foods-Sugar Land. She and I became acquainted many months ago. She alerts me to beer tastings at her place, special events, and special pricing. I’m on her email list. It’s why I buy from Whole Foods-Sugar Land (well, that and the fast wi-fi, great products, and the indoor and outdoor tables). Jackie keeps in touch. I wished more retail locations would have a localized email list. Some Tweet, some Facebook, but I like direct emails (and I even get replies).

In the Divine Reserve past (DR 8 and DR 9 for me is "the past") … I was following Tweets and other posts and lucked into misplaced 6 packs. The 6-pack of DR8 was hidden behind some Budweiser at HEB. The purple carriage of DR9 was sitting on a furniture display at a Kroger Marketplace store. I did a double take both times, and promptly bought the beer.

But since then, I’ve gotten to know Jackie an come to appreciate her expertise and devotion to craft beer in Texas and promoting it through the Sugar Land store. Getting DR10 and now DR11 was a case (well, a 6-pack) of simply walking in the door.

I also “know” some beer GUYS – Ron and Joey. They are great guys to know as well. They are home brewers, beer aficionados, and always pointing out the newest beers in stock and the best deals. It’s a different atmosphere at their places (one near my house, the other miles away). They deal in high volume. Yet they recognize faces and remember tastes … “you’re a brown ale guy … here’s what we have in that you’d like.” I’m wondering, “how does he do that???” Their company does weekly emails. I’m on their list and get the info. Whole Foods emails as well, and several of the Whole Foods Tweet, and Jackie also sends out personal emails.

I also became great friends with Stephanie (a beer AND wine person), but, alas, she got married and retired. Stephanie would email on a regular basis. There was always something on sale at her store. It may have been cheaper somewhere else, but Stephanie invited me in to sample, to learn, to buy (no pressure). Her replacement has not kept me posted about their store events. I tend to forget about them (I’m a guy and I need to be reminded – there, I said it!)

The point is – get to know your beer guy or gal ... or your wine person (kudos to Kris and Andy and Andrew – my wine guys ... more them later, too). They’ll take care of you. Many places have samples. You may have to know when and where for sampling. Be sure to participate in their events. Ask if they have an email list. If they don't have one and enough people ask, they might develop one (or they might Tweet). Good participation can mean good sales for the store ... and it can mean more events. It also means learining and expanding your palate. You may be a red or white wine person, but if you never sample “the other,” you’ll never know what you’re missing.

Two last words in closing – try it. TRY what’s being sampled, be it beer or wine (or bourbon, gin, cheese, meats, or chips ... or hot sauce – more on the hot sauce tomorrow). You might find something you like. Jackie got me to trrrrrrrry a blue cheese blend on a recent visit. I don't like blue cheese and I told her so. She smiled, prepared the sample, and even coaxed me (kinda like Mom coaxing the kids to eat their veggies) ... and I hesitantly took the sample. I tried it. Hey - it was okay! I probably won't buy a pound of it, but I can envision a small portion in my basket on a future trip.

Thanks Jackie!



It's time to cue the "Cheers" theme music ...

Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
And they're always glad you came;
You want to be where you can see,
Our troubles are all the same;
You want to be where everybody knows your name.






Here’s the official press release on today's "diviness" ...


HOUSTON, March 17 – Saint Arnold Brewing Company (www.saintarnold.com), the oldest craft brewery in Texas, today revealed plans for its upcoming release of Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 11. Brewed in mid-February, Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 11, is a Double IPA (India Pale Ale). The beer is slated for release around April 1 – no fooling. (PPP note - it actually was in stores today, March 29 in most places in Houston and Austin - March 30 and 31 for others).

The Saint Arnold Divine Reserve series was introduced more than five years ago and generates considerable excitement among craft beer fans for delivering high-quality, full-flavored beer in limited quantities. In response to frustrations voiced by some who have been unable to locate previous releases of Divine Reserve before supplies ran out, Saint Arnold significantly increased production of Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 11.

“We had intended to boost production of Divine Reserve No. 10 to make it easier to find, but we ran into some challenges in the brewing process and ended up with fewer than 2,000 cases and three dozen kegs,” said Saint Arnold Founder/Brewer Brock Wagner. “We intend to come close to doubling production of Divine Reserve No. 11 so that people with jobs don’t have to take a day off to be able to score a six pack. Still, we thought previous production increases would help out with availability.”

This will be the second time the Saint Arnold Divine Reserve series offered a Double IPA, but this is the first Double IPA created by the Saint Arnold brew crew (the recipe for Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 3, also a Double IPA, was based on a winning entry from the Big Bash Brew Bash). Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 11 uses Simcoe, Columbus and Centennial hops from the Pacific Northwest, resulting in a very citrusy, hoppy beer. More information on the Saint Arnold Divine Reserve series is available at http://saintarnold.com/beers/divine.html.

Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 11 is priced at approximately $16 per six pack and will be available at stores, restaurants and bars in Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. Even with the larger quantities produced, Saint Arnold is requesting that retailers limit sales to two six packs per customer and is asking customers to limit their purchase to a six pack or two.