With my first recipes selected and ingredient list in hand it’s time to go to one of my favorite grocery stores in Seattle.
It is walking into a different world. I feel like a kid again. So many things that are new and undiscovered. Labels I can’t read, produce I’ve never seen, smells from the cafe are seductive, and the gift shop and kitchen area makes me dream of a shopping spree. The best part about it? I feel this way EVERY time I step in this store. The only hiccup in my swoon? My shopping partner:
Sure, he looks unassuming…agreeable even? The constant chatter makes it impossible to think.
Here is PART of the selection of Miso:
I know next to nothing about Miso. With Mason blathering in my ear, trying to figure out which one I needed had me reaching for the sake…and then wondering which one I should buy.
That aside…
I do love the selection and variety of ingredients in this store. Soy sauce?
Which kind would you like? Crazy.
I did learn a couple things with this trip.
1. MOST IMPORTANT: I got home and started reading the book at the beginning. Of course her whole pantry section spells out what brands to get of all of the ingredients… so read that first, write it down, and save yourself a headache trying to figure it out on your own.
2. If you can, take a buddy. If you don’t have one that speaks Japanese, it helps that can have one that at least can read english. Tag-team is good when trying to read the madrid of labels. Plus, you have someone to munch with before or after shopping.
3. Rapeseed Oil? I saw this in a ton of recipes. I tried to find it. Couldn’t. Looked it up- apparently that is the same thing as Canola oil… and of course she says that in the pantry section of the book. (palm to forehead)
4. It will take longer than you think.
As a side note, if you don’t make it to the international district a lot, the Wing Luke Museum is beautiful and worth a poke through. It is also free the first Thursday and third Saturday of each month.
Seattle Cooking Club 