Yes, in the middle of an Iowa snowstorm The Chef and I decided to head for the city to (as my friend Andi calls it) the Taj Mahal of Grocery Stores in Des Moines. If you knew me in real life you would totally get it. I normally hate grocery shopping, but there is a big difference between grocery shopping and foodie grocery shopping.
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| If I had to be stranded on an island, I'd want it to be a cheese island |
Foodie grocery shopping is like going to Disneyland for foodies. In Iowa HyVee is the big grocery chain. All the new Hy Vees are like super sized grocery stores, and with changing attitudes towards what we eat and where it comes from, how it's produced or raised. Is it sustainable? Organic? GMO?
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| Are you brave enough ?? |
Walking in the door the first thing you see at Taj MaHyvee is the produce section. It's HUGE !!!! And I am helplessly pushing my shopping cart grabbing items and tossing them in. Brussels sprouts, oh how I love them. Zucchini and yellow summer squash for an Indian recipe I want to make. Baby fingerling potatoes. Greens of all kinds. Organic baby lettuce and those tempting tropical fruits...........I am helpless.
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| Fresh Brussels sprouts |
But the best is yet to come. Andi warned me- bulk bins of grains and legumes and rice. And I am telling you,I was a maniac there. Wheat berries, cracked wheat, oats, purple sticky rice, sushi rice, Israeli couscous, EVERYTHING !!!!!!!!
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| Ahhhhh, bleu cheese !!! |
I filled several bags with goodies including mustard seed (to feed my mustard making habit) and felt like I'd struck gold. My brain was spinning with all the potential recipes I could make with all these awesome ingredients. Lentils!!!!! In every color imaginable.
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| Bulk grains !!!!!! |
OK, so I know I am curious about Indian foods, so with that in mind I tried to shop with that plan in mind. Chicken tandoori or butter chicken? Vegetables stir fried with sumac? So many options...... so I settled on Tandoori Chicken (with Tandoori Seasoning/Rub from Spiceologist) and Zucchini Ki Bhaji. I'll save the Butter Chicken recipe for another day.
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| A trip to the olive bar always gets me in trouble! |
How does my first ever Indian cooking adventure go? Stay tuned !!! Tomorrow I'll be cooking up some new Indian flavors!
I would go crazy in a store like that. What fun! Looking forward to whatever you decide to prepare.
ReplyDeleteThat has to be the most fabulous HyVee ever! I get a nice buzz going into the one by me but I don't think it is as grandiose as this one! Those olives look fabulous-----ours only has about 5 different selections in their olive area---I am jealous! Can't wait to see what you make with all of these great items.
ReplyDeleteOMGosh the olive bar here was HUGE- Like Gateway Market in Des Moines (which is my no no store- I get in trouble there- $$$$$$$) I also love the HyVee in Waukee.
DeleteDid you buy any of that Moody Blue cheese? It's AMAZING! Can't wait to read about the Indian food you're cooking!
ReplyDeleteWe did not buy the Moody Blue. The cheese selection was overwhelming and I ended up with provolone to go with my olives but I regretted not buying MORE.
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