things that help me like a place: food markets

I've been here in Florida more than two years and I've been struggling to love it (bec. I want to LOVE where I live). I am finally finding the markets I want to find, and I realize what a difference it makes for me...today I've been to an English store and two "Persian" markets--and they are just around the corner from a nice Oriental market I've been to before..

Oddly, these are all within a 1/4 mile of each other. But today, while I was wondering around the two Persian markets, I was kind of thrilled. I came home with z'atar (don't check my spelling on that)--a ground mixture of sesame seeds, thyme, sumac and salt, pomegranate molasses, saffron sugar cubes, rose water (I was describing rose and pistachio ice cream to my daughter, so now she wants us to make it...) Some feta cheese that a friend goes out of her way to buy....

I am all excited. Now I'm looking for recipes with the saffron sugar and the pom. molasses (which I've seen in a few recipes in the past year or so...and pomegrantes are all the rage..)

So here's hoping shopping for food will keep me happy!

B

Barb
A fair comment - perhaps backed up by the depression if there's nowhere decent to get the food you desire.

One aspect I love about Norwich (& the county of Norfolk) in the UK, is the way it's retained it's interest in food and the desire for great produce seems to be re-emerging in force.

In our semi-covered market there is a top cheese stall; a stall showcasing a number of food specialists (each sharing running the stall); an organic greengrocers (not that good as they seem to sell their best produce to other shops - we prefer another greengrocer stall or out of town farm shops); an impressive coffee stall (beans & drinks); a specialist sausage maker; three good fish stalls. Individual shops include top quality game butchers, plus traditional butchers, stacks of farm shops, a good travelling fish van, local ice-cream makers, etc. Plenty on the outskirts as well, including a fine smokehouse.

The food quality here is better than anywhere else I've lived in the UK. Luckily it's coincided with me travelling less and hence cooking more!

regards

Ian

Ian, sounds like my heaven!

B