I was raised up to eat well, and Kent and I take great joy in fresh foods, homemade dinners and quality goods. Central Market is definitely on the high end of things, but it is so unlike any markets we've been to before. (Yes, better than AJ's, Wild Oats, etc.) This place is huge! They bring in over 25 different kinds of apples ... yes, that's just apples. I've never seen so many variety of tomatoes all in one place. And then there's the cheeses.... oh the cheeses! You find stuff hundreds of kinds from all around the world. Not only is there an amazing abundance of types of food, but they've arranged it so that it's a smorgasbord of color just waiting to delight the eyes!
All that glorious color just waiting to feed the eyes!
Tomatoes and avocados. I was furtively trying to capture the feel of this market on a busy Saturday. I'm sure people were like, "Who's the weird lady with camera!"
Their breads are amazing, and it feels so European to go there, sample and have your bread sliced just the way you want. Our very first try was White Chocolate, Apricot Bread. Isaac has never really liked bread, but when we went there to sample, the kid could not get enough. His palate is terribly spoiled.
Isaac and I went weekly, it was an outing for us. We wouldn't buy very much but the little we did was great. They always have tons of fruit, bread, juice and sausage samples. (better than Costco!) The bulk area is a must visit. We've had Lemon Blueberry short breads, chocolate covered blueberries and blackberries. We've tried their varieties of pilaf and grains. Our favorite is a rolled rye that we cook into a hot cereal for the week. 78 cents feeds a family of 3 easily! Just the other day we found a new section with 18-21 different types of salts: lava salt, hibiscus salt, Hawaiian salts, etc in lovely colors such as black, purple, and pink. I took just a little of 2 types to take back and try in AZ.
Isaac and I eat our 'snack' there (more like a lunch!), and he walks away with a balloon every time. Grocery shopping will never be quite the same again.
Those pictures are beautiful! It almost makes me want to cook.
ReplyDeleteSo fun that you took photos! I used to live walking distance from Central, and planned my weekly shopping there. I learned that in the produce and bulk sections, I actually saved over normal grocery stores. The produce is fresher, so it lasts longer. And bulk, well, if you need a teaspoon of a spice, you don't end up buying a jar, etc. This is when Jared and I started eating more grains and veggies, and cutting out so much meat. We saved money, enjoyed shopping and cooking much more, and Jared lost weight! I couldn't resist the cheeses, though. (Love the coupons, too -- that turned into my weekly "special" dish.)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, we both loved your soup! Thanks so much, Flo. Any chance you'd share the recipe? Leeks and white Cheddar, maybe? It was delish!
I would LOVE that place! It looks amazing. I bet you will really miss it when you're back in AZ.
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