Grocery shopping in Guyana is an experience. For one thing, there is no one-stop shop. Even the newer, more fancy “grocery stores” don’t have everything or even the same items as the other fancy, newer grocery stores. I have lists in my mind of which stores commonly carry which items. It is not uncommon for me to have to go to 4 different places to make a single meal: the butcher for meat, the fruit stand for fruit, the vegetable stand for vegetables and the store for dry goods and shelf milk. And that’s if I’m lucky. All too often, one of my known sources doesn’t have the item for which I am searching. Jeff texted me the other day to ask me where I get butter, so that he could relay to a newer ex-pat. My answer came with the caveat, “when they have it.”
When we first arrived, the ex-pat community warned me that if I see something I like, I should buy a bunch of it because it may not be there next time, even items that I would consider common (like butter). After my first few successful trips, that seemed silly. It seemed I could find what I needed. Then came the tortilla drought of September…no tortillas anywhere in town for 3 weeks! Since quesadillas/tacos/burritos are our favorite go-to quick meal, now when I see tortillas, I load up the trunk.
But there are also wonderful things about shopping here. For one, the spices are amazing, fresh, plentiful and inexpensive. And the spice lady at Mattai’s (the newest grocery in town, owned by an Indian family) is quite knowledgable and helpful. She gives me recommendations on how to mix and use the spices that are available. She has also warned me about not over buying spices. She tells me that I should only buy enough spices for 3 or 4 days use at a time. That way, my spices won’t get stale and will always taste fresh. She gave me this tip as she filled bags with my requested spices. “There that should do you well, I’ll see you in a few days.”
I tried to keep a straight face at the thought of these spices only boarding for a few days in my cupboard. If you can’t tell from the photo, each of these bags fills more than two of the standard 2-3 ounce spice jars.
Now, I love spices…I’m somewhat of a spice collector, but since the spices are right by the front door at Mattai’s and I have to walk by the spice lady every time I go in, I’m starting to feel some pressure to use more spice…which might mean changing some of my ways. I mean, I don’t mean to brag, but prior to this morning’s fresh purchase, I had this World Traveling Ground Turmeric jar in my cupboard.
The best by date at the bottom reads August 2012.
Not anymore, Folks. I now have a fresh 3 jars (3-4) days worth right here in this bag.
That’s right, what used to take me 8 years to consume now only takes 3-4 days, a week at most.
See, that’s another great thing about shopping here. Because the stores/stands are smaller and more family run, the same people are working them day or night and so people quickly come to recognize their patrons. Confession: I might also stand out a little more than the average customer. I am greeted familiarly by the workers of almost any place I go, which I have come to enjoy. Just yesterday I went into a fruit shop that I hadn’t been to in awhile. The gal warmly acknowledged me, “Oh, hi! We haven’t seen you in awhile. How are you? Where are the girls?” And then, “Have you gained some weight?”
“Um, I don’t think so. I haven’t lost any weight but I’m pretty sure I haven’t gained any weight.”
She looked me up and down carefully and insisted, “No, you have definitely added some new weight.”
I couldn’t help myself, I had to disagree because I have been weighing myself regularly. “Maybe my weight has shifted around a little” I joked, “or maybe it’s a bad outfit, but I really haven’t gained any weight.”
“Yes you have, you are bigger than you were before.”
The best part was that my friend was with me, she caught my eye and we tried to stifle our giggles. The cashier commented about her co-worker “at least she is being honest, Ms. Cassandra.” Yep, she was being honest. And I honestly spent the rest of the day at the gym. Just kidding, it was Jeff’s birthday so I came home and ate cake. But I am fasting today. Got you again, I love food too much to fast, I’m just on a pause between breakfast and lunch.
It really was Jeff’s birthday yesterday and our girls decorated his cake. Here it is:
Another fun thing about shopping here is that it is like going on a treasure hunt every time. Maybe you have a specific treasure in mind, or maybe you just get lucky and spot something shiny and tasty that wasn’t there before. And because I am a First World West Coast American and can’t completely deny my roots, I like to play a little game called “Spot the Kirkland Item.” Here are photos from stores all over Georgetown. Can you spot the Kirkland items?
That’s right, Wild Alaskan Salmon, Folks! Right here at the VIP store in Georgetown, Guyana.
And I’m not even the only who remembers the greatest box store. Also yesterday I was at the butcher, Rossignols. If you are wondering how it is that this pseudo-vegetarian spends so much time at a meat shop, maybe change the question. Do I really spend so much time at the butcher or have I decided to make Rossignols a motif for my emails? Anyway, there was a special sign up yesterday but I neglected to purchase any wild meat (shhhh…don’t tell Jeff)!
ICYMI, here is what I know:
https://www.stabroeknews.com/2012/features/04/01/labba/
There is a glass counter that stretches over the meat display at Rossignol’s. There are commonly wrapped meat-like substance sandwiches for sale on the counter and yesterday was no different. A little ways away from the sandwiches there was a plate with some sort of meat/cheese-like squares to sample. There was a Guyanese lady and her husband at the counter. She took a toothpick speared sample and then nodded her head toward the sandwiches and joked, “are those samples, too?” I looked up in time to catch the eye of her husband who winked at me and said, “I guess she thinks this is a Costco!” And to her, “What do you think this is, Costco?”
Definitely no Costcos here.
And one last note on box stores: in case you have spent time wondering what happened to all the unused plastic bags when Sports Authority closed its doors. Well, they came to the mall in Georgetown. I came home with two of them yesterday.
