Saturday, June 29, 2013

Why the Saturday Market and I are just friends...

Having the house to myself for the next nine days has afforded me the opportunity to DO WHAT I WANT!!!  And, apparently what I want is to...clean...and to...buy groceries.  Ah, yeah!  I embrace this practical side of myself, and as I am decisively procrastinastic, (that should be a word; even though it's not), about the cleaning, I went shopping instead. 

While most cities have a Saturday Market; my city has two.  Rumor has it one of the main organizers of the original Market, was let go, causing the split.  Consequently, downtown Boise sports two separate, but equally charming Markets, separated by a block and a half. 

I am pulled to the Saturday Market, as I am more and more pulled to organic and local products.  Organic eggs, milk, honey, and blueberries are becoming staples to my diet.  Of course I mean to expand on this trend; however, my budget is limited, and I can stretch my grocery dollars farther by avoiding organic, locally grown, meats and produce.  I know, I know- it's not very socially conscious, but I am trying- and I will continue to incorporate these options into my life. 

Besides financial restrictions, a big reason why I tend to limit my Market purchases to local honey, and a chocolate croissant, is the overwhelming abundance of choices.  I mean, how do I choose?  Pricing is consistent across the board; so, do I frequent this booth offering locally grown organic berries, or that booth...offering locally grown organic berries?  Or, how about that one- of which the funds go to local refugee families, or that one, over there- which no one else is shopping at, and really, how sad is that?  Do I buy from an Idaho farm, or from an Oregon farm which is still technically "local."  Where does the social consciousness end???  In response, I commit to none.  I buy my croissant from Guston's, and my coffee from Dawson's, and people watch. 

But, you say- weren't you going grocery shopping?   Why, yes; yes I was.  And, I did.  After.  At Winco.  For stretching dollars, Winco is probably as good as it gets in Boise.  I am even able to buy a few organic items there.  In fact, today I had an internal struggle over eggs.  Do I choose the organic, or the cage free eggs?  The cage free eggs are probably also organic, but the label doesn't say, and I'm not sure I trust it.  And, what does that imply, anyway?  That there are anti-biotic and pesticide munching chickens roaming wild and free, while the hormone free chickens are living in little chicken-ghettos with no porches and yards?  I'm starting to understand while some people go bat-crazy over sustainable living.

After the great egg crisis of 2013, I picked up some organic milk and chicken.  I bought panko bread crumbs to prepare the chicken with, as I remember hearing panko was all the rage five years ago.  I think that is another reason why I'm non-committal about the Saturday Market.  I never think about what I want to make before I go shopping.  When I see all the options: arugula, purple asparagus, different types of root vegetables, I have to wonder how long they will sit in my fridge forgotten before starting to rot.   

I have no reservations about what light this puts me in.  I can admit I'm no lion in the kitchen; however, just as I'm trying to be better about eating healthier foods, I am also open to improving my domestic skills.  Hence, the panko.  So, I may experiment in the kitchen a bit over the next several days.  Once I feel more comfortable there; perhaps, I will feel more confident at the Market.   






    

2 comments:

  1. www.boisemilk.com

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  2. Oh and theres also a saturday market thing now at the new meridian plaza on eagle/fairview.

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