Sidenote: I took pictures, but I got to wait until I get to my home computer to upload them!
Day 2 of my road to Thanksgiving dinner took place Monday after work! After I dropped off some mail for my job, I began my stroll to Whole Foods. It was wonderfully nice outside too. Unlike on Saturday, in which it was unseasonably too warm at times, Monday was leveled. It was fall but not cold and brisk. It was just right. I felt cozy in my faux fur and my neck was wrapped in my Giambattista Valli x H&M scarf. It’s thin but nice to the touch.
I had decided to get my groceries at Whole Foods. Though I’m a Stop & Shop shopper at heart and have been since I was little, I was honestly feeling bougie and thought, I’ll live a little and get my first batch of food at Whole Foods. I know to some people, grocery shopping at Whole Foods isn’t bougie It’s their lifestyle. But for a lot of us, it’s a little moment when going to Whole Foods. But Stop & Shop: you’re my home.
I was also riding high on the good day I was having. I had had one of those mornings in which I showered, got dressed in a cute outfit, my makeup had the promise of staying put all day, I was wearing my new Giambattista Valli x H&M tights (love!) and my new big-ass scrunchie from Free People that considering it’s from Free People was only $12. Yes. Do you how rare it is to have a fulfilling breakfast before work?!
On my way to Whole Foods, I was still listening to Mary J. Blige’s A Mary Christmas. It is lovely! Blige is the Aretha Franklin of her generation, seriously, but wow! Who knew that Christmas music was a lowkey her metier. It felt so at peace. Thank you, Mary.
The first thing I saw at Whole Foods was sparkling cider in boxed stacks for, from what I can remember, $3.99. I hadn’t even picked up a carriage or basket yet and I almost grabbed a bottle. But then I stopped myself, stood in front of it and pulled out my half-crumbly lined sheet of paper with my list of ingredients to buy out of one of my pockets. I was here for the Extra Crispy Parmesan-Crusted Roasted Potatoes (long title, much!) and Apple Cider Punch. I felt so together and like I was on some TV drama that takes place in the suburbs while holding an actual grocery list. I almost always just keep a mental list but that’s also because I usually shop at the same two Stop & Shops close to my house. One in which has been there since I was a kid and the aisles have virtually remained the same as far as what they stock.
The long-ass titled potatoes were the first to complete. My body then took on the vibe of a detective. I know that potatoes can look a multitude of ways so what about a russet potato? Aren’t those kind of reddish? You know, russet? In about a minute, I found them! Whole Foods marked it big: Russet Potato, 79 cents. I began to peruse them. They were kinda cute. All-potatoy and with an interesting dusting that was noticeably a shade darker than the actual potato. And they aren’t reddish at all. I looked over to the right of the where the russets were and saw the Peewee Potatoes. Hello, there!
Next: Turkish dried bay leaves. Where tf am I going to find Turkish dried bay leaves. A slight panic. Would I have to go to a specialty store for this? I checked my list again and I was reminded of black peppercorns, thyme or rosemary sprigs to pick-up as well. Thus began my walking around the store in an attempt to find these herbs on my own as I was enjoying Mary’s cover of the Donny Hathaway classic, “This Christmas.”
I soon gave in and asked for help near the clean beauty section and a Whole Foods employee kindly walked me to the herbs aisle. I’m wishing her a Happy Thanksgiving!
The walls of herbs then looked at me back. Are we about to have a duel? I walked up closer and look at what we have here: bay leaves. They weren’t identified as Turkish, but shit, these were going to have to do! They are literally leaves and I laughed to myself thinking, is this the same shit that’s right outside of Whole Foods? Am I being had?
I tossed dropped the peppercorns into my basket and afterward had to decide between either thyme or rosemary. I went with the rosemary.
With four items in my basket roller, left was the unsalted butter. I knew I wasn’t going to buy the grated Parmesan cheese and baking soda (at least not yet. I already got grated cheese at the house) and it was recommended that I go to Bed Bath and Beyond to get a fine mesh bag or cheesecloth.
Butter is almost always near the eggs and I picked up a three dollars and some change block of unsalted butter. I probably won’t even need all that butter after I’m done with the long-ass titled potatoes, but I’ll use what’s left of it for leftover pasta. I’ve never been one to add salt and butter to pasta while it’s boiling, but I ain’t mad about those that do! When I have eaten pasta in which it was cooked with butter and salt, it was great. I picked up a dozen eggs as well. The eggs are unrelated to any of my Thanksgiving dishes!
Next and last were the things to get for the Apple Cider Punch. I couldn’t find the cider if my life depended on it. I again asked for help and even the employee got lost for a minute (No shade! Grocery stores can be a maze!) But then he remembered how it was with the fruits and veggies in the chilled section. The recipe stated a gallon of apple cider for the punch but considering no more than two people, and that includes me, will be drinking from this punch, I chose the liter and then grabbed the smaller bottle to drink later because in that moment, I decided I had a date with YouTube that night.
Earlier while trying to find the cider on my own, I had passed the lemon juice in the same aisle as the chips. So no squeezing lemons for me, and out of the two lemon juices, the smaller one “Lemon Burst,” on the back and above the Supplement Facts stated that the bottle was akin to 8-10 lemons. Perfect!
I almost forgot the oranges, and I went back to the fruits and veggies and selected four of those round thangs.
The last thing I picked up was a bag of ridge chips to join my cider and that was that! Altogether, the total was about thirty-eight dollars and some change.
Looking back, while I was on my way to the train, carrying all my groceries in a tote I brought with me (resourceful!), I wish I could remember what I had played after A Mary Christmas had finished.
For Day 3, I’m going to get everything I need to make my Quasi-Makeshift Cranberry-led Salad and pick up my White Chocolate Pumpkin Pie from L.A. Burdick!
