I walked into the store and a door chime sounded not once, but twice. I scanned the entire room and knew at once that I was going to find some new and familiar things. I walked down the middle aisle first (which really did not make sense if I was going to look down all of the aisles). I had my two recipes in hand, but was too overwhelmed to look for the ingredients. Olives, olive oil, loose leaf teas of all kind, curry, couscous, Nutella! I rounded the corner and was bombarded with spices and beans. Dried beans, canned beans, beans in 5 different languages. I was on the right track for my Costa Rica black beans and rice recipe. There was one ingredient I was looking for in particular that I had not had since I smuggled a bottle back from Costa Rica three years earlier. Lazano Sauce. When I found it, I went back up to the front of the store and grabbed a basket.
During my third trip down the middle aisle, a woman behind the counter smiled and asked if I needed help finding anything. She did not have the lamb shoulder that I needed for my stew, but said that the lamb leg would be good. As she rung up each item, she seemed to become more curious as to who I was and what in the world kind of curry I was making. I explained that I was not making curry, but preparing a Moroccan lamb stew and Gallo Pinto. She said the coriander I was buying was very good, but that she ground her own at home every week. She seemed pleased at the surprised look on my face.
Before leaving, she gave me instructions to thaw the lamb meat in the refrigerator (not the microwave) and to rinse the meat. "You don't rinse rice here either" she scolded me. I think I was at the counter for a good five minutes discussing the enrichment process of rice. I had a feeling she was not purchasing her rice from Walmart though. Rinse away.
I left promising I would be back to get her curry recipe from her next time.
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