We do so to work, sometimes. Yes nice Jelly Fish!!!! and light cream to add to the shopping confusion. Once (in the good old days) your only choice was Milk.

Everyone bags the poor old "dole bludger" no one ever bags the mega rich who pay no tax.
This thread has again wandered off topic. Going to dig up some of the old spinach today and put in some seeds to grow some more.

does australia make a good dry red? I saw a shelf full (more than usual) of australian wines the other day but had no clue what to try.

Yes, it does Komi, I've had some...but dh knows which ones are the good ones. Of course there's always Yellowtail! C drinks red wine with dinner every night. Sometimes I snitch a taste, but red isn't my wine of choice...I guess because he likes the dry reds so much, that I begin to yearn for the Kool-aide wines.

Yes, Australia has some good wines. I want to say sheraz (is that right?) is one. I think I tried them all while there. Is it any wonder I can only remember the jelly fish? They have these deep, deep indigo blue jelly fish that are really pretty.

Oh, God how could I forget, the surfer dudes.

I'll take a cold shower now.

Laura, i thought you were talking about the box jellyfish from Northern Australia. A case of do not go near the water.
Shiraz is a type of wine grape. There are some European wine terms that have been banned so you are likely to find a bottle with a label Dry red or the like.

If you do not have the body beautiful, you do not go near beaches though the ones near here have nice sand and the water even in mid winter never gets below about 17C.

I'm here to tell you Arthur 17C water will freeze your nuts off, and I don't even have any (balls yes, nuts no). I kept expecting to see icebergs floating by.

I was staying with friends in Newport Beach.

You see, here we have this lovely thing called the gulf stream, keeps the water bathtub warm. Just lovely.

Think it gets to about 21C in the summer. I have visions of steam rising from the Gulf Stream as it passes North Eastern USA. Spelt it Golf over on the light side yesterday and no one picked me up. Newport Beach, lovely. I live south of the Harbour in little Greece. (Kingsgrove/Earlwood)
They are on about the terrible treatment of orchids in box stores over there. Again!!
As for damage, to the nether regions, can you imagine jumping into the Ocean off Northern California.

Yep. Done it. Maybe that's why my eyes are blue....that and swimming in Lake Superior in June as a kid....

I've spent many days in the ocean in Maine where the coast is fed by the Artic stream because the Cape sends the gulf back into the Atlantic. Kids do crazy things.

Arthur, will you tell me more about these banned wine terms? What? Why? Thanks :)

Lol., Lisa.
Champagne and Burgundy are two. I suppose it's so you know you are getting real Champagne from France and not an imitation from somewhere else.
Getting sort of back on topic. The chief shopper is going to little Italy to buy some coffee. $14 a Kilo. OK, OK that is about 2.2 lb. Have to read back through the posts to see how that compares.

Why is it when you ask for Burgundy in France they don't know what you are talking about?

I had never thought of it before, but maybe the gulf stream is responsible for the thick, thick fog we used to have in Jersey. The northeast US is the only place I've ever lived/been with fog like that, and fog that literally rolls in. I used to think fog was like that every where until I moved. It was rather cool but I don't miss driving in it. It was easier to drive with your headlights off, just using the light from street lights, because your headlights only bounced right back at you. I remember not even being able to see as far as the front end of the car.

laura, there is a reason certain areas of jersey are known as cancer alley. hmmmmm yes... unusual fog. colorful at times. best viewed from a distance. pa. is not much better, the a is for asthma.

geographic indications are part of trademark law and so they are controlled by national laws (pursuant to treaties). There are two sides to it - (1) you can stop others in different places from using it but (2) you must control the use in your backyard to ensure the indicator's integrity.

but I digress.

I went to Giant (cheaper grocery store) today and the spinach cost more (didn't get any). The line was longer and the reading material wasn't as interesting.

I bought all this STUFF but nothing that makes for interesting comparison. I am, however, gonna start another grocery thread....

I DID NOT grow up in THAT part of Jersey.

UMPH........................

Hmmm... I make a great banana wine. think I could export it? :)

Oh! Banana wine? My DH would LOVE it!!!

EEEEEWWWWW ! I hate bananas! I eat them under duress because dh loves them and we ALWAYS have bananas on hand. I like oranges, Honey Crisp apples, cherries, red raspberries...yummmm.

Cape Breton, NS also has the ultra thick fog that rolls in. It makes for a great visit to the Fortress of Louisbourg. People in costume come in and out of the fog...very unreal and transporting.

Here, we have school delays because of the fog. Ground fog is especially interesting to see. I remember as a kid in Michigan a group of us (three of my friends and I) were going to Volleyball practice at 6:00 in the morning. It was so foggy and we were soooo stupid that it was my job to hold the door open and watch for the white line at the side of the road so we knew we were driving right. I think my mom would have killed me if she ever knew. One of the dumber stunts I have pulled in my life.

Lisa, I thought they taught that method of driving in snow in drivers ed. You know, your head out the window so you can see. Maybe that's only a question on the NC drivers license test. Course we don't get snow, just ice.

Sounds about right for a Southern solution for a Northern problem. Except snow tends to cover the ground so you can't see that white line. I grew up in Maine, and have never seen snow falling so thick you can't see where you're going. The road gets covered, but you can tell where it is because roads tend to be raised around there and have borders such as curbs. No sweat. Just go easy on the gas and the brakes.

Sunita,
Can I have the recipe for your banana wine? Sounds wonderful!!
-Mimi

Sure Mimi. Could you wait a couple of days though? My recipe book is at the farm and I'm not. This banana wine is really nice, a bit sweet but I like sweet wines. And its got this lovely clear golden colour AND it doesnt taste of bananas at all . So Lisa, you should hijack some of those bananas and make wine with it instead.

Can't wait for that recipe!

Ok..if it doesn't taste of bananas, then I'll try it. What kind of bananas do you use?

I should say that down here the grocery stores have "milk wars" at least that's what I call them...they are loss leaders. When it isn't on sale it runs $2.97/gal, however there is always someone (Meijers and Krogers seem to alternate) and I usually buy it for between $1.67 and $2.00 a gallon. Whole, 2%, 1% and skim are all the same price. The only one which isn't included is chocolate which I abhore in milk anyway.

Your kids should be going on break soon shouldn't they Sunita? or have they already? I assume you'll stay on the farm when that happens. My husband's cousin's family is going to Goa for Christmas....are you going to Karala again?

Thank you Sunita!! I love fruit wines. So delicious!! I also love indian food. I found out the local Trader Joes is starting to stock Paneer so I am going to try to dig up some recipes for it. Palak paneer is soooooo yummy! I am very excited!!
-Mimi

What? You don't like chocolate milk? I just had a pint of it this morning! mmm. There's a Chocolate soy milk out there that's pretty good but I can't rememeber who makes it.

Claire: It is probably Soy Delicious. The chocolate flavor is the only one I'll drink.
-Mimi

I think the chocolate soy milk that's really, really good is called "Silk" or something like that.

I used to drink it all the time.

Unfortunately, Lis and I can't do excessive phytoestrogens anymore. Or at least I avoid those I can.

I'm stuck with plain ol 2% and chocolate syrup. Love that too.

Ever so right Laura. Actually, it is the purchased chocolate milk which makes me gag...too sweet, too thick and too fatty. They use whole milk, and I've never consumed whole milk. As a kid, mom gave us all skim milk, so that's what I'm used to. Anything higher than 1% and I think I'm drinking cream.

I'm a dark chocolate fan, that little hit of bitter with the sweet, clean sharp taste and ever so chocolately. I think those are the main reasons I don't like chocolate milk. I'd rather have a tall glass of white milk with a snickers bar, oreos, or some other chocolatey mass. :)

$1.48 Lb. for fresh stuff.

Wonder why the ladies lucky door prize at orchid society christmas do's is always a box of chocolates.
Will this thread get to a 100. So, how much are bananas where you live. The Dragon Woman (DW) is always searching for a bargain and looks for marked down ones for me to eat, something like 5 for a $1 brings joy. But not to me cause i have eat them in a hurry.
$3.26 for a kilo of spinach sounds expensive.

Dang it Arthur. I finally rememeber to look at the price for spinach, and you ask about bananas. I am not going back to the store. (We will make 100)

Banana's are dirt cheap. I don't really like them very much, they make my mouth dry, but I think they are maybe 30 or 40 cents a pound.

.39 to .69 cents /pound for bananas, unless they are on sale then I can get them for .33 per pound. :)

this threads bananas, b-a-n-a-n-a-s. why is gwen stefani coming to mind? frozen chocolate covered bananas...mmmmmmm
spinach=1.99/lb, baby 2.50. geeze its just about 99% water. oh well, water is getting pricey too.
enjoy your b's some fungus is making the most popular form almost an endangered species.

Komi, Carlos recommends Penfield Cabernet...I can't tell you what year, and I've been looking for it, and around here in the grocery stores (haven't made it to the next town's REAL wine shop) I've only found Penmar....He insists it's Penfield....

thanks Lis - will look for it next time I have the chance.

Mind you, this isn't expensive stuff, it is what he drinks with dinner. He ALWAYS has red wine with dinner.

Just counted the number of bottles of blood thinner stored here. There are 49.
I think you are talking about the brand Penfolds and the type of wine grape
Cabernet Sauvignon. The huge difference in prices is partly due to how the wine is made, particularly how it is stored to age. American Oak casks are much more expensive that just storing it in a vat.
Sure, that $15 bottle may taste better that the $7 cheapie but if you are just consuming it as blood thinner, is the eight dollar difference worth it?
Who would of thought a thread about spinach would get to 100. Leaving (hopefully) the last word to Komi.

ta daaa !!!!!!

yeah, who would have thought, eh? and still talking spinach at post 95.

Sorry to burst your bubble Komi, but the 100 post thread thing is ignored by iVillage. :) So we, can go on on this for a while.

Yup, Carlos is poor on names Arthur. The Cabernet Sauvignon is a grape and the type of wine. Penfolds, eh? Figures.

I just noticed. ah well, still, 100 !! woo hoo!!

ahem.

I am just swamped swamped swamped at work, so no liquor until things get back to manageable. As of today, I'm cutting out the coffee too :-( Can't wait to get back to a state where I can abuse my gi tract again.

sorry, couldn't read throught all of that, but I wanted to be 103.

bada

ok, I stopped by TJs today and lo and behold, they had both the penfolds shiraz cabernet and the cabernet shiraz (the oak barrel $23 one). The PSC was 10.50, which is still more than the chile bottle, but I got one anyway.

My favorite wine is Via Manet a Chilean Malbec that is 12.99 a bottle here. It is full, rich, smooth, wonderful flavour and an excellent price. 106?

blargh.
i actually did read through that and had this amazingly witty post (just so i could be 107!). but then ivillage ate it.

it sort of went like this:

i hate shopping. spinach? price? no idea? we live on mostly junk foods.
but stock up on pomegranates. the season is so short!

chinese markets are good to buy exotic fruits. and noodles. and dishes. and pots. and most of all TEA! if you spend lots they always give you free stuff! yay!

cherries are the best fruit. ever. pomegranates are up there too.
as to the bananas mentioned earlier.... i suggest melting the chocolate on them, and wrapping it all up in a nice warm crepe. with ice cream. and toasted nuts. yum!

something something witty about me being too lazy to cook or buy produce blah blah, but not on the dole. (haha) or pogie as it is also known here in the frozen tundra. frozen tundra. frozen tundra.
(ok ok it's been warm here lately. i'm not complaining. really. but i can only hope that global warming is actually occurring)

ps.
i hate all of you without snow.

--mo--

I read through most of this and am happy there are actual wine suggestions under $25.

Did anyone ever see the show John Cleese did on wine? He did a paper bag taste test where his guests couldn't see the label. They were given a card with prices on it and they had to write down which ones they thought were more or less expensive- and which they preferred. No one picked the most expensive wine as their favorite. If I'm not mistaken, most people picked a wine $30 or under.

My Dh and I went to Napa last year and I was so fed up with wine snobs I just wanted to have lunch in a bar with a nice cold beer. It took us 20 minutes to find a bar- a regular bar. I come from a place where you can walk 10 minutes in any direction and come across a bar (or three). I love wine- really love wine, but I don't want to go back to Napa anytime soon.

Oh! And all our snow has melted. The temps are in the 30's every day and its starting to freak me out. It makes me think that out winter is going to last longer than usual.

"Napa last year and I was so fed up with wine snobs..."

hahahahaha... I am a f#(04*g francophile so I turn my nose up at Cal. Chilean is the only acceptable alternative so far.

Best wine I ever had was actually freakin' expensive. A million worlds of difference - but the food (or lack thereof) can kill even the best.

btw, it's hovering around 50 for the next 5 days or so, and I'm also beginning to worry that it will be a late cold winter.

Good Morning Komi. I agree about the wine. 50, Gee thats hot, only gets to 45 in my glasshouse on these searing days.
Seeing you started this thread, you should close it. Must be a pain to open if you have dialup and a slow computer. Bring back the 100 limit.
Nothing much to report, was going to stir up Aunty Mo by asking him/her when Canada was to become the 52? state. But thought better of it.

Australian wines are more reasonably priced compared to Californian wine here in Manila.

Australia has some of the best wines, I think. I think the best red they have is shiraz (syrah elsewhere). They have wonderful merlots and cabernets also.

But then I am partial to whites; I guess that exposes me as a neophyte. I think whites are easier on the palate.

When I was living in the USA I introduced myself to riesling and gewurztraminer (the latter mostly from Fetzer). My personal favorites then were whites from Columbia Crest and Cheateu St. Michelle. When I see them in the shelves here in Manila, they are priced beyond my reach most of the time, and Australian, French, Italian, Chilean, and German wines have proven to be wonderful alternatives.

Gewurztraminer though doesnt come cheaply here (In the US it is moderately priced). I once served this at dinner and my workmates raved about it. I guess the 9.0 to 9.5 % alcohol content was easier on them, plus it usually is very fruity (hints of lychee) and sweet. Riesling from Germany and Australia are also good. Last week I took a chance on a Blue Nun (Germany) 2001 Qualitätswein. I was pleasantly surprised about that...I knew people avoided Blue Nun as it was synonymous with cheap wines around the late 60s and the 70s. I learned that the company has been bought by new owners, who want to upgrade the quality. Qualitätswein by the way is around 35% riesling. Alcohol content is like most gewurztraminer, at only 9.5 %

So now I have this thingie for German wines, whenever I shop.

As for the milk and spinach, I don't buy them at all...Our traditional diets are a bit different, including the vegetables. I am trying my best to limit meat intake because of my hypercholesterolemic state. Thus, it is usually traditional vegetables and fish for me.

Dole and Del Monte are transnational conglomerates with fruit plantations here in the Philippines, for pineapples and bananas. One pineapple is usually around USD$1. Bananas are usually around US 60 cents a kilogram (2.2 lbs). You have a choice of Cavendish (which is what Dole and Del Monte export), latundan, lacatan, senorita types of bananas, with the latter three usually sweeter, more fragrant, and flavorful compared to Cavendish.