Grocery shopping is a 3 store minimum trip

Grocery shopping in SA is a multiple trip experience every week.  Unlike the US where you can go to one store and get everything on your list, that convenience is not found here in SA.  Despite there being a grocery store, sometimes even two, on every corner, they are smaller and don’t carry the same items.  Every week I divide my list into three parts for the pertinent stores I need to visit to get my items.  Which makes for several trips as doing it all in one day is not always doable.   I can venture even farther to Hyper stores which carry more items but the convenience of a store right outside the gate has won so far.  

 There are two grocery stores right outside my front gate, Super Spar and Woolworths.  I shop at Super Spar for all my dry goods and dairy.  I have not been pleased with their produce or meat department so after paying for my items, I literally walk across the parking lot to Woolworths to get what is left on my list.  But the selection is small at Woolworths and sometimes pricey.  So if I have time I will forgo Woolworths and head to the butcher and the produce grocer to get what I need. 

There are a variety of butcher shops that are quite popular here and luckily there is a produce grocery store right next to the butcher I visit.  So if I am lucky I can find all the items I need between the main grocery store, the butcher, and the produce grocer.  But let’s say I need tortilla chips, well I have only found those at Woolworths, or maybe Adalyn would like Jello cups, again that is a trip to Woolworths.   But if I want mandarin oranges or banana chips, I have to go to Spar.  And if bagels are calling my name, then it’s a trip to Pick ‘n Pay Hyper or a bakery.   

This past week I went to the “American grocery store”.  Which is a Super Spar who’s owner imports US items, but at a fairly high cost.  For example, you can get Hellman’s Mayo for $5 a jar, or Starbucks coffee for $18 a package, Life cereal for $7, a package of 8 tortillas for $6 and even Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups for $1.50.  I passed on most of those, but everyone has something they can’t do without and willing to pay a price for it.

Items I have found difficult to find are: cream of mushroom or chicken soup for cooking, pistachio pudding, any refrigerated dough like Pillsbury, Pepsi products, Mexican food items (black beans, refried beans, green chilies), mozzarella cheese and pepperoni.  Then there are the items they do have but taste different like: pasta sauce, mayo, ketchup, tortilla chips, cottage cheese, cool whip, ice cream, and orange juice.  There are very few US brand name items here but I have been able to whip up most of my recipes with some alterations.

To say South Africans love regular Coke is an understatement

While there are items that we are learning to live without and others we are getting used to there are also new items that I have grown to love.  Malva pudding is a very popular apricot pudding dessert here that I would love to learn how to make so I can bring back to the US.  Also, Madeira bread is like a pound cake, only lighter in texture and taste like a waffle cone, yum.   Roast pumpkin is a common side when eating out and it is nice to be eating it outside of fall weather and in a pie.  Vetkoek is basically fried dough you top with honey or jam and it’s addicting. While I am just starting to try some African food, there are plenty of other options that don’t look so tempting. 

Biltong is a salty dried meat similar to jerky and sold just about everywhere, but the process in which they make it is not very appetizing and since it taste like raw meat in the middle, I am not a fan. 

Biltong

Walkie Talkies are fried chicken feet and heads and my stomach is not about to go that route just yet.   Pap is a traditional porridge made from ground corn and very popular here.  It is sold in huge sacks and takes up about half an aisle at the grocery store, but I think I would have to really doctor it up to eat it. 

Aisle of Pap

There are many items in the store, especially the butcher shop, that I just shake my head and wonder about but that is what this adventure is all about, testing the ordinary so someday we shall see what turns up on my plate.

Overall we have been able to eat just fine, dining out or making our meals at home.  There are some recipes I won’t be able to reproduce here but that just means when taking trips home I can load up.  My domestic, Joyce, even said she would cook for me someday, but given that she likes Mayo on her spaghetti, I am not going to jump at that offer yet.  I am thankful for this opportunity to explore new cuisines and broaden my palate.  I plan to add some African food to my recipe book and share with friends at home.