Brown Sugar

As promised a second post about the Supermarché. So typical of France and most European countries there are specific little shops that you go to for all of your necessary food items. The Boulangerie - Bakery, the Pâtisserie - Cakes and Pastries, the Fromagerie - Cheese, the Boucherie - Butcher, etc. In addition there are local Morning Markets usually 2 times a week where you can get fruits & veggies, meats and fish, olives, oils, truffles, etc. Also, most people have refrigerators like a quarter the size of US ones so shopping in small waves works well for them. Because we are in the south of France and in a pretty remote area someone felt the need to build a Supermarché - "Carrefour." It is a good thing because sadly, no one has thought to open a "Frozen Chicken Nuggeterie."

Carrefour is it's own complex. It has a it's own gas station. The best way to describe it is that it is like one of those grocery store Walmarts ON STEROIDS. In addition to groceries you can buy underwear, shoes & laces, office supplies, flat screen TVs, vacuums, kitchen & bath stuff, bulbs for the lights on your car, bikes, and (bien sur) WINE! You name it they GOT IT!

The problem is, you can't always find it...

That last statement has been the biggest source of frustration thus far. At one point I had ventured back for another go at it and spent 2 hours at the grocery store for like the 3rd time since we had arrived, and was finally able to find raisins and cranberries, KETCHUP (Thank God - French people rolling over in graves), batteries, hair conditioner, ziplock baggies, replacement bulbs for our car tail light, and nail polish remover (girl's got to have nice toes). It literally took three multi-hour visits to this place to finally find them.

Things that are currently still on the "Missing in Action" list are peanut butter, chicken stock, ricotta cheese, regular cheerios, and mac & cheese. Floss had been a long hold out on the "Missing in Action" list until I finally found it tucked in a corner. I now know why it took me so long - I had been looking for a display or section of flossing type products. OH NO, NO - there was ONE floss. I don't understand... is floss so popular here that is is always sold out or is it that French people... you know what? let's just move on. In addition there have been no signs of "Cheese-Its" anywhere. People are missing out. Processed cheese crackers are way better than fresh brie on baguette toasts. Come on people!!

So the next challenge is to figure out how to make a birthday cake for Ellie's 3rd birthday. I have looked and looked for the aisle that has the boxed cakes and Betty Crocker frosting. No luck. So I guess instead, I need to find flour and brown sugar... OR a good Pâtissere!! Wish me luck!