Saturday, September 6, 2008

Day One

Wow, I had such a great time this morning!! My friend (now "accountant/advisor" with regard to market shopping) Bettina and her son Dax met me at 7:30 by the orange City of Urbana tent, and we were off! I'd been strict in prior emails about how focused and serious I was going to have to be today, but in no time we realized we could laugh and talk while still concentrating at the task at hand.

The three of us carried bags, Bettina had a notebook and the money in an envelope, and I spoke frequently into my mini-recorder dictating the details of each sale. Dorky, yes, but that way I was able to keep track of everything easily - I'll write all those details (item, cost, vendor) tomorrow night. Today, I'll start with my very impressive list of items:

2 lb. turkey burger
1.59 lb. spare ribs
2 sizeable chicken breasts
1 dozen eggs
1 6oz. container goat cheese (chevre)
3/4 lb. peanut butter *
1 jar BBQ sauce
1 honey bear
loaf honey wheat bread
2 large bags of pasta
small bag cornmeal
small bag whole wheat flour
gluten-free hot cereal *
buckwheat pancake flour **
steel cut oats **
1 lb. green beans
6 ears sweet corn
4 apples
3 big green peppers
2 red peppers
a monster eggplant
an equally huge zucchini
1 big summer squash
1 bundle basil
1 bundle cilantro

The items with asterisks were purchased at the Common Ground Co-op now open in the Lincoln Square Village. I'm not a member but I'll include some membership info at a later date; it's a super cool store. The ones with two asterisks...well, I'm taking a small liberty here. I bought them at the co-op two weeks ago on clearance, but I'm going to eat them now and subtract their cost from the money I have to spend. Fair, yes? They were only $2 a bag (STEAL!!!). Anyway, including those in my grand total, I've thus far spent:

$90.50!!!

I have the remaining $9.50 to put toward Oberweiss milk and/or any emergency purchases I might need to make this week. The milk is $4 a 1/2 gallon at County Market, so I'll be nailing my $100 right on the dot, basically. Hmmm....maybe I'll save the buckwheat pancakes for next week and keep my $2. : )

We really had a fantastic time at the market. The vendors are incredibly nice and helpful, and when they heard about this "adventure" they were kinda fascinated by it. I promised I'd give them a plug, which I will once I break out the mini-recorder and listen to my rambling.

Onward...but first, a HUGE thanks to Bettina and Dax for all their help. Bettina caught my math errors and was incredibly savvy with purchases and possible recipes. She also gave me a jar of her own canned blueberry jam that I might have to sneak a taste of soon. : ) After all, the berries were picked at wonderful Pontious Farm in Monticello...there's another entry for later.

Thanks, Bettina!! Thanks to everyone at the market. Here we go!

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