practice makes perfect

I think I just might have enough cooking experience that I can spin ingredients into a new recipe with confidence and not worry so much as to whether or not the result will taste good.

Stopped by my favorite local greengrocer during the Noriega Street Block Party and picked up a few fresh items...

Noriega Produce Market, dressed up for the block party

I am not one to fall for a vegetable simply because it's labelled "organic..." that word has next to no effect on me. So I love that this place sells genetically-modified, pesticide-laced, hormone-spiked fruit along with their organic offerings. And sometimes, the organic stuff is on sale and ends up being cheaper than the usual stuff. Ever since moving here, I love getting my fruit here... blood oranges in the winter, watermelon and peaches in the summer, and sweet potatoes and strawberries year-round!

If nothing else, I highly recommend that you find your nearest family-owned greengrocer because the produce sold in these little stores is much cheaper than the stuff you'll find at large chain supermarkets (like Safeway) and those independent-feeling mid-sized markets (Trader Joe's.) In fact, I attribute Noriega Produce Market for my growing infrequency of visits to the overcrowded Trader Joe's. I'm not saying this is the place to stock up on canned green beans (that's a Safeway, or even Costco, matter) but if you're looking for fresh fruits and vegetables at a budget-friendly price, please check out your neighborhood grocery store.

My haul for the day...

strawberries for 99 cents!? YES!

eat the rainbow

And with a little slicing, one peach and avocado transform basic salad greens into a tasty first course. For dressing, I skipped the olive oil and squeezed the juice of one lime over the plate. The peach adds sweetness, the avocado adds a luscious quality, and the lime keeps everything fresh and sharp.

Avocado - neat or mutilated - is always delicious

My greengrocer doesn't stock a lot of meat... I only buy my emergency bacon there (because it's an emergency!) So to round out my light dinner, I boiled some potatoes and eggs and paired them with that herring from IKEA... love the IKEA supermarket! Not sure how these herring fillets are meant to be eaten (on crackers, over rice, solo) but to me, you can't go wrong with potatoes.

L: (Sill Senap) herring in mustard
R: (Sill Gräddfil) herring in sour cream

Being a fan of raw fish, I love these IKEA herring foodstuffs. The mustard in Sill Senap is slightly sweet and tangy while the Sill Gräddfil bursts with a fresh dill flavor. I like this delectable and easy-to-make plate- and I definitely see more in the near future!