First encounter with Gelson's.

I made my first trek to Gelson's Market today in search of anchovy and tomato paste in tubes. It's a bit out of the way but the grocery stores within a two-mile radius of my apartment don't seem to experience enough demand for the products to warrant stocking them. ::shrug::

Upon entering the store, I was overwhelmed by the immaculate configuration of everything, from the fruit to the cans and bags lining every aisle, and by how brightly lit the store was. I'm accustomed to going to ethnic grocery stores where most everything is virtually flung into bins and the lighting is either harsh flourescent or dim energy-saving. I walked the aisles for a few minutes just admiring all the products and mentally comparing the prices with my usual grocery haunts (Trader Joe's, Albertson's, Asian markets). The produce was absolutely beautiful and most weren't more expensive than TJ's or Albertson's, and while they were much more expensive than what I would find at an ethnic market, much of it looked far fresher. I eyed the perfect green onions enviously-- then I thought of the green shoots I've seen sprouting from the cuttings I planted only a week ago and my envy cooled.

Anyway, I managed to find both tubed tomato paste, anchovy paste, and unsweetened Ghiradelli cocao at Gelson's, which means I will probably take a leisurely stroll down the aisles again very soon.

The damage:

Reese anchovy fillets (2 oz tin) ______________________ 1.59
Valabon Double Concetrate Tomato Paste (5 oz tube)____ 2.99
Giovannie Anchovy Paste (2 oz tube) _________________ 1.79
Ghiradelli Unsweetened Cocao ( 10 oz canister) _________4.99
__________________________________________Total: $ 11.36

Looks like I can allow myself to buy goodies for the girlfriend's birthday dinner and not much else for a while. My finances are in a most dire state as of late. Ah well, the pantry is well-stocked with pasta and rice, the freezer is full of frozen and portioned chicken legs, frozen veg (and some butternut squash gnocchi I made last weekend), and I've miso paste, thai red curry paste, and Khmer fermented lime in the refrigerator.

I'll live (and eat).