Grocery hunting in downtown Guelph

[vaneramos]

What downtown Guelph lacks (a supermarket), it makes up for in diversity. One only needs to slow down, root around. I consider it a scavenger hunt. I left home at 10:30 with an obscure grocery list and returned two hours later with everything on it, plus a few guilty pleasures.

West End Bakery: a dozen brandy snap cookies.

The small grocer where Sylvie works: beef liver, seedless red grapes, nappa, shiitake mushrooms, Swiss water decaffeinated coffee, ginger root, green onions, angel food cake. Sylvie emerged and greeted me with bread dough on her hands and white flour in her black hair, on her glasses.

The Stone Store (health food): mango nectar, blueberry almond muesli.

The Flour Barrel (bulk food): mixed dried fruit, macadamia nuts, sesame sticks, rice nuts (a slightly sweet, puffy, crunchy snack).

LCBO: spiced rum.

Asian grocer: dried shrimp, a jar each of coconut gel and pineapple gel, rice vinegar, coconut milk, longan in syrup.

I can pick up milk and cream across the street later.

Tonight is the Rainbow Chorus's last monthly dance of the season. balunbustingbea and detailbear will be here for dinner. The menu:

• chicken curry


• braised nappa with shiitake mushrooms


• jasmine rice


• tropical tiramisu