It's hard to realize that when we've got such huge markets up here - some have one aisle (both sides of the aisle) from one end to the other devoted to just jams and jellies, marmalades and preserves. Even peanut butter doesn't fit in that aisle.

And with the selection we have I sometime think everyone can go to a "bigger" store and find these things.

And we even have one chain that has opened 2 "interntional" markets. Huge and packed with everything from every country.

KYH hit the nail on the head! It is laughable what we have available. I am so glad for the internet as that is a like a life-line to otherwise unheard of items here.

I was so happy when my newest best cookbook (dare I say it? lol) actually gave me recipes for things I can only get by mail-order, that really made my day, as a matter-of-fact my preserved lemons will be ready July 3rd (I can hardly wait!!!) now there was nothing particularly hard about making them, and I doubt they are available in many stores outside of an Intl. Mkt. or mail-order, but I found it to be so nice to actually be offered a recipe to make my own!

Maybe that would be a great cookbook idea: a cookbook with recipes for things that are not readily available for purchase!!! Calling all authors...............what do you think of that idea?

Example: I am just guessing but the cookbook would contain how to grind your own flours Of-course you would have to buy a mill, and grind your own spices, etc......

Mama you are lucky!!! If it weren't so cold up there I would move on up!

I don't know just how lucky that is.

But Cathy -think about this........

Some no-mind makes a plan-a-gram for a supermarket and puts in this aisle (for instance). Why???

Just how much jam or jelly do you consume? I make my own. What is the purpose? How long do you think it will last - meaning the aisle - not the product.

Grape jelly - how many different companies have their grape jelly on those shelves? How many would you buy? How often do you buy it?

I can see an aisle devoted to pasta (for instance) - but jams and jellies?

And it gets to be a turn-off.

I prefer a small store with brand names where I can shop and get what I want. Thirty-seven different brands of tomato puree or tomato paste does not turn me on.

This store is not going to be in existence for long - not with the way they are stocking it.

No wonder there are so many preservative in foods these days - most have to sit on the shelves forever!

>I can see an aisle devoted to pasta (for instance) - but jams and jellies?<

I good example, Mama. 'Round heah, a typical pasta section is rather large. Might be as much as half an aisle. But when you look closely you find it isn't stocked in breadth.

What you have is three of four "standard" pastas. But as many as five brands of each. I'd druther see fewer brands and a wider selection of types. I mean, let's face it, how much difference is there between commercial versions of spaghetti?

And, of course, until Buitoni started it's big push recently, we're talking strictly dry pasta. There was no such thing as fresh pasta.

It's pretty much that way with everything. They either don't have it at all (most common). Or they have a wide choice of brands, all for the same item.

And if you think it's hard on a native, just imagine someone like me, who grew up in NYC, where anything I wanted was available 24/7.