View Full Version : Food shopping away from supermarkets
Katys Grandad
29-11-2004, 12:40
My wife and I are currently on the Gulf Coast in a rented condo. We have visited the US and Florida in particular many times. As I suspect most people do, we use the usual supermarkets (WalMart, Publix etc..) for our food shop. Yesterday, because we were looking to purchase some specific items, we decided to look elsewhere.
However, it has only just occurred to us that in all the years we have visted the US we have never seen a butcher's shop. There are a few meat counters in supermarkets like in Tesco at home but I'm pretty sure the UK style butcher doesn't exist in the US.
Am I right and is anybody aware of other types of UK shop that don't have a US equivalent?
Nostromo
29-11-2004, 13:35
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Katys Grandad
Am I right and is anybody aware of other types of UK shop that don't have a US equivalent?
[/quote]
You could be right. I have not seen the traditional village Greengrocer that you still find in many 'quaint' British towns and very commonly in Europe anywhere in the US. The closest have been some independent outlets in smaller towns, but they simply look like smaller supermarkets.
jolliffee
29-11-2004, 15:10
When we lived just North of NYC you could find a butcher, baker and well lots of what were called ethnic fod shops. Scottish, German and Jewish but I have to say I have not noticed any of these in Florida. You could try looking in Yellow pages if you are very keen to find one. [msnsmile2]
Katys Grandad
29-11-2004, 15:44
Nostromo & Jolliffee
Thanks for your replies - it was more of a case of us just realising something that we had never thought about before. We went into Publix and asked where we might find a fresh chicken and were given the response, "Sorry - I don't know what you mean"!!
You never go hungry over here though do you?
jolliffee
29-11-2004, 20:38
I now what you mean, most likely the supermarkets have the freshest food anyway. You are right it is hard not to eat a lot, trouble is you get used to it really quickly.[msnembarrased]
Nostromo
29-11-2004, 21:00
Ijust remembered; a few years ago, we were travelling through Vermont and New Hampshire and there WERE some old fashioned food shops there, including a butcher. But on the whole, such shops will be few and far between in the USA.
The drive from Vermont to Orlando is a bit too long even for an enthusiast. [msnwink]
SunLover
29-11-2004, 21:08
Having said all that, it is heading that way too in the UK. We hear all the time about little independent shops being run out of business by the big supermarkets.
I think it's what they call progress [msnscared] supposedly !!!
Mo Green
29-11-2004, 21:23
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by SunLover
Having said all that, it is heading that way too in the UK. We hear all the time about little independent shops being run out of business by the big supermarkets.
I think it's what they call progress [msnscared] supposedly !!!
[/quote]
My brother had to close his UK butchers shop through a supermarket opening nearby. Now there's an idea for him - an English style butchers with lots of different flavoured sausages for the barbecue[msnwink]
Mo Green
29-11-2004, 21:28
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Katys Grandad
My wife and I are currently on the Gulf Coast in a rented condo. We have visited the US and Florida in particular many times. As I suspect most people do, we use the usual supermarkets (WalMart, Publix etc..) for our food shop. Yesterday, because we were looking to purchase some specific items, we decided to look elsewhere.
However, it has only just occurred to us that in all the years we have visted the US we have never seen a butcher's shop. There are a few meat counters in supermarkets like in Tesco at home but I'm pretty sure the UK style butcher doesn't exist in the US.
Am I right and is anybody aware of other types of UK shop that don't have a US equivalent?
[/quote]
Not sure where you are staying on the Gulf Coast but there is a good Farmers Market in McCall Road, Englewood. Great for lots of lovely fresh veggies and fruit.
Katys Grandad
29-11-2004, 23:15
There are roadside fruit and veg stalls here and there. I can't honestly say I have ever used them but they seem to be doing OK because one that I do know of has been there since at least 1987 when we first started coming here.
I am on Sanibel which you might expect to have small suppliers. Unfortunately, as Nostromo has observed above, they are really just smaller versions of the big supermarkets but more expensive. The quality's OK, it's just that you have to buy in the quantity they have decided to put in the pre-packed trays. We thought it would be nice to go to a shop and buy a chicken, a couple of steaks and perhaps a roasting joint in the sizes we need. I agree that this is becoming more difficult to do even at home.
Thanks for everbody's interest in our little dilemma!
Came across Farmers market day in Kissimmee town on our last visit. Thursday morning - but no butcher [msnsad]
We have a fabulous 'real' bakery where our villa is - the grand Baguette Bakery. They sell delicious freshly baked bread, rolls, baguettes,gorgeous continental pastries and savouries and you can have breakfast or brunch there as well. These items are much nicer than the usual ones found in Walmart or Publix.
We have never seen another one in Orlando - though I stand to be corrected!
Bet you want to know where it is now? Well.................... as long as you keep it to yourselves (we don't want crowds of people turning up and spoiling our little gem) it's on the 27, near the junction with the 192, by Polo Park West. Shh! Dont tell anyone![msnwink]
Yes we have had breakfast there it is very good !
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ellie
We have a fabulous 'real' bakery where our villa is - the grand Baguette Bakery. They sell delicious freshly baked bread, rolls, baguettes,gorgeous continental pastries and savouries and you can have breakfast or brunch there as well. These items are much nicer than the usual ones found in Walmart or Publix.
We have never seen another one in Orlando - though I stand to be corrected!
Bet you want to know where it is now? Well.................... as long as you keep it to yourselves (we don't want crowds of people turning up and spoiling our little gem) it's on the 27, near the junction with the 192, by Polo Park West. Shh! Dont tell anyone![msnwink]
[/quote]
What about the Farmers market. Never been there myself, but dont they sell farm products. I am hoping we will go there and buy fresh fish, tomatoes e.t.c.
as no one has mentioned Farmers market, this probably mean they only sell hardware!!
Mo Green
01-12-2004, 01:42
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by jtijani
What about the Farmers market. Never been there myself, but dont they sell farm products. I am hoping we will go there and buy fresh fish, tomatoes e.t.c.
as no one has mentioned Farmers market, this probably mean they only sell hardware!!
[/quote]
The Farmers Market in Englewood sells only fresh fruit and veg and I have seen others while driving around the Gulf Coast.
jolliffee
01-12-2004, 13:02
I have found a couple of Meat/fish markets near Orlando via Yellow pages, here is one for info :-
Petty's Meat Market
2141 W State Rd 434
Longwood, FL 32779-4983
Phone: (407) 862-0400
Made-to-order cuisine for elegant affairs (roast beef with Grand Marnier carrots and garlic mashed potatoes) or casual get-togethers (seven-layer dip, sandwich trays).
This is one of the positive comments:-
I live in Waterford Lakes and I still drive to Petty's when we are having company or it is a special occasion! You can get authentic Bratwursts! Close your eyes and you'll swear you're in the Hofbrauhaus! The steaks are unbelievable! Also, we had some delicious tuna steaks this weekend! Everything here is top shelf! Also, the chicken salad & potato salad in the deli are FANTASTIC!
There are some fish markets round winter gardens also from Yellow pages. Guess they are out there we just need to find them.
[msnwink]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ellie
We have a fabulous 'real' bakery where our villa is - the grand Baguette Bakery. They sell delicious freshly baked bread, rolls, baguettes,gorgeous continental pastries and savouries and you can have breakfast or brunch there as well. These items are much nicer than the usual ones found in Walmart or Publix.
We have never seen another one in Orlando - though I stand to be corrected!
Bet you want to know where it is now? Well.................... as long as you keep it to yourselves (we don't want crowds of people turning up and spoiling our little gem) it's on the 27, near the junction with the 192, by Polo Park West. Shh! Dont tell anyone![msnwink]
[/quote]
Ellie
Thanks for that. I have driven past and noticed the place a couple of times. Now I know to venture in (I promise I won't tell anyone else though) We are also just down the road from this little gem!
Where I live in PA we do have the equivalent of what you would call a butcher shop. We call them meat markets. I can't say that I have ever seen one of these in Florida, though. I don't care for the supermarkets in Florida either - I'm spoiled though as we have fabulous ones in the North.