Thu 02.28.08

In a pickle (or, rather, not)

I do love the winter vegetables - the hearty squashes, and pumpkins; the root vegetables like carrots, beets, and parsnips; and the wonderful cabbage family, including broccoli and cauliflower. So much so that I've been wanting to preserve some now in pickle-form to save into the summer. And so I purchased this lovely cauliflower and was set to get to work, but... alas...

One of the unexpected challenges of moving is acquainting yourself with the local markets and grocery stores. Though several supermarkets are relatively close to my house, I've yet to find one that carries everything I'd regularly like to pick up; I've stopped by each one on my way home from work, and after grabbing a few items have realized I'll have to make another stop if I really want some walnuts, or some turnips, or some dried fruits, or short ribs, or maggi soy sauce, or (in this case) some canning jars. I guess I never realized how lucky I was to live so close to a Fiesta supermarket while in Austin, that one-stop purveyor of all foodstuffs (except basil - I could never get basil there for some reason).

All of this is to explain how in this week alone, I've been to no less than 3 supermarkets, a Vietnamese grocery, a Korean grocery, a K-Mart, a health food store, and, on some particularly bad advice, a party supply store in an as-yet-unsuccessful attempt to find some canning jars in order to turn that lovely cauliflower up there into pickles. I'm getting pretty disheartened, as everyone I've asked at each store seemed to have no idea what I was talking about.

The best (worst?) moment came at a Giant supermarket, where the inventory guy had to call a cashier, who called a manager to ask if they carried "twelve big jars you put shit in." The manager pointed me to a set of 3 plastic, bunny-shaped containers of Easter candy, then suggested I try looking for the jars at the Container Store or Williams Sonoma. This has gotten too complicated.

And all the while my poor cauliflower, bought with such perfect pickling promise, has been stranded in the refrigerator. What's the deal? Does no one perserve food up here? Am I crazy? I might have to turn it into a soup or a gratin, which, as far as things to complain about go, I guess would be pretty darn good anyway.

Update: neither Whole Foods or Williams Sonoma carries any canning supplies; the Container Store wants $3.50 per jar. This is madness. I'm going to try one last time at a hardware store.