Once every two weeks or so I take the 52 bus to a large, American-style grocery store in the 16th. I typically spend an hour scouring the store for needed items, and pondering the eternal questions of ex-pat life in France. Is this tomato sauce or tomato paste? What cut of meat does this most closely resemble at home? Am I supposed to weigh this or is it sold by the piece? You knew my life was glamorous, right?
Produce! But not jalapenos or green onions. Sorry.
Olives!
- Fromage
The wine section could be its own store.
packaged cheese
Look! The Mexican food is on special!
Both sides of this aisle contain a dizzying array of yogurts and puddings. Totally mind boggling.. And totally delicious.
Never fear, you homesick Americans, for we have all your favorite foods for you right here!
Like strawberry marshmallow fluff and fig rolls and, wait, are those pickled onions? Be still my heart!
Yeah, sometimes I think they get confused about which food came in the American stuff box and which came in the British stuff box. I generally don’t buy much on this aisle. I know you’re shocked.
After I have had all the fun I can take, I pay lots and lots of money and then go home to wait for my food to be delivered. Eventually a guy buzzes from downstairs and sometimes I pick up the phone and say , “Is that you, Kremer?” but they never seem to get it. So I tell him which floor and within minutes my doorbell is ringing! The delivery guy will have a cart with three or four plastic crates stacked up on it, each containing a huge plastic bag of groceries. Often the tomatoes and peaches are on the bottom, underneath the Diet Coke and laundry detergent. But at least I didn’t have to carry it.
Now if you will excuse me while I have some time alone with my jar of strawberry fluff……
Mais Oui Paris 