Saving Money at the Supermarket

I used to spend $80-$150 per week every
Sunday, doing my once-weekly supermarket
shopping.

This morning, I spent under $20.

There are very few items I need to buy at
a supermarket any longer. Most of my weekly
food budget is spent at the produce store.

The fruit and veggie store does a large turnover
of produce, and has little storage room. Supermarkets
have storage space and purchase unripe produce at
wholesale. Most items sold in the produce store
are riper and fresher than supermarket varieties.

I've found that the fruits and veggies sold
by my green grocer cost 50-100 percent less
than those same items sold on supermarket shelves.
I enjoy paying 39 cents per pound for bananas,
and $1.39 for new coconuts, and 59 cents per
pound for crisp Macintosh apples.

A large Romaine lettuce goes for 89 cents, while
the same Romaine is sold for more than $2 at
the large supermarket.

I've just returned home with 5 bags of greens and
yellows and reds. I spent $33. The same items would
have set me back $80 or more at the supermarket.

There's work to do, but first let me give you a recipe.
Ever watch the Cooking Channel? Most "great" chefs use
the same technique for roasting peppers. The pepper is
roasted over a flame which takes a long time, causes
a mess, fills the home with toxic fumes, and yields
just one pepper at a time for so much labor. Instead,
try my foolproof method.

INGREDIENTS

6-8 red Bell Peppers
1 TB Kosher Salt
1 TB Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic

METHOD

Slice the peppers into three or 4 large wedges
and discard seeds. Put peppers into large bowl
and add salt, finely minced garlic, and oil.
Massage the flavors into each wedge. Yes, you
will smell like the back room of an Italian
restaurant, but the essence you are about to
create is well worth it.

Place skin-side down on a backing sheet and
put under the broiler for 8 minutes. Remove
and turn each piece so that the skin is now
closest to the flame and broil for an additional
seven minutes. The skins should blacken and char.
Remove, set aside to cool a bit, and as soon as
can be safely handled, remove and discard the skins.

Makes for great sandwiches, additions to salads, etc.
The red peppers at my supermarket sell for $3.29 per
pound. I paid 99 cents per pound today at the produce
store.

Robert Cohen
http:/www.notmilk.com