Grocery Store or Antique Shop???

If you asked me that question 20 years ago--our answer hand's down would have been Antique Shop.  If given then choice then, 9 times out of 10 we would have chosen to explore antiques rather than groceries.

Twenty years fast forward--the answer is a bit different.  Our answer could be "well that depends."  Today if asked--as incredible as that sounds--we would pick grocery store.  Nothing gives you a local feeling in a foreign land as much as exploring a neighborhood grocery store--and picking up a few things to bring back home.

Antiques stores these days--at least the ones we come across overseas-- are filled with over priced, sometimes interesting things--but things that we have no interest in buying.  The taste of our customers has changed--they do not want what we see overseas.  Nor would they pay the price.

But grocery stores???  Check out the spice aisle.  Check out the condiments.  Stores are filled with local specialties that you can bring home through customs without worry.  No--you cannot bring specialist raw milk cheeses, or fresh deli items.  But you can bring Seville orange marmalade,  unfiltered spanish olive oil,  or a bottle of dried wild mushrooms.(vacuum packed)

Or how about Fleur de Sel that has the label and name of the person who harvested it??  NOTHING is better than a fresh heirloom tomato sandwich on grilled bread, with a little mayo and sprinkling of fleur de sel.  It allows a little bit of France in your kitchen when the price of an airplane ticket is not in the budget.