A Trip to Southall
Date of Last Visit: Sunday, July 11th, 2009
The Victims: Sarah, Bernard, Arielle
The Damage: £7 for the tour.
The Background: Sarah (she of Freebiegate) texts me on Saturday night and says, “Do you want to go on a walking tour of Southall tomorrow?”
If you’re a London food blogger, Is there any other answer but yes? No. There is not.
The Entrance: I meet everyone at the train and the tour begins. We stop in front of this building. I think it is a sign from God. I briefly consider leaving the tour to register. I think I’d make someone a good wife. Besides for the cooking thing, of course. But I’d learn. I promise.
But now is not the time to dwell on my love life. Or lack thereof. We move on. To Quality Foods.
Inside Quality Foods, I see a lot of things. I see a lot of things I’ve never seen before. Like these vegetables.
And then these peppers…
And then I spot all these paper plates, and I know that next time I’m throwing a party, I’m going to Southall. Because I can hardly ever find large quantities of paper plates, cups, forks, knives, spoons, etc. in this country. Check out the selection! Some of them even had little compartments.
I wander around for a while and I’m impressed by the spices. There are two whole rows of spices, I think. Lots and lots of spices.
Those are very small bags of spices though. Those would only last you a a couple of months, I suppose. Maybe you should buy these bags instead…yes, those are 5 kg bags of chilli powder, curry powder, etc. But really, what would you do with all of that?
The Verdict: Fun. Really fun. Is that odd, for me to say a grocery store is fun? Maybe. Or maybe not.
Jul 23, 2009
excellent post! I love Southall, and spent endless hours hanging around in these shops as a kid while my mum got her supplies.
Jul 23, 2009
I LOVE pottering about unfamiliar supermarkets, especially those specialising in cuisines I’m not so familiar with.
Most holidays (except safaris out in the bush) I make a point of visiting at least one local supermarket or grocery. I love it!
Jul 24, 2009
Not far from where I’m living, across the border in the Lancastrian town of Nelson, there’s a store called Maria’s Cash & Carry that sells spices loose in barrels and in bags that make your 5Kg ones look like snack packs. What do you do with it all? Feed a large hungry family, I guess. I just buy small quantities myself.
Jul 24, 2009
Haha the ad on this post in my Google Reader was for Dating Direct. Coincidence?
Jul 24, 2009
Man, that’s a lot of chillis.
Enough to cause somebody an injury, I’d bet. There should be some sort of warning sign.
Jul 24, 2009
gotta love context-sensitive advertising!
Jul 24, 2009
oooh interesting vegetables! Might have to schlep out to Southall.