What'cha cookin'?

What did y'all fix for supper tonight? We're slummin' it tonight - it's some kind of green chile stew-ish mixture. Not sure what to call it. Somehow, "oops, we don't have diced tomatoes, think this enchilada sauce will work?" doesn't quite have the panache (with or without the accent marks) that it needs. What's Spanish for "goulash", anyway? Smells delicious, though, and it'll be great w/ shredded cheese and warm tortillas. Everything is great with shredded cheese and warm tortillas.

Oh, I had the most bizarre conversation with a lady today. In her defense, maybe she's new. Or senile. Whatever it was, something wasn't quite connecting and I don't think it can be blamed on my heavy Southwestern accent. ;-)

I looked up retailers for Ener-G foods, hoping to find somewhere a tad closer than the current 40-mile one-way drive for a loaf of bread. Ooo, goody! There's one in Hartselle, just down the road a ways.

So I called, explained that I'd found their number listed as a place to purchase Ener-G brand products and asked which breads they carry. This is, by the way, the point at which I lost the poor woman - she never did get beyond this part of the conversation - but I wasn't aware that this was such a large obstacle, so I kept going, thus compounding the situation and pretty much guaranteeing that I will never get a loaf of bread in Hartselle.

We did establish that they do not have a single Ener-G product in the store, of that much, I am sure. Mostly. The conversation after the introduction went pretty much like this:

NOL (Nice Old Lady): Well, what are you looking for?
Me: Wheat-free breads.
NOL: What's the name of it? E what?
Me: Ener-G. But do you carry any wheat free breads? (you know, considering we've already established that you do not have their stuff there)
NOL: Um, we have macarrons. They're (reading the label) wheat free, gluten free, egg free, dye free, dairy free, soy free, and nut free.
Me: Great. So you do carry other wheat free products, or just, um macaroons?
NOL: Maybe. I'll have to look. Now what kind of products did you want?
Me: Um, bread. Wheat-free Bread. Any brand. I don't care.
NOL: We have pizza crust. (Again, reading the label.) It's made with stone-ground, organic, whole grain flour.
Me: No, that won't work. Unless it specifies another type of flour, like rice or something else, it's going to be wheat.
NOL: We have Ezekiel bread.
Me: (perking up considerably, thinking she's maneuvering into the right plane) Oh, yes, I'm familiar with that, but it does have spelt and we can't do spelt. So, is that the only bread you carry, then?
NOL: Did you want carrots?
Me: *blink* (oookayyyy... now you've lost me)
NOL: ...I mean, do you want produce? We have carrots. We have organic produce and locally grown produce.
Me: Did you say "carrots"?
NOL: Oh! You're looking for carrots? Yes, we do have carrots. Thank you.
Me: DON'T HANG UP!
NOL: Oh, did you need something else?
Me: *sigh* No. Thank you. Have a nice day.
NOL: You, too, sweetie.

There was a part in there where she offered to call her suppliers, but I never did ascertain whether it was the produce suppliers or the dry goods suppliers, or if she was even sure what she was calling them for. Whatever it was, she said that if she can get it, she'll order it for me if I order by the case. Ahhh, yes, bulk mystery foods. It's the adventurous way to buy! So, essentially, she was very, very nice. Not one bit of help, but very friendly about it.

We still don't have any John bread. Fortunately, the store in Huntsville is a Seventh Day Adventist-owned company, so they'll be open tomorrow and we can get our stuff in the morning.

I'm gonna go warm some tortillas and call in the boys (I cannot believe they have been outside, in the dark, playing - for the last two hours!! They are so going to pass out tonight! Muuahhhaahaaahhaaa!)

Kiss those babies!
~Dy