Cooking with AAI's

What ever you find in the cupboard is what I call AAI's. Already available items PERIOD!
That's because the local store is not nearby and besides I don't like shopping. However I must say that shopping here on the Georgetown Divide is really a lot better now that Holiday Market is open in Cool, California. In the past we only had Mar-Val a market in Georgetown or drive all the way to Placerville, California or a bit closer to Greenwood is Auburn. Both Placerville and Auburn have a very large selection of shopping places. However here on the "Georgetown Divide" Driving to either Placerville or Auburn involves going through two big canyons and it seems like over the years the traffic on those roads has gotten to the point where it is a dreaded trip, especially around 8am or 6pm. So Holiday Market or Mar Val are the two choices and I live right smack dab in the middle of the two. If the roads are dry Mar Val is great, it is a pretty drive up HWY 193 to Georgetown, especially this time of year. When the weather is questionable Holiday Market is the better choice, the road is less windy and not much of a chance of snow. Both have a good selection of items and they are competing with each other I think to see which one can have a better selection of organic items. Both are also independent markets so they are much friendlier then the biggies! Specking of AAI's today I found two cans of pickled sliced beets that I was considering adding to the meal. Upon inspection of the dents in one of the cans I suspected they may be too old. Yep, the find print onthe bottom said "best used by Sept 2006". Now that's where I draw the line on AAI's. Te meal was great without the sliced beets. Anyway I don't care for canned food. I love organic and that is why I love to garden, just don't like sharing the garden with gophers. That's another whole story. More later.
TJ