Spotted at the Supermarket

Look! Can you believe it? Speculoos, the delicious Belgian kind made by Lotus now available at your local Fred Meyer (Kroger.) I wonder why it is being marketed as Biscoff instead of Speculoos? Hmmm. Biscoff is just as strange to an American as Speculoos is. Maybe it is a combination of biscotti and coffee. Marketing geniuses explain yourself!

Seeing it kinda makes me sad. It makes me afraid that places will lose their individuality, their uniqueness. Everything is available everywhere. I like the idea of certain products only being available in certain places. I don't want to buy African imports in Northgate mall or Italian pottery at Pacific Place. Ugh. I know it is inevitable as the world gets smaller. But I don't have to like it. And I don't. Hmph.
I hate to even say this but next to the Speculoos was Speculoos cream for sale! Packaged as Biscoff spread. Trader Joe's even sells their own version of it called Cookie Butter. Not a very appetizing name if you ask me. I happened to notice the Cookie Butter is a product from The Netherlands. I bet it tastes just like the real thing.

Jennifer, thanks for sending me a jar of Speculoos cream. It made my day! Unfortunately I can just go down to the crummy Fred Meyer and buy a jar myself.

Spotted at the Supermarket

I love that even after 2.5 years here in Luxembourg I still see new things at the grocery store. Today I saw these fruit called nèfles. They look like apricots, about the same size and color. I bought a few just to give them a try. They don't taste like apricots at all, the flesh is not dense, it is more watery not unlike a grape. The taste is a mild citrus and something else that I just couldn't find the word for.

I read the nèfles wiki page and was surprised to see that the pictures and description did not match the fruit I'd bought. A few clicks later and I learned that what I'd purchased is actually a loquat. Why they were labeled as nèfles (also called Medlar) I'm not sure. It seems nèfles are made into jam and tarts.

Huh, ya learn something new everyday. If you anything about these nèfles/loquats/medlars please leave a comment.

Spotted at the Supermarket

Spotted at Delhaize a Belgian grocery store. If you look carefully you'll notice the product information is written in French and Flemish. You don't need to look carefully to see the naked lady selling bread.

Spotted at the Supermarket

PLUMS! Bought my first Mirabelle and Reine Claude plums of the season.

Spotted at the Supermarket

Spotted and purchased!



I couldn't resist this darling book by Pierre Probst called Caroline visite Paris. It is number 6 in a series of Caroline books. Each book chronicles an adventure undertaken by Caroline and her troop of friends - Pouf a white kitty (with a bow tie. Come on, who can resist an animal in a bow tie?) Pitou a leopard, Youpi a Cocker Spaniel, and Boum a teddy bear. The book was originally published in 1984 and republished this year.







The illustrations are terribly charming, with a definite vintage vibe. I loved following their escapades through Paris -in the Louvre (trying to see the Mona Lisa), hanging with the gargoyles at Notre Dame and visiting the Eiffel Tower. Think this was 5,00 euros well spent!

Now, I'd like to get my hands on this one.

Spotted at the Supermarket

I feel like this post needs some kind of segue - a way to transition from vintage French linens to raw meat. But if you read this blog with any regularity you know how random I am. So, in keeping with my eclectic sensibilities, let me share with you what caught my eye at the grocery store this week: langue de bœuf. AKA beef tongue.

Seriously, the grocery store here never gets old. There is always something new to see. Clearly on my travels around Europe I should skip the castles and just head to the grocery stores. Not a bad idea for posting actually. Hmm.
So, I have to ask: Is beef tongue eaten in your culture? If so, how? What about those taste buds. Do tell!

Bits and Pieces and Feet

Thanks for all your great comments! I had no idea skin tests were so common. This is my first foray into the world of allergies. I've been lucky never to have had one. The funniest thing about this whole experience was hearing Eva telling Bryce about her skin test. He asked he if it hurt and she paused and casually said, "Yeah, but only for a minute." I guess she forgot that 30 minutes of crying. Good thing, really. Wish my memory was more like that.

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I'm excited to tell you that I'm going to be blogging over at Expatica once and a while. They just launched a Luxembourg section of their site and asked me to contribute to it. Here is a little interview I did with them. I'm looking forward to sharing bits about life here in Luxembourg. It is such a special little country. Come visit! See for yourself! If you don't already know about Expatica, it is a huge online resource for expats in Europe. It is the most comprehensive site for expats I've seen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I'm going to leave you tonight with a recent find at the grocery store. Chicken feet. Strangely human. Possibly Alien. Look at those nails. The green sticker in the corner (not really pictured) stated that this was a Portuguese product. So, I must ask my Portuguese readers - how chicken feet are prepared and eaten? Are they the Portuguese equivalent of American buffalo wings? Are the nails eaten? Ooooo, please tell!

p.s. spell check seems to be down on blogger tonight, please excuse my spelling mistakes. I'm sure there are many.