I'm back in Grabill again, and it's the cinnamon rolls that got me there. Now, I'm sure I like sweets as much as the next person. But I'm not a kid anymore, so I try to say "no" as much as I can to all the extra sugar and calories. A lot of the cinnamon rolls you buy at the grocery store are pretty 'ho hum'. As in, maybe they're not even worth it.
But there are cinnamon rolls made by the Amish folk at this new store in Grabill for which you will return. They have the regularly iced rolls, and they also have ones with a rich, brown, carmel-y icing that's different, and delectable. You simply must have these sometime. I have to fight the urge to drive to this store in the morning (just kidding), and I've always been more of a chocolate person. Simple ingredients, fresh, perfect.
They sell deli meats and cheeses, other baked items such as cakes and pies, and also prepare several dishes for a hot lunch. What I can recommend today is a chicken salad I picked up - freshly made and mouth-watering. Theirs contains chicken, onions, celery, peas, eggs, relish and the slightest bit of mayo. I toasted some wheat bread and made a sandwich. Tastier and cheaper than fast food - and still cheating a bit in the preparation. I'm not ashamed I didn't make it myself - I'll go with their batch!
This is an eclectic store with greeting cards, party-ware, all the variety of soda pop and chips you could imagine, and candy. The Amish folk, perhaps not having lots of other vices such as televisions, computers, and I-pods, dearly love their candy and sweets. It's totally part of their culture, and very important to them. Everyone seems to have a favorite type of candy, and the Amish will stock up in bulk, be it gummy bears, sugar wafers or sandwich cookies. The Amish aren't apologetic about breaking out the treats after get-togethers, meals and any occasion. In this store glass jars are filled with all these varieties, and any baking supplies as well - no matter how obscure. The Amish seem to believe part of home and love and family, is baking. And they are passionate about it, and share with one another and the store clerks what's cooking at home today.
Now, don't think me a gossip, but the Amish work hard - and aren't always clean in the way you and I (called English) would expect in ourselves. They can tend to be - forgive me - smelly. I get it, the guy looks like he's been out in the field behind the horses all morning, and the woman looks like she's been canning green beans all morning. Well, she has; she's buying more canning salts. A trip to a shower first just hasn't happened. Oh right, they probably don't have a shower - unless it's gravity operated. You also don't see "no shirt, no shoes, no service" signs. In the summertime, small Amish children go barefoot, and you see them this way all the time in stores. In contrast, we English are conditioned to struggle with our little children to get those shoes on.
They also like to send their men off to work with packed lunches, and I've noticed white sandwich bread and soda pop seem to be staples in their grocery carts. Sort of takes me back to grocery shopping as child in the seventies. Kind of pop/comfort food. C'mon, no home baked bread for every day? How disappointing.
And then, for this shopping trip - the bulk coffee. Whole beans - grind them yourself in the store. So many varieties to choose from - I go with a classic bold Colombian, and it smells heavenly while the beans are grinding - it kind of sends off an olfactory/adrenalin rush. Mmm, the smell of those fresh ground beans is almost better than the taste of the coffee itself. I have never been so excited to brew a cup of coffee. I love Starbucks coffee French Roast, but I don't choose the French roast in this store because they warn it's great for espresso or cappachino - and I don't want a hint of bitterness. We'll see - I'll have to sample some of theirs brewed next time.
Time for me to get out of this store before I buy something I regret. I think next time, I'm going to have to write about buying exercise shoes.
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