Gourmet Grocer in Northeast Florida

solo wine flights


gorgeous & avid rows of cheese


more than you could know


The other night I was in movie mode thanks to my infinite connections with netflix.com.

I watched JULIA with Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave.

I'm not sure what brought that on for me to put that order through for such a film.

It might have been the past trailers I've seen during my video distribution a la print-marketing daze in L.A. with photo montages of Fonda perked with red lipstick and a fur lined coat somewhere in Berlin.

Berlin: yeah, that'll get me everytime.

A friend of mine went to Berlin decades ago RIGHT WHEN THE WALL fell.....remember when?

I have a chip of that graffiti strewn wall in my basket of 'rocks' collected around the world. Yes; I was also an avid rock collector, but that's something else now.

The point here is food.

There was a scene in the movie (without giving it away) whereby Jane Fonda's character Lillian arrives to 'the' destination to meet a certain person.

The scene took place inside a smokey tavern - rustic bistro type local haunt in a European city.

Lillian arrives completely overwhelmed, exhausted, stress ridden yet delighted to see this person.

Remember the setting is rustic, smokey and it is set right before the prompt of WWII.

The certain person Lillian is meeting with has ordered caviar with all the pre-war fixings.

It appears to be slices of some sort of crusty loaf and a side platter of butter.

The scene is extremely emotional; mix in caviar with rustic country bread alongside a platter of butter and glasses of what appears to be room temperature white wine really makes you reflect on the 'scene'.

In haste they eat, talk and drink.

The wine inside the glass appears to be the near to the last or LAST DROP of wine as they are drinking and talking; that it leaves me the viewer thirsty.

I don't think Fonda's character Lillian even had a full bite when the scene had to ultimately change again.

The combined effort of emotional upheaval, caviar, unfilled glasses of temperate white wine, eating in haste with tears, smokey setting and rustic bread proved way too much for me.

For me it comparable to my billionth art history class in art school at CCA in Oakland California.

My art history professor would COMPLETELY in Freudian manner analyze a still life painting of oranges, figs, grapes, cheese and bread.

That scene in JULIA was exhausting.

With that said; I discovered a delightful and refreshing little gourmet grocer in St. Augustine Beach.

the cutest frogs legs and clams all in a row


It reminded me of the boutique urban grocers in Manhattan and San Francisco.

They even have caviar......

DEAR READERS,
Bummer news.....since this post, I recently found out that CHEF SAYS HAS CLOSED! Another one bites the dust. I went back there a few weeks ago (@January 2008) for a cuppa Jo' and perhaps a bite to eat and NADA - nothing was there! :( !!!

Yours truly,
Girl About Town



Chef Says Specialty Market
Intersection of S.R. A1A and "A" street
In the Seagrove Town Center
St. Augustine Beach, Florida
Tel 904.471.FOOD (3663)

www.chefsaysmarket.com

That Latin Thing: and more than Irish stew (for later)

Paella Creek Refuge

The thing about ethnic ingredients - especially traditional finds and the diverse variety of selections is its increasing accessibility to American consumers. Years back, when I lived in LA there were ethnic grocery stores all over. I don't mean the mom and pop mini walk-ins. I'm referring to the mega supermarkets similar to Publix, Albertson's and so forth.

From the New York Times, a mention about the growing Hispanic market and the growing supermarket chain Rancho Liborio.

Read more: The store’s slogan pretty much says it all: “Si es de allá lo tenemos aquí.” Translated, "If it’s from there, we have it here.”

This upscale store is a new concept for the Cuban family that started the small Liborio chain in Los Angeles in 1966. The idea is to sell food to an increasingly affluent pool of Hispanic grocery shoppers as well as the growing segment of people who want their supermarkets filled with fresher, local and more authentic food.

With its bright, wide aisles, agua fresca bar and an expansive selection of hot food like carnitas and even pizza, Rancho Liborio wants to be the go-to store for second- and third-generation shoppers who are attracted to markets like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, but want to cook and shop in a store that feels like home.

Don't get too settled now....I'll be leaping across the globe with my pen/keyboard to new Irish cuisine. Yes new/contemporary Irish cuisine is on my list of conquests. For now, read more in the San Francisco Chronicle article entitled, Irish cuisine comes of age: Emphasis on fresh, local ingredients is right at home in the Bay Area Take an eye load of the Coleslaw with Blue Cheese Dressing. The Steak and Oyster Pie is inviting too.

I'll be back next week. This girl is literally about town and I'll have more Savory Spain jaunts when I return.