La Belle Dame Sans Merci (original) (raw)

Yesterday I made a wonderful trip to Evanston, where I wish I lived. I will confess to sometimes saying I do live there, not just because I live slightly on the border and it's way cooler than where I live, but also because it has less of the "North Shore" stigma.

Back to why it's cooler, it has my mecca, The Spice House, home of basically any spice you could ever want. Yesterday I bought some of their za'atar, which is quite good. It's an Israeli blend that is quite bit different from the Lebanese and Assyrian blends I have tasted. I think the difference is that the Israeli blend contains hyssop, which I guess makes it slightly less savory. I was also entranced by an African Spice titled "grains of paradise" with a rather tantalizing description. The lady working there let me try a few grains and biting into them revealed a peppery spiciness with undertones of ginger- black pepper 2.0. I didn't buy any, but I think next time I will. Supposedly you use it like pepper.

Next I stopped by TAGs bakery, which is right across the street. TAGs has the usual bakery fare, but I especially love their fresh baked golden croissants. Unfortunately it was late and they were sold out, so I bought a delicious mincemeat pie. Like Turkish delight and other maligned British foods, I firmly stand by the goodness of mincemeat pies. Really, if you don't like mincemeat perhaps you haven't tasted good mincemeat that is a nice blend of British fruits imbibed with a touch of alcohol.

Finally I made a stop at Wild Oats grocery store, home of the finest pretentious foods. I picked up a horrifically expensive slice of Old Amsterdam Aged Gouda, knowing only that I like gouda. It was worth it. When I got home, I cut myself a piece and enjoyed its rich, creamy, yet crisp flavor that was robust without being sharp. It's my new favorite.