summer = ratatouille

Is there a dish that reminds you of summer? Somehow ratatouille reminds me of summer. Different veggies combined into something delicious, dipping crusty bread into the soupy part.

Last year, I posted about making ratatouille here and since then, I realized that I didn't add water to the ratatouille the first time which is why it looks thick in that previous photo.

Another thing that changed is the supermarket that I had been loyal to for 6 years has done away with their 10% off all their veggie coupons, as well as other money saving opportunities.

Actually, when they were a smaller operation, I think they catered to the customer more. Now that they have joined up with a big name, they have brought in more of the big name's private brand items and done away with a lot of money saving opportunities for the customer. (insert pouty face)

It is true that with the cost of food rising, it is hard for supermarkets to make ends meet. But the money saving opportunites are what kept me giving them my business. And now that they have chosen to do away with these opportunities, I have also chosen not to be so loyal to them. In fact, I now shop where I am at the time, I don't make a special trip to shop at their store.

Not being loyal, lead me to find this huge zucchini yesterday (about 2 inches in diameter) at another supermarket for 198 yen (about US$1.98). (I felt like I had found buried treasure! It was under to the puny ones which were also 198 yen. The puny ones which are normally seen in the markets here are not even big enough to stuff and are only about an inch in diameter.) I also found a can of Italian diced tomato for 100 yen (about US$1).

Not being loyal, lead me to another supermarket next door to the one with the zucchini and canned tomato, where I found 3 small eggplant for 99 yen (about US$.99).

Since I had carrots, red bell peppers, okra & onion at home, I only purchased these 3 items. Not bad for a day's shopping...I was kind of proud of myself.

I used to shop everyday (at my supermarket), but now purchase several days worth of foods, depending on what's on sale at the market I am in. Most times I spend 1500 yen to 2000 yen (about US$15-20) for a day or two's worth of food, depending on what I need, so if there are day's when I can get away with spending less than that, I'm happy.

So, I want to thank "my supermarket" for abandoning me, you sent me out to check out other stores to find that you weren't the cheapest after all.

Anyway, now that I got that out of my system...Is there a dish that reminds you of summer?