Food (Part 1?)

Let's see, what have I been up to for the last week...

Well, one of the most exciting things was that I finally found tofu! There is no sarcasm here--I was genuinely excited. Tofu is one of the few things I can cook reasonably well (though I'm getting better at omelets!), and you can make whatever snarky comments you want, but I like it. I also got a whole tofu cookbook from my mom for Christmas, and I've been wanting to try out some of the recipes.

So, naturally, tofu was at the top of my grocery list when I got here, but alas, I couldn't find it anywhere. I tried Tesco, Lidl, Sainsbury's...I thought at least Marks & Spencer would have it, since they're a little fancier, but still no luck.

But finally, last Tuesday, after about a month of fruitless searching, I spotted a little health food store on my way home from class, and sure enough, they had tofu! It was locally made tofu as well(tofu production isn't really something I ever associated with Soctland), though I wonder if that means there aren't any big tofu brands here, hence its absence from supermarkets. But anyway, the point is that I know where to buy tofu now.

Speaking of food, another thing that's kinda been getting to me is the fact that you can't seem to get regular drip coffee anywhere. With the exception of Starbucks and maybe one or two other places I've seen, all the coffeeshops here are espresso-only.

I don't have a problem with espresso--I'm a big fan of cappuccinos, and regular espresso if I'm feeling both rushed and masochistic--but sometimes I just want to sip on plain coffee for an extended period of time. I know they invented the Americano for this reason, but it's hard not to feel embarrassed ordering one when you're also American. But the main thing about drip coffee that I miss is that it's cheap. There is no cheap coffee item on the menu here. I miss being able to get a cup of coffee on my way to class without it feeling like a huge indulgence. However, I've adjusted to drinking instant on a regular basis, so I'm managing pretty well.

Of course, my food experience here has not been characterized by deprivation and longing, on the whole. The foods I miss are more than made up for in the new ones I've discovered. But right now I have to scamper off to class, so that will have to wait for another post (soon, I swear).