Lincoln’s hippies are alive and well–if you know how to find them.
Incidentally, I stumbled upon a hippie hostel just this afternoon.
I’d never been to our local cooperative grocery, preferring instead to shop at Super Saver, where food is plentiful and inexpensive.
But today I was in the neighborhood and I wanted to buy some vanilla beans to make vanilla extract with. So I stopped in at Open Harvest.
The clerk was my age, but her hair hung wavy and free down her back. Her peasant skirt and Birkenstocks flaunted her counter-culture, natural-health identity. The customers were either young people with multiple piercings or middle-aged men. I felt immediately out of place in my trim turquoise suit with hose and business flats. Only my homemade white canvas shopping bag kept me from being immediately ejected as an outsider.
Reserving judgement, the clerk asked me if I was a member/owner. I told her no, I was not. She asked me if I’d like information about membership. Sure, I said, why not. She sized me up one last time before making her final suggestion: “Would you rather just take a brochure home to read at your leisure? Or did you want me to tell you about it now?” Her assessment was apt–I’d certainly rather take home a brochure.
I liked the store. Really, I did. I have little use for organic food, but Open Harvest has more than organic to recommend it. A wide selection of bulk foods–esoteric grains, beans, and spices. Several different gluten-free flours (to experiment with for education sake and to use to cook for a friend with celiac.) Essential oils and the like. I enjoyed my quick visit. I’ll probably be back.
But I don’t know if I’ll drop by quickly after work any more. I’d rather change before I go–put on my longest skirt and tons of beads, let down my hair and hide my lack of Birkenstocks. I’ll get myself some Patchouli or not put on deodorant in the morning–anything to cover up the absence of the distinctive odor of marijuana or clove cigarettes. No one mentioned my lack of non-conformity today, but I don’t know if I could get away with it a second time.
On 01.08.09 – 8:17 am
Becky@BoysRuleMyLife said:
Oh that is just too funny because I know just what you are talking about! We don’t have anything like that nearby so I travel at least 30 minutes to the closest organic/health food store to get some of the dairy alternatives I need for Witt. I would never in a million years really care what I wear to the local grocery stores, but I do take an extra minute or so to decide what to wear to this store! WHY?!
They aren’t all hippies at my store, but it certainly is a “different breed” that I can’t really explain. So funny. I am learning lots though about nutrition and organic and seeing the benefits of shopping at this store. I just wish it was closer!
So now, here’s my question…
How do you make vanilla extract? I want to start doing that, too. I use so much of it now that I bake and cook from scratch. That stuff is EXPENSIVE! I’d love some tips!
Thanks!
On 01.14.09 – 10:12 pm
bekahcubed said:
Well, I’m not sure how much cheaper it is (if any) to make vanilla extract from scratch. The vanilla beans are pretty expensive.
However, making it from scratch is most useful if you or someone you know can’t have wheat or gluten (which is used to make the caramel color in artificial extract) and you happen to have an excess of vodka around the house.
Standard recipes call for 3 vanilla beans to a cup of vodka. (I only used 2 beans to a cup.) Slit the beans up the middle and shove them into a bottle or jar (I use a mason jar.) Then measure out the vodka and pour on top of the beans. The vanilla beans should be completely immersed. Let sit for 6-8 weeks before using.
Real vanilla extract tends to be stronger than imitation vanilla and requires adjusting recipes to accommodate the more intense flavor. I used fewer beans in an attempt to make a weaker extract that more closely approximates the imitation that all my recipes are based off of.
Hope that’s somewhat helpful ;-)
On 01.18.09 – 3:02 pm
Kristi Sebens said:
Oh I can relate! I live in Bellingham, WA (i.e. Hippie city). I didn’t use to visit our organic co-op either, but now I’m a member and becoming increasingly frequent there. And yes, I DO have a couple “granola girl” outfits….where I draw the line is deodorant. I simply refuse to purchase organic deodorant–it simply does not work.