I Cried For Cheese (and Other Food Experiences)

The other day, Mark and I went to our beloved Whole Foods to get groceries.  As always, we made our way to the cheese counter and munched on the samples, bemoaning our inability to find plastic-free cheese.  Then, I had an idea.  I asked Brian behind the counter if there was a certain day they cut the wheels of cheese so we could get some not wrapped in plastic.  He explained to us that they cut different wheels every day.  Then, he asked if there was a certain cheese we would like that he could cut fresh for us right there.  Heck yeah!  I asked him about the cheese I’d already taken several samples of, a sharp cheddar, and he pointed out to me that even the wheel doesn’t have plastic on it!  Mark and I agreed to get a pound of the cheese.

We watched Brian get the cart to carry the large wheel of cheese to the counter.  He peeled away the canvas it had been shipped in and used a wire cheese cutter to cut it open for us.  As soon as he cut the wheel, he used a tool to dig out the first bite and gave it to us to taste.  Several months ago, Mark and I took a Tour of Italy’s Wine and Cheeses class at Whole Foods, and we learned that the cheese tastes the best within 20 minutes of the wheel being opened.  It certainly was incredibly delicious!

After it was cut, Brian agreed to put it in our cloth produce bag.  After weeks of not buying cheese, I was so thankful, I cried a little.  Then, we found cream cheese that was wrapped in foil and cardboard, so we bought that as well.  Neither cheese is organic.  That’s the one bummer.  We like to buy all organic food.  However, I am just so thankful to have a solution for now, and I’ll keep looking for an even better alternative.  I have yet to see an organic cheese that’s not wrapped in plastic, which I think is a little ironic.  Speaking of irony and “what were they thinking” packaging, stroll with me now to the produce section.

Mark wanted some bananas.  We first saw the conventional ones, sans plastic.  Then, we saw a sign for the organic bananas.  Guess what?  The plastic fairy had wrapped the top of the stems with plastic!  I’ve never seen bananas wrapped in plastic.  How strange.  How bananas!

Overall, Mark and I are so thankful and amazed at the wide selection of organic food we are able to get so close to home.  Before we bought organic, I assumed it would taste the same as the conventional food, but I am continually amazed at how incredibly delicious and flavorful our food is now.  To us, there is a huge difference in the taste, and we hardly add any flavor to our meals because the natural flavors are so intense.  Our newest discovery is butternut squash.  I’ve seen normally-shaped butternut squash, but ours is very….um…interestingly shaped.  See for yourself:

Enough diversions.  We cut it into large chunks and put it in the microwave for 10 minutes to soften.  Then, we cut the outside skin off and cut the meat of the squash into 1 inch cubes (roughly).  We do the same for several potatoes (including the softening in the microwave to decrease cooking time in the oven.  We leave the skins on the potatoes for the homey look and nutritional value).  We toss them both in a pan with a little bit of olive oil and shove it in the oven to roast until they’re golden and soft.  Yummy wummy.

Speaking of olive oil, we have yet to find a brand that doesn’t have any plastic.  Some have plastic lids on glass bottles, and every bottle we’ve seen has a plastic pour spout in the top.  If you know of a brand that doesn’t have any plastic, please let us know.