I feel like the zombie apocalypse and the rain we have been having are cramping my style.  Between my new paranoia induced nightmares, and what I can only consider seasonal affective disorder, I am not having nearly as much fun as I usually do and it bothers me.

It’s a good thing I’ve had enough going on to keep myself amused.

Picture courtesy of Blanca Stella Mejia

Last night was Taste of the Gables.  That was a great showcase of the best food Coral Gables has to offer!  I was invited as a guest blogger along with Maria de los Angeles, Blanca, Marisol, Maria, and Brandon.

Although we each had a different experience due to our specific food interests and likes, we were all happy campers. I am pretty sure we all agree that Coral Gables is a great place to visit if you are looking for an above average culinary experience.

The one bit of feedback I would like to give them though is that it is very hard for someone to judge your cooking if they can’t eat your food.  According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology the top 3 allergens in America are peanuts, milk, and shellfish.  If you have only one dish representing your restaurant, it doesn’t make sense to offer a dish that could realistically kill someone. I’m just sayin’.

Anyway…

The size we need!!

Hugh has been having mini nervous breakdowns because we ran out of Cholula hot sauce a few days ago. You might be thinking “who cares?” but in our home that is a VERY big deal. Before I met Hugh, I didn’t even own hot sauce. Now, we keep 3 different brands because they all taste different and they each serve a different purpose.

(It might be a Texan thing)

Today I bought the biggest bottle of Cholula hot sauce I could find. According to Google images, it exists in a gallon size but sadly they didn’t have that at Publix. It is also quite unfortunate that even though it is more expensive than some of the other hot sauces, there are no coupons available for it.

That annoys me.

Although most of our food comes straight from the farm, lately I don’t feel like I am getting the kind of coupons I need for the supermarket products we use.   This bothers for the following selfish and selfless reasons:

1. Despite my frugality, I won’t compromise quality for lack of coupons so I spend more money.
2. I have to spend more time making stuff I would have normally bought.
3. Those who don’t have the know how to make things themselves and use coupons as part of their budget to be able to afford quality items are forced to provide for their families with questionable food items.

Although I am a HUGE advocate of community supported agriculture and veggie coops, I know that not everyone has access to them or maybe find that the local supermarket most closely meets their needs.  In either case though, dietary choices are influenced by government policies that affect the availability and cost of food.

Coupons are an important resource people can use to make good choices and in turn lead healthier lives because, let’s face it, government subsidies don’t go where they should.

Photo courtesy of PCRM

It would be nice to live in a world where good quality food is accessible and affordable for everyone…