Food Exchanges

In the past few weeks, I've had strangers exchange food items for me in the grocery store. Unsolicited. Two local ladies just being nice.

The first time it happened at Fausto's on Fleming Street. I had gone there for some of the house made Italian sausage, and a quick stop across the street at UVA for some of their outstanding locally-made ricotta to make stuffed shells. While I was at Fausto's I picked up a few other things, including a random jar of spaghetti sauce in case I didn't have enough of the 'good stuff' at home. (My favorite jarred spaghetti sauce is made by a family near where I grew up. The Del Grosso's. I love that I can buy it at Publix all the way down here in Key West! The 'Sunday Marinara' is the best.) While I was in line to pay, I realized I had forgotten to get a baguette....and how can you have an Italian feast without a little bread? I asked the woman behind me if she minded if I ran to the bakery in the back of the store for bread. She said 'Oh, of course not! As long as you don't mind if I replace your spaghetti sauce for you. You've got to try this other one....meet ya back here!' I got my bread, and met my new friend back in line. She showed me the label of her favorite spaghetti sauce, called Brooklyn Made or something like that, prepared with no additives, no sugars, just tomatoes, basil, garlic, etc. She said, 'Now granted, it's like $10 a jar, but totally worth it!' Apparently I didn't look like someone who would balk at spending $10 on a jar of spaghetti sauce. She got me spot on. And when I got home and made dinner, she was right! It was a great meal.

The second time a stranger 'hooked me up' was at the 'new' Publix, in the produce section. I was looking at the red bell peppers for a shrimp stir fry. The peppers didn't look so great, but I found the best one and put it on the top of the other items in the front of my cart. After milling around, gathering the other items on my list, I looked down and noticed that my anemic pepper had been replaced by a huge, bright red pepper that looked like it fell out of a gardening magazine. What the??? I looked around, and I woman caught my eye. She walked over and said 'The produce guy just opened a brand new box of bell peppers.....you couldn't take that other one home!' I thanked her profusely. What a nice thing to do! Seriously. Maybe this happens other places, I don't know. I am going to haul out my oft-used line.....only in Key West. People looking out for each other in the smallest of ways. I love it.