Living in our Kitsilano home on 7th and Trutch has us near just about the best walking/shopping experience in town. I no longer have to drive to Commercial to get my Ahmad Tea. I get it (I have 10 varieties) at  Persian Foods on Broadway just west of MacDonald. But I do go to Commercial to buy my good cheeses at Bossa.

But best is Young Brothers Produce just a around the corner from our house.

The nicest surprise in our walk today was finding this neat tortilla warmer at Fresh is Best – Salsa & Company where we buy our freshly made (in Burnaby) tortillas and my favourite hot sauces.

When we left Mexico City in 1975 in our VW bug journey to settle in Vancouver the most useful kitchen accessory was our gas stove.  A gas stove is where most Mexicans heat their tortillas or singe their Poblano peppers.

In most of our years in Vancouver the Poblano pepper problem was not a problem as Poblanos were not available. I am happy to report that our Safeway on MacDonald and Broadway has been stocking Poblanos to my delight.

The problem was heating tortillas. Some 15 years ago our eldest daughter gave us a brand new microwave. At first I avoided using it until I discovered that microwaves were made for two important uses. One was to heat tortillas (particularly if you use Mexican tortilla warmers) and the other to re-heat my large mugs of tea. Subsequently I learned to pierce potatoes with a fork, microwave them for 9 minutes on high and then finish them off in a hot oven. Purists might not agree but I steam my corn on the cob and asparagus in the microwave and I have no complaints.

It is a paradox of sorts that our eldest daughter Ale (who gave us that first microwave) does not “believe” in them.  I have no idea how she is going to warm up her tortillas (she was born in Mexico and feels very Mexican). But I like the skull and I am sure that she will love it.

And I can only add here that I am so glad we are near Fresh is Best and every time I enter the store I discover some new item from my Mexican past.

Siquiti bula a la bim bom bam

siquiti bula a la bim bom bam

alabío

alabao

a la bim bom bam

Fresh is Best 

Fresh is Best