grocery store heaven

On Sunday night we invited several of our friends over for dinner.  The goal was to learn how to use our pressure cooker (with the assistance of Kevin and Nell) and try something new.  We settled on oxtail. The cafe at work had made it once and it was to die for - creamy polenta, rich braised meat, topped with a poached egg. We weren't going to go that gourmet, but I did need to get some oxtail.

Around here, the Safeway, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's don't carry oxtail, so we headed over to the Mi Pueblo grocery store in East Palo Alto to pick up 6 lbs.  I must say, that this was the cleanest, most amazing grocery store ever with festive music and free samples!  They have a HUGE meat case and an entire bean aisle - I felt at home, like I was back in New Orleans (we have tons of rice and beans there).  Even though I went for the oxtail - I left with lots of goodies and I know I'll be back before too long.

My new favorite store

We got oxtail, table cream, Oaxaca cheese, tortillas, Peruvian beans, Inca Cola (a favorite from Peru), and some Japanese-style snack peanuts (my addiction when I am in Mexico).  I would have spent more time in there, but I was excited to get to the farmer's market to see if they had figs.  I will definitely be making a trip back.  In the meantime, I am going to make quesadillas with peruvian beans (I am going to try to make them in the pressure cooker), Oaxaca cheese, and cream.  Heaven.