'Bigness' and 'Sweetness'

When I refer to 'bigness' (one of Rob's terms, picked up by my brain and now way over-used), I'm talking about the size of food products in this great and glorious continent.  It's not a criticism by any means, no sir-ee.  I'm really finding it all rather fascinating at the moment. Think Gulliver in Lilliput.

Walk into any supermarket and prepare to be overwhelmed, flabbergasted and amazed. Compared to what we were used to when we lived in Europe, everything comes in ginormous proportions over here. Take, for instance, some of our purchases last week.  Flour: 10kg  Peanut Butter: 2kg   Margarine: 1.81kg  Milk: 4 litres  Coffee: 925g   Dry Cat Food: A billion kilos. Don't even get me raving joyously about Bulk Barn, a place where you can buy almost any food product you like, in the exact quantities you like, without the unnecessary packaging.

It's totally astonishing and mind-boggling at first, to see such heftily-sized bulk bins and products lined up one after the other, on and on in a sea of tantalising come-hitherness (not to mention the number of bags and hands needed to lug them to the car). 

I think I'm going to love it.

Not because I have any ambitions to turn into a Very Large Personage anytime soon (more to love, more to divorce, according to my other half, jokingly). I love the economic - and hopefully more environmentally friendly - benefits of buying stuff in bulk.

Unlike in Europe, it takes the average non-city dweller more time to drive to the nearest town / city to shop than it does for the average European to drive through several towns and villages.  Rural Canada is such a big place - lots of highways, loads of trees, plenty of distance to motor along to reach the corner shop.

We haven't really been here long enough to settle into a routine yet, but when the novelty wears off, we'll probably head into town only once a week to pick up grocery supplies to last until the next trip.

Is that why many staple items are in such big quantities here?

And, is it just me, or does everything taste sweeter in Canada than in Europe?  I swear I can feel the sugar crunching between my teeth as I eat my breakfast toast.  Rob has something of a sweet tooth (well that's an understatement, if 3 tablespoons of sugar in his coffee is any rule to go by). I'm beginning to taste why...

Post by Christy