Rip Off Alert - Albertson's Spices

Thank God I look over the receipts.

My lovely wife, for whom money is never an object, came home with a bundle of groceries from Albertson's supermarket yesterday.
I learned, a long time ago, not to criticize her shopping skills (or lack thereof) unless I wanted a)empty cupboards or b)to do the shopping myself.
As neither of those choices appeal to me, I pretty much go with the flow, and look the other way when she does things differently than I might.
Sometimes, however, the offense is so egregious that I must speak up, if for no reason other than to prevent my blood pressure from spiking to unsafe levels.

Yesterday was one of those times.

As I perused the ticket, my eyes glazed over as I ticked off the usual, boring items; cat food, ice cream, non fat milk, more cat food, onions, olives, more cat food, (why can't she put all the cat food together??), diet pepsi (bleccch), spice hunter spices,

WAIT. What's this? Spice hunter spices, 7.79?

"Um, hon, did you buy something from the spice department?"
"Yes, we needed bay leaves."
"Okay. Was it an extra large jar? Are we expecting company?"
"No, it's the regular sized jar."
"Okay. Did you realize that it cost almost eight bucks?"
"The other brand was more."
"Okay. You do realize that I work for a food distributor, and I sell spices at wholesale prices. Perhaps you've forgotten?"
"Well you always say that you'll get what we need from work but then you never do."
"That's because I'm too $%^&** busy trying to make enough money to pay for stupid $%^&*** purchases like this one! So could you please bring me the $%^&*** jar because it's going right back to the store, and I'm going to shove it up someone's $%^*."

The jar contains 4 grams of bay leaves.
As a point of comparison, I sell 2 oz jars (56 grams)of good quality bay leaves for less than $5.
Penzey's sells Turkish bay leaves, 28 grams for $3.

What is Albertson's thinking?

"That's because I'm too $%^&** busy trying to make enough money to pay for stupid $%^&*** purchases like this one! So could you please bring me the $%^&*** jar because it's going right back to the store, and I'm going to shove it up someone's $%^*."

So, do I assume that after that one, Cindy now has you singing soprano?

"That's because I'm too $%^&** busy trying to make enough money to pay for stupid $%^&*** purchases like this one! So could you please bring me the $%^&*** jar because it's going right back to the store, and I'm going to shove it up someone's $%^*."

John,
I assume this was all done in your best Bronx accent?
BP

The jar contains 4 grams of bay leaves.
As a point of comparison, I sell 2 oz jars (56 grams)of good quality bay leaves for less than $5... What is Albertson's thinking?

They're thinking retail. I'm not in the spice biz, John, but that's typical retail pricing for jars of dried spices from leading brands (not just Albertson's, supermarkets in general). Spice jar prices vary less than the weights inside (some spices are denser than others).

Many spices are available far cheaper, retail, in bulk at places like Whole Foods with bulk spice sections. But to a casual supermarket shopper, the jar display is convenient and the jars are priced at what people will pay.

My most dramatic experience is with saffron. As much as $10 a gram in tiny portions in supermarkets and "gourmet" shops. Yet Indian markets sell pounds of quality Mancha saffron threads for around $30 an ounce tin -- a dollar a gram -- lower in a price war. Immigrants from India have been mentioning this online for literally decades, to anyone who'll listen. An ounce of saffron sounds like a lot to supermarket shoppers used to getting tiny samples for special cooking but believe me, it frees your hand to play around with saffron in food. Arroz con xxx, saffron-flavored rice with Indian food, risotto alla Milanese (yum!), etc etc.

John,

You'll hate me for this, but that's why I have two laurel trees in large pots...ba da bing!

What is Albertson's thinking?

Uh, that there's a sucker born every minute? Just check out the prices on holiday herbs and spices as they head to the next galaxy as the annual eating festivals approach. Safeway is even worse! I'd rather season with dirt than buy my herbs and spices at a supermarket.

FWIW, however, I do purchase bulk, dried stuff at Smart and Final, e.g. oregano, bay leaves, parsley, basil, peppercorns etc. I don't have the prices in my head at the moment, but, as niggardly as I am, you can rest assured they are of good value. There's some acceptable stuff which comes up from Mexico in bags. (You just need to sift it to separate the cucaracha legs.)

By the way, if you have a steady income, stop looking at the receipts. It'll only give you agita.

Your wife is a far nicer woman than I am.

One word: Penzey's.

(Except that you sell spices wholesale. Oh, nevermind. Back to the hole.)

rwj

John,

You'll hate me for this, but that's why I have two laurel trees in large pots...ba da bing!

I don't hate you, Thomas. I have one of those trees planted firmly in the ground outside my kitchen window. There's nothing like fresh bay from the yard. But, the tree is getting out of hand, and it attracts mealy bugs -- Yuck. I have to spray it a couple times a year, but it's worth it! Yes, spices in bulk from the Puget Consumer Coop. I can get a tablespoon or a pound. And it turns over so frequently, it's always fresh. Please try to find a bulk merchant nearby. You can't beat the quality and the price.

John,

You'll hate me for this, but that's why I have two laurel trees in large pots...ba da bing!

I don't hate you, Thomas. I have one of those trees planted firmly in the ground outside my kitchen window.

I'll be hiking at the Point Reyes National Seashore today. Anybody need a bag of bay laurel?

[Jenise]

John, I hope that from now on, your wife ditches the receipts before she gets home!

Over the years I collected a set of those Morton & Bassett glass spice jars for most of the things I use. I realize I paid plenty for them, but after I emptied them for the first time, I refill them from the bulk bins. And the uniform jars with the names on the lids make finding things simple.

The bulk purchases are ridiculously cheap. Sometimes I have to buy more than I want just to get the scale to move off of 0.00. Bay leaves come to mind.

We must have consumed a ton of Lawry Salt when it came in lovely brown glass bottles. We have a large supply of them, and use with bulk herbs and spices. Even if we buy something in a clear glass bottle, we transfer it.

[Jenise]

Over the years I collected a set of those Morton & Bassett glass spice jars for most of the things I use. I realize I paid plenty for them, but after I emptied them for the first time, I refill them from the bulk bins.

I've done much the same but with different spice jars--I'm not fussy, I'll write or tape the names on the lids--though I have a preference for a line that Whole Foods Market sells because the jars are square and the lids have the names printed on them. But now that I replenish semi-annually from Penzey's, a lot of my dry herbs and spices have by neccessity moved into quart canning jars. I need more shelf space!

You can buy El Cheapo brand of Bay leaves in a cellophane wrapper in the Mexican section of many supermarkets or at the Mexican grocers. These are typically in the $1.29 range. Cindy needs to know that just because it comes in a fancy jar doesn't make it better. She should look first in the ethnic/Mexican section for common spices.

John, I'm with the girls on this one, I think you've been hard on your missus. IF her pantry was always stocked with spices you bring home from work (which, by your account, you don't get a chance to do), then she would never need to buy any, so the problem wouldn't arise. So is it fair to loose your venom on her ?

Just my 2c. Sometimes it's not worth the saving to make an extra trip to another store, or nag a busy husband to do something...

John, I'm with the girls on this one, I think you've been hard on your missus. IF her pantry was always stocked with spices you bring home from work (which, by your account, you don't get a chance to do), then she would never need to buy any, so the problem wouldn't arise. So is it fair to loose your venom on her ?

Just my 2c. Sometimes it's not worth the saving to make an extra trip to another store, or nag a busy husband to do something...

Thanks for your input.
Just to be clear here - here is a brief description of my home life.

Her: "I think we should get a cat"
Me: "I'm not so sure that's a good idea."
We have a cat.

Her: "What color should we paint the room? I like green."
Me: " I really like blue."
The room is green.

Her: "Should I take my car to the airport, or yours?"
Me: "You'd better take yours, I may need mine."
She took mine.

And so on. You get the picture.

The kitchen is the one area, the ONE AREA, where I get to throw my weight around, and I'm darned sure not going to miss my chance to do so.

There. I feel better now. Not bitter. Not bitter at all.

John,

You'll hate me for this, but that's why I have two laurel trees in large pots...ba da bing!

I don't hate you, Thomas. I have one of those trees planted firmly in the ground outside my kitchen window.

I'll be hiking at the Point Reyes National Seashore today. Anybody need a bag of bay laurel?

Gary,

Is it the same kind of tree? I thought that most of the Bay bay (sorry) was different.

Thanks for your input.
Just to be clear here - here is a brief description of my home life.

Her: "I think we should get a cat"
Me: "I'm not so sure that's a good idea."
We have a cat.

Her: "What color should we paint the room? I like green."
Me: " I really like blue."
The room is green.

Her: "Should I take my car to the airport, or yours?"
Me: "You'd better take yours, I may need mine."
She took mine.

And so on. You get the picture.

The kitchen is the one area, the ONE AREA, where I get to throw my weight around, and I'm darned sure not going to miss my chance to do so.

There. I feel better now. Not bitter. Not bitter at all.

Then I apologise for giving you a serve, John. Sounds like your fair lady can more than hold her own !!!

John,

You'll hate me for this, but that's why I have two laurel trees in large pots...ba da bing!

I don't hate you, Thomas. I have one of those trees planted firmly in the ground outside my kitchen window.

I'll be hiking at the Point Reyes National Seashore today. Anybody need a bag of bay laurel?

Gary,

Is it the same kind of tree? I thought that most of the Bay bay (sorry) was different.

I really don't know, Oliver, but Bay bay is different indeed. I was introduced to this tree about 15 years ago on a nature walk as a tourist on the way to the Muir Woods. It's the only name I know it under and the only bay laurel I know here in the neighborhood. I picked a random website to find a picture and came across this one: Umbellularia californica. That's the tree alright. The leaves' volatile oils are super pungent and quite distinct to the point of being overwhelming and almost unappealing unless used judiciously. I prefer the bay leaves my Vietnamese friends smuggle in from there.

I buy my spices from Penzey's, and have found their Turkish Bay leaves to be very good. They have some excellent peppercorns, too.