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When my wife and I saw the story on the front page of the paper today, we were amazed that it seems like a lot of others here in town drive to go to Publix. We stop in there at least monthly and usually have quite a "list" of stuff to get.

We have some good grocery stores here, but a Publix would bury many of them if they came to town.
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Have not been to Huntsville for the Publix although it sounds like definetly like the place I would prefer to shop.

I used to go up there for Japanese restaurants but less so now that we have one in town. If I am up there I will stop at Target Supercenter and get sushi. They have a sushi chef come in and make it fresh daily and it is reasonably priced in comparison to getting it at a restuarant.

Old story but I have been knownknown to go to Huntsville for the movie theatre's. This was definetly before the new one opened behind the mall. Speaking of which, stadium seating good, same old projection equipment and don't pay attention/don't give a darn employees bad.
My wife and I like the Publix on Whitesburg, but really like the Fresh Market across the street. There's a better selection of cheeses, breads, fruits, and coffees. Plus the meat seems to be in more variety and of better quality.

Also, there's a good Thai restaurant on Airport Road, not to mention Qdoba, Red Robin, Dreamland, I can go on and on.

And Barnes and Nobel is more like a real bookstore. To be sure, not on the same level as Borders, but beats Books-a-Million without breaking sweat!
We have both bookstores here. I just like Books-a-Million better. More chairs to sit in and I like their coffee.

Love Fresh Market. The meat is wonderful, but I bought a box of Silver Palate oatmeal there for %5.99 a box. It was wonderful. Then I ran out and went to Food World figuring I'd get Quaker Oatmeal till I could drive to 280. There on the shelf, beside the Quaker Oatmeal barrels, was The Silver Palate oatmeal, same box, same size. On sale for $1.39 buy one, get one!
quote:
Originally posted by jimbo35660:
Is it not ironic how you people sit here everyday and gripe about the Shoals area. "We don't have this and we don't have that." And yet yall drive an hour to a grocery store to buy groceries and spend tax dollars that could go towards helping the Shoals area.


Don't know much about cooking do you kid?
Obviously Jimbo is a mere babe. Anybody old enough to not be called a kid is thrilled to death when they ARE called a kid.


Dimbo, come to the dark side....closer, closer, go to Fresh Market.....you are getting sleepy, relax, come to Fresh Market.....closer, closer, get your keys....you are relaxed....find I-65......
quote:
Originally posted by jimbo35660:
kid? I'm sure you people could find everything you need at one of our many local grocery stores. Surely, your recipes are not that complicated.


Indeed my recipes are difficult. I use organic fresh produce, pasturized eggs, organic meats, fresh herbs, homemade pastas, panko, fresh mozzarella (we only get that here occasionally), japanese eggplant, baby veggies, cheeses - you name it. IF you are a "foodie", there is limited access to specialty items in the Shoals. I cook every day and entertain regularly. Especially during the holidays I either Internet shop or drive to Birmingham or Huntsville. I love the Shoals, but the grocery shopping sucks.
quote:
Originally posted by jimbo35660:
That is some off the wall stuff you cook with. Let's be real here, how many Japanese eggplant will a store sell in a day in this area, not many. By the way I do cook, had a fried egg sandwich for supper tonight.


Japanese eggplant is better fried than any other. Its much less bitter and smaller so not as many seeds. The point is not how much the stores will sell - its that I need it. Most of the things I listed are fairly common in recipes many people use. Besides, I have been known to drive to Pensacola and stay over-night to buy fresh seafood. Food and cooking is my thing. Its not up to a committee vote.
Good grief it's not just ingredients, so to speak, but the freshness and variety of them. Here is one of my favorite things to cook. I marinate some cubed sirloin and cubed chicken breast separately overnight. I search all over town for fresh portabello mushroom caps and this is where I become frustrated! I scoop out the stem and pour melted butter all over the underside of the mushroom. I then sautee my meats, place them in the scooped out mushroom, and put a thick sliced peice of provolone cheese over them to bake. Meanwhile I "cheat" by boiling fettuccini noodles while making the alfredo sauce from scratch and about the time that it is done I serve the meat mounded mushroom on the bed of fettuccini. Everyone I have served that to has raved about it and I have actually had friends come by and beg me to prepare that dish for them but that can't be done when there are no fresh portabello mushroom caps in the Quad cities! Okay...sorry to go off on that but it is frustrating to want to serve something and either not be able to find it or find something that is definitely not fresh. As for Jimbo, yes...I suppose we are a bunch who seem to like some of the finer things in life on here...and we get "uppity" with our cooking!
I shop the one in Decatur, its closer, but I also cheat a little....every so often my job takes me to decatur and I get the things I need then(using company van)

For those that has never been in a Publix, let me describe it from someone that provides a service that requires me to see just about everything that Publix carries...
....1 ilse of just wine, thats 96 feet of every wine you can imagine and then they also have some of the very expensive wine locked up were you have to ask for a look. 96 feet of just ice cream, 3 ilses of frozen (288 feet) where most stores only have 2 ilses. Every section in the store weather it be can goods, cooking oil, or even dry beans and flour has orgainc products...then lets get to the produce..they have every thing, I like getting the Portabella mushrooms, they are so big you have to cut them just to fit on a hamburger bun after grilling them. The Cheese section is out of this world. If you can't find it at Publix then you proberly wont find it anywhere.

With that said, I work alot of retail stores in the NW Alabama area and I have never seen the customer service rendered like Publix does. They just don't point you down an ilse and tell you its on the right or left...they go get it for you no matter how busy they are. I have never seen one pass a customer without saying hello or asking if they can help. Some store around here does all this but not on a consistant basis.
Jimbo: Off the wall exotic recipe for you.
Go in the backyard or the Florence farmer's market if you need to. Tske the ripe tomato you have selected- either place- and cut it into thick slices. Cut a hunkof fresh mozzerella to go with it. use frech basil leaves again from home if you have them-or dried if you must. The lhiutch is the fresh mozzerella from Publix in Madison. D0 not mention Mother Kraft slices. Do not mention the so called fresh mozzwrella from Walmart. Sam's will sometimes have it but oft times a trip for nothing. Even a very ordinary food store in Natchez Ms had arugala---I am not talking 6 leaves for $2.79. There is a life outside of Muscle Shoals. Statement related to a lot of other discussions.
I love Publix. I don't care if I have to pay double. Their deli chicken wings and roasted chicken is great. All their pre-packaged stuff is good, (usually we cook but sometimes we're just tired). It's clean. The produce is fresh. The people are helpful. They'll even walk you to your car with an umbrella when it's raining! Unfortunately we have several here and I tend to stop way too often. Then I'm hungry and everything looks good so I buy. And buy. In fact, we're headed to Costco and Publix in a few minutes!
I try to support local merchants, but the selection is so poor! I love Whole Foods (there is a new one in Bham) and Fresh Market, as well as Publix. The produce, while significantly more expensive, is fresher and there is a lot more selection. In addition to ingredients, there is a much better selection of deli items and packaged food. I picked up a number of pre-made Asian and Italian dishes that are simply not available here. Publix has so many more types of cheeses and deli meats. I mean, you cannot even get prosciutto in the Shoals, among other things. I continue to try and buy groceries here, with periodic trips to better stores out of town to get things that are unavailable.
I guess I have been missing out... I need to take a trip to Publix... I never knew it was that good...

Looks like they could put one in Florence because it has so many other towns surrounding it to support it, with not much of a drive for any of them.

Yep ... gonna shop next week at Publix instead of my usual routine of Foodland... you guys have me so curious now! ... lol
quote:
Originally posted by _Joy_:
quote:
Originally posted by vick13:
I love Publix. I don't care if I have to pay double.


LOL...and you talked me right out of going in those few words. I'll just stick to Dollar General, Big Star, Aldi and our local Farmer's Market. Smiler I'm laughing at myself, btw; I'm as practical as the day is long.


Joy - Its not double the cost. She just said she would pay double if the goods were of good quaility. I shop there and am very frugal. The only "luxury" I consistantly indulge in is decent food stuffs. My grandmother was a fantastic cook and she had no money. She sold eggs, milk,butter and fresh flowers to suppliment her grocery money and always have the very best food on her table. Even later in life, when all the children were gone, she would search out the fresh produce, order good chocolate, and real vanilla for her baked sweets. Its not that much different, and makes ALL the difference in the end product. Dont write of Publix based on that one remark - they have great sales, good quaility and extensive variety.
I live in Madison and shop there, prefer it to Kroger's, although Kroger'ing is good to. I'd rather pay more at Publix than go to Wal Mart and put up with that crowd, crappy grocery store, and self check out bs. A few of the Huntsville Wal Marts are downright scary at night. Nothing like going in WM and having pallets blocking the aisles and no one to help.

You're kidding yourself if you think Florence needs another grocery store. If a Publix opened, something else would just have to close. Publix, at least the Madison one on 72, has free coffee when you go in and the deli makes sandwiches. Clean store, great bakery and selection overall.

If anyone hasn't checked out Fresh Market, it's worth a look. It's at the corner of Airport and Whitesburg, not the largest store (used to be Winn Dixie), but the atmosphere and variety is impressive. The meat/seafood section is ridiculous. They carry fish that's over $20/lb if you wanna splurge.
I miss having a Publix right down the street... their quality is unmatched and the selection is much more to my liking than that of your usual same old grind groceries that have been around for years.

People don't cook the way they used too 'all' the time. Our taste have changed and so has the demand for it in concern to our health.

Of course The Food Network has gotten a lot of people introduced to new and different things they may have never tried before.

Publix has what you are looking for, and WOWZORS the customer service is great too.

If you get the opportunity to try the bourbon chicken (can't find the same anywhere else)... don't pass it up.

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