Buen Provecho Part 3 (Sunday December 5 - Day 26)

Every single  day, one of us takes a walk down to Martin`s Market—a small, sign-less foodstore that has the same four workers every day—and we buy our ingredients for lunch. By the time the list is made, you take the walk to the store, you wait your turn, you chat to the workers about their family, you have the meat cut, you ask for the rest of the food from behind the counter, you take your bags, and you walk home…you have `lost` an hour of your day. No one thinks to stock their kitchen with every possible non-perishable so they`ll have enough food for two weeks. For families here, this trip to the market is not an inconvenience. It is reality and it is daily life. For me, this is one of my favorite parts of the day.

This is unlike any place I have ever been in the United States. The food is local. Fresh. The meat is cut before your eyes. The vegetables were delivered that morning. The bread was baked by the neighbor at 5am. There isn`t variety, in the sense that we know. There aren`t 23 brands of kidney beans and 16 types of apple juice. But there is everything you need. There`s no stress. It`s personal. You talk with a gentleman behind a counter and he gets you everything you need. Coffee. Bread. Vegies. Fruit. Oatmeal (occasionally). Crackers. Cheese. Spices. You can either pay there, or they`ll add it to your tab and you can pay when you have the money. No stress. Only pleasantries and personal interactions.

Would this work in the States? Maybe. But probably not. We want options. We want the right to choose a brand. We want the feeling of speed and efficiency as we maneuver our packed cart through the isles looking for the best deal and the right item. But if grocery shopping were always like this, I think it would change the way we schedule our days, we look at our meals, and we interact with other people.

Of course, Argentina has the big super markets. In fact, rumor has it there`s a Walmart in San Juan. Go figure. Last Sunday I had the pleasure of accompanying an older gentleman who I met in the park to the local supermarket (the only store in San Juan open on Sundays, actually). And as he walked with me, arm and arm, down each and every aisle, showing me with excitement and awe how amazing it is to buy milk and soap and vegetables and boxed pasta all in the same store, I realized how grand these large, warehouse, fluorescent –lit supermarkets must seem. Of course, I too acted shocked, amazed, and grateful that he would take the time out of his day to show me this magical place. But inside I was a little saddened and slightly nostalgic for Martin`s Market and my previous food shopping experiences. I don`t know if this place if the future of Argentina. I`m sure no one could make such a sweeping judgement. But for the sake of communities, I truly hope it isn`t. A meal beginning with `Buen Provecho` won`t taste the same.