McKay's in California

[mitzi]

the Amish road stand by the library? The pictures on facebook looked impressive but I've never seen the actual market look that good.

Anyways I hit up Harris Teeter, Giant, and McKays and spent less than five minutes in each place. I guess I picked a bad week to eat clean - their fruit looked picked over. I usually just go for the green grapes, strawberries, and blueberries because the commissary has such lousy ones. The grapes in every single store were soft and mushy. Ended up at Weiss - same story. I saw the chocolates you had mentioned though at Mckays - Heritage Chocolates - looked good and expensive. In fact the fruit at McKays looked exactly like the fruit they used to have at Shoppers except for the price. Much more expensive at McKays.

I could be wrong but I think it's what used to be called the Amish Market (years ago) which is now mostly junk vendors. The produce stands were right along the front. The main market is only open on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Not sure about this produce place (check their FB page). It's right in Charlotte Hall next to the small old shopping center with the Thrift Shop. You really can't miss it. Lots of old buildings. We used to go there every weekend and enjoy it. I haven't been in years now. Saturdays just got to be cluster with way too many people (and not St. Mary's people). If this is the produce place I think it is, go on another day they're open, not Saturday. I saw on their FB page they take online orders.

 

[mitzi]

Speaking of produce, has anyone had success with patio tomatoes? I want to try them. No room for a small garden (which I would rather do). Any suggestions?

 

[Sneakers]

Speaking of produce, has anyone had success with patio tomatoes? I want to try them. No room for a small garden (which I would rather do). Any suggestions?

You mean using a big pot and growing them in that? Works very well, but they dry out quickly, so you need to be vigilant about checking that they have enough water. Water timers help, but if it rains a lot, they can get too wet.

 

[mitzi]

You mean using a big pot and growing them in that? Works very well, but they dry out quickly, so you need to be vigilant about checking that they have enough water. Water timers help, but if it rains a lot, they can get too wet.

Yes that's what I'm talking about. I assume in a pot they'll need good drainage too. Am I right? The way I eat tomatoes in the summer with buying them they're gone in a few days. Getting too pricey and I want to try my own.

 

[mitzi]

the Amish road stand by the library? The pictures on facebook looked impressive but I've never seen the actual market look that good.

Anyways I hit up Harris Teeter, Giant, and McKays and spent less than five minutes in each place. I guess I picked a bad week to eat clean - their fruit looked picked over. I usually just go for the green grapes, strawberries, and blueberries because the commissary has such lousy ones. The grapes in every single store were soft and mushy. Ended up at Weiss - same story. I saw the chocolates you had mentioned though at Mckays - Heritage Chocolates - looked good and expensive. In fact the fruit at McKays looked exactly like the fruit they used to have at Shoppers except for the price. Much more expensive at McKays.

Southern Maryland Produce

 

[mitzi]

Mitzi - my neighbor grows patio tomatoes every year. She's tried a variety of places and a variety of brands. They all grow well but honest to God they were as tasteless as they could have possibly been. No matter what she tried - read the reviews, tried the heritage - beefsteak - everything they said was good - wasn't. She's not doing it this year - been wondering if it could be the soil. If you get tomatoes from a road side stand rather than a grocery store - the price is much better and the tomato at least slightly better. I've been buying something called cocktail tomatoes from both the commissary and grocery stores - haven't paid that much attention to the the price, but they're actually pretty good tomatoes. Just my two cents worth.

The only tomatoes I ever buy at the store are the grape or cherry tomatoes, for a salad. The regulars are a waste of money. I'll look for the cocktail ones, I've never noticed them. I normally buy the regular ones in the summer from the roadside stands or the Mennonites in Loveville. McKay's carries local produce in the summer too. At least the Hollywood and Leonardtown stores do. There was an awesome stand behind the Dash In in Leonardtown for years but they haven't been there for a couple years now.
Good point on the soil. That could be the problem. I'll give it a try with 1 or 2 pots. I know I'll still be buying them but want to give it a try. It would be nice just to pick one off my porch. I've grown them before but I had a garden at my house. My daughter plants them in the tiny grass area she had on her patio at her townhouse and they do really good. She has them in the ground though. Thanks for the tips.

 

[mitzi]

The cocktail tomatoes are larger than the grape of cherry - about the size of a regular tomato but on the smallish side. I think they grow in clusters and they sell them in those plastic boxes much like the grape and cherry tomatoes. The ones that I've had over the years have a bit of a bite to them and they've been really good in a sandwich - they just don't lay out as well on the bread because the slices are smaller. I'm about 90 percent positive that they can be grown in a patio planter - might be the one you want to try. Bellini's are pretty good.

I'll give them a try. I hope I can find them.

 

[Bonehead]

Those varieties are all hybrid hothouse grown, mostly in Canada Eh ? You see them all year long. They are good though.

 

[mitzi]

Those varieties are all hybrid hothouse grown, mostly in Canada Eh ? You see them all year long. They are good though.

Those little ones are the only ones that actually taste like a tomato when you can't get homegrown in the summer.

 

[Sneakers]

Laid out pretty much just like the old Shoppers, if you didn't see the name change outside, you'd never know.

Don't know how I missed this.... all the carts say "Shoppers". I would have thought he'd re-use the carts from the GMR McKays. They even had an outdoor cart washing machine there, which you think would be so much easier than wiping down carts like they do at Giant.

 

[Sneakers]

FYI, McKays in california has full hot and cold bars again. Salad, olive, aisan....

 

[my-thyme]

Yeah! I will go support them so they keep them open.

 

[Sneakers]

I should qualify.. the regular hot bar had nothing in it, but I was thinking it was just because it was early, before lunch.

 

[spr1975wshs]

Yeah! I will go support them so they keep them open.

I've been shopping there more often now than either Giant or Weis.