Whose inflation is it, anyway?

[Jenise]

I love Matiz brand rices from Spain. Don't know if they're available across the U.S. but I suspect so, both Bomba (similar to a low-talc Japanese short grain) and Paella (similar in size shape to Arborio, but a little less starchy). When I first started buying them, they were around $6 a bag. Fine, happy to pay it. Maybe a year ago I paid $10. Still fine. A month ago? $12.99; let's round that up to $13. I balked.

Yesterday in Vancouver, I dropped into a small independent grocer near Bill's. Same rice: $9.99, which translates to $7.50 out of my wallet when you account for the currency differential. I bought two. Border rules do not allow rice except American or Chinese, but the importer of this rice is not only American but located in Lynwood only 80 miles south of us so I figured I'd be able to plead a case for it being 'American', if asked. I wasn't asked.

How much are Americans being gouged, anyway?

Nice score - wish we had lower wine prices than you rather than the painfully obvious alternative we suffer through!

Have a rice day!

[Jenise]

Bill, I even have a Stongs loyalty card.

Yesterday, in addition to the rice, I stocked up on British sausages and bought a gorgeous hunk of ham which I'll turn into a jambon terrine for a Burgundy tasting down here next weekend. Will be interesting to see how that goes over. Several vegans and pescatarians in the group. So rarely ever does anyone bring anything red-meat that I don't know who avoids it as normal practice. Ham + gelatine might just look like Spam to them.

How much are Americans being gouged, anyway?

A lot. Corporate profits are soaring, all across the board, largely due to a lack of regulation and taxation. Robert Reich has a lot to say on the topic.

Are the Trump-era tariffs on comestibles from the EU a factor here?

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Are the Trump-era tariffs on comestibles from the EU a factor here?

-Paul W.

I doubt it. I'm fairly sure this rice would have come into Washington state before being distributed to Canada.