Lounging Lake Side

Saturday was so unseasonably warm that I decided make an unexpected stop while doing my errands. I thought a picnic lakeside sounded lovely (and provide me with a great opportunity to pick up some much needed rocks, long story). Obviously so did half of Geneva! I happened to be at Globus looking for supplies for Sunday's upcoming dinner and grabbed a couple of satay chicken sticks and lyonnaise style potatoes from the various deli counters to take to the lake with me. Much to my shock they were fairly awful. The potatoes were way over salted and the chicken was just....shudder.

Which got me all to thinking, as I was on the edge of conciousness on the lakeshore (not totally unlike kafka), there are so many things I can no longer justify buying. Such as salad dressing, pesto, whipped cream, meringues, any cookie ever and vanilla extract. Lately, I have the desire to start making my own mayo, jams once I get a garden, and my own bread much more often (especially since it's become so damn easy).

What do you no longer buy know that you know how much better/easier/more fulfilling it is to do by hand?

ps- The food at Globus may have been awful but they were redeemed by stocking an amazing strawberry nectar made by Alain Milliat. He produces cold pressed artisanal juices much like the ones on offer at After The Rain.