Today I went out for my weekly supermarket run (and rubbish dump). My last time out was on Wednesday, when I noticed changes since the previous visit to El Corte Inglés supermarket at the beginning of the lockdown. Staff were all wearing gloves and masks and we were handed plastic gloves on our way in. Today security had been stepped up, with gloves and sanitiser left out for our use on a table on the way in, and cashiers were being protected behind plexiglass.
All this time I’ve been feeling bad about not supporting local independents more but the sad truth is that the small guys aren’t able to offer the same protection for both staff and customers that the bigger supermarkets can. Being in a high risk demographic – over 60 with autoimmune shit going on due to previous stage 4 cancer & chemo – I just don’t want to take the extra risk.
Meanwhile, last week my friends Jeanine & Juan who run the amazing La Azotea, started offering daily menus for home delivery, along with selected items from their regular menu, and also wines. This is a great option for people who haven’t had time to shop, don’t like cooking, or simply miss their favourite La Azotea dishes. You can follow them on their Instagram stories to see the daily specials.
And today I found out about a new iniciative started by four friends, including my pal Javier, chef and owner of Taberna Lalola, called El Mercado de Sevilla, offering an online platform for local independent food shops and suppliers to provide home delivery. It’s free of charge for suppliers to join and there is no delivery charge. It’s still early days, but the website is up and runnying as of today.
casa azahar 
More positive stuff, Javi Munos (La Carbona), Israel Ramos (Albala and Mantua) and the guy from Lu in Jerez have repurposed their kitchens to provide top quality meals free of charge to the housebound elderly, vulnerable families and people in need. All food prepared to strict virus hygiene and delivered to the same standards. They are also delivering to frontline workers. We should remember these acts of kindness after it’s all over. We too are mainly shopping at Mercadona as it’s just around the corner, sells bread and fresh stuff and if there are a few things not available we can work round it. I would prefer to use small shops as they have less resilience but Paul is doing the going out and he is fearful of bringing infection back to me. Our favourite wine shop Licores Corredera has delivered some wine and sherry. Interestingly enough our Chinese bazaar almost opposite has closed. I hope that’s not because of misplaced prejudice affecting footfall.
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OMG what a great bunch of guys! So what are you ordering?? Surely you count as housebound elderly if you can keep Paul at home. 😉
The guy from Lu is Juanlu Fernández. Nice guy, met him here a couple of months ago.
La Azotea is going to send me some wine. I’m pretty well stocked up otherwise.
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Forgot to mention that all the Chinese bazaar shops have closed everywhere in Spain, I think. Stupid racist backlash against the “Chines virus”.
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Hola. I think we live in the same barrio. I have an online network of nearly 200 expats who may be interested in knowing more about the online delivery service and happy to support a local business. Please send more information, including a phone or web address to DHW11427@gmail.com. Gracias.
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Hi Donna. Yes, we’ve “met” online before and I suggested meeting up sometime but never heard back from you. The info for both of these delivery services is provided in the blog post, I have posted links to their websites (you can just click on the photos), and the opening hours and how to order info is actually in the photo of La Azotea.
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