We stopped at the little store on the way out of Playa El Agua on 31 (we have had to Americanize the street names so 31 is really Avenue 31 De Julio).  We were following the normal list - snacks, meats, veggies, the whole thing.  We had not spent a lot of time in the meat markets/departments ..…. I have to admit to being a little 'igged out' when I saw the chicken feet for sale, but I continued on my merry way.   I came to the section with cuts of meat that I actually recognized and saw these beautiful filet mignons.  I saw the price and needed verification - yes, they were filet mignons.  The butcher (I need to devote a whole section  butchers) weighed it and wrapped it up for me.  I also got two packages of premium ground beef and a flank steak.  The bacon  I had already purchased from another section. 

Here is the run down of the pricing…you be the judge and tell me if I am missing something.   Based on a 2400 B’s per dollar exchange rate (which you can get almost everywhere and higher in other places).

Platano 3lbs (plantain-like veg)      $1.20 (0.40/lb)
Pepsi 2 ltr                                  $1.08
Splenda 3.8 oz  (spread)              $6.70
Bacon 1.12 lbs                           $5.16  (4.61/lb)
Filet Mignon  .86 lbs                    $1.88 (2.19/lb)
Prem.Gr. Beef 1.36 lbs                 $2.81 ($2.07/lb)
Flank Steak  .72 lbs                    $1.49 ($2.06/lb)
 

This ground beef was so lean that I had to add butter to the pan to keep it from sticking.  It had a wonderful full, rich flavour.  I guess we can eat filets everyday and eat very cheap, as long as it’s not bacon wrapped filets!

Needless to say I was floored by the quality of this food and the prices. I really hadn’t noticed until now. I had always done my guestimates of prices, which gets me pretty close, but until you get the old calculator down and really crunch the numbers it just doesn’t hit home. The other thing I have found is that as long as you shop where the locals shop…not Sigo (the big, beautiful store that is so spotless it should be featured in Good Housekeeping Magazine) you can really save major bucks and get top quality goods. The meats are not prepackaged or frozen they are cut right there - the bacon is from the deli section and is butcher shop quality, also.

If you ask Tony what the value of it all is he’d probably tell you it’s priceless…I’ve cooked more for him since we’ve been here than in all the time we’ve been married. 

Ok, so that’s my run down of the food prices that stood out.  Did anything seem odd to you, or am I just crazy…ok don’t answer that.  Let me rephrase that.  Did the prices fit?  Did they seem a little out of whack?  The bacon was really expensive but the filets were soooo cheap.  I’m not complaining, just confused.  Granted, it doesn’t take a lot to confuse me, but this one even had Tony scratching his head.

Let me know.