If you’re going to stockpile – buy local, buy fancy.

SPECIAL REPORT: COVID-19 ADELAIDE

As we’ve seen every night for the past week on local news bulletins, national supermarket chains are running short of staples. As quickly as packets of dried pasta can be restocked, they’re being stuffed into trolleys and tucked away in cupboards in the suburbs.

For some, these low-price items are essential in uncertain financial times. But if you are fortunate enough to have secure work and ample means, why not do your part to ease pressure on national supplies?

If you can, we suggest you aim a little higher than Coles-brand tinned tomatoes and rice.

CityMag has produced many a seasonal shopping guide before, and so we’re dipping into the archives for the best local produce to keep you fed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Lucia’s Pasta Sauce

CityMag first suggested bulk-buying Lucia’s world-famous tomato sauce in our 2018 Considerate Christmas gift guide, and boy do we look like prescient little devils now.

While using tinned tomatoes as a base to build your own sauce is commendable, why not give over the gamut of flavour to the hardworking folk at Lucia’s.

You can buy it at the Market and some Foodlands, though we’ve not had much luck recently at the latter.

Lucia’s also stock a range of dried or frozen pastas – the kind that seems to not move as quickly on shelves in times of panic.

Need a little parmesan on top? Smelly Cheese Shop and Say Cheese are a stone’s throw from the Lucia’s Market shop.

The Adelaide Central Market has indicated it will remain open under the current government advice on mass gatherings, but check their social media before you leave the house, just in case.

 

Marino Meats

Coles and Woolies’ butcher sections have also been stripped – which hopefully won’t result in a bunch of food waste (meat being perishable within months even if cooked and frozen) but our hopes aren’t high.

In the meantime, free up the $6 for 500g of extra lean mince by purchasing some upmarket gear from Marino Meat & Food Store in the Adelaide Central Market. Maybe Riccardo, mother Marilena and wife Katrina have even got some of that Sunny’s x Doritos collab. sausage left lying around. And what day at the home office couldn’t be improved by a plate of charcuterie and no co-workers around to judge you for it?

The store also stocks dry goods and desserts, and they reiterated this week that they also deliver.

 

Coffee

Do you have coffee making equipment at home? Are you counting a Nespresso machine in that equation? That is not bougie enough.

My Kingdom For a Horse sells a range of filter equipment – grinders, scales, nice-looking water pourers, and, of course, locally roasted coffee. And you can order it all online!

Instead of stockpiling Moccona (which I’m not sure anyone has been doing to date), stop by one of your favourite coffee shops and pick up a fresh bag of beans. We suggest Monday’s (they have also offered to deliver beans to customers in need), Pogo (which also sells biodegradable pods, if you’re super attached to your Nespresso machine), Kappy’s in Chinatown, and both My Kingdom For a Horse and Elementary Coffee offer coffee subscription services – delivered straight to your door.

If you’re on the eastern outskirts of the CBD, Octeine sells its house-roasted beans in reusable cylinders, which you can then bring back for a discounted refill.

 

Booze

Sparkke announced today that they’ve joined the ranks of restaurants pivoting towards takeaway and online ordering, but you can also grab your favourite Sparkke brews by the case, or by the growler, depending on what kind of night/week/month you’re in for.

There are also a number of breweries around metro Adelaide that stock large quantities of tinnies, ready for you to take home for knock-offs with your self-isolating housemates/partners/pets/person in the mirror. (Please don’t actually feed alcohol to your pets.)

Head over to Little Bang if you’re in the East; Big Shed Brewing if you’re in the North/West; Uraidla Brewery, Left Barrel Brewing, Lot 100 and Lobethal Bierhaus depending on where you are in the Hills. Or just head to your favourite. They would love to see you. (But also, stay safe.)

If you do make it out to Lot 100, Adelaide Hills Distillery have a range of spirit options – most importantly, they have every component needed to make a Negroni. The same can be said of Applewood and Imperial Measures Distilling.

For relaxing times, make it All-Adelaide Negroni time.

If you’re in lockdown, Twenty Third Street Distillery is sending out cocktail kits, with no delivery fee. Thanks champs!

Wine stores will also be feeling the pinch, particularly those attached to venues, like Sturt Street Cellars and East End Cellars. If you can, go and buy a bottle of something.

 

Gaganis Bros Warehouse

In the New World Order we’re facing, CityMag’s new motto is live to like a nonno or papou and buy in bulk. It is financially and economically wise – which is a rare thing in our convenience economy.

There’s only one place to go in times like these, and that is Gaganis Warehouse.

Stock up on the essentials: rice, lentils, beans, cooking oil, empty wine bottles, flour, hummus, tzatziki, tarama, barbecue charcoal – ALL OF IT.

With Bunnings shutting down its sausage sizzle, we can’t say for sure the Gaganis cevapcici sizzle will be going, but you can be damn sure they won’t be running out of Greek coffee anytime soon.

 

Seeds

Marco Furlan said it, Jessie Spiby said it, and that’s all the expert advice we need – start taking control of your own produce at home.

To truly ‘prep’, one must grow one’s own herbs and vegetables.

Bunnings’ seed supplies are struggling a bit in light of all the panic-buying, but might we suggest a more bougie option – The Diggers Club, located at the Schomburgk Pavilion at the Adelaide Botanic Garden. You’ll also find all the tools of the trade – shears, spades, trowels and the like.

 

Entertainment

CityMag has been hoarding books for decades without even really thinking about it. You, dear reader, are probably the same, but nevertheless it bears repeating: go and buy some books.

Imprints are lovely and will tell you exactly what you didn’t know you wanted to read. They also sell books online, so if you’re social distancing, you can remain at home and do a bit of buy-solating.

Australian Dance Theatre have announced that, despite cancelling public performances of their work Colony, as part of AGSA’s 2020 Adelaide Biennale: Monster Theatres, they will be filming the performance and will host an online special screening in the near future. Stay tuned.

They Adelaide Symphony Orchestra have also indicated they will livestream at least one of their upcoming April performances, after cancelling the majority of their scheduled dates.

And if all you need to get by is a bit of local music, don’t forget about our friends at play/pause/play.

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Please remember to buy supplies responsibly, buy only what you need, and consider the needs of those who are less secure than yourself. You can feel vulnerable and act responsible.