. Favourite Beer of the Week

Whenever I go grocery shopping by myself, people talk to me. I don't know why. It's not like I go around making eye contact or anything. Old ladies will stop me in frozen foods wanting to know the location of tinned soup. Teenagers will appear by my side while I'm loading up on bulk bath products and tell me their entire medical histories.

Last weekend I went to the new Whole Foods in Noe Valley. I was perusing the beer selection, wondering what to try next, when an old man about my age sauntered over and said, "They have a lot of beer here."

I said, "Yes they do."

He said, "What are you looking for?"

And suddenly I felt like Mary Ann Singleton in the melon section of the Castro Safeway at the beginning of "Tales of the City".

"Um... this." I said, picking up a small bottle of something close at hand.

And that is how I happened to try Harviestoun Brewery's "Old Engine Oil." A fine stout from Scotland.

It's very nice. You should try some. It tastes a bit like licorice. But more like beer.

Noe Valley Whole Foods also sell Dorset Cereals "Berries and Cherries." A fine muesli from England.

You should try that too.