Mother Earth

I’ve hiked up to Mother Earth a couple times since my local hippie grocery doesn’t carry a lot of the cosmetics I want. Yes, I need non-​fluoridated toothpaste and some Dr. Bronner’s Magic!
It’s a nice little place — lots of yummy-​looking produce, the apt smell of oregano in the air, and a soft-​spoken man who I think owns the place. It feels good when you’re inside.
If this were my ‘hood I’d come here more often for the groceries, but for now it’ll be my go-​to cosmetics shop.

The health food store packed with everything you may need (fresh home-​made food, food products for all types of diets/​allergies/​intolerance, vitamins, supplements etc.) I especially recommend it for their lovely staff who are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. They have another equally good branch down the road in Newington Green. I only come here to buy the products I can’t get elsewhere though, it is unfortunately a little bit pricey for me, but you do get ‘more’ than you actually pay for.

I rarely use Organic Food shops. Signs boasting ‘Glutinini’s’ (gluten free panini’s for you and me) don’t usually have a great effect on me and I’m far more likely to shop in the local greengrocers round the corner from this ‘Mother Earth’. However, one day I was lured in here by an impressive display of quirky looking squashes and impressed to find that the interior of this shop was very quaint and wholesome. Jars line the shelves erratically and bundles of fresh vegetables are piled high. My bag of shopping was quite reasonably priced and I enjoyed everything I bought.
However I have to say I didn’t find the staff hugely helpful. When I asked if they stocked Tarmarind paste they looked at me as though I was speaking Latin. I was told that this ingredient didn’t exist and assured my recipe must be wrong. It does exist– I’ve had it many times before but it was easier to just nod and leave than to continue listening to this patronising speech. So to round up my Mother Earth experience– good shop, good food, good prices, unhelpful and uninformed staff!

This is the archetypal wholefood shop. It stocks everything I need from loose jumbo oats, brown rice and quinoa to fresh fruit and veg, to herbal remedies and bach flower remedies to fresh food and drinks! The staff are very knowledgeable and friendly and there’s a place to lock my bike up right outside. Superb! They offer a Wedge discount as well —

Mother Earth is an organic health food store. The store is very small but carries a powerful punch in what it has to offer. In the small space you can find a plethora of health foods, everything from cereals to falafel to tofu to vegetables. My personal favourite are the organic breads, they are delicious and I don’t feel sluggish after eating it, even if I have a bit too much. The store even has a deli counter for ready made goods, all of which are organic. I love the pita sandwich with hummus and falafel, not only does it have red peppers and lettuce, its low in calories and high in taste.
If you are trying to avoid the preservatives and extra junk found in a lot of foods you buy in the supermarket then this is the place for you. The food is fresh and just being in the store looking around, you can almost feel yourself getting healthier and your body thanking you for making such a wise choice.

As far as Organic shops go, this tiny little place is a haven for those seeking alternatives from a quick supermarket meal. As soon as you walk inside, you’re presented with a stack of fresh organic bread, of several varieties. The Organic Orange Juice by Grove Fresh is not so easy to find in the larger stores, but this specialty shop has this oh-​so-​yummy drink in stock. Don’t be put off by the prices though, I find that organic food is worth its value in taste — once you find your favorites. Like the Tomato sauce without preservatives, that has tons more antioxidants and good stuff than Heinz, or the all fruit preserve without added sugar, which is thicker and tastes better than any other jam. This list just goes on and on.
I used to look down on those who embraced a ‘new age’ lifestyle like organic food, wondering if the self-​satisfaction was really worth the price to be paid. Since I moved near to this shop though, I’ve had to eat my words. The hot soup they make in winter and fresh cakes are certainly worth trying out — with some caution. I still won’t pay more than a pound for tomatoes — wise since I make less than the taxable threshold — but try and keep me away from Montezuma’s Dark Chocolate with Chili flakes, and we’ll have a few words.