I’ve never had real store bought marzipan but made some from scratch to fill homemade pastries. It turned out really good. It’s basically almonds thrown in the food processor until ground fine and simple syrup and powdered sugar.
It’s a couple hours to the nearest big city grocery store so we have to make do with what’s on hand (it’s hard to find an angel food cake mix here and forget about corn syrup even at Christmas and haven’t seen pork ‘n beans on the shelves for years). It freaks me out a little on the rare occasion I happen to the city (which I avoid like the plague) and stop at a big store. Wow, more cheeses than just Kraft singles and a chunk of cheddar! Wow, more olives than just those with pimentos in a jar and black ones in a can! For the past several few years, the local grocery shelves looked like bankrupt third world empty shelves and this is Texas for goodness sake. It’s getting better the last 6 months but I can go with a list of 60 basic items and come home with maybe 20. Stock up on canned peas and beets when you see them or they won’t be there next time. Guard your cart or someone will be begging for the gallon of milk or loaf of cheap storebrand white sandwich bread. Woohoo, I just bought my first box of frozen pastry sheets!!!! I poured some peach fie filling between two pastry sheets for dessert last night, yum.
I’d like to live in a very rural place, but I’d miss the big supermarkets. That, the thrift store, and the craft store are about the only brick-and-mortar shopping that I enjoy anymore.
Why do you suppose your local stores have been so poorly stocked?
-JT
Here’s an angel food cake recipe that’s almost as easy as a mix:
http://www.delightfulrepast.com/2012/05/angel-food-cake-in-loaf-pan.html