One of the daily tasks was going to the market. The ability to store large amounts of food in refrigerator or freezer was limited. This enabled us to acquire fresh food each day. Here is a simple glimpse at some of the items and their cost.
Eggs: $.09-.10 each (for the best ones. These are found with the little farm ladies early in the morning. The State produced eggs can be found most anywhere in large flats, but are not as safe or as fresh. These are usually $.05-.08 each.
Bread (Bukë or buka): State bread $0.23-0.25/ loaf. “Buka speciale” was $0.08-0.10/ loaf. $0.10 each if bought from the children on the street in front of the bakery. Less, if you stand in line. This bread is almost always hot and fresh. On July 1, 1993 (two weeks from our arrival), bread prices doubled in one day to 20L from the children. There was some unsurety about what repercussions there would be in the rest of the market and in the exchange rate. In reality, only bread went up, everything else stayed the same.
Milk: Fresh daily from the cow: $0.40/1.5 liters. It was then boiled and strained before drinking. Long-life milk (from the Greek Supermarket): $1.70/ liter. This milk is very tasty, but also very expensive.
Ice Cream: “Akallure” is available in a variety of ways. The inexpensive domestic variety (5 leke ~ $0.05) is sometimes not safe to eat so we have to opt for the more expensive choices. There are several Greek brands that are available almost anywhere you get the whim. These are very good, prepackaged items that cost from $0.42 to $1.00 per individual cup, cone or stick. To buy a more bulk pack which will contain usually one kilogram (weight instead of volume) which will cost almost $7.00. This is a treat for special occasions.