The Bag Lady
It’s time to tighten our belts ladies (and men) and I don’t mean through dieting but by cutting back on luxury goods and browsing the shops for specials!
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2014/02/Julie-Maule-Medium1.jpg)
In all three of our local newspapers (Chronicle, Courier and Alberton Record) you’ll always find pull-outs with the latest specials. Don’t just throw the pamphlets away, look at them first and write down on your shopping list the product and cost and which shop they are available from. I know you also have to take into account the price of petrol but sometimes it’s still worth it to go to different shops. You’ll find a Pick n Pay, Checkers and Woolworths in every area and most are close together. I don’t like to harp on but really, you can save lots of money this way!
Focus on Local
Talking of watching our cents, this week’s Focus on Local is Proto Bakery in Alberton North and you won’t go wrong buying your bread, rolls, vetkoek, savoury and sweet pies, and cakes here!
A family business, Proto Bakery has been in existence for over 70 years and is situated on Van Riebeeck Avenue, Alberton North, 011 907 2903 or e-mail: protobakery@mweb.co.za
Proto Bakery began with the Moutsatsos family and is still run by them today. Andrew Moutsatsos and his son George, with Noeline, Andrew’s wife, also involved say, “This isn’t your commercial bakery of today but a bakery like yesteryear, which still believes in the best quality at a reasonable price!”
They also bake and decorate specialised cakes for weddings, christenings, birthdays and whatever else you’d like and you can choose from rich fruit or sponge. For those who wish to bake their own cake, you’ll find a lovely range of cake decorations and if you’d like to put a picture on your cake, it can be printed for you on edible paper.
Try their milk tarts, just like ouma used to bake, custard slices, black forest cakes and koeksisters.
Their savoury meat pies and sausage rolls are delicious, with steak being their best seller. Buy 10 or more and you get a special price!
![Andrew and George Moutsatsos.](https://comarochronicle.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2014/02/1408kbag-Custom-423x280.jpg)
For your early morning coffee, Proto Bakery sells rusks. “This recipe was used by my great grandmother who lived in the Cape and they are so well-liked by our regular customers they come in and buy 2kgs at a time,” said George. You just won’t believe the price!
Having a party at home or the office, order delicious platters made up to your specific needs, savoury at R280 and sweet for R60.
I can vouch for their lemon meringue cream pie which is dense and delicious. Home baked crisp pastry, filled with lemon filling and topped with meringue and fresh cream, absolutely decadent and the pie cuts beautifully into eight good pieces. The pie is deep, so cuts easily without ending up with crumbs and filling all over.
Everything is freshly made and you can order anything they sell.
Amazingly, they open Monday to Saturday from 06:00 to 19:30, perfect if you have to get to work, you can pre-order and fetch on your way.
Watch out for Focus on Local next week.
Bouquets of the Week
To Wayne at Matrix Alberton. “My dad’s computer was giving him problems, so we took it to Matrix in Alberton on Saturday February 8 to be checked. Wayne was so helpful and he went the extra mile to assist us, even though we couldn’t get it to work. Thank you Wayne for all your help,” said Carbis and Lynda Williams.
* Stacey gives a bouquet to Sibusiso Ndlovu from @home. “I purchased a wedding gift off the @home registry on Friday evening and was served by Sibusiso Ndlovu. He was most helpful, knowledgeable and paid attention to detail which I was most impressed with. Once I had made my choice of wedding gift I waited for him to assist me to the end as he really made one feel he was going the extra mile. Even when about to wrap the gift he took great care to ensure the price was removed and shone the crystal like you cannot believe – all in all a pleasant experience. Oh and in between helping me he was running around trying to assist other customers – also with a pleasant smile.”
That’s if for this week. Shop till you drop!
Julie