You may have figured out by now that one of my favorite things to do is to find new markets to explore. Luckily for me, Sacramento has lots of neat ones. I had been to the old Oto's grocery next to the police station on Freeport. But just a month ago, after a long wait, the big new Oto's Marketplace opened. It is primarily a Japanese grocery store, but with the increased floor space, the new Oto's has a lot more goodies.

There is a larger produce section, with herbs and vegetables common to Japanese cooking. You'll also find an extensive supply of tofu products. Nearby are packets of seeds from Kitazawa Seed Company, a business based in Oakland that specializes in cultivating Asian produce. Around the corner is a large display of rice cookers of every size. These are perfect for people who make rice every day. (You could also use them to your advantage in the heat by putting the electric cooker outside or in a closed-off laundry room to steam--thereby keeping your house cooler.) The aisle of dried seaweed products was almost overwhelming in the variety available. The same can be said for the dried soup choices. Of course, you should always check out the sweets and candy section--Hello, Kitty!

One of the best things about the new Oto's is the larger refrigerated and frozen foods section. There is a good supply of gorgeous, fresh fish on ice, fresh seaweed (like ogo, used in Hawaiian poke), green tea and coconut juice drinks, potstickers, and lots of things that I don't know about yet but am willing to taste! There is also a small section of kitchen tools, crockery, and chopsticks. And you can buy some prepared foods and sit at the tables outside for a quick picnic.