Grocery Store Love
I love grocery stores. Not just for the food, but for the possibilities. Everywhere I go, I love to visit grocery stores, and have--from Sri Lanka to Kauai to Costa Rica. It's a bit food geeky of me, but there's no better way to gauge a community than by its markets. And there are so many interesting choices that it's always hard not to buy more than necessary (hence my overstocked pantry of condiments and sauces). It's especially fun if you can't read the language on the labels, as that makes you guess the contents. This is a bit tricky in Japanese groceries, though, as they like to put cute cartoon figures on food that have nothing to do with the ingredients. (Panda cookies? Hello Kitty soup?) And you have to be willing to take your taste chances. One unfortunate candy I tried was like roasted corn. Not a good flavor in a gummy candy.
So you'll find lots of market reviews on Sacatomato, and the latest is a good one. It's Prime Supermarket, just south of Land Park. I'd been there before, where it resides in a sort of rundown shopping center with a La Bou, a dry cleaners, and a Macau restaurant that bears trying (Portuguese crossed with Chinese!). But recently some friends reported that the store had become primarily Indian, so I had to go see.
It's still got the same sign that it used to, but the inside had changed dramatically since I was there last. And that turned out to have been a few years, as I was apalled to discover when the cashier told me the "new" management took over 2 1/2 years ago. Oops. Guess I've been busy with other markets. I'll be going back more frequently now, though. It's a treasure trove of goodies.
One whole wall is taken up by a halal butcher and live seafood tanks. (Halal is like the word "kosher," in that it indicates that the food so labeled fits within the dietary strictures of the religion--in this case Islam. The strictures include no pork, alcohol, or gelatin. Animals for food must be killed following certain rules, in a humane fashion, and with thanks given for their sacrifice. You can learn more about halal laws here.) A flyer for the market states that it is approved by the Northern California Sharia Council. So it turns out that Prime is not specifically Indian, but a mix of ethnic cuisines. I did see plenty of Indian ingredients, as well as Russian, Middle Eastern, and Southeast Asian.
So here's what I had to buy: Ludy's Instant Ginger Punch with lemon (from the Philippines), Thai coconut cream powder (which I learned to love in Sri Lanka--try adding it to icing or cake batter), kecap manis (a sweet soy sauce-based marinade that I looked for in three other markets ), frozen onion kulcha, a big bag of cumin seeds for $1.99, a bigger bag of coriander seeds for $0.79, and some candy-coated fennel seeds like the ones you often see in Indian restaurants. One whole, long aisle was just different kinds of tea, there was frozen ground local lamb, tripe, catfish, tilapia, and every chicken part you could want. The produce section was a bit sad, but you could buy Indian clothing in the back corner! Oh--and they had good, small rolling pins like the ones my friend Shankari uses to make chapathi.
Yep, you can take me just about anywhere, and I'll be entertained for hours just walking up and down the aisles of a grocery store. And as long as I don't buy everything I want, the entertainment is pretty cheap. So if you can't afford to visit another country these days, just pop on over to Prime Supermarket, or practically any place along Stockton Boulevard, and you'll be quickly transported to another world.
Prime Supermarket
4408 Del Rio Road (just south of Sutterville Rd.)
916-456-9988
open 7 days a week
Comments
I love that store. It smells so much better now than when it was primarily Chinese..all those wonderful spices. So much cleaner too. I love to browse the aisles.
Posted by: Eileen-lovemesweet | March 20, 2008 7:19 PM
Great post and I am happy to know about this store.
I love grocery stores too. I happened by Eve's Market while at the doctor on Wednesday. A great store with no business. Sad. The meat manager said it is slow everyday. They had tons of ingredients I'd never seen before.
Posted by: Melly | March 21, 2008 2:12 PM
Now I know what you were talking about today. The prices seem nominal too.
Posted by: Shankari | March 21, 2008 10:19 PM
Thanks for the tip on yet another fascinating grocery to check out. I too am a food geek in the same vein. The Macau restaurant sounds like a must try. One grocery I enjoy visiting is the Koreana Plaza out in Rancho Cordova off of Olson Drive. Housed in a former Albertson store it is primarily Korean with several aisles dedicated to Russian foodstuffs and liquor. That doubles the language on the packages that I cannot read.
We always visit food shops while traveling overseas. It's a fun way to get to know another culture.
These interesting ethnic groceries around town are also a resource to save money on food in addition to getting variety. Vegetables are often less expensive and in wider variety there than conventional grocery chains. Also these ethnic markets often have interesting variety of spices and seasonings and some times its cheaper! Like you I am happily entertained by grocery stores!
Posted by: Teresa | March 22, 2008 12:33 PM
One thing in your kitchen that you simply can't live without?
I must have (or at least my husband would testify) most every kitchen gadget imaginable. While I do actually use my mandoline at least twice a month and i mailed my kitchen knives ahead of me when we were moving to Barcelona for a year.... I'd have to say the one thing in my kitchen I can't live without is our Espresso Machine. Short of the fridge...it's THE appliance that gets regular use throughout the day...especially when friends stop by!
BTW...new favorite grocery staple is TJ's Lemon Pepper pasta...delicous!
Posted by: Laura Lee Brennan | March 23, 2008 6:48 AM
I love this store, there is nothing better than finding Portuguese goods locally.
Posted by: Brian | June 11, 2008 9:41 PM