Do you go to a supermarket or a real market?

[Stinky The Clown]

We live in the 'burbs. There's no shortage of supermarkets, but few real markets. Sure, the supermarkets are all of the "Gucci" variety with fancy displays and "gourmet" aisles, but they're still supermarkets - Big Box Food Stores. If we want specialty or ethnic items, it means a trip, sometimes as far as the city (maybe 30 minutes). About 15 minutes from us is a wonderful Asian "supermarket" that has every produce item one could want, a fish counter where they display only whole fish and dress it any way you want while you wait - all for about half the price of the same items in our local Safeway. (Example: Fresh basil in the Safeway is $1.99 for a wimpy little sprig or two in a plastic "envelope". At the Asian market, a large bundle of what seems like a whole basil plant is $0.99. Maybe four times as much for half the price!)

One of my sons lives in a rowhouse we own in downtown Baltimore. There is a real dearth of supermarkets, but more than made up for with plenty of what I call *real* markets. Also, Baltimore has a series of city owned properties that form a whole system of community markets, each with stalls operated by independent merchants .... fish, meat, produce, flowers, coffee and tea, etc. He can walk to one of these city markets, plus on the way are all the store front markets selling ethnic groceries and fare similar to the city market. All one needs is one of those rolling wire shopping baskets (like everyone in NYC used to own) and an hour's time to get anything one could wish for.

Where do you grocery shop?

[merci_me]

1. If it's food, I shop everywhere!

We live in a very diverse part of the city and everything you could need is within 5 to 15 minutes and if it wasn't for city traffic, closer than 15 minutes. The very closest ethnic market is an easy walk, but it's Japanese and talk EXPENSIVE!!!

We have all the major supermarkets within the area and I do most of the "normal" shopping there. Then we have a Whole Foods (organic) right outside the subdivision. There's a nearby kosher only store. I love the Asian markets, especially the huge supermarket in a nearby Asian mall. It's choices and prices for produce and kitchenware is fantastic, but I don't go near the seafood. The sights and "aromas" just don't sit well with me. Don't get me wrong the place is clean as can be and fortunately big enough that you can get produce and baked goods without even knowing there is a seafood department in the store. Then I manage to go into the food court and chow down without even thinking that the seafood I'm eating is the same as I just avoided looking at in the grocery.

But my very favorite shopping place is a middle eastern place. Not a good place for meats and produce though. The meat is all halal, so more expensive and the produce is slim pickings, except for the plentiful dates and figs. But whoa!! the spices (at give-away prices), olive oils, varieties of breads (again very inexpensive), jarred fruits and various pickled stuff in jars is mind boggling.

In the same strip they run a deli, so you can get fresh knock you to the ground garlic paste, falafel and all the dips. All just a mile from my kitchen door!!

We have a lot of Central/South American stores too, but I don't speak Spanish and unlike the other ethnic stores, they pretty much don't speak English, so I don't go to them. It's not like they sell anything I can't find in all the supermarkets. Our supermarkets all cater to the Hispanic community with fresh bakeries and every sort of pepper and plantain I'd ever need. I also avoid Indian markets. I love non-curried Indian food and even some lightly curried, but the aroma of curry in the strength it is in the market, gives me a raging headache. So I don't go in there anymore. Never should food give me a headache. That's just downright sacrilegious. LOL

Mary

[Nicole]

2. I go to both

I buy most items at a supermarket because of variety, price & convience.

I buy some items at the Natures Food market & the German market.

[eleny]

3. Both

I shop at a supermarket and have enjoyed the growing variety they offer. But I also go to a veggie and fruit market nearby that's seasonal. It closes for the winter. I like it for the variety of local produce and because I like to have peppers roasted on the spot.

We also go to a privately owned meat market where the guy smokes meats on the premises. But it's a *very expensive deal.

A great number of Southeast Asian markets are 15 minutes away. A favorite place to shop several times a year. Luckily, Denver was a place that boat people relocated to in the 1970s. It makes for fabulous shopping.

I think that Costco is fun. It's where I found a bread almost exactly like the Lithuanian rye I grew up eating in NYC. And I like their brand of politics, too.

My shopping is a mixed bag often determined by my budget and convenience, though.

[NMDemDist2]

4. my shopping habits are very close to eleny's except my "farmers"

market is year around and has a large natural foods and health dept

www.sprouts.com

and my grocery chain is owned by a man who has run twice for Gov. of AZ as a dem :bounce:

and Costco is a business need but I get a lot of personal stuff there too.

[Mandate My Ass]

5. All of them

I'm blessed to live in Philly which has become not only a good restaurant city, but a great area for a wide variety of grocers and farmers' markets.

Supermarkets of choice are WholeFoods (expensive) to Pathmark (inexpensive) as well as Trader Joe's and CostCo. The Reading Terminal Market has everything from expensive pates and cheeses, to ethnic specialties, to homespun Amish fare. At their produce stands I never pay more than .99 for a nice big bunch of really fresh herbs all year round. I grow my own in the summer but each year I've found it harder to go back to dried but for those prices it doesn't feel like a splurge.

In the nearby suburbs there are several types of ethnic markets which cater to Asian, Greek, Indian, Middle Eastern and Ethiopian immigrants.

In South Philly we have the Italian Market. Remember in Rocky I when Sly ran through the streets lined with outdoor vendors selling everything from dried hot peppers to live chickens? That's the Italian Market, althouth many people refer to this area now as the 9th Street market because there has been an influx of Asian and Mexican vendors and restaurants.

I work in the University City area which is very eclectic when it comes to food offerings. I had to laugh because they just opened a restaurant which serves one food and one food only -- cereal! Perfect for college kids, I guess.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. Cereal ..... hahahahahahaha!

Ya never know what might be successful!

I got intimately acquainted with both the Italian Market and Reading Market some years ago.

My business partner lived right around the corner from the Italian Market. (She has since moved to Alexandria, VA.) I sometimes stayed at her house when I had business in Philly. The Italian Market was where we went to shop for supper stuff (she's a foodie, too.)

Reading Market was a client of mine. When they were building the convention center (also a former client of mine) they had to do work in the structure above Reading market. The health department, in their infinite wisdom, decided that any change what so ever that caused the slightest change to any of the vendor stalls would require bringing the entire stall up to current codes. I think I worked with about 20 merchants to redesign their stalls to meet code (and of course meet the vendor's needs).

A foodie in Reading Market would think they died and went to heaven!

[Mandate My Ass]

8. Ah so you know whereof I speak!

Yes, the Reading Terminal is a dream come true. So you were part of the renovations. I remember that. I also remember when trains actually went overhead.

I had a huge blast of nostalgia a few months ago. I went to see a movie at the Ritz and they were showing pics of Philadelphia from about 100 years ago to present and they showed the Bubble Gum Lady who used to stand on the corner of 13th and Filbert St. outside the terminal. The one with the outlandish outfits and the straw hats who sold pieces of gum. What an amazing spirit. She might already have passed away at the time you were there. I know it was before the convention center was built. You don't by any chance recall her, do you? :hi:

[Stinky The Clown]

9. I'm afraid I don't recall ever seeing her

But I sure remember the Market very well. I used to go up there for the day by AmTrak and take a taxi from 30th St to the Market. On the way back I was always loaded with cheeses and salamis and such. I'm sure I caused more than a few cabs to need an airing out!

Is that book stall still there? I recall all the obscure cookbooks they had. Some were used books, if memory serves me (which it often doesn't!).

[grasswire]

10. mmmm used cookbooks!

An indulgency of mine. I buy and sell books and paper items from estates, so I often find some oddities to keep. My oldest one is 1834.

By the way, could you adopt me? I'd like to live in a rowhouse in Balmer. (Well, maybe until summer sets in.)

[Mandate My Ass]

11. Yes, the used book stall is still there

The same guy runs it too. It recently moved all the way to the back of the terminal. I liked it better up front as soon as you walked in the door but at least it's still there. I've found a few gems there from time to time.

Last year for my mom's birthday I ordered her a Florence Hanford cookbook. She was the 60's version of Rachel Ray. She cooked a full meal with desert on local TV. I think she's still alive and in her mid to late 80's now. My mom and I were glued to the TV whenever she came on and I even used to make my mom "play" Florence when we were cooking together and describe everything she was doing to an imaginary audience. Hey, stop laughing, I was just a little kid. :-)

[Stinky The Clown]

12. "I even used to make my mom "play" Florence"

What a wonderful story!

So many great memories are built around food and the kitchen. I used to watch my mother and grandmothers cook all the time. Its how I got my interest in it. I have two sons and as they were growing up, they got interested in watching me cook. Even now (they're 29 and 26), as most Dads might get calls about football, I get calls about cooking!

They're both involved in major home renovations, too, so they tap me for help there, too. I just did a plan for one of them for a new kitchen.

[wildeyed]

7. Supermarket mostly, and Costco.

I go to the hippie health food store for bulk grain and baking items. They are getting a face lift to become a Whole Foods wannabe, but currently they are still pretty funky. Charlotte, where I live, is pretty generic on both restaurants and food shopping. Slowly I am seeing some change, but it is still pretty grim. And there is demand for good food. The farmer's markets are sold out of the real local produce by 6 am, so people want the stuff. The demand is just not being met.

My friend clued me in on a local 'shares' farm. You pay a bulk sum at the beginning of the season, then each week you get a share of the produce. Sounds much healthier and much much tastier than the long distance shipped stuff that passes as produce at the local supermarket.

[yellowdogintexas]

13. mostly "Central Market" which is like a supermarket except it

is a food store. The non food section is very small.

The fish is the freshest in town
The meat is the best in town
you can buy spices, cereal, nuts, etc in bulk
gargantuan produce dept
excellent wine dept
divine bakery
600 kinds of cheeses
tortillas baked in the store
really nice meals to go section
and real Italian ice cream made fresh in the store

good selection of organics if that is your thing.
lots of ethnic stuff.

I miss the old Haymarket in Boston, but I think it is no more, unless it has just relocated from the old Fanuiel/Haymarket area. Now that Fanuiel is all yuppied up and touristy, the open stall market appears to be history. But I did love shopping there.