Shopping at the Markets
Going to multiple grocery stores in order to get all of the items on my list is a pain in the ass. I get really annoyed when Wal-Mart (a.k.a HELL) decides, for whatever reason, not to have toothpaste this week or bread or my brand of peanut butter. Grocery stores are fairly boring and in the summer my local stores are crowded with beach tourist banging their carts into you at every turn as large families run around trying to locate items as if they’re all on some grocery shopping game show. It’s a chore I suffer for the basics. But on the opposite end of the scale you have specialty stores, markets, and more progressive grocery stores with tons of interesting items such as Whole Foods (or our very own Tidal Creek Co-op). When it comes to this variety of shopping, I love the idea of going from store to store just to get a few unique things. It’s the way I picture all Manhattans shopping: deli for their meats, cheese shop for cheeses, bakery for breads, Chinatown for dim sum, and associating with “fish mongers” on the docks or street markets for the freshest catch.
I recreate that vibe here in my own little pond by getting up early on Saturday mornings and heading first to the waterfront farmer’s market. With Port City Java coffee in hand, I stroll down the scenic cobblestone Water Street, which parallels the Cape Fear River. A horse drawn trolley takes tourist through historic downtown and every Saturday I catch a portion of some interesting fact I didn’t know. I window shop little boutiques that I pass. Once I reach the actual market it’s always instantly calming. So many people but mostly in a “zen” state of mind. No banging carts. Just strollers and dogs on leases. Lots of canvas bags brimming with bouquets of flowers and vegetables. Tents with white tops line the sidewalks like giant mushrooms and many of our local farms have a booth to sell their harvest. There is even a
Chevre --about the same $$/oz as Costco but this is local, fresher, and leaves a smaller carbon footprint
local goat farm which sells raw goat milk and goats milk cheeses for only $7 (for 9 ounces…a lot cheaper than the grocer and a lot more eco friendly). This past Saturday I bought a container of their “herbs of Provence” flavored cheese. And from my favorite local organic farm I got a few Thai eggplants, bell peppers, and pole beans. From another booth I bought a bag of fresh peaches.
After the farmer’s market, we headed to another local favorite: Saigon Market. They sell all sorts of Asian foods and spices. There are so many things I’ve never heard of there, some of them a bit too “weird” or “gross” for me. I always buy something new there to experiment with. I say experiment because the labels are nearly always in another language. Only the “title” of the item is in English, but not the instructions on how to use it. The store owner (who I believe is Korean) usually offers some suggestions. There are also quite a few staples I like to buy at
chili sauce
Saigon market, such as garlic paste, soy sauce (light, dark, Tamari), chili sauce, hot chili oil, and baby Bok Choy. Everything is very cheap at this market. And the produce is impeccable. The owner takes great care in accepting only the best from the delivery truck.
Hot Chili Oil
- Pickled Gooseberries – giving these to my sister-in-law
- Sweet and Sour Coconut
