To Market to Food Market

I have driven past this market for years and years. Today my foodie friend Anne from Oracle, Ariz. was in town running errands and suggested we go since she is starting to make more Japanese food a la bento box style from the Just Bento website.

Sandyi is compact but neat. We walked up and down the aisles marveling at the packages written in another language. It was fascinating.

Anne bought a yam that looked nothing like the yams in regular grocery stores. She also bought various Japanese seasonings.

I was just sight seeing because I spent all my money on lunch and didn’t want to use plastic but I will be back.

I didn’t take notes so this is all from memory: There were bags of multiple kinds of rice — green rice, brown rice, instant brown rice, sweet brown rice, black rice, and many kinds of white rice. There was several varieties of barley and malt, even roasted barley tea and panko crumbs.

Who knew there were so many different kinds of sesame oils and soy sauces? 

In the refrigerated section, there was a rainbow of pickled items, tubs of miso paste, and Calpico soft drinks.

In the freezer section, we pondered over many of products but did notice two kinds of gyoza, green tea ice cream, and assorted fish. 

Produce was limited to unusual greens, not-the-usual mushrooms, oddly-shaped root vegetables, and very ripe persimmons.

There was a lot of ohhing and ahhing going on.

Is anyone reading this who is knowledgeable about these products and is willing to give me a guided tour? I’d love to know more about some of the products and how to use them.

Sandyi Oriental Market is located at 4270 E. Pima St. (at Columbus); 320-0389.

What’s your favorite Asian market?

17th Street Market

Everytime I go to 17th Street Market, I wish that I had a chef whispering in my ear telling me how to prepare the many different produce items available.

Slow Food Tucson read my thoughts because on Sunday November 8, that’s exactly what will happen. 17th Street Market presents an international cooking class featuring Chef Allen Yap from Neo of Melaka, a Malaysian restaurant, and Chef Ryan Jarrell from Vila Thai.  (Psst, Vila Thai is my favorite Thai restaurant in Tucson.)

The event begins with a tour of the 17th Street Market by the chefs as they unlock the mystery of  ingredients used in these two Southeast Asian cuisines, followed by a cooking class and lunch. Beverages will include non-alcoholic drinks from around the world and bottled water. 

Attendees receive a 10% discount on all items purchased at the market after lunch. The culinary fun starts at 11:30 a.m. and lunch will be served at 2 p.m. 17th Street Market is located at 840 E. 17th Street. The cost is $40 for Slow Food Tucson members and $50 for non members for class and lunch. Please RSVP by October 31.

Eat a pita bread

Tucson food market news

 

While Bashas is closing some of its food stores in Tucson, other stores are opening.

New: Babylon Market
In what was the short-lived Local Harvest Marketplace at 3954 E. Speedway, now sits Babylon Market which just opened August 18. The market specializes in Halal meat, fresh and organic produce (although when I gave it the once over today, I only saw fresh dates), plus Arabic, Indian, Turkish, African, and European products.

I cruised through the sparkling store looking at an assortment of Turkish delight packaged candy, Middle Eastern spices among them ground whole lemons that resembled coffee grounds and shwarma seasoning, grape leaves, teas and teapots, baklava, Turkish coffee, canned eggplant, clarified butter, large bins of pita bread, and  so much more, 520-232.3700.

Coming soon: Sunflower Market
Sunflower Market is opening its fourth Tucson location in late September. The white board in the Speedway store announces the 4th location opening September 29 at Orange Grove/River. However, the website says September 30 at Orange Grove/Thornydale. Either way, a fourth Sunflower Market location is coming soon.

Coming soon: Lee Lee Oriental Supermarket
Last week I reported that Lee Lee was coming soon at 1990 W. Orange Grove. 

Coming soon: Tucson CSA
A few weeks I reported my interest in joining the Tucson CSA. I was put on a waiting list and found out over the weekend that I’ll be a recipient of the fall harvest. I’m splitting my share with Sam Brace, an acquaintance from Twitter. We’ll go on alternate Fridays to pick up our respective shares at the Historic “Y”. He starts the first week and I go on the even weeks. Of course, I’ll be blogging about the experience and Sam may also chime in. We’re both jazzed to try something new in the realm of locally grown vegetables and fruits.

Please send your food market news to eat.tucson@yahoo.com 

Photo-Jeffrey Cushner

Fabulous seasonal figs

Last week my friend Ditte Lokon invited some friends for a tapas party. At first she was going to do the entire dinner herself but decided that her guests should be able to contribute.

The tapas party was not held to a strict must-be-Spanish theme. Instead it was a melding of cultures that prevailed.

Ditte’s five guests helped the local economy by shopping at Trader Joe’s, Santa Cruz River Farmers Market, Caravan, India Dukaan, Roma Imports, 17th Street Market, and Sunflower Market.

Some recipes came from a used Greek cookbook (bought at Bookmans), Bon Appetit, and Fine Cooking as well as Claudine cooking with her Lebanese mother and grandmother. Other recipes were improvised or memorized, origins unknown. 

Wine was purchased from Callaghan Vineyards in Sonoita, Plaza Liquor, and Total Wine & More. The white wines were from the Mendoza region of Argentina, a lush Torrontes. I believe four bottles of wine were consumed plus red dessert port also from Callaghan.

We supped lavishly on:
–Heirloom tomatoes with mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinegar
–Muhummara – red dip made from pomegranate syrup, pomegranate seeds, red pepper, walnuts, cayenne and toasted pita bread
–Asian pears wrapped with prosciutto 
–Zucchini fritters
–Shrimp fritters
–Brie wrapped in phyllo, drizzled with truffle oil
–Salad of organic greens, mint, basil, fresh figs and apricots, topped with Manchego cheese and vinaigrette
–Custard cups filled with Coquille St. Jacques (scallops with Parmesan/cream/butter)
–Burek – phyllo dough squares stuffed with cheese, parsley, and dill

It was an amazing meal where every bite held fascination and even being full, the food was just too good to not taste. Then there was the conversation, the laughter, and the connection that brings people together — a feast of exploration. Pot luck in the truest sense of the word.

When everyone felt they couldn’t eat one more thing, dessert appeared…phyllo dough cups dotted with homemade lemon curd and fresh berries finalized by that powerful red port.

But back to Tucson food markets which beholds less common ingredients like pomegranate syrup (17th Street Market), truffle oil (Roma Imports), brown rice flakes for the zucchini fritters (Indian Dukaan), fabulous hard to find fresh figs in season (17th Street Market).

Go Tucson  food shopping!

–17th Street Market, 840 E 17th St, 792-2588
–Caravan, 2817 N Country Club Rd, 323-6808
–India Dukaan, 2754 N Campbell Ave, 321-0408
–Roma Imports, 627 S Vine Ave, 792-3173

Gannett News Service/Citizen File Photo

Nothing tastes better than a ripe tomato

Let’s do a rain dance. The rain last night was glorious.

Coming soon: Lee Lee
Tucson is about to go global in a big produce way when Lee Lee Oriental Supermarket comes to town. Lee Lee, already well known in Phoenix, opens later this month at 1900 W. Orange Grove.

Kindness Project
This Saturday receive a free breakfast at all three Sunflower Markets locations when you donate school supplies for the Shyanne Kindness Project. Because of budget cuts, Tucson’s schools will not be able to buy supplies which means economically-stressed children will go without. Locations: 4282 N. First Ave., 4645 E. Speedway, and 7877 E. Broadway @ Pantano.
Thursday-Santa Cruz River Farmers Market
You can always use your credit, debit, and EBT cards. Probable produce available includes purslane*, garlic, tomatoes, okra, squash, Asian melons, red and yellow fleshed watermelons, and much more from 4 to 7 p.m. on the NW corner of Speedway and Riverview.

Saturday-Rincon Valley Farmers & Artisans Market
At this rustic southeast venue not only will you find farmers but plenty of artisans at well.  For now, let’s stick to food – mesquite flour, dog biscuits, heirloom tomatoes, mini cucumbers, baby lettuce, summer melons, green onions, Brussel sprouts, handmade tamales, fresh breads, and much more from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.  at 12500 E. Old Spanish Trail. You can use WIC checks here with certain farm vendors.
 
8th Annual Roasted Chile Festival
Save September 19 for the 8th Annual Roasted Chile Festival at the Rincon Valley Market. More info coming later.

Purslane
What’s purslane? It’s a weed of some kind…

Please send your food news and farmers market news to eat.tucson AT yahoo.com

I don’t know why but today I was craving fava beans. Tapes play over and over in my head and I kept hearing the psychopathic voice of Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lector in my head (scary) saying, “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.”

You would think that grizzly movie would not stimulate my appetite but it did.

A few months ago I picked up a package of fresh fava beans (also known as broad beans) at Sunflower Market. When fresh, they look like a cross between giant green beans and sugar snap peas. At Sunflower, they have a big book describing all the produce and how to serve it or prepare it. The fava beans had many steps. It wasn’t going to be as simple as steaming green beans. I thought I was up for the challenge.

While waiting in the cashier line, a man behind me saw the package of fresh fava beans and said, “Wow! You must have a lot of time on your hands if you’re going to prepare fava beans.”

I told the cashier that I didn’t want the fava beans.

Today I found myself wandering around Caravan Middle Eastern Foods. I wish an audio guided tour was available so I would know how most of the ingredients were used.  There were spices including the Middle Eastern staple sumac, bins of olives and dates, individually packaged pistachio candy, bulk nuts, pastries, bulk beans and lentils, burlap bags of rice, frozen appetizers made with phyllo dough, teas, and minute amounts of fresh produce.

Then I noticed the canned fava beans and put it in my basket. I also bought pita bread and a package of Halloumi cheese which is made from sheep’s milk. Doug Levy at Feast always has a delicious grilled Halloumi cheese sandwich on his menu.

These fava beans are good. The ingredients are: prepared fava beans, garbanzo beans, water, salt, olive oil, lemon juice, dsodium EDTA for color preservation, and red chili. The combination of olive oil, lemon juice, and red chili permeate a rustic Greek aroma.

The label says to boil and decorate with chopped parsley and tomato. Serve with hot pita bread.

Chianti optional.

Caravan Middle Eastern Foods is located at 2817 N. Country Club Road (NW corner @ Glenn), 323-6808.

El Super is Tucson’s newest grocery store. It reminds me of a cross between Costco and the Grand Central Market in Los Angeles.  I say Costco, because items were piled high to the ceiling and there definitely was a warehouse feel. As for Grand Central Market, the west side of El Super had an open air feel, even though it was enclosed.

El Super is owned by Bodega Latina, Corp. Tucson hosts the second El Super location in Arizona; the first is in Phoenix at 5127 W. Indian School Road. Fifteen El Supers dot across Los Angeles and Orange County, Calif.

El Super has the largest fresh meat display that I recall seeing in Tucson. At least five employees were behind the counter scurrying to keep up with the demand.  The fresh fish display boasted several different sizes of shrimp and scallops as well as gleaming whole fish packed in ice. Toward the end of the meat counter sat a big clear display of pork chicharrones or pork rind. I’ve only seen pork rind small and crinkled like potato chips but these were abstractly-shaped, almost gnarled, and as big as my hand.  

Near the meat counter was a vendor area giving out free nibbles of fresh Mexican cheese. Colorful displays of pickled peppers, guacamole, fruit salad, maraschino cherries, shrimp salads and bulk salsas of red and green caught my eye. Slabs of cotija cheese, Oaxaca cheese, and membrillo quince shared display space with many different configurations of longaniza (sausage). And for the pupusa lovers – all accoutrements from ready-made to stuff-your-own can be found here. (I see a small dinner party brewing in my head.)

The rest of the store’s aisles were what you might find in most other grocery stores except for maybe a gallon of Pepto-Bismol pink strawberry horchata and Jumex brand fruit nectars in tamarind and guanabanana flavors. In the frozen foods section between the Hot Pockets and Tropicana Orange Juice, I found a package of frozen guayaba (guava).

Walking through the store, I couldn’t help but notice the lively atmosphere punctuated by lyric-less Mexican music.

Displays of pan dulce (sweet bread) called my name as I have not seen so many choices lately. In the bakery, it was fun to watch the skillful decorators at work transforming a simple layer cake into an almost tie-dyed masterpiece of colors and flowers.

In the produce (fruitus y verduras) department, an army of piñatas were lined up on a shelf over the produce looking as though Batman, Elvis, the Lion King, and a sea of pirates and princesses were guarding the oranges, yucca root, and fat Mexican green onions.  
  
What a super experience at 3372 S. 6th Avenue at Tucson’s Southgate Shopping Center, 300-7610. El Super is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

I’ll be back.

Please send your food markets and farmers markets news, feedback, suggestions, and questions to eat.tucson@yahoo.com