To Market to Food Market

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

At the recommendation of a friend who said she bought the best frozen eggplant with goat cheese sauce, I found my way to Grocery Outlet, tucked in the back of 5667 E. Speedway Blvd, the shopping center that also has Big 5 and Son’s Bakery.

Grocery Outlet, a bargain market, has the lowest of low prices on almost all items except produce and milk. A gallon of milk was $3.29 while Fry’s recently had milk for $1.39 gallon. Why the discrepancy?

According to the owner, Dennis Marquard, the price of milk is federally regulated and since Fry’s buys in such bulk they get a price break and can afford to offer milk as a lost liter in order to get people into the store.

Grocery Outlet has been around since 1946 with 133 stores in six Western states.  The independently operated Tucson store has been around since 1998.

Here you won’t find any fresh meat or a large selection of produce but you will find a changing array of frozen food products, canned goods, candy and chips, dry mix, cereal at far lower prices than practically anywhere on the planet, ice cream, sodas, salad dressing, cleaning supplies, and pet food. The other side of the store has many of the items you would find in a 99cent store. There’s even a smattering of malt beverages and wine. Norma Jean, a 2006 young merlot was $7.99; elsewhere $11.99. One stop shopping on a budget.

I bought a carton of four 8-oz bottles of Mike’s Lemonade “Lemon Drop” for $1.99; 200 coffee basket filters for $1.59; a 16-oz. package of coleslaw mix for $.99; guacamole chips for $1.99; and a banana for $.20. My total was $7.05 and I saved $10.79.

Some good deals included: chocolate pecan Luna bars-58 cents, Stonyfield yogurt 2 for $1 (elsewhere 99 cents each), 19-oz. can of Progressive noodle soup-$1.59.

While perusing the frozen food aisle I picked up two items that were marked as “use by” March 09.  It’s June 09. What the heck? Marquard said that according to most manufacturers, frozen foods may be kept six months longer than their expiration dates as long as they are kept frozen and don’t have freezer burn. However, there are exceptions as his Tropicana orange juice has to be sold by the expiration day so says the manufacturer of Tropicana orange juice.

The expiration dates of products in Grocery Outlet are suggested by the manufacturer and monitored by the health department and corporate Grocery Outlet. The majority of products are brand names. Grocery Outlet does not sell seconds or inferior foods but rather sells overstocked items from major chain grocery stores, product packaging changes, and private labels.

Unlike major grocery stores that sell a small box of Cheerios for $2.50, secondary markets like Grocery Outlet are forbidden by contract to advertise $1.19 for the same box. Nor can Grocery Outlet except manufacturer coupons.

Marquard said that most products do not expire (except milk and milk products) when their expiration date says they do. Canned goods last forever unless the can get wet, rusty, or creased. An exception is canned tomato-based products; because of tomato acidity, they should be discarded a year after the expiration date.

As you walk around the store and look at the products which are labeled and easy to read, the price will be clearly marked and in the lower corner will be what they cost elsewhere.

Call for hours: 546-6645

I forgot to look for the frozen eggplant with goat cheese sauce.

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

I have a love hate relationship with Trader Joe’s.

What’s not to love? I love the vast variety, the fast and courteous service, the free Fearless Flyer publication, the samples, the flowers especially those blooming daffodils for $1.29, three-buck Chuck, the 99-cent greeting cards, the opportunity to win a $25 gift card by using recyclable bags, the loud rock-n-roll music. Trader Joe’s has always been innovative.

But what I hate or maybe that’s too strong of a word, let’s say what I dislike is the vast variety.  Yes, I know I just said I love it but sometimes it gets to be overwhelming.

Have you noticed how many cereals there are? Just talking granola – consider with almonds, with three nut clusters, with maple flavoring, with dried fruit, plus the ten kinds of oatmeal and five kinds of shredded wheat. There are even two kinds of cereal with chocolate chunks. Life (not the cereal) used to be so simple – with one kind of oatmeal, cornflakes, and Cheerios.

Something else I don’t like is the downsizing of the packaging while the price remains the same. Take for instance, toilet paper which used to be ten rolls and is now eight rolls for the same price. And worse than the toilet paper are the paper towels which have shrunk to half their size per sheet so basically, less in size means more to use.

End of rant.

The Trader Joe’s on Campbell/Limberlost applied for a liquor license. While TJ’s in Calif., all sell liquor; this will be the first Tucson location to do so.

On another note, Trader Joe’s Summer Guide 2009 is out and it’s a mini compendium of food product facts.

A 15-ounce bag of sweet potato frites costs $2.29. Dr. Andrew Weil recently posted in his newsletter five veggies that we should be eating for optimum health. Sweet potatoes were listed as a rich source in vitamin C and beta carotene and being low glycemic. 

Please send your food markets and farmers markets news to eat.tucson@yahoo.com