Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch 99 …

Published on Thursday, November 2, 2006, by MiriamWolf / Edit Post

You certainly would never find a box of Hamburger Helper or Shake ‘N Bake lurking on my pantry shelves. But it’s not because I’m a from-scratch purist. Open my freezer and behold a bounty of veggie potstickers, custard buns, and edamame all ready to steam up for dinner. Open my cupboards and you’re likely to find packages of Patak’s palak paneer or a jar of Indonesian “simmer sauce.”

While food enthusiasts like myself may scoff at packaged “American” foods, somehow packaged foods from other countries and cultures seem just all around more acceptable.

That mindset is helping ethnic grocers to grow. An Associated Press article picked up by the Modesto Bee, among others, looks at the growth of Asian, Mexican, Indian, and other ethnic markets across the country.

But you don’t have to be a sociologist or business analyst to notice that ethnic grocery stores are hot—just drop over to your local 99 Ranch Market on a Saturday and try to find a space in the parking lot.

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POST A COMMENT |7 Comments

COMMENT

  • I live in Glover Park, and Han Ah Reum seems to be about the closest market (at 11 miles away) -- thanks for the tip, lax2mia.

    My parents told me they watched a special on some Hong Kong TV station about how pickled mustard greens are made in China. Ever since watching the special, they do not buy pickled mustard greens any more. Supposedly, all the mustard is thrown into a vat and the people...+READ

    I live in Glover Park, and Han Ah Reum seems to be about the closest market (at 11 miles away) -- thanks for the tip, lax2mia.

    My parents told me they watched a special on some Hong Kong TV station about how pickled mustard greens are made in China. Ever since watching the special, they do not buy pickled mustard greens any more. Supposedly, all the mustard is thrown into a vat and the people who work on the mustard step barefoot into the vat while brining the leaves.

    I'm sure the brine kills any bacteria and if I knew how things like foie gras, fish sauce, and other things were really made, I wouldn't eat any of them. But still, the TV piece was really about how health codes are not enforced in China food production.-COLLAPSE

  • Re: the banned ingredients, Garden brand's strawberry wafer cookies pass the US prohibition on food products made with "foreign matter," but when I bought the same cookies in the UK, cochineal (a red colorant derived from insects) was responsible for the biscuits' pretty pink hue.

  • DC? You've got Han Ah Reum nearby somehwhere. I lived in Chevy Chase and would go every weekend.

  • Omigod -- I am totally with you on the BBQ pork buns. I miss Ranch 99. I just moved to DC from Redwood City, and have had a difficult time finding good ethnic markets.

  • Thanks for your comments! Oh yes, I am definitely familiar with the pull-date issue. I've seen some pretty ancient items at different groceries. And I agree that processed food is processed food -- I was kind of poking fun at myself for my culinary pretensions. But now that I have moved away from the Bay Area and its delicious dim sum houses, sometimes those frozen steam buns just call my name!

  • I agree with chubbybunny... some countries do not enforce health codes as strictly as others. But also beware of the labels themselves -- sometimes the information is inaccurate. The person doing the English translation for the label might not have a strong grasp of the language, or the manufacturer might be lax in listing every ingredient, or sometimes even a deliberate inaccuracy just to get...+READ

    I agree with chubbybunny... some countries do not enforce health codes as strictly as others. But also beware of the labels themselves -- sometimes the information is inaccurate. The person doing the English translation for the label might not have a strong grasp of the language, or the manufacturer might be lax in listing every ingredient, or sometimes even a deliberate inaccuracy just to get through customs.-COLLAPSE

  • Growing up, my dad worked at an Asian supermarket and our family ate a lot of Chinese food (we're Chinese). All I have to say is beware of processed foods from Asia, where health codes are not as strict as they are in the US. Everyone should read the labels. Chinese supermarkets tend to keep stuff out on the shelf way longer than their shelf-life.

    For example, I recently purchased Mae Ploy...+READ

    Growing up, my dad worked at an Asian supermarket and our family ate a lot of Chinese food (we're Chinese). All I have to say is beware of processed foods from Asia, where health codes are not as strict as they are in the US. Everyone should read the labels. Chinese supermarkets tend to keep stuff out on the shelf way longer than their shelf-life.

    For example, I recently purchased Mae Ploy curry paste from a Korean grocer in Northern Virginia. Most of the paste on the shelves had expirations dates dated 2005! The curry should have been removed from the shelf a year ago!

    I tend to shop at Asian supermarkets for their local and cheap produce and meats. Asians tend to cook more seafood and you can tell - there's high turnover of meat at Asian supermarkets and things tend to stay much fresher than at American markets. Fish, crabs, and shrimp are usually still alive at the time of purchase.
    You're also more likely to support local produce by shopping at Asian supermarkets because they tend to do buy more from local farmers. And then on top of all of this, everything is MUCH cheaper to buy. This is mostly because of the low wages Asian supermarkets tend to pay their workers (many of whom are illegal aliens).

    In any case, don't fall prey to es not mean it's somehow good for ethnic chic -- just b/c it's not-American doyou. Processed food is still processed food.-COLLAPSE