I'm pretty sure I saw the guy in the white shirt from One Republic in our Persian owned Kosher market the other day. He was standing by the bakery counter in jeans and big sneakers and was slightly taller than me.
Posted on 07/03/2009 9:14:47 AM PDT by meowmeow
This morning I realized I forgot to buy bread so since it was nice morning, I walked down the street to the Latino grocery store.
It was actually nicer than my usual grocery store - smaller, but neat and clean, all the check-out stands were open, and I was the only white person in there. Now that isn't unusual at my regular grocery store, but there people don't stare at me.
Anyway, I was blown away by the produce and meat sections. Everything looked really nice (as opposed to my regular grocery store) and I didn't know what half of it was! So my question to cooks is, can anyone recommend a cookbook or web site where I can see how to actually prepare cactus pads and strange root looking things and whole fish that still have the heads on? The food looks great and I am always trying to learn to cook new things and this place is convenient and cheap. I'm sure all the 5' tall housewives I saw shopping there know exactly what to do with it but tall WASP girl needs help. A quick look through my extensive cook book collection proved futile.
I draw the line at chicken feet however.
For the cactus pads you mention— Google “nopales,” which are made from them. They’re very good.
Here’s a link I just found:
http://www.desertusa.com/magdec97/eating/nopales.html
Why not ask some of the women shopping there how they would prepare some of the food in the store? They can probably suggest some pretty good family recipes.
That’s what I did once when I was in a Thai gorcery store in LA, and I ended up going out with one of the attractive Thai shop girls.
I’ve found the ethnic grocery stores are the best for good food.. I would suggest going to egullet.com, this is a foodie forum where tons of professional chefs (and some celebrity chefs as well) chat about just this, share recipes, and just bs about food..
You think so? My dad loves them, but I can’t stand the taste. Kinda bitter and slimy to me. I tend to like to go to stores like that, there’s a middle eastern and japanese grocery around here; I’m kinda afraid to buy something because I don’t want to have to throw it away if I don’t like the way it tastes.
Try nopales pickled.. yum... also gets rid of most of that slimy bitter stuff you don’t like.
http://wiki.foodhacking.com/index.php?title=Pickled_Nopales
/johnny
>> I ended up going out with one of the attractive Thai shop girls.
Was it just a fling, or did you thai the knot?
Awesome...thanks!
okay, now I'm curious...if I could get past the yuck-factor. And not tell my husband...
I don’t quite think the sorts you meet in a Hispanic grocery would hablo ingles.
>> whole fish that still have the heads on... chicken feet
You sure it was a Latino market? Not an Asian market?
BTW, on the chicken feet, it took awhile before I worked up the guts (no pun intended) to try them (and I’m adventurous when it comes to food). They’re actually pretty good! Taste like (c’mon you know what’s coming)...
Chicken.
Mexican Family Favorites Cook Book by Maria Teresa Bermudez.
Mexican Border Flavors - The Beautiful Cookbook : Authentic Recipes from Mexico & Texas by Susanna Palazuelos
Mexican Culinary Treasures: Recipes From Maria Elena's Kitchen by Maria Elena Cuervo-Lorens
Also, Rick Bayless and Diana Kennedy have excellent cookbooks.
I am assuming your Latin market is Mexican.
The fish is probably gutted and scaled, just has the head on. Put it in a fry pan with a lid, pour in about an inch of coconut milk (you’ll find that at the store in a can) and simmer it, head and all)...you might want to put some sliced onions and seasonings in the body cavity while you’re steaming it. When the fish flakes to a fork it’s done.
Well, some Thaiing up did happen....
Best thing to do is befriend a hispanic cook and learn from them. I was fortunate that in many of my restaurant internships, I had hispanic cooks that taught me the real deal. I learned more from them than culinary school.
/johnny
On an American farm, I don’t think it’d be unusual to see chicken feet sticking up out of the gravy that they serve in the morning with biscuits...at least that’s how it was done when I was growing up when we’d visit relative’s farms.
I'm pretty sure I saw the guy in the white shirt from One Republic in our Persian owned Kosher market the other day. He was standing by the bakery counter in jeans and big sneakers and was slightly taller than me.
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