Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Treats from Food Mart International

We eat right from our own backyard as much as we can around here, but every once in awhile we get craving for something from far away -- maybe even very far away.  Maybe even as far away from our backyard as you can get.  Spring Valley's Food Mart International is an incredible resource for local cooks.  I try to get there at least a couple of times a year.  It's a safe bet that I'll find things like papaya, lemongrass, okra or Asian greens if I'm looking for them here.  I've seen acerola and lychee nuts, too.  They have an awesome produce selection. 


You can also get a variety of fresh seafood.


Is this the brand of rice noodles that I use for the Vietnamese spring rolls?


Or is it one of these?


I'd been craving the Carribbean Vegetable Stew from the Moosewood Cookbook, but couldn't find okra anywhere in Nyack.  Found it here fresh, and with backup, frozen.












They really need to stock up on their coconut milk. Geez!

This is my favorite kind of tea-- at my favorite price.


If spice is your thing, you'll find an amazing selection of chiles and hot sauces.


I always buy a small bottle of sesame oil. 


They didn't have my regular brand of Mexican chocolate this time, so I got this one.


Curious.....? Lactic acid in popsicle form?   Anybody had this?


Just in case you were wondering where you might find whole frozen pig parts.  (Heads, too!)


My regular freezer section purchases - tamales and potstickers.










Laugh if you like, but if you add this hot pink Jamaican grapefruit soda to some cheap red wine with a few chunks of fruit, you'll have some terrific sangria.


So, help me out for my next visit.   I know there's still plenty to be discovered here... what else should I be looking for?

Speaking of cooking, Christopher Kimball from America's Test Kitchen tweeted the following recipe today - I love the way he got it down to 140 characters!  But what does "nap tips" mean??

STEAK TIPS: Wsk 1/3 c mol, 1/4 cdr vin, 1/2 t red p flks, 1/4 t slt; Sauté 1 1/2 lbs stk tips w/ T oil, remve, add sauce, reduce, nap tips.

20 comments:

Devon Ellington said...

That looks fabulous. I may have to drive up to check it out one day!

Lzyjo said...

What an incredible grocery store!!! That coconut section is unbelievable!!

Ronda Laveen said...

What a fantastic store. Never heard of Lactic Acid bars. Did you buy them?

I'm on the hunt for some most excellent black licorice.

Joanne said...

Oy, I have a hard enough time navigating the aisles of Stop & Shop and cooking American :/

I'd be lost here, and even more lost trying to cook it in the kitchen! It all looks amazing, but with my culinary skills, I'd probably end up making a grilled cheese sandwich :)

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TALON said...

Seeing all those different ingredients has got to be inspiring! What an amazing store!

At first I was thinking the chef was saying you'd be sleepy after the meal and need a nap or something...but I think it means to cover the steak tips with the sauce :)

Now I'm craving some sangria!

Ash said...

If I happen to come down.... I know where to find u.....& your favorite stuffs..... The coconut milk sections is truly...Geez!!!!!

Happy Celebrations!!!

Ash....
(http://asha-oceanichope.blogspot.com/)

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness and they are so clean too. You make me smile so big when you talk. I just want to be with you and have the same experience not to mention learn to cook like you do.

The sangria sounds good. Bring some and we'll sit on my front porch together. They make peach sangria down here and it is to die for.

I'm gonna grow okra next year in my garden. I love it too.

Lynn said...

I want to go! Don't you love a great grocery store?

nesting melly said...

thank you! i have always wondered what the inside of the international market was like. the size of the store always looks so daunting. it looks like i can find some treats there. i have been meaning to make a malaysian dessert called "mochi cake" that i had at "the fatty crab" in the city. it was so yummy - if you have a sweet tooth like me. anyway, i have yet to find the main ingredient, mochi flour! thanks for the peek inside!

Wanderer said...

I've seen their frozen guinea pigs, but have never tried them. It is a great store, I enjoy wandering and looking at everything.

JGH said...

Devon - when you do, let me know what you bought, ok?

Lzyjo - Yes, no shortage of cocount milk there.

Ronda - didn't buy the lactic acid. Hoping someone else will try them first ;-) What brand of licorice do you like?

Joanne - they do have Velveeta there.

Hey Lazy -where'd you go?

Talon, of course! Cover the tips. Makes sense to me.

Ash, would love to take you there someday.

Anna, is okra easy to grow? I may try it too. Is the peach sangria white or red? I love anything peach.

Lynn, this is definitely one of the best.

Melly, that's a new one on me--mochi cake?! I'll keep an eye out for the flour.

Catskill, been meaning to tell you that I saw a new H Mart open in Ft. Lee right off the Palisades. Gotta check it out!

Patti Lacy said...

A FOODIE who visits writer sites! Love it!!!!!

Oh, has my life changed since I went organic, slow food, international.

Tonight? Southern gumbo made by boiling my Amish turkey till the bones bleached white and all the meat fell off and got plopped into the roux mixture, crusty sourdough bread, wild greens salad, baklava and Paula Deen's pumpkin pie (yes, a residual from Thanksgiving.)

Would love to see you at my site. www.pattilacy.com/blog.

There's a contest!

BTW, how do you keep up with THREE blogs??????????????

Pix E. said...

I have to try that chocolate.

Karen said...

Oh, we have some stores like that around us and I visit them like a food tourist, but tend to buy stuff I bring home and then have little idea how to use. I'm sure any skinny rice noodles would be okay for spring rolls, and my latest quest is for tofu skins to make inari that don't have MSG or other bad stuff in them. Sometimes hard to tell from those labels if you don't read Asian languages! Thanks for the tour, but I'll pass on lactic acid pops. :)

Pam J. said...

About 5 miles from my house there are two grocery stores identical to this one. And I mean identical. I shopped at one of them just a few days ago and I could have taken these exact pictures! You're so right about the produce being awesome. Well-traveled no doubt but awesome.

JGH said...

Patti, I haven't made gumbo in awhile, but now you've got me in the mood. Are you using okra? I read recently that okra is only supposed to go in seafood gumbos.

Squirrel, the chocolate that I like comes in a big, octagon-shaped block, sectioned like a pie. You break off a piece and dissolve in milk- best hot chocolate ever!

Karen & Pam - how cool that you guys have these markets too! I'd love to know about any treasures you find there. I don't think I've seen tofu skins, but then, I haven't been looking for them.

Noelle Johnson said...

What an amazing collection of different types of food. I would have to spend hours there :-D

Pix E. said...

The octagonal chocolate in a yellow and red box--I used to buy it in haverstraw! I forgot all about it!

Unknown said...

How about Brazilian coffee? Brazil nuts? Black beans for feijoada? Guaraná?