Have I mentioned how much I truly enjoy grocery shopping? I might not even buy anything but no matter where I go, home or away, I am fascinated to see what is on offer. As my friend Joe Kowalke says, "Grocery shopping is my baseball." And I am an equal opportunity shopper. I like everything from fancy shops like Dean & Deluca that carry artisanal products, to Asian, Middle Eastern and Russian grocery stores and even supermarkets. I like discovering spices, produce, cheeses, sausages, prepared foods, baked goods, even packaged food I've never seen before and noticing what people are buying.
My latest shopping discovery comes courtesy of my dad, who shares my love of grocery shopping. It's Mi Pueblo, a supermarket that serves the local community in the Canal District of San Rafael. It's the first Latino supermarket I've ever visited and I loved it! There were so many interesting things to see like yards of chorizo, aisles of packaged flan, exotic spiky vegetables and piles of piioncillo sugar. There's even a taqueria and a panaderia right inside the store.
The prices for fresh produce were very reasonable and they carry many unusual things like fresh garbanzo beans and all types of crema that I can't easily find elsewhere, so I know I will be back again. The chickens roasting over mesquite smelled amazing and the guy out front selling oysters in shell was doing a bustling business. I probably won't be buying margaritas in a can or Peruvian soy sauce, but I now know where to find both under one roof!
Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer
See the slide show of my visit to Mi Pueblo.
More posts and stories on Mi Pueblo:
Julie's Update
Silicon Valley Moms
Marin Retail Buzz
Marin Independent Journal