Mi Pueblo Supermarket

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

A Super Market

What did you do during Summer vacation? I went to a supermarket. Actually, I seek out all kinds of markets every time I travel. I try to visit farmers markets, covered indoor markets, tailgate markets, you name it. I like seeing what's on offer, what people are buying and I usually find some great souvenirs. In France I bought rhubarb and prune jam, in Mexico dulce de leche, in Vietnam lotus-scented and flowering teas, in Spain bitter orange marmalade, in Asheville sourwood honey.

The last supermarket I visited was nothing like any supermarket I'd ever seen before. While I didn't actually purchase anything, I did check out every department. What sets this supermarket apart from the rest was that it's an interesting reflection of where many supermarkets might just be heading.

So what does the supermarket of the future look like? It looks a lot more like a high-end specialty market. It features many distinctive departments such as a bakery that continually bakes fresh breads, a wood-fired pizza oven, 300 cheeses, a wine section with over 2,000 wines and a tasting bar with noted guest winemakers stopping by such as Mike Grgich and Suzanne Groth, a gelato bar, sushi made to order, coffee blended and roasted to order, a nut bar with fresh roasted nuts, a Callebaut chocolate dipping bar, Riedel glassware, Williams-Sonoma cookbooks, a beautiful fresh seafood display and a particular emphasis on local products. Store executives explained that in every region there are some specific local products that shoppers seek. At the Livermore store there was an impressive section of Livermore wines, olives and olive oils, not found in any other supermarket. There was local honey too. Not your typical supermarket experience! But maybe someday it will be.

For more about local produce showing up at traditional supermarkets, check out this podcast on NPR

FOOD + SUPERMARKET