Feeding a Food Obsession

If you've been reading this blog for a while you know that the Missus goes through periods of extreme food obsession, whether it's something as simple as eating Her way through a flat of strawberries every other day, or as extreme as going through 10 different types of feta cheese over the course of a week. But when there are several overlapping obsessions, we're in line for some major shopping. So on a recent weekend, food obsessions intact we did some shopping. Luckily, the area West of Fairmount Avenue and either University or El Cajon Boulevard is filled with Markets. There is practically a different market, or produce stand, about every two blocks or so. And we're not talking about "chain" supermarkets, either. So here's a typical morning.....

Stop#1 - World Foods Supermarket

Obsession - Purple Sweet Potatoes. The Missus, says this years crop is very good, and tastes even better then Her beloved Okinawan Sweet Potatoes:

She simply roasts them in the oven, and eats them. 7 Pounds of Sweet Potatoes later we're off to our next stop.

World Foods Supermarket
5245 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115

Stop#2 - United Oriental Food Market

I hadn't been back to United Food Market in some time. And made sure to check out the hot table items.

But the Missus had something else in mind. She got a large ($5.00) Green Papaya Salad, which was made on the spot.

This ended up being a large tub of Papaya Salad, though ordered medium, it was pretty spicy. Well, no time for Satay's today, we got one other item on our list, so we're off.....

United Oriental Food Market
5349 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115

Stop #3 - Minh Huong Supermarket

At the Cambodian New Years Festival, the Missus developed one of Her latest obsessions, green mango. This came into full bloom, when I showed Her how ate it "back home", simply green mango with Shoyu and Sugar. She was hooked. We did stop at a few places before this market, which we had never been to, even a market called Minnehaha Food Market, with no luck. As we entered we headed straight for the small but well stocked produce department.

While I wandered around the market.....

The Missus found what she was searching for:

And not a moment too soon. I was about to steal this sign and use it as a name tag:

Minh Huong Supermarket
4770 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

Funny thing, the Missus always tells me she hates shopping in markets, and I usually have to shop solo. Unless there's a obsession that needs to be filled.

Here's the latest. This past week a local supermarket chain has got corn on sale for something like 12 for $2. Now the corn is really not of the greatest quality.

But it's perfect for my Stovetop Smoker:

2 tablespoons of Alder and 18-20 minutes later, and viola!

Pretty decent smoked corn. So it's been 3 days and 9 ears of corn! Hmmm, another obsession in the making????

Comments

[Reid]

Hi Kirk,

You're lucky to have such a wide variety of markets there. We have a few, but many are quite small. My favorites are probably 99 Ranch and Asian Grocery.

[Professor Salt]

Now I'll have try roasting corn in my Cameron's smoker! Thanks for the delici-yoso idea.

[Ted]

You never said if the papaya salad was any good? How was it?

[Kirk]

Hi Reid - Yes, we do have a good number of Asian Markets in San Diego.

Hi PS - The Missus loves corn, and we did a trial run of some smoked duck breast tonight...needs some work on my end.

Hi Ted - Hmmm, you're right. The salad was ok, just spicy and salty, not enough sweet and tangy sour flavors. The portion size for 5 bucks is quite large. Along side where they make the Papaya salad are several different types of Larb as well.

[mizducky]

Oooh! More markets to check out! I've been in World Foods Supermarket, but not the others--definitely going on the list of places I need to pay a visit. I'm also grinning at seeing those Be Wise Ranch produce boxes in one of the market photographs--that's an organic farm just north of San Diego with an active CSA program that I've considered signing up for--except that I'm having too much fun shopping all these Asian markets so close to my new 'hood.

Oh yeah--and now I covet that "don't play with the crab" sign too--would have come in real handy in my old days in the corporate world. :-)

[Kirk]

Hi mizducky - I purposely posted that photo to see if someone noticed! That area has a market on almost every block.

[howie]

My friend loves purple yams too. She makes a dessert with purple yams, ginger and rock sugar. It's very tasty.

The green mango dish sounds pretty tasty. I'll have to give it a try soon.

[Kirk]

Hi Howie - Ain't much to it....green mango with soy sauce and sugar. Of course you could always have it with some bagaong.