Super G is Super Awesome!

Sometimes two occurrences take place simultaneously that cannot be explained away as mere coincidence.  Fate, destiny, serendipity.  Whatever you want to call it, they happen and you are compelled to action.  My serendipitous moment came when 1) I learned of the Super G Mart's opening in Charlotte, and 2) I ran out of banana ketchup.  Time for a road trip!

The first thing we noticed when we walked in was the smell.  I've found that all "international" markets tend to have the same fish smell.  The second thing we noticed was the huge produce section.  We saw things we recognized and things we didn't.  I saw one woman stuffing handfuls of hot chile peppers into a plastic bag.  Whatever she was making, I was glad I wouldn't be there for it.  We also spent a fair amount of time making fun of herbs that we'd never heard of.  Not so much the herbs themselves, but their names.  Lemons were 7 for 99 cents, which was a much better deal than LA had gotten at his neighborhood supermarket, where they were 75 cents each.

A walk through the meat section of any international or ethnic market can be educational, and Super G Mart's is more educational than most.  I was eyeing pig uteri when I turned around and came face to face with a whole frozen pig.  I think it was staring at me.  Less disturbing, but far more horrifying, were the beef lips.  We couldn't spend too much time pondering those, because we were getting a little creeped out by their appearance.  I didn't get a good look at the variety in the fresh seafood case, as we walked past quickly.  The look on LA's face told me that his morning smoothie may make another appearance if we didn't get out of the area.  I did see live blue crabs, lobsters, and Self Serve shrimp.

In the frozen food section, I picked up a package of shu mai.  I love shu mai.  LA wanted some red bean buns, but all directions where in what I assume was Chinese.  The illustrations on the back led us to believe that the buns could be cooked in a bamboo steamer, a microwave, or a rice cooker.  We couldn't identify any numbers or additional cooking directions, so LA put them back. 

Our favorite aisle was probably that containing the canned foods.  Not because we loved canned foods so much, but because the packaging on the generic brand was so inventive.  The label on the creamed corn had a cartoon corn cob sitting in a creamed corn hot tub, which another corn cob stirred with a giant spoon.  The French green bean can was my favorite:  Two green beans dancing the tango, one outfitted in a stripped shirt and mustache, the other in a pencil skirt and beret.  Another had a mess of beans all wrestling in a ring.  Food labelling doesn't get any better than that.

We hurried past what we called the American Food aisle.  We were there for the strange products with the funny markings on them.  We were successful in the hunt for banana ketchup.  Three large bottles went into my basket.  Any Asian, Middle Eastern, Indian, or Hispanic product that you may want can probably be found at Super G Mart. 

Since we were there on a weekend, another product available in mass quantities was the clueless white Looky Lou.  No matter how long and hard you may stare at a label written entirely in Korean, you are not going to spontaneously begin to understand the Korean language.  The English translation will not pop out at you if you look long and hard and squint with one eye, like the 3-D pictures that were available in the late '90s.  If you can't figure out the label quickly, look at the tag on the shelf.  It's in English.  Then get out of the way of people who are actually trying to buy things.  I'm not against the supermarket tourist, but it's only good manners to go during off-peak hours and move out of the way of paying customers. 

I left Super G Mart with three bottles of banana ketchup, frozen shu mai, and a package of tostada shells.  LA left with a head filled with ideas of meals to come.  We'll definitely be back.  Only we may bring our noseplugs next time (and go on a weekday).

The Super G Mart is located at 7323 S. Independence Blvd, in what was previously a Bi-Lo.  While they do accept credit and debit cards, they are not currently set up to accept EBT/food stamps.  A number of signs around the store, including on the doors and all cash registers, will inform you of this.  If you still try to use your food stamps, please know that the cashiers (and other customers) will laugh at you.  It's not like you haven't been warned.

P.S. This post was going to be far more interesting and eloquent, but my laptop turned evil as I was trying to post and I lost everything I had typed.  I apologize for leaving you with the "I hate my laptop" version.

Banana Ketchup Makes Food Tasty!

One cold, rainy day late last November, LA decided that he was tired of sleeping on the floor and waking up with carpet bits in his hair. He was ready to buy a bed. A stop at a local furniture store secured him one bed, to be delivered the following day. As we walked out of the furniture store, I mentioned running across the street to the “Oriental Market”. Initially, we were unable to get in and thought the door was locked. A woman let us in and told us that the door was sticking. We sadly discovered that Ventiane Oriental Market was in its last few weeks of business. The shelves were on the barren side. Towards the back, near the freezers that were no longer running, was a large wooden table filled with ketchup bottles. We picked up a bottle, labelled “banana ketchup”. LA made a face. I had read somewhere a year or two before about banana ketchup and its deliciousness. To LA’s horror and dismay, I bought a bottle. We walked out into the rain, where I immediately opened the bottle and stuck in a finger. I wanted to try it. It was delicious. Full of doubt, LA did the same. We walked right back in (after a brief fight with the door) and each bought another bottle.

Although we had tacos for lunch, we ordered a side of fries as a testing ground for the ketchup. French fries had never tasted so good. The meatloaf I made using the hot and regular varieties of banana ketchup garnered a marriage proposal from LA. While I did turn down the proposal, I was able to appreciate the sentiment. It was that good. A friend recently stopped by with a fast food lunch and asked if I had any ketchup. Regular ketchup. He doesn’t know what he’s missing.

If you give someone banana ketchup and ask them to describe the taste, you will invariably hear, “I dunno. Weird barbecue sauce?” Weird barbecue sauce perhaps, but also the best culinary discovery that I had made in quite some time. Banana ketchup is brownish in color, unless dyed red to look like tomato ketchup, and very similar to barbecue sauce in that respect.  The consistency also isn't as smooth. As the name implies, banana ketchup in made with bananas instead of tomatoes. Banana ketchup does not taste like bananas, and you would be hard-pressed to identify any banana flavor at all. Even the taste more resembles barbecue sauce than tomato ketchup. Banana ketchup is a bit sweeter and less acidic and vinegary than its tomato counterpart. Many varieties include no vinegar at all, unlike tomato ketchup.

I felt I needed to do a bit of research on the banana ketchup. Where did it come from, and why had I never had it before? Turns out, banana ketchup, or banana sauce, is the #1 condiment in the Phillippines. The Filipinos are really on to something! They put it on spaghetti and pizza—uses that Americans would traditionally give to tomato sauce. LA decided to try it on noodles and declared it a winner. I prefer the more traditional American roles of French fry partner and meatloaf assistant. I may also be hesitant to use it on pizza or spaghetti because I am running low, and it is not as easily acquired now that Ventiane has closed. The most readily available brands of banana ketchup are Baron and Jufran. Jufran is owned by the H.J. Heinz company, which could mean banana ketchup turning up in more traditional outlets in the U.S. than just Asian markets. Baron is a St. Lucian company. A visit to their website begins with calypso music and lyrics devoted to their variey of products, including tomato and banana ketchups and mango chutney. You’ll be singing the song for hours. Both brands are available on Amazon. Another option for the truly adventurous is to make your own banana ketchup. Recipes abound and can easily be found by doing an internet search of “banana ketchup recipe”. I haven’t made any of these yet, although I’m sure I will be before too long. My bottle is almost empty, and I don’t want to envision a future without banana ketchup.

This Little Piggy Went to Market

Every year, with the coming of spring, I count the days until the farmer’s market opens. While I enjoy seeing, smelling and poking all the seasonal produce, brought by local farmers and growers, my heart skips a beat when I contemplate the various and sundry other items on offer. I frequent the Piedmont Farmer’s Market in Kannapolis, which is conveniently located near LA’s apartment. During the winter, a few sellers turn up for a “tailgate market”, but the full market every Saturday, from May through November, brings in the big guns. Not only can you buy produce, but also birdhouses, a bedazzled butterfly blouse, wine stoppers made out of old silverware, and soaps in every color and fragrance. Meats, cheese, and eggs are available from multiple producers (more on those in future posts). Two bakeries were offering breads and pastries. The market isn’t yet in full swing, which left several stalls unoccupied. The pimento cheese lady was missing, as was the blueberry man. I’m sure they’ll turn up as the season progresses. I’ve got my fingers crossed.

One stall that I was very happy to see occupied was that of Deborah’s Kitchen Kreations. LA and I first encountered Deb’s wares at one of the winter tailgate markets. She was offering lemon poppy seed bread and small-batch mustard. Deb’s lemon poppy seed bread is like a pound cake, but lighter. And more heavenly. Full of lemony deliciousness, without the over-processed and stabilized taste of a store-bought cake. (Entenmann’s, eat your heart out.) Better than the bread, however, is the Stone House Mustard. Deb offers samples, and you will be hooked after one taste. The mustard is sweet, like a honey mustard, but not at all cloying, and with a little spiciness.  LA and I each bought a jar that day and it became the centerpiece for that lunch and several that followed.  I made a vinaigrette using the Stone House mustard and apple cider vinegar. We drizzled (or maybe poured) the vinaigrette over spinach, sliced Granny Smith apples, candied walnuts, and feta cheese that we’d also grabbed at the market. For the sake of full disclosure, the salad is an adaptation of one served at Old Stone Vino, but the salad is delicious whether made at the restaurant or at home. (I would recommend using blue cheese, rather than the feta that Old Stone Vino uses.)  Old Stone Vino also offers Stone House mustard with their cheese tray. This mustard has become a go-to every time I make a vinaigrette. Deb recommends it as a glaze for meats and poultry, and LA puts it on all of his sandwiches. I could go on and on about my love of the Stone House mustard, as it is officially my second favorite condiment (nothing can top banana ketchup), but another of Deb's items merits mention. Today Deb also had an olive tapenade. I love olive tapenade in all its guises. Deb uses a variety of olives and leaves it chunky, more like a relish. You would be correct if you already guessed that I wanted to put it on everything. While the products are fantastic, Deb herself will keep you coming back. She obviously enjoys what she’s doing, and this is apparent in everything she sells. She only began selling her items at the markets in November, so anyone who hasn't gone to the markets since last summer may not be familiar with her. Deb is definitely worth seeking out; she'll be the one in the yellow apron.

Now that I’ve thrown a craving on you for some mustard and lemon poppy seed bread, I do have a bit of bad news. Deb won’t be at the Piedmont Farmer’s Market for the next two Saturdays. She will be in Belmont at the Belmont Garibaldi Festival on May 15, then in Harrisburg for the Harrisburg Heritage Craft Day on May 22. She’ll be returning to the Piedmont Farmer’s Market on May 29. You can call or email Deb to order any of her products , then pick them up at one of the markets she’s attending. If you’re smart, you won’t waste any time in doing so.

Please visit Deb’s website Deborah’s Kitchen Kreations for a calendar of events, to find out a little more about Deb, and to order any of her products. You won’t be sorry that you did, but you may be sorry that it took so long!

We are so used to buying everything from corporate giants or faceless producers that it is gratifying to meet and talk to the person growing, raising, or making what it is we’re eating. “Buying locally” is a catchphrase that we see or hear all the time in magazines, books, and on the Food Network, but I remember the days when that was our only real option. I’m less interested in how far the strawberry has traveled than I am in the person who grew it. Everything tastes better when you know it was raised or made with care and attention. I will be returning to the market every Saturday and possibly Tuesday, and a different vendor will be highlighted each week. Check back to find out what items are available and to read about the wonderful people selling them!