THE ASIAN GROCERY STORE DEMYSTIFIED
THE INDIAN GROCERY STORE DEMYSTIFIED
Linda Bladholm
No photos, but some drawings
When we lived in Boston we spent the better part of almost every weekend in its compact but bustling Chinatown. We loved to prowl up and down the aisles of every grocer within the half-mile radius, marveling at the variety and sheer volume of things I had no idea how to cook with. It was great fun. It was even greater fun when I discovered this book and could either search out specific things to try out, or could look up some mystifying package of dried herbs and stems (see Bah Kut The, 159) or bottle of dark gloop staring at me from a crowded shelf perch.
If you’ve ever wondered why the Essence of Chicken is usually behind the cashier’s counter (it’s not an alternative to chicken broth) or what on earth you would do with cordyceps or fish paste, and could not get a cogent answer from any of the staff at the grocery, this is your book. With nineteen separate food categories (Rice, Noodles, Starches, Oils, Vegetables, Herbs, Fresh Fruit, Soy Products, Eggs & Preserved Meats, Pickles, Dried Goods & Spices, Canned Goods, Snacks & Sweets, Teas, Chinese Herbs [medicinal], Japanese products, Exotics, Other Asian), there are descriptions, how-to-use tips, and brand name recommendations throughout. At the end of each chapter is a helpful section called “Stocking Up” with suggestions for the most useful things from that category to keep on hand if you are just beginning to build an Asian pantry.
There is a meager appendix which includes passing references to a few tools, cooking methods, glossary and recipes. However, since this one volume purports to cover the “Asian” grocer and includes Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Filipino, Thai and Vietnamese items, it isn’t as comprehensive as Ms. Bladholm’s later separate compilations on Indian and Hispanic grocers. Still, it’s a great starting point for the culinary explorer willing to venture beyond the supermarket aisle.
