Ben A. Weil
Apparently the recession hasn't been very kind to 17th Street Market. I was down in the Warehouse District for Tucson World RefugeeFEST this afternoon and decided to hit 17th Street Market while I was in the area. I was on a mission to buy bitter melons, having never tried them but having decided that I should. I was disappointed to discover that their once large selection of Asian and other exotic produce has all but disappeared. Now they just carry the usual staples of supermarket produce, with just a few unusual items here and there.
I ended up buying some cherry bomb peppers, a can of baby corn, and some dumpling sauce. I stir-fried two of the cherry bomb peppers tonight with organic celery, organic broccoli, and rice noodles. They were good--a nice medium heat, neither too firm nor too soggy after cooking, and very colorful. I might add the rest to a pot of pinto beans for a burrito filler.
I guess I'll have to go to Lee Lee International Supermarket if I want bitter melons. I should also see if they have the Korean melons my mother likes so much--and which I've developed a liking for myself. I might try to go there before going to The Loop Taste of Chicago on Friday (for a party), since it's a bit out of the way for me.
I ended up buying some cherry bomb peppers, a can of baby corn, and some dumpling sauce. I stir-fried two of the cherry bomb peppers tonight with organic celery, organic broccoli, and rice noodles. They were good--a nice medium heat, neither too firm nor too soggy after cooking, and very colorful. I might add the rest to a pot of pinto beans for a burrito filler.
I guess I'll have to go to Lee Lee International Supermarket if I want bitter melons. I should also see if they have the Korean melons my mother likes so much--and which I've developed a liking for myself. I might try to go there before going to The Loop Taste of Chicago on Friday (for a party), since it's a bit out of the way for me.