Helloo Lovely Cancun Care Members!! I want to do a little cooking when I come down next month but I was just wondering what are the major differences between Mexican grocerie stores and Canadian grocerie stores, are they more or less the same? I visited the Walmart when I was there last week and I loved it- it had everything!! But I didn't give the isles a thorough glance so I'm wondering if I'll find relatively everything I need there that I would get here, ie. Salad dressings, herbs-rosemary, basil etc. The butter has a very different flavor, I don't know if that is just because it is resort butter or if the butter there just has its own distinct flavor. I'm pretty flexible but just curious of my selection. Thanks for your help!!
oh and spring roll wrappers?? I've seen a few japanese restaurants around, where could I find some, does anyone know??
I can't help on your questions for obvious reasons, but I am looking forward to eating your food. :lol:
Butter here is pretty bad...always tastes old with a hint of rancidity to me. Sometimes you can get expensive imported butter from New Zealand or the Netherlands (I think it is), but they are not always available. Mexico has a culture of cheese but not of butter, fresh milk or fresh cream... As for your other, bigger question...I've been here 6 years and I'm still adapting to, and frustrated with, the supermarkets here. The fruit selection here is great...but some basic spices are often difficult to find...I have never seen tamari here...it's impossible to get decent peanut butter here...I don't want to finish the list because it would make me depressed. How well you adapt to the supermarkets here will have to do with what you eat and how you like to cook. Some people have an easy time with supermarkets here...others no.
You'll find most, but not all you need in the grocery departments of Walmart and the other big stores. You are absolutely correct about the "different" taste of Mexican butter, but you can get Lurepak butter from Denmark and Anchor butter from New Zealand. Both taste like the butter most Americans and Canadians are used to (actually better than) and are available in salted and non-salted versions. You do pay a small price premium, but it's worth it. Costco also carries Elle & Vire butter, a French butter that is exquisite, especially for baking and cooking, but the incredibly high butterfat content is an invitation to a life on Lipitor . As RG says, you will not find everything, but on the other hand, you'll find spices, vegetables and fruits you won't find north of the border, or in your case north of both borders, and as my wife has discovered, the people who are bumping elbows with you in the aisles will be more than happy to suggest how to prepare the strange looking lump you're holding in your hand. We have had several excellent gustatory adventures that started as a question in front of the vegetable bin.
Gustatory - Hey mix, does that translate. On my trips to the states I am always returning with permitted and not so permitted items. I guess my worst offense is frozen Jimmy Dean Whole Pork Hot Sausage. At the moment I am out of the prepared horseradish, but only because I forgot the new jar I had in my frig in Florida. And most of my spices came from the states. And Cancungrl you should bring your own spring roll wrappers IMHO as well as some powdered Wasabi which I have not found here. Good luck
Gustatory Main Entry: gus·ta·to·ry Pronunciation: \ˈgəs-tə-ˌtȯr-ē\ Function: adjective Date: 1684 : relating to or associated with eating or the sense of taste — gus·ta·to·ri·ly \ˌgəs-tə-ˈtȯr-ə-lē\ adverb In Spanish: gustativo, so yes it does translate . Try the Asian section of Superama for powdered wasabi. As with all else in Cancun, they don't have it all the time, so your mileage will vary. They also have a good selection of noodles, plum and hoisen sauces, orange sauce and across the aisle some good curry sauces from Azda as well as the usual suspects from Patek. You will also find (again, subject to the whim of the winds) seaweed wrappers, spring roll wrappers, quai tze and other stuff. Happy hunting. As I write this the better half is preparing Thai noodles with peanut sauce. Life is good.
