Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Mi Pueblo Es Su Pueblo...

According to WordNet 1.7.1 by Princeton University, pueblo means a communal village built by Indians in the southwestern U.S, but in Spanish, pueblo means something more general. The Spanish definition incorporates folk, nation, people. And what could be more a fitting representation than Mi Pueblo Supermarket on High Street in Oakland. The store captures Latin culture through food, language, and basically, the way it does things. The departments are all labeled in Spanish: Carniceria, Panaderia, Deli Mex, Tortilleria, and Servicio Al Cliente, but in each department, we saw upwards to a dozen people working a single department. Everything we super clean, bright and very happy. The food displayed in each department highlighted ingredients and dishes used in cuisines from all over Mexico. In the panaderia, there was flan, jello with whipped cream, and sugar cookies, and they displayed a hug array of meats and animal parts in the carniceria. Yum... beef tongue. Also amazing was their own freshly made yogurts and variety of Mexican cheeses. They even let you taste their cheeses, dips, and tortilla chips. It's always the way for Jen and I to find these great places long after we should have, but we're happy to have found it! If you're in the neighborhood looking for a great grocery store, check out Mi Pueblo for their wide selection of fresh foods and baked goods in a clean, friendly environment.



Culinary Word of the Day: Queso oaxaca
A soft, Mexican cheese with the consistency of string cheese. Also known as quesillo, this is by far the most popular cheese for making quesadillas. It is a stretched curd cheese, kneaded and wound into balls. It should be pulled apart into thin strings before using to fill tortillas or melted on cooked food. Source: Queso Mexicano

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