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Los Angeles Times Valley Edition | Glendale News-Press | 2005 April 9
Tasting treats of all types
BY PATRICK AZADIAN
If I had to name a single food item that I cannot live without, it would have to be Persian cucumbers. These natural snacks make excellent addition to salads, sandwiches, yogurt and are ideal for making crisp pickles. I like them sliced in half, splashed with lime juice and lightly sprinkled with sea salt.
My earliest memory of these crunchy, watery, green fruits (yes, they are fruits) is when my maternal grandfather, Amir, walked into our house with a brown paper bag full of secret treats. He handed the bag to my mom, and within minutes our living room was filled with the aroma of the fresh greens. I was too small to see the top of the table, but as my nostrils led me near the source, Medz-baab (grandpa, in Armenian) handed me a slice accompanied with a smile. From that day on, I was hooked.
Recently, my food supply was running dangerously low, so I headed down to the newly opened, fancy, politically correct supermarket with the green leaf logo.
As I passed by the vegetable stand, I could not help but wonder if it was possible to shop for all my dietary needs at a single store. My mom always reminds me to visit the neighborhood, mom-and-pop Armenian market for fresh vegetables. Still, I was lured by the range of organic, nonfat items available at the supermarket. Nonfat at the Armenian store is practically nonexistent, and healthy is synonymous with Ourfa Kebob, marinated ground beef barbecued alongside chunks of eggplant (thus, the tag "healthy"). Besides, every time a chic market opens up in the area, it's evidence to the fact that Glendale has arrived, or, it's about to arrive real soon. And I, like most residents, want to be a part of that.
After passing by a few childhood acquaintances without making eye contact, I ran into one of my soccer buddies, René, and his girlfriend near the Asian food stand. As is common among the male species of our tribe, we gave one another a hard time as a sign of camaraderie and a show of macho affection.
Soon, René made fun of the soccer jersey I was wearing. I quickly countered by asking him what he was doing at the supermarket.
"Are you trying to be hip by disowning your neighborhood mini-market?" I asked.
As he looked at his girlfriend, he reminded me of my knee injury.
"This is what happens when people get old, " he told her.
My response was quick: "No, this is what happens when you don't play like a fragile teenage ballerina."
But the time had come for a truce; René's girlfriend was becoming antsy because of our adolescent behavior. As we said our goodbyes, I was left staring at my full cart of goodies.
What was I thinking buying cucumbers, tomatoes, Bulgarian feta cheese, bread and pickles from a supermarket? My neighborhood Armenian store carried the same products, cheaper and better. I made another round at the store and slowly returned a few of the items to their stations. I kept the nonfat milk, the oatmeal, the chicken sausage, the lox and the nonfat cream cheese, as well as the sushi and the freshly barbecued Korean beef. I paid and promptly visited the nearby ethnic market on the second leg of my grocery shopping trip.
In the last 20 years, Glendale has become a diverse city in more ways than one. And that gives us choices. To me, having the option of shopping at a high-end supermarket, an Armenian grocery, a Cuban bakery, a Korean mom-and-pop mini-mart, as well as an authentic Mexican food stand is nice. It is the next best thing to traveling to these lands to experience their food and culture firsthand.
So, if you think you are not ready to make friends with your neighbors who may look and act different than what you're used to, if you find it unusual to see their 18-year-old son driving a big yellow Hummer H2, don't be put off. Just knock on their humongous, mansion-style white front door, flanked by the two large marble MGM Grand-style lions and ask: "Where can I buy fresh Persian cucumbers?"
The woman of the house will probably turn out to be friendly, and may even accompany you to the market. She will give you plenty of advice on what to buy, and if you can befriend the diva, she may even introduce you to her secret bargain-basement eyebrow wax and pluck lady. Just remember not to share any of your deep dark secrets with the hair-removal guru.
Copyright 2005 Glendale News Press
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