Tuesday, May 08, 2007

atrocious grocery, pt 3

The plant inside the dirty glass doors has a sign resting on its soil. "No cigarettes or trash in plant." Not specific enough. There's a fast food cup and mis-matched napkin.


The Stone-Grant Asian Market is a brick and mortar store, the centerpiece of a shopping development mostly abandon. Nestled by empty storefronts, it and a smoke shop are the lone inhabitants of the once modern mall. With its in-house butcher counter, it was surely touted as "convenient for the modern housewife."

We came for the tofu. Fresh, frozen, fried, marinated, canned- they have it all. Vacuum-sealed pickled mustard greens or durian popsicles? No thank you. Partly in response to our culturally acquired tastes and partly for concern of the not-so-thin layer of dust and grime colonizing the market's inventory.

Much has been written on the politics of food availability and cost in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. The formula seems to fit this market as well. A small flock of whole, frozen ducks suffer freezer burn. Ice crystals an inch thick coat dis-colored ribs. Packages of noodles are split and taped closed, the onions are soft and sprouting. Competing for today's atrocious grocery recognition are three common "food" products- aerosol cheese, canned meat loaf and a marshmallow shortbread "treat". Our winner, the Gamesa/Frito-Lay cookies, have not yet expired.


Arcoiris- high fructose corn syrup, enriched flour, coconut, sugar, vegetable shortening, hydrogenated oils.

For those with allergy concerns- this product may contain soy, milk, wheat, and nuts

(side note- anyone into the ghost theory of digital photo orbs? Are these cookies haunted or is that just a reflection from florescent light reflecting off an asbestos floor?)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

new atrocious grocery find
DIET COKE PLUS with essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs
that's just what i look for in my diet soda

owlhouse said...

I feel absolutely cheated. I've been buying AND swallowing my vitamins separate from my diet pop all these years. Essentially paying double and doing extra chewing/digestion.

Whatever happened to the caffeinated water craze?