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[ Thursday, Jan. 27, 2005 ]

World of taste in local markets

By Dan Schwartzman email
Collegian Staff Writer

The tightly stocked shelves of several specialty grocery stores around State College supply a world of different tastes, textures and flavors. Many of these stores are oases of ethnic goods that otherwise would not be available at larger markets.

Clara Wang has owned the International Market, 328 S. Allen St., for 21 of her 31 years in State College. Wang says the store draws a range of students, professors and locals, both American and international. Every day this translates into customers coming in who hail from all over the globe.

"This is a big world," Wang says, stepping past a display of Turkish pickles. "American students go abroad and then they come back and look for these foods."

Wang smiles as she spouts a list of the countries of the products and customers found at her store.

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Experiment
Whether in the kitchen or eating out, resist the tendency to do the same thing. Try new spices, vary proportions and eat new foods. Even if you are bored or boring, do not impose this blandness on your taste buds.

"African, South American, Indian, Pakistani, Korean, Philippino," Wang says. After a brief pause, she adds, "Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese."

The store is divided by ethnicity. Most goods are imported from overseas and come to the market via a distributor. Wang monitors the stock of several African goods, such as yam flour and cassava grits, in the back of the store.

Within a few strides, she glides past Middle-Eastern spices like caraway seeds and thyme, dried lemon from Iran and oregano from Greece.

"One of the most important things I have here are the spices," Wang says -- many of which she packed herself, by apportioning them in small bags with different prices. Customers return to pick up a few items to finish a recipe or to do several weeks worth of shopping.

Returning customers are a large contingent of shoppers at Krishan Indian Grocery, 230A W. College Ave., owner Kamlesh Bhatia said.

"The whole thing depends on the students," Bhatia says. "They are mostly Indian, Pakistani and Asian."

Bhatia says spices including garam masala and turmeric powder are among the most popular products.
PHOTO: Jesse Bright/Collegian
PHOTO: Jesse Bright/Collegian
Food imported from all over the world can be found at local markets.


"We keep everything in small quantities," Bhatia says. "We are always eating the same foods, so we know exactly what is required in the kitchen."

A lot of the goods in the store are taken home to make meals, such as lentils and vegetables. The small store with three narrow aisles also sells soaps, beverages, cookbooks, jewelry and a selection of Indian DVDs and VHS tapes, available to buy or rent.

Debra Tippeconnic recently became the new owner of Ciao Italia, 111 N. Butz St. Inspired by a love of cooking, Tippeconnic expanded the store's offerings, adding catering and broadening lunch and dinner options.

The market provides select products such as olive oil, pasta, sauces and cheeses. Fresh pasta is made regularly and on Saturdays there are home made breads.

Many of the market's goods come from within the state, but some travel from Italy, which appeal to the shoppers.

"A lot of students from Philly, Pittsburgh and New York are like, 'oh, this is just like the deli I have around the corner at home,' " Tippeconnic says.

The appeal of getting unique goods is what motivated Tim Tran and Becky Vuong, husband and wife and co-owners, of Far Corners Asian Market, 1101 N. Atherton St, to expand their store.

Fresh vegetables, including bitter melon and Chinese eggplant, now arrive twice weekly.

"We are the largest Asian market within 100 miles." Tran says. "Some people travel from as far as Clearfield and DuBois to come here."

Many of the products are from overseas. One side of an aisle stocks noodles that arrive from all over the world, including Japan, China and Korea.

"The taste and the texture are different," Tran says. Another fridge is devoted to dozens of kinds of tofu. Wandering down the end of a wide, well-lit aisle, Tran passes a display of different kinds of miso from Japan. He estimates that about half of the products are imported.

Many owners said they did not consider larger supermarkets to be their competition. By providing different goods and broader variety, storeowners said they were able to create a niche market.

Additionally, Tran and Vuong, among other owners, said that, in helping customers, their store has a more personal feel where ideas about recipes and ingredients can be shared.

PHOTO: Jesse Bright/Collegian
PHOTO: Jesse Bright/Collegian
Many markets in and around State College provide international students with a chance to purchase food that reminds them of home.
 

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