International grocery stores offer a taste of home, cater to adventurous cooks BY CINDY GERLACH STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY
Around the world,
one market at a time
F
or some, a visit to an international grocery store is about acquiring the proper ingredients to create authentic ethnic cuisine. Yet for others, it’s a way to feel at home. Jenny Hwang, manager of Hana Market in West Lafayette, says shopping at Hana Market evokes fond memories, where shoppers can be surrounded by the familiar sights and smells that remind them of home. “We try to carry lots of food for students,” she says. “They’re far away from home.” The presence of Purdue University, and its population of international students – one of the highest for a major university in the country – means that grocery stores that cater to that population are plentiful. Yet the stores are also popular for people with an epicurean streak, as it’s possible to get the best possible ingredients for one’s culinary endeavors. The stores feature authentic items – some fresh, some frozen, some ready to eat – and right in your own backyard.
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ALDI 210 SAGAMORE PARKWAY, WEST LAFAYETTE and 957 SAGAMORE PARKWAY, LAFAYETTE
ASIA MARKET 2400 YEAGER ROAD, WEST LAFAYETTE Asia Market caters to multiple ethnic palates. Aisles are clearly labeled,
Maybe you don’t know that shop-
noting food items from Africa, India,
ping at Aldi is actually a German su-
Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines,
permarket experience. This explains
Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia,
why you must pay a deposit, or
Singapore, China and Taiwan. Fresh
pfand, when you pick up your shop-
and frozen meats, rice in bulk, and
ping cart, which is refunded upon
frozen items are all available, as are
its return. Shoppers are encouraged
spices, sauces and easy-to-prepare
to bring their own bags; Aldi does
foods. Dishes and housewares are
have plastic bags, but customers are
also available.
charged for them – another German practice. Aldi, a no-frills supermarket, carries standard grocery items,
BETTER WORLD MARKET 402 BROWN ST., WEST LAFAYETTE
but many of them are European brands. Its housewares are a hit, but
Better World Market is hidden
as regulars at Aldi know, you can’t
just off the West Lafayette levee,
depend on finding items from one
tucked in behind Tapawingo Park
week to the next. At Christmastime,
and Wabash Landing. A fairly large
Aldi is the best place in town to find
supermarket, it carries a variety of
traditional German holiday treats,
items that cater to its Asian clientele.
such as mulled wine, or Gluhwein,
The store carries a variety of vege-
and chocolate advent calendars.
tables, from lotus root to Japanese
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