INTERNATIONAL MARKETS

Words + Photos by Nickolas Paullus

The Western Slope has a thriving local foods scene. A veritable cornucopia, agriculture is diverse and rich, the farmers market and popup options are increasing and the farm-to-table experience is lauded.

And yet, Western Colorado is increasingly cosmopolitan. The highly local and regional characteristics are being balanced by a healthy dose of worldly influence. This is perhaps most evident in the growing number of ethnic markets across the region. They are truly international in that they represent local manifestations of far flung flavors. They serve small neighborhoods all over the Western Slope, with offerings from decidedly distant destinations. They offer a varied view of food culture worldwide, providing novel ideas about what to eat and how to eat it.

The closest to home, geographically, are the Mexican markets. They are also, perhaps, the closest in terms of form. The Carniceria Sonora in Montrose resembles an American market: meat, cheese, produce, dry and bulk goods. Upon closer inspection, though, there is a decidedly unique Mexican character to all of it. Bins of hibiscus blossoms, pristine manzana peppers and chile-lime chapulines (crickets) replace the iced tea, bell peppers and mixed nuts of their American counterparts. The meat counter is diverse and has a near constant procession of fresh cuts and novel offerings, like marinated pulpo (octopus) and short ribs. Likewise, the produce offers remarkable Mexican fruits, like sour prickly pears and fresh guava and mountains of classic Mexican flavors, like epazote and chiltepins

Sometimes, though, ethnic markets offer products for which there are no clear counterparts in other U.S. markets. The new Euromart in Grand Junction carries products like borscht concentrate, Hawthorne flower tea and various forms of dried, pickled and sauced paprika (the U.S. pantry staple is but one of myriad forms the pepper can take). There are diverse pierogies, uniquely spiced Polish cakes and a veritable wall of unique chocolate options. And then, there’s the incomparable Chalwa, a whipped tahini candy with a completely unique, flaky, crystalline texture.

Similarly, pan dulce is an immensely popular food that doesn’t have a clear American counterpart. Primitos Bakery in Olathe has a superficial similarity to a donut shop, but the baked goods are actually a broad spectrum of sweet and semi-sweet breads and cakes. There are head-sized calabezas — lightly sweetened milk rolls — which are the perfect complement to black coffee. Niños are decadent, fruit-filled, coconut-topped roll-cakes. And, cacahuates are giant, peanut-shaped shortbread sandwich cookies filled with sweet cream. The cotija cheese, local tortillas and bundles of chamomile