H-mart, wet market, 7-11 cuisine and other off topic gas station foods.

#23
I used to shop at what I thought was the original location on 32nd St. where they had the big bags of rice stacked up right when you walked in the door. Also one of the one's on Northern Blvd where they were stacked up outside by the entrance. Now the one's in Manhattan you can't even find the largest sizes of most staples at all.

From what I understand the Chinatown places have better prices on produce because they actually have their own networks of somewhat local farmers.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-fruits-and-veggies-are-so-crazy-cheap-in-chinatown-1466762400
Chinese have a truly vast variety of ingredients. Nobody in the world comes close. Japanese and Korean have a mere fraction of their menu. Because, thousands of years ago, the ancient Chinese seers analysed everything in nature and its affect on the human system. NOTHING WAS TABOO. If it could not be used for food, it would be used for medicine. Every plant and animal was documented and categorized in ancient texts according to its qualities and usefulness. And, the roots, stems, branches, twigs, leaves, inner and outer barks and flowers, were micro-studied because different parts of the same plant or tree had completely different properties. BIG JOB. But, back then, life was lived with a sense of awe, admiration and privilege to be human. Their ancient culture was truly profound with respect to understanding unity in complexity.

Back a while, I was mongering in Manhattan Chinatown, and there was a store that could be entered on Elizabeth Street and exited on the next street over going towards the bridge, along Canal Street. I was shocked to see a half butchered aligator. Fricken thing was scary looking, with his massive arm freshly severed off at the shoulder, revealing all the ligaments, bone and fresh, rich red blood. It was probably used more for a medicinal and nutritional dish for asthma.

Back around the early 2000's, when my kids were young and I used to take them and their friends into Flushing, Chinatown to tour the food stores because you would see live animals there waiting to be butchered that you would never see in a local zoo. Wood crates with massive rare types of flat turtles, pigeons, bullfrogs, snakes, reptiles, rare birds. There were almost no restrictions back then. It was a wild scene, and there were many live poultry houses in the area where you pick out your chicken or fowl and they would kill it, defeather it and gut it. They were almost trying to duplicate the famous China wet markets in New York. And, in a Chinese wet market, ANYTHING can be gotten, including, cat, dog, rat, bat, bear, wolf; you name it. Nothing wrong with it. It is just a carry-over from a truly ancient unbroken culture. Back then, the variety of vegetables they carried in Flushing was unbelievable. I could not name 70% of them.

But, Japanese and Korean, tempered by Buddhism, cultivated more simplicity, and it is reflected in the H-Mart style. and, it is a beautiful simplicity.

Some of you might remember, before H-Mart, the much smaller chain in Flushing and Manhattan that served the Korean community was "Sam Bok," and Kwon's on Union Street. The Korean Sam Bok Market on Main Street Flushing became, I believe, the Chinese "Kam Sen" Market, when Flushing was more an equal confluence-- in the early 80's, after the Japanese decided to depart for Fort Lee, New Jersey-- of mostly Korean and Taiwanese culture in the central hub. Soon thereafter came the huge migration from mainland China to Flushing center and the Koreans took up Northern Boulevard right through Queens, into Long Island.

(ONLY GOD KNOWS WHAT PUNISHMENT AND HATE MAIL AWAITS ME FOR THIS RANT!!!)
 
#24
Chinese have a truly vast variety of ingredients. Nobody in the world comes close. Japanese and Korean have a mere fraction of their menu. Because, thousands of years ago, the ancient Chinese seers analysed everything in nature and its affect on the human system. NOTHING WAS TABOO. If it could not be used for food, it would be used for medicine. Every plant and animal was documented and categorized in ancient texts according to its qualities and usefulness. And, the roots, stems, branches, twigs, leaves, inner and outer barks and flowers, were micro-studied because different parts of the same plant or tree had completely different properties. BIG JOB. But, back then, life was lived with a sense of awe, admiration and privilege to be human. Their ancient culture was truly profound with respect to understanding unity in complexity.

Back a while, I was mongering in Manhattan Chinatown, and there was a store that could be entered on Elizabeth Street and exited on the next street over going towards the bridge, along Canal Street. I was shocked to see a half butchered aligator. Fricken thing was scary looking, with his massive arm freshly severed off at the shoulder, revealing all the ligaments, bone and fresh, rich red blood. It was probably used more for a medicinal and nutritional dish for asthma.

Back around the early 2000's, when my kids were young and I used to take them and their friends into Flushing, Chinatown to tour the food stores because you would see live animals there waiting to be butchered that you would never see in a local zoo. Wood crates with massive rare types of flat turtles, pigeons, bullfrogs, snakes, reptiles, rare birds. There were almost no restrictions back then. It was a wild scene, and there were many live poultry houses in the area where you pick out your chicken or fowl and they would kill it, defeather it and gut it. They were almost trying to duplicate the famous China wet markets in New York. And, in a Chinese wet market, ANYTHING can be gotten, including, cat, dog, rat, bat, bear, wolf; you name it. Nothing wrong with it. It is just a carry-over from a truly ancient unbroken culture. Back then, the variety of vegetables they carried in Flushing was unbelievable. I could not name 70% of them.

But, Japanese and Korean, tempered by Buddhism, cultivated more simplicity, and it is reflected in the H-Mart style. and, it is a beautiful simplicity.

Some of you might remember, before H-Mart, the much smaller chain in Flushing and Manhattan that served the Korean community was "Sam Bok," and Kwon's on Union Street. The Korean Sam Bok Market on Main Street Flushing became, I believe, the Chinese "Kam Sen" Market, when Flushing was more an equal confluence-- in the early 80's, after the Japanese decided to depart for Fort Lee, New Jersey-- of mostly Korean and Taiwanese culture in the central hub. Soon thereafter came the huge migration from mainland China to Flushing center and the Koreans took up Northern Boulevard right through Queens, into Long Island.

(ONLY GOD KNOWS WHAT PUNISHMENT AND HATE MAIL AWAITS ME FOR THIS RANT!!!)
Ok so I will be the first to say-
I enjoy reading many of your posts.. lots of great insight on Asian culture-

TMI on this one.. Sadly ( and I think we may agree) the mentioning of the Chinese Wet markets remind us of a chain of events that have caused…
 
#25
Ok so I will be the first to say-
I enjoy reading many of your posts.. lots of great insight on Asian culture-

TMI on this one.. Sadly ( and I think we may agree) the mentioning of the Chinese Wet markets remind us of a chain of events that have caused…
I mean, there is no condemnation to a "wet market." It is by far one of the most amazing ways to see a snapshot of literally everything created by nature, categorized and laid right before you in full view. It is an encyclopedia of animal life presented to you unabashedly, "in your face" in graphic form so dramatically capturing your senses so completely without relief, you can only surrender to the gore of blood and body parts. It is the epitome of the human domination over the animal kingdom, capturing and exposing their carcasses internally, externally and those imprisoned and caged, awaiting their fate.

But, it is no different, really than a slaughter house in every civilized country. It is just that when you walk into Costco and purchase your meat, the memory of the life of the animal is not present for you to view, and we are only exposed to the neatly sliced and package remnant of the animal, flash frozen, sanitized and resting on a clean white plastic encasement nicely arranged and date stamped in refrigeration, and sometimes with a fresh sprig of parsley or other greenery to soothe your sensibilities.
 
#27
“The Italian Job” Sub is my go to at 7-11. Best sandwich they have or go real basic and get a pb&j w/ a small coffee if your on the go. I don’t trust most quickmart or gas station foods. Especially the ones in the hot racks. Blow you guts out .
 
#29
During a bad snow storm at about 3 AM, after mongering late night in Flushing, I pulled into 7-11 in Bayside by the LIE and Francis Lewis Boulevard and there was not much except a stale slice of dried up pizza and I was going to grab it and the manager said "Dude, don't do it; I will convection oven a whole pie for you in 5 minutes for 5 bucks." I replied "yeah, man, sounds good."

Sat in my car with the snow piling up to about 5 inches on my windshield, heater blasting, good rock station o my radio, cup of Colombian coffee and polished off the whole pizza, and it was appreciated as much as a Di Fara's $40.00 pie. And, I have no shame in declaring that!!!
 
#31
7-11 was the place after time at the strip clubs back in the day. Some " roller food" or nachos.
During a bad snow storm at about 3 AM, after mongering late night in Flushing, I pulled into 7-11 in Bayside by the LIE and Francis Lewis Boulevard and there was not much except a stale slice of dried up pizza and I was going to grab it and the manager said "Dude, don't do it; I will convection oven a whole pie for you in 5 minutes for 5 bucks." I replied "yeah, man, sounds good."

Sat in my car with the snow piling up to about 5 inches on my windshield, heater blasting, good rock station o my radio, cup of Colombian coffee and polished off the whole pizza, and it was appreciated as much as a Di Fara's $40.00 pie. And, I have no shame in declaring that!!!
Best bet at 7-11 is just junk food and maybe, maybe a fruit salad. That's very iffy too.
 
#32
I mean, there is no condemnation to a "wet market." It is by far one of the most amazing ways to see a snapshot of literally everything created by nature, categorized and laid right before you in full view. It is an encyclopedia of animal life presented to you unabashedly, "in your face" in graphic form so dramatically capturing your senses so completely without relief, you can only surrender to the gore of blood and body parts. It is the epitome of the human domination over the animal kingdom, capturing and exposing their carcasses internally, externally and those imprisoned and caged, awaiting their fate.....
If you take a walk down (S) Main st in Flushing, starting around LIRR station you will find interesting array of food markets selling all kinds of live animal for later consumption such a frogs, turtles , sea animals of various types. On Fowler Ave (by Al Oerter Rec Center at the CP end 131-57) there is a market where you can get live fowl, sheep, type animals. I guess you pick out what you want and have them kill and butcher them in front of you (can't get fresher food than that) or maybe the purest would want to bring a live chicken home to kill and prepare there.

Quite different from the US where us hired assassin to kill, butcher meat in the Midwest and south, wrap it up in Styrofoam and saran wrap
 
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