Grocery Shopping in Kaohsiung

In general I've been going to a little supermarket in my neighborhood to get most of the things I need to cook as well as this afternoon market near the school.  Today I went to a fruit & vegetable market then Carrefour, a huge market kind of like Target but with more groceries.

First the fruit market...

You have to understand that at 8:30 in the morning, it's already about 90 degrees outside and the fruit markets are outside.  Luckily it's all shaded so that helped.  I couldn't believe the selection of things that are grown locally and how they are presented.  Taiwan grows an incredible assortment of fruit and many I have loved eating since I got here - mangos the size of footballs, guava and asian pears to name a few.  There were some things I didn't even recognize.

 People who don't like guava say it doesn't taste like anything but I disagree.  I LOVE this fruit.  It's hard and crunchy with a little tang and touch of both sour and sweet.  Mmmmmm

  

 The avocados are huge - about 3 times the size of a California avocado.  I don't think they are as flavorful as those from California and the flesh has less meatiness to it.  I found California avocados at Costco and bought a bag but will gladly eat a local one.

 These grapes are amazing. Look at the color and how they present them.

 Star fruit, if you haven't had it in the states, is fresh and sweet, almost like eating a papaya, orange and a grapefruit blended together.

 I have no clue what these are.  They almost look like a cross between a guava and an apple.  I will get these next time.  I am leaving for Maine on Tuesday so I could only buy so much.

 These little tomatoes are treated like a fruit here (which technically they are) and are commonly eaten for dessert.  Again, I love that you buy them by the kilogram.

 Again, no clue but aren't they amazing looking?!  I did try to find something online and I think these may be called a Sugar Apple.  I definitely want to try one of these.  The cost, 39 NT each, which is just over a dollar.  Oh, and these are bigger than a softball.

 I believe that this is durian...that wonderfully smelly fruit that is common in this culture.  Haven't tried that yet.

 Like I said, so many things I don't recognize!

These are watermelons.  Phew!  Recognize these!  The watermelon in season right now is a small yellow melon, which is so delicious.  There are also smaller red ones but you see these everywhere.  When you buy one on the street from a local farmer, they cut it all up for you and wrap it up.  Such little things in life make you happy.

After packing our fruit into the car, we drove to Carrefour, a local place.  First of all, these big places are more like malls.  Usually you park in the garage and have to put 10 NT in the cart lock to get a cart (which you get back when you return the cart).  You have to wander through a mall type area with shoes, clothes, etc. to get to the actual store.  Then there are escalators that take you up or down the levels, that's how big these places are.  The escalators are magnetic so your cart gets locked into place as you go up and down.  Here's a video showing you what it looks like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsrjZ1hfxWs  It took me by surprise the first time.

If you know me, you know that shopping is not my favorite pastime.  Within minutes I'm overwhelmed and begin to wander and forget everything I need to get.  Thank goodness for lists. Carrefour is huge and thankfully I was able to find many items I needed like a small vacuum cleaner (the brooms are so short here and I have so much floor to clean), table lamps and a few more cooking utensils.  By the time I was there 30 minutes my tolerance was over and I wanted to run out of the store screaming.  Instead, I walked around in a daze hoping I'd stumble across something on my list.  Eventually I made my way to the grocery part of the store and snapped some photos.

 There are all different grains and in some markets, you can see a dozen or more of these bowls.

 This is all tofu.  Tofu comes in so many flavors and textures here.  I've become very fond of the 5 spice kind.  Nomnom.

 This is almost all dried fish. That is a huge thing here!

 So many hot items to choose from that I have no clue what they are.  Next time I'm going to ask one of the staff people at school to come with me so I have somewhat of a clue.  I want to try this stuff out!

So now I'm back home, things purchased and put away, eating a guava while I wrap my brain around writing sub plans for pre-algebra.  After today's shopping, I now have a handle or a few places to buy some basics and a couple more to buy everything under the sun.  The only thing I miss, and haven't found yet, is mayonaise.  I don't miss anything else but that, especially when I want a tuna melt.  Hmmmmm....I wonder where I can hunt that down?