The Grocery Store

Grocery stores here are much like the stores in the USA. The aisles of cereal, canned goods, soaps and detergents are the same. The produce department is laid out the same but is larger. Where we may have a small display of peppers, they have a huge display. Instead of taking of taking up an endcap or half a shelf for bananas, they have a whole long shelf of bananas. I have not been able to find any "baking potatoes" (Idaho or Russet). The only potatoes I have seen are "white potatoes". There are large displays of 2 kinds of limes, large and small ones, but no lemons. Fresh nopales (cactus paddles) are always available, as are oranges, tangerines (nectarinas!), and apples and pears from the USA are priced very reasonably.



Some of the most glaring differences I have shown below! I still can't get used to food being displayed uncovered.


These next 3 pictures are special foods on a holiday table. They had a similar one for El Dia de Los Muertos and other Mexican holidays. Nothing on this table is covered and it is a "self-service" table.








The white tower is a cream cheese dish, covered with frosting, and if you want some, just take the scoop and put it into a box. I think it is a roastbeef next to the white display. The woman in the back had just put a platter on the table. She is available to help if you call her out.

Breads and meats and a wine glass to make the table look pretty.

In the front left are hot dogs and behind them are roasted turkey legs. In the front right is some kind of meat. There are no identifying signs so I didn't recognize many of the foods.

The fish department is not just for holidays! It looks like this every day with uncovered octopus, eels, and other "delicacies"!

And here is the fish, whole or filleted. $29.90 a kilo is about $2.90 in US dollars.

The bakery area in this store is quite large. Once again, nothing is covered. If you want something from the shelf, you pick up a tray and a pair of tongs and help yourself. When finished, the girl will bag your choices, shake off the tray and replace it on the pile of trays.

The sweets in Mexico are called Pan Dulce. Often they are rather dry with cinnamon on the outside---good for dunking in coffee, but not very gooey good!

It is still surprising to me, everywhere I go, in grocery stores as well as in the puestos that sell food, none of the food is covered. Are we too "clean and healthy" in the USA, or.....???

Hasta luego.