One of the things I love about my northside Chicago neighborhood is its wonderful diversity. When I left New York, I was told by many former Chicagoans that this city had a bit of a diversity issue – not that it lacked diversity, but that the city remained segregated in a way New York had not. I was dismayed; diversity was what I loved most about New York, and is indeed what I love most about living in major cities.
Though it took me some time, I did manage to find a truly diverse, small ‘hood where all the corners of the globe seem to intersect. Walking down my street on any given day, I smell curry, greet Somali families out strolling, dodge soccer balls being chased down by Serbian boys. I couldn’t be happier with the makeup of this place.
Of course, one of the beauties of living in a jumbled immigrant community is that, inevitably, enterprising sorts open shops catering to the individual groups, offering them a taste of home. To a foodie on a budget, my ‘hood is heaven.
I am a devout fan of the “ethnic” grocer. Because they are typically smallish joints with extremely focused products, and are often family-run, prices are much, much cheaper than chain shops with overhead that has to take into account price consistency across varying areas, rent and utilities on mega-sized stores, and turnover of “specialty” goods. For instance, the $5 that yield a 5 lb. sack of short grain sweet rice at my local Vietnamese grocer would only buy me a tiny 10 oz. box at the local mega-mart. Cilantro at the market that caters to Mexican and Eastern European shoppers costs about $0.59 a bunch, while at mega-mart, it’s generally $1-$1.20 on sale. A few blocks more, and I can get bulk spices for pennies instead of tiny shakers of the same thing for $4 or $5.
These savings mean I can continue cook adventurously and eat well. I don’t feel deprived of take-out or delivery; I simply learn to prepare and enjoy pad thai and dal at home. As a result, I am willing to walk a few extra blocks for great deals. I get free exercise and save myself a good $20 per trip in the process!
