A Market for Latin Taste
Salt Lake Tribune April 30, 2003 By Kathy Stephenson The Salt Lake Tribune
From the cold Jarritos fruit drinks on the beverage shelves to the prickly green nopales cactus paddles in the produce section, Michael Gallegos points to the foods of Mexico, which 20 years ago were unavailable in Utah.
"Back then, there were two or three Hispanic markets in the whole state," said Gallegos, the Hispanic Marketing Specialist for SYSCO Intermountain Food Services. "Today there are close to a 100 from Brigham City to St. George."
Utah is not yet California or Florida boasting of neighborhoods with a mercado (market) or panaderia (bakery) on every corner. But as the state's Latino population has grown during the past decade, so have the number of markets catering to those with Latin and Mexican tastes. Popularity probably will peak this week in anticipation of Cinco de Mayo celebrations Monday.
The majority of markets in Salt Lake County and Ogden are geared toward residents of Mexican descent. However, most try to stock a few items particular to South American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Venezuela, said Gallegos.
The markets in Utah County, for example, take on more of that South American flavor, said Gallegos, as many residents served two-year missions in those countries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
One of the largest and busiest ethnic markets in Utah is Salt Lake City's Campos Market, which opened in 1994, just as Utah's Latino population boom went into overdrive.
The store, at 800 South and 900 West, moves inventory at a high rate for a specialty store, selling about 60 cases of beef in a week and more than 20 cases of fresh chiles, said owner Jose Campos, who immigrated to the United States 25 years ago from Puebla, Mexico.
Campos, 44, also owns markets in Ogden and Kearns as well as a Salt Lake City bakery.
He opened the Salt Lake City market because family and friends had a difficult time finding authentic chiles, cheese and cuts of meat. "And because I needed some money," joked the usually reserved Campos, who worked in a California grocery chain for 14 years before following his wife to Utah in 1993.
On a recent April morning, Gallegos took The Salt Lake Tribune on a tour of several area markets. We found Campos in a spring fiesta mode. Samba music thumped from the loud speakers and colorful pi-atas hung from the ceiling.
At the meat counter, customers perused whole chickens and fish, spicy chorizo sausages, thinly-sliced ranchera steaks, and beef tripe, liver and hooves.
"Remember, America is probably the only country in the world that doesn't use the whole animal for food," said Gallegos.
Mangos, plantains, tomatillos and nopales make up a large portion of the produce section as do a half-dozen varieties of fresh chiles. Campos Market is all about chiles. In addition to the fresh chiles, there are dried and canned peppers in several varieties, from ancho and guajilla to arbol and pasilla.
The remaining store aisles feature an assortment of beans, rice, salsas, sauces and pastes.
Thirsty? The Jarritos brand of fruit-flavored drinks sits prominently in the beverage case along with non-alcoholic sangrias and other soda pop brands. There also are dozens of powdered mixes for making cold horchatas, a popular creamy rice-based drink.
If that doesn't satisfy a sweet tooth, there are treats made from tamarind seeds, unrefined sugar cones called piloncillos and sour candies featuring Lucas, a sunglass-wearing cartoon duck beloved by children in Mexico.
The tortilla shelves had been picked clean on this particular day, so Gallegos took our tour a few blocks north to La Diana Market and Tortilla Factory at 56 S. 900 West.
Owner Raphael Gomez remembers when he opened the store in 1988. It was barely 500 square feet and his family lived in a small apartment in the back.
Today, the store has expanded several times and includes a fresh meat case, produce, several aisles of groceries and a small counter where customers can get fresh tacos and pork carnitas.
The tortilla factory has expanded at a more rapid pace. At first, tortillas were made by hand and sold to a few Salt Lake City stores and restaurants. Today, a large machine makes thousands of tortillas every day, which find their way to supermarket shelves in Utah, Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming.
While the number of Latin markets has increased, the Gomez family said business has not been hurt by the competition.
"More people are coming into Utah, so we see new customers every day," said Sergio Gomez, Raphael's son, who took over day-to-day operations of the business two years ago.
The majority of customers are Latino, he said, but there are plenty of shoppers of other ethnicities who stop in regularly.
While not every employee at Utah's Latin markets is fluent in English, there usually is someone in the store who speaks enough English to answer any questions shoppers may have.
Hoping to capitalize on the Latino population growth, most large supermarkets have increased ethnic offerings in recent years. But hitting such ethnic aisles is not the same as making a trip to a Latin specialty market, said author Linda Bladholm, in Latin and Caribbean Grocery Stores Demystified (Renaissance Books, $16.95). The guidebook identifies and explains the uses Latin American herbs, chiles, fruits, sauces, meats, beans and beverages.
"You miss the atmosphere, home-cooked snacks and the experiences of meeting people who will be glad to help you and share their culture and recipe tips," she said.
kathys@sltrib.com Chicken in Green Sauce (Jocon) Pronounced ho-cone, this is a famous Guatemalan chicken dish. 2 chipotle chiles 2 small corn tortillas, toasted, chopped 2 (3- to 4-pound) fryer chickens, cut into 6 or 8 pieces each Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground pepper to taste 1/4 cup canola oil 1 cup chicken stock 6 to 8 ripe tomatillos, papery husk removed, rinsed and cored 4 cloves garlic, sliced 1 cup cilantro, chopped 1 cup scallion greens, chopped 1/2 medium Spanish onion, diced 2 tablespoons toasted and ground pepitas plain white rice
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Toast the chipotles in a small skillet over medium heat, then soak in a bowl of warm water until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain and remove seeds and stems. Reserve.
In the same dry skillet over medium heat, toast tortillas briefly on each side until fragrant. Chop and set aside.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add chicken in batches, skin side down. Sear about 2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Turn and brown on other side.
Return all chicken to pan, transfer to oven and bake 30 minutes. Meanwhile in a blender or food processor, puree tortillas with chipotles, chicken stock, tomatillos, garlic, cilantro, scallion greens, onion, and pumpkin seeds. Reserve.
Remove skillet from oven and place on the stove over medium heat. Add the pureed sauce to skillet and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over plain white rice. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
-- "New World Kitchen: Latin American and Caribbean Cuisine" (Ecco, $34.95) by Norman Van Aken Chilean Tomato and Sweet Onion Salad 1 medium Vidalia or other sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced 1 tablespoon sugar 6 large, ripe tomatoes, sliced about 1/2-inch thick Salt 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 jalape-o chili, seeded and minced 3 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped
Place onion slices in a bowl with sugar and cover with cold water. Soak 10 minutes, drain, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Layer tomato, and onion slices on a plate or in a bowl. Season with salt to taste. Drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with jalape-o and cilantro. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
-- "Latin and Caribbean Grocery Stores Demystified" Peach and Chayote Salsa 2 chayotes, peeled 1 cup fresh orange juice 4 peaches, peeled, pitted and diced 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup olive oil 2 teaspoons aji amarillo
Cook the chayotes in simmering water for 25 minutes or until soft. Drain and cool to room temperature. Seed and dice. Meanwhile, bring orange juice to a simmer in a small saucepan. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until reduced by half. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, combine chayotes, peaches and cucumber. Add orange juice, vinegar, oil and aji. Stir to blend. Let sit for about 20 minutes before serving. Or cover and refrigerate for up to two days. Bring to room temperature before serving. Serve over grilled fish or a salad. Makes about 7 cups.
-- "Nueva Salsa" (Chronicle Books, $16.95) by Rafael Palomino and Arlen Gargagliano