In the Ethnic Aisle
ROUND, 2018 (11x14) by Yuli Marubashi-Scheidt print available.
Just before Christmas 2023 an Asian grocery store opened in Ajax. Just minutes down the road from us. I cannot tell you how excited the family was. Some members stood in line to be one of the first 100 so they could get a coupon, or a tote. On Christmas Eve(!).
Beyond a free tote bag, this opening was long awaited and welcomed. It’s the first store of its size that sells East Asian goods in Ajax proper that we’re aware of, memory serving.
I wanted to talk a little about where we go to source the ingredients we use to make our pickles and preserves, when it’s not a whole food we can get from one of the many local farms around us.
Before the Chinese owned BestCo open in Ajax, we would go into Pickering (not that far) to Pacific Mart, to grab what we needed. Always able to find the produce we needed, but maybe having to search hard for the pantry ingredients. Gochujang, where are you?
Aaron and Yuli at the York Mills location of Galleria in April 2020. Many Asian markets in the GTA were the first to require masks before the province even implemented a mandate. We were very thankful for this act of collectivism.
If we needed distinctly Japanese or Korean items, it was a longer drive to the York Mills location of the Korean owned Galleria (further, but okay traffic permitting). Here is where I have bought containers to store and ferment various kimchis. This is where I know for sure I’m going to get the kombu (dried salted sea kelp) I like, and you can get some top shelf take out from the hot counter here. We grab dinner from Galleria a few times a month.
The extensive takuan (pickled daikon radish) selection at Galleria. Also check out those beautiful onggi (Korean earthenware pots for fermentation).
Further into Toronto is Korea Town’s PAT (far, “downtown”). This one is a family favourite because it was the first Asian market a lot of us experienced. Aunties talk about it being the only place to find things for a long time. It’s so different now. The Mississauga location of PAT is a must stop for our aunt and uncle who live in Newfoundland because of its proximity to the airport. They can get many Korean things out there now, thanks to an influx of Canadians who have gone to Korea to teach English returning to Canada with an appetite for tteokbokki (rice cake) and sundubu-jjigae (tofu soup). But our Korean uncle has brand preferences for things he can’t find at home in the maritimes.
Right: Just some of the selection of novels in Japanese at Blue Tree Books. Left: A beautiful cover for one of Yuli’s favourite books.
If you’re still having trouble finding that Japanese ingredient, or a proper chawan (rice bowl) you have to make a trip to J-Town in Markham (far but close to some family so make a thing of it). Heisei for dry goods, Fuma for meats, Sasaki and Nakamura for pastries, Yamachu for a bigger selection of tableware, and Blue Tree Books for books and magazines in Japanese.
Less often, when we are in Scarborough to pick up a literal flour sac of panko (bread crumbs) from the Costco Business Centre we will also go to the Al Premium Food Mart in the same plaza.
Most of these markets will all also have Caribbean, Filipino and South Asian foods. With the random German chocolate bar tossed in the snack section. Who hasn’t picked up a box of Merci, and been confused by its origin? Receiving one of these chocolate boxes at Christmas is a very Japanese Canadian thing. At least here in the GTA.
A recent trip to BestCo in Ajax for supplies for the pickle biz.
All this is to say, we appreciate what each and every one of these stores brings to us. It’s Aaron’s culture, it’s the foods he feels home in and like his uncle, he has opinions on what the good or correct brand is.
We are also just very happy these is BestCo five minutes down the road now. But like Aaron, I have preferences, for stores and locations. I will not disclose them in writing, but as me in person and I will share.
