There are many unique things about our area, from the weather, to the scenery, to the Tex-Mex dialect of mixing English in with improper Spanish. If you want to expand the list, all you have to do is go to a local H-E-B store and look around. Even just looking in the produce section is different from the national stores. I thought I would give you guys a brief look into the unique products our area has to offer. (I am not endorsing any specific brands or products, simply providing a glance at uncommon merchandise.) First off, in the produce section of our local H-E-B there is a fruit called jack fruit.
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I don't have much to say about this fruit, as I have never tried it; however, I thought it an interesting sight to see a watermelon-sized fuzzy fruit piled in a bin. Also in the produce section is this:
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Jicama (pronounced hee-cama) is very similar in texture to a turnip with a taste closer to an apple. Jicama shares the monikers "Mexican water chestnut" and "Mexican yam bean" undoubtedly because of its crisp, white, solid flesh. But unlike yams with their edible peels, jicama skin is thick, tough, and not just unappealing but considered an organic toxin called rotenone, as are the vines and leaves. (foodfacts.com)
I personally do not like jicama, even after trying it with its normal toppings of chili powder and lime. The texture is extremely crisp and slightly stringy, and I did not taste any strong flavor from it other than dirt. Perhaps we did not have a ripe one, but, either way, it is not a vegetable I will being trying again any time soon. The last interesting section of the produce department is the pepper section.
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I find it funny that there is such a large selection of peppers to choose from, including more bins around a corner, but I find it funnier that they make the habañeros so easily accessible. Just touching a habañero pepper causes irritation on the skin and possibly blisters, so the fact that any kid could walk up and grab one just tells you a little bit about the area. Next in the store would be the bakery section, which has a wide selection of "pandulce" or sweet bread. This includes: donuts, cookies, cakes, pies, and bread of multiple varieties. The most interesting variety would be the freshly made tortillas.
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After the bakery is the cold section, which contains meat, dairy products, and frozen food. First would be the meat and dairy products.
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The store has a large cooled container filled with a wide selection of meat, including the normal ground beef and pork, chicken, and some fish. However, there is also a part containing whole pig heads, cow tongue, tripe and chicken feet. The dairy department has the normal choices for cheese and such, but also has a variety of Mexican-brand goat cheese. Farther on, into the frozen section, this is what we find:
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Last on the list is the candy aisle, probably my favorite aisle. 😁 Again, there are the normal choices like Hershey's or M&M's or Nestle, but there is also the Mexican section.
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Many of the candies I tried were great, but very spicy! Even the local kids think that some of the flavors are quite hot, although this does not stop them from eating them.
Well, that is the end of our tour. Our store, along with our area, is unique and gives a different view on everyday products. If you have any comments, feel free to leave them below or on Facebook.
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