Asia
Welcome Oriental Market Poughkeepsie
A global village of Asian ingredients, this small store is chock-full of Vietnamese, Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, and Thai specialties. Preserved duck eggs, prawn-flavored chips, kimchi (Korean fermented vegetables and a variety of seasonings), miso paste, bubble tea mix, pickled leeks, lotus in brine — the list goes on and on. You don’t have to be an experienced cook to shop here: The frozen section has ready-made vegetarian and pork buns, as well as wontons, not to mention bamboo shoots, great for a quick stir-fry with your favorite veggies. Patrons quickly snap up bok choy and Chinese celery from the small fresh vegetable rack. Hot tip: a pop-up section of freshly prepared foods appears in the front of the store every Saturday morning. Roast chicken, duck and pork, wonton noodle soup, and traditional dim sum Chinese shumai dumplings sell out fast, so get there before noon. 845-462-6433
|
|
Britain
Jolly’s British Food & Good Grub Saugerties
This UK outpost midway between Woodstock and Saugerties is a culinary lifeline for British ex-pats who crave their old comfort foods, like Marmite and Weetabix. If your shopping list includes Devon cream, digestive biscuits, fruit shortcake, imported clotted cream, and spotted dick (steamed pudding with suet and raisins), then you’ve come to the right place. Patrons can also stock up on Irish and Scottish specialties, including Barry’s Tea (the Lipton Tea of Ireland) and Walkers shortbread tins, which fly off the shelves whenever a new shipment comes in. Fresh-baked savories such as Cornish pasty, sausage rolls, and pork pies keep customers chuffed all winter long. 845-810-0461
India
Krishna Indian Grocery Poughkeepsie
You’ve probably buzzed by this place on Route 9 many times, noticed its front windows decorated with golden Hindu deities and wondered what’s inside. Oh, it’s just the best selection of Indian groceries around, rivaling any Bombay bazaar. For starters, there are ginger pickles, aged Basmati rice, curry leaves and other spices, cooking pastes, mung bean snacks, and a smattering of unusual fresh produce, like karela (bitter gourd). If you feel overwhelmed by the selection, just bring a recipe and let the friendly owners help you put together an authentic Indian meal. Or, skip the shopping and visit on Mondays and Fridays for masala dosa, a fermented crêpe made from rice batter and black lentils filled with spicy potatoes and served with lentil “soup” and green coconut chutney — served to-go only and priced appealingly at $3.99. 845-463-4330
 |
 |
 |
|
Ciao chow: Selections from Rossi’s Deli Photographs by Jennifer May |
||
Italy
Rosticceria Rossi & Son’s Poughkeepsie
The lunch line may look long, but they have a system going at this popular spot opened by Italian immigrants in 1979 on a Poughkeepsie side street. First, you place your order in the back. Most people go for a big fat sandwich on the deli’s own focaccia: house favorites include the Imports Mix (prosciutto, sopressata, coppa, mozzarella, baby arugula, and roasted peppers) and Roast Beef and Gorgonzola, served with mix-and-match condiments like herb mayo and basil pesto. Next, get on line and wait for your number to be called. It just takes a few minutes, but in that time you’ll have a chance to ogle the display cases and suddenly want more — even though your sandwich is enough for two lunches. Pecorino Sardo (sheep’s milk cheese from Sardinia), mortadella with pistachios, tortellini salad with fresh balls of mozzarella, tantalizing roasted peppers, mega artichoke hearts… all you have to do is ask. Closed Sundays. 845-471-0654; www.rossideli.com
