the mystery of the mexican soda

I am a big fan of Jarritos, a Mexican soft drink. The bottles are pretty, the soda has real sugar instead of corn syrup, and, best of all, there is a pineapple flavored Jarritos.

My local Safeway carries Jarritos, but they rarely have any pineapple flavored ones. Safeway keeps the Jarritos on one of the bottom shelves in the non-white people food aisle, the aisle that has “Hispanic” food next to “Asian” food and the Kosher items.

The Target closest to my house also carry Jarritos. They too keep them among the Hispanic food.

Yesterday Dan and I were across town in the southeastern part of San Jose. We were in Target, and I remembered to look for the Jarritos. In the Hispanic aisle they were not. Instead, I found them among the soda, in the drinks aisle.

So, in neighborhoods where mostly white people live, Mexican soda is categorized as “Hispanic food”. In a neighborhood where more Mexicans shop, Mexican soda is a soft drink.

I can’t help thinking about what would happen if the Jarritos where to live next to the Pepsi in my uppity small town Safeway.

scissorhands

I’ve figured out the secret for tasty green components in your everyday salad: 1. Prepare right before you eat, and 2. go at the greens with your kitchen scissors like CRAZY. Cut them up, and they will taste ten times more. Also, I never make salad dressing anymore. I just drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and add salt and pepper last. Done.

Today arugula, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, shallots, and micro greens of some sort. Super simple, super good.