Honestly, you should get yourself there immediately. And that Flores Spices is a wonder among wonders - one of the most amazing stores I've ever been in. Don't know how familiar he is with Canino's, but I definitely love the place. Interestingly enough, the first thing my son said to me on the phone was that he had tried 'all the usual suspects' - Fiesta, Mi Tienda, and I can't remember what else he said - probably some of the big all-purpose 'ethnic' markets like 99 Ranch and H-Mart.

Since you’ve found that Peruvian restaurant out your way so agreeable have you thought to inquire there where they get their supplies? I wouldn’t make the trip all the way over there (or to the one on Tidwell, which would be considerably closer to you) just for that. The biggest variety of dried peppers I’ve ever encountered was at the Mi Tienda in Pasadena but since they’re oriented so heavily toward the Mexican market I really doubt they’d have any South American varieties. I’m pretty sure there are farmers in the area who specialize in peppers and that’s probably the most likely place they’d show up if anybody's growing them around here. Called Eastside after the street it’s on it’s actually on the west side, inside the Loop, near Lamar High. I’ve never been but since you’d be in the neighborhood you ought to check it out.Īnother place to look for fresh would be at the Saturday morning Urban Harvest Eastside Farmer’s Market. Wah who has raved several times about Flores Spices, right across the street from Canino. You can always walk out back to the Tacambaro taco cart for some tacos de mollejas, some of the best sweetbreads you’ll ever have, and of course hit up El Bolillo while you’re in the neighborhood. I wouldn’t get your hopes up but it would be worth a look. You know the big spaces up front are really a wholesale produce market that’s open to the public, not a real farmer’s market, but the stalls at the very back are leased by individuals who come all the way from the Valley to sell their unique goods. Ask the produce manager.Īs far as fresh peppers, the stalls at the rear of Canino’s Produce Market might be worth a look. There has been something of an explosion of Peruvian restaurants here in the last few years and I think there may be more availability now. I looked over the produce and freezer sections there but I never thought to check out their dried chilies.

I have since seen them elsewhere but they’re not stocked at the Fiestas near me. In fact it was that Fiesta at Mason and I-10 I think where I first came across the jarred aji pastes several years ago. I’ve shopped at Fiestas all over town looking for specialty ingredients and the ones on the west side are the best ones for South American products in my experience. If there’s a specialty South American grocer in town I don’t know about it.įirst place to look would be Fiesta, of course. Well Jaymes I don’t know what I can possibly tell you or your son about shopping in Houston that you don’t already know, but here goes.

Jarred aji amarillo paste