Grocery Strolling #1
This post goes out to all the people who love browsing grocery store shelves
There’s a contingent of food enthusiasts who, if given a lazy afternoon and a shopping cart, will happily stroll through grocery aisles just to browse the shelves.
I count myself among this group! And maybe you do too.
This list below is not meant to be a guide to local East Bay foods per se, but rather a deep dive into the shelves of its local shops—drawing from big supermarkets, to liquor stores, to specialty shops—and the noteworthy items that may pique your interest.
Rap Snacks
The multi-hyphenate Master P, rapper-actor-baller-businessman, launched his career in music when he started No Limit Record Shop in Richmond, California in 1990, and later became known nationwide for his platinum single, “Make 'Em Say Uhh!” Since then, Master P has launched all kinds of enterprises, from real estate, to fashion, to publishing, and to, of course, food.
The first time I learned Master P had branched out into snacks was when I encountered his line of instant noodles, Rap Noodles, in 2019. A native of New Orleans, his instant noodles line includes flavors such as Creamy Chicken Gumbo and Louisiana Hot & Spicy Chicken.
Before Rap Noodles, Master P relaunched Rap Snacks in 2016 together with CEO James Lindsay. The bags of flavored potato chips and corn puffs are instantly recognizable—what other bags of chips feature the faces of Cardi B, Biggie, Lil Baby, Migos, and of course, Master P?
I’ve only seen Rap Snacks at liquor stores in the East Bay—specifically, White Horse (in Oakland, on Telegraph & 66th), Jay Vee Liquors (in El Cerrito, on San Pablo and Moeser), and BevMo (at the Albany, Emeryville, and Oakland locations), though I’m sure there are way more places that aren’t on this list. A friend outside of the Bay recently spotted them sold in bulk at Sam’s Club, so wider distribution for Rap Snacks is already underway, and we may be seeing them more in 2022.
My verdict? Go for the puffs. My personal favorite are the Bar-B-Quin with my Honey Cheese Puffs, which have Master P on the bag. The barbecue flavor adds a nice savory, seasoned pop to the traditional cheese puff. It’s really good. I don’t think there’s a comparable snack on the market.
King Oscar sardines
Canned food purchasing went up in the early stages of the pandemic, with a spate of articles on what to do with tinned fish that followed.
Among those articles included lists (here, here, and here, just for starters) ranking the best canned sardines you can buy. Consistently topping these lists are King Oscar sardines.
You can find Tiny Tots Brisling Sardines at Berkeley Bowl and Safeway, which are produced by King Oscar and sold mainly in U.S. West Coast markets. But for a larger selection of King Oscar sardines—marinated in lemon, or with olives, or in tomato sauce—go to Nordic House (in Berkeley, on San Pablo Ave., between Derby and Ward). Get them, and other Scandinavian goodies while you can: they are unfortunately permanently closed, but are liquidating their merchandise now till January 15.
Truff Hot Sauce
You may have seen this black truffle-infused condiment cropping up in the hot sauce section, or else might have come across it on Instagram (the account boasts 206K followers), or maybe Oprah’s Favorite Things 2021. The distinctive bottle, with its prismatic cap and bold design, also boasts a distinctive price tag—$18 for 6 ounces, or $78 for their best-seller pack.
I’ve seen bottles of Truff Hot Sauce at BevMo, and more recently at Berkeley Bowl, but here’s a secret. If you’re not ready to commit to buying an $18 bottle of hot sauce, you can find a smaller 1.5 ounce bottle for $6.99 at World Market in Oakland. Find it next to the impossibly tiny bottles of Tabasco, and small bottles of Cholula—all convenient sizes to carry in your bag.
Is Truff Hot Sauce too tasty? Or overhyped and overpriced? Something else, or in between? Let me know what you think in the comments.