I’ve been shopping at H Mart ever since they opened the first one around here in Aspen Hill. It’s the best source of fresh vegetables during the winter, and for fish, exotic fruit, and Asian ingredients all year.
By happy chance, I stopped into the H Mart in Gaithersburg during a special event last month. I was sorry I had already eaten lunch, because there were tasting stations set up all over the store.
Now, the H Mart stores often have four or five different samples being cooked in the store, but for this occasion they went all-out. There was an alcove lined with stations just inside the entrance; an expanded fruit table (about 10 different kinds vice the half-dozen usual ones); and cooking stations at the end of almost every aisle in the frozen food section, each with a different product to try. Many had helpful little pamphlets full of recipes for the products to give away.
“Yaki-soba try!” A cheery voice called out. Of course!
“Noodles, shallot sauce?” You bet! Seasoned seaweed? Pollack roe? Grilled marinated meat? Breadfruit? Bring it on. And, just as we said “Uncle!” and were on our way out, Sashimi!!
Ms. Su Young Gueon, the food sampling manager, kindly explained that it was the 3-Year Anniversary Celebration for this H Mart. She had done a splendid job making it a special occasion. I look forward to many more!
