Odessa Mission
Food Shopping Odessa Style
Some of these pictures were taken at the Fozzy Supermarket which is only a couple of years old. In fact, all five of Odessa's major supermarkets have just opened within the last three years which shows how new the "supermarket" concept is for people in this part of the world. Most folks still shop at the marketplaces (some outside and some inside) which are open year round regardless of the weather. Some comparison pictures taken in June 2006 are included below to show the contrast between the modern supermarket (mostly refrigerated meat displays and neat display shelves) and the marketplaces/small stores where many meats are displayed without any refrigeration.
Mackerel
- Fish is always a big hit in Ukraine regardless of how bad it smells and
tastes to Americans. John used to work with commercial fisherman on Long
Island and they sold bait to lobsterman and others. Mackerel was one
of the most popular sellers. In Ukraine, however, it's sold as food for
32.49 Gryvna ($3.20) per pound.
Caviar
- Since strong fish tastes appeal to the Ukrainian culture, caviar is
another hot pick that's available for a fraction of the price you'll find
elsewhere. At the airport in Vienna, Ira and I spotted caviar in
comparably sized cans for upwards of 1300 euros a piece. In Ukraine, you
can actually get red (the cheaper kind) caviar for as little as $14 a can.
Unfortunately, I can't stand the stuff myself. But my wife loves it!
Sliced meat
- In Ukraine, it's a cinch to find sliced bread but not easy finding sliced cold-cuts.
Here are some ranging from $2.60 to $4.84 per pound, though some of the more
expensive meats might cost $10 or more per pound.
More meat
- Here's a look
at some of the other kinds of meats available at the grocery store.
Ira at meat counter - Here's
John's lovely wife Ira at 6.5 months pregnant checking out the plethora of
hotdogs and sausage links.
Salads
- Here's a look at some popular Ukrainian salads. They like to use a lot of
beats, cabbage, eggs, and mayonnaise. In other words, they aren't very
exciting. On the other hand, you'll do just fine if you like that kind
of thing. Salads are a common gift at weddings and birthdays.
Salad2 - More salads for the adventuresome (salad prices are listed per 100 grams
of weight [about 3.5 oz.]).
Fish
- These guys were staring at John as he walked by. They look like they
really need a good home and fortunately since fish is so popular in Ukraine
that shouldn't be much of a problem.
Perch
- In the lower right of the picture you will see some perch on sale for
about $3.60 a pound. Apparently, the browner the better.
Marketplace and Small Store Pics from June 2006
Drinks
- The familiar blue labeled product in the lower right corner of the
picture is widely available.
Packaged items - The chip
collection is rather large in this small store and includes some American
favorites.
Small
shop
- This is just one of many small shops where you can buy almost
anything from electrical supplies and appliances to clothing. Here you
can purchase many glass products from glasses to vases and baking dishes.
31 Flavors - The
colored sign gives away this ice cream favorite place.
How about a pound -
This was cooked meat and included chicken, beef, sausage, and fat-back.
Help
yourself - Almost
like the deli food in a supermarket but there is no refrigeration of the
food.
Pringles
- Although Americans can usually buy Pringles at the dollar store for a
buck (John did in November), the low-end supermarket price in Ukraine is
$2.73.
Kielbasa
- is another major part of the Ukrainian culture that's included at most
get-togethers.
Desserts
- Ukrainian desserts, like everything else, are often much different from
what Americans would be used to. The texture of the cakes can resemble
Graham Crackers or even a marshmallow-like meringue. Let's just put
it this way: Ira doesn't like Ukraine desserts either!
Alcoholic
beverages - These are just about everywhere you look in the former
USSR, and they're practically inseparable from both Ukrainian culture and
tradition. Every Ukrainian store, including small kiosks along the side of
the road, sell a number of different wines to the public.
Fortunately, as is the case in the U.S., alcohol cannot be sold to minors.
Champagne
- This is yet another thing you'll never run out of in the great city of
Odessa. In fact, Odessa has several of its own major breweries along with
countless private firms that produce liquor in various ways, shapes,
sizes, and degrees.
Vodka
- It tastes worse than seawater thanks to its 40% alcohol content.
It is by far the Ukrainian favorite at most celebrations. In fact, during
the summer of 2006, John attended a graduation party for Ira's girlfriend
from the music conservatory where her Orthodox priest was pouring the
vodka and giving his blessings. Just in case you're wondering, John
declined on both of them.
Gillette
- Yep, Ukraine also sells Gillette shaving gel for $4.23 a can. Needless
to say, Ira and John try to stock up on many of life's necessities while
stateside because Ukraine still hasn't quite learned the meaning of the
word "sale" yet.
Vegetables - Very similar to open air markets in the U.S.
Some refrigeration available
- Some smaller stores have refrigerated display cases.
Refrigeration
- The 2 liter bottles underneath the meat have been filled with water an
frozen. This is the cheap way of providing some cooling to the meat.
No
refrigeration - Chunks of meat are waiting to be purchased.
Fish
on ice - Notice the ice bottle refrigeration technique is used at
this counter also. The flounder actually didn't look to old but
then looks aren't everything.