Ethnic Groceries

Chicago magazine | July 2007

My assigning editor, a dual culinary and J-school graduate, had a distinct vision for her cover package on food sourcing,The Food Lover’s Guide to Chicago. Somehow, as a reporter new to the magazine’s staff and without a pinch of real food-writing experience, I weaseled my way onto the project.

My two contributions to the package, a roundup of Chicago’s best ethnic groceries and a checklist of the imported products any home cook worth her salt should have on hand, typify what I love about reporting. Visiting little-known markets and asking top chefs for their secret weapons led me on a world food tour without leaving Chicago. This assignment got me hooked on large-scale projects—and on the culture of food. Click the thumbnails below for larger views of the layout or read the story on the magazine’s website.