# Formerly rare food you now expect your grocery to stock **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [December 20, 2022, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862 "2022-12-20T20:49:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/41 "2022-12-21T18:40:15Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > I can only imagine what they taste like fresh off of the tree. I spent six weeks of a summer in Costa Rica. Not only is the flavor amazing, they are the size of footballs. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/42 "2022-12-21T18:58:58Z")
Mangoes. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs, but I didn’t taste a fresh mango until I went to Mexico for the first time in the summer of 1982 with my Spanish teacher. Now they are everywhere (but of course they are SO much better tree-ripened where they are grown, like all fruits). Does anyone know why you can’t buy fresh passionfruit in the continental U.S.? I had some for the first time in Puerto Rico a year ago, and wanted to bring some home, but it’s prohibited. ---
**Author:** ![phs3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phs3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phs3)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/43 "2022-12-21T19:23:09Z")
Very true re fruit, and even then there are seasons in the stores here. We go through cycles: oranges are good in spring, lousy the rest of the year. Watermelon is good for a while, then mostly gone (or only available precut). Canteloupes are good for a while, then bad. Driscoll has a “Sweetest Batch” line of berries that are pretty consistently good–when they’re available, which seems random. Big, sweet blueberries of blackberries. Some of the blackberries are so big they almost take two bites to eat. But I don’t _expect_ these at any point, just hope for them. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/44 "2022-12-22T01:33:50Z")
In my lifetime, and on the east coast, Ghirardelli chocolate. In the northeast, Dr Pepper, which was strictly regional before the 70s. Specifically grocery stores—Slim Jims. Used to be strictly convenience stores. Whole-bean coffee to be ground in the store—I’ve seen that disappear and come back. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/45 "2022-12-22T01:50:08Z")
Washington cherrys 🍒 are only available in June and early July. I look forward to them every year. I’m pretty sure they were only available regionally before the mid 1980’s. Coors Beer was regional because they don’t use preservatives. It became available in all 50 states in 1991. Cite [Why Was Coors Beer Illegal In Some States? - UpThirst](https://www.upthirst.com/why-was-coors-beer-illegal-in-some-states/) ---
**Author:** ![dummygladhands71](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c0e974/32.png) [@dummygladhands71](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dummygladhands71)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/46 "2022-12-22T01:50:23Z")
Lewis Grizzard, creator of the term “whomp biscuits!!” I like that I can find tzatziki almost anytime ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/47 "2022-12-22T01:52:36Z")
And yet, I can’t get Maurice Lenell Cookies anymore. Not the swirls, not the red stars. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/48 "2022-12-22T01:56:32Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Oranges. When I was a kid growing up in nowheresville Ohio, you didn’t see them all winter unless someone brought some back from Florida. SoCal lad here, we had oranges, but the produce dept was indeed- rather sparse. We sent boxes of oranges to nowheresville Ohio, via “MIssion Pack”, and they were appreciated. > [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Fresh strawberries were a seasonal thing for a long time as well Yeah, even in SoCal, about a month. There were three or four cheeses to pick from. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/49 "2022-12-22T11:47:27Z")
> [@dummygladhands71](#): > > I like that I can find tzatziki almost anytime Huh. I’ve _never_ found it, always made it myself. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/50 "2022-12-22T14:07:05Z")
This. I am not really much of a fruit eater but early-late summer, I’m buying cherries every time I go to the grocery store. I need to learn not to buy them in the first two weeks , they are always still a little out of season still until my 2nd or 3rd trip to the store and not the best ,but I do anyways. ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/51 "2022-12-22T14:55:43Z")
> [@Eva\_Luna](#): > > Does anyone know why you can’t buy fresh passionfruit in the continental U.S.? I had some for the first time in Puerto Rico a year ago, and wanted to bring some home, but it’s prohibited. Most fresh fruits and veggies from Puerto Rico are prohibited in the mainland US without special permits, but they grow passionfruit in Florida now, so it does show up from time to time in larger produce departments. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/52 "2022-12-22T17:21:08Z")
I live in a major city and have grocery shopped in a number of other major cities, but have never seen fresh passionfruit in the continental U.S. I talked to the USDA inspection folks at the San Juan Airport, and they gave me a pamphlet with all the agricultural restrictions in it - we were free to bring back citrus (and yes, I did bring back some awesome limes rather than leave them behind), but not passionfruit. Nobody could tell me why - I was just wondering whether they are particularly likely to transmit plant diseases or something. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/53 "2022-12-22T18:20:05Z")
Cara Cara oranges. Never even heard of them until maybe 10 years ago. They used to only be available in winter but now I sometimes see them into the summer. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/54 "2022-12-22T18:41:23Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Washington cherrys 🍒 are only available in June and early July. I look forward to them every year. I saw Bing cherries yesterday imported from Chile last night at the discount fruit market. They looked really good, deep burgundy & no apparent mold. The flatish clamshells they were being sold in were probably about 2 lbs each and the cost was $2.98/lb, a fantastic price, even in-season. I’d already bought a bunch of fruit or I’d have picked up some of those cherries. > [@Eva\_Luna](#): > > Does anyone know why you can’t buy fresh passionfruit in the continental U.S.? I looked at Jerry’s, Super H-Mart and Shop & Save (across from Superdawg) yesterday and didn’t see any passionfruit. If you want it bad enough, it looks like Miami Fruit has some: > **[Miami Fruit - Best Tropical Fruit Boxes in the USA](https://miamifruit.org/)** > > Miami Fruit is a Miami Based fruit hub created to make tropical fruits accessible to people all over America. We ship the highest quality fruit to your door! ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/55 "2022-12-22T18:44:06Z")
These are good examples, but I’m not looking for items you’re happy to finally be able find. I’m interested in those items you now expect any decently stocked grocery store to carry. I don’t expect to see Cara Cara oranges. They’re still a nice surprise. But hummus? What store doesn’t carry hummus? (Although I did have a weird situation where I couldn’t find plain hummus. Onion, red pepper, garlic, even chocolate, sure. But plain? Wasn’t there.) ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/56 "2022-12-22T18:48:56Z")
Szechuan pepper. Well, maybe not at my local Safeway, but at any Asian market. A few years ago, it was semi-illegal to sell it. I think it was thought that it had a psychoactive element, but that must have been disproved. I can now find Szechuan peppercorns easily. But now I find that I don’t like them (much). I get that they make your tongue numb, but that’s not enough of a novelty to make me buy them. I think I got used to white pepper being historically substituted in Szechuan food and now I prefer it. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/57 "2022-12-22T19:09:10Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Yogurt. It was almost impossible to find back in the 1960’s in the upper midwest (Wisconsin, Michigan). I can remember seeing a TV ad for Knudsen’s yogurt when I was a little kid in the late 50s, and they were selling it as a Swiss snack for after skiing. It was everywhere shortly after that. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/58 "2022-12-22T19:17:43Z")
> [@John\_W.Kennedy](#): > > In the northeast, Dr Pepper, which was strictly regional before the 70s. Regional where? Dr Pepper was always available in California in my lifetime, and I’m _old._ > [@DrDeth](#): > > We sent boxes of oranges to nowheresville Ohio, via “MIssion Pack”, and they were appreciated. I can still sing the Mission Pack song, can you? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/59 "2022-12-22T19:23:33Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > I can still sing the Mission Pack song, can you? _Say the magic word, say Mission Pack, and it’s on it’s merry way. No gift so gay, so bright, so right, as Mission Pack on it’s way!"_ ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862/60 "2022-12-22T19:40:56Z")
Close! It’s “No gift so bright, so gay, so right” but that’s quibbling. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formerly-rare-food-you-now-expect-your-grocery-to-stock/976862.md?page=4)