RESURRECT DEAD ON PLANET JUPiTER

where to buy your fruit - overdue praise

My loyalty to Sue’s Produce on 18th street (between Chestnut and Sansom) is closing in on 10 years. Simply put, if you shop at any of the other Rittenhouse Produce places, you’re an asshole. I started going to Sue’s when I worked on 39th street and lived on 46th. It’s worth the trip.

John, the always friendly (even when he’s obviously in a bad mood) owner refuses to stock and sell inferior fruits and vegetables. Want a crappy crate of late season clementines? Sue’s doesn’t have them. Want a perfect grapefruit? They have plenty of them. Need lime leaves, peas in the pod, some thai chilis, fresh bay leaves a length of horseradish root, a dozen free-range eggs, a pound of sea salt, some soft tofu and an ounce of dried morel mushrooms? You can get that too.

Sue’s is the only reason I haven’t joined a CSA. Between daily discounts on already cheap fruit, vegetables, nuts, dairy and herbs, a pay tomorrow attitude if you accidentally come up a couple dollars short, ownership I’d feel guilty not supporting and the sense of community you feel in the store itself, my sense produce morality – CSA or not – is in good working order. If you need any further inducement consider the latest items to appear the dairy case. (supplied by Claudio’s)

Gorgonzola (a soft, good quality variety) $4.50/lb (!)
Primadonna and Locatelli: $7.00/lb
Parmigiano Reggiano: I forget exactly ($10 or 11) or about half the price of that place across the street.

(!)