[CH] New York City Pepperheads

Bradley F. Maurer (gregor.nyc@earthlink.net)
Fri, 6 May 2005 22:33:16 -0400 (GMT-04:00) 

Hi all!
  I've been lurking on this for the past few months after a several years hiatus and thought that I would chime in for once.
  I was just wondering if any other members on this list live in the tri-state area (Metropolitan NYC--NY, NJ, and CT).  I would like to get to know you.
  I know that I'm kind of spoiled by living here since I can find almost any type of fresh aji or hot sauce that I want if I'm willing to take the time and the train to go and collect them in the various ethnic neighborhoods in the five boroughs of this great city.  
  I just wanted to ask if anyone else here is in the same position, either here or in another region of the US.  When I lived in Minneapolis/St. Paul (the premiere metroplex of the great white north in the upper midwest), I had access to all types of fresh ajis and sauces.  However, I spent a bit of time last year in Columbus, Ohio and found myself coming back to NYC to replenish my aji deficit.
  I was truly confounded since Columbus has a large immigrant population of Eastern Africans (more "Ethiopian" restaurants per capita than NYC, but far less than Minneapolis), a large hispanic influx, and growing number of South Asians.  I kept asking myself, "Where are the AJS?".  I couldn't even find a decent Jalapeno in any chain grocery store or even an bodega to save my life.
  Any insights?