What's a Jew to do on Easter?

Well, go to 99 Ranch, that's what. Easter is a strange holiday; it's not quite as all-consuming as Christmas, but I was surprised at just how many places were closed. On Christmas I join the rest of the Jewish masses and usually go to a movie and then settle in for a lovely Chinese meal. Aaahh, the Christmas tradition of the non-believers. But what to do on the day of Christ's resurrection? Once again I joined the legions of Asian Americans and ventured up to Richmond and into the Pacific East Mall which contains the 99 Ranch.

For those of you living outside of the west coast, 99 Ranch is a supermarket, but not just any supermarket-- the Asian foods supermarket. This isn't some tiny, whole-in-the-wall, Asian grocery, with a handful of fresh vegetables, a few bottles of bizarre (to the American palate) condiments, and packets of prepared soups complete with dried noodles. No, 99 Ranch is the size of your average American supermarket, but catering to all Asian nationalities and their own culinary delicacies, Indonesian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, etc. Entire aisles of rice, jasmine, basmati, glutinous; a large produce section with the average apples, oranges, and bananas; plus every kind of Asian green waiting to be brought home and wilted in a wok; the tea section is vast, from green, to blacks, to white, all lined up for the tasting. And then there is the fish and meat department. Quail, partridge, and black cornish game hen, every cut of the pig imaginable, from tenderloin to tripe, and cuttlefish, live prawns, and catfish heads awaiting their fate in a cauldron-size stock pots to be stewed with colorful vegetables from the produce section.

I didn't really need anything from the market, however this did not stop me from browsing, and selecting a few choice items. A package of Panko Bread Crumbs, more crumb-y, and less pulverized than the American variety, these will be a crisp addition to pork cutlets or chicken tenderloins. Sachets of Almond Paste to be mixed with warm water or milk and enjoyed as one would a cup of tea. Peanuts stewed not roasted in Soy Sauce, Sugar, and Salt, it's interesting to see another culture's take on a traditional snack food. And by far my favorite, a habitual food for me from 99 Ranch, frozen, Steamed Buns. BBQ Pork, Chinese Broccoli, and Plain, these buns are the perfect snack, savory fillings nestled inside mellifluous, white dough.

After buying our goodies, my husband and I strolled around the mall. All of the restaurants were packed full of people; families slurping up their pho noodle soups; we checked out the Japanese paper goods store, and wondered when it was that Snoopy became as popular as Hello Kitty, and looked at all of the gilded altars for sale in the Thai shop. Then as we were leaving the Pacific East Mall my husband stopped by a photo booth and took advantage of a special feature.