the politics of food

[MScoleman at aol.com]

ok, ok, ok, i wasn't going to jump in on this thread, but NYC has the best
food choice in the western hemisphere, both in restaurants and purchases (I've
visited the bay area and many other USA locations and I insist that this is
true).  It used to be that poor neighborhoods had the worst and highest priced
supermarkets, but that does not seem to be as true as it used to be.
F'rinstance, I've been told I live in a ghetto, whatever the fuck that means.
A & P used to be the most expensive market here, and it closed, and was
replaced by another expensive no-name market, and that has closed and been
replaced by a relatively inexpensive CTown which is doing a land office
business.  In the mean time there is a huge pathmark and a medium sized no-
name supermarket which had decent prices.  However, only a little travel
(10-15 minutes by subway or bus) brings you to fresh fruit places in several
directions, and there is also a good butcher and fish place up here.  I think
that New York's poor neighborhoods are not as isolated and residents vote with
their feet, travelling to other areas rather than buy overpriced produce (by
and large, there are of course exceptions -- the elderly, brand new
immigrants).

maggie coleman mscoleman at aol.com