Wow. Have I EVER got…

Well. I got more than milk.

That's because the tiny Milk 'n' More store carries a variety of dairy-based goods.

This is excellent news if you live around Tempe, or commute with any regularity to the west ends of Broadway Road.

Milk 'n' More is, first, a convenience store. It was originally intended to provide milk truck drivers and the other plant workers at United Dairy Farmers big processing operations right there south of Broadway with a place to find a quick lunch.

But it grew (just a little). Now, you can find milk, cream, butter and cheese, too - all Arizona made.

The Arizona cheddar and cheddar with jalapenos is tart, creamy and (with jalapenos) with a small, but distinct bite.

The Arizona jack cheese is firm, not rubbery, and with a pleasant tang.

The store also sells butter, both "regular" and "European grade." The European grade butter has a sweet, clean taste, without an "oily" component. The regular is, well, butter.

Prices at Milk 'n' More for milk and cheese are slightly under supermarket prices; butter prices are in line with current market pricing.

The store is open at 2008 S. Hardy (Hard/Broadway) from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Besides dairy and lunch products, there is also a small gift selection for sale (cows! cows on mugs! cows on pins! cows on…you get the picture).

Oh! Wait, there's more. For all you cheeseheads out there…Milk 'n' More sells bags of cheese curds. On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, there are free samples.

I'm not from Wisconsin. Never ate a cheese curd. But later this week….I'll let you know.

Shopping Mekong

It sure looks like a variant of an American supermarket, perhaps of the discount genre.

The minute you get past the cashier barrier, though, you know you're in foreign territory.

Maybe that's why you've hesitated to shop at Mekong Market.

After all, if you're just interested in throwing together a little Americanized stir fry, you're likely to find just about all you need to your larger local supermarket.

But if you really love exploring ethnic cuisines, and if you want to add a huge new dimension to your family dinners without resorting to going out or foraging take out…ya gotta try this.

This region has dozens of ethnic markets that can give you not just different tastes on your table - but a little taste of other cultures, too.

Some of the largest food and gift markets around offer delicacies and pantry staples from every corner of the Asian world.

Mekong's not a mammoth market, but it's laid out in a fashion that's vaguely related to what Americans tend to think of as a "supermarket."

First, those huge bins of fruit and vegetables in front are just major indicators of produce specials. Last week there was also a large display of immense golden pigs and apples - it's new year's, after all!

Step inside. Take a minute to get used to the atmosphere. Asian muzak is not necessarily familiar to American ears, but it's a good reminder this is a different kind of store.

Once beyond the cashier line barrier, move to the right for frozen foods, meats and seafood.

The meat and seafood department straddles frozen and fresh; everything is labeled, and you will know most of the seafood, fish and meats.

(Okay - you probably don't use duck tongues, chicken feet or even snail meat every day. But neither do most Asian cooks, and if you have the right recipe, you just might try these in your own kitchen.

Next to the meat and seafood department, you'll find the freezer cases. These aren't labeled, aside from specific food items, so you'll want to browse a little. There's only a small section devoted to desserts or sweets, but it includes examples from India, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Japan.

Against the back wall are refrigerated cases, holding eggs, tofu, noodles, kimchi in several versions, and more.

Aisles are stacked more than 10 feet up, but the highest shelves are clearly the in-store warehouse system.

These are organized, but not in the way you might expect. We'll explore these more carefully in a next post, when we'll also get to the produce and prepared food section at Mekong Market.