By Jess Powers
Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.
Yuanyuan Dong
“As an Asian, I’ve had a lot of soy sauce in my life. This [Tsurubishio for Yamaroku] is the best. It retails for $30 on Amazon. It’s small-batch, aged up to four years, a [traditional] Japanese way of making it.”
Yukiko and Noé Hayakawa
“I joined yesterday and shopped. This is day two. I’m exploring recipes with ingredients I don’t normally use like gluten-free flour. And I’m thinking of a yuba sashimi with wasabi and soy sauce. Yuba sheets are very expensive in Japan; people don’t usually have them at home.”
Mark Silberman
“I’ve been a Coop member for about 35 years and just retired from my workshift. These Field Roast lentil and sage deli slices are very tasty and have a nice texture. Perfect for when you want a Dagwood sandwich, but you’re a vegetarian.”
Jacqueline Reid
“I use garbanzos to make a curry with potatoes. Sometimes I add zucchini. About 1 tablespoon mild curry powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, and ½ teaspoon garam masala. If you increase the amount, increase the ingredients.”
Jonathan Goldberg
“I’ve been a member for three months and live in Windsor Terrace. I’m excited for the dried pineapple rings. They taste like candy! I don’t know how popular they are.”
Sweta Sukhadia
“The oyster mushrooms are truly special. They have a lot of depth. I like to make Southeast Asian–style curries with them, with turmeric, Indian red chili powder, and cumin. But I use them for a little bit of everything: I’ll add them to a panini or make a scramble with egg on top.”
Kate Gitnick
“If it’s in stock, and it looks amazing, escarole. I cook it with onions, white beans, lemon juice, and pine nuts. Today, it’s not as big as it sometimes is.”
Chuck Baker
“We live in Long Island City. My wife was a Coop member for a long time; we got married, and I had to join. This uncured pork for an Easter ham. I prepare it sous vide. It’s cooked already—you just bring it up to temperature. You don’t even have to take it out of the bag. It’s totally juicy. I make a glaze from a recipe online.”
Mary S.
“This face cream called Zum Face. I almost want to eat it. It feels so good on your face. I’ve been a Coop member for eight years. I was shelving, and I saw it. I was just walking around thinking about how much I like the Coop and how happy I am to be here.”
Trishala Deb
“I’ve been a member for three or four years. I like the loose leaf teas. Usually I get Assam, but it’s out, so I’m getting Darjeeling. I make a nuclear chai; one cup powers me for the entire day. It’s not that deep: I use a premix, stevia and oat milk. But I use extra tea and steep it longer.”
Jess Powers works in emergency management and enjoys adventures in nature and eating. IG: @foodandfury