Canino Market, Houston

Canino Market, Nikon D300

Just like everyone else, I have been going to supermarkets for years, for convenience. We all have to go buy some food once in a while. In most cases, stands of fresh products look quite nice and can even bring up your appetite. However, with the exception of fish and meat where you buy from the counter, it lacks human interaction. To me, grocery shopping soon became an annoying activity we all have to do.


Thanks to some friends who recommended Canino Market, we checked out this fresh market in The Heights. The first experience was such a blast, we decided, from that point on, only to go there for fresh vegetables and fruits.


Supermarkets all look alike, wherever you are. Sure the food may differ slightly but the feeling will still be the same. A supermarket in Dubai is not very different than one in London, Tahiti or Houston. On the contrary, each fresh market is original, has its own culture. I now try to check out one in each country I visit, or even city. I am sure I will have the opportunity to share more of this in the future.

Canino Market, Lomo

Houston is quite famous for its hispanic community and clearly Canino Market has a mexican flavor. I feel like learning to speak Spanish again. Traveling to a foreign country, whereas in vacation or business, does not always give you the luxury of cooking with fresh and local products. When you live somewhere exotic, or not, it is best to cook local dishes using local ingredients. Of course, it is even better if someone knows what to do with it. I am the lucky one, not only is my wife a fantastic cook, she likes experimenting. So far, the produce we bought at Canino's has a lot more flavor than artificially ripen supermarket produce. What is interesting too is that everything is mixed together, which I am sure can bring ideas to the cooks to think about dishes to make, flavors to associate, colors to mix. But what's best is buying from friendly people who live from their passion, enjoy their job and know their products.

Canino Market, iPhone

Now let's talk about photography. I find this place unique because of the market stands holding such a diversity of products, shapes and colors. I doesn't matter which camera I carry, I always want to take pictures, but I end up spending all my time shopping for fresh produce. Perhaps I should go with just this purpose in mind one day. I took pictures using my camera phone, my Lomo and my Nikon D300. All give very different results but all will give you the taste for the place.

Central Market, Lomo

I thought it would be nice to compare traditional markets with more industrial supermarkets, just because most supermarkets are boring. To justify such comparison, I chose the best location in H-Town, Central Market. All the guests we have received to visit us, have agreed, it was the most interesting supermarket they had to buy from. I still think it is much more monotonous than the lively Canino's, but that is entirely my call. 






With my Nikon D300, Canino Market:

Canino Market, taken with a Lomo

Left, Canino Market using an iPhone, right, Central Market, using a Lomo