Food shopping in Rhine-Sieg district International supermarkets with specialties from other countries

Rhine Sieg district · Anyone who wants to recreate their favorite recipe from another country often needs ingredients that are not found at the normal supermarkets. From Greek coffees to Thai herbs: Customers can find special foods from other countries in these supermarkets in the region.

Customers will find a wide range of sunflower seeds at the Ottomarkt store in Sankt Augustin.

Customers will find a wide range of sunflower seeds at the Ottomarkt store in Sankt Augustin.

Foto: dpa/Sven Hoppe

With sunny days here in the region, one quickly gets that vacation feeling. International dishes can help alleviate the wanderlust until it’s time to travel. Turkish food is particularly good to buy in Troisdorf and Siegburg. The fresh fruits and vegetables, most of which are displayed by the pallet in green baskets outside, look inviting. "We have the best watermelons," says Albayrak Ugurcan, owner of the store of the same name on Brunnenstrasse in Troisdorf. But he also has other summer fruits like nectarines, peaches and apricots on sale right now. In addition to typical Turkish products such as bulgur or pomegranate syrup, there are other international foods in his store, he said. "For example, we have various Greek coffees on our shelves," Ugurcan said.

In the refrigerated section, there are many types of cheese that are pickled in brine and come from different nations. But also the typical strongly spiced Sucuk can be found in most Turkish food markets. It is a raw sausage made from beef or veal and lamb. This traditional type of sausage has spread from southeastern Europe through Turkey and various Arab countries to the Rhein-Sieg district. Anyone who has ever tried it knows that it has an intense flavor and lots of garlic. Even if the Turkish supermarkets have a different feel than the typical supermarket chains, some people will already be familiar with some of the food products from having been on vacation there.

Another world with Cyrillic letters

Meanwhile, entering the Russian store "Dawai Markt" in Sankt Augustin feels like being in a completely different world. The supermarket is relatively large. Those who are not familiar with Cyrillic letters will have difficulty deciphering the product names. It helps that the respective products are pictured on most of the packages. In addition to snacks, such as sunflower seeds, there is Russian honey, a refrigerated counter with packaged sausage and cheese, a service counter with fresh meat and a fish counter.

"Pelmeni or also piroshki are very popular with our customers from the former USSR," says Jurij Otto, the owner of "Otto Markt - Russian and International Specialties" on Ankerstrasse in Sankt Augustin. Piroshki are larger, fried dumplings with a savory filling. Pelmeni are smaller dumplings filled with minced meat. They are cooked in water or broth. "We must have 20 different types of Russian dumplings," Otto says. He also has a huge selection of sweets from Russia, Ukraine and Moldova on offer, he says. Also very popular with his customers he says, are canned vegetables such as tomatoes or cucumbers. "In German stores, the canned products are sold with a lot of vinegar, but in Russia, Ukraine and also Moldova, they make it without vinegar," Otto reports. At the moment, he is not affected by sanctions due to the tense situation caused by the war.

International clientele

In the "Supermarket Hennef" you really do feel like you're in the faraway Orient: the ever-changing advertising brochures, the supermarket's website, its ratings on Google Maps and, ultimately, the products are written almost entirely in intricate Arabic characters. Hard for outsiders to understand, but owner Molem Zakria says in nearly accent-free German, "We not only appeal to Arabic-speaking customers, but also have many Germans who come to shop with us." In general, he says, his clientele is a mix of many nationalities. Zakria himself is Syrian and also sources most of his products from his homeland. He has been running the supermarket since 2021.

Anyone who wants to cook their way even further from the Rhine-Sieg district to the Far East will certainly find what they are looking for at one of the two Asian supermarkets in Siegburg. "Noodles, oyster sauce from Thailand, coconut milk or curry paste are the things that are most in demand here," says Tram Phung from the Asia Supermarkt Am Herrengarten. Rice paper from Thailand, her home country, is also popular with her customers for summer rolls. Korean cuisine is also in vogue at the moment, for which many items are sold over the counter. Customers also praise her seasonal goods such as fresh lychees, mangoes, dates and Thai herbs, Phung said.

(Orig. text: Scarlet Schmitz / Translation: Carol Kloeppel)

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