For my family's safety, we've switched to glass food-storage containers

BAD NEWS: The June 2020 issue of Consumer Reports magazine warns readers they may be consuming as much as a credit card's worth of plastic a week.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- We're trying to eliminate the use of plastic in our kitchen -- from food-storage containers to our coffee maker to utensils and cups we'd use when cooking on our barbecue and eating on the deck.

Besides buying glass containers to replace our many plastic food-storage containers, I stopped using our cheap, mostly plastic Mr. Coffee coffee maker and started brewing coffee in a stainless steel Farberware Superfast percolator my mother used in the 1980s and 1990s.

Read my full report on the dangers of microplastic in our food and water, and what you can do to lessen the health risks:

The more we learn about plastic and food

the more we realize the health risks we face

Just when you thought Bergen County had too many Asian markets

Hong Kong-style whole Roast Duck, Roast Pork and Honey Barbecued Spare Ribs at 99 Ranch Market in Hackensack.

A wide variety of Dim Sum are available at another stand in the busy food court.

Editor's note: On visits in December 2019, a cashier at 99 Ranch Market charged me twice for the same item, necessitating a return trip to get a credit; and one of the employees behind the fish counter cleaned, but didn't scale, whole yellowtail snappers I purchased. 

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- The Korean supermarket chain with the folksy name of "One Arm Full of Groceries" has defined Asian food for decades.

With 6 H Marts in Bergen County alone, Han Ah Reum has had a loyal following among Korean-Americans and non-Koreans alike, despite competition from H&Y and other smaller chains.

But all that changed last week with the opening of 99 Ranch Market in Hackensack's Home Depot Shopping Center (June 2018).

The Chinese supermarket may not have as many good deals as H Mart, but the Hackensack store is simply a better Asian-food experience.

See more photos at The Sasson Report and on Instagram @victoresasson.

One of the stands in the food court of 99 Ranch Market in Hackensack.

Food labels: 'Vibrant, juicy flavors' ... 'pure, sweet basil' ... 'intense, fruity'

The labels of Kirkland Signature Wild Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon, above, and Organic Quinoa from Peru, below, show the poetic side of Costco Wholesale.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- In cooking with some of the premium food items I buy at Costco Wholesale, I read the labels closely for information on their origin and how they are grown or raised.

Costco reserves the Kirkland Signature label for fresh, wild fish; Organic Quinoa, California Cabernet Sauvignon, Pesto made with 100% Italian basil and other items.

And besides listing salt and sodium content, some of the labels are almost poetic, as you'll see in a detailed post on The Sasson Report:

Check first for excessive salt and sugar,

 then enjoy the poetry of some food labels

An ethnic-food run for Mexican, Peruvian and Syrian specialties

An order of Fish Tacos at Taqueria Los Gueros on Main Avenue in the city of Passaic, above. Below, store-made Spinach & Cheese Pies, Mini Vegetable Pies, Fig & Walnut Roll and more at Fattal's in Paterson.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

This past Saturday, we went on an ethnic-food run to the cities of Passaic and Paterson for Mexican, Peruvian and Syrian specialties.

See The Sasson Report for all the details.

Enjoy.

$35 bowl of pasta, spicy Malaysian fish, Korean BBQ feast and more

Seafood Tom Yum Soup at Penang Malaysian & Thai Cuisine in Lodi.

-- HACKENSACK, N.J.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

I've been food shopping, preparing meals at home and eating out, and reporting all about it on my new blog, The Sasson Report.

Here are links to those reports:

Spicy Malaysian fish

Kinara in Tenafly, Fish Dock in Closter

Armenian takeout in Hackensack

Food tastes sweeter when on sale

$35 bowl of pasta, no charge for agita

Korean barbecue around a wood-charcoal fire

Hidden dangers of eating fast food

Sanducci's takeout, fish tacos and more

Explore other food posts at  The Sasson Report

'Do You Really Know What You're Eating?' has moved

I shop for good ingredients and prepare colorful and healthy meals.

Do You Really Know What You're Eating? has moved to The Sasson Report, which brings together commentary on print journalism, food shopping and restaurants, the movement to all-electric cars and other topics.

-- VICTOR E. SASSON