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American Morning

Look Inside World's Largest Food Distribution Market

Aired June 06, 2002 - 08:36   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, we've been whetting our appetites at the world's largest food distribution market. The produce at Hunt's Point and the Bronx comes from more than 60 different countries.

Maria Hinojosa is standing by there now. She joins us with the very latest.

Good morning, Maria.

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Paula, it's pretty wonderful here. You know, you don't often think about fruit and vegetables, but here, this place has been going strong since 10:00 at night. All night long, buyers and sellers are coming here, and interestingly enough, the food that comes out of the Hunt's Point market is distributed as far south as Florida, as far north as Canada, as far west as Chicago.

Now what we're going to talk about now, with Myra Gordon, is the kinds of food that seems a little strange. What's changed in this market, for example, English used to be the language that was spoken here. It's now the third language that's spoken here, after Spanish and Korean, right?

MYRA GORDON, HUNT'S POINT FOOD MARKET: Correct.

HINOJOSA: So that means things have changed in terms of what people are looking for with their fruits and vegetables.

One of the things we were looking at were these what?

GORDON: The golden raspberries. Just a new variety. Basically, taste the same, used the same and handled the same. But in New York, where people have become accustomed to things that are new, different, unique, chefs love it, caterers love it, things you'll also find being sold to our consumers in the stores.

HINOJOSA: Now, interesting, when we were first coming over here, I pulled this out, and I said, what's this? And you said...

GORDON: This is a papaya. And this is -- it's a fruit that has seeds in it. The seeds can be actually ground and used like a pepper. And the papaya itself can be scooped out and eaten. It's delicious. HINOJOSA: I know, but what was funny, when I looked at the size of this, I come from Mexico. The papayas we have in Mexico are 10 times this big.

GORDON: This is a sunrise solo (ph) variety papaya. You're accustomed to the Miradal (ph), that has a redder flesh inside.

HINOJOSA: Right, right, right, and it's really good for you, too. It's really good for you.

Now things also show up here that look a little strange.

GORDON: This is southfei (ph). It's been around probably for 20 years. Also used primarily by a population that is not unique to the United State. Things like this come to us because people are accustomed to using them in their homeland. Food represents a level of comfort. It reminds them of home, and we end up selling that which is saleable.

HINOJOSA: Now some things that kind of look a little bit strange, but actually are pretty wonderful. And we're going to wrap just by -- I got to do this. We've got to go back to the studio, have to take a bite of this, because -- delicious.

Here at the Hunt's Point Food Market, I guess I have my breakfast all planned -- Paula.

ZAHN: And what a complete and healthy breakfast it is, Maria.

HINOJOSA: Taste good, too.

ZAHN: You can have your second course right after we let you get off the air.

That was fun. Thanks, Maria.

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