When did North Carolina become one of the best places in the South to stock an adventurous pantry? Quietly, and faster than most people realize.
Across the state, Asian grocery markets have become part of everyday life for many home cooks. You will find them in the Research Triangle, around Charlotte, and even along the coast in Wilmington.
These stores carry ingredients that are hard to find in regular supermarkets. Things like Korean fermented pastes, fresh Vietnamese herbs, and South Asian spice blends…