In almost all American grocery stores, there is a section of ethnic foods separated by the country the items are usually associated with. By scanning the shelves, you certainly can get a sense about each country’s general eating habits, or at the very least, its most popular food staples. For instance, in the Swedish section, you’re almost sure to find lingonberry jam, the Thai section is a good place to pick up coconut milk and you’ll probably find water chestnuts and bean sprouts on the shelves devoted to Chinese cuisine.

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