All Bostonians know about Hay Market -- the loud, crazy place where over-ripe produce is sold in large quantities at rock bottom prices. Almost everything sold at Hay Market is past its peak and won't stay long. Many vendors only sell their goods in bulk, but they're so cheap that you don't care, at least not until you have to take the "T" home with 5 pounds of onions when you only needed one. Farmer's markets are a good alternative, but they only happen in the summer, each one running for several hours one day a week. You have to do some careful planning and scheduling to go to one. Bread & Circus offers great produce, but at prices that are a far cry from Hay Market's. The promise of Russo's sounds too good to be true: Bread & Circus quality at much lower prices, open 7 days a week with a parking lot to boot! If you have never heard of Russo's, you are not alone. The only way home cooks learn about this hidden gem is word of mouth. Russo's does not advertise to general consumers because they have plenty of business from restaurants and food industry; some of their customers include East Coast Grill, Blue Ginger, No. 9 Park, and L'Espalier.

I was curious to see where pros shop for produce. So several weeks ago, I made a long shopping list and headed to Russo's. After somewhat challenging navigation of the Watertown streets, I arrived at my destination and was happy to find a large parking lot. I thought I was entering Bread &Circus or some other upscale grocery store. The place was clean, organized, and inviting. I was greeted by hundreds of bunches of asparagus. Every stock was thick and firm, every tip unblemished. Could it be only $1.49/Lb? Oh, and there were red peppers for $1/Lb, and oyster mushrooms for $5/Lb. I made my way around all the isles finding fruits and vegetables I'd never seen before. There were 4 types of kale, 3 types of chives, potatoes in every size and color (even purple), and 5 types of eggplants. The variety and freshness of Russo's produce can't even be beat by Bread & Circus. The strawberries are sweet and juicy. The potatoes are so smooth and perfect they are a pleasure to peel. The herbs stay fresh for 2 weeks! The prices vary a lot, but are never higher than Star Market's. For example, asparagus can be as low as $1.49/Lb when it's on special, or as much as $2.49/Lb. Dill can be 30 cents/bunch on special, or as much as $1.30/bunch. Russo's changes the specials every week. There are always many great bargains, but even the regular prices are impressive.

The selection of Oriental, Indian, and Italian specialty items is amazing. Many fruits and vegetables are new to me. When I find unfamiliar produce, the other shoppers come to my rescue. I ran into Chinese chives the other day and was wondering how they were different from regular chives. A lady standing next to me in the herb section saw my confusion and happily explained that these chives are firmer and particularly good in stir-fry dishes. Russo's is a great place to learn about different cuisines by talking to people and trying new fruits, vegetables, and herbs. You'll hear Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish, Italian, and Russian spoken all around you. The folks who come to Russo's are passionate about great produce and their cuisines and are willing to share their cooking experience.

Besides produce, Russo's also carries baked goods, prepared foods, cheeses, dairy, poultry, and deli meats. The deli department is excellent. Offerings included proscuitto, duck liver pate, smoked fish, and variety of sausages, hams, turkey, and salami. Fresh pasta in the cheese section is a real find. You can buy pasta sheets for $2.79/Lb and fill them with your favorite fillings to make ravioli, cannelloni or lasagna. For the days when speed is more important than creativity, you can choose from several types of already filled ravioli for $5.49/Lb.

I left the store with way more stuff than I had on my shopping list. I couldn't resist Proscuito and Mozzarella Buffala, and Jason had to get trail mix and yogurt covered raisins. We also picked up a bouquet of flowers and some herbs and pansies for our garden. After that first trip, it was hard to shop for produce anywhere else, so a trip to Russo's to stock up on produce has become my weekly ritual.

Russo's web site
Address: 560 Pleasant St / Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-923-1500
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 8AM-8PM; Sun. 8AM-6PM