Mexican ingredient store?

[royaljester]

Trying to make a mexican mole, is there a place where I can get some of these ingredients?
Chayotes
Hoja santa leaves
Epazote sprigs
fresh masa

I can substitute for most of them except the chayotes, just curious if there's a place that carries all of them. Looking for serranos and tomatillos too but those are everywhere.

[oerdin]

Either Northgate Gonzalez Market or Tigre.

[maestra]

I saw hoja santa at the swap meet in Escondido last week, so any "farmers' market" with Mexican customers will probably have it.

[DiningDiva]

Dude, no need to substitute anything, it's all available locally.

Gonzales Northgate Market has everything except the fresh hoja santa. Take the 43rd street exit off the 805 and follow the exit ramp around to the first stoplight. You'll be right in front of Northgate. This place is the Disneylandia of Mexican products.

Pancho Villa market on El Cajon where is crosses the 805 has everything.,

Vallarta Markets just opened a branch in National City

Henry's, Ralphs, Von's should all have chayote, it's pretty main stream these days.

Hoja Santa grows at will on the Mesa College campus, west end, by the drama department. As long as you're discrete no one would mind you going in and harvesting some. Look for the heart shaped leaves with an aromatic scent.

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Pancho Villa's
3245 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92104

Northgate Market
606 N Escondido Blvd, Escondido, CA 92025

[royaljester]

Great info!

[beth1]

I am in total love with Vallarta. We've had ours in Escondido for a while, and it's just as clean and nice as the day it opened. Much better than the Ralph's it replaced.