Strolling Salem Street

Salem Street in the North End seems pretty darn yuppified since Dairy Fresh Candy was replaced by a yoga store and Acquire, a home accessories store I can't resist despite my longing for those courtly Dairy Fresh shopkeepers and their wares. I know I'm supposed to embrace change rather than become petrified in my ways. I'd feel better if I could figure out where to go for white chocolate Easter candy in the shape of tombstones, and the white-chocolate-covered cherries on a stem that my relatives like to get for Christmas.

Thank goodness Polcari's Coffee never changes; the guys behind the counter are the nicest in town. I really don't care if the candy we buy there tastes like spice, and the spices taste faintly like coffee. Actually everything from there smells faintly of coffee, including the risotto. But who cares? It's all good.

The Salem True Value remains the most staggeringly overstocked hardware store in town; I always get lost in there. I went in recently for a new mortar and pestle, and there were so many choices I couldn't make up my mind. I left, empty-handed and confused.

Boston Common Coffee Co. is another welcome addition to the street; a nice place to linger over coffee and something delicious while you meet friends. They sell hibiscus iced tea, known as karkade (car-ka-DAY), which I've only seen in Egypt. One sip and I'm back in Cairo.

And the Mercato di Mare is still taking its seafood seriously. Note the lip liner in the crusher claw and the lipstick in the cutting claw:

Hmm, this lobster appears to be wearing boxing gloves: it might have two crusher claws. Yum!