Archive for ‘Food & Travel’

Growing Esrogs for Sukkot (October 14)

By Susie, 14 October, 2008,

Esrogs are an important part of Sukkot, a Jewish historical and agricultural festival. It seems only fitting to celebrate a major grower of esrogs who is also finally relaxing after an intense harvest season!

If you want to use your citrons creatively after the holiday, here are some ideas. You can read more about the grower in The Saga of the Citron Selecting the Perfect Etrog.

New York Bargain Eats: Sahadi International Market

By Susie, 4 October, 2008,

A giant flashing spider surrounding oils and sauces forces me to say: “If the economy has you SPOOOKED” but you can’t give up the tasty life, make your way to Sahadi’s Specialty and Fine Foods in Brooklyn.

First, I’ll admit Sahadi’s certainly is not my “discovery.” The store has been around for many decades. And in fact my sister got me hooked. But it IS hidden to many people who don’t live in Brooklyn. At least, until the Food Network airs its program featuring Sahadi, which they were filming when I was there.

My friend always laughs at the big bag I invariably bring back to her place, until she tastes the tabouli, zatar (Arabic bread coated with olive oil and a spice mixture including tangy sumac, sesame, thyme, and other spices), stuffed breads, and kibbe–a delicious meat, wheat and pine nut ball that happens to be as common in Brazil as bread. Arrive around lunch or take out for dinner.

Head down to the Promenade for your picnic.

Favorite Things to Buy

If you’ll be taking a trip home, stock up on food for the voyage. Huge variety of spices, nuts, bulk candies, cheeses, olives, peanut crunch, coffee (starting around $4.95/lb), chocolates. Blocks of Guittard chocolate go for around $4/lb, great for nuking and mixing with your new load of nuts to make bark or clusters. Bags of organic lollipops for $1.25 were another nice find.

If you’re checking your luggage and don’t have a good international market near you, make sure to comb through each shelf for interesting oils. Even Margaret Palca sells rugelach (my favorite New York indulgence) at Sahadi, at a good price (in addition to selling it online on Foodzie.)

Getting to Sahadi

(Directions) From Manhattan, take the 4 or 5 trains, or whichever makes sense, to Borough Hall, or another nearby stop.

You might want to check out the Syrian bakery next door. Atlantic Ave. is a hotbed of Syrian stores, which you don’t see much on the West coast especially.

Note about buying online: The coffee is the real bargain.

How to Be a Good Customer
You’ll find a helpful, cheery staff. Take a number for help with the olives and other bulk items. Know what you want before your number is called. It’s fast and furious–and fun.

PS – Of course Zabar’s rules as well, especially for their vast cheese selection.

Citron Cooking and Learning With Slow Food

By Susie, 30 September, 2008,

The Aqua Terra Slow Food convivium held a fun two-hour citron extravaganza at the June Taylor Still-Room in Berkeley.

We Learned
Through the magic of video and speakerphone, we learned all about citrons (esrogs) from the only large commercial grower in the US, John Kirkpatrick.

John grows five varieties of citrons, which have various characteristics such as differences in the peel, number of seeds, and proportion of pulp:
Temoni (originally from Yemin), Buddha’s Hand, Halperin, Kivelovitz, Braveman, Chazon Ish
The foam “bedding” keeps the citrons free from blemishes.

We Ate and Drank
Several of us brought the results of our citron cooking experiments, made with citrons received in advance:

Preserved citrons - Based on a preserved lemons recipe from the Apple Farm.
Citron marmalade – Made with 2 entire fruits
Citron candy – Made by June Taylor. Visit the Ferry Building farmer’s market soon and you might be able to find a bag of this delicious chewy candy.
Hangar One Buddha’s Hand vodka kindly donated by St. George Spirits, who call John a “marvelous human being.”
Candied Citrons and Citron Syrup which I made, simply by putting equal parts sugar and water in a pan with sliced fruit and letting it reduce. But when I left the fruit in the syrup, the syrup ultimately became very bitter. In my first go around when I poured the syrup out right away, it was delicious (especially in a citron-jito with mint!)
Citron Curd (like lemon curd) – This was everyone’s favorite.
Citrons in Sugar, from an 1830 cook book, where slices layered with sugar extract the little juice there is.

Click to see the big Victorian Sponge Cake recipe. Heavenly butteriness.

Delicious Citroncello recipe was based on this limoncello recipe.

(You too can have as much citronolicious fun as Vera provided at one of her famous parties.)

…and we had FUN.

Where to Get Citrons
After the Sukkot celebration in October, the price of citrons will come down. You can find them at the Monterey Market and Berkeley Bowl in Berkeley, CA as well as various specialty markets around the US (although I’m not sure where).

Learn More About How John Grows the Citrons
Here’s a short video, roosters and all!

Up to Her Ears in Tomatoes

By Susie, 29 September, 2008,

To-ma-tohs that is.

If there’s one thing we all loved at the citron event it was June Taylor’s old fashioned tomato ketchup. Sweet, with a little bite.

Now at the end of tomato season, June gets her workout cooking down large vats of deep red, flavorful organic tomatoes into various canned delights.

(More soon on the event!)

Ferry Plaza – Meet Juniper Ridge "Western Wild Goods"

By Susie, 25 September, 2008,

Saturday September 27 I’ll look forward to chatting with Juniper Ridge, makers of deliciously scented soaps, delicate incense, and more – “wildcrafted from the mountains and deserts of the west.”