Far East & Africa
That morning cup of java can jump-start the day. But did you know that when the Ethiopians first discovered coffee, they didn't drink it, they chewed it for the caffeine buzz? Try a kola nut and feel a cold wind blast through your cheeks instead. Buy a banana flower for a supper salad that isn't Caesar's. It all carries you away to the other side of the world.
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Banh Khoai - crispy shrimp pancakes - 26 Oct 2011
These fluffy rice flour pancakes, stuffed with shrimp and herbs, are a specialty of Vietnam's west coast.
Make them as a starter or part of a multi-dish feast, and get your guests to do their own stuffing... read more...
Mango skin allergy alert! - 21 Jun 2011
This warning comes from eatWashingtonian Susan, whose eyes became red and swollen. The allergist identified mango skin as the cause. She'd been peeling them, then touched her eyes.
Apparently, the skin contains small amounts of the same compound that causes an allergic reaction to poison ivy. read more...
Kola nuts - they're the real thing - 23 Mar 2011
No need to do the 'spring cleaning'. For a blast of fresh wind, go and chew a kola nut. Kola nuts are 'the real thing.' read more...
Halah butchers - 17 Feb 2011
You won't have to travel too far to find a good Halal butcher in the area. Some chefs reckon that a Halal chicken will produce a much more tender roast than a regular chicken. read more...
Rice - the long and the short of it - 21 Jul 2010
There are around 10,000 varieties of rice, though only some half dozen reach general stores. Which is best for what? Rice unraveled. read more...
Lentils & dhals unravelled - 25 Mar 2010
We're at the point, as Michael Pollan keeps reminding us, where raising meat is becoming unsustainable and depriving the rest of the world of food. Across the Mediterranean region, through the Middle East on to India, local cooks use grains and pulses for much of their protein.
We should learn from this - they're delicious, and cheap. But which dhals are which? And which lentils, pulses and dhals are best for which dish? read more...
Dried fruits & nuts - 25 Mar 2010
In this fruitless mid-season before local strawberries and raspberries show up, when all that's on offer are bananas, oranges with the texture of Kleenex and apples you just don't want another bite out of, think about dried fruits. Soak them overnight in anything from weak tea to diluted fresh orange juice, and buy a mix of whatever catches your interest from figs and apricots to golden raisins, cranberries and dried apple slices. A bowlful makes a delicious breakfast. And sprinkled with a liquor, and a crunch of toasted walnuts, and served with creme fraiche or thick Greek yogurt, you have an easy dinner party dessert. read more...
Teff - a gluten-free grain - 3 Feb 2010
If you are gluten intolerant, one bread you can eat is injera, the Ethiopian flatbread made with flour ground from teff. This ancient and tiny grain grown in the Ethiopian highlands is gluten free. read more...
Injera - what is it and how to make it? - 3 Feb 2010
Injera, like Indian parathas and naan, is not just bread. It's cutlery. It's a pan liner. It's a plate. Tear off a strip, sweep it through the stew in the common bowl and bring the food to your mouth. At least, that's what you do if you're a skilled Ethiopian. If you're me, you're one fragile step away from a dry cleaner's bill... read more...
Habesha Ethiopian Market - 23 Sep 2009
Habesha Ethiopian Market is one of those groceries where you can eat once you've shopped. In the heart of Little Ethiopia, it's bang opposite Etete, the popular Ethiopian restaurant. But you can eat here, in their cafe section. read more...
Daily Spices - one of my favorite markets - 26 Aug 2009
What a lovely crew runs Daily Spices! It's a bright little store a little further out beyond Merrifield's H Mart, filled with sunlight and Indian groceries. Go there often enough and it's worth joining their loyalty scheme. read more...
Delhi Bazaar - 22 Jul 2009
This grocery isn't shy. It describes itself as 'The Ultimate Grocery Store', which is a challenge, given it's bang next door to Grand Mart. read more...
Alternatives to pita bread - 1 Jul 2009
Looking for an alternative to pita? There are plenty. read more...
Fish: Pomegranate Shrimp - 29 Apr 2009
Monica Bhide's dish cooks in just 15 minutes. Don’t overcook the shrimp, she cautions, or they will become rubbery. But that's the only thing you need to watch to succeed with this easy entree. read more...
Monica Bhide - not just an Indian cookbook writer - 29 Apr 2009
If you've ever signed up for an online cooking course with Egullet, if you have cooked an Indian recipe from Spice of Life, if you have taken a cooking class in Indian cookery at a private house in an area served by the Dunloring metro station, you will probably have come under the influence of Monica Bhide. read more...
Indian & Sri Lankan markets - 29 Apr 2009
The cooking of the Indian sub-continent can seem complex. Lists of ingredients are often lengthy. But once you have them in stock, recipes are as simple as any other national cuisine. Find them at these markets, take any questions with you and ask for advice. You'll find store owners enthusiastic about helping. read more...
Halalco - 25 Nov 2008
While some of us may back off from offal, those who like a good steak and kidney pie can find the necessary lambs' kidneys at Halalco. If that sounds like a forkful too far, choose the Halal duck. This Halal supermarket is like a holiday to somewhere south of the Bosphorus. read more...
Shri Krishna Grocery - 24 Sep 2008
Seductive, calming Indian music plays inside this modest market. So when you stop in front of a display of karhai bowls - wok-like pans that some say gave 'curry' its name - you sense that with a simple purchase of just one small one you'll turn out perfect Indian meals. read more...
Spices in bulk - 19 Aug 2008
Christine, a recent Washington arrival from San Francisco, wanted to know where to find spices and herbs in bulk cheaply. Not at Whole Foods, for a start. Healthway, featured at the top of the page, has a wide range. But she did her own researches and came up with these answers, which she generously passes on. read more...
Spice Lanka - one of my favorite markets - 12 Aug 2008
There is a huge difference, says Chandra Malalasekara, between Indian food and the food of Sri Lanka. It's mainly in the spices. "Totally different," he says. He's the Sri Lankan owner of Spice Lanka, so he should know. read more...
The lunch shift is over and chef Peter Smith, owner of PS 7’s restaurant is surrounded by gin. No, he’s not relaxing over a drink. The gin is in bowls in an pre-formed state. It’s the mash, a mix of herbs and berries and peels and roots that Smith has worked out how to use in his food as flavorings.
Chew On This: Your first 'Duh' of the year...
Eggplant
Baked beans - the musical fruit
Ribollita - wondersoup or wodge?
Yasaman Persian Bakery - one of my favorites
Breads - a good chew
Duck & goose
A festive 'Special': Foie Gras Creme Caramel
Festive presents weird and wacky at World Market
Walnut oil
The perfect Yorkshire pudding
Chew On This: The acai berry diet can only thin your wallet...
The Queen Mum's favorite cake
West Indian Black Cake
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