Now Boarding! Little Odessa Ethnojunket on September 14 at 1pm!

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Here’s another chance to take part in a scheduled ethnojunket to Brooklyn’s Little Odessa for some delicious Russian, Georgian, Azerbaijani, Uyghur, Turkish, Uzbek, and Ukrainian food!

An ethnojunket is a food-focused walking tour through one of New York City’s many ethnic enclaves; my mission is to introduce you to some delicious, accessible, international treats (hence, “ethno-”) that you’ve never tasted but soon will never be able to live without (hence, “-junkie”). My most popular tours are described on the Ethnojunkets page but there are always new ones in the works.

A scheduled ethnojunket is one which is about to happen soon. Generally, I try to keep the group to a maximum of six people or so; it’s a comfortable size: larger groups tend to get impersonal and less participatory. But occasionally, only one or two people have signed up for an ethnojunket – and when it comes to food tastings, the more participants, the greater the opportunity to taste more dishes! So when that happens, I announce it in the Now Boarding section of the Ethnojunkets page. Subscribers always get email notifications about these.

And this is one of those occasions! There are still some openings available for our Exploring Eastern European Food in Little Odessa ethnojunket on Saturday, September 14 at 1pm so here’s your chance to join in the fun! Click here to sign up!
 

Yawdie-Q

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IYKYK…but IYDK, Wikipedia says that Yardie (or Yaadi/Yawdie) is a term often used within the Caribbean expatriate and Jamaican diaspora to refer to people of Jamaican origin. The word is derived from the Jamaican patois for “home” or “yard.”

And now YK.

But I’ve got something way better for you to know: Yawdie-Q is a must do!


You’re looking at the authentic Jamaican Fried Chicken Slider served on a potato roll with sweet herb slaw and pickled vegetables, accompanied by a side of Plantain Sticks plus some bespoke house aioli for dipping (comped).


Is it even possible to make a slider that’s actually memorable? It was certainly the best slider I’ve ever had (no lie) and I strongly recommend that you stop by and taste for yourself! And while you’re there, order a refreshing Jerk Lemonade. Jerk Lemonade? Yes. It isn’t spicy, but it is the perfect drink to go with everything on the menu, so don’t miss it!

Now, the plantain sticks are not on the menu – YET. But I’ll bet if enough people come in asking for it, if we’re very lucky, Damien (who is a marketing guru as well as a talented Caribbean chef) will make it happen.

Crunchy outside…


…soft and sweet inside.

Yawdie-Q is located at 2123 Caton Ave in Brooklyn, inside the Flatbush Central Caribbean Marketplace, only a three block walk from the Parkside Ave stop on the Q train.

Maybe I’ll see you there – because I’m going back. Soon!

www.yawdieq.com
@yawdieq on Instagram
 
 

Love Is Blini

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A couple of days ago, while hunting for some new international treats for my “Exploring Eastern European Food in Little Odessa” ethnojunket guests, I spotted this sign in one of my favorite markets: “запеканка – сыр + грибы.” My Russian is good enough to translate “cheese + mushrooms” and a couple of clicks on my iPhone returned “casserole” for the first word.

The sign was well lit, the food behind it less so; I couldn’t quite see what I was grabbing with the tongs. But I plopped it into a plastic container – hastily, since the customer behind me was already reaching toward the same tray. Peering through the hazy, ridged plastic, I could see the chopped mushrooms and cheese but I couldn’t make out what might be creating the interleaving layers. Thinly sliced potatoes? Noodles?


At home, I warmed it up enough to melt the cheese and the answer was obvious. A stack of Russian blini layered with melty cheese and mushrooms! What’s not to love?
 
 

Shaxian Snacks

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Shaxian Snacks is a worldwide restaurant chain serving traditional street snacks from the Shaxian region of China’s Fujian Province that’s definitely worth a try if you’re unfamiliar with the cuisine. This outpost had been open for only five days when I ventured in; I found it packed and I took that as a sign that it might be a gem perfect for my Ethnic Eats in Elmhurst ethnojunket.

Peanuts figure into this cuisine and their presence was clearly manifested in the four dishes that I sampled.

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Shaxian Steamed Dumplings (zheng jiao) with a unique filling, artistically pleated and said to look like little mice. A distinctive peanut sauce is on the side – don’t think dilute Western peanut butter; this is the real deal.


A squeak, I mean a peek inside.


Wontons with Peanut Butter. Not as pretty but certainly tasty, these have an unusual filling made from condensed pork that’s completely unlike the first group. Slathered in peanut sauce.


Shaxian Peanut Butter Noodle. Egg Noodles (rice noodles are also available) with a modest topping of pork, onion, and pepper. The peanut sauce is on the bottom this time.


Shredded Pork & Pickled Mustard Greens with Noodles. Just for kicks, I tried another variant on egg noodles, this time with pickled mustard greens on top, to compare and contrast. Peanut sauce on the bottom of course.

I selected these four “Special Snacks” in order to decide which might be best in the context of the wide variety of flavors we enjoy on my Elmhurst food tour and a champion did emerge.

Want to know which? Only one way to find out: Join me on my Ethnic Eats in Elmhurst ethnojunket and savor the winner!
 
 

Crunchy…Frog?

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A couple of posts ago, I wrote about a recent visit to Queens in search of more good eats for my “Snacking in Flushing – The Best of the Best” ethnojunket. I always expect the unexpected but that generally applies to unusual finds in local ethnic markets. I must admit, however, that I was unprepared for this experience.

Huang Kung Fu is a relatively new stall in the Food Hall at Queens Crossing. The menu and signage featured tempting photos of crispy fried chicken and pork dishes. Totally works for me.

“Super Crispy Pork” grabbed my attention but something called “Chicken Soft Bones” piqued my curiosity. Soft bones? A colorful translation perhaps? An enigmatic metaphor? I don’t have to tell you what I ordered.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that I should have taken the name quite literally. Each little nugget consisted primarily of a piece of cartilage with a bit of meat attached. I guess some folks don’t mind gnawing on cartilage in every single bite; some even claim that “it’s good for you.” But I was ill-equipped for the challenge. It reminded me of the routine by Monty Python’s Flying Circus about Crunchy Frog. Those of you who are old enough to remember that classic brilliant television sketch will understand immediately. For those of you who have yet to suffer daily joint pain, here’s a link.

I blame myself. I was certainly warned. But the overall flavor was tasty and I do love a good fried meaty crunch so I will assuredly make a return visit, perhaps to sample that pork. Definitely. No bones about it.
 
 

My Heart With Ukraine

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If you read me, you know that one of the ethnojunkets I offer is “Exploring Eastern European Food in Little Odessa,” named for the port city on the Black Sea in southern Ukraine. In the latter half of the last century, many Odessites who emigrated to the US came to Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach neighborhood, hence the name.

You also know that I developed a distinct section of my website dedicated to Ukraine and its cuisine after Russia’s invasion in February, 2022 – not their first.

If you’ve visited that corner of my website, you know that it’s dedicated to my friend Olya who lives in Ukraine and endures the consequences of the war on a daily basis. To me, Olya represents all the brave, stalwart, resilient, heroic, beautiful people of Ukraine. She knows that my heart is steadfastly with Ukraine.

And if you’ve explored my epic post about ethnic ice cream, you’ve read that Lasunka (Ласунка) is the leading brand of ice cream in Ukraine.

Now, why am I telling you all this?

Because if you knit all of these threads together, you’ll understand why I nearly broke into tears of joy when I discovered this ice cream product from Lasunka on my Little Odessa tour. Olya is undoubtedly familiar with the brand and I’m sure she’ll be pleased knowing that we have this very special treat in the US.

Naturally, I took these photos on Brighton Beach in Little Odessa.
 
 

One of These Things Is Not Like the Others

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(Or so goes the first line of the song.)

As is my gratifying habit, I was scanning Roosevelt Ave in search of anything new on the scene that might belong in my Flushing ethnojunket. Lining the avenue is an extensive stretch of Chinese markets, restaurants, teashops and bakeries, punctuated by streetside vendors offering fried dumplings, buns, skewers, a duck anatomy course (wings, necks – literally heads to feet), a shop dedicated to Spanish Ibérico ham…wait, what?

Obviously, I had to investigate. Turns out, House of Ibérico is owned by a Chinese gentleman, but the hams are definitely of Spanish provenance. “Upscale” doesn’t begin to do the business justice.

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I purchased one of the products on display, dry-cured Fermín Serrano Loin from acorn-fed pigs: gossamer thin slices of tender ham, not at all spicy despite my having been cautioned, savory but not salty, almost nutty, and as tasty as it was expensive.

So I cobbled together a platter of the sophisticated meat, some Spanish cheese, slices of fresh plum, along with bread and fig jam, and since the second line of the song is “One of these things just doesn’t belong,” I selected a Middle Eastern spicy preserved lemon to adorn the center of the plate. Bullseye!

Luncheon is served!

 
 

Tutti Frutti Clafoutis

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When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

When the benevolent folks at your local Victory Garden give you freshly harvested gooseberries, red raspberries, and champagne currants, make clafoutis.

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Clafoutis is a French dessert (or a righteous breakfast 😉) that occupies the territory midway between a baked custard and bread pudding.

The pronunciation is kla foo tee: disregard the final S and execute each syllable with equal stress, à la mode française.

By the way, if you need a good laugh (and who doesn’t these days?) go to Google and type in “pronounce clafoutis” and listen to it confidently mangle the word as kluh fau tuhs. Talk about executing syllables. You can’t make this stuff up.

It’s customarily made with black cherries or rhubarb, but today’s combination of fruit was the berries! (Sorry, not sorry.) Best of all, the dish couldn’t be easier to prepare. Essentially, eggs, half & half, sugar and almond extract go into a blender for a couple of minutes, flour is mixed in, and the batter is poured into a hot, generously buttered baking dish. Add the fruit (some recipes pour the batter over the fruit), bake until golden brown and puffy, et voilà!

Next time: Rhubarb!
 
 

July is National Ice Cream Month! Celebrate Globally!

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The story began here:

Every August, as a routinely flushed, overheated child, I would join in chorus with my perspiring cohorts, boisterously importuning, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!” Little did I realize that rather than conjuring dessert, I was conjugating it and probably laying the groundwork for a lifetime of fascination with foreign languages and world food.

We lived in close proximity to one of the best dairies in town; it was known for its wide assortment of locally produced natural flavors, certainly sufficient in number and variety to satisfy any palate. Perhaps my obsession with offbeat ice cream flavors is rooted in my frustration with my father’s return home from work, invariably bearing the same kind of ice cream as the last time, Neapolitan. Neapolitan, again. My pleas to try a different flavor – just once? please? – consistently fell on deaf ears. “Neapolitan is chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. That’s three flavors right there. If you don’t want it, don’t eat it.” Some kids’ idea of rebellion involved smoking behind the garage; mine was to tuck into a bowl of Rum Raisin….

There’s lots more to the story, of course. Click here to get the full scoop! 🍨
 
 

Loquat ≠ Kumquat

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Let’s clarify something at the outset: a kumquat is a citrus fruit that looks like a miniature oblate orange. These, however, are loquats. No relation.


Approximately two inches long and light orange inside and out, each sweet loquat contains about three seeds. Its flavor depends on the specific cultivar, but the ones we get around here are distinctive and fairly consistent.


You can certainly consume the skin but it doesn’t have much flavor and the texture is nothing special, so since it’s easy to peel (no special equipment necessary) I tend to discard it.

Many years ago, I created a 33-slide PowerPoint presentation called the Chinatown Fruit Report. Someday I’ll convert it to a format compatible with my website but in the meantime, I still present some of its information when I lead guests along my newly revamped ethnojunket, “Not Your Ordinary Chinatown Tour.”

Want to know why it’s called that? Check it out here and sign up to experience it for yourself! And if you act soon, we can taste some fresh summertime Asian fruits at their peak of ripeness together!