I googled for you, Annie. Jaggery is a whole, unrefined sugar used in Indian cooking. It is supposedly very healthy with lots of vitamins and minerals in it naturally.
Lisa

Oh wow Annie sounds like my (and MsAzadi's) kind of store!

Figs, figs, figs! Enjoy, but I'm afraid you'll find them overrated a bit...but they are terrific in the preserves!

I think you should have tried the 'eggplant paste' - my guess is its a variation of 'ajvar', the correct name of the Trader Joe's red pepper spread that is popular on the forum.

Can't help you on the rest of the stuff, Indian food isn't my forte. But you had fun, that was the best part.

That 'weed' looks like dried thyme, my guess. Not much fun smoking that! Sorry I'm too rusty on my Arabic to read the bag but I've been thinking of taking it up again!

Thank you, Lisa, I just hadn't gotten that far. Sugar? I'd have never guess that, I thought it was some kind of lard or something, LOL.

Jessica, that store was awesome, and only a few miles from Russo's. There was so much stuff there I was overwhelmed and I knew if I bought everything I considered I'd be cleaning out the pantry forever!

I did buy hummus and fava beans, baba ganouj, some bread, chocolate chip biscotti, some bulk ceylon tea and is really good, red peppers at 4 for $1, juice for Ashley, some chicken bologna, sardines in lemon sauce and a BIG jar of tahini so I could make my own hummus too. All less than $20.

Now, what would a person use whole dried lemons for? They were selling like crazy out of the bulk bin, whole little dried up lemons....

Annie

one use for dried lemons:

http://www.persia.org/Recipes/ghormeh.html

WOW Annie looks like a fun shop. I just love markets like that, I could wander around them all day.

My market always stocks the little eggplants. Anyone know if they taste different?

Great photos Annie and the jars of pickle/onion/whatever look fantastic!

Michelle

Oh Annie, that was fun! Thanks for sharing.

The last time I was in NYC we ate at an Ethiopian restaurant. I loved it! The bread has a very thin spongy kind of feeling without being able to "sop" up juices. It was really a delightful experience.

Good pic's Annie, I cab't wait to go there. I'm not really into the foods but I would love to get a box of those figs to play with....fig preserves with just a little orange rind...yum.

Nancy

Oh baby..yes that is a store for me. (Now how long was that drive to Michigan...?????)

Ok, dried lemons are used a lot in the winter in Persian and I'd suspect a lot of the other Middle Eastern cookin. They add that tartness to stews with lamb or veggies, but I know our neighbor used to make one stew that included the lamb tail for extra fat. Not to my taste to be sure but an important ingredient for a cold winter out in the hinterlands of villages. In Tehran, a very modern city, it was just a special dish.

Figs can also be frozen to make into preserves later in the year when heating up the kitchen seems like a good idea.

btw, the injera is made from Teff, not wheat and is perfect for gluten free eaters. I love the stuff, tho I haven't bothered to make any. I save that treat for eating at an Ethiopian restaurant.

The eggplant paste is, I think, the stuff we all seem to like from TJs..the avjar. Great dip or use as an addition to sour cream an/or yoghurt for a sauce for chicken, fish or pork I'd think. Might make a good marinade for tofu too now that I think of it.

Maureen, you know you're welcome any time you're passing by!

I never even knew this market was here, I was told to try this by the clerk at Penzey's, I was looking for raw, unsalted, shelled pistachios for the boss, there's a recipe she wants to try. Sure enough, the only place in Grand Rapids to buy those was Mediterranean Island!

Thanks for the info on the injera bread. I have an aunt who is gluten intolerant and so is Elery's daughter, so this might be a "fun" experiment for them. And you just freeze the figs whole? That would be a great option for me!

OK, you and Jessica have sold me, when we go again I'm buying the eggplant paste. They also had some great looking "spinach pie", little hand held tart kind of things. I'm taking a cooler with me, too.

I also was told about a little local restaurant by one of the detectives from the Sheriff's Department. It's called "Sam's Oasis" and Sam moved here from Jordan. He does all his own cooking, a combo of Middle Eastern stuff with a side of Greek. The detective says that if I tell Sam that he sent us, he'll "fix us up real good". I think that was a good thing.

Annie

We are traveling in parallel foodie universes! I just got back from exploring a Middle Eastern grocery called Taj Mahal. My experience was that same...overwhelmed and overjoyed. I was in search of 'ajvar' to replicate TJ's Red Pepper Dip.

Here is a "recipe" that uses figs. It was in my email from Arcamax and it is from Wolf Gang Puck. Honestly I haven't tried it (or figs for that matter) but it sounds interesting for you venture-some soles out there:

GRILLED FIG AND PROSCIUTTO SALAD

Serves 4

SHERRY-DIJON VINAIGRETTE

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup almond oil or safflower oil

Sea salt

Freshly ground white pepper

SALAD

4 thin slices prosciutto

1 head fris lettuce (chicory or curly endive), leaves separated, rinsed, thoroughly dried and torn into bite-sized pieces

1 head Belgian endive, leaves separated, rinsed and thoroughly dried

1 head radicchio, leaves separated, rinsed, thoroughly dried and cut crosswise into thin julienne

1 shallot, peeled and very thinly sliced

4 ripe fresh Mission figs

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt

1 small block Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 3 to 4 ounces

1 leaf fresh sage, rolled lengthwise and cut crosswise to form thin ribbons

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat an outdoor or indoor grill. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. In a mixing bowl, stir together the vinegar and mustard. While whisking continuously, drizzle in the oils until thoroughly blended. Season to taste with salt and white pepper and set aside. You should have about 1-1/4 cups, enough for this salad and several other recipes. Store the remaining dressing in a covered container in the refrigerator.

When the grill or broiler is hot, begin preparing the salad. First, drape each slice of prosciutto in the middle of a chilled salad plate. Arrange the frisée, endive, radicchio and shallot on top, taking care not to conceal the prosciutto completely, and set aside.

Rub the figs with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle them lightly with sea salt. Carefully place them near the cooler edges of the grill's cooking grid and cook them, turning with tongs, just until they are evenly marked all over with dark brown grill marks but not yet cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes total cooking time. Immediately cut each fig lengthwise into quarters and arrange the fig quarters on top of each plate.

Drizzle each serving with about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the Sherry-Dijon Vinaigrette. Using a cheese plane or a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler, lightly shave some Parmesan on top of each plate; you'll only need about 1 ounce total for 4 servings, but it's easier to shave that amount from a larger block of cheese. Garnish with the fresh sage and sprinkle lightly with sea salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.

If anyone tries it, let us know. Figs are kind of rare here is in CT.

Heidi

I have used this fig recipe for special meals. It's pretty easy and delightful.

Arugula Salad with Figs, Prosciutto, Walnuts, and Parmesan

4 tbls olive oil
2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto cut into strips
1 tbls raspberry jam
3 tbls fig balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup dried figs, chopped into ¼ inch pieces
1 tbls finely chopped shallot
5 cups baby arugula
½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2 oz Parmesan, shaved into thin strips

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat; add prosciutto and fry until crisp, stirring frequently for about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel to drain and cool.
2. Whisk jam and vinegar in medium microwave-safe bowl; stir in figs. Cover with plastic wrap, cut several steam vents in plastic and microwave on high until figs are plump, about 45 seconds. Whisk in 3 tablespoons oil, shallots, ¼ tsp salt; toss to combine. Let cool to room temperature.
3. Toss arugula and vinaigrette in large bowl; adjust seasonings with salt. Divide salad among individual plats; top with portion of prosciutto walnuts, and Parmesan.

Cathy, we ARE travelling in parallel foodie universes! And isn't it fun? I loved the place, all the more because it was cheap enough that I could actually afford to experiment with the stuff and not feel horribly guilty if I thought it was awful.

And I have to tell you, I bought Ceylon tea from their bulk bin and made a pitcher of iced tea. I have a new favorite, it was perfect for iced tea and I got a whole bag full for about a buck!

Annie

I love figs! And have never found them at that price! Buy fresh..as they do not stay fresh long...

While traditional injera is made with teff i would check the label before assuming that one is. I have a great recipe for injera (and so do you Annie) in the frugal Gourmet's on Our Immigrant Ancestors. It uses regular flourn (or maybe self rising)m and club soda. The Lamb with Cardamom recipe is also fantastic, and can be made with beef for those who do not like lamb. If you want to make that to try the injera with you should pick up spiced butter and berbere sauce at the store as well, or make your own.

That store looks like a ton of fun. Wish I had one in Burlinotn but I guess I will content myself with teh Vietnamese, Bosnan, Indian and African stores we have.

Those dried lemons sound like fun to experiment with as well. I just went to the Atlantic Spice company store here on the Cape and bought Carob Molasses. Darned if I know what i will be doing with it (although there is a recipe for a dessert made by minxing it with tahini that sounds good).

You folks will all have a blast I am sure. I am so jealous.

-Robin

You and this Elery guy are have too much fun together Annie!! I'm ready to break out the cuffs and maybe the whip too!! : ) JK! I think! LOL!

Really, looks like a great store to roam around and check out and buy new things. I had a great time in Russo's last year and this place looks like a great place too.

Thanks for the pics and I'm getting very jealous about the planned MI gathering and shopping/eating/sleepover trip being planned. Sure wish I could make it, I know y'all will have a blast !

David

David, I'll be glad to let Elery know that you have a source for those whips and cuffs.

I sure wish you could make it too, I can't make the November sleepover, so I'll miss you. And your jammies. LOL

Annie