By Erez Ben-Ari, JTNews Correspondent
Erez Ben-Ari
JTNews Correspondent
I recently wrote about making some Mediterranean delicacies right at home (“Restaurant? Who needs restaurants?” July 24). In fact, most other Israeli dishes aren’t that hard to make, but you still need to get the right ingredients. While garbanzo beans and tahini are easily available at most supermarkets, many people have asked where to get some of the more interesting, exotic items. Some companies in the area have even formed discussion groups that actively seek and assist each other with tips for finding the cheapest Bamba, or the best selection of hummus. Perhaps it is time to share some of those secrets.
Jewish traditional items, like matzoh ball soup, borscht and Hanukkah candles are easily obtainable in any QFC, Safeway or Fred Meyer, but some branches stand above. Mercer Island is a prime location for many notable local Jewish families, and that Albertson’s location makes a point of catering to their needs. Aside from the above-mentioned items, one can find a variety of Jewish and Israeli items, from Israeli-made marshmallows to hot peppers known as “shipka.” They also offer kosher meats, fish and even sushi!
Those of you who don’t live on the rock, however, need not travel so far to get your goods — a hidden gem could be right around the corner. Residents of Bellevue and Renton need only travel to Factoria Mall, where at Goldberg’s Famous Delicatessen, which I’ve often praised for their wide and tasty selection of Jewish dishes, also has a small deli counter and store. The store offers the usual items, and also fresh brisket, Jewish-style salads and other rarer items like Bamba and Dr. Brown’s sodas. Residents of Redmond and North Bellevue whisper of the Pars Market, a tiny store dedicated to Persian food, but also offering a lot of kosher items and treats imported from Israel. The Pars Market has, beyond the Israeli basics, chocolate spread, olives and pickles, soft cheeses, frozen bourekas and malawach and the all-too-famous soup almonds. On special occasions such as Jewish holidays, Pars Market owner Zari Motarjemi imports specialty items that include an extended variety of cheeses, available during Shavuot. Most of these items are imported directly from Israel, rather than locally produced, so they guarantee the original taste.
In Seattle, the QFC at University Village as well as the just-opened I Love NY Deli have plenty of imported items on the shelves.
For those less inclined to shop around, the Internet has become quite the source. While many still feel that shopping for food online is still a bit strange, local Internet guru Jeff Bezos and his little online shop Amazon.com have some surprises in store. A wide selection of products, mostly by Osem, is offered on the site.
Amazon does force you to buy larger-than-normal quantities, but the shipping is free. For less than $20, you can have a 60-oz. box of Bisli (that’s almost 2 kilos for Israelis still more comfortable with the metric system) delivered to your doorstep. Other items on the menu include couscous, Meals on the Go (Mana Hama) and even pudding and crackers (I recommend eating those two separately).
Other than Amazon, the Web is jam-packed with stores that offer a wide variety of items for the Israeli connoisseur. Wissotzky Tea, Elite instant or black coffee, and even chocolate and candy are all hiding on eBay. A few months ago, eBay introduced a Hebrew interface to the site, which draws many Israeli sellers, and they offer pretty much anything. To locate an Israeli seller on eBay, just go to the advanced search page, select “Items located in,” and choose “Israel.”
We began this article with encouraging you to try some Jewish and Israeli cooking for yourself. So now you know where to find the ingredients, and the final piece of the puzzle is the preparation. If you don’t have the know-how for making the Israeli dishes, you can find instructions for almost any known item at www.jewishrecipes.org. The site, operated by Aharon and Chavah Brewer from Denver, will give you everything you need, clearly and concisely to make blintzes, challah, cholent, gefilte fish and much more. They are well-tested and easy to make from scratch. B’teavon!
Addresses:
Many, but not all, of the Israeli-made items are kosher.
Mercer Island Albertson’s
2755 77th Ave. SE, Mercer Island
206-232-0244
Goldberg’s Famous Delicatessen
3924 Factoria Square Mall SE, Bellevue
425-641-6622
Pars Market
2331 140th Ave. NE #B, Bellevue
425-641-5265
QFC University Village
2746 NE 45th St., Seattle
206-523-5160
I Love NY Deli
5200 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle
206-525-5369
93 Pike St., Pike Place Market, Seattle
206-381-3354
Amazon.com
www.amazon.com
Ebay
www.ebay.com