Gift Ideas at Lynnwood Mediterranean Grocery and Deli: Labneh Balls, Pomegranate Molasses, Homemade Falafel and Pickled Everything!
After years of driving right past--unaware of all the treasures just waiting to be discovered--I stopped one day and was delighted the moment I opened the door. A huge spice selection, grains, frozen food, hennas, hookahs, cookware, sweets, and a deli counter filled with baklava and big blocks of fresh feta...I was overwhelmed with new choices to make over brands I'd never heard of. The third time I approached the woman behind the counter with a "which brand is better?" question, she laughed warmly and asked if I would like a tour.
"I can take you around the store and tell you what to buy if you'd like!" she said.
Why I love labneh balls: doubly strained Greek yogurt, aka 'yogurt-cheese,' labneh balls have all but replaced feta and goat cheese for me.* Less salty than feta and more crumbly than goat, labneh now graces every Greek salad, pizza, and meze platter I make. I use them on open-faced sandwiches, with smoked salmon, pickled carrots--you name it. I usually get the plain version, but this market also carries mint, red pepper, and thyme flavors. Labneh balls are tangy, rich, and creamy, and they come submerged in a jar of sunflower oil, so they stay good for a really long time in the fridge. This yogurt-cheese is able to always be there for you (unlike goat and feta, who I'm sure would like to be there for you in the same way, but just can't).
2. Cortas Pomegranate Molasses, $6.99
Pomegranates are nothing but fun, right? My younger brother started asking for pomegranate gifts when he was little, and I still give him one every year.*
3. Olives, Olives, Olives! There are SO MANY olives to choose from at this store!
4. Sadaf Pickled Cucumbers with Dill ($4.99): These are the real pickle deal--nothing fancy, but I like them better than any other pickle-in-a-jar; I even like them better than Grillo's Pickles from Costco (which are great, too!). There's just something about these skinny, crunchy, garlicky, and peppery cucumbers--
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"Get this one!"
(Print out the above two recipes and include them with your tahini gift!)
I'd like!
Now I know her name is Suzan, that she was born in Egypt, and that I caught her there on a rare afternoon; her husband, Samir, is usually the one behind the counter when I shop after work. Samir exudes just as much gracious energy as she does, but he is much more reserved, and might not offer store tours. So, thanks to my lucky tour day--when I bought every single thing Suzan told me to buy--I can now pass along her knowledge to you.
Suzan exuded so much enthusiasm, that, even though I am generally 'anti-exclamation mark', I'm using them to capture her impassioned advice. And, as you'll see, once I got started with them, I couldn't stop. (Suzan's exclamated remarks are in italics).
1) Labneh Balls ($8.99)
Why I love labneh balls: doubly strained Greek yogurt, aka 'yogurt-cheese,' labneh balls have all but replaced feta and goat cheese for me.* Less salty than feta and more crumbly than goat, labneh now graces every Greek salad, pizza, and meze platter I make. I use them on open-faced sandwiches, with smoked salmon, pickled carrots--you name it. I usually get the plain version, but this market also carries mint, red pepper, and thyme flavors. Labneh balls are tangy, rich, and creamy, and they come submerged in a jar of sunflower oil, so they stay good for a really long time in the fridge. This yogurt-cheese is able to always be there for you (unlike goat and feta, who I'm sure would like to be there for you in the same way, but just can't).
"All of these are delicious, but you'll also love the Shanklish!" (A mixture of cow, goat, sheep and buffalo milk, rolled into balls and covered in dried herbs like Za'atar or thyme, $13.99)
*The fresh Bulgarian feta in the deli counter is imported, peppery and out-of-this-world, and is the reason feta has remained in my life.
"You'll start adding this to everything!"
Suzan was right: I add a touch of pomegranate molasses to many variations of tomato salad, to dressings, and to yogurt-based dips (such as raita) for just a hint of sour. One of my favorite cookbooks is Bottom of the Pot by Naz Deravian, and her Persian recipes demand pomegranate molasses be in your possession at all times. It's a lifestyle.
Here's a recipe for an especially delicious Fried Eggplant Salad with Pomegranate Molasses from "Maryam's Culinary Wonders" blog:
*Yes, my brother now gets pomegranate molasses to go with his yearly pomegranate!
"Open up a can of these for your friends! They will love them!" (Mid East Cracked and Spicy Green Olives, $3.99, pits not removed).
"And these with the lemon! You will become addicted to them!" she adds. (Sultan Olives Stuffed Lemon (sic))
"The best kind for snacking!"
5. Pickled ________! Cauliflower! Carrots! Garlic! Lemons! Pepperoncini! Turnips (sooo good on your homemade gyros)! Stuffed Eggplant! Anything you've ever wanted in pickle form, I think Lynnwood Mediterranean Food Grocery and Deli most likely has it (!)
I now use pickled vegetables all the time--something I had never before thought of doing: I add them to sandwiches, grain bowls, serve them with cheese and crackers on a charcuterie board, and simply add them as a side condiment when I need something a little sour or vinegary to complement rich flavors.
"These stuffed eggplants--with walnuts and red pepper--are the best!"
6. Homemade Falafel
The green containers in the freezer section are filled with Suzan's homemade falafel. Thaw it out, form it into balls, fry it up, and make falafel sandwiches using the fresh Lebanese pita the shop has delivered daily.
Savory, nutty, and herby, her falafel is delicious! And it crisps up really nicely, too!
Of course, you'll want to make tahini garlic sauce for your falafel sandwiches (and top them with pickled turnips), and for this you'll need:
7. Mid-East Tahini (32 ounces for $12.99).
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Of course this tahini is better than anything you'll find at QFC, and you get a whole lot more good tahini for your money when you buy it here.
After trying one hundred tahini garlic sauce recipes, I finally found local author Vegan Richa's winning recipe in her Vegan Richa's Everyday Kitchen cookbook. Every friend who tries this wants to know how to make it, so here's her recipe:
Tahini Garlic Sauce
1/3 C tahini
1 clove garlic
2 to 3 T fresh lemon juice
1/3 C warm water, plus more as needed (I always need more)
1/2 tsp dried parsley, or 2 tsp fresh parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Blend it all together, and add more water and garlic powder to taste.
Also, do you have a good hummus recipe? I use Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's from their cookbook Jerusalem:
"Jerusalem" hummus recipe, (adapted by the NYT)
*In Ottolenghi Flavor, Yotam adds 10 oz of ginger to his hummus, which is a revelation, and which I do every single time I make it.
Other things: What else do I buy here? Za'atar, raw/frozen paratha, rosewater, grape leaves, halva, nougat...perhaps this month I'll even try the Frankincense and Myrrh in their hookah section. Every time I go, I find at least one new surprise item to bring home, and I have yet to regret any of them.
Are you now filled with gift ideas? Are you planning to bring a perfect mezze platter to a family gathering? Are you inspired to forever change the landscape of your own pantry and refrigerator?
Here's a few more gift ideas, for good measure:
Remember the small, sweet pistachios at M Market Halal? They are sublime.
And, in case you missed it, read my Thanksgiving post about eating Dry Pot Cauliflower and Tofu with Spiced Salt at Xiao Long Bao House -- treating others to new food is, of course, always a great gift--especially when it's taking place around a Lazy Susan.
Happy holidays!
Marjie
Homework:
No homework! You've got enough to do!
Lynnwood Mediterranean Food Grocery & Deli Halal
4510 168th St. SW
Lynnwood, WA 98037
425-745-4710
4510 168th St. SW
Lynnwood, WA 98037
425-745-4710
Monday-Saturday, 10am-9pm
Sundays 10am-7pm
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