Israeli cuisine is extremely diverse being comprised of foods brought by Jewish immigrants from all parts of the world.  There are however two main avenues that Israeli food tends to follow, those of the Jews originating from the Middle East and those from the immigrants from Europe and the West.  It’s the food from the [...]]]>

Israeli cuisine is extremely diverse being comprised of foods brought by Jewish immigrants from all parts of the world.  There are however two main avenues that Israeli food tends to follow, those of the Jews originating from the Middle East and those from the immigrants from Europe and the West.  It’s the food from the first group, with its roots in the Arab world that have inspired the menu at a new eatery Naf Naf Grill in Naperville, Illinois.  Continue on for the review.

Snapshot:
Restaurant Type: Middle Eastern/Mediterranean
Dress Code: Casual
Alcohol: Nope
Price Range: Bargain (6-15)
Flavourgasmic Factor: Highly Recommended

Full Review:
Having just opened in January of this year the first thing you will notice about Naf Naf Grill is an unshakeable feeling that the building might have been at one point a Taco Bell.  However unlike any Taco Bell I have ever been to the food at Naf Naf is really good.  I can only hope that more Taco Bells are shut down to make way for chefs that truly want to share their culinary perspectives with the world.  Given the cramped confines of the layout however, things can get a little tight when they are busy, so plan accordingly and give yourself 15-20 minutes to order and get your food.

Focusing on fresh ingredients, just about every thing in this unassuming restaurant is made to order including their heavenly pita bread.  This is without question some of the best pita bread that I have ever tasted.  Perfectly golden brown and light as a feather it’s the perfect partner for one of their delicious pita sandwiches.  Choices include along with several Kababs, chicken shawarma, Falafel or Kifta.  Their chicken shawarma, think gyros meat with chicken instead of lamb, is a thinly sliced, perfectly seasoned, spit roasted chicken which matches perfectly with the subtle sweetness of their warm pita bread.  Their Falafel, a mixture of chick peas and herbs formed into balls and fried, proves to be another perfect filler for their pitas.  Perfectly seasoned and fried to perfection the Falafel strikes a great balance with a crisp outside and soft inside.  Either of these sandwiches can be had for just $6.59 which given the quality is a real food bargain.  All the meats that star in their sandwich selections are made available in entrée portions as well for just a few dollars more.  Included with the entrées are a pita, pickles, and your choice of Basmati Rice, Salad or home made fries, you will not be disappointed by any of their choices.

I have found that after eating at Naf Naf more then a dozen times I try to make the pitas the focus of my hunger lust.  One of the best ways to showcase the pitas is with their homemade hummus.  Available plain or topped with falafel or shawarma this blend of chick peas, sesame paste and spices is topped off with extra virgin olive oil to provide a silky texture that just begs to be scooped up with a warm pita.  At only $4.99 for their plain hummus and $.50 for a pita you can get yourself 6 pitas and some hummus for a cheap meal for 2 that will beat the pants out of any fast food in both price and quality.

If you have a sweet tooth then save some room for Baklava, while I have never tried them myself if their other food is any indication then for those with a passion for sugar should not be disappointed.

Have a hankering for some Apfelschorle?  Can’t seem to find a good Blutworst or Liverwurst?  Has it been far too long since you had a good Leberkäse?  Perhaps you just miss a nice German brot with a healthy spread of Griebenschmalz?  If any of this makes sense to you, or even if it doesn’t, keep [...]]]>

Have a hankering for some Apfelschorle?  Can’t seem to find a good Blutworst or Liverwurst?  Has it been far too long since you had a good Leberkäse?  Perhaps you just miss a nice German brot with a healthy spread of Griebenschmalz?  If any of this makes sense to you, or even if it doesn’t, keep reading to learn more about these delicious German foods.

Oktoberfest in a box

 
It’s no secret that here at Flavourgasmic we are huge fans of German food.  Unfortunately there are times when finding good German meats and groceries can be a real pain.  Lucky for us GermanDeli.com imports more than 5,000 German foods to America.

One of my favorite treats is a Liverwurst sandwich on rye bread with some nice spicy mustard.  GermanDeli.com does not disappoint, providing not only some delicious liverwurst but also authentic German bread and traditional mustard to go along with it.  Not quite sure which way your liverwurst cravings lean?  Why not try the mini liverwurst sampler, included are 8 oz. portions of Kasseler (a chunky homemade-style) Liverwurst, Oldenburger (onion-flavoured) liverwurst, Gold Medal (an award winner with a smooth texture like pate) liverwurst, and last but not least Calves Liverwurst (made with only veal and veal liver).

Another neat GermanDeli.com item is their Oktoberfest in a Box.  Perfect for those aren’t quite sure how to celebrate their favorite Munich festival, it’s equally good for those who want to bring the feeling of Oktoberfest home anytime.  Available in 3 different configurations depending on how much you need you get jars of sweet German mustard, and hot German mustard, packaged sauerkraut, and lots of meat.  You get Bratwurst, Bockwurst, Bauernwurst, and Nürnberger links.  Believe me, never in my wurst dreams did I think I could find this much selection in the good old US of A.

All horrible joking aside GermanDeli.com really is a great place to spend some time browsing and getting an idea of what your next Bavarian meals might entail.  In addition to many great meats you will also find groceries, sweets, beverages, bakery and even items for the home all provided by GermanDeli.com to bring a little bit of Germany into you life.

Schweinehaxe

Earlier this week I brought you a bit of Australia with a feature on Vegemite.  Today for my Global Eats piece I bring you even more food from down under and a purveyor that can bring it to you.  If, for instance, after reading the vegemite story you decided you can’t live without beer waste [...]]]>

Earlier this week I brought you a bit of Australia with a feature on Vegemite.  Today for my Global Eats piece I bring you even more food from down under and a purveyor that can bring it to you.  If, for instance, after reading the vegemite story you decided you can’t live without beer waste in a jar then Simply Australian can hook you up.  Mind you, not just with a small jar, but with a whole freaking case.  They even sell Marmite if you have the hankering to give the original yeast in a jar product a go.  Read on for more.

Started in 1993 importing Bindoon boots from Western Australia and Rossi boots from South Australia, Simply Australian quickly grew into their first retail store only 12 months later.  Going online in 1998 and adding online shopping in 2001, Simply Australian now carries a massive array of products from Down Under and in particular candy, drinks, and food!

After vegemite I can’t think of another food item more Australian than the Tim Tam.  Produced by Arnott’s Biscuits of Australia the Tim Tam is a chocolate biscuit made by sandwiching chocolate cream filling in between two malted chocolate biscuits and then given a thin coating of textured chocolate.  The name Tim Tam comes from owner Ross Arnott who while attending the 1958 Kentucky Derby thought the winning horse Tim Tam would make a good name for a new biscuit he was going to introduce.  Simply Australian can hook you up with all the various flavors of Tim Tam, and if you are feeling up to it try the Tim Tam Slam.  What’s the Tim Tam Slam you ask?  It’s the practice of first biting both ends off your Tim Tam and then using it as a straw to drink your favorite beverage (usually milk, coffee or tea).  That’s got to be worth the price of admission right there!

In addition to the sweets they also carry a wide variety of other Aussie foods from condiments all the way to another Australian favorite the meat pie.  Available for overnight shipment Monday-Wednesday you can get 12 pies for $40.00 but shipping will set you back an additional $40.00 so you really have to love your meat pies!  Also available are a selection of Australian beers and wines, which can be shipped to most states, but make sure to check before ordering alcohol.  Even if you don’t like food you can probably find something at Simply Australian you will like, but if you don’t like food you can just bugger off cause you don’t belong here.

A thought towards Thai cuisine to someone with a western palate immediately conjures up visions of chilies and hot and spicy food.  Upon further exploration you learn that Thai cuisine offers up a beautiful symmetry between hot, sour, sweet and salty.  Thai cuisine delicately navigates the balance between these flavors creating other worldly dishes that [...]]]>

A thought towards Thai cuisine to someone with a western palate immediately conjures up visions of chilies and hot and spicy food.  Upon further exploration you learn that Thai cuisine offers up a beautiful symmetry between hot, sour, sweet and salty.  Thai cuisine delicately navigates the balance between these flavors creating other worldly dishes that are appreciated throughout the world.  Exploring even further Thai cuisine shows an exotic side that is completely foreign to the west.  Hit the jump to find out what exotic vittles wait ahead.

First up, and pictured above, is Snake Whiskey created primarily for tourists, you can’t help but be fascinated by the concept.  Start with horrible low quality rice whisky, stuff a venomous snake into a fancy looking bottle and let it sit.  What you receive is an amber liquid with snake skin floating in it.  I have read that you need to chase a shot of it almost immediately with some type of melon to cut the astringency.  That particular bottle pictured contains not only a cobra but the cobra has a grass snake in its mouth.  It’s the circle of life in a bottle!

Snake whisky not your thing?  Perhaps pregnant crickets are more to your liking.  Dried crickets with eggs are high in protein and low in fat.  These crickets are farm raised so have no concerns about the native cricket population.  This also means that instead of a diet of organic material and decaying plant matter, they are feed a variety of grains and cereals.  In my mind this has to mean a better tasting cricket!

Both of these unique culinary offerings and more are available from Thailand Unique a store located in a quiet corner of northeast Thailand.  They also carry a wide range of other exotic food items from Thailand.  Items ranging from Squid Sticks, 1000 year old eggs, Birds Nest drink, and even chips made from the Durian (this is another story) fruit. In addition to the pregnant crickets they also carry a wide range of edible insects produced by a small team of professional food manufacturers.  Oh, if snake whisky is not your thing perhaps their line of scorpion whiskies will be more to your liking.  So why not spend a couple of minutes browsing the many exotic edibles available at Thailand Unique?

When I think of the cuisine of Spain one of the first things that inevitably comes to mind is Spanish Ham or jamón.  While the word jamón in Spanish simply means ham, amongst English speakers it is specifically a reference to cured ham from Spain.  Available in two primary varieties, jamón serrano [...]]]>

From La Tienda

When I think of the cuisine of Spain one of the first things that inevitably comes to mind is Spanish Ham or jamón.  While the word jamón in Spanish simply means ham, amongst English speakers it is specifically a reference to cured ham from Spain.  Available in two primary varieties, jamón serrano (ham from the sierra or mountain) and jamón ibérico (ham that is at least 75% black Iberian pig) of the two the ibérico has a higher fat content when compared to serrano giving it a richer taste.  Fortunately for us one purveyor, La Tienda, is providing us with a means to acquire not only these great Spanish hams but also many other Spanish foods and house wares.  Keep reading to find out more.

From La Tienda

Much to my surprise while making squid ink gnocchi last week I realized that I would require squid ink.  This sent me to every local store I could think of and even to some that I couldn’t, but all in vain.  Well not completely in vain I did have a rather humorous conversation with the Korean people at the local Asian market whereby I tried desperately to use every hand gesture I could think of to explain squid ink all to no avail.   This turned my searches online which lead me to one of the best online purveyors I have found yet La Tienda.

Started in 1996 La Tienda was formed as a way for the Harris family to share the tastes, grace, and warmth of Spain, which they experienced as a family growing up in El Puerto de Santa Maria.  Featuring over 700 items, La Tienda provides a broad range of Spanish food and food related products to people all of the world.

So back to the ham, La Tienda features what is, without question, the finest of all Spanish hams the jamón ibérico de bellota.  This ham comes exclusively from free-range pigs in the forests found along the Spanish-Portugal border that eat a diet consisting of only acorns.  With a smooth texture and super rich deep flavour, prized as the finest of all jamón available, La Tienda has a beautiful bone-in ham by Fermin for the low price of $96/lb setting you back a cool $1,395 for the leg.  For the budget conscious you may want to try the Cured Meats of Spain Sampler for a more affordable $99.95.  It features 5 cured meats individually packaged and includes the remarkable ibérico de bellota!

In addition to their amazing ham selection they also carry a dizzying array of paella accoutrements.  From paella pans, rice, books, and burners all the way to complete paella kits, gift boxes and even pre-cooked paella they have you covered if your plans call for this iconic Spanish rice dish.  They of course also carry Tinta de Calamar (squid ink) in not one but two varieties I purchased 2 boxes of 8 packets each for $8.95 per box and was not disappointed, by the product or the service.  Also available is a larger size for $45.00 if you have the need for massive amounts of squid ink.

From La Tienda

One could literally spend hours surfing all the beautifully laid out pages presented by La Tienda.  Starting at Almonds & Nuts and ending at Vinegar one can explore the culinary landscape of Spain gaining a knowledge and appreciation of their rich epicurean history.  Included at their site to make your journey through Spanish food a bit easier are a glossary (which will make you an armchair expert like me), articles, tips, and recipes.  So head on over to La Tienda and impress your foodie friends with all your new found knowledge and ingredients, or like me just get yourself some squid ink and prepare something a little bit left of center!

Welcome to the first of what will hopefully be many global eats articles, my hope is to feature interesting food items from around the world and introduce the purveyors of these unique products.  Without further ado I bring you something from Africa, or more specifically the island of Madagascar.  Started by two former Peace Corp volunteers who found [...]]]>

Welcome to the first of what will hopefully be many global eats articles, my hope is to feature interesting food items from around the world and introduce the purveyors of these unique products.  Without further ado I bring you something from Africa, or more specifically the island of Madagascar.  Started by two former Peace Corp volunteers who found themselves looking for a way to give back to the island and the people they grew to love, Madécasse, pronounced mah – DAY – cas, brings a renewable source of income to the Malagasy people and glorious chocolate to us.  Hit the link to find out more.

<via foodspring>

Starting with the local farmers, Brett Beach and Tim McCollum of Madécasse produce their products entirely in Madagascar.  This means that unlike most chocolate manufactures who just import the cocoa from these poorer countries, Madécasse equitably sources the sugar, packaging materials and transportation, all in Madagascar.  According to them, doing buisiness in this way gives up to 400% more profit directly to the Malagasy people, 4 times more than even Fair Trade.  But enough about the business, what about the chocolate?  Well it doesn’t hurt that Madagascar is known for some of the best cocoa in the world, it also doesn’t hurt that by producing the chocolate locally there is only about a month’s time from harvest to finished product.  Their dark chocolate bars are available in 63%, 67%, 70% and 75% for just $6.99.  In addition to chocolate they also sell vanilla products created from Madagascar vanilla beans, and Madagascar black peppercorns.  So next time you go to buy your Fair Trade chocolate why not head online and put a little more money into the pockets of the Malagasy?