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Mediterranean Specialty Foods
October 23, 2009
Meet Jack, scholar of olives, olive oil, and cheese. In fact Jack Elmasu’s expertise covers all manner of Mediterranean staples. Ask him to recommend oil and he’ll sell you one from his rugged homeland of Palestine—“The best olives come from rolling hills, not the plains” he assures. Aisles of shelving groan with bottled marinated vegetables, proper Greek orzo, tinned tomatoes, and vine leaves. For cheeses, think traditional rangy sheep’s feta made in a barrel, kefalotiri (for addictive fried-cheese saganaki), and haloumi. Prepackaged exotics include dried pungent Greek oregano and thyme, and Lebanese zaatar, a striking blend of thyme, sumac, and cumin that you moisten with olive oil and slather on hot lavash or pita. Thirty-four-year fans make the morning pilgrimage for crispy-tender spanikopita, tiropitas, and baklava, which Elmasu sells by the daily dozens.Share
