CityView Magazine

Above | Plantains aplenty at Super Compare Foods, which specializes in Latin products. Right | Strawberry, mango, tamarind, grapefruit, pineapple, mandarin, banana and watermelon are just a few of your choices of juice at Super Compare. Below | The Mediterranean Mart is just one ethnic market that offers bulk spices for a fraction of grocery store prices. reminiscent of New Orleans. Meandering down the aisles, comparing the many varieties of mushrooms and musing over the endless types of tea – jasmine in gold tins to green tea imported from China – it’s easy to become mesmerized by the soft instrumental music of Champasakwong’s native land. What better way to soak up a new culture? Mediterranean Mart For the Mediterranean cook, the shelves of the market at 104 Cliffdale Road hold the key to keeping culinary history alive. The shelves are filled with African pounded yam, Basmati rice, yellow noodles, and garam masala of India, and grapes leaves and olive oil from Greece. An entire row of shelves is devoted to cooks in need of gluten- free foods and another full of all kinds of wheat, seeds and dried beans. A favorite of many is the huge assortment of whole spices. Bags of crushed spices such as curry powder and cumin come cheaper than any chain. Said Odeh runs the market with help from his family, including his mother who makes the homemade hummus and tahini sauce regulars rave about. Odeh offers a visitor a sample from a vat of fresh and delicious kalamata olives, a staple in many a Greek salad. 54|April/May • 2009 But the store serves a religious purpose as well. It carries Halal meats for Muslims, in addition to many kosher foods. Odeh said he hopes to eventually add a small café, where customers could one day sample the dishes that the store’s sights and smells already conjure in the imagination. African American/West Indian Market One of the gems of this store is the traditional Nigerian dress. And for those who want to make their own, the shelves are rich with material made out of deep shades of blue and green, red and orange, purple and yellow, all alive with symbols. And of course, there’s food: cassava yams, flour and seeds may be found here. Cassava flour is made into dumplings to eat with soup. Shito, a seasoning for rice, is sold in jars. Owner Edith Agbele is happy to assist those who want to learn more about African cooking. It’s the thread these markets share: an eagerness to share the culture and food of their home countries. The famous chef, James Beard, summed it up best when he said, “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”CV

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