May 1, 2008
umamichatter: Greek Grocery Shopping in Astoria (NYC)
10:47 AM me: hey sweets
how are you doing???
Amy: alright
you??
me: ok too
did you end up going to queens???
do you still have the car?
i’m free this weekend
Amy: i went last night by myself, to Titan foods, the greek grocery store, i stocked up..and ate feta with asparagus last night!!
10:48 AM me: NICE
Amy: i also bought a case of wine. i’m crazy
me: wait so where is this Titan?
is it in astoria?
Amy: yeah
me: i would like to go there
sounds pretty neat
10:49 AM what did you get?
did you eat anything while you were in astoria last night?
Amy: no….
10:54 AM me: god see isn’t that so nice?
just to have a car?
you just get in and go grocery shopping???
dude amazing
it’s like my dream
i’m such a suburbanite at heart
what else did you get?
Amy: yeah, crazy right
10:55 AM almond syrup…i’m gonna put it with seltzer and have some almond soda. i put everything with seltzer
me: like i feel like renting a car is such an ordeal here- you have to like plan every stop perfectly
oh dude awesome
i actually got this liquorish stuff in jackson heights once and i put it in soda water
10:58 AM Amy: oh, and whole walnuts in syrup from crete, they are amazing on top of vanilla ice cream. and some dried fava beans and orzo and feta, of course
me: what do you do with the fava beans?
10:59 AM Amy: i don’t know
me: i feel like i am always buying dried beans but i don’t know how to cook them
Amy: i assume, soak them and then cook them and then make a bean salad
oh, easy, they soak over night and then you cook…. it’s the planning ahead that is an ordeal
11:00 AM but so much cheaper and sometimes much fresher(weird sounding i know)
me: than buying them precooked?
or presoaked?
we should have a bean party
11:01 AM i literally do not know what to do with beans
do they sell fresh feta there?
11:02 AM Amy: omg, like 6 different types of feta. yum
me: that’s awesome
Amy: it is all imported, they don’t make it
me: is there anywhere in the city you can go to for fresh feta?
or i mean local?
feta needs to be aged, i presume?
Amy: yeah, Saxelby’s!!
11:03 AM i work all day on saturday at the cheese shop
there is goat feta from Lively Run Dairy upstate
me: nice
i’ve never had goat feta
Amy: oh!
me: i don’t think, at least
i’m pretty much a total schmuck when it comes to cheese
11:04 AM which is why it’s really awesome talking to you
Amy: ha!…traditionally feta is made with sheep milk
me: good to know
now i am curious about the goat feta
11:05 AM what are you doing with the orzo
just like a salad?
i’ve never actually cooked that before
11:06 AM
Amy: oh
11:09 AM i don’t know…it’s just a good thing to have in the pantry!
me: totally
we need to do your fridge sometime
dude did you see this???
fucking crazy
Amy: yeah crazy
i saw it. creepy
11:10 AM me: he’s pretty hot it looks like
sad *Amy is a super cheese expert who currently works at Saxelby Cheesemongers and The Brooklyn Kitchen. She is a member of Slow Food NYC, and recently traveled to Venezuela to learn about food security and sustainability. Basically, she’s a badass.
sad *Amy is a super cheese expert who currently works at Saxelby Cheesemongers and The Brooklyn Kitchen. She is a member of Slow Food NYC, and recently traveled to Venezuela to learn about food security and sustainability. Basically, she’s a badass.
Shops and whatnots mentioned in this post:
Titan Foods
2556 31st St
Astoria, NY
T: 718.626.7771
NYTimes article on shopping with chef Michael Psilakis at Titan Foods.
80 Essex St
New York, NY
T: 212. 228.8204 Lively Run Goat Dairy
8978 County Road 142
Interlaken, NY
T: 607. 532.4647
2556 31st St
Astoria, NY
T: 718.626.7771
NYTimes article on shopping with chef Michael Psilakis at Titan Foods.
80 Essex St
New York, NY
T: 212. 228.8204 Lively Run Goat Dairy
8978 County Road 142
Interlaken, NY
T: 607. 532.4647
4 Comments
Make sure to buy beano when having bean party.
have you actually tried beano? does it really work???
Take Beano and there’ll be-no gas. Trust that gross ad..
Titan is good, and they have a parking lot. But it’s a little pricy for Astoria – which doesn’t mean it’s expensive. I buy my olive oil hand soap there.
Me, I’m a Mediterranean Foods guy myself.