Whoa. It smells. Not a scent. Not an aroma. This smells. Like leather and old embers and - what? A little fishy.
Boxes and boxes of bony, deeply burnished fishes. Splayed chickens stacked in boxes, their color hovering between plain cardboard and dark leather.
On a recent visit to Pittsburgh, we had dinner at Abay in East Liberty (terrific, even if Ethiopian cuisine sometimes seems to be variations on a theme) and drove by Global Food Market as we parked.
Of course, it was imperative to return and explore.
There are two freezers (neither large), two refrigerated cases (ditto) and bags and stacks of assorted dried, smoked fish and chickens. Shelf-lined walls and one small center shelving unit - all crammed with boxes, cans, plastic bags (rice, lentils, beans, various flours).
Ogbonna Moses Onwubiko, a Nigerian immigrant, presides over this small market, doling out serving and cooking suggestions only if directly queried.
You'll learn first that Africa's food sources almost demand a huge amount of smoking and drying of protein.
You'll find small bites of prepared food and buns for sale, affording an opportunity to sample African-style snacks.
Onwubiko will assist in brand discernment, and politely remember to send you to his web site (www.globalfoodpittsburgh.com) where you can find everything available in the store and a range of videos and discs, too.
While there's plenty of fufu flour and dried plantains to be found, maybe start with bottled jerk seasoning. You can try it out next time you grill. Using the fufu flour will take more research.
Meanwhile, if you're looking for ukatzi leaves, find them here: www.globalfoodpittsburgh.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment