Food Markets: October 2007 Archives
Hisham Khalifeh has been a part of the fabric of Andersonville for over 25 years providing essential, but superior staples of the Middle Eastern kitchen. When you step inside the Middle Eastern Bakery and Kitchen Hisham will greet you and quickly convince you to try his warm, soft, out-of-the-oven, pita bread and fresh feta sliced to order. As you look around the store you will discover made-that-morning hummus, tabbouleh, chunky olive spread and much more, all made with Hisham's love and his commitment to ingredients with no additives, artificial ingredients or preservatives.
At this neighborhood gem, you will find a plethora of ingredients unique to the Middle Eastern kitchen. Dig a little deeper and you will find great prices on basmati rice, lentils, dried fruit and beans. The Middle Eastern Bakery and Kitchen also carries a wonderful array of spices. Try sumac, it is a fall flourishing spice which comes from bright red berries that emerge in late summer and thrive into winter. Hisham offers this burgundy colored, tart lemony tasting, vibrant spice year round. It is absolutely delicious when added to rice, vegetables and chicken dishes.
Here are a few ways you can enjoy sumac in the kitchen:
- Try roasting a chicken smothered in a paste made from 3 Tbs. sumac, 3 Tbs. olive oil, 2 crushed cloves of garlic and 2 tsp. cinnamon.
- Spice up potatoes with sumac and chili oven fries. Cut potatoes into wedges (with skins). Coat potatoes with a mixture of egg white, ¾ tsp. chili powder, 3 Tbs. sumac and ½ tsp. salt.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
- Do what they do in the Middle East -put a little dish of sumac on the table and sprinkle on rice, roasted chicken or on your salad.
Enjoy your trip to meet Hisham and experience his wonderful market.
Happy Eating!
Tastybeat
Middle East Bakery and Grocery
1512 West Foster Ave
Chicago IL 60640
Tel: 773.561.2224
