Support your local Turkish supermarket!

[Tim Lund]

Some excitement here this morning as my better half opened a present



For more on this cookbook and author, here's the web site Veggistan

But interesting from the point of view of Sydenham Road vitality was my daughter's reason for giving it - so we can make better use of Penge Food Centre - all those amazing looking ingredients in there!

[Eagle]

Yes great store.
Staff so friendly as is usual with the Turkish people.

[fanillier]

Love the PFC! It's one of shops I get my weekly shopping done from. It's a fairly close second to the markets and stores in Turkey (many a childhood summer spent there -yep, I'm Turkish).

Our list from there usually looks something like this:

Avocados, red apples (when they have them, figs, cypress potatoes, herbs, various peppers, yoghurt, feta cheese, sucuk, pastirma and salami, kofte, yufka, corek (the sesame seed bread), haci sakir soap (best soap ever!), and uludag gazoz.

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[Tim Lund]

Glad you picked up on this fanillier - hope this means I'm not under suspicion of snobbery for doubting a sushi bar next to Lidl

I was going to post that I thought your idea of diversifying into sushi was better. I've never heard of fish and chip shop doing sushi, but it's got to be worth a try.

You know what? Why don't you talk to the people running PFC to see if they know someone who could run a Middle Eastern cookery class / club - with ingredients obviously to be sourced from PFC? My daughters just sent me a recipe with pomegranate molasses, so I'll be checking to see if they have some there when we run out

[fanillier]

Haha no, you're not under any suspicions whatsoever of mine as I have none. There is ample opportunity for people looking to start up a business though and I hope our areas grow in that aspect. I for one have become inspired to do something about it and I hope it works out.

I'm actually gonna pop in to the PFC on the weekend so I'll have a word with a lovely lady I know there. I also have a friend in mind, a qualified Nutritional Therapist from the Naturapathic school who I'm seeing soon to discuss some ideas with. Will keep the community here posted on any developments for sure.

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[Tim Lund]

I'm actually gonna pop in to the PFC on the weekend so I'll have a word with a lovely lady I know there. I also have a friend in mind, a qualified Nutritional Therapist from the Naturapathic school who I'm seeing soon to discuss some ideas with. Will keep the community here posted on any developments for sure.

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My Mum used to run a cookery club / class which was more of a social thing for her and her numerous Japanese friends, and it became a way of sharing their interest in each others' cuisines. Naturally it included home prepared sushi

[fanillier]

That is actually wonderful. I wish families were that "social" these days too. Todays demands make it quite difficult to synchronise such meets. Out of all my friends, only myself and one other is a stay at home mum. And she's all the way in Sidcup.

I wonder though, would people be interested in cooking "posts"? I could contribute to from the traditional Turkish side of cuisine? Take pics, write short directions for creating a dish, then post them on here etc..

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[Annie]

That is actually wonderful. I wish families were that "social" these days too. Todays demands make it quite difficult to synchronise such meets. Out of all my friends, only myself and one other is a stay at home mum. And she's all the way in Sidcup.

I wonder though, would people be interested in cooking "posts"? I could contribute to from the traditional Turkish side of cuisine? Take pics, write short directions for creating a dish, then post them on here etc..

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That is a lovely thought,
I would love to try some new recipes.

[Tim Lund]

Reading Joanna Blythman in the Observer today

Once you know that Lidl can sell three pomegranates for £1.25, why on earth would you stump up £1 each elsewhere?

No wonder superstores are dying – we’re sick and tired of their culture

I felt she should perhaps get out more. Three pomegranates from Penge Food Centre bought this week for £1.00, two of which made into a delicious salad with dill, parsley, feta and celery



Yes - those are quinces in the picture too, and about the sum of this year's harvest. But last year at least they were also on sale in Penge Food Centre, so I guess they'll be available again

[pip]

You are now making my mouth water. I have just returned from Turkey for the umpteenth time in 25 years.
This time last week I was sitting eating menemen for breakfast on a pomegranite farm while drinking the finest pomegranite juice ever. The pomegranite ice cream was also delicious. I have tried to make menemen at home and although it appears simple to make I can never seem to get it quite right.
Any tips fanillier or maybe your own recipe I would be most grateful. And yes PFC is certainly my favourite food store in sydenham by a mile.

[Tim Lund]

This was the recipe - with some variations

Ottolenghi’s barley and pomegranate salad

[Tim Lund]

Nine varieties of quinoa

[Maria]

Fantastic. I am going to adapt the recipe you posted over a year ago (ie Barley and Pomegranate) using quinoa instead. Positively inspired post.... many thanks.