We enjoy shopping at the Asian Food Co. on Mary Street in town. I guess they use the word "Asian" differently in Europe than they do in the United States. In California, an "Asian" market is usually Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Indonesian or Filipino. For example, the Mitsuwa Marketplace in San Jose or Han Kook Supermarket in Sunnyvale. To me, "Asian" does not include "Middle Eastern" but that's exactly what
this Asian market is. They sell Coca-Cola in Arabic labels and they have Egyptian money tacked up behind the register. I guess Europeans group Saudi Arabia and Egypt into
Asia, but I don't usually think of it that way.
Anyway, we have been exploring the ethnic markets in Dubln and we have some favourites now. The prices here are pretty good and they have an
amazing selection of Patak's curry pastes. We make curry from
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution once a week and have found the Patak's paste is just perfect.
My other half and I have recently started a little tradition of making soup on Sunday nights. We've been experimenting with various kinds of beans lately and have fallen in love with those big butterbeans they sell at the Madina market in Parnell Street. We like lentil soup too. Nom nom nom.
I think I want to learn Arabic, just to write it. Purdy!
ReplyDeleteI can recommend the Defense Language Institute in Monterey. They take civilian students. :) Yeah, the language is pretty. I think they read it right to left.
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