DAY 25: My "Somali" kitchen--Suqaar and eggs, served on Sourdough Lahooh (Somali flatbread) with sauteed mixed vegetables on the side

LAHOOH WITH SUQAAR AND EGGS:  A tomato beef sauce (I used ground beef) with baked eggs on top.

SOURDOUGH LAHOOH (SOMALI FLATBREAD):  Made with wheat flour, ground millet and corn meal.  A daily staple of the Somali diet and very similar to Ethiopian Injera bread, which is made of teff flour.

This recipe calls for whole millet; I ground mine, which I would recommend.

And, I would also add some salt to the batter.

SAUTEED MIXED VEGETABLES:  Shredded cabbage, potatoes, carrots, zucchini and yellow squash.

All recipes can be found on this good Somali cuisine website--

www.mysomalifood.com

quite delicious!

DAY 23: My kitchen with Russian pickled mushrooms

These are the mushrooms I bought at EUROPA GROCERY, 13728 E. Quincy Ave.

I am eating the ones one the left.  There's no English on the label, but the shop owner told me that they are wild picked.  They might be "slippery jacks", as they are very slimy.  They are also in a dill brine, not unlike dill pickles.  I've been putting them in sandwiches and on salads.  The others on the right are a varietal mix of wild picked mushrooms.

DAY 22: What Happened to the 2200 block of S. Havana?

From the street, driving past, this little strip mall looked promising.  But when we pulled up, got out of the car to investigate, most shops were out of business.

 still in business, but empty

 empty

 Korean nightclub, open from 8pm to 2am. It might still be in business...

Iraqi bread sounded exciting, but, alas, empty

DAH WON RICE CAKE BAKERY, 2222 S. Havana, was open, but looking in, there was very little on the shelves available.  I will probably go back for rice cakes.

DAY 21: ROYAL DELI FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, Chambers and Hampden

Well, I made it to ROYAL INTERNATIONAL CUISINE, but it's not a sit down restaurant anymore, it's a grocery store and deli.  

 What distinguishes ROYAL from the other Russian grocery stores I've been to in Aurora, is that it is a full deli, stocked with home made salads, meat and other dishes, and a full bakery with many cakes and sweet things that looked gooey and dangerous!  Again, everything made from scratch, on the premises.

I will be back to take photos and buy.  a lot. 

And eat. a lot.

DAY 20: From Russia: Pickled Wild Mushrooms at EUROPA GROCERY, 13728 E. Quincy Ave.

On day 15, my family and I had gone in search for a Russian restaurant called ROYAL INTERNATIONAL CUISINE, which had been replaced by another Pho(75). On that trip, I noticed a Russian grocery store called EUROPA.  I didn't stop then, but returned yesterday.

  

Like SOLOMON'S, on 1939 S. Havana, EUROPA has a fantastic array of Eastern European breads, sausages, dairy and imported prepared stuffs. I fell in love with the pickled mushrooms.

Four shelves filled with scores of varieties, many wild picked.

Cherry Creek Reservoir is right next door, so this is a great stop for gathering picnic stuffs before a hike!

I also asked one of the owners about ROYAL INTERNATIONAL CUISINE.  Apparently, they are still in business but moved to Chambers and Hampden...That's for tomorrow.

DAY 19: The Somali Experience at MAANDEEQ RESTAURANT AND CAFE, 1535 S. Havana St., #H

South Havana, from 1500 South down to S. Parker Rd., appears to be an epicenter for African and Korean food.  Having some "experience" with Korean food, I thought I'd start with the African options.  

Aurora has a multitude of Ethiopian restaurants and markets, but what it also has are Somalian and Nigerian establishments.

Described as a "meeting place for Somalian expats in search of the comforts of home", and a place for those "searching for a different eating experience", MAANDEEQ RESTAURANT AND CAFE was yesterday's restaurant of choice. 

 A shot of MAANDEEQ'S most lovely, eye-spinning decor--which leads one to believe that this must have been a Chinese restaurant in the past.  We loved the cultural pastiche.

 What was most memorable, by far, was the fact that my friend Tracey and I walked into a place inhabited entirely by Somali men.  We felt instantly that we had crossed a cultural threshold. The only other women in the restaurant were a pair, in head-to-toe traditional dress, sitting in the other room.

Our first waiter, young and very uncomfortable, couldn't speak English and approached our table, without a menu and with a one word question--"beef?"

After a moment or two of silence, he was soon replaced by another who brought menus, but whose English was still very limited.  Apparently, few of their customers are not Somali.

We asked him to bring what he thought we should try, as neither of us had ever had Somali food.  Take note of the prices--at the end of our meal, our bill was totalled in our waiter's head. I'm not sure how we were charged.

Again, there was a huge language barrier.

Our lunch began with a light cilantro broth with shredded carrots, turmeric and lemon

The spread was a spicy goat stew with a salad, a plate of greens and cabbage and a plate of "Ugaali Dish"--grits made of white hominy.  The bowl of "soup" is actually a sauce (similar to the broth, but richer) to be poured over the Ugaali.

A platter of vegetable rice followed.
After eating, we both ordered a sweet, spiced tea with milk--similar to chai and very delicious!

Overall, the food was very interesting and quite good. 
Pricewise? $26.00 for the both of us.

DAY 15: Searching in vain for "some of the best Russian food in the state" and settling for expensive, less-than-inspiring German food, out yonder, on the other side of 225, by Harbor Freight Tools and a Super Target: HELGA'S GERMAN RESTAURANT & DELI, 14197 E. EXPOSITION AVE.

Tonight I took in the miles to waaaaaaaaaaay distant Aurora with my husband, Stuart, and our 15-year-old daughter. Stuart literally hadn't eaten all day and our daughter is chronically fearful of consuming the unfamiliar, so I was apprehensive in suggesting Nigerian, Somalian, Korean or Filipino.  Instead, I thought a good Russian restaurant sounded perfect.  Culturally rich for me, dense and caloric for Stuart and not too "weird" for The Daughter.  

ROYAL INTERNATIONAL CUISINE, on 13736 E. Quincy, seemed perfect and has been described in print as "...serving some of the best Russian food in the state.."  We were, well, pretty excited.  However, when we got to 13736 E. Quincy, this is what greeted us instead:

    We were really disappointed--especially after travelling past the vast terrain of office complexes, malls and endless corporate retail boxes.  Apparently, I will have to call ahead next time, as this is the second time a restaurant I've been anticipating has been closed down!

Anyway, The Daughter will not do pho. no pho.  So, how to compromise??

Other Russian options that I found were not open tonight for dinner and another Eastern European restaurant, that I'm going to try, was too far away so we agreed that finding a GERMAN restaurant was a good option. 

 What we found was HELGA'S GERMAN RESTAURANT AND DELI, 14197 E. Exposition

 Looking not unlike a corporate "Mimi"s" or "Red Robin", Helga's does possess a rather impressive deli with shelves of colorful imported food stuffs.  I had every intention of purchasing a few things to take home after eating dinner, but....

fresh meat salad

 stuffs for purchase

our meal:

appetizer:  Pfalzer Pretzel for two--homemade pretzels (very good) with cheeses and German coldcuts

 oxtail soup

 Jager Schnitzel--breaded pork in a browned, mushroom gravy with fried onions; served with spaetzel and red cabbage

 Chicken Geschnetzeltes--chicken strips in a creamed, mushroom gravy; served on a bed of spaetzel with melted cheese and paprika sprinkles on top.  A bowl of red cabbage is served on the side.

Rouladen Pfalzischer Art--beef rolls stuffed with bacon and pickles, topped with a rich, brown gravy.  Potato croquettes and pan-fried spaetzel fill the plate.

We also ordered apple strudel and a Bavarian creme torte. Neither were particularly good and the blood in my brain soon left to my stomach, aiding in the massive task of digesting the 5,000+ calories that I had just consumed.

  

So, that being said, I forgot to take pictures of them.

Helga's is a very popular restaurant and was packed while we were there.  The service was fine--friendly, informative; and, I may have, maybe recommended it in my starving stage.  However, looking at these photos now as I shift my weight around in my chair, trying to find a comfortable spot, I would have to say that "no", I'm probably not going back.  This food is so damn rich and not so amazingly delicious for the price you end up paying--$$ or otherwise.  In fact, I ended up spending my Aurora budget for the week (not entirely Helga's fault!).    

There may be a few holes in my blog this week. I'll try to get to a few markets, at least. There are so many on S.Havana and S. Parker Rd.!!  I also drove past an Ethiopian market tonight on E. Exposition...

DAY 13: My Afghan-ish kitchen--AFGHAN LAMB IN CHERRY SAUCE--QORMA E ALOO BALOO

I made this last night with a 54 oz. jar of sour cherries in light syrup bought at SOLOMON'S GROCERY AND EUROPEAN DELI, 1939 S. Havana.  The recipe was found on this website--

www.afghancultureunveiled.com

--a great resource for Afghan recipes and cultural links.

Yes, absolutely delicious!!  A sweet 'n' soury thing with oven roasted cauliflower on the side.  Traditionally, this is also served with a "dollop" of yogurt (full fat, plain ((Greek would be easiest to find outside of Aurora)).  

DAY 12: My Indian-ish kitchen: Cooking with Indian Bitter Melon--a cultural leap but a possible cure for cancer

On February 1st, I posted a photo from H-Mart of a mound of Indian bitter melons, because I thought they were so beautiful, but didn't buy them.  A week later, I reconsidered and went back to H-Mart....

 

 Before purchasing them, however, I had to do some research to find a recipe, and where better for Indian food, than Yahoo India.  If you're interested in Indian food, it's the place to start.  in.yahoo.com  

(link to lifestyles, then cuisine)

What I learned about bitter melon (karela) is that not only is it EXTREMELY bitter--despite the cooking methods--it is currently being studied in India as a cure for prostate cancer.

here's the recipe I tried, using potatoes and tomatoes--

http://www.food.com/recipeprint.do?rid=55817

Tomatoes and potatoes cut some of the bitterness.

 The recipe includes mango powder (amchur powder), which also helps with the bitterness.  You really can't find this unless you go to an Indian grocery store.  I went to 

Ananda Bazaar, 3102 S. Parker Rd., A6

Here's my attempt at KARELA (bitter melon or gourd), which was absolutely delicious--after I removed all of the karela!  It was too much of a leap.........alas.

To accompany the karela, I made KABLI CHANNA, curried chick peas, served on brown basmati rice.

No leap here!

DAY 11: SHOPPING DAY, PT. 2--SOLOMON'S GROCERY AND EUROPEAN DELI, 1939 S. Havana St.

What an absolutely wonderful experience it was, wandering through Solomon's for the first time!  Instead of me describing it, let me quote a paragraph from Westword's "Best of Denver 2009" issue, published March 26, when it won "Best Secret Russian Deli"--

"It's a long way from Uzbekistan to Aurora, but Bukharan immigrant Solomon Gurzhiev and his family take the miles in stride at their Russian-Jewish deli,where they feature a compact selection of imported Eastern European foods as well as eighty kinds of deli meats, smoked fish, sausages, pickles and cheeses.  Authentic is the word at Solomon's, where the proprietors are bend-over-backwards friendly, the coolers stuffed with a dozen varieties of kefir and farmer's cheese, and mom Gurzhiev whips up homemade pelmeni on request.  But nowhere is that authenticity more evident than in the small but potent selection of fresh-baked breads offered daily at the counter, including a dense, coriander-laced rye loaf that goes nicely with the deli fare."

 

Unfortunately, we didn't buy any bread this time, but we bought a German bologna and 2 rings of a kielbasa called krestyanskaya.

We also bought a large slice of honey cake made with graham flour (very good)and a large jar of sour cherries in light syrup for an Afghan lamb dish I'll be making.

Whether you have an interest in Eastern European cooking or not, you must visit!

DAY 10: SHOPPING DAY, PT. 1--back to H-MART, 2751 S. Parker Rd.

I found a recipe for Indian bitter melon, so I went to H-Mart, where I KNEW they'd be, to purchase a pound.

While I was there, I picked up two bags of frozen Chinese Spinach wontons (on sale, 2 for $7), fresh tofu (made on site!), mixed tiny potatoes ($1.99 a pound!) and varietal mushrooms.  The bag below are organic, giant oyster (trumpet) mushrooms--9.5 oz. for $1.99, less than $4 a pound.  The prices are worth the cost in gas.

DAY 9: EL PELICANO, 15355 E. Colfax Ave.

100 days of culinary crossings. crossings.

Our friends Terry and Steuart called us yesterday, having just returned from a month-long stay in Europe, craving Mexican food.  They agreed to venture out to Aurora to find it.

LA CUEVA, on 9742 E. Colfax Ave., might have been the obvious first choice, as it is familiar, comfortable and serves, frankly, delicious food. But, being that this blog is about crossings, familiar and comfortable just don't cut it.

After doing some research, I really wanted to go to this place called TITI'S FAMILY RESTAURANT, 15490 E. Colfax Ave., which has a reputation of cooking fantastic, authentic Caribbean and Latin American specialties.  But, I also read that the owners recently changed its name to CARIBBEAN BREEZE LATIN GRILL and that the menu had changed, but then, again...?  The information on line was very confusing, but we still thought we'd drive the distance to check it out.

Alas, we couldn't find it.  Among the projects and the new strip mall developments, TITI'S/CARIBBEAN BREEZE seems to have disappeared.  So, instead of driving all the way back to a more familiar option, we chose to stay in the neighborhood.

EL PELICANO lured us with its beacon of light

 A large restaurant, El Pelicano is truly a "crossing the border" experience:  it really is Mexico.  The decor consists of expansive, colorful, hand-painted murals and a ceiling covered in fishing nets and plastic, nautical bric-a-brac.  The place was busy, filled with families, kids running about.  A trio of musicians serenaded tables throughout the night.  The service was very quick, knowledgable and friendly. The atmosphere is great.

Our food: fried chips come with a seafood dip in addition to salsa.  The drink on the right is an agua fresca tamarindo

 guacamole and ceviche mixto, with big chunks of pulpo (octopus)

 plato de carne asada, served with a chunk of queso fresco on the beans and and creamy cilantro dressing on the salad

 two tacos--"El Gobernador", shrimp and monterey jack stuffed in a pasilla pepper, wrapped in a tortilla and fried; "Pescado Estillo Vallarta", breaded fish, cabbage, tomato, onion, avocado and a cream sauce on a corn tortilla.

dessert--massive flan and brain-sized fried ice cream.

The fried ice cream was actually really good, we thought.  

 EL PELICANO serves a huge menu with a crazy assortment of seafood creations, including lobsters and crab legs, whole fried tilapia and snapper.  

Take note of the stuffed pineapple:  that's for next time.