Trade Fair
75-07 37th Ave in Jackson Heights, other locations throughout Queens
Trade Fair is a chain of supermarkets that could exist only in Queens. Each branch is slightly different, and mimics the ethnic composition of the neighborhood around it. Inside, the food is only partly organized thematically (baking, dairy, canned goods...); otherwise, everything is distributed by world region.
This means finding canned chickpeas is particularly easy (they're in Middle Eastern, canned goods, and South Asian), while something like maraschino cherries is much more difficult. (At the Jackson Heights branch they're toward the front, on a very high shelf across from the ice cream cooler.) The search is rendered even more challenging by extremely narrow aisles and supremely high shelving. (Bring your own kick-stand.)
The high point of the Jackson Heights branch is the in-store halal butcher, who will happily carve you up an entire leg of lamb from a rack hanging in the back. They also sell ground lamb for kababs or, if it strikes your fancy, entire baked sheep heads.
They have a whole selection of great olives in bulk, sticky dried figs, and five kinds of bulk feta cheese. You can't go wrong! — February 2006
Salmon poached with olives and lemon
Ingredients: Olive oil; 1 medium onion; 2 cloves garlic; 3/4 lb green olives, pitted; 1 ts each of ground cumin, ground turmeric, and paprika; 1/2 ts ground cinnamon; 2 lemons, washed carefully; 1/2 cup water; 1 pinch saffran; 2 lb fresh salmon, either fillets or steaks; fresh cilantro
Directions: Saute chopped onion and garlic in olive oil in a deep pan until soft and golden. Add pitted olives and ground spices and saute another 2 minutes until spices are fully incorporated and fragrant. Cut off pithy ends of one lemon and thinly slice it crosswise; add slices to the pan along with the juice of the second lemon. Add water and saffron and bring to a light simmer. Slide the salmon piece(s) into the simmering liquid and cover tightly for 7-15 minutes (depending on thickness and how rare you like your salmon). There should be enough thickened broth left at the end to spoon over the serving dish. Serve over basmati rice or egg noddles, garnished with chopped cilantro. Yum!
Trade Fair is a chain of supermarkets that could exist only in Queens. Each branch is slightly different, and mimics the ethnic composition of the neighborhood around it. Inside, the food is only partly organized thematically (baking, dairy, canned goods...); otherwise, everything is distributed by world region.
This means finding canned chickpeas is particularly easy (they're in Middle Eastern, canned goods, and South Asian), while something like maraschino cherries is much more difficult. (At the Jackson Heights branch they're toward the front, on a very high shelf across from the ice cream cooler.) The search is rendered even more challenging by extremely narrow aisles and supremely high shelving. (Bring your own kick-stand.)
The high point of the Jackson Heights branch is the in-store halal butcher, who will happily carve you up an entire leg of lamb from a rack hanging in the back. They also sell ground lamb for kababs or, if it strikes your fancy, entire baked sheep heads.
They have a whole selection of great olives in bulk, sticky dried figs, and five kinds of bulk feta cheese. You can't go wrong! — February 2006
Salmon poached with olives and lemon
Ingredients: Olive oil; 1 medium onion; 2 cloves garlic; 3/4 lb green olives, pitted; 1 ts each of ground cumin, ground turmeric, and paprika; 1/2 ts ground cinnamon; 2 lemons, washed carefully; 1/2 cup water; 1 pinch saffran; 2 lb fresh salmon, either fillets or steaks; fresh cilantro
Directions: Saute chopped onion and garlic in olive oil in a deep pan until soft and golden. Add pitted olives and ground spices and saute another 2 minutes until spices are fully incorporated and fragrant. Cut off pithy ends of one lemon and thinly slice it crosswise; add slices to the pan along with the juice of the second lemon. Add water and saffron and bring to a light simmer. Slide the salmon piece(s) into the simmering liquid and cover tightly for 7-15 minutes (depending on thickness and how rare you like your salmon). There should be enough thickened broth left at the end to spoon over the serving dish. Serve over basmati rice or egg noddles, garnished with chopped cilantro. Yum!