I walked into the supermarket, mouth agape - I felt like Alice in Foodland! It was a 10,000 sq feet epicurean trove of gastronomy, nostalgia, delectable aromas and MORE all rolled into one. Finally an ethnic supermarket in Fairfield County.Patel Bros is a family owned grocery store chain that has established itself as a destination for Indian Groceries in North America. With over 35 stores across the country – it is called the Walmart of Indian Groceries, where you get a phenomenal range from the subcontinent at the best price possible. Their motto is “Celebrating Our Food… Our Culture.’ And it sure does. It is like having my own kirana store, times ten, right here in Norwalk!
Move over Jack and Diane- Here's a little ditty about Aditi. Aditi Goswami, that is. She's the diminutive heart and soul of Calcutta Kitchens, a phenomenal one woman cooking company where taste and quality are anything but small! Aditi, born in Calucutta and raised in a house full of women - aunts, cousins, etc - was an only child, surrounded by and learning from a loving family where cooking food was not just a means to feed but more a way of life. She now lives in Fairfield County and her goods have solely been available at Farmers' Markets across Ct, NY and NJ. All that is changing with the launch of Calcutta Kitchen's product lines at the new Fairway Market in Stamford. Her fabulously flavorful sauces, vegetables, and soups are a hit wherever she purveys and there's good reason for that. All Ms. Goswami's ingredients come fresh from local farmers' markets and everything she sells is always vegetarian and most often vegan. Cooking for Aditi is much more than a job -it is an art form, it is a way of life, and it is Ayurvedic. Huh?
As I walked into my house the other day, distracted with thoughts of what to make for dinner for our houseguests, I was greeted by a sweet scent of ginger and curry wafting through the door. I was famished after a long day and was downright tickled to find a delicious terrine of spinach, chickpeas, and Indian spices stewing on my stovetop. I sighed, thinking how pleasant it was to have houseguests after all!
My dear friend Jackie and her Indian husband, Habib, were staying a few nights on their way up to Maine. As I lifted the lid and took in the tantalizing aroma, I was transported back to Jackie and Habib’s wedding in a Tribeca loft, where Habib’s mother had seemingly spent weeks preparing the most sumptuous Indian fare for their wedding reception. I had heard from Jackie that Habib had inherited his mother’s cooking skills as well as their old family kitchen secrets, but I had never experienced it firsthand. Turns out, anyone can enjoy this home made Indian fare without spending hours in the kitchen.
