Yesterday we went to Russo's in Watertown, a specialty food market with one of the best selections I've ever seen in the region. They had an extensive produce section, with eggplants larger than my head and a variety of fresh greens, including some more obscure Asian plants that are great for vegan cooking. My first find:
Daikon, an east Asian radish used in Japanese cooking. It can be pickled for carrot salads or braised to create a scallop-esque consistency, having a mild flavor that retains the outside flavors of a dish.
My next find:
Dried kiwis! I love dried fruit as a healthy alternative to feed my sweet tooth, trying dried pinapples, mangos, apricots galore, but have never found dried kiwis before. They were really delicious (and addictive ...)
Russo's also has a great gourmet cheese selection so we got some gorgonzola dulce, "sweet" gorgonzola with an almost tangy flavor to the creamy cheese, and some ricotta salata, a more unusual sheep's milk cheese. I liken the stiffer texture and saltiness to feta - perhaps the Italian version of Greek feta, one could say - unlike the soft ricotta cheese that Americans associate with the name. We bought a bunch of fresh basil and made fresh pesto with pignoli and some ricotta salata as a spin on the traditional Parmesan, having a lovely pesto pasta for our Sunday dinner. I'm officially hooked on Russo's and will definitely be back.
