Lamb Shanks with a Peruvian Touch

What's in your pantry? Mine is stocked with an eclectic array of products from all over the world, thanks to my endless ethnic market hopping. Well, recently I met Chef Ron Oliver of The Marine Room at a little place he knew of in Hillcrest that sells Peruvian foodstuff. I can't call Latin America Travel & Services a market. It isn't. But, the owners, Tomas and Nelly Centurion, have a little area in an ante room where they sell Peruvian food products. I'll write more about this later with some recipes from Chef Ron, but I did pick up some interesting products, including a jar of Panca pepper paste. And, I decided to try it with braised lamb shanks.

Panca pepper paste and Chimayo red chile powder

The panca peppers are a deep red, mild pepper grown in Peru. They have a lovely smoky tone to them, along with a nice fruitiness. Usually they're sold dry or, as what I found, in a paste, and are perfect for dishes like stews and sauces. They go well with fish, but also poultry and meat.

I also added some other unusual ingredients to the dish--cinnamon sticks, Chimayo red chile powder (a favorite smoky chile powder I discovered in Chimayo, New Mexico, near Santa Fe), fresh red chile pimentos I found at Specialty Produce, and artichoke hearts.

Red chile pimentos

These, with more of the usual fare for a braising created a thick, rich complex sauce for the lamb shanks, which did so well in the braising that the meat started falling off the bone.

Someday, we will have cooler weather in San Diego, although it doesn't feel like it right now. But in the meantime, I'm going to enjoy my second helping of the shanks this evening and would recommend it as a dish to make next year for Rosh Hashanah or looking forward, for Chanukah.

Braised Lamb Shanks with Panca Pepper Paste and Artichokes

Serves 4

4 lamb shanks
2 tbl. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 head of garlic, with sliced cloves
4 carrots, sliced
1/2 bottle of full-bodied red wine (I used a Barolo)
1 cans of low-fat, low-sodium chicken stock
2 sticks cinnamon
4 tsp. Chimayo red chili powder
6 tbl. Panca pepper paste
6 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
4 red chile pimentos or 2 red bell peppers, cut into one-inch pieces
12 oz. bag of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

1. Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to warmed heavy pot that can go in the oven, then add lamb shanks and brown on all sides.

Browned lamb shanks

Remove and set aside the lamb. Drain the pot of the fat, add a little more olive oil to the pot, and use a spoon to scrape the brown bits. Add the onion, garlic, and carrots. Saute until softened. Add the wine and bring to a simmer until it reduces to one-half the original amount.

2. Add the chicken stock, Chimayo red chili powder, Panca pepper paste, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and thyme to the pot. Return the lamb to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pot and place in the oven. Cook for 1 1/2 hours, periodically stirring the mixture and turning the shanks.

3. At 1 1/2 hours, add the pimentos and artichoke hearts. Return the covered pot to the oven for another hour. Remove when the lamb is tender. Put on the stove top and tilt the pot to remove any fat that's risen to the top. Bring the lamb shank sauce to a boil, uncovered until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and thyme stems.

Serve over rice or noodles or polenta/grits.

Braised lamb shanks and rice

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June Swoon -- For Food

There's so much wonderful stuff going on this month in San Diego where food is concerned I couldn't resist letting everyone in on some delightful and bound to be delicious events:

Saturday, June 6: Happy Anniversary! Celebrate the first anniversaries of two wonderful farmers markets: Little Italy Mercato on Date St. and the City Heights farmers market on Wightman St.

Sunday, June 7: Cooks Confab hosts "Meat!" This collection of 18 passionate chefs gathers every couple of months to create a theme-based meal at one of the group's restaurants. This month, Jason Knibb of Nine-Ten at the Grand Colonial Hotel in La Jolla takes his turn. He and his buddies will showcase dishes such as:

• Beef Sliders – Amy Dibiase, Roseville
• American Artisan Cows’ Milk Cheeses – Brian Sinnott, 1500 Ocean
• “Stern to Sternum” Antonio Friscia, Stingaree with Andrew Spurgin and Donald Coffman, Waters Fine Catering
• Tongue ‘n’ Cheek – T.K. Kolanko, A. R. Valentien with Katie Grebow, Café Chloe
• Beef Tataki – Nathan Coulon, Quarter Kitchen
• “Steak & Eggs” – Paul McCabe, Kitchen 1540
• English Roast – Jason Knibb, NINE-TEN
• Braised Short Ribs – Olivier Bioteau, Farm House Café
• Sweetbreads’ “Cinnamon Roll” – Christian Graves, Jsix

The $90 ticket per person includes wine, tax and gratuity, and $5 from each ticket goes to Slow Food Urban San Diego. There's also $2 valet parking available. The event is from 3 to 6 p.m. Make your reservations by calling 858-964-5400.

Wednesday, June 10: Wines for Summertime at The Grand Del Mar's Resort Kitchen. I love wine director Jesse Rodriguez's accessible approach to exploring wine. You'll try the best but if you're new to learning about wines you won't find it at all intimidating. In this session, he'll focus on light, elegant wines with low to medium alcoholic content. Think German Riesling, Austrian Gruner Veltliner, domestic Sauvignon Blanc and domestic Pinot Noir. Amaya's chef Camron Woods will suggest food pairings with these refreshing wines. $75 per person. For more information, call 858-314-2000.

Sunday, June 14: The 26th annual Wine & Roses Charity Wine Tasting and Sale. This is my San Diego Gourmet colleague Robert Whitley's big event, held at the very elegant Westgate Hotel in downtown San Diego from 3 to 6:30. Enjoy gourmet food and wine, live music, a silent auction and drawings for roses and cases of wine. Add to that, the ability to buy cases of award-winning wine at a discount. The wine sale features wines that won gold and silver medals at the 2009 San Diego International Wine Competition. Admission is $65 in advance, $75 at the door. You can also attend "Tasting on the Terrace," a special event on Sat., June 13 from 5 to 7 p.m., which features boutique Sonoma wineries. Robert will host this event. Tickets are $30 per person. For more information about both events, call 619-583-9463 or go to the website. The Westgate Hotel is located at 1055 Second Ave. Ticket sales benefit Camp Oliver and the Charities of the Social Serve Auxiliary.

Saturday, June 20: 2nd Annual Father's Dady Chocolate BBQ. I'm not planning on running a long list of Father's Day restaurant specials, but chocolatier Will Gustwiller of Eclipse Chocolat does such unusual chocolate meals I couldn't resist adding this to the list. This year's three-course prix fixe chocolate barbecue features chile-roasted corn on the cobb with cocoa-nib infused butter, a chocolate caramel cheeseburger and for dessert, cherry vanilla bean buckle. Vegetarians need not stay away. He's also serving a gjetost, tomato and tarragon honey mustard panini in lieu of the burger. The dinner is $25. Seatings are at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. To make a reservation, call 619-578-2984 or email info@eclipsechocolat.com.

Sunday, June 21: Chile Co's "A Tribal Conquest of Oceanic Fare II." Held at La Jolla's Beach at Torrey Pines, ChileCo's monthly socials are a mix of fine food and food education. This month, veteran fisherman and Slow Food evangelist -- and all around good guy -- Tommy Gomez of Catalina Offshore Products will lead a discussion of sustainable fishing practices and habitat preservation. Then guests will dine Caribbean style on the beach to the beat of drums. The menu includes:

• “Amore de Padre” Bacaloa Mofongo of sorts . . . You’ll see!
• Catalina Offshore” Uni Risotto with a Smokin Diver Boat Sea Scallop Kabob
• “Pina my Lada” Pineapple-Power Sour Sorbet
• “Jerked Up” Fulton Valley Farms Chicken with a Deep Caramel Spiced Rum-Lick the Plate- Your Mamma wishes she Made it–Hell of good Sauce & Sofrito laced La Milpa Organic Collard Greens
• “Tableside Taco Smores” with Gourmet Chuao Firecracker Chocolate Pods

Tickets are $95 per person. Email srice@chilecocatering.com or call 1-866-66-CATER to reserve a space.

Sunday, June 28: Stagecoach Day. Show Slow Food Urban San Diego some love and have some fun yourself at their first fundraiser. It's a food-tasting celebration in the Plaza of Old Town State Park from 1 to 5 p.m., featuring a wealth of local restaurants and chefs, farmers, artisan producers, wineries and more. The idea is that you'll get to sample dishes that celebrate the food cultures of early San Diego. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased online.


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Too Hot to Handle: The 2008 San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival's Grand Event

If you don't live in San Diego and instead live in a cold climate, I apologize in advance. You're craving warmth, and a chance to walk around in shorts and flip flops. I understand. But, 90 degrees in November just isn't natural and we're fed up with it here. And, it's completely irritating when you attend a large outdoor food and wine festival.


That was the challenge organizers of the San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival faced on Saturday. The Grand Event, held downtown at a gorgeous bayside setting, should have been a breezy stroll from one wine maker's booth to the next, with culinary fortification from some 60 chefs. But the heat wave wilted me before I even got started. I'm a lightweight anyway when it comes to wine but the temperatures kept me from trying any of it. Instead I was relieved to find some beers and the last bottle of water offered in icy tubs.

The food was what I was actually there for so I had high hopes. The quality should have been high. After all, among the restaurants represented were Arterra, Crescent Heights, Currant Brasserie, The Oceanaire, Nobu San Diego, Quarter Kitchen, Cowboy Star, Urban Solace and Sea Rocket Bistro. But, it seems that cooking for thousands at one time is more of a challenge than most were up to, particularly during a heat wave.

One of the first purveyors I hit was Brandt Beef. I was thrilled to see them grilling up a brisket. They had done a splendid job at last summer's Taste of Slow Food San Diego in Old Town. The brisket was like eating candy. This time it was good, but not divine. A bit disappointing.


Not much better was The Oceanaire's seafood shooter. With a raw quail egg, oyster and uni swimming in soy sauce with tobiko caviar, it should have been a winner.


But, while each of these ingredients can shine on their own, together, and particularly in the heat, it was pretty much of a mess going down. Of course, chef Brian Malarkey was having fun tossing sake shots down an ice luge, and he had everyone at his booth completely entertained, as usual.


Saveur Magazine made a big mistake with its cardboard-like slices of pizza.

There were, of course, some culinary highlights. I enjoyed the ceviche from Sea Rocket Bistro. There was a lovely little tamale from Indigo Grill. But, the best, by far, was something unexpected, a sensational grilled lamb chop with tabbouleh salad, punctuated with pomegranate seeds. This was offered at the Mondavi wine tasting and chef demonstration. They also had a lovely piece of seared tuna with a spicy white bean salad.


I also enjoyed the creativity of the folks at Arterra. It was county fair time, what with little root beer floats and bags of duck fat truffled popcorn.



Then, of course, were plump corn dogs.


And, given the temperatures, thank goodness for Vignette sparkling drinks. These non-alcoholic beverages come in three flavors: Chardonnay, Rose and Pinot Noir. I particularly enjoyed the Chardonnay, with its burst of freshness.


And, while I was happy tasting all sorts of wonderful desserts, the ones from Opera Patisserie I found to be simply terrific. The raspberry pastry was melt-in-your-mouth delicious, as were the lovely petite Parisian macaroons.


I think these large events have their place, but my preference is for the smaller tasting events like Celebrate the Craft. The chefs don't have to prepare as though they were fast food joints and can really focus on the ingredients and technique. And, perhaps if the weather had been less of a daunting presence I would have enjoyed the event more and tried some of the wines. But, if nothing else, The San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival is an opportunity for those unfamiliar with many of San Diego's chefs to get a taste of what they might find in the restaurant.

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Big Lots: Shopping with Mr. Pic ‘N’ Save

There are a lot of people who would never deign to enter a 99-cent store. Not my dad. Despite an illustrious career leading some of the most prestigious art museums in the country, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, in our family he’s always been Mr. Pic ‘N’ Save. A popular childhood outing with him was a trip to the neighborhood Pic ‘N’ Save, where he would give my younger sister and me $5 each and tell us to go crazy.

Years later, when he was director of the Palm Springs Desert Museum, we would drive out to Yucca Valley, have dinner at what was really a pretty marginal Chinese restaurant, then head on over to the local Pic ‘N’ Save. I still have the set of eight French bistro glasses I picked up for, of course, five bucks. Decades later, the tradition continued with my younger nieces, who were routinely astounded at their good fortune, since they got a “sure” every time they asked their generous grandparents if they could have the next 50-cent tchotchke they picked up, resulting in bags bulging with treasures. Pic ‘N’ Save, the name, is now a memory, having become Big Lots, but not much has changed beyond the name. And, not much about my dad has changed either. He adores Big Lots.

So, I wasn’t surprised last week when the phone rang and he asked, “You still like skinless and boneless sardines, don’t you?” (This is actually not a strange conversation opener in my family.) “Sure,” I said. "Well, then," he continued, "you should go over to Big Lots. They have them for 99 cents. "In fact," he added, "you should write about Big Lots in that blog of yours. They sell lots of food."

If that was a dare, I was game to meet it. Mr. Pic 'N' Save, my mom (more of a Mrs. Gelson's, a much beloved high-end market in L.A.) and I decided to hunt down the big bargains at the Point Loma store.

Normally, I don’t talk about prices here, since they can change so quickly. But, really, the whole point of Big Lots is the prices, so just know that both the prices and availability of the products mentioned are subject to change. After all, they are a closeout store.

Big Lots has been in the midst of renovations—not that you can really tell. It basically looks like they’ve just been rearranging things a bit. So, now when you walk into the Point Loma store, the food section is the first thing to hit you, with the aisles set at an angle compared to the rest of the store. Mr. Pic ‘N’ Save led me straight to the sardines. Sure enough, tins of Ocean Prince skinless and boneless (made by big name Crown Prince) were 99 cents, a great deal. (I like to mash them with white vinegar and chopped onions, then spread them on a toasted “everything” bagel or a bialy.) Above the sardines were 14.75-ounce cans of Bumblebee pink salmon for $1.95. Lightly smoked fish steaks, also the Ocean Prince brand, were a whole 60 cents.

That’s just the appetizer. What you’ll find food-wise at Big Lots is a wide variety of items you would probably stock in your pantry—spices, beans (canned and dried), cereal, chips, noodles, soup and the like—and some things that might leave you questioning what marketers were thinking. Like Slosh, a bubble gum flavoring you add to water. If it sounds tempting, hurry on over. It’s a dollar a box. A related product is a canister of Dubble Bubble gum that touts it can be used as a bank once the gum is gone.

The pantry fillers are a mix of incredible deals. Jars of Encore spices and herbs, made in Montreal, include cinnamon, crushed red peppers, oregano, cumin and garlic powder. They’re 55 cents each. (How fresh they are, I have no idea.) For two bucks, you can pick up cans of cooking sprays. There's an aisle filled with Doritos, Fritos, Tostitos and Lays. I found re-sealable, supersize (32 ounces) bags of Malto-Meal brand corn flakes for $3 and a 10-ounce box of Kellogg’s organic Rice Krispies for $2.50.

Big Lots has a nominal “International” section. It’s primarily Hispanic products, like large cans of hominy, menudo ($2.50 for a one-pound, 13 ½-ounce can), black beans (one pound for 70 cents) and Maseca Masa (a 4.4-pound bag is $1.99). They also carry Jumex nectars in peach, guava and strawberry/banana flavors.

My parents pointed out the T. Marzettis brand of salad dressings, which they see at Bristol Farms under a different label but from the same manufacturer. At Big Lots, the garlic, raspberry and sun-dried tomato vinaigrettes are $1.70 a bottle. Mr. Pic ‘N’ Save is a big fan of Picklefair Fresh Pack Dill Kosher Spears for $1.30, while my mom enjoys Anna’s cookies, thin biscuits that come in orange, blueberry and cappuccino flavors at a dollar a box. I picked up the orange and cappuccino. I liked both, but especially the orange with its full citrus flavor. They’re a nice addition to a cup of green tea. For $1.29, bakers can get great deals on bags of Nestle morsels in butterscotch and a milk chocolate and caramel combo.

Big Lots is big on liquid refreshments. They have a good-sized wine section for a jobber, with some familiar names, like Forest Ville and Forest Glen. If you’re willing to shell out a few bucks for cheap bottles at Trader Joe’s, you’ll feel right at home here. Sorry, but I wasn’t adventurous enough to try the 2002 Chardonnay Aussie Wine in a Can at $4 a liter.

And, if you’ve plunked down $11 at Costco for a case of San Faustino calcium water, you’ll have to drop by Big Lots to get it at 60 cents for a one-liter bottle.

Finally, Big Lots has some pretty good deals on kitchen equipment. For six bucks, you can pick up a mandolin with three interchangeable blades. They have pizza slicers and cookies sheets and all sorts of other gadgets and necessities that are inexpensive enough to richly outfit a college grad’s first apartment.

With all these savings, you can afford to indulge in a new cookbook by Nancy Silverton, the LA chef now partnering in restaurant ventures with Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich. Among other accomplishments, she opened the La Brea Bakery back in 1989. The bakery, since sold, now sells their baked goods at markets like Bristol Farms and 99 Ranch Market. Her new book, “A Twist of the Wrist: Quick Flavorful Meals with Ingredients from Jars, Cans, Bags and Boxes,” has just been published by Knopf for $29.95 (Amazon has it for $17.97.). The New York Times wrote it up yesterday and it sounds great. Now, you’ll probably have to spring for more exotic or higher caliber products than what you’ll find at Big Lots, but still, think of the possibilities. Of course, if you have a fondness for all those recipes printed on the packages of products you buy, you’ve just got to get a copy of “Best Recipes From the Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans & Jars” by Cecil Dyer. I’ve had mine since 1981, but it’s still in print. The Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe is in there as is Kellogg’s Crunchy Baked Chicken made with corn flakes and the Frito Chili Pie Casserole. A step back in time for many of us.

And, speaking of time, Happy Birthday, Dad!

Big Lots in Point Loma is located at 3705 Rosecrans St. There are over a dozen other locations in San Diego County. You can find one near you using the store locator at www.biglots.com.

Have some thoughts about Big Lots? Add to the conversation by clicking on comments below:

Aaron's Eatzz: Keeping Kosher in Kearny Mesa

I’m often nostalgic for Los Angeles and New York. LA, specifically Encino, is where I was raised, and while mocking the Valley and LA is a favorite pastime of people in San Diego and beyond, it was a magical place to grow up, particularly for a Jewish kid. New York, where I lived for several years after college, is more of a spiritual home. Its uber-urban, multi-ethnic streets are where I’ve always felt most comfortable, most myself. It’s where much of my extended family lived or passed through following passage from Eastern Europe. Going to the Lower East Side always is a moving adventure in retracing both my grandfathers’ steps early in the 20^th century.

Of course, all this nostalgia is completely intertwined with food—the bagels, lox and cream cheese, hot pastrami sandwiches, kreplach (think Jewish won-tons), kugel (sweet noodle pudding), corn rye and egg creams (a milk, chocolate syrup and selzer concoction) of my childhood. Every cholesterol-laden, high-calorie bite. And, it’s what I miss in San Diego. Sure, go ahead and remind me we have D.Z. Akins and Elijah’s and Milton’s. Sorry, I enjoy them, but they’re just not the same as the old Encino Deli (now known as Froman's), Mort's in Tarzana, Art’s in Studio City, or the Carnegie Deli or Katz’s in New York. And, certainly not my beloved Zabar’s (a deli market on steroids).

So, you can imagine how startled I was to discover Aaron’s on Convoy at Balboa several years ago. No, it’s not strictly a deli; it’s a little (tiny, really) glatt kosher* market with a deli section in a little strip mall that also houses a checking cashing store, dentist’s office and bait and tackle shop. But, I live in a neighborhood where if I’m really, really lucky, the local Albertson’s will have a rickety card table set up for Passover with a few boxes of matzo, and not always kosher for Passover. That makes Aaron’s a huge find.

Tomorrow evening (Monday) marks the beginning of Passover (or Pesach), which commemorates the travail of Ancient Egyptian Jews, who having been slaves of Pharaoh, fled and wandered for 40 years in the desert, led by Moses. On the first and second evenings of Passover, a Seder is held. This large meal is structured around the reading of the Haggadah, which tells the story of the Exodus and orchestrates how the meal is conducted, rather like stage directions. Those who strictly observe Passover for its eight days require special foods that are kosher for the holiday (even using separate dishes and utensils). No leavened bread can be eaten, hence the flat cracker-like matzo, made of just flour and water, which can be ground into a meal and used for baking. Matzo symbolizes the haste in which the Jews fled that left no time to let bread rise and bake. And, it's not just bread or other leavened foodstuff (referred to as "chametz") that's forbidden. All foods must be "kosher for Passover" and packaging is always marked either kosher or not kosher for Passover. In cities like New York and LA, with large Jewish populations, kosher-for-Passover foods are pretty easy to find, even in the chain supermarkets. However, it can be a challenge here, especially outside of La Jolla. I don't keep kosher, but I do try to keep with the spirit of Passover by eating matzo and other traditional foods.

When I walked into Aaron's on Friday before lunch, owner Aaron Hutman, a long-time grocery man originally from Montreal, was uttering a frazzled mantra, “I love Pesach; I love Pesach” as he cheerfully kibitzed (chatted) with and rang up orders for customers from around San Diego County coming in to pick up Passover provisions. Hutman has owned the market for eight years and in the past, he has been able to find nearby storefronts to set up as temporary Pesach staging quarters to sell kosher-for-Passover necessities like matzo, matzo meal, wine, potato starch, gefilte fish (small ovals of deboned, ground fish, eaten chilled with horseradish) and macaroons. This year, however, he couldn’t locate a spot so the market is swept up in a Passover frenzy. My Friday visit, pre-Passover and, more immediately, pre-Shabbat (Sabbath), was probably not the best time to try to speak with him, but he was good natured about answering questions, all the while, stocking food from an unending stream of boxes he had picked up in LA before dawn that morning.

I was wowed by the solid chocolate Seder plate, something I had never seen before. Traditional seder plates have a spot for each of the symbolic items featured in the telling of the Passover story while reading the Haggadah (maror, or bitter herbs in the form of horseradish; charosets, made of chopped apples and walnuts, cinnamon and sweet wine; a roasted lamb shank; a hard-boiled egg; parsley and salt water to dip it in). So, a chocolate seder plate? It's got to be Manishewitz's answer to chocolate Easter bunnies!

Hutman has brought in a variety of baked goods from Eilat Bakery in Santa Monica and all are kosher for Passover, including almond chocolate and chocolate chip macaroons and even mandel bread, a biscotti-like cookie. In the freezer section, I was surprised to find kosher-for-Passover pizza. You, too? Well, it turns out the crust is made with matzo meal.

Along with the Pesadic foods, Aaron’s has a wide variety of kosher meat and dairy products he carries year round, as well as products from Israel, including a range of wines from Efrat Winery (Merlot, Petite Syrah, Muscat, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz), vibrantly colored bottles of fruit nectars and cans of stuffed cabbage leaves, eggplant and peppers and Syrian cracked olives.

I got a kick out of the beers—He'Brew, the Chosen Beer, comes in two varieties, Genesis Ale and Messiah Bold.

Up at the front of the store is where, to me, the real treasures are—pastrami and corned beef, and containers filled with old-fashioned delicacies like chopped liver, cole slaw and egg salad. Jacob Dashevsky, a student at San Diego State, has been helping out Hutman in the rush and was busy slicing pastrami and wrapping up orders. Hutman may need Jacob’s help after Passover since he tells me that Aaron’s will be doing more catering and setting up a larger take-out section, with both kosher and non-kosher foodstuff.

These days, there’s no extended family around for a Passover seder, but my parents and I will be celebrating the holiday together Monday night and thinking of relatives around the country who will be doing the same. I always associate the holiday with my now late grandparents, Tillie and Abe Gould, who loved to host Seders for the entire family. Poppa’s job was to mark up the Haggadah with everyone’s names to establish reading parts. After all, Passover is nothing if not participatory theater. And, of course, he hid the Afikoman for us eight grandkids to find. The Afikoman is the middle matzo from a stack of three special ones placed on the Seder table. As a game to keep the children interested, the Seder leader sneaks it out at the beginning of the meal to hide it somewhere in the house, wrapping it in a special embroidered Afikoman cover or a dinner napkin. I think the winner got a dollar back then. Nana cooked for weeks in anticipation of at least a dozen guests and usually more. Chicken soup with matzo balls (dumplings made with matzo meal), homemade horseradish, roasted chicken or brisket, potato kugel (a potato pudding), charosets and flourless cakes served with strawberries. She was a fabulous cook and baker and fortunately, when I was in my 20s I hounded her to make me a cookbook of her recipes, which she did. Here is one, for matzo meal popovers, which I doubt you’ll find anywhere else. People never believe these are made without yeast, but they are. They are the Madeleines of my life.

Nana Tillie’s Passover Popovers

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.

Bring to a boil: 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 stick of butter. Take off the heat and add 2 cups of matzo meal. Let cool.

Beat in 6 extra large eggs, one at a time. Cool in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Spoon onto greased cookie sheets or into muffin tins.

Bake at 450 degrees for 13 minutes, then turn down the temperature to 350 degrees and bake an additional 30 minutes. They should sound hollow inside when you tap the bottom. Makes about 15. Don’t double the recipe!

Aaron’s is located at 4488 Convoy St.

* Glatt means smooth in Yiddish. If the lungs of a kosher animal slaughtered in a kosher way are found to be smooth, then the animal's meat is considered to be "glatt kosher," a higher standard than kosher. However, it's come to refer to a store's reliable kosher supervision.

Have some thoughts about Aaron’s or other Jewish delis and markets in San Diego? Add to the conversation by clicking on comments below: