I really like to go to ethnic markets, here on Long Island where I live a simple drive to Queens or Brooklyn will transport you to the many cultures of the world. I am not much for adventure-some driving but my friend Claire is, she was a taxi cab driver so she has no fear of traveling to unknown places. I had wanted to go to Patel Brothers, an Indian Market, for quite some time so with coaxing from my friend and tales of the great prices I met Claire at the market.

It is not a large store but we where the only non indian people in there. I could tell by the stares that they were as curious about us as we were about the foods and what to do with them. We cruised the aisles and read the labels trying to figure out what some of the items were. We saw Flexseeds ( E is intentional) we knew they were mislabeled flaxseeds, all sorts of mustard seeds both whole and crushed in large bags, huge containers of yogurt, Dosa mix which is lentil flour rice flour and salt, fresh turmeric ( looks like ginger) and huge bags of rice. A lovely young Indian girl saw our distress and tried to help us figure out the different types of mustard seeds. I ended up buying a large bag of crushed yellow mustard seeds, which are not as hot as the brown ones to make homemade mustard. The bags of almonds were the reason I wanted to go to the store in the first place $10 for 4 lbs of nuts is a price that is unbeatable. I bought two large bags to make tamari almonds with, for DH. This helps him to keep away from the smoked almonds that have all sorts of avoids in them.

I bought a few other things just to see what they were like, fresh turmeric which I grated into my morning tofu scramble it made my cast iron pan orangy-yellow, Dosa crepe mix which has a tangy sourdough flavor yummy, a guava for my son which the women behind the counter told me she puts salt and pepper on when she eats it and a large bag of millet flour for making homemade crackers. I will certainly go back to Patel Brothers. I think next time Claire and I will look for an Indian restaurant to go to in the area and I will treat her to lunch.