Two doors down from the fantastic Tulip Noir Cafe is a true find, a small Eastern European and Russian grocery store called Babushka's Deli. Here you can get a slew of imported candy, pickled EVERYTHING, dozens of flavors of filled frozen dumplings, cured meats and fish, handmade pastries, unusual booze, and much more. My ten minutes inside the store wasn't enough to soak up all it had to offer. The clerk was very helpful and answered all of my questions. I would have asked her a bazillion more, but I didn't want to be annoying. So instead, I just picked up some sweet treats.
Here's my loot. The pastries are caramel creme puffs. They are slightly nutty, hazelnuts I'm suspecting, and the outer cookies are like dense cakes. Inside is a soft, sweet creme. You can buy them by the pound for $9.99. The Karums and Sirok candies are actually tiny chocolate covered cheesecake bars. At Babushka's you can buy them frozen or refrigerated. I tried one of each. They are a great treat; not too sweet and a bit of tang from the creamed cheese, and there are five different flavors. Oh, the soda: Kvass. It's contents are sugar, malt, and carbonated water. I had my roommates try it as well. One shouted, "It tastes like soy sauce and Colt 45." I think I agree. Kvass is a bit too strange for my American tongue.
This creepy little candy was a sort-of chocolate truffle with a chocolate creme. They melt easily in the sunny heat, so I'd suggest eating one quickly. That's never a problem for me.
When I bought this candy, it had a picture of some strawberries on the wrapper."Sweet," I thought, "some type of chewy gummy or taffy." I was very surprised to see chocolate when the wrapper was peeled back. Inside is a strange mixture of wafer, nuts, and chewy fruit - strawberry apparently. My tongue said, "Not so much."
Babushka's Deli is definitely something I'm going to have to check out in more detail. I'll go for the savory items perhaps. Those frozen dumplings will be in my grasp soon enough.
Babushka's Deli - 1248 W 86th St - (317) 843-1920
Babushka's Deli - 1248 W 86th St - (317) 843-1920
I wonder if the rum would make the Kvass taste better? New hot drunk for summer????
ReplyDeleteWhere can u buy russian cheeses cake bars, sirok?? Cause I have been looking everywhere for them but I couldnt find them! Most of them where sold out!!
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