Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond Fall-Winter 2019

The gourmet food and lifestyle connection©

& BEYOND • VOLUME 4 • NO. 5

CRUDO-GRAV-SUSHI JERSEY SHORE

How We Learned from Morimoto Destination AC by Sofia’s Margate

SCH’DY RESTORE DEALZ BUY•SELL•TRADE

New BakeLabStation Design A Wide Selection of New & Used

DOWNTOWN DINING SCENE

Liza’s to the Stockade Inn

Bodacious Beef & Lamb...
and Bellevue’s Banquet Hall

tasteofschenectady.com

COOKING +SHOPPING + SAVING +KIDS + health + family + HOME+ HUMAN RIGHTS+ WORLD

Contents and a few spotlights

20

BRAZILIAN-STYLE BEEF AROUND HERE

In AD 1500, navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral landed in what is now
Brazil and laid claim to it in the name of King Manuel I of Portugal.
In Brazil local cowboys called gauchos, prepare legendary feasts
known as churrasco. We spotlight two places, here, in Albany, NY.

14 6

CRUDO-GRAV-SUSHI 08

After 20 years making sushi, we improved our craft
by spending time with Iron Chef Morimoto in his res-

taurant kitchen. Check out our feature on Fishushi.

SOFIA GARDEN STATE GREEK

The three siblings that own Sofia. in Margate, NJ,
invite you to dine at the Jersey Shore before A.C.

The Mission of Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond 40
is to inspire people to support family owned
and independent restaurants & gourmet food

and lifestyle businesses—as well as our community and
ALL of its people.

TasteofSchenectady.com

TasteDineAndShop.com

2 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 3

publisher’s note

A Taste from the Capital District to Beyond the Jersey Shore

By Food and Travel Editor and Publisher David Long, Jr.

It’s a time to enjoy the snow with the With the help of Mitchell’s Moving and meets indoor farmers’ market plus fresh
kids, or as a couple! It’s a time to dress our friends, we built an L-shape coun- coffee. Why limit these pursuits to week-
warmer and to wear those thicker outfits tertop for the cabinet base—this station end festivals and farmers’ markets?
that can pass as smart casual—just in now serves as our new BakeLabStation/ Enjoy the articles and recipes in this issue.
case you stay out late for an event. Sashimi & Sushi Bar (story on page 36). But most importantly please patronize lo-
Whether you cook at home or dine out, We call fusion-mixed ingredients to cal businesses, and don’t forget to tip your
this issue of Taste of Schenectady® and make sashimi/sushi (either cold or hot), servers for their excellent service.
Beyond magazine is designed to inspire “Fishushi” — combining traditional ethnic Thanks for reading Taste of Schenectady®
you to break outside your comfort zone. foods with rediscovered artisan foods to
Our editorial focus this year has been on produce a new trend in eating. Volume 4 • No. 5
the Indian subcontinent. In that respect, What I like about Schenectady is many
we have slowly worked our way around business owners are seeking to exceed Food & Travel Editor
to publishing the truth about the Greek our expectations... Schenectady Trading David J. Long, Jr., CDM, CFPP
influence upon the MENA and Near East. Company is a store retailing local heritage,
Forget about Alexander The Great—the products & talent. Think souvenir/gift shop Copy Editors & Layout
Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC), and Karen Long and Michelle Minix
its Greek and Russian relatives borrowed
and introduced flavors around the world. Contributors
Where’s the beef? In this issue, we have Barry Stone • Francis Kelly • Karen Virginia Long
featured Brazilian churrasco, as well as
Greek, Pakistani & Indian subcontinent Jack Ryan • Ed Woods
foods, and seekh lamb kebabs...In order Photographers
to make these dishes at home, it is vital
to have the right kitchen design. Recently, Patrick Ray and Ed Woods
we added a new station to our Taste of The Taste of Schenectady® is a registered trademark with the
Schenectady® Food Lab. We found a
Hallmark Frost Lazy Susan Base Cabinet United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
(MSRP $477) at the Schdy RESTORE for $40. This publication is protected by copyright. The cover and all the
contents, plus any special issues are fully protected by copy-

right and cannot be reproduced in any manner without prior
written permission from the Publisher.

©2014-2020 All Rights Reserved, Taste of Schenectady®.

4 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 5

6 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

Catering for Our Lady Queen of Peace Christmas Banquet (left)—ask about our Banquet Hall Brunch, Lunch & Dinner Catering Packages!

Book Your Party Now at Bellevue Café

Banquets, Catering & Dining for over 32 years!

Bellevue Café keeps you coming The founder of Bellevue Café, Are you looking for someone
back time and time again. Com- Spiro Mikropoulos emigrated to cater your next event? Large
bining traditional American and from Greece to the USA in 1963, or small, Bellevue Cafe does it
authentic Mediterranean flavors and opened the original Brandywine all—menu planning, catering
with great service, great prices Diners in Schenectady. In 1987, and service accommodation
and hospitality. And, now their Spiro and his family moved to in their new Banquet Hall with
new BANQUET HALL is open for the suburbs of Rotterdam and convenient off-street parking
holding holiday parties, anniver- opened Bellevue Café all on one level. The hall can
sary and birthday parties, bridal Today, Spiro Mikropoulos’ chil- easily hold 75 guests. ADV.
showers, christenings, and more! dren, Michael (who oversees
I have frequented Bellevue Café the cooks), and his sister, Didi The Bellevue Cafe
and ordered almost every dish on (who operates the dining room
the breakfast menu. We dine here and take-out), run the place. 2630 Broadway
often, and also go to Bellevue Order the Chicken Michael with Schenectady, NY
Café for lunch, and its complete Pasta (tender chicken breast fillet
dinner menu specials served with topped with plump roasted red (518) 393-7720
gigantic portions, choice of soup sweet bell peppers, mozzarella
or salad, vegetable and potato— cheese and butter garlic sauce). Open 6 am-9 pm
and great customer service. Monday-Thursday;
Friday & Saturday 6 am-10 pm;
Sunday 7 am-9 pm.

TheBellevueCafe.com

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 7

DOWNTOWN continued next page

DINING SCENE

• STILL THE BIGGEST BITE AT SLICK’S TAVERN
• FROG ALLEY’S BANDS ROCK STOCKADE
• GRANO OPEN AT OLD APERITIVO BISTRO
• MAZZONE JOINS COMPASS GROUP & RA
• AMBITION, LIZA’S AND MALCOLM’S BRUNCH
• STOCKADE INN THE SAME, BUT NEW OWNERS
• WHISTLING KETTLE OPEN ON JAY STREET

BY FOOD & TRAVEL EDITOR DAVID LONG

For over 40 years, Mike Naumoff and his wife, Barbara, have
owned and operated Slick’s Restaurant and Tavern at 127 Lib-
erty Street in Downtown Schenectady. Slick’s Tavern’s motto,
“Famous for Sandwiches Since 1974,” lives up to its every word!
The atmosphere is cozy, the owners are humble, and the sand-
wiches are HUGE!
A 1963 alumna of Niskayuna High School, the Naumoffs took
over the tavern from Doug Slick back in 1974. “He did’nt want
us to cook, so we came up with this menu to offer cold sand-
wiches and salads and keep it simple,” said Mike Naumoff on
my recent visit. Up the road, on the corner of South Ferry and
State streets, Frog Alley Brewing and the Six Pack Taproom
are the cornerstone of Schenectady’s newly revitalized Mill Ar-
tisan District. New York’s craft brew and culture is flourishing
several nights a week—bands can be heard as far as the Stock-
ade.
Nearby, the Stockade Inn sold this Spring to the Gregor family,
owners of two hotels in Lake George and one in Maine. Jeff Mc-
Donald, a Schenectady County legislator, and his engineer fa-
ther, Jack (the patriarch of the family’s Van Dyck restaurant and
its Mad Jack Brewing Company), decided to focus more on their
architect and construction company building of new homes at
the GE Realty Plot.
The 18-room Stockade Inn with its 30-seat lounge, and 125-per-
son banquet room, and event space, will remain the same under
the watchful eye of the Gregor family.
While many claim they are the best, Whistling Kettle has been
voted the best tea shop two years in a row. Open in Ballston Spa
for 15 years, Troy for 5 years, and now with a new location open
at 138 Jay Street, you’ve gotta go there! A culiary collaboration
between two innovative chefs, Danny Petrosino of Osteria
Danny in Saratoga Springs, and Armondo Cioccke of Armon-
do’s Villa Tuscan Grille in Rotterdam, took over the former An-
gelo Mazzone Aperitivo Bistro. The duo are now offering authen-
tic Italian fare as Grano, next to Proctors... Schenectady County
Community College (SCCC) alumna Angelo Mazzone and
8 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

ty Community College (SCCC) fering breakfast and lunch, cof- at 118 Jay St., both seem to be
alumna Angelo Mazzone and fee and espresso, smoothies and going strong. Next door, Trop-
Mazzone Hospitality joined the acai bowls, and brunch all-day. ical Fever Executive Lounge is
multinational contract foodser- holding its own.
vice British Compass Group and Brunch is served a la carte at
Restaurant Associates (RA). Malcolm’s, located at 617 Union 611 Union took over the space
Street. The fine dining restau- that was Marotta’s Bar-Risto on
DOWNTOWN BRUNCH rant, owned by CIA alumna Na- “Restaurant Row.” Although, for
than Germain, and is named for my money, I prefer Ambition Bis-
Brunch is still as popular as his grandpa, Malcolm. Union tro, Executive Lounge and Slick’s
ever at Ambition Bistro, which Inn (which reponed after water Tavern. Try the other places—let
recently celebrated their 19th damage at 517 Union Street), and us know what you think!
year in business on Jay Street. Jay St. Pub, that opened last year
Newcomer vegetarian Liza’s,
last fall, took over the spot of the
closed Capoccia Wine Lounge
on State Street (next to the now
closed Slidin’ Dirty). Liza’s is a
plant-based health food cafe of-

SLICK’S TAVERN

Proprietors Mike Naumoff and his wife, Barbara,
are “Famous for Sandwiches Since 1974,” in the

Historic Stockade.

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 9

DELICATESSEN

imported cured Italian specialty
meats, cheeses, fresh sausage,
and a store full of Italin groceries

CAPRI HOAGIE

Served on a whole loaf of Italian
bread with capicola, ham, salame,
provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion,
oil and vinegars and sweet roast-
ed red sweet bell peppers.

Real Deli: Capri Imports

You say Tomato, and I say Tomahto, and let’s call the

whole thing off when it comes to domestic Italian foods!

CAPRI IMPORTS ITALIAN DELI AND CATERING

2617 Broadway • Bellevue • Schenectady 12306 • (518) 346-6511

Just off I-890, on upper Broad- mission to feed our family real
way in Schenectady, you’ll find Italian foods made from REAL
the area’s most talked about ITALIANS—that’s what they sell
and patronized Salumeria and at fair prices with an emphasis
Groceria—Capri Imports Ital- on fresh ingredients.
ian Deli and Catering. This Capri Imports Italian Deli and
little “hole-in-the-wall” has Catering is a full service delica-
been preparing hot and cold tessen offering hard to find spe-
gourmet foods on a daily ba- cialty gourmet foods for lunch,
sis for decades. My father, dinner, groceries and take-out
God rest his soul, loved Capri catering. Stop in for lunch!
Imports Italian Deli, and had a

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Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 11

Mami’s Spanish-American

Across from the old Mt. Pleasant Diner, where Rich D’Ellisis, Marc Miele, Jeff LaRosa,
Frank Gallo, I and others, used to raise holy hell...”

By David Long Sometimes, you have to venture to wings, $1 beef or chicken pasteles
the old neighborhoods like; Mount and/or homemade Spanish-style
Visit Mami’s and Pleasant...This section of town is chicken soup. Next try the Pernil
start with 2 for undergoing a revival by the mer- (succulent roast shoulder of pork),
$1.50 chicken chants themselves, who offer hard and more--there are tons of tasty
wings, and $1 to find ethnic cooking smallwares, Spanish dishes on the menu daily!
beef or chicken produce, fresh goat meat, etc.
pasteles...Yummy When I grew up on Lansing Street, The sign on the building reads Jun-
Spanish chicken the block was mostly Italian and Pol- naylee Restaurant, but rest as-
soup, etc.” ish. Combo’s Fish Fry is still there sured it’s Mami’s Restaurant inside.
going strong, and so is the bakery.
Nowadays, the best Latin-Ameri- The best food places with the fairest
can food close to downtown can be prices, simple service, and authen-
found at San Francisco Restaurant tic tastes, are often the little known
on Albany Street (across from David places--it’s worth the trip!
Louis Floor Covering); and Mami’s
Restaurant, located at 911 Crane Mami’s Restaurant
Street in Mt. Pleasant (across from 911 Crane Street
the old Mt. Pleasant Diner (which is Schenectady, NY
now a Caribbean restaurant). (518) 377-8700
Visit the restaurant, and start with
the 2 for $1.50 breaded chicken

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14 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

CRUDO-GRAV-SUSHI
By David Long, Jr.

MORIMOTO, PASTRAMI SALMON CRUDO or GRAVLAX;
YELLOW FIN AHI TUNA STEAK WITH SICHUAN SALMON,
SESAME SHRIMP, GRILLED ASPARAGUS TIPS, GRILLED
TEAR DROP TOMATOES, GRILLED BABY MIXED PEPPERS,
MIXED OLIVES, FRESH SPINACH & SICILIAN EVOO SALAD

Istarted making sushi over 20 years ago, but learned the
true Japanese art to cutting raw fish for sashimi and su-
shi by spending time with Iron Chef Masaharu Morim-
oto at his restaurant in Philadelphia. When making any type
of raw fish dish, Gravlax, or sushi, the flesh of the fish should
be a regular thickness—especially to cure the fish evenly.

HOW TO KILL PARASITES IN FISH FILLETS: The fish must ei- to catch drippings. Cover the wrapped fillets with more food
ther be very fresh, or frozen – many recipes specify freezing the film or foil, and place a heavy plate, skillet, or weight over the
fish before curing in order to kill any parasites. Although if you wrapped fish to weigh the fillets down for another 12 hours.
find fish described as “sushi grade,” then Individual Quick Fro- Obviously, you’re going to cure the wrapped fish fillets in
zen (IQF) fillets of fish should have already been frozen out at sea. the refrigerator. However, you should turn over the wrapped
Ahi Tuna aka Yellowfin Tuna, frozen at sea, makes for great Crudo, Gravlax fillets every 6 hours during the 12 hour spice process.
Sashimi, Ceviche, Tuna Tartare, and Pastrami-Spiced fish for slicing. After 12 hours, I leave the herbs and spices on the
Each different type of salmon has different oil levels. If you’re Gravlax fillets and slice them super thin on the
going to make smoked salmon, fish with a higher oil con- bias to serve as Pastrami Salmon Crudo (Gravlax).
tent is better. The best salmon for Crudo and/or smoked
is Sockeye salmon and King salmon (Chinook salmon).

Norwegian Gravlax (Gravlaks) is slightly more sweet than Use a Japenese sashimi knife or thin, super sharp blade such
salty. But most great chefs use equal parts of kosher salt as a flexible boning knife. Serve the Crudo/Gravlax with pick-
and brown & white sugar to cure their fish for Gravlax. led red onions, capers, crumbled hard-boiled eggs, warm sliced
One (1) cup of kosher salt, two-thirds cup of brown sugar, and bagels halves and cream cheese, or toasted Naan---with fresh
1/3 cup of white granulated sugar added to two (2) quarts of coriander, olives and lemon.
water makes for a good curing brine. After the salmon fillets Francis Xavier (1506–52), was the co-founder of the Jesuits and
are submerged in the brine, and placed in the refrigerator for a Roman Catholic missionary in Asia, most notably in India. He
12 hours, the salt must be washed off, and the fillets patted dry. also was the first Jesuit to venture into Japan, Borneo, Maluku
The fresh fish center cut fillet is usually then misted with Islands, and other areas. In those areas, struggling to learn the
vodka, but I use one tablespoon of a half mixture Asian local languages and in the face of opposition, he had less success
sweet Mirin and lime juice. This method is usually more ac- than he had enjoyed in India. He was about to preach in China
ceptable for persons who are opposed to alcohol in foods. when he died on Shangchuan Island. Unfortunately, we cannot
ALTERNATIVELY YOU CAN BRUSH THE FISH FILLETS WITH ignore the fact that the Jesuits and Francis Xavier introduced the
GOA INQUISITION. Continuing our year-long feature on Asia:
A MIXTURE OF MOLASSES & SICILIAN EVOO BEFORE The Samurai, or Bushi, are the elite Japanese KNIGHTS class
DREDGING THEM IN THE SPICES-YUM! YUM! descendants (similar to Europe’s noblemen) of feudal Japan.

I like to crust the Gravlax with my designated coffee/spice These Samurai must always abide to the Eight (8) Virtues
grinder or pestle and mortar toasted and crushed spic- of Bushido: Rectitude (moral right living), Courage, Benevo-
es; such as cumin seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, lence, Politeness, Sincerity, Honor, Loyalty, and Self-control
caraway seeds (all measured in equal amounts). To the (PROVERBS 24:16; Today, 1-2 million Christians live in Japan).
ground spices I add the equal measure of granulated gar-
lic, onion powder, ground allspice (half a tablespoon mea-
sure of whole allspice berries), smoked paprika--and three
(3) times the amount of ground melange peppercorns.

Next, I dredge each fish fillet in the dry mixture...This makes
my Gravlax into a Pastrami-style Salmon Crudo...I place fresh
lime and lemon zest, and fresh dill and thyme leaves on top
of each fish fillet before wraping in food film (plastic wrap).
Prick holes on each flat side of the wrapped Gravlax fillets, and
place on a rack over a sheet pan lined with parchment of foil

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 15

Chirashi, also called chirashizushi is one
of my favorite Japanese meals. The word
“chirashi” means “scattered”. Crudo is
more a Mediterranean term. We call our
cold & hot inspired dishes, Fishushi.

Mise en Place (“a place for everything, and
everything in its place”) is required to prepare an
assortment of crudo, poke, sashimi, sushi—and
just about any dish and recipe in your kitchen.
Chirashi fish is usually sliced like sashimi, 1/4”
rectangular shapes. Pokē fish is usually sliced in
1” inch cubes. Chirashi has no additional flavor,
other than the sushi rice, wasabi and soy sauce.

Cold

& HOT

FISHUSHI

Crudo, Mixed Fishushi & Veg

Avocado, Olives, Cannellini, Capers, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil,
Garlic, Mushrooms, Radishes, Red and Yellow Sweet Bell
Peppers, Lemons, Limes, Scallions, Brown Sugar, Sweet
Rice Wine Vinegar, Red Onions, Salt, Sichuan Peppercorns,
Bay Leaf, Sugar, Spices, Tear Drop Tomatoes, Salmon, Sea
Scallops, Shrimp, and Yellow Fin Ahi Tuna.

The mild acidity of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) isn’t enough
to cure raw fish like the salt and sugar mixture used in making
gravlax, but it does create a subtle, flavorful coat meant to com-
plement the raw fish’s natural flavor, rather than actually flavor
the fish. The wrong oil used can dramatically alter the crudo’s
flavor profile. ” At Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond, we use
cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil from Sicily. Because part
of the artisan beauty in making crudo, sashimi, and sushi, is its
simplicity in preparation. Each ingredient in Crudo plays an es-
sential role in making the fish shine. It’s a balancing act—you
want just enough texture, oil, salt, and citrus without drowning

16 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

the fish’s pristine flavors. In Italian, Crudo means
“raw.” In Italian cuisine this word can be used with
a lot of food: pesce crudo means “raw fish,” carne
cruda means “raw meat,” similar to steak tartare.
Poke, diced raw fish served either as an appetizer
or as a main course and is one of the main dishes of
ancient Hawaiian cuisine. Before spending time with
Iron Chef Morimoto advancing my sashimi and sushi
making skills, I met Roy Yamaguchi from Hawaii.
Yamaguchi is a Japanese-American celebrity chef, res-
taurateur and founder of a collection of restaurants in-
cluding 30 Roy’s Restaurants in the USA and Guam,
the Tavern by Roy Yamaguchi and Eating House 1849.
He is one of the founders of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine
movement. Roy’s was part of my Viking Culinary
Arts Festival, at Viking’s center in Philadelphia.

to at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai in 2004, fol-
lowed by a second Wasabi at the Taj Mahal Hotel
in New Delhi, India, in 2008. The much anticipated
flagship restaurant, Morimoto New York, opened in
2006. Morimoto has received numerous accolades,
including several appearances on San Pellegrino’s
“Top 100 Restaurants in the World” list. Morimoto
Napa was named one of Food & Wine magazine’s
“Best U.S. Restaurant Openings.” Taste of Schenecta-
dy® dishes below...HOST YOUR OWN FISHUSHI
MAKING PARTY AT YOUR HOME... You can buy
sushi bambo mats at Asian markets for under $2.
Sushi rice, sweet rice vinegar, wasabi, pickled ginger,
toasted nori sheets, cucumbers, avocados, surimi imi-
tation crab, and ahi tuna are sushi staples. Visit Twitter.
com/TasteSchdy to learn how to make Salmon Skin.

Taste Sch’dy Food Lab

Miso & Seaweed Salad

We love to make Japanese Miso Soup and Seaweed
Salad. Visit us @ Twitter.com/TasteSchdy to follow
our Taste of Schenectady® Food Lab pictorial recipes.
Chef Masaharu Morimoto after a shoulder injury
ended his career as a baseball catcher in Japan, began
studying sushi in his hometown of Hiroshima. He
quickly grasped the technique of this exacting food art,
and at age 24, opened his first restaurant. Five years
later, he moved to America. In 1994, Morimoto was
recruited to join the original Nobu restaurant in NYC,
and soon promoted to Executive Chef. From there, he
opened his first eponymous restaurant in Philadelphia
in 2001. Next was the debut of Wasabi by Morimo-

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18 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

POT STICKERS Chinese pork dumplings (more commonly
called “potstickers”) are easy to make at
home—and so much yummy-fun to make!

ASIAN SHOP & MAKE HOMEMADE

Dim sum is a style of Chinese cuisine. It is
prepared as small, savory bite-sized por-
tions of Asian dishes served in small steam-
er baskets or in a small china bowls and/or plates.
Dim sum dishes are usually served with hot tea and
together form a Full Tea Dim Sum Brunch. Due to
the Cantonese tradition of enjoying tea with this cui-
sine, yum cha, which means “drink tea” in Canton-
ese, is also synonymous with dim sum—traditional-
ly served as fully cooked, ready-to-serve dishes.
In some Cantonese teahouses, multi-tiered carts
with dim sum are served around the restaurant. Pa-
trons simply point to the various small dishes they
desire, and the server places the dim sum dishes in
front of the customer.

pork to: 3 large Napa cabbage leaves, minced, 4
stalks scallions, minced, 5 shitake mushrooms,
minced, 1/4 cup bok choy, finely minced, 1/4 cup
bamboo shoots, finely minced, 2 garlic cloves,
minced, 3 Tb fresh ginger, minced, 2 Tb soy sauce,
1 tsp fish sauce, 2 Tb corn starch to bind the mix,
and 1 Tb sesame oil. You can add minced shrimp.
Next, add one rounded scoop of the pork filling
mixture to the center of each single round won-
ton wrapper, and fold them in half—and pinch
the edges together. If you do not possess Chinese
dumpling folding skills, you can buy a cheap
wonton plastic press. At Taste of Schectady®
and Beyond, we use both round wonton wrap-
pers and square wonton wrappers—just fold the
square wrappers into a triangle and then fold in
the edges to make little purses.

You do not need to speak a foreign language to dine at 19
a Dim Sum restaurant. Simply ask the host the pre-fixe
price, and if you’re willing to pay on average $20 for
All-U-Can-Eat, then sit down and enjoy brunch.
On the other hand, you can make your own dim sum at
home. The most common type of dim sum recognized
here in the West are dumplings served with or without
dipping sauce. To use round wonton wrappers, you first
make the pork filling by using 1 pound of lean, ground

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

On July 18, 2019, I dined at Texas de Brazil in the
Crossgates Mall...Churrasco is Spanish and Por-
tuguese for beef or grilled meat more generally. It
is a prominent feature in the cuisine of Uruguay,
Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Guatemala, Colombia,
Nicaragua, Peru, Chile and other Latin American
countries. The related term churrascaria is mostly
understood to be a steakhouse. Portugal colonized
Brazil, where local cowboys called gauchos, pre-
pare legendary feasts in a tradition known as chur-
rasco. Slow-roast meats over open flames, present
an impressive culinary display—served with fresh
seafood, vegetable dishes and regional delicacies.
The succulent meats are carved tableside.

DINNER $44.99 ($59 with Tip).
Salad Area Only $29.99.

WEEKEND LUNCH $34.99
Salad Area Only $24.99

Prices do not include alcohol, featured items, desserts, bever-
ages, tax or gratuity. When purchased with a full-price meal
children 2 years and under are complimentary, 3-5 years are

$5.00 and 6-12 years are half price.

Texas de Brazil

E-111 Crossgates Mall
Albany, NY

20 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

Comparing Churrascarias

By Food and Travel Editor David Long

Also in July, I dined at Brazilian Brazilian Steakhouse offers a se- potato casseroles, rice dishes,
Steakhouse, on Central Avenue, lection of beef, pork, poultry black and pinto beans, polen-
in Colonie. The new Brazilian and sausages instead from its ta, and stewed chicken and a
restsurant opened to family, priced-per-pound buffet line beef casserole. On the other
friends and patrons. and carving board. The salad hand, the flavor of the flank
This fast-food churrascaria has bar features none of the tradi- steak, skewered sausages and
a different concept than other tional marinated fish and sea- chicken wings (carved at the
Brazilian-style restaurants that food salads served at many Bra- end of the buffet line to your
I have enjoyed in the past. The zilian churrascaria restaurants. requested number—priced per
carvers do not come to your However on both the cold and pound) were delicious.
table with skewers of char- hot bar you will find pasta and All-in-All for $14.13+Tip at Bra-
broiled meats to slice tableside. zilian Steakhouse in Colonie, NY
Nevertheless, the quick-serve (which included my selection
price to taste churrasca along of a bottled water), it’s a fair
with cold and hot sides cost me price to sample the foods of this
approximately forty-five dollars churrascaria. The beef is the
($45) less to dine at Brazilian best choice of what’s for dinner.
Steakhouse than Texas de Brazil in Give this place a try... Brazilian
the Crossgates Mall. Steakhouse, 1647 Central Ave
Albany, New York.

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 21

FIGHT/FRIENDS How an honest mistake and family fight
led to us becoming friends with one of the
Capital region’s largest Asian markets.

ASIAN MARKET SHOPPING GUIDE

BY FOOD EDITOR DAVID LONG, JR. Pan-Asian Cuisine vs Asian-Fusion?

THEY WERE THINKING KILOGRAM— Pan-Asian Fusion cuisine combines dishes from across Asia that
THE SIGN FOR HEAD-ON SHRIMP not only compliment each other but may also fuse perfectly with
READ $6.99 PER POUND cultural recipes from entirely different continents — such as a
traditional Chinese dish married to the exotic and rich tones of
Ilove shopping at Asian markets for the selection of exotic rustic Brazilian cuisine — like Churrasca (see page 20).
foods. Recently, we went to our local Asian market to purchase Asian-Fusion recipes generally blends two or more Asian cul-
head-on shrimp, conch meat and squid to make a Mixed Grill. tures into one dish. Asian-Fusion is a marriage of the best of
The owners were arguing over the price of the head-on shrimp. two, or more cultural worlds — and always expands the dish’s
So, I asked them to Google how shrimp is priced and market- flavor profile to a whole new stratosphere. For example, at Taste
ed in the United States—they were thinking Kilogram—the of Schenectady® and Beyond magazine, we sometimes make
sign for head-on shrimp read $6.99/lb. Now, we are all besta traditional Korean Seaweed Salad using seaweed stem with an
buddies, and when I shop there, we talk together and laugh! additional kick of South Indian accents, ingredients, and flavors.

Asian cuisine can include a wide range of flavor profiles and cook-
ing styles from the entire continent — from Chinese, Bangladeshi,
Korean, Nepali, South Indian, Vietnamese, Mongolian, and Japa-
nese specialty dishes, among others. Asian markets allow adven-
turous shoppers to try new ingredients, and prepare and eat
Asian cuisine — sans the overseas travel expenses.

What Is Pan-Asian Cuisine?

Pan-Asian cuisine encompasses specialty dishes from vari-
ous nations and cultures throughout the entire continent of
Asia. Pan-Asian cooked meals can include everything from a
spicy curry dish found in Southern India, to pork, rice, and
vegetable dishes from Vietnam, and/or a traditional Chinese
rice noodle & dried shrimp breakfast (see my package here).

22 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

THE HEALTH Seaweed Stem must be soaked in water and
BENEFITS OF rinsed of all salt before cooked for salad
SALTED SEA-
WEED STEM a little fish sauce and Tamari and Korea was characterized
AND DRIED (gluten free soy sauce) sparing- by cultural exchanges, eco-
WAKAME ly for salt and umami flavor, nomic trade, political contact
USED TO Hoison sauce for sweetness, and military confrontations,
MAKE SALAD and Komezu for acidity, Srira- all of which underlie their re-
cha, and vegetable garnishes. lations even today... Since 1945,
There are thousands of differ- Komezu is an unseasoned relations involve three states:
ent seaweed, and many are ed- rice vinegar and is listed ev- North Korea, South Korea and
ible — avoid toxic seaweed by erywhere in Japanese recipes Japan. In Asia, there are end-
purchasing edible seaweed at – marinades, pickles, stews, less versions of Congee (por-
Asian supermarkets. etc. For those not familiar with ridge) made with all sorts of
Japanese cooking, Awasezu grains, proteins, and vegeta-
Studies that were conduct- is Japanese rice vinegar that is bles (Congee photo top of page).
ed at Hokkaido University seasoned and has a mix of in- Miso Soup & Seaweed Salad are
(a Japanese national univer- gredients, which is popular for almost always served with
sity in Sapporo, Hokkaido, using in sushi rice — it is used sashimi and sushi dish-
Japan), found a compound in in sushi rice to give the rice its es as a first course. Here at
Wakame (fucoxanthin) that distinct Japanese flavor. the Taste of Schenectady®
helps burn fatty tissue, and For over 15 centuries, the re- and Beyond Food Lab, we use
also stimulates intestinal lationship between Japan Dashi (stock of Bonito flakes),
strength and reproduction. Low Sodium Organic Miso
Paste , tofu and Wakame sea-
Two tablespoons of WAKAME weed to make Miso Soup.
SEAWEED SALAD = 5 cal & 1
gram of Carbohydrates, plus

vitamins A, C, E & K — as
well as iron, copper, magne-
sium, folate and phosphorus.

We found both wakame and
Salted Seaweed Stem (wet)
used to make KOREAN-STYLE
(sautéd) SEAWEED SALAD by
shopping at Kim’s Asian Mkt, in
Colonie, for the first time recently.

WAKAME SALAD is easy to
make. Use 2-4 Cups Wakame
(dried seaweed & woods ear
mushrooms (soaked in cold
water, drained and squeezed
to remove all water); toasted
sesame seeds, sliced scallions
on-the-bias, thin-sliced gin-
ger, sliced garlic, sesame oil,

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 23

24 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

The Greek Influence on the Near East and Asia—How to Make Your Own Lahndi & Ne- Slicing: I use a sashi-
pal-style Sukuti... BTW: Greece was and still is technically part of the Middle East despite mi knife to trim off
the fat before slicing
being part of Europe for the past 20 years. Arabs & Greeks influenced Hellenism. the lamb very thin.

Afghan-style Curing: Asafetida
adds the exquisite
Lahndi spiced meat taste to Lahndi
and works as the
The Greco-Turkish War (1919–22), re- As of 1997, the Food and Agriculture Drying: Spiced lamb preserver. The dish
sulted in the Lausanne Convention— Organization (FAO) of the United Na- will dry in the refriger- has nutritional values
population transfers involved approx- tions (UN) defined the region similarly, ator within 2-3 days. and keeps the body
imately two million people, around 1.5 but also included Afghanistan. Afghans dry the meat warm. This recipe is
million Anatolian Greeks from Turkey, Afghan Lahndi is dried meat, hung on 15 days in the sun like making jerky but
and 500,000 Muslims from Greece. ropes during the colder months. It is and soak the meat in less dried and hard.
The last part of the name, -stān is a San- made of beef, lamb or sheep meat. Pre- water to use it.
skrit suffix for “place”. In the early 19th paring Lahndi requires using your cre-
century, Afghan politicians adopted the ativity to make the meat versatile to all
name Afghanistan for the entire Durrani types of recipes—the spices should be
Empire after its English translation had extraordinary. Pashtuns first separate
already appeared in various treaties with the wool from the meat and burn the
Qajarid Persia and British India. The hairs on its skin. They cut the meat in
terms Near East and Middle East de- pieces and rub it with pungent-smell-
note the same territories—the Arabian ing Asafetida and other spices. Here
Peninsula, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Iraq, in the USA, buy boneless lamb from a
Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestin- Halal butcher and make a spice blend
ian territories, Syria, and Turkey. to dry on a rack less than jerky texture.

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 25

Greek-Pakistani-Indian Subcontinent

Seekh Lamb Kebabs

26 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

HOME & CULTURAL COOKING

01 04 07

02 05 08

03 06 09

01 Toasted coriander & cumin seeds, 04 The disher/scoop allows you to 07 Quinoa is a gluten free grain that

cloves, bay leaves, allspice, cinnamon, portion the seekh lamb kebab meat. pairs well with cooked lamb. Diced
pepper, mango powder, onion, salt, and And, you can cover and refrigerate any tomatoes, red onion, fresh mint, parsley,
chili powder makes for an authetic taste. portions that you are not ready to cook. garlic, and Greek extra-virgin olive oil,
salt, pepper, and lemon are essential.
02 A pestle and mortar is perfect 05 Using your hands shape the meat
08 What’s good Greek and Punjabi
for grinding the toasted spices, before mixture into hotdog shapes, and thread
adding them to the raw lamb meat. Do onto the metal skewers. Make sure to food without a flatbread (grilled naan or
not over mix the meat and spices. press the ends of each side of kebab. pita), Indian farmer’s or feta, fresh spin-
ach, tomato, onion, olives & lemon?

03 Make sure to gather your skewers, 06 Try our recipe for Spicy Asian- 09 The seekh lamb kebabs with all the

sanitary gloves, and a portioning scoop Greek and Punjabi Tzatziki Sauce made fixings are eye appealing and yummy.
to evenly divide the lamb kebab meat. with thai chili peppers, cilantro, cucum- Make sure to allow guests to serve their
Test the flavor by cooking some mix. ber, garlic, mint, salt, and hung yogurt. own plate with plenty of garnishes.

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 27

GIFTS/SHOPS Bardwell and local owners have done the
legwork to bring all of these products under
one roof so that local is truly local!

LOCAL ARTISANS/CRAFTS/MAKERS

HOLIDAY GIFT SHOPPING IN
DOWNTOWN SCHENECTADY

It’s that time of year to think about Hand-crafted “Schenectady” mugs sold at
the special people in your life—and The Schenectady Trading Company.
that means gift shopping. Yes, sure,
you could decide to shop at the “big The Merc is a shared retail space for
box” chain stores and/or malls. But makers to sell their goods and talents
Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond in a diverse, creative atmosphere. The
magazine believes in supporting local artisan makers rent space on a month-
artisans, local businesses, local food ly basis to build their brand and real-
manufacturers, and local makers of ize their dreams of owning their own
hand-crafted gifts! business… Recently, one business-
woman, Caroline Bardwell, opened
The best independently-owned gift is a section of heirloom, second-hand The Schenectady Trading Company
shops in the Electric City give you china and house wares. Some items on lower Union Street, after selling
plenty of options for anniversaries, are cool, some are traditional, but all her goods at The Merc. Bardwell’s busi-
weddings, birthdays, the holidays or are sure to put a smile on your face. ness grew to incorporate artisan foods and
“just because” you’re thinking of that Maybe you want to give the one you love products from local farmers, other makers
special someone. To take the stress a night out at one of the Daily Gazette or and manufacturers living in and around
out of browsing some of the city’s our Taste of Schenectady® choice fine Schenectady County and the Capital re-
best and newest stores, we compiled dining restaurants or tickets to Proctors. gion. She commissioned handthrown
our favorite go-to gift shops: Garofa- But honestly, there’s no better feeling pottery “Schenectady” mugs, made by
lo’s Online, Lennon’s Irish Shop, The than watching a friend or loved one Guilderland-based Potter Barb Mitchell.
Katbird Shop, and The Open Door unwrap that perfect hand-crafted Taste of Schenectady® just had to pur-
Bookstore on Jay Street, are four of gift. With this desire in mind, Clinton chase some. Each mug is unique and hold
Schenectady’s oldest gift shops. The Street Mercantile is one of the hottest 10 ounces of coffee with room for cream.
Open Door Bookstore carries what we new artisan craft and gift shops in the Make sure to eat local, and shop local!
like to call hand-crafted books writ- area… The Merc celebrates our local
ten by local authors. The Katbird Shop, makers and offers one of kind prod-
located nearby at 425 Liberty Street, is ucts and goods to the community.
an ultra-charming shop that stocks an
eclectic collection of art, antiques and
gifts you’d rather keep than give away.
You’ll find unique hand-blown glass-
ware, and potter made vases—and
downstairs at The Katbird Shop there

28 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

Gourmet cheese, etc. Imported Italian foods gourmet pickled foods

We like Cappiello’s for their hard to Capri Italian Imports & Deli is are first The Dilly Bean is Downtown Schenec-
find gourmet Italian cheeses, olives, choice for cold cuts, deli hot foods, tady’s place for artisan pickled food
dried pasta, cold pizza ready-to-eat, antipasti salads, and excellent selec- items and fermented beverages. The
selection of groceries and sauces. tion of EVOO and Italian imports. store also carries packaged foods.

510 Broadway • Sch’dy 2617 Broadway • Sch’dy 133 Jay Street • Sch’dy

butcher & groceries fresh made pasta bakery & gourmet foods

Whether you shop at their location Pede Bros., Inc. manufactures pasta Perreca’s Bakery is Schenectady’s
at 255 Mohawk Avenue in Scotia, or sold fresh and frozen. You will also favorite spot for fresh baked breads.
their Rotterdam location, Gabriel’s find Italian specialty foods at their You will find a wide selection of
Supermarkets offer quality foods. cash & carry store in Rotterdam. cheeses and Italian foods to gift.

1924 Curry Rd • Sch’dy 582 Duanesburg Road 33 N. Jay St • Sch’dy

West Indian groceries gourmet pasta & sauces buthcer & quality meats

Ramesh Grocery located at 822 Crane Casa Visco is a small batch manufac- Sal’s Quality Market is a locally owned
Street and Timothy’s World West turer of premium pasta, tomato and and operated shop with a large selec-
Indian Grocery Market is the place to pizza sauces. You will find Casa Visco tion of fresh meats, deli, and home
shop for Caribbean groceries, etc. products at many markets, or go to: made Italian sausage. Visit the store:

1028 State St • Sch’dy 819 Kings Highway 2713 Guilderland Ave

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 29

COOK, PLACE & EAT
By David Long, Jr.

Chicharrón

Everything Special

Luscious fried pork belly, and inviting and warm
Spanish food is always ready to serve at Albany
Street’s San Francisco Restaurant

Imagine my
delight, when
I returned to
Schenectady
after 28 years,
and a guy, Andy,
in the Stockade,
told me about
San Francisco.”

I have my little haunts, where I go I always order Chicharrón at San Passaic to Paterson, and down to
for succulent and tasty Caribbean Franciso Restaurant, and look for- Kerney, New Jersey, you will find
and Spanish foods. I especially ward to seeing the owner, Jose. Chicharrón on the menu of most
like restaurants where you can get Latin-American restaurants.
a platter with entrée and sides for Chicharrón, plural chicharrones,
under $10 per person + TIP. is a dish generally consisting of Imagine my delight when I re-
fried pork belly or fried pork rinds. turned to Schenectady after 28
One place that I eat is located on Chicharrón may also be made from years, and a neighbor told me
Albany Street, in Schenectady, San chicken, mutton or beef...I fell in about San Francisco Restaurant...
Francisco Restaurant...The food is love with Chicharrón while work-
cooked with love and passion. ing as a chef in North Jersey. From 672 Albany Street, Schenectady.

30 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 31

Best local ETHNIC BITES

Authentic Mexican Oxtails, Curry Goat, Jerk, Stew Really Good Spanish food

The best Mexican food in Schenectady. Trinidadian Doubles to die for! Late Night Full If you want to experience Puerto Rican
Enchilladas, fajitas, traditional and creative Bar. Curry Goat, Curry/Jerk/Stew Chicken, and Domincan food at its best, you’ve got
Central American cuisine. Full bar and Oxtails, Escovitche, Beef Patties & More to go to this place before 1pm most days.
spacious dining room. Really cheap eats!
Executive Lounge • 108 Jay St.
Casa Real • 1400 Altamont Ave • Sch’dy, NY (518) 280-5415 San Francisco • 872 Albany St
Sch’dy NY (518) 356-0060 • Sch’dy NY (518) 382-5962

Best Bbq and Smoked Ribs Best Italian Family-style Best Afghan, Indian, Nepal

The best BBQ and smoked meats in the For appetizers, banquets, catering, lunch Halal Buffet 7 days a week 11am-2:30pm.
Capital District! The ribs, pulled pork & and/or dinner, desserts, Ferrari’s Ristorante Tender goat, beef, tandoori, tikka, vegi
chicken are luscious and sure to please! provides authentic Italian food with a pas- dishes—served with naan & salad bar.
sion for high quality authentic cuisine.
Memphis King • 1902 Van Madina Sweets & Restaurant
Vranken Ave (518) 372-5464 Ferrari’s • 1245 Congress St • Albany, NY (518) 449-9000
Sch’dy, NY (518) 382-8865

Best Italian Deli & Imports Best Chinese & Fun Chow Puerto Rican & Dominican

This caterer and deli is known for its China is a country with diverse cuisine. So Enjoy a taste of authentic Puerto Rican and
braggadocio Italian hoagies and lus- if you want to satisfy your cravings for a Dominican food from Mami’s hot food
cious Italian to-go entrées. The menu variety of foods, Ming’s Flavor is the way steam table—it’s not a buffet—it’s yummy
and Bindi desserts will happily fill you! to go! Bring the kids, and/or a friend! entrées served a la carte with sides!

Capri Imports • 2617 Broadway Ming’s Flavor • 9 Mohawk Ave Mami’s Restaurant • 911 Crane
Sch’dy • NY (518) 346-6511 • Scotia (518) 347-1288 St. • Sch’dy NY (518) 377-8700

32 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

1 IN 3 ADULTS
HAS PREDIABETES.
COULD BE YOU,
YOUR BARBER,
YOUR BARBER’S
BARBER.

WITH EARLY DIAGNOSIS,
PREDIABETES CAN BE REVERSED.
TAKE THE RISK TEST.

DoIHavePrediabetes.org

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 33

Farm-to-Table Turkish Eggplant

Turkish eggplant is distinguished by its petite size, globular shape and linear
variegations in its skin. When young the fruit will be green, if left on the vine
to mature it will turn an orange hue with red striations.

By Chef Dennis Stuffed Turkish the raisins, pistachio’s, salt, dukka
Orange Eggplant and cilantro. Let this mixture cook
Turkish eggplant, for 2-3 minutes then add your
aka Scarlet egg- cooked farro to your mixture and
plant, Ethiopian 2 cups cooked farro blend it all together.
eggplant, Gilo, 1 cup chopped Turkish eggplant
Garden Eggs and (seedless inside parts of the egg- Remove form heat add in your Greek
Mock tomato. Cook plant you’re stuffing) yogurt and feta and set aside to cool.
the orange-red, When your mixture has cooled stuff
bitter eggplant 1/2 cup chopped onion your eggplants with it and make a
with other foods. 1 clove garlic chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins nice mound on top.

1/2 cup chopped pistachio’s Find a baking dish that will hold
1 Tb finely chopped Cilantro everything upright and not allow
1/2 tsp Sea Salt them to fall over. Cover with foil and
* 3 Tb Dukka (To make, combine 1 Tb bake for about 30 minutes, uncover
chestnuts, 1 tsp coriander seed; 1 tsp and bake an additional 10 minutes.
cumin seeds; pinch kosher salt; 1 tsp
sumac; 1 Tb toasted sesame seeds, This Turkish Stuffed Orange Eggplant
and ground it all in a spice grinder) were certainly a hit with my wife’s
1/4 cup aged feta cheese family, they looked great, no one had
1/2 cup Greek yogurt, and EVOO) ever seen one before, and the spices
blended perfectly. For more great reci-
In a sauté pan, add some olive oil pes, go to: askchefdennis.com
and sauté your onion, eggplant and
garlic for a few minutes, then add

34 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 35

KITCHEN ENCOUNTERS

HOME DESIGN

Habitat for Humanity Improved our Kitchen

By Karen Virginia Long

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond cabinet base for our BakeLabStation was purchased at #SchdyRestore
Habitat for Humanity International
(HFHI), generally referred to as Habitat ed States, Habitat operations are managed by
for Humanity or simply Habitat, is an national offices. Each affiliate and national office
international, non-governmental, and is an independently run, nonprofit organization.
Affiliates offices coordinate all aspects of Habi-

nonprofit organization, which was founded in 1976 tat home building, and home improvement retail

by Linda and Millard Fuller. Habitat for Humanity stores in their local area, including fundraising,

is a Christian organization. The international oper- building site selection, partner family selection

ational headquarters are located in Americus, GA, and support, house construction, and mortgage

with the administrative headquarters located in servicing. The mission statement of Habitat for

Atlanta. We redesigned our Food Lab with Habitat. Humanity is “Seeking to put God’s love into action,

Community-level Habitat offices act in partner- Habitat for Humanity brings people together to
ship with and on behalf of Habitat for Humanity build homes, communities and hope”. Homes are
International. In the United States, these local of- built using volunteer labor and Habitat makes no
fices are called Habitat affiliates; outside the Unit-
profit on the sales. #SCHDYRESTORE

36 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 37

D OW N T OW N

CITY SHOPPING

A Wide Selection of New and Used at DEALZ

By Editor-in Chief David Long

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond brand new KitchenAid® Mixer was purchased at DEALZ

DEALZ in Downtown Schenectady has been in op- to answer your question, let’s look at the history of
eration for over six (6) years—specializing in buying Pawn Shops. Dating back to ancient times, pawn
and selling of all new and used electronics, jewelry, shops were one of the earliest recorded lending in-
collectibles, sporting goods, etc. DEALZ is a licensed stitutions. During the late middle ages the House of
dealer of gold, silver and diamonds. Lombard in Europe had many pawn shops. The sign
At DEALZ, you can find unbelievable household of the House of Lombard was three golden balls and
items of good quality and at amazing prices! DEALZ was associated for years with the pawn industry.
sells many new items still in the box, such as the The pawn industry came to America with the first
KitchenAid® Mixer with rotating head, mixing Dutch settlers, and in the early part of this century
bowl and attachments that I recently purchased. pawn brokering was regarded as the main source of
consumer credit. With the rise of large consumer in-
BUY • PAWN • SELL & TRADE stitutions, such as finance corporations, savings and
DEALZ is the area’s most patronized pawn, buy, sell loan associations, and credit unions, the pawn shop
and trade shop. Have you been wondering just ex- was no longer the major source of consumer credit.
actly what is a Pawn Shop or how do they work, and However, the pawn shop still plays a vital role in the
why are they becoming more commonplace? Well

38 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

area of providing consumer credit. The general public
needs to borrow small sums of money that other loan
sources are not willing to provide to ordinary citizens,
and this resulted in the rise of popularity of pawn shops.
What chance do you think you would have in securing a
$300.00 or smaller loan from a financial institution for a
(ten) 10-day period? The cost of the paper work alone pro-
hibits banks from making such loans on a regular basis.
The benefit is that, if you can’t repay your pawned item,
you won’t receive a black mark on your credit report.
DEALZ owner, Aniel McGough, worked in finance for
eleven (11) years. McGough came in contact with many
Americans that could not attain small loans due to their
low credit score/income. With a passion for helping fam-
ilies and individuals, Aniel McGough opened DEALZ.

MORE THAN A TRADITIONAL PAWN SHOP
Previously owned merchandise of excellent quality can
be found on the shelves at DEALZ. Every time McGough
loans on an item, he knows that someday it could be on
his shelf for sale. Therefore, he only deals in good quali-
ty merchandise. Moreover, DEALZ is a well-established
business with an excellent reputation. DEALZ is not here
today and gone tomorrow like the flea market, auction
sale, garage sale, or the guy selling out of his van on the
side of the road. DEALZ staff are excellent appraisers,
and have the tools necessary to check the quality of gold
and silver—and check the resale value of all items.
Variety makes visiting DEALZ an exciting and shopping
experience! You would have to visit a dozen of different
retail stores to find all the various types of merchandise
found at DEALZ in Downtown Schenectady.

OLD MOVIES & POP CULTURE MOVIES
DEALZ has one of the largest selections of used movies
for DVD and Blue-Ray players, and video console games.
You and your children will love the experience of buying
dozens of blockbuster and classic and movies—each for
fifty-cents (box sets and TV sitcom series are only $2.00).
COOKING • INSTRUMENTS • JEWELRY & MORE!
Located right behind KFC, at 102 Liberty Street and

South Church Street, you will find an assort-
ment of jewelry, silver, clocks, stereos, sporting
goods, cameras, indoor countertop and outdoor
cooking appliances, computer laptops, hunting
equipment, musical instruments (ie: acoustic and
electric guitars), Smart TVs, DVD movies, power
tools, and coins, just to name a few!

DEALZ • BUY • SELL • TRADE

102 Liberty Street • Schenectady, NY
Mon-Friday 11-8pm • Sat. Noon - 5pm

(518) 795-4824

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 39

Sofia of Margate & Jersey Shore

On a Porsche Cars North American (PCNA) assignment, we took off for the
Jersey Shore and stopped at Sofia Restaurant of Margate before Atlantic City

Before going to Atlantic able to their dining preferences Mediterranean culture. Although
City for a “Girl’s Night to eat Mediterranean-style “small the word appetizer is the most
Out,” models Whitney plates,” known as Mezze... simplistic way to describe the
and Christina wanted to array of spicy or savory dishes
go shopping at Jules of Margate Meze or mezze is a selection of served hot or cold, it is an entirely
Designer Fashions for Women. The small dishes served as appetiz- separate feasting experience. The
ladies were hungry and ready for ers in parts of the Middle East, main purpose of mezethes is to
a glass of wine after shopping. I the Balkans, Greece, and North allow guests to gather socially and
do not drink alcohol, but my pho- Africa. In the Muslim regions enjoy foods that complement and
tographer and I have been to Sofia where it is present, meze is often enhance wine and spirits. Differ-
restaurant in Margate, New Jersey, served as a part of multi-course ent from the typical appetizer
on numerous occasions. The wom- meals. The Greek word mezethes course, which is an introduction
en found Sofia restaurant to be (pronounced meh-ZEH-thes) is to the meal to come, it is very
more health conscious and accept- deep rooted in the antiquity of all common for groups of family and

40 Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5

GRECO-MEDITERRANEAN friends to gather at restaurants on the Scallops Sofia consisting of Kataifi-wrapped
the Jersey Shore, such as at Sofia, sea scallops in a cognac reduction sauce, served
Sofia captures the essence of the and share several intricate dishes with asparagus tips, roasted red sweet beel
most amazing places on earth as they engage in great conversa- peppers coulis and aioli.
and incorporates them into your tion, laughter and drinks.
dining experience., When you dine at Sofia, take your palate on a
Mezethes are an integral part of culinary journey and order the Flights of the
DRIVING TO DINE Greek social life, as well as up- Mediterranean: Brizolla Christine (flat iron steak
lifting musical entertainment stuffed with smoked mozzarella and pancet-
As you step through the and good companionship. There ta), and shrimp wrapped with shredded phyllo
elaborately carved front is no better companionship than in a cognac demi glace. Another choice is the
doors, you feel as if you have family, so when siblings Ange- Souvlaki mezethes, which combines marinated
entered a seaside Greek villa. la, Tom and Sofia Papastamelos grilled tender chicken, presented on “horta” (a
decided to open a fine dining heaping portion of soft greens) with a balsamic
Meze or mezze restaurant in Margate, NJ, the mint honey puree.
is a selection concept was propagated by their
of small dish- Grecian heritage and passion for I have been told that the Spanakopita recipe
es served as all things Mediterranean. has been passed down through the three own-
appetizers in ers’ family for generations. The flaky and savory
parts of the At Sofia, the models started with spinach, leek and feta pie is baked in phyllo,
Middle East, wine and pita bread served with and is flavored with a hint of fresh dill.
the Balkans, Mediterranean dips of; Revithosalata
Greece, and (chickpea hummus), Taramosalata Feel like an entrée? Choose from; poultry, lamb,
North Africa.” (Greek caviar mouse with red on- beef, veal, fish and/or seafood.
ions and capers), Tzatziki (yogurt
and cucumbers pureed and light- Sofia of Margate
ly seasoned with garlic and mint),
and Melitzanosalata (roasted egg- 9314 Amherst Ave
plant flavored with onion, roasted Margate City, NJ 08402
garlic, parsley and feta cheese).
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I added on the Grilled Octopus—
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tled on fresh spinach, tossed with
olive oil, lemon mixed peppers Discover more about the history,
and grilled cherry tomatoes. One products and values of Porsche in
of my other favorite mezethes is North America at Porsche.com

Taste of Schenectady® and Beyond • www.tasteofschenectady.com • Vol. 4 • No. 5 41