Authentic Mediterranean favorites are plentiful at these specialty stores around Boston
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EVEN IF HOME IS ON ANOTHER CONTINENT, THERE’S SOMETHING COMFORTING ABOUT FOOD THAT’S REMINISCENT OF HOME. NEW ENGLANDERS ARE FAMOUSLY PROUD OF THEIR HERITAGE AND OFTEN PAY HOMAGE BY WAY OF FOOD. THE KETTLE WAS PUT ON AND THE SCONES AND THE BROWN BREAD WERE THROWN ON THE TABLE, AND YOU CHATTED ABOUT YOUR DAY.
JUST HOMEMADE. GOOD FOOD. THESE ARE VERY OLD TRADITIONS ANGEL RECIPES. IT’S ONLY NATURAL FOR US TO CONTINUE OUR FAMILY’S TRADITIONS AND OUR FAMILY’S RECIPES. RECIPES PASSED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. WHEN MY PARENTS CAME FROM GREECE TO THE UNITED STATES FOR A BETTER BEGINNING FOR THEIR FAMILY. MY FATHER IS THE HARDEST WORKING
MAN YOU’LL EVER MEET. AND SO HE DECIDED TO BRING THE GREEK CUISINE TO THE BOSTON AREA. CHRONICLE FIRST STUMBLED UPON THE ILIADIS FAMILY IN 2005 AT THEIR RESTAURANT FARM GRILL IN NEWTON. TODAY, SAM’S SON, ALEX ILIADIS, RUNS FARM GRILL AND HIS DAUGHTER, KATERINA ILIADIS, OWNS GREEK INTERNATIONAL MARKET IN WEST ROXBURY.
IT’S ONLY NATURAL THAT I WANTED TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR HERE, RIGHT? LIKE A FAMILY OF ENTREPRENEURS. MY WHOLE PREMISE IS, IS TO BRING GREECE TO BOSTON, AND WHEN YOU WALK IN HERE, YOU’RE NOT JUST MY CUSTOMER, YOU’RE PART OF MY FAMILY. YOU’RE WALKING INTO MY HOME. CUSTOMERS CAN BROWSE THE AISLES
OF GOODIES IMPORTED DIRECTLY FROM GREECE OR SHOP FRESHLY MADE PRODUCTS AT THE COUNTER. IT BEGAN WITH IMPORTING OUR OLIVE OIL, AND THEN WE HAVE HARD TO FIND ITEMS SUCH AS OREGANO ON THE STICK AND MOUNTAIN TEA, SPICES AND BEANS FROM GREECE, AND HONEY FROM SMALL FARMS. SO WE HAVE A VERY LARGE FREEZER
SECTION. IT’S ONE OF MY FAVORITES HERE AT THE MARKET WE IMPORT LOTS OF DIFFERENT BRANDS, BUT WE SEE AMY IS OUR TOP AND MY FAVORITE. THESE ARE PIES THAT ARE READY TO BAKE AND ENJOY WITH YOUR FAMILY. AND THEN THERE’S THE CHEESE. WE HAVE A VERY LARGE SELECTION
OF FETA CHEESE OVER TEN TYPES THAT YOU CAN TRY. AND WE’RE ALL ABOUT SAMPLING. SO THE BAGNI IS ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR CHEESES. IT’S SALTY BUT NOT TOO SALTY. IT’S IT’S MIDDLE OF THE WAY. IT’S VERY PREMIUM. I’M VERY WELL KNOWN LIKE MELT IN YOUR MOUTH. IT’S SO GOOD.
THIS IS AUTHENTIC FETA CHEESE. THE PROUD DAUGHTER OF GREEK IMMIGRANTS, ELIAS SAYS SHE LOVES TO SHARE HER CULTURE BEYOND THE GREEK AMERICAN COMMUNITY. HONESTLY, IT’S NOT JUST THE GREEKS THAT SUPPORT OUR BUSINESS, IT’S EVERYONE. IT’S ANYONE THAT HAS A SENSE OF CULTURE AND WANTS TO TRY SOMETHING NEW.
IT CAN BE FUN TO TRY NEW THINGS, BUT SOME NEW ENGLANDERS ARE FAMOUSLY SET IN THEIR WAYS. WE WANT IT THE SAME. THAT’S HOW WE REMEMBER IT. SO WE LOVE IT. WHY WOULD WE? WE WOULD NOT CHANGE IT. OLD SCHOOL ITALIAN IS THE NAME OF THE GAME AT THE CONVENIENTLY
NAMED ITALIAN KITCHEN OF BROCKTON. IT’S LIKE WALKING INTO YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE. IN 1975. YOU KNOW THAT OLD REFRIGERATOR IN THE KITCHEN THAT’S STILL RUNS? YOU KNOW, IT’S LIKE THAT. AND I THINK PEOPLE REMEMBER THAT, AND IT FEELS SIMILAR TO THEM WHEN THEY WALK IN. AND IT FEELS LIKE HOME.
FOUNDED BY THE TOSKAS FAMILY IN 1947, ITALIAN KITCHEN IS KNOWN FOR ITS MEATBALLS AND SAUCE SMALL BATCH MEATBALLS. WE FRY THEM BY HAND. THEY’RE ROASTED IN OUR HOMEMADE SAUCE EVERY DAY. CANNOLI. CANALETTO. RIGATONI. RICO. IN 2022, THE TOSKAS FAMILY SOLD THE BUSINESS TO THEIR NEIGHBORS AND OWNERS OF CAPE COD CAFE, THE
DEMOULAS FAMILY. WE’VE BEEN COMING HERE SINCE WE WERE KIDS. WE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A PERFECT FIT. ONE INSTITUTION AND ANOTHER INSTITUTION COMING TOGETHER JUST AS MUCH AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOVED IT FOR OUR OWN SELFISH REASONS, WE LOVED IT TOO. YOU KNOW WE LOVE THE RED SAUCE. WE LOVE THE MEATBALLS.
ITALIAN KITCHEN IS DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS A SPACE FOR SIT DOWN DINING AND ONE FOR GRAB AND GO. THE DEMOULAS BROTHERS SAY IT’S ABOUT CONVENIENCE. ALL OF THE HOUSE SPECIALTIES, INCLUDING SAUCE, MEATBALLS AND LASAGNA ARE AVAILABLE FROZEN. TAKE IT HOME. DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH IT. IT’S SO CONVENIENT, SO EASY.
THE DINING ROOM FILLS QUICKLY DURING LUNCH WITH LOCALS COMING IN FOR ITALIAN SUBS, ANTIPASTI, SALADS AND BRUSCHETTA. THE DEMOULAS BROTHERS HAVE THEIR FAVORITES AS WELL. SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS. I JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF IT. AND I EVEN THROW IN A SAUSAGE. WE HAVE HOMEMADE SAUSAGE, SPAGHETTI, MEATBALLS AND SAUSAGE.
MY LAST MEAL WOULD BE LINGUINE AND CLAMS, AND I WILL PUT OUR LINGUINE AND CLAMS UP AGAINST ANYBODY’S ANYWHERE. THE CLAMS. THEY WERE IN THE OCEAN YESTERDAY. TONS OF CLAMS ON THIS THING. THE GARLICKY, THE LINGUINE. IT’S JUST THE PERFECT DISH. AND I WILL EAT THAT EVERY DAY. IF I COULD.
WELL, THAT’S QUITE AN ENDORSEMENT. THERE. UM, AND BROCKTON’S DEMOGRAPHIC OBVIOUSLY HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS. BUT IN 1950, THE CITY’S POPULATION WAS ABOUT 25% ITALIAN. RIGHT? ABOUT THE MID TO LATE 1800S, ITALIAN IMMIGRANTS BECAME, UH, STARTED COMING TO BROCKTON. MANY OF THEM WERE SHOEMAKERS OR BECAME SHOEMAKERS WHEN THEY WERE THERE.
SO OF COURSE, BROCKTON WAS KNOWN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AS THE SHOE CITY, THE SHOE CAPITAL OF NEW