Delectable holiday treats and where to buy them in NoVA
Sugar cookies dusted with red and green sprinkles and gingerbread men dot the holiday party scene this time of year, but you can bring more to the table with treats from Northern Virginia’s ethnic markets. From pillowy chocolate-coated marshmallows lined with fluffy, rum-soaked cake—a Russian treat—to gigantic, seashell-shaped pastries from Mexico, below is a sampling of the best international delights that will bring exotic flair to any festive gathering.
Mexico
Jarochita #2 and Plaza Market
Lighted bakery cases displaying a vast selection of pastries, cookies and other baked goods line an entire wall of this Mexican market. The vast selection is overwhelming at first, but the friendly staff is very helpful in recommending treats for any occasion. Their most popular sellers are the conchas (seashells), a yeasty Mexican sweet bread dusted in cinnamon and sugar, and the moños (bowties), a twisted, slightly crispy puff pastry baked treat topped with sugar. Moños are eaten during the Day of the Holy Kings, a Mexican holiday in January during which children receive gifts and treats from the three wise kings. Each hefty pastry is $1.29 each; just a few, when sliced into slivers, could feed a peckish crowd. / Plaza Market (next to Jarochita #2), 85 N. Glebe Road, Arlington
Lebanon
Lebanese Butcher
& Market
Even though meat seems to be the focus of this no-frills halal meat market and carryout restaurant, there’s a small stand near the cash register with a selection of ma’amoul, shortbread cookies filled with pistachios, walnuts or dates. These unassuming concoctions are hard to tell apart, since they come in unlabeled boxes of eight for $5.99. The staff on duty can decipher what types of fillings are inside, so be sure to ask for recommendations. The clear standout was the pistachio ma’amoul, which was crumbly with a sweet middle layer of nutty filling. / 2922 Annandale Road, Falls Church
Russia
Rus-Uz Market
There’s no shortage of packaged sweets at Rus-Uz Market in Ballston, the small market adjoining the Russian-Uzbek cafe next door. The problem lies in deciphering what’s inside—nearly all of the packages are devoid of English. However, graphical illustrations led me to a glorious display of what appeared to be glimmering packages of gigantic marshmallows coated in chocolate. Indeed, the package I stumbled upon (labeled Heba and priced at an affordable $2.99 per box) is Russia’s answer to the classic Mallomar combination of marshmallow, cake and chocolate. The major difference is that the cake inside is soaked in rum. Of course it is. For a booze-free version, try the Creamy Cones, festive pine cones made of vanilla cake and filled with a smooth chocolate filling similar to Nutella ($5.99 per box). / 1000 N. Randolph St., Arlington
India A-1 Grocery
As is the case with many international groceries in the area, India A-1 Grocery ends where an Indian carryout counter begins, perhaps based on the theory that those who can’t cook, eat (and vice versa). The must-have sweet is the motichoor ladoo, a fried chickpea flour ball about the size of a golf ball and flavored with pistachios, saffron, sugar syrup and cardamom (a box of approximately a dozen costs $3.99). The motichoor ladoo are refrigerated at the store but are best if brought to room temperature, which allows the ghee (clarified butter) contained inside to soften. The result is a beautifully fragrant, chewy treat with a delicate, nutty crunch. For an even richer sweet, try the housemade gulab jamun ($5.99), a rolled sweet ball consisting of milk solids and soaked in rosewater simple syrup. It’s an intensely sweet, floral bite—more than one may leave you in a sugar coma for the rest of the day. / 4815 Lee Highway, Arlington
Germany
Heidelberg Pastry
Shoppe
Stopping at this family-owned German bakery might seem like an obvious choice for holiday season. The shop is a smorgasbord for sugar lovers, but don’t make an automatic beeline for conventional Christmas fruitcake. Instead, try the spitzkuchen ($6.95 per bag), or dark chocolate-coated gingerbread filled with nuts and raisins. These triangular bites pack a hearty crunch balanced with gooey raisins and can be a delight for little ones, who will enjoy the multicolored sprinkles dotting the surface of each one. / 2150 N. Culpeper St., Arlington
Vietnam
Good Fortune Supermarket
This clean, quiet supermarket offers a refreshing, if overwhelming, view of the expansive ingredients that compose Vietnamese (and many other types of Asian) cuisine. A bakery churning out varieties of sweet and savory breads ($1.29 each) ranging from salty-sweet barbecued pork to vanilla cream custard provides lots of solid options for mixing up a holiday dessert buffet. The coconut tarts are especially worthy of holiday lust; these 4-inch tarts lined with flaky pastry and filled with wobbly, sweet coconut custard are, simply put, heavenly. / 6751 Wilson Blvd., Seven Corners
Italy
The Italian Store
This popular Italian market makes mini cannoli ($2.49 each), and at 3 inches in size, they are great for holiday cookie swaps. The crunchy fried chocolate-and-pastry exterior is a solid contrast to the creamy ricotta filling. Alternatively, choose from a selection of Little Pepi’s Pizzelles ($5.99/box), delicate waffle cookies in flavors like anise, lemon and chocolate. Made just down the road in Norristown, Pennsylvania, pizzelles should be a pantry staple during the holidays; they’re the perfect companion cookie for a steaming cup of hot chocolate or apple cider. / 3123 Lee Highway, Arlington
( December 2015 )