Please help me find salep.

[Chef Ladybug]

If you don't know what salep actually is, you can check it out at Wikipedia as I am not allowed to post links, yet. If you know where I can find salep between MA and NY, please let me know. I'd rather find salep in CT but if that can't be done I'll have to drive all the way to NY, where I'm positive salep resides ... I've yet to find out where, exactly.

Anyone?

Thank you,
Chef Ladybug.

[Mezzaluna]

ChefLadybug, I'm happy to post that link for you: Salep - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Good luck in your quest!

[Coregonus]

Chef L, you don't have to go anywhere

Turkish Corner Belly Dance Ethnic Store Coffee Tea Food Jewelry

Turkish Music, Turkish Food, Evil Eye Jewelry, Movies, Grocery Shopping & Books - Tulumba.com

[Chef Ladybug]

Oh, Mezzaluna. You're such a dear for volunteering to post the link for me. It's a cold, cold world out there.

Coregonus, God bless you for even knowing what salep is, but a sour past experience with internet shopping + credit card usage has marked me with ghastly consequences... one of which would be paralysis of both my hands when attempting to give out credit card information online. I have a feeling, however, that it will be a New Yorker who will find some place where they sell salep. Seeing that you are a New Yorker yourself, your being here is a comfort to me for it shows I'm on the right path. My quest shall not have been in vain.

Thanks guys.

Touched,
Chef Ladybug.

[Mezzaluna]

Chef Ladybug, you'll be able to post links after participating (by posting) 15 times. We had to do that because we were getting slammed with spam! As you say, it's a cold world out there.

But it's warm and cozy here in our kitchen.

[Coregonus]

Sorry, Chef L, never paid enough attention. All I can say for now, there is Turkish neighborhood in Sunnyside, Queens - just over East River from Manhattan at Queens Blvd - they sure have few ethnic groceries.

I'll try to find out more... any chance the Greeks could have it?

[Joyfull]

I did a search and came up with this shop in Brooklyn.

Turkish Food Turkish Grocery in USA - yiyelim.com

If you do a search on the website for salep you'll come up with a salep beverage.

I also found an article on orchid ice cream (salepi dondurma?) but did not have any luck finding a shop in NY that carried it.
Pretty interesting article though!

Orchid ice cream - Salon

Here's the address and phone # for Yiyelim Foods

Yiyelim Foods
40 20th. St.
Brooklyn NY

866-949-3546

Here's the link I found Yiyelim foods listed. Maybe you'll find another shop even closer..
Good luck!

Turkish Food Stores

[Coregonus]

Right, they hiding pretty good! Exept Sunnyside, there are only one store in West Haven, CT (203) 934-4451 and another in Watertown, MA (617) 924-3399. Call them before you go!

IMHO, it's better to contact official guides:

Turkish American Cultural Association of Southern New England-TACA-SNE
4 Beech Tree Way, Milford, CT 06460
Phone: (203) 878-8025

Turkish American Cultural Society

2953 W Shore Rd
Warwick, RI 02886-5448
Phone: (401) 737-0870

Good luck

[Chef Ladybug]

Truly, Mezzaluna, I've discovered just how warm and cozy it is in your kitchen I'm ashamed to be shocked by good deeds; it just shows my cynical side.

Yes, Coregonus, the Greeks should definitely have it. Astoria's a good place to start. I will call the stores ahead of time to spare my husband's nerves as he does not want to go up and down into 5 different stores in another state who may or may not have salep. I'm just not sure whether I'll be able to call them today as I have a long list of things to do as it is, but I will call them one by one by tomorrow at the latest.

Joyfull, I'm sure we can find the salep drink but my husband wants to make it himself. Were it for me, I think I could live without it just fine. After all, you can't miss something you've never had

Who knew salep would become such a luxury? lol

Thanks everybody.

Joyfully,
Chef Ladybug.

[Chef Ladybug]

Update:

I called West Haven and Watertown; neither one of them has it. The first USED to have the drink but they don't carry that anymore. As for the second market, I think the lady wasn't too sure of what I wanted. Maybe I wasn't pronouncing it the right way, but I didn't insist too much because there was something weird going on with their phone -- I could hear my own echo 5 seconds later.

Yiyelim Foods confirmed that I was, indeed, pronouncing it wrong... with the thick, English LL instead of the Spanish-ish L. However, they've moved to Staten Island in 512 Bay St.. They have the plant (although the mix would be great, too). I will hold out for a few more days, with hopes that we will locate a market that's closer to home. Thanks, Joyfull.

Tomorrow I'll call the Turkish American Cultural Association and the Turkish American Cultural Society. They've gotta save me the long trip to Staten Island.

Hopefully,
Chef Ladybug.

[Coregonus]

So Astoria it is! Save your time! It's 2 hours closer and $7 cheaper than Staten Island and Sunnyside is just next to it. Try Titan Foods just over Triboro Bridge at 25-56 31st Street, Astoria, Queens, NY 718-626-7771 or Sunny Grocery- 45-26 43rd Ave.Sunnyside, Queens NY - (718) 937-6256