There's a yam section. Divided into types. Nobody has variety when it comes to yams. Yet here's a whole section of them.
Greater NY is full of decent fruit and veggie-focused shops, but this is a notch better due to volume, variety and its reflection of the local demographics. It's a part of Brooklyn highly influenced by African and West Indian immigrants, coupled with influxes of different Asian and Latino cultures. The result is a somewhat frenzied mix of traditional and unique. Note also this isn't a Whole Foods/D&D type of exotic. It's cheap, ripe and organized chaos. Jay-Z thinks he's hood, but if here were in a fight, I'd put money on the Aunty from Trinidad, diving for her desired plantains.
While other veggie stands have downsized for the winter, I'm writing this mid-Jan. and CFF is brimming with Scotch Bonnet peppers from Jamaica and Serranos from Mexico, avocados bigger than softballs, and scores of bins piled high with fresh veggies. I had given up on basil, for example, and they have giant bags of it. The sidewalk is packed with people, mostly Caribbean ladies, loading up to cook their weekend feasts. Inside there are even more bins, plus dried goods and other offerings.
As an example, there's a section for dried spices where I'd never even heard of half the offerings... dehydrated barks from a certain tree, the husk of an exotic seed and "happy herbs" that are completely foreign to 99.99% of American cooks, but are probably the secret ingredient in some Haitian grandma's chicken stew (and questionably legal). There's another section with an array of dried beans and rice varieties where I wouldn't know where to start. I vowed that next time I go, it will be with pen and pad in hand. There's too much exotic stuff to bring home with no knowledge, but if I write down some names, I can do some research.
If you like to cook and find that specific ingredients are a whole new way to learn about a culture, then this place is worth a journey. It's right by the B/Q and also easy to visit via the B35 bus on Church. At the very least you might learn how to impress a Haitian grandma, or charm someone with dishes made from a variety of yams. Everyone loves a good yam. read more