Authentic Mediterranean fare at the Farmer’s Market
By Jill Alexander
Experts say that eating a Mediterranean diet regularly is an excellent way to stay slim and healthy.
Thanks to ingredients such as olive oil, as well as plenty of vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, beans and whole grains, a Mediterranean diet is easy on the stomach and tasty, too.
When it comes to this type of delicious cuisine, Salah Tirouda, owner of Andalucia Foods, is no stranger to Mediterranean food fare as he’s been making it since 2007.
“My business specializes in the Mediterranean cuisine from North Africa to the Middle East, Greece and Lebanon,” Tirouda said.
In 2003, he started working for a company that specializes in Mediterranean foods and that’s where he became even more interested in it, he said.
Today, he sells at the Scripps Ranch Farmer’s Market on Thursdays, and other markets including those in San Diego County, Orange County and some farmers markets in Riverside County.
When visiting his booth, you’ll find a variety of items such as dips, spreads, antipasto, salads, a mixed olive tapenade, flavored garlic dips, hummus, pita chips and his natural fruit-flavored kefir yogurt parfaits.
Prices range from $6 to $20 for the special combo of four items. He said the kefir yogurt parfaits are popular and very fresh.
All foods that are sold at the markets, including at Scripps Ranch Farmer’s Market, are made in a local commercial kitchen in Poway, where Tirouda spends much of his time trying out new recipes and perfecting his items.
“What makes my products different from my competition is the fine ingredients we use in making it. For example, when we make mixed olive tapenade, we use an imported variety of olives, citrus, Castelvetrano olives, and Manzanilla olives,” he said.
Born in Algeria, Tirouda has been in the San Diego area for more than two decades and enjoys selling at the Scripps Ranch Farmer’s Market because the “people are friendly, and the atmosphere is nice.”
Tirouda hopes to have his products in local stores at some point in the future but isn’t in a rush because, for now, he’s happy at the markets.
Visit Salah Tirouda and the Andalucia Foods booth at the Scripps Ranch Farmer’s Market, held from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. each Thursday at 10045 Carroll Canyon Road.