Reader Rosanne Almasian from Upstate New York asked me where she could buy Armenian food, such as lahmajoun and Armenian string cheese for 200 guests.
It was in celebration of her daughter’s high school graduation, and she had only 2 weeks to prepare.

Sasha (the graduate), Sasha’s boyfriend, and Rosanne (the mom)

I offered several suggestions that would have required her to place an order on-line or over the phone. When I didn’t hear back weeks later, I emailed to ask what she ended up doing.


This was her response: “My daughter, Sasha, the graduate, and I ended up going to Montreal to a large Middle Eastern grocery store to purchase our food. We were very pleased with the sarma, the olive bar, the fresh cheese in brine (not vacuum – packed), the various breads and some lovely fresh phyllo dough with which I made cheese boureg and some bourma.


“I wasn’t crazy about the basturma so my husband picked up some fresh at Samir’s in Syracuse, a tiny place, on his way home from a trip in Pennsylvania. I also wasn’t crazy about the pastry (it was all pistachio paklava and we are used to walnut) so I ordered it from a company near Chicago, on a friend’s recommendation.


“The biggest challenge was keeping my family out of the goodies before the party. It was lovely and we all had a wonderful time.”


Montreal? Syracuse? Chicago? That’s what I call shopping with determination!
What I didn’t know was that the party had a Luau theme: grass skirts, leys, a pig roast. 


Are any Hawaiians reading this? Armenian food will make ANY type of gathering a sensation!
Congratulations to Sasha; best wishes at Syracuse University!