"Can I offer you something delicious?" is how the owner of Healthy Gourmet greeted me as I walked through the door of her family's eastern European shop in Newton, MA. It was a cold rainy night in Boston, but Svetlana's smile and the bright walls decorated with jars of caviar and boxes of chocolates made me forget the weather. Svetlana and Arlen Atakhanov came to US seven years ago leaving a life of music and theater behind them. "If anyone ever told me 10 years ago that I'll own a food shop in America, I'd laugh in their face," says Svetlana, a former ballerina. When the couple first came to the US, survival and financial stability were their main goals; they didn't dream of finding a second profession they would enjoy. But when their Italian friends who work in food industry took them to a food show in New York, Svetlana and Arlen were hooked. "I always loved cooking and tasting foods of different countries," said Svetlana. "Until the food show I thought of America as a land of burgers and fries, and didn't realize that it was also a home of great artisanal food producers." And thus the idea of an Eastern European gourmet store was born in Atakhanov's imagination. In 2002, it became a reality.

"We go out of our way to find natural products that don't use preservatives and chemicals" says Svetlana. Healthy Gourmet owners seek out the best suppliers and work directly with them instead of going through distributors. This allows them to keep their prices down, and to find products that would otherwise not be available in Boston. Smoked fish comes from upstate New York, caviar from Alaska and California, pelmeni and pierogies (Russian filled pasta) from New Jersey, sausages and pâtés from Georgia, and sweets from Russia.

While western European gourmet shops like Formaggio's Kitchen have been attracting customers with free samples of chees and olive oil, many eastern European stores still feel like exclusive clubs that only welcome expatriots. You have to know what you want, not ask too many questions, and preferably speak Russian. Not so at Healthy Gourmet. When I was lost among the endless selection of deli products, Svetlana offered me bites of smoked duck liver pâté, veal pastrami and several types of salami so that I could get a feel for their products. When I asked for a salmon caviar recommendation, Svetlana produced 5 types ranging in price from $10-22 per pound. She gave me 5 spoons and told me to get to work. "I don't give recommendations. I give people a taste and let them decide for themselves" she said.

I was surprised not to see any pickled products since they are one of the specialties of Russian cuisine. When I asked Svetlana about them, she sneaked in the back and brought out wild pickled mushrooms, home-made sauerkraut, and pickled red cabbage. Turns out they just didn't fit into the little front counter that is so packed with caviar, smoked meats and fish. I am glad I asked, because those were some of the best pickled mushrooms I've had in US, and the sauerkraut was good enough to rival my Grandmother's.

"I thought it was a health food store," said a Newton resident who stopped by to check out Healthy Gourmet. The name does evoke images of avocado and soy milk, more than caviar and smoked fish. But that probably has to do more with our preconceptions than with health. Caviar is an excellent source of Vitamins (A, D, B12), Calcium, Phosphorus, Protein, Iron, and Magnesium; and it's the oily fish full of Omega-3 fatty acids that are usually smoked. But the real key to healthy eating is not in the nutritional information labels, but in variety and moderation. "A true gourmet is someone who'll always be healthy because he is selective about what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat," explains slim and graceful Svetlana.

Boston Healthy Gourmet
367 California St., Newton, MA 02458
(2 minutes from Russo's in Watertown)
617-527-3388

Helen's Red Caviar Canapés with Pickled Onions

Red (salmon) caviar is much more affordable than black. Most people are surprised to find out that $5-7 can buy them enough caviar to serve as an appetizer for 6 people. No need for mother of pearl spoons, crystal, or other such fanciness. Good bread and butter is all you need -- that's how most Russians eat it. I usually top red caviar with sweet pickled onions to balance the salty creaminess of the roe.

This recipe is all about ingredients, so here are some tips on choosing the right ones. The plastic tasting Romanoff caviar sold in supermarkets won't do. Go to a Russian store and buy some real salmon caviar. Don't buy the cheaper ones -- they tend to be over-salted and gooey due to broken eggs. The bread you serve caviar on makes a difference. Vienna bread and brioche are the best breads to use. You don't want anything too crusty or with big holes. A hard crust is not a good background for the delicate creamy roe. And you don't want to risk losing any precious eggs through the holes, do you? Also avoid sourdough breads since they'll distract from the flavor of caviar, and mushy "Wonderbread" since not even caviar can make it taste good.

Serves 6

For Pickled Onions
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup cold water
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 red onion

In a non-reactive container, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Peel the onion and slice it very thin (1/16") using an adjustable blade slicer like Benriner or a knife. Mix the onion with vinegar mixture, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to 2 days.

For Caviar Canapés
6 slices of Vienna bread or brioche
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
4 oz red caviar

Spread bread slices with butter. Top with a layer of caviar, and a few slices of pickled onions. Serve with champagne or sparkling white wine.