MARKETS : The World on a Shoestring

Caviar, pate and a wheel of Brie are fine ways to celebrate the New Year. But here in Southern California, where shoppers can find a veritable bazaar of international gourmet foods, our choices are more varied. Why settle for the usual when you can set your buffet table with Middle Eastern mutabbal (eggplant dip), German smoked goose breast, South American empanadas, Japanese sushi, Chinese dumplings, Russian kulebiaka (meat pie), Italian calamari salad, even Scandinavian smoked reindeer cold cuts?

What follows are a few good places to find unusual--and mostly inexpensive--provisions for a really lavish international spread.

GERMAN FOODS

Van Nuys German Deli. The store may be plain-looking, but its selection is vast.

Cured meats include air-dried Bundnerfleisch and a wonderful smoked goose breast that the shop stocks only at this time of year. These elegant meats reflect the modern German tendency to serve lighter foods, such as the chicken Sulze , a cold cut made with cubed chicken breast, baby corn and pimiento all suspended in a vinegary aspic. Another version, Schaller Topfsulze , uses lean cured beef. These Sulze have such beautiful mosaic patterns that when they are arranged with sliced meats you won’t need to garnish the plate.

Sample the Knochenschinken , a German equivalent of prosciutto; the Schinkenspeck with its ribbon of fat wedged between two strips of lean smoked pork flank; and the fragrant, smoky Nussschinken, cut from the center of the ham. Put them out with dark rye and mustards. And offer squares of the pickled herring in aspic alongside.

In contrast to the lean meats, the deli offers a fine, rich goose liverwurst and Butterkase , a buttery, mild-tasting German cheese. For the sweet table consider the imported German marzipan stollen.

16155 Roscoe Blvd., Sepulveda, (818) 892-2212. Open Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

MIDDLE EASTERN FOODS

Chef’s Corner/Mr. Deli. A lavish selection of varied dishes in the Middle Eastern custom of the meze table is a perfect way to serve any size crowd. At Chef’s Corner/Mr. Deli, a fast food shop and market under the same ownership, the stuffed grape leaves are simmered in a broth flavored with pomegranate juice, which produces a tangy, fruity flavor. Mutabbal, the eggplant dip (sometimes called baba ghannouj ), is properly roasted for a good smoky taste.

Hovig Hovaguimian, the deli’s owner, makes his own Middle Eastern-style “mortadella.” It’s like a salami made with only the leanest beef. Sliced thin, the mortadella is served to dip into muhammara , a spicy mixture of crushed walnuts, sweet and hot peppers and pomegranate juice.

In his kitchen at Chef’s Corner (across the mini-mall from the deli), Hovaguimian makes imam bayildi (“the imam fainted”--from joy), which is usually a messy-looking dish. In this version, however, the lengthwise slices of eggplant are neatly arranged, and decoratively topped with a rich sweet blend of long-cooked onion and peppers.

Tiny meat-stuffed keufta and boreg --flaky filo pies filled with spinach or cheese--are made on the premises. Fresh beets in lemon and garlic dressing, traditional marinated tongue or brain in vinaigrette, a smoked salmon or jumbo shrimp platter, and much more may be purchased individually or ordered as part of a customized platter.

3440-B Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta, (818) 957-7018. Open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Arax Grocery and Deli. An immense display of nuts and seasoned, roasted seeds creates a sea of earthy colored mounds at Arax. These crunchy tidbits, along with plump dried fruits, collectively called duqqa, qidameh or ajil (depending which part of the Near East you’re in), are the mainstay of the region’s renowned hospitality. Every host keeps some on hand for unexpected visitors. Or they’re set out at formal and informal gatherings after meals (the Iranian word ajil literally means “night grazing”). The selection at Arax includes plain nuts, garlic-laced roasted chickpeas and cumin-scented melon seeds.

The store’s freezer case supplies hosts with all sorts of finger foods. Boreg puffs are little ready-to-bake cheese- or spinach-filled pastries, slit open to let a top-hat of filling show through. Maqaniq, richly spiced Syrian sausages the size of a little finger, taste much better than cocktail franks.

There are also rice kubba --smooth, meat-filled dumplings made from rice and shaped like tiny footballs. They’re an Iraqi cousin of the better-known Lebanese dumplings made from bulgur, kibbeh maqli . To cook the kubba, follow the owner’s instructions: “Take a medium can of tomato sauce, a can of water, a crushed garlic clove and simmer the kubba in this mixture about 30 minutes. Add a little fresh lemon juice and serve in a shallow bowl sprinkled with crushed, dried mint leaves.”

Fancy cookies and biscuits from local Middle Eastern bakeries are shelved on the back wall. Good with Champagne, or any wine, are the lightly salted Armenian cheese cookies. These feathery, unsweetened pastries are braided and formed into circles. Their haunting flavor comes from mahleb --a spice made from crushed cherry pit centers.

17644 Vanowen St., Van Nuys, (818) 705-0395. Open Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

SUSHI

Tozai Foods and Fuji Sushi. Sushi is terrific party finger food, but it can be expensive if ordered from a restaurant, and at most take-out places it just isn’t elegant enough to serve guests. But Fuji Sushi, in the Tozai Japanese Market, has built a thriving business specializing in lavish but modestly priced sushi assortments. Photographs above the fish counter show off the store’s wares and there are several menus too.

Fuji excels in battera sushi, a style the Japanese love for parties and one you rarely see elsewhere. Unlike the rolled maki or the fish-over-rice nigiri , battera is sushi rice packed into a small wooden mold called an oshiwaku. Thin slices of filleted mackerel go over the rice, and the topping is beautifully glazed. When unmolded, the sushi is cut into precise rectangles. Fuji also makes battera with three other toppings: shrimp, anago (sea eel) and unagi (freshwater eel).

One sushi selection is the Hoso Maki tray, a colorful selection of small rolls, each with a different filling: yellow pickled radish, seaweed, kanpyo and gobo (both are vegetables), to name a few.

Some arrangements include no fish; others are made up of such fancies as reversed California roll coated in orange smelt roe. Fuji will also prepare all kinds of standard sushi in any configuration you like. Sashimi assortments begin at $30 and go up to $100.

In a cooler case, you’ll find a wide selection of Japanese-style fish roes. Mixed with creme fraiche, sour cream or even Japanese mayonnaise, they can really dress up a salad and add sparkle and crunch to pasta.

1326 Potrero Grande Drive, South San Gabriel. (818) 288-5124. Open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

RUSSIAN FOOD

Gastronom. In California, the Russian zakuska , which in Czarist days was a vast parade of hot and cold delicacies (put out even before dinner was served), has been trimmed down to a salad plate with an assortment of smoked fish or cold cuts. One of the most charming places to find such things is Gastronom, a Russian deli and market almost hidden from view in the corner of the shopping mall at Fairfax Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard.

The recently expanded shop is a great source for salmon caviar in bulk, which the counter woman spoons out of a plastic bucket in huge, glistening heaps.

Gastronom’s owner, Inna Katsnelsou, bakes kulebiaka to order. This is a large pie with a crust of light, eggy bread dough, decorated with fanciful dough designs and glazed with egg wash. Filled either with well-seasoned meat or marinated cabbage with long-cooked onions, kulebiakas are usually baked in a jellyroll pan, though they may be ordered in smaller sizes. Another of Inna’s specialties is the rich khachapuri , a Georgian “pie” of cheese baked in bread dough.

Gastronom gets a lot of mileage from eggplant. There are half a dozen eggplant salads. One is an eggplant puree blended with plenty of garlic and mayonnaise, another a tangy mix of finely cubed eggplant, capers, sweet pepper and onion. Eggplant caviar is cooked with garlic and tomato, and the saute of eggplant chunks with other vegetables has a rich, sweet flavor. There are also fried eggplant slices sprinkled with fresh herbs and, for variety, two styles of mushroom salad.

7859 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, (213) 654-9456. Open Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

SOUTH AMERICAN FOOD

Empanada’s Place. Empanadas are great party food. Here, the traditional meat-filled turnovers are made with fillings that appeal to contemporary tastes. Vegetarian empanadas include fresh mushrooms with ricotta cheese; potato, onion, tomato and basil, and mozzarella with grilled onions. On a list of meat-filled empanadas are chicken, pepperoni, ham and cheese, and beef-onion seasoned with lemon. The empanadas are made bite-size for cocktails and in a larger traditional size, and you can buy them baked or unbaked.

6136 Venice Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 838-3061. Open Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Also 3811 Sawtelle Blvd., Culver City, (310) 391-0888. Open Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

ITALIAN FOOD

Zio & Co. This shop, which began importing its coffee from Graffeo of San Francisco about 10 years ago (before the current coffee roasting frenzy--and two Graffeo shops--hit L.A.), has always been ahead of the pack. Zio’s imposing antipasto case is loaded with dishes you don’t see everywhere else in town, and its quality matches its sophistication.

A salad of tiny fresh fava beans with a wonderfully buttery texture is dressed with fresh tomato and basil. There are tiny homemade agnolotti in pesto are stuffed with chicken and walnuts, a fresh beet salad with chunks of Parmesan and coarsely ground pepper, smoked mozzarella baked with fresh oregano and basil, huge platters of shrimp and calamari salad and green bean-pesto salad with crushed walnuts. On order, Zio’s chef is always happy to prepare any dish of your own design.

Be sure to try Zio’s frozen zabaglione bomba covered in dark chocolate or the Grand Marnier bomba with white chocolate.

5242 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys, (818) 784-8051. Open Monday to Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

CHINESE DUMPLINGS

Sir Charles Oriental Foods. The best commercially prepared Chinese dumplings on the market come from Sir Charles Oriental Foods (apparently, one of the partners is named Charles, though he makes no other claims to royalty). Sir Charles makes nine varieties, including pork with shrimp and leeks and beef with napa cabbage. There’s a lightness to their generous filling, and the dough coverings are rolled to the right thickness. Sir Charles also makes walnut-size Shanghai-style steamed buns with a yeast-dough covering.

You can pick up the dumplings and buns, sold frozen, 50 to a bag, at the factory or look for them at Di Ho and 99 Ranch Chinese markets in Monterey Park and San Gabriel.

2214-B Lee Ave. (between Garvey and Rush), South El Monte, (818) 350-8910. Open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 3. p.m.

DIM SUM

Family Pastry. If you want to take your Chinese buffet selection beyond dumplings and buns, you’ll find a large variety of dim sum to go at Family Pastry or at several other shops attached to Chinese restaurants.

Family Pastry, a simple Chinatown storefront, is well patronized so its modestly priced baked goods and dim sum are fresh. Look for har gow (shrimp in glutinous-dough wrappers), open-faced siu mai (pork or beef), hom gok --pork filled fried dumplings--egg rolls, Chinese tamales and the novel curry pork cookies.

715 N. Spring St., Chinatown, (213) 622-5255. Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Empress Pavilion Take Out. Chinatown’s Empress Pavilion has a dim sum-to-go shop next door to the restaurant. The selection is slightly more exotic than at Family Pastry, and you might want to ask for assistance in the restaurant--the counterperson’s English is often limited. Look for shrimp fun gor (steamed dumplings), beef meatballs, fried, filled bean curd rolls, chicken turnovers and more.

989 N. Hill St. (in Bamboo Plaza), Chinatown, (213) 617-9898. Open 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Seaworld Seafood Restaurant. Another restaurant with an adjoining dim sum shop, Seaworld is in the New Diamond Plaza in Rosemead. In addition to the classic dumplings and steamed buns there’s the house specialty Magic Rice in Lotus Leaf.

8118 E. Garvey Ave. No. A, Rosemead, (818) 288-2898. Open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

CHOCOLATE

Jovina’s Chocolate at Panos. Chocolate goes with Champagne, but all chocolates are not created equal. My choice would be Jovina’s chocolate and truffle celebration tray. A clear-plastic tray with a layer of fluffy shredded tissue holds chocolate-covered truffles (choose Grand Marnier, cognac or Champagne) wrapped in shimmering silver-lined gold-corrugated foil cut and twisted to show both sides. Surrounding the truffles are gold and silver foil-wrapped, flower-shaped dark chocolates, each with an opalescent flower ornament. The whole tray, tied up with cellophane supported by two golden pillars, is an amazing sight. And the chocolate tastes as good as the tray looks.

Jovina, the daughter of pastry maker Panos Zetlian, has installed her chocolate business in her father’s Mediterranean pastry shops.

17145 Ventura Blvd., Encino, (818) 783-9361. Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Also at 5150 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, (213) 661-0335, and in Glendale.

L.A. Bonbonniere and Nicolosi. Another source of good chocolates is the recently opened small shop owned by Nicolosi Italian bakery. Chocolates are handmade for L.A. Bonbonniere by a local chocolatier whose family has been in the business for more than 60 years.

The Nicolosis say their chocolates are designed to appeal to American and European tastes. You’ll see lemon creams, chocolate-covered macadamia nut toffee and peanut butter kazoo candies next to chocolate-enrobed marzipan squares, lehar (a European-style chocolate-covered bonbon of dark-roasted crushed nuts suspended in an airy praline-like center) and barely sweet cognac truffles.

Valrhona French chocolate has a prominent place next to the bonbon case. The line includes the sophisticated 1-2-3 collection, a box of wrapped chocolate squares made from three types of dark chocolate.

Nicolosi, just next door, is worth a visit for its authentic Italian cookies and biscuits made for dipping into coffee and wine: Homemade guadisimale, a sliced biscotti-like cookie, is full of nuts and the flavor of nutmeg. This and the slightly sweetened anisette toast, sesame cookies and savoiardi, go well with Champagne and wine.

17540 Ventura Blvd., Encino, (818) 788-7220. Open Tuesday to Saturday 9 a.m to 6 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., holidays 9 a.m. to noon.

SMOKED FOODS AND CAVIAR

Homarus. For Champagne toasting, it’s difficult to beat the selection of smoked salmon at Homarus. The shop, which caters to fine-dining restaurants as well as to the public, smokes salmon in several styles including Scotch, Irish, Norwegian and the cracked-pepper-coated poivre lachs.

Recently, Homarus began selling other smoked items, including smoked duck breast, chicken breast, catfish and eel. It’s added all kinds of fresh caviar, including osetra, golden whitefish and salmon roes. And the shop hand-packs its caviars in glass jars to order in any amount you want.

9340 W. Pico Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 273-3004. Open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Ikea. Food at a furniture store? Each of the Ikea stores have a small food boutique that sells a selection of imported Scandinavian food as well as frozen Swedish meatballs, made on the premises. You can get velvety textured matjes herring in varied sauces: mustard, dill, tomato and cream. Pre-sliced Swedish gravad lax and smoked Norwegian salmon are in the cooler, and all kinds of dainty cookies fill the shelves. You can even pick up a platter of Scandinavian smoked reindeer cold cuts.

20700 S. Avalon, South Bay Pavilion, Carson, (310) 527-4532. Open Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Also in Burbank, Industry, Fontana and Tustin.

Caviarteria West. If you’re not ready to pay $37 to $50 an ounce for fresh Beluga, the staff at Caviarteria in Beverly Hills suggests its American sturgeon sevruga (farmed in Louisiana) at only $7.60 an ounce. The eggs are smaller and the taste is milder than the Caspian Sea caviar, they say, but you still get that sumptuous briny pop of the fresh eggs in every bite.

Caviarteria also sells a baroque caviar and a smoked salmon “cake” that layers cream cheese and mascarpone with Caspian sturgeon and golden white fish caviars layered with Scotch smoked salmon. A jar of fresh salmon roe comes on the side to be applied as the cake’s frosting. The cake, which serves about 10 people for hors d’oeuvre, costs $39.95.

247 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, (310) 285-9773. Open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m Monday to Saturday.