D I S C O V E R I E S

PROP ST YL I ST: AYA BRAC KE T T. F O OD ST YL I ST: BRI T T EN SH EL S ON

The Spice of Life York Shuk cofounders Leetal and

Ron Arazi draw on their family’s
A growing number of boutique brands are specializing in ethically roots in Morocco, Lebanon, Israel,
produced seasonings and straight-from-the-source international flavors. and Turkey (and now, New York
HANNAH WALHO UT rounds up her favorite culinary souvenirs. City) to bring the fundamentals of
a Middle Eastern pantry to a wider
audience. nyshuk.com.

Burrata, roasted NEW YORK SHUK BURLAP & BARREL

peppers, and pita Warm, rosy baharat for a big bowl of couscous. This company, cofounded by Ethan
chips dusted with Earthy hawaij for fresh Yemeni coffee. And, of Frisch and Ori Zohar, specializes
New York Shuk
za’atar; recipe
course, za’atar ($10)—the pungent blend of in single-origin spices from small
available at Syrian oregano, sumac, and sesame that can be farms and cooperatives around the
nyshuk.com. found on tables from Jeddah to Jerusalem. New world, like a savory-sweet smoked

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 pimentón paprika becoming
($8) from the increasingly
Spanish region of trendy—but that
Extremadura. In the Indian farmers
2021, Burlap & who harvested the
Barrel is releasing plant saw little
a new product about once a week: look profit, since the country’s muddied
out for wild Timur peppercorns, supply chains remained rooted in
harvested with the help of a Nepalese colonial structures. A year later,
nonprofit, and dehydrated ramps Diaspora Co. launched its first product:
handpicked in the Adirondacks. Pragati turmeric ($12) grown in
burlapandbarrel.com. Andhra Pradesh by organic farmer
Prabhu Kasaraneni. The company now
ESSIE SPICE offers 21 spice varietals sourced from
To create this India and Sri Lanka—all purchased
Mekko dry rub directly from family-owned producers.
($10), Essie Spice diasporaco.com.
founder Essie
Bartels channeled
SPICEWALLA
her childhood in Ghana through
The brainchild of
roasted peanut and grains of Selim—
chef Meherwan
the Xylopia aethiopica tree’s pungent
Irani—founder of
seedpods, common in West African
Chai Pani and
soups and stews. But her flavors
other beloved res-
wander far and wide, with other
taurants in Asheville, North Carolina—
internationally influenced products
Spicewalla ships in bulk to restaurant
like a tamarind-guava-vanilla
kitchens across the country. But home
marinade and a mango-onion relish
cooks, rejoice: the website stocks
spiked with Jamaican Scotch bonnets.
practically every blend you can think
essiespice.com.
of. (Five spice? Chai masala? Herbes de
Provence? They’ve got it.)There’s also
MOONFLOWERS an impressive selection of whole
This new spices in consumer-friendly sizes. Try
company these fruity, fragrant pink pepper-
specializes in corns ($8) for a pop of color on your
one thing, and next dessert. spicewallabrand.com.
one thing only:
premium-grade saffron threads VILLA JERADA
(from $13) carefully harvested on a Founded as an
family-owned estate in Afghanistan’s importer of high-
Herat province. Founder Tahmina quality olive oils
Ghaffer, who was born in Kabul, hopes from owner
to bring attention to the country’s “red Mehdi Boujrada’s
gold” while supporting the women native Morocco,
who make up 80 percent of its saffron Villa Jerada has
farm workers. One percent of profits since expanded to seasonings,
go to Skateistan, a nonprofit that has spreads, and rubs from across North
provided recreation and education Africa and beyond. After adding
for kids in Kabul since 2007. harissa and preserved lemons to your
moonflowers.com. cart, try their take on the ubiquitous
(and rather free-form) Maghrebi
DIASPORA CO. spice blend ras el hanout ($10), here
It all started with turmeric. In 2016, made with rose petals, anise, nutmeg,
Mumbai-born Sana Javeri Kadri and nearly a dozen other aromatics.
realized that this golden powder was villajerada.com.

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