Aleppo pepper from Syria, Ravida’s Sicilian sea salt, and Maras Biber Turkish pepper, all from Kalustyan’s.
Recipes:
Veal Stew with Saffron, Basil, and Hedgehog Mushrooms
Linguine with Cockles, Saffron, and Rosemary
Orange Salad with Vanilla, Orange Flower Water, and Mint
Ciambella with Rosemary, Orange, and Vanilla
There’s a Middle Eastern and Indian grocery store on the East Side of Manhattan in the Twenties called Kalustyan’s (the area is referred to as Curry Hill, since it’s near Murray Hill and is loaded with Indian restaurants and shops). It’s a longish but scenic walk from my apartment, and I go there often, usually to buy things like Turkish pine nuts, Aleppo pepper, saffron, rose-water candies, or fresh dates on their stalks flown in from California (if you’ve never tasted a fresh date, you really should find a way to try one; they’re smooth and glossy skinned, but oozy and sweet inside; however, you’ll have to wait until late summer, when they’re in season). Often I stop into Kalustyan’s just to inhale the aroma of the packets of ground Indian and Middle Eastern spices (and to admire their gorgeous burnished colors, especially the various red hues of the dried peppers). This almost always perks me up when I’ve got a lagging culinary spirit, or just a messed up head in general. (more…)
Erica De Mane 