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“Let Me Tell You” is a series of columns from our expert editors about NYC living, including the best things to do, where to eat and drink, and what to see at the theater. They publish each Tuesday so you’re hearing from us each week. Last time, Food & Drink Editor Morgan Carter introduced herself.
For one of my first assignments working at a food magazine in Colorado, I stood in a massive warehouse with a hair bonnet over my head. About a 20-minute drive from Denver, I found myself in a spice manufacturing facility ready to learn about the ins and outs of the modern-day spice trade. During our tour, the guide talked about his relationship with suppliers, showed us the bottling plant, and opened various containers of freshly ground spices, wafting the lid to let the scents of oregano, cumin and paprika hit the air.
Years later, one of the biggest lessons I took away from the tour was that spice is like any other ingredient in the kitchen—freshness matters. While a number of whole spices can last up to a year or two, ground spices are the freshest within the first three months and often don’t last past six. And while most of us are quick to throw out food that’s turned, that same thinking doesn’t follow when it comes to our spice rack. Shriveled avocado on the counter? Throw it out. Chips that lost their crunch? In the bin. A three-year-old oregano bottle that’s more dust than anything? Well … you never know when you’re going to need it.
I’m here to free you from your pantry a la Marie Kondo—if it doesn’t spark joy, you can let it go. But before you overhaul your spice cabinet at a big box retailer or worse, Amazon, we recommend heading over to Kips Bay to visit one of the oldest spice purveyors in town: Kalustyan’s (Lexington Avenue between 28th and 29th).
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Since 1944, Kalyustan’s has served as a bustling hub for chefs, chef enthusiasts and home cooks alike to source anything and everything for their kitchen needs. And by everything, we truly mean it. We are talking dried whole and sliced fruits in jars, a wall of nuts ready to be scooped by the bag or bought by the pound, salts of every texture and grit, oak and mesquite wood chips for smoking, and ice creams churned with saffron and rose. And that doesn’t even scratch the surface—if we tried to list all the products here, this article would be a dictionary.
All of this is thanks to its current owners Sayedul Alam and Aziz Osmani. Purchasing the shop in 1988, the duo decided to build upon the spice shop established by Kerope Kalustyan in 1944. What started as a single level now sprawls over three floors, housing over 10,000 products from across 80 countries. A favorite to home cooks and high-profile chefs alike, you may just find April Bloomfield, Madhur Jaffrey and Martha Stewart perusing the aisles.
Now, I’ll admit a first visit to the store can be overwhelming. When I first opened the door, my senses were overwhelmed with notes of black pepper, curry and cardamom on the nose. With 6,500-square-feet of spices, condiments and syrups to explore, it was a bit dizzying to decide if I should grab a bag and get my fill of dried apricots or stare blankly at the imposing wall of hot sauces. Luckily, the workers here, armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of the space, are always happy to help. During my interview with Osmani, he quickly rattled off where a customer could find dried black limes (on the basement level on a bottom shelf). The store’s operations manager—also known as the oracle of Kalustyan’s to regulars—Dona Abramson tells us she’s helped plenty of customers who come in only with a grocery list. She also said it’s not uncommon for people to show up to the store with a packet of spice from their most recent travels, hoping to find a dupe. And if somehow you can’t find what you are looking for, (which is a rarity) just ask the staff and they may just introduce it to the shop.
So make a list and make a visit to one of New York’s oldest spice shops. And don’t forget to get a fresh baklava (or three) from the pastry counter on the way out. Your spice rack—and your tastebuds—will thank you.