Obscure Ingredients For Curious Cooks At Atef Boulaabi’s East Village Spice Store – CBS New York

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – For proprietor Atef Boulaabi, SOS Chefs is greater than a spice retailer.

“It’s a repertoire of notes and a library of texture and smells,” she mentioned.

READ MORE: Style Eyes Optical: Margie Toney Wants To Pick Your Perfect Frames

Since opening within the East Village in 1996, SOS has gained a popularity for offering obscure elements to a clientele of New York Metropolis cooks.

It’s additionally frequented by dwelling cooks seeking to experiment and transplants attempting to find the flavors of dwelling.

“We welcome everyone. We’re sort of the United Nations,” Atef mentioned.

On floor-to-ceiling cabinets sit objects like sesame seeds soaked in plum juice and protein powder constituted of squash seeds.

Inspecting the aromatic imported herbs, spice blends, and condiments, clients discover home windows into historical past and tradition.

“Actually, we’re the product of our origin, so if you odor a product, you’ll be able to have actually a good suggestion in regards to the place the place it comes from,” Atef mentioned.

A local of Tunisia, she says she was virtually born with a bottle of olive oil in her fingers.

“It was very natural for me to essentially introduce the merchandise that I grew up with and which are very pricey to me,” she mentioned.

At SOS, she takes pleasure in telling tales and sharing emotions by way of spices, curating experiences for patrons.

“I all the time go for making them style merchandise, and I believe they perceive what I’m making an attempt to inform them, that I like them, that I take pleasure in having them in my retailer,” she mentioned. “It’s a language by itself, so I’m very joyful to know this language.”

SOS Cooks
104 Avenue B
New York, NY 10009
(212) 505-5813
https://sos-chefs.com/

MORE NEWS: Seatuck Stained Glass: George Dalecki’s Works Put ‘Rainbows In Your Room’

What’s one thing few individuals find out about however everybody ought to? No matter it’s, Elle McLogan is monitoring it down on The Dig. Be a part of her hunt for treasures hidden throughout our space. Comply with Elle on Twitter and Instagram.