mmmm....spicy....

i'm out of cumin seeds. and i just broke a huge jar of cinnamon all over my kitchen floor.

so. where can i buy bulk spices in this town? in chicago, i always hit the indian markets for the big bags you spill all over as you transfer into old jam jars and the like; is there somewhere i can get that kind of thing in brooklyn?

(i know about jackson heights, but i was hoping to avoid the epic journey.)

Sahadi's.
Park Slope Food Coop.

where/what is sahadi's?

Sahadi's is a fantastic market, run by....is it Lebanese? They have cheese and spice and other specialty foods. On Atlantic Ave almost to the river (3 or 4 blocks east of the end of the road. North side of the street)

Kalyustan's (hope I'm spelling that right) is in the 20s eastside, Manhattan, for high quality bulk spices and Indian goods.

The coop has the advantage of selling spices in small bags as well as large. Disadvantage, you have to do your work slot to shop there.

pitu wrote: Sahadi's is a fantastic market, run by....is it Lebanese? They have cheese and spice and other specialty foods. On Atlantic Ave almost to the river (3 or 4 blocks east of the end of the road. North side of the street)

Kalyustan's (hope I'm spelling that right) is in the 20s eastside, Manhattan, for high quality bulk spices and Indian goods.

The coop has the advantage of selling spices in small bags as well as large. Disadvantage, you have to do your work slot to shop there.

I totally second both Sahadi's and Kalustyans. Sahadi's is the more local option.
http://www.sahadis.com/about.ihtml

Another vote for Sahadi's, although I've heard that they can be a bit pricey for some things.

Also, they get insanely busy later in the day on Saturdays. If you really want to shop seriously there, go early.

Yes, Sahadi's is fantastic - and I believe they are of Turkish extraction.

There's International taste on 150 7th Avenue bet Garfield and Carroll. They can be a tad pricey but they do carry wonderful spices. The only places cheaper are the Park Slope Food Coop and some atore on 9th Avenue in Manhattan on the north side between W.40th st and W 42nd (I apologize for not knowing the name or the exact location)........you could also roam around Coney Island Avenue.........hit some of the Pakistani and/or Arab shops.

Subject: Mail order

The freshest, highest-quality spices I've ever gotten I used to buy from Penzey's, which is based in Wisconsin and has spread across the upper-midwest over the last few years. They have an online catalog and deliver, and they're opening their first New York store in Grand Central this summer. Completely worth a little extra expense for fresh & good.

Subject: Re: Mail order

CHE wrote: The freshest, highest-quality spices I've ever gotten I used to buy from Penzey's, which is based in Wisconsin and has spread across the upper-midwest over the last few years. They have an online catalog and deliver, and they're opening their first New York store in Grand Central this summer. Completely worth a little extra expense for fresh & good.

I've looked through the Penzey's catologue before, and the selection was excellent, but they seemed a bit expensive.

There's also PS Coffee and Tea on 5th ave and 5th street. I like it in there, it's just like piles and piles of containers all stuffed with spices and teas and hard to find stuff like black salt and black cocoa powder. Oh yes, and cumin. International Delights is good, too.

Subject: Re: Mail order

Carnivore wrote: I've looked through the Penzey's catologue before, and the selection was excellent, but they seemed a bit expensive.

Yeah, as I said, somewhat expensive, but it's not just the selection that's excellent--I hadn't realized before how much the supermarket spices I had been using before tasted/smelled like sand as opposed to what they can taste like. Anyway, worth a look, especially if another source isn't real convenient.

i went to sahadi's yesterday -- it was fabulous. like a dream come true. in fact, way better than lots of my dreams, like the one last night, when anita bryant told me i was going to fall through the floor of a parking garage and i called her a homophobe and later a cartoon was shooting at me and mr. t while we ran through suburbia.... but i digress.

thanks for the tip.