Al-Sheemal Halal Food Store

There’s few things I like more than a glass of mulled wine. And so it was with a considerable degree of regret that I left town last December with a bottle of the cheapest plonk money can buy, an orange, some nutmeg but no cinnamon.
Fortunately, I decided to quickly check out this food store on my way back. I can now say with confidence that this is the place to get your herbs and spices, for it only stocks the most flavoursome seasonings at prices far more realistic than your average supermarket’s.
My cinnamon was big and uneven. With some huge sticks and some tiny and all ranging from a woody brown to a powdery orange, this looked like it had come from a real plant. The spice was reasonably priced, too, with a large bag of this rustic looking stuff for just under two quid.
Since then, I’ve been back to Al-​Sheemal for various products. The parsley I asked for at the back of the store was given to me in a generous bunch, and the place is excellent both for food cupboard stables and middle-​Eastern specialities. The staff certainly know what they’re selling and are always more than happy to help so there is no need to be shy if you haven’t the foggiest what anything is or does.
What they didn’t tell me, though, is no not rely exclusively on colour when choosing which spices to use. For the record, girls and boys, NEVER put cumin in wine.
URBAN CHALLENGE: Try a new seasoning