Food & Wine: World's Best Spice Shops
World's Best Spice Shops
La Boite; New York City
At his store in Hell’s Kitchen, chef-turned-spice-specialist Lior Lev Sercarz creates blends with lyrical names like Cancale, Isphahan and Apollonia, which he sells to the country’s best chefs. Sercarz’s clients include Eric Ripert, Daniel Boulud and fellow spice expert Ana Sortun. For Ripert, Sercarz made a new take on quatre épices, with less sweetness and a hint of anise; for Sortun, a blend of sumac, rose blossom and sesame. He also creates unusual cookies, such as the smoked cinnamon, brown sugar and white chocolate flavored Canella.