Noor Murad, chef and author of "Lugma," shares her affection for Phoenicia, a Middle Eastern grocery store in Kentish Town, London, describing it as a home away from home. She highlights essential ingredients, such as Lebanese pita bread, za'atar for making chips, and Iraqi Basra date syrup. Murad enjoys using the sweet syrup in various dishes and praises the store's marinated olive selection and unique hot sauces. Her nostalgia for Bahraini cuisine shapes her shopping routine, as she balances traditional flavors and personal preferences.
"When I first moved to London from Bahrain I was so homesick, but this place is like a home away from home. It has everything I need."
"I always buy Dina Lebanese pitta bread. They're the thin, wide ones that are perfect for frying for fattoush salad and shawarma."
"The Basra date syrup...I used it in a sticky toffee pudding instead of treacle and it worked really well; it was less sickly."
"I have a whole marinated olive buffet, scoop them up and take them home for a snack. There are loads of delicious hot sauces here."
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