Ziba Foods
10 months ago
Ok, these dried fruits and nuts are a revelation. I just received the Ziba variety box in the mail and couldn't wait to write about it. The box included nine different varieties of dried fruits, nuts, and mixes sourced from Afghanistan. According to Ziba's website, their products are either foraged or heirloom varieties cultivated by small family farms -- and you can really see and taste the difference. I was most surprised by the raw heirloom almonds. Almonds are not my favorite nuts; normally I find them dense and flavorless, and I wouldn't go near a plain one if you paid me. Ziba's raw almonds are light, crisp, and sweet, just a world of difference in terms of texture and flavor. Amazing. I also loved the (totally new to me) dry roasted and salted apricot kernels and the delicious, clearly foraged kishmish raisins, all different shapes and sizes and naturally sweet. Also included and also yummy (my boyfriend and I had to open and try every. single. bag. immediately upon receipt) were baby pistachio kernels, very surprising and tasty dried mulberries (which kind of remind me, visually, of dried morel mushrooms but taste like crunchy honey clusters - so good), sun-dried figs, and two bags of mixed fruits and nuts. I seriously enjoyed everything I tried, and love the brand's mission to prioritize sustainability, work directly with small farmers in Afghanistan, create jobs for Afghan women, and bring these amazing heirloom fruits and nuts to the rest of the world. As a bonus, their packaging is so pretty! Just an excellent experience overall.
