Why did the nut cross the road? – to avoid getting roasted!
Today we were visiting Ayoub, the family own nut and dried food shop. With multiple locations, the one on Main Street is their newest that only opened a month ago.
For those still unfamiliar, this is that shop with fancy crystal chandeliers and freestanding podiums for their nuts. A middle eastern feel for what is essentially a store that allows you to self serve their bulk foodstuffs.
Except that this, the Main Street location is going in a different direction, starting with the fixtures. A move to acrylic bins to better economically and aesthetically feature their nuts and dried fruit. In these bins it is also easier for the staff to scoop and serve.
Ayoub specializes in fresh roasted nuts, which is what sets them apart from other nut distributors. They roast theirs every two days to ensure freshness and quality. This is a 5-10 minute process and one we would get to observe today.
Your chosen nuts get placed into the roasting machine that resembles a tumbler. It get swirled and knocked around along with some salt. In our case it was cashews.
After the allotted roasting time has elapsed the machine spits out all the nuts by way of rotation. Here all the excess salt gets shaken loose through an industrial strainer. And the batch is allowed to cool.
The next step has them literally tossed in the desired coating. Today it is their signature flavour lime and saffron. A few high tosses by skilled hands ensures that are all evenly coated.
Once mixed, the nuts are allowed to fully dry before being packaged or added to the bulk bin with the others.
And having tried their raw nuts versus the freshly roasted one, there is a big difference and yes I can confirm fresh is best. Although if looking to store them, the raw can last for six months.
Ayoub’s collection of nutty offerings includes pistachio, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, Brazil nuts, and peanuts. And seasoning options include a mix of lime, salt, pepper, barbecue, and even Jamaican rub.
Naturally this extensive collection is their bread and butter, but Ayoub also sells dried fruits, sweets, and teas. I was especially impressed by the dried fruit that included citrus slices, kiwis, and pineapple in both sugared and without sugar.
For those with a sweeter tooth, they also offer candied and nut covered chocolate the likes of chocolate covered strawberry and blueberry balls, and dark chocolate that resembles speckled rocks.
Majority of the above are sourced locally and if not from Iran and Turkey, for the most authentic products. And in months to come regular shoppers will see this assortment increase as they work towards the goal of expanding their giftable selection all the more.
For those who are interested in visiting yourself, Ayoub Main Street is having their grand opening celebration in store on September 14, 2023 from 4pm-7pm. Expect samples and a more intimate look at the fun new way to shop local with bulk pricing.
Ayoub
3075 Main St, Vancouver, BC V5T 3G6
604-986- 6887
ayoubs.ca
