After completing a tour of duty in Afghanistan, a team of U.S. Army veterans founded Rumi Spice, a company that grows, collects, and exports saffron, giving hundreds of local women well-paying jobs. It turns out that a good deal of saffron sold around the world is either old or made from dyed corn silk—Rumi Spice sells the real thing. This is premium saffron: collected by hand, sustainably farmed and ethically sourced. Here at Milk Street, we support the notion of helping the women of Afghanistan earn their own money directly for the first time in their lives.

Hand-picked by Afghan women in the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains, Wild Black Cumin is a bit earthier and mellower than grocery-store versions. Its flavor is remarkably well rounded compared to the bitter harsh flavor of raw cumin from grocery stores. Because it is foraged from the wild, this cumin has unique flavor characteristics and a more concentrated flavor from its native terroir.

Founded in 2015 by a team of U.S. Army veterans who served in Afghanistan, Rumi Spice partners with more than 350 small village farmers to source hard-to-find Afghan spices. The company has provided jobs for more than 3,700 women and works to boost local agricultural economies. Every step of production, from harvesting to packaging in BPA-free glass bottles, is done in Afghanistan so that locals receive their fair share of the profits.

• Net Weight: 2.1 ounces
• Ingredients: Whole black cumin
• Place of Origin: Hindu Kush mountains, Afghanistan

These petite fennel seeds have such a potent flavor that they might even be better than fresh fennel. Earthier than tarragon, greener than star anise, and more savory than aniseed, Wild Foraged Afghan Fennel is amazingly aromatic and has warm notes of licorice. These whole seeds are harvested each summer from the outskirts of Herat by local foragers.

Founded in 2015 by a team of U.S. Army veterans who served in Afghanistan, Rumi Spice partners with more than 350 small village farmers to source hard-to-find Afghan spices. The company has provided jobs for more than 3,700 women and works to boost local agricultural economies. Every step of production, from harvesting to packaging in BPA-free glass bottles, is done in Afghanistan so that locals receive their fair share of the profits.

• Net Weight: 2.1 ounces
• Ingredients: Whole fennel
• Place of Origin: Herat, Afghanistan