PRESS
“’Idaho’s capital city has seen an influx of new restaurants, food trucks, and mobile pop-ups’:
“How Boise, Idaho, Became a Sanctuary for Refugees and Their Cuisine. Becoming a “Welcoming City” has been a boon to the region’s restaurants.”
Atlas Obscura
The Fall of Afghanistan
The Shams Sisters were featured in articles about the Fall of Afghanistan because they fled the Taliban in the 90s as well as still have family there.
Four sisters bring taste of Afghanistan to Boise.
Their cafe’s grand opening is this week.
Opening the eatery is a sibling-powered achievement for the Shams sisters — Homeyra, Bahar, Narges and Khatera. Their family came to Boise in 2003.
Words & Deeds, Idaho Statesman
Around the World in Boise: A Sampling of International Cuisine in the City of Trees
Sunshine Spice Cafe is featured on Visit Idaho's website in an article on international cuisine in Boise, ID.
Visit Idaho, Travel Tips
"Even before the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan, the Sham sisters were using their Boise business to help women in Afghanistan."
KTVB reached out to the Shams sisters when the news of Afghanistan reached Idaho. Because they fled the Taliban and still have family there, they lend a unique and personal perspective to the ongoing crisis.
“The time is right:
After watching Boise grow, four sisters
to open new Afghan cafe”
“Sunshine spice” is a nickname for saffron, an exquisite ingredient in Iranian, Afghan and other cuisines. Sunshine Spice Cafe’s menu will highlight saffron, also drawing influences from South and Central Asia and the Middle East, Shams says.
“My mother kept cooking all the Afghani food no matter where we were,” she says. “... So we will have that focus, mixing in some Asian, Turkish — Iran, Iraq. Turkish coffee, for example, is going to be along with our saffron tea. That area of the world.”