Making Love in the Kitchen

In the home where I grew up, there were two different spices used in our meals: salt and pepper. Both are fine and dandy, if not massively over used, and when I became allergic to black pepper a few years ago (I break out in crazy sexy herpes-style mouth blisters), I knew I needed to add some more spice to my life. Enter turmeric, ginger, coriander, cumin and the list goes on.

The Garam Masala blend has long been a mystery to me. See, for one thing I naively thought garam masala was a spice unto itself, failing to realize that it is actually a mix of spices. The composition of garam masala differs regionally but a standard blend would include black & white peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, star anise and coriander seeds. So do you see my little problem with this blend? Hello pepper! Hello hiding out in my room with ugly allergy face for a week.

As you know, it is rarer than rare that I will show off any of the many wonderful giftolas I am sent, but every so often, a company will contact me and send me something that I can’t resist exploiting. Like an email from the spice goddesses I now refer to as  Taste Spice Company asking what I would like. Hi there flavourful garam masala blend. Yes, I know, I have used all of these spices that make up this blend in many different recipes already (like this curry, this dal, these patties, this soup, or this tea), but I have never created a complete blend of all of them to add a dash here and a dash there to liven up everything from salad dressings to steamed veggies.

Taste Spice Company sent me this beautiful box all wrapped in a bow…
And best of all, the garam masala was not pre-blended! All the spices were in sweet little individual containers and a garam masala recipe was included on how to mix and match these spices to make a great little blend.

Black pepper optional!!!

I am most definitely going to be giving some of their other Taste Boxes a sweet tasting. Next on my list try would have to be the Pumpkin Pie Spice blend which I imagine would be amazing in pumpkin and squash soup and Baharat Taste Box mainly because I haven’t a clue what that one is or what I would do with it. Of course you can also get individual spices and they have the hard to find ones like whole allspice and whole nutmeg or begin to experiment with some beautiful gourmet salts. And who knows, perhaps if you come by for a cooking class, you just might find some of these goodies kicking about the Love In The Kitchen Headquarters.

Mixing things up with new and wonderful fresh spices is an amazingly delicious way to get a little  spicy, creative and experimental in the kitchen… and maybe that just might extend to other areas of your life too. Just saying…

And ps… Another reason I love this company is that they are Canadian like me, have prices quoted in Canadian dollars just like me, and they offer free shipping on orders over $40.00 and well… if you buy me a plane ticket, I’ll come visit you for free so that’s kind of like me too!

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