Inspiration / Spice Information

Japanese cooking can be a daunting enterprise for a western cook with its exotic array of ingredients, methods, and tools. We can’t explain all of that today, but we can give you a crash course on the top 12 flavors you should definitely know to get started! Dry Ingredients To our dismay, you are unlikely to find a spice rack in a traditional Japanese kitchen. Japanese chefs use very few dried herbs or spices, instead developing flavors from fresh ingredients, seaweeds, pastes, and liquid condiments. That being said, there are a few critical dried materials that have become essential to...

When we first started AllSpice, one of the biggest challenges and biggest joys was creating the list of spice labels. We gathered spice lists from all the best specialty spice shops, websites and books about spices herbs and blends. From there we culled and curated to create a list meant to be comprehensive, but also inspiring. We knew we couldn't cover everything that would be in everyone's rack (which is why we offer custom labels for those who have truly unique spices), but we wanted to cover most of the common spices, allow for variations and include some fun and...

The single most important thing to remember when thinking about your spices is to buy fresh, high quality spices. I have written, on this blog, before about finding a quality spice purveyor to frequent for the very best spices. The secret about quality spice purveyors is that there are other added benefits! One of our favorite benefits is the opportunity to buy various quantities in bulk rather than having to buy a set quantity in a jar that you will end up throwing away anyway. Buying only the amount of spice you want or need will help eliminate waste and...

Spices and herbs have long been used for medicinal and magical purposes. Many were used this way long before they were used for culinary purposes. Looking back at the history of spices and herbs, some uses seem absurd, while others are now being scientifically proven to be legitimate therapies and cures. One of our favorite parts of the storied history of herbs and spices is the naming that has occurred through the years. Below are some of our favorite 'witch' names for herbs and spices. To see more names click here Fenugreek- Birds Foot or Cows Horn Chamomile- Blood of Hestia ...

As you may know, HausLogic (the parent company of AllSpice) is a family-owned and run company. Working with your family has its risks and rewards. Luckily for us, the rewards far outweigh the challenges. In our meetings, we catch up, not only on what is happening in the company, but how the grandchildren are doing and where our next vacation will be. We love working together and also traveling together. We are all foodies, so travel often centers around meals and seeking out new flavors.  Recently, Max (the designer of the AllSpice rack, and my brother) and I returned from...