Inspiration

There simply aren't many places in the world where you will find more interesting or beautiful flora than the UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens. We took a visit recently and were delighted by the number of spices they had growing there. Unfortunately, most were not fruiting at the time, but the foliage was so beautiful we had to share it. We look forward to visiting again when the plants are fruiting to get more stunning photos.

We have to thank our friends at The Spice House for this amazing gingersnap recipe. I think we all agreed that these were the best gingersnaps we had ever had! What makes these gingersnaps so wonderful? The secret ingredient has to be the crystalized ginger nibs. If you are lucky enough to live in Milwaukee, you can buy a special kit from The Spice House, located in the historic Third Ward District, which contains all the spices and the ginger nibs you need to make these. If not, you can order anything you need from their website or visit one of the...

Scientific Name Laurus Nobilis What is Bay? A staple across the mediterranean, Europe and the Americas, Bay leaves are tough, shiny leaves that are added to slow cooked dishes to give a sweet and spicy note similar to eucalyptus. What is the History of Bay? Bay leaves were prized by the Greeks and Romans. The crown of leaves often portrayed on the heads of Greek and Roman scholars was a crown of bay leaves. In fact, the word Baccalaureate means berries of laurel, which refers to the berries grown on the bay leaf tree. How is Bay Grown? There are many varieties...

Scientific Name Ferula Species What is Asafetida? Asafetida is used is used essentially only in Indian cooking. It has a strong onion-garlic flavor. It is the resinous gum from a giant fennel called ferula. It is dried and sold as whole tears, whole lumps, crushed tears, or, most popular, ground tears What is the History of Asafetida? Asafatida is native to Iran and Afghanistan. It has been used for more than 2000 years. It was often used in Roman cooking and arrived in India via the Moghul empire. How is Asafetida Grown? Asafetida is a milky sap that is harvested from three species of...

Several years ago I had the fortune to cook a beautiful, fresh summer dinner in a friend's kitchen in their home just outside of Aix en Provence in the south of France. It was there that I first came in contact with one of my very favorite kitchen tools. There are very few things in the kitchen that I consider 'perfect'. These are things that are beautiful, work well every time and are simple in their design. Of course, my AllSpice rack is one of those things, as is my Shun Santoku knife, but what Im referring to here is...