Friday, 28 March 2025

The Spice of Life

 


Alan bought me this lovely Indian Spice Tin for Christmas last year.  We were shopping in Booths and had nipped upstairs for a bacon butty for his Lordship and a coffee for both of us, and then we had a look at their beautiful gift department, that in our store is situated just at the bottom of the stairs to the café.  It must have been having a full tummy and a happy heart that made him drop the spice tin into our trolley as soon as I had said the words ... 'ooh I have always wanted one of those'.  

No sooner said than bought.  I did have to wait until Christmas morning to play with my lovely new toy though.  😄 


It came wrapped in a beautiful sari fabric, similar to this one and it's almost a shame not to keep it in that but now it's naked in my cupboard, always ready for action.  I would love to have it out on the side of the cooker as it is in regular use, but spices like to be out of the light ... so I am being good.


It is slowly taking the place of my spice drawer, but I am finding it hard to downscale to just seven herbs and spices.

I think with the larger bags that I bought the other day I might decant them into larger jars and add them to the other things in the main food cupboard that keep me on the spicier side of life.  I think I need a spice edit.

My favourite spice is cumin, and is the one that I always chose for the Ration Challenge ... what is your favourite and most used spice?


Sue xx


26 comments:

  1. I’d say cinnamon which is boring but I put it on my porridge every morning as it’s supposed to help regulate blood sugar. Catriona

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    1. I've never thought to add it to porridge, literally the only thing I use cinnamon on at the moment are apples when I'm cooking them or making a crumble or pie. I need to be more adventurous. :-)

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  2. Ooh how lovely that spice tin is.
    I too love cumin and cinnamon x
    Alison in Wales x

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    1. I agree. Cumin is my favorite for savoury, cinnamon for sweeter food. ~ skye

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    2. It really is isn't it Alison. Cumin just adds so much depth to so many dishes doesn't it. :-)

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    3. It seems you both have similar tastes, Skye. :-)

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  3. I like adding turmeric to cooking. Cumin is good though.

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    1. Turmeric is great isn't it, I nearly always add it to rice for both the flavour and the colour. I have accidentally dyed so many dishcloths that beautiful turmeric colour, it can get messy. ;-)

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  4. I use a lot of ginger in my baking. Cinnamon too. On the savoury side, Smoked Paprika.

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    1. It's funny although I quite like ginger I don't use it that often, and seldom in sweet things. I should!!

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  5. I love cumin, perfect in Mediterranean and Indian dishes but I think my new favourite is za'atar. xxx

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    1. Ooh, I have some za'atar, it came with the tin. I should give it a go as I have never tasted it before. Time for some experimentation methinks. :-)

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  6. Turmeric...good luck in your spice edit. Happy Friday!

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    1. It is a good allrounder isn't it, and adds beautiful colour to so many dishes. :-)

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  7. Hmmm, I think I would be hard pressed to pick just one. I love turmeric, masala, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, chili. Oh forget it, just give me every single spice available to be used.

    God bless.

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    1. Haha ... if you like spice, you like spice. I want to try and use more and more in the immediate future. :-)

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  8. I loved the spice tin so much that I looked it up on the Spice Kitchen site and almost sent for one and then realised that I probably wouldn't use it (we have a superb Indian takeaway just up the road). I know that you will use your one a lot. I love cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and chili. Audrey from New Zealand

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    1. It does make making a curry a lot easier having the tin next to me on the worktop, instead of opening all the little jars. :-)

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  9. I like you spice tin! And how nicely organized your spice drawer is! My spices are in assorted random bottles and jars in a drawer that's too small! My favorite spices have to include curry powder and chili powder!

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    1. I do have a couple of larger jars that don't fit in the drawers in the cupboard, but it's handy having most of them all lined up under where I am preparing meals. Oh yes curry powder, I think if I was limited to one spice for all time I would have to choose a good curry powder. It's something we weren't allowed to choose for the Ration Challenge as it is a blend of other spices, there were a LOT of complaints about that.

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  10. My sister brought me one of those spice tins back from India when she went. I love it except the little cups are so small I seem to be for ever filling them up ( I must use more spice than I thought ! ) My most used spices are chilli powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, ginger and garam masala. Fiona x

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    1. Yes, they do only hold a couple of weeks of spices for me at the rate I'm using them now. I might be filling them up more often in the future though. :-)

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  11. What a fab gift.
    Lied you, I would struggle to manage with just a few spices and I can't really say what my favourite one would be. Chilli flakes, maybe, but I have several. xx

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    1. I think chilli flakes and powder are the spices I use the least. If I do use chilli flakes it's the tiniest pinch. Yep, I'm a chilli wuss. 😄

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  12. I like to sprinkle chipotle pepper on things, also use a lot of basil and oregano for Italian dishes and thyme gets used when I make soups.

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    1. I use a lot of fresh basil and thyme, but I tend to use dried mixed herbs in a lot of dishes.

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