Recently Mike and I were sitting on our back porch as we often enjoy doing and I could smell spring. Buds have burst open in the trees and tulips and daffodils are beginning to bloom here in Colorado. Things feel fresh and new, delightful even, and that’s the exact feeling we’ve been working to capture at Savory Spice.
Variety is the spice of life... but try explaining that to my 4-year-old who whines because dinner isn’t mac and cheese (again). Both of my daughters can be picky eaters, which admittingly is frustrating for someone like myself who has few qualms when it comes to trying new foods. “Where is the trust?” I ask aloud when my daughters reject something new I offer them. According to them, it went away with the gross jelly bean flavors I once tricked them into eating. Touché.
Mother’s Day is fast approaching and while we may not be able to give our moms everything they deserve, we can treat them to some delicious food on their day. Great meals (and maybe some flowers!) will guarantee an extra-special holiday for the whole family. (Pictured above: Spice 'n Easy Saffron & Chanterelle Risotto)
Did you know that this common addition to many spice cabinets was created so long ago, it pre-dates the dinosaurs? This pink salt is believed to quite possibly be the most ancient of all sea salts. Dried up oceans have left salt beds hundreds of feet deep under the Himalayan region. Local salt miners now work to extract this 250 million+ year old mineral by hand. This rare salt is then loaded onto yaks and brought down the mountain to be distributed throughout Pakistan via the same trade route that has been used for centuries. (Pictured above: Khewra Salt Mine)
Quick: name an ingredient that’s packed full of umami savoriness, ripe sweetness, and just a touch of tart acidity. If you answered tomatoes, you’re right! While those descriptions are perfectly apt for bright red, mid-summer tomatoes, it can be difficult to get the same deliciousness from the sad, pale tomatoes that fill grocery store produce shelves for the other three-quarters of the year. There’s good news though, and it comes in the form of Tomato Powder!
Let’s be honest, sometimes it feels like the universe is conspiring against your intentions for a good dinner. Whether it’s a late night at the office, the fact that you ran out of time to go grocery shopping this weekend, or playing chauffer for too many extra-curricular activities, there are nights that you just have to do a quick and easy dinner. But compromising on time doesn’t have to mean compromising on flavor.
Juice cleanses, the Paleo diet, and kale-everything are all trends that have had their rise and fall in our modern food scene, but there’s one movement that’s surpassed them all: vegetarianism.
It’s easier than ever to find delicious, plant-based foods in grocery stores and restaurants. Even if you’re not up for completely cutting meat out of your life, skipping it for even one day of the week can be a great way to cook and eat something new! Here are some of my favorite recipes, spices, and tips for your next Meatless Monday. (Pictured above: Sweet & Sour Stir-Fry with Sesame Tofu)
Cinnamon has woven itself through the fabric of our history and into our hearts. For me, it’s memories of mom’s “special breakfast” of baked apple with cinnamon and sugar, an adolescent winter walk warmed by my first (very sugary) coffee, and of course all things Christmas. But have you ever wondered where the cinnamon on your table comes from and how it gets there?
