Dukkah

Dukkah: An Ancient Egyptian Condiment

Dukkah is a traditional Egyptian spice blend that has been widely used across the Middle East since the age of ancient Egypt. The name can be spelled dukkah, dukkha or even duqqa; translated from the Arabic, it means “to pound.” Traditionally, the herbs, spices and nuts used to make dukkah …

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Pumpkin Pie Spice

Pumpkin Pie Spice: The Taste of Fall

Pumpkin pie spice is a seasonal mix of spices that tends to show up in recipes and on menus around fall. In fact, it is intended to evoke the taste of fall. Pumpkin pie spice started with the pumpkin and the early European immigrants in America. The pumpkin was a …

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Chili Powder

Chili Powder: The Authentic Tex-Mex Spice

Chili peppers have been a part of the human diet since 7500 BC with Christopher Columbus being the first European to encounter them. He was also the first to call them “peppers” because their taste was reminiscent of black pepper. Because of Columbus, South American chili peppers would spread around …

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Chinese Five Spice Powder

Chinese Five-Spice Powder: Balancing the Elements

Five-spice powder gets its name from the five elements, not because it contains five spices as many believe. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the five elements are manifested in different parts of the body and if there are imbalances in these elements, disease can result. For thousands of years, different …

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Curry Powder

Curry Powder: Both Sweet And Savory

The history of curry powder The word curry is thought to originate from kari, the Tamil word for a thin sauce containing spices served in southern India. It was one of that region’s many gravy-like accompaniments for meat and vegetables. The Portuguese are credited with bringing the term back to …

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Garam Masala

Garam Masala: India’s Most Complex & Healthful Spice Blend

Garam Masala is a complex blend of many spices that originated in Northern India. While it was first used during the cold winters to help warm all those who enjoyed it, it quickly gained popular and is now a staple of traditional Indian cuisine. Translated, Garam Masala means “hot spices”. …

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Herbes de Provence

Herbes de Provence: Flavors of the French Countryside

Origin of Herbes de Provence

Herbes de Provence (or “Herbs of Provence”) is a mixture consisting of common herbs native to the Provence region in southeast France.

As French cuisine gained popularity in the U.S. and abroad during the 1970’s, commercial herb blends bearing the name “Herbes de Provence” began to become available. However, these mixtures typically come from North Africa, China, and Central and eastern Europe—not from France.

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Mojo Seasoning

Mojo Seasoning: A Charm Of A Spice

Mojo originated in the Canary Islands and is actual a spice blend created by combining several different spices to create a unique flavor. Over time, Canary Island mojo has been adopted by many other cultures, each varying the mixture of spices it contains their own regional flavor influences. Mojo Seasoning …

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