Spice Profile: Gumbo File Sassafras albidum What is Gumbo File? Gumbo File is the dried and ground leaf of the North American Sassafras tree. It is used as an herb in Creole cooking. How Can I Use Gumbo File? Gumbo File is used in one specific dish, Gumbo. It is used as both a thickener and as a seasoning. What is the History of Gumbo File? Sassafras leaves were first used as a seasoning by the Choctaw indians in the American South. Its use in gumbo dates back to the late 1800s or early 1900s. How to Grow and Plant Gumbo File Sassafras trees are native to...
Spice Profile: Ginger Zingiber officinale What is Ginger? Ginger is an aromatic root used for culinary and medicinal purposes. How Can I Use Ginger? Ginger is most commonly available in powdered or fresh forms. The powdered form is used to give a warm and spicy flavor to baked goods. The fresh form is grated or minced and added to many types of Asian dishes. In addition, ginger can be pickled and used as a condiment or candied for a sweet and spicy treat. Also, ginger is used in beverages such as ginger ale, ginger beer and ginger tea. What is the History of Ginger?...
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 ...
Spice Profile: Garlic Allium Sativum Types of Garlic Although most grocery stores only carry one type of garlic, there are many types being cultivated throughout the world. Garlic varieties are divided into two categories, hardneck and softneck. The variety you see in most grocery stores is softneck. It produces more cloves and has a lighter flavor than the strong bite of hardneck. Hardneck can be found at farmers markets and has lovely pinkish hue to the skins. It has a much stronger flavor than softneck. In addition, there is a beautiful pink variety of garlic called Creole. The bulb referred to...
