Spice Station Silverlake

Tomato sauces call out for a dash of this intense
dried form of the common herb. Gardens in Egypt
can produce an intensely flavored leaf with hints
at an anise flavor and mild sweetness. Best in
dishes that will be heated to release the full flavor.

The large dried leaves of the bay laurel tree are one of the oldest herbs used in cookery. Used for shorter cooking times, the California Bay hints at camphor and eucalyptus.

A powdered version of the familiar and often maligned vegetable. Try it in soups and stews or in a vinaigrette. With mild thickening properties it can used to add body to a sauces.

This fiery recipe from Ethiopia and Eritrea is a complex blend of spices and is used in stews (called wats) of meat, vegetable or lentils, and also to coat foods to be fried or grilled. Key spices used are chillies, ginger and cloves, Cumin, allspice, cinnamon, fenugreek and ajowan…among others

This organic bird’s eye chile is small but packs quite a lot of heat. At one time it was even listed as the hottest chili in the Guinness Book of World Records but other hotter varieties of chili have since been identified. It’s what gives local dishes such as bicol express their fiery zing. It is also used to flavor vinegar.

OUT OF STOCK

Black cumin grows wild in Iran and Kashmir. Called royal cumin, or kala jeera in India, the small, dark brown, curved seeds are highly aromatic, with a resinous, astringent flavor that’s sweeter and more complex than common cumin. It’s preferred for northern Indian meat kormas and shows up in savory dishes of North Africa and the Middle East.

OUT OF STOCK

The highly aromatic, somewhat fermented flavor notes in black limes complement chicken and fish particularly well. Surprisingly, one or two pierced black limes in an oxtail stew give it a welcome degree of piquancy. When adding whole black limes to a dish or putting one in the
cavity of poultry before cooking, make a few holes with a skewer or the tines of a fork to allow the cooking juices to infuse with the tasty inside.

The Smoked black pepper many of us use every day to season food has a wide variety of medicinal applications. Ancient herbalists used pepper as a stimulant to weak membranes, especially to treat runny nose, and also to treat hemorrhoids. This is certified organic.

Truffles are a genuine treasure imported from Italy. Fusion Black Truffle Salt utilizes the unique power of sea salt to intensify the aroma and complex flavors of this exquisite mushroom. Truffle salt is ideal with egg dishes, pasta, mashed potatoes, red meat… even on buttered popcorn.

Hand harvested from the Andes Mountain range in Bolivia. Ancient sea salt deposits were covered with volcanic lava creating this high mineral salt and protecting it from pollution. The light rose & orange color of Bolivian Rose makes it gorgeous when presented in a clear salt shaker or mill.

Cajun Creole can be used in many ways but one of our favorites is making crawfish. Corn and tomatoes are always a needed for a great crawfish dish. Some call this Cajun smothered corn. You can also use canned whole kernel combined with cream style corn. Another cool recipe is to add an ounce of CCB to a pound of ground beef and fry some Cajun sliders…delicious.

The California is a beautiful russet red, translucent, thin-walled dried chile, measuring between 10-15 cm in length and between 2.5-3.25 cm in width. Most chiles grow hanging downwards (pendant).

It’s an essential taste in sauerbraten, sauerkraut and rye bread. It figures
prominently in the cuisines of Germany, Austria, eastern Europe and
Scandinavia. It seems to have a special affinity for apples, pork and sausages.

One of the world’s very ancient spices. Cardamom is often included in Indian sweet dishes and drinks. At least partially because of its high price, it is seen as a ‘festive’ spice. Other uses are; in pickles, especially pickled herring; in punches and mulled wines; occasionally with meat,
poultry and shellfish.

Bright and strong flavors have a camphor-like quality and citrus intensity. The pods can be shelled to collect and grind the seeds or used whole in chai.

Diced carrot pieces can be added to soup mixes and re-hydrate to a sweet
and intense flavor. These also make an interesting base for homemade hot
sauces as they combine very well with chiles.