Spice Station Silverlake

Used extensively in Southwestern cuisine, the whole pods are often seen in decorative chile bundles called ristras that have become the symbol of New Mexico. Pureed in traditional sauces, combined with tomatoes or tomatillos, in stews, soups and casseroles you won’t spend a half hour in Santa Fe without running into these versatile chiles. Convenient crushed form.

Nutmeg has long been lauded as possessing or imparting magical powers, is usually associated with sweet, spicy dishes — pies, puddings, custards, cookies and spice cakes. It is indispensable to eggnog and numerous mulled wines and punches.

Onion is a basic flavouring in the kitchen. Used in soups, pickles and cooked vegetable dishes, sauces, hearty casseroles, and bean and lentil dishes.
Often accompanies meat, such as shepherds pie and meat loaf.

Anyone who has tasted a tomato-sauce-topped pizza can recall its flavor, which is hearty and assertive with a peppery bite and a zing. Use Greek oregano in Italian, French, and (obviously) Greek recipes.

Mexican Oregano has a much stronger flavor than the common Italian and Greek oreganos found on grocery store shelves. Mexican Oregano’s flavor has quickly gained popularity with some chefs in recent years for its strong flavor and subtle sweetness that are unique to this oregano from south of the boarder. Mexican Oregano’s flavor is still very similar so it is a good substitute for the more traditional Mediterranean oreganos as long as it is added at about half the amount called. Add it to Mexican and southwest recipes calling for “Mexican Oregano” at the amount called for to add a potent oregano flavor.

This recipe originates from the region of Bangal and is commonly used for pickling mango. The blend consists of Kalonji seed, fenugreek, cumin, fennel seed and brown mustard seed.

Paprika is intimately associated with Hungarian cuisine especially paprikash and goulash. Many spiced sausages incorporate it, including the Spanish chorizos. Paprika is often used as a garnish, spinkled on eggs, hors d’ouvres and salads for colour.

The smoked varieties of paprika are made traditionally by drying ripe, freshly harvested fruits in low-lying, adobe smoke houses gently heated by smoking grills fired with slow-burning oak wood. In home cooking sweet paprika is the mandatory ingredient which gives Hungarian goulashes characteristic color and flavor. Paprika complements chicken, veal and pork casseroles, egg dishes when used as a garnish, sauces, meat loaf, and barbecued and roast meats when sprinkled on before cooking.

Parsley has been cultivated and developed over so many centuries that its precise origins are difficult to pinpoint, used in omelets, scrambled eggs,
mashed potatoes, soups, pasta and vegetable dishes and in sauces to go with fish, poultry, veal and pork.

Used in tamales and quesadillas, and can be interchanged with the poblano in many instances. In Spanish, pasilla means little raisin, and this pepper is so named because of its deep black color and raisin like aroma. It is mild with a smoky flavor.

Negro is an elongated, flat chile, measuring 6 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. The pasilla’s wrinkled body curves into an arc. The color of this pepper is dark purple-black; similar to the color of an Eggplant or a Raisin. This thin fleshed chile has a berry flavor with herbaceous tones. Use it in traditional Mexican recipes. Be adventurous and add it to meat loaf, beef stew or corn chowder. Great in sauces, salsa and soups. This chile is a flavorful ingredient for cream sauce dishes.

A most versatile seasoning to have. Add it to pasta sauces and forget about that jar of dolmio. Basil, marjoram and oregano as key notes, also includes allspice, thyme, sun-dried tomatoes, leeks, chives and much more…

Green pepper is from the same fruit as the black, but is harvested before they mature. Green pepper is milder with a cleaner, fresher flavor. Green peppercorns can be mashed with garlic, cinnamon or to make a spiced butter or with cream to make a fresh and attractive sauce for fish. It is often used in white sauces rather than black pepper, which would give the sauce a speckled appearance. It’s best ground directly on to food. With hot food it is best to add pepper well towards the end of the cooking process, to preserve its aroma.

The pink peppercorn is the semi-ripe berry of the schinus bush and not a true peppercorn. Often used as a component of “gourmet pepper” for grinding we discourage this as the
green and black peppercorns easily overpower this sweet and mild spice. Try grinding it fresh with cumin and thyme as a seasoning for swordfish or chicken. We also like it in cabbage slaw or along with a light basil pesto.

The dried berry from the Chinese prickly ash bush, this spice has a tingly flavor that is unique. Use like pepper for a tasty change of pace. Excellent with duck and chicken, to preserve its aroma.

White peppercorns start out the same as the black, but are allowed to ripen more fully on the vine. The outer shell is then removed by soaking the berries in water until the shell falls off, or by holding them under flowing spring water, yielding a whiter, cleaner pepper. White pepper is less pungent. It is often used in white sauces rather than black pepper, which would give the sauce a speckled appearance. It is best ground directly on to food. With hot food it is best to add pepper well towards the end of the cooking process, to preserve its aroma.