Spice Blog

Understanding Spices

What is miso? Miso means ‘fermented beans’ in Japanese. It’s a fermented paste which adds a savoury, umami-rich flavour to all kinds of dishes. It’s an essential ingredient in Japanese...

Spicy Adventures

Sometimes, all you need is a simple, no-fuss recipe for those moments when you don’t feel like getting all the different pots and pans out. One-pot recipes are a saviour...

Champagne, canapes and sparklers are all New Year's Eve essentials. But in other parts of the world, so are food items such as grapes and soba noodles. As the new...

Understanding Spices

As we learn more about refined sugars and the health issues associated with them, the more we turn to natural alternatives like coconut sugar, date syrup and blackstrap molasses. These...

Understanding Spices

What are oats? Oats are grains from the Avena sativa plant, a species of cereal grain grown for its seed. Oats are believed to have been cultivated by the Greeks...

Understanding Spices

Substitutes for Herbs and Spices. Many of us know that sinking feeling when, having enthusiastically embarked on an interesting recipe, we find we are missing an essential ingredient, necessitating an...

Seasonal Ideas

Small Business Saturday is the UK’s most successful small business campaign, taking place on the first Saturday of December each year. The campaign rallies small businesses to promote themselves and...

Understanding Spices

What is quatre-epices? Quatre-epices means ‘four spices’ in French, and is made up of ground black or white pepper, cloves, nutmeg and dried ginger. This traditional spice blend can be...

Here’s everything you need to know about these small buds called capers and how to cook with them. What are capers? Capers are the small flower buds of the Capparis...

Mindful chef was founded by two friends Myles Hopper & Giles Humphries back in 2015. Their shared interest in nutrition and ambition to help others with easy, healthy meals brought...

Mediterranean cuisine is full of exciting flavours, from fresh and peppery herbs, to tangy and salty cheeses. The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the world’s healthiest diets, and is...

Understanding Spices

Olive oil is one of the most popular cooking oils used today. It’s the liquid fat which comes from olives, a fruit of a tree native to the Mediterranean. Olive...

Seasonal Ideas

Surprise your friends and family this Christmas with a homemade treat. Christmas is all about food, friends and family. And what better way to get into the festive spirit than...

Spicy Adventures

Jackfruit is becoming an increasingly popular item on menus. Here’s everything you need to know about the fruit. What is jackfruit? Jackfruit is a tropical fruit from the same family...

Health and Wellbeing

Here’s everything you need to know about this legume, from its health benefits to how to cook with it. What are chickpeas? Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a...

Understanding Spices

We have all probably heard or seen an advert for Gousto on the many platforms we have these days, but did you know Gousto had an online cookbook using a...

Understanding Spices

We were asked recently if our spices and spice blends contained sulphites. It turns out that this question wasn’t straight forward, so we thought we would write a short blog...

Understanding Spices

Mexican food is bright and colourful, making the most of fresh produce, fragrant herbs and bold spices to create intense flavours. Starting with the native foods and flavours of Mexico,...

Health and Wellbeing

Here’s everything you need to know about this plant-protein ingredient and how to cook with it. What is tofu? Tofu is a food made from soya milk which is curdled...

Understanding Spices

What is zahtar? Zahtar (also spelt za’atar or zaatar) is a Middle Eastern spice blend and is a gateway into Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s a delightful blend of so many...

Understanding Spices

What is wasabi? Wasabi is from the plant family Brassicaceae also referred to as Japanese horseradish plant. Fresh wasabi rhizome can be grated and ground to form a paste and...

News

We are pleased to announce that the following products have been awarded a Great Taste award 2021. The largest and most trusted food and drink awards on the planet, we...

Understanding Spices

Vietnamese food is a colourful blend of flavours and aromas. It’s very balanced, reflecting the Buddhist five-element philosophy which pairs a natural element (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) with...

Featured, Understanding Spices

Thai cuisine is known for its complex flavours and mix of sour, sweet, bitter and salty. If you’re looking to cook more Thai dishes at home, the first thing you...

News

WE WON 6 GREAT TASTE AWARDS 2020 We work so hard in providing you with the best herbs, spices, spice mixes and gourmet cooking sauces on the market. We couldn’t...

Understanding Spices

What is lemongrass? Lemongrass (Cymbopogon) is a tall, perennial grass which is native to Asia, Australia and Africa. It also goes by the name barbed wire grass, silky heads, Cochin...

Health and Wellbeing

When it comes to making your home more environmentally friendly, the kitchen is a great place to start. Whether it’s food prep, cooking, cleaning up or enjoying a drink on...

Understanding Spices

Do you have a tin of beans that’s been hiding away in the back of your pantry for… who knows how long? Well, it’s time to make good use of...

Spicy Adventures

It’s important to know where your herbs and spices are sourced from and all the hard work that goes into the process too! We thought we would share a compilation...

Understanding Spices

Ferments have been around for thousands of years. It started out as a necessity, a way to preserve food for longer. Many cultures have fermented food in their culinary heritage,...

Spicy Adventures

The UK has plenty to offer visitors, from the seaside to castles and world-class cities. But while British food has never really been a drawing factor, times are changing and...

Understanding Spices

Craving Japanese food and fancy a crack at making a few dishes yourself? The first thing you need to do is assemble all the right ingredients. Shopping for Japanese products...

Understanding Spices

All types of tea come from the Camellia sinensis plant. Originating in southern China thousands of years ago, there are two main varieties of the plant: Camellia sinensis var. sinensis,...

Understanding Spices

Since the dawn of humans, volcanoes have been present in our culture, history and general existence. Ethiopia - where modern Homo Sapiens first appeared - is chocked full of them....

Spicy Adventures

It’s no secret that the Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest in the world. It’s full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, healthy fats like olive oil, and seafood...

Spicy Adventures

If you’re travelling through Indonesia, island hopping by bus, train, plane, ferry or however else you can imagine moving around, we challenge you to travel more than five minutes without...