A Life of Spice

iSPICE: Salted! Washington Post Online, March 2010

  

When I talked with Mark Bitterman about salt, everything I knew flew out the window. CHeck out this very informative interview. 

iSPICE: Solving the mystery of MISO, Washington Post online

 

Miso has been a recent addition to my kitchen and now I cannot imagine how I lived without it! This ingredient, in addition to be great to cook with, has almost magical health benefits. 

Read more in today's iSPICE that features two of my favorite writers - cookbook author Robin Asbell and blogger Joseph Erdos. 

And then there is the recipe by the totally superb John Ash. I adapted a recipe from his One on One cooking book - the perfect miso glazed salmon. You have to check it out! It could be what is for dinner tonite! ( Many thanks to my friend Diana Burrell who introduced me to this recipe a while ago). 

I served mine with pickled radishes from H Mart.

  

iSPICE: Panch Phoron, The magical spice mix, Washington Post online

(Photos courtesy of Suresh Hinduja)

 

I adore Panch Phoron - the five spice mix consisting of nigella seeds, cumin, fennel, fenugreek and mustard seeds. It's charm lies in its ease of use. 

 

Check out the column this week for an informative piece on Panch Phoron and a fantastic recipe for Paanch Phoron fish fillets developed by GourmetIndia.com's Suresh Hinduja. 

iSPICE: Berbere, Washington Post online

Ethiopian spices seem so similar to Indian ones that when I first heard about berbere, I knew I had to try it. Berbere, an absolutely delightful mix of spices used extensively in Ethiopian cuisine, is unique to each household, as are so many such mixes. It can comprise garlic, chiles, fenugreek -- and so much more.

Read more for an incredible recipe of Doro Wat by J.M. Hirsch who talks about raising why berbere and testosterone dont mix! Check out his informative site as well. 

 Photo of Doro Wat provided by J.M. Hirsch. 

iSPICE: Spice Disasters, Washington Post online

 

This week iSPICE focuses in all we have gotten wrong in the spice kitchen! Some fun, some funnier and some totally out of the pantry incidents make this a fun read. I hope that you will continue to send me more of your disasters and I will include them, along with my own, in the next series:

iSPICE - Spice disasters 

Be careful of too much pepper - 

 iSPICE - Spice disasters 

iSPICE: Fenugreek, Washington Post Online

Remember all the fuss in New York a few years ago about a strange maple syrup aromapermeating the city? Well, last year investigators found the culprit: fenugreek seeds.

 
 

 

Read all about the seeds, the leaves (both fresh and dried) in my column this week. And then try the recipe for our favorite Fenugreek Chicken. 

 

iSPICE: Ginger, Washington Post Online

We are a ginger-obsessed family. It shows up in everything in our house from tea to desserts. I get so many letters from people asking me how to use it, how to store it, how to become obsessed with it.  And of course, who better to tell you about ginger than the amazing Melissa Clark with me applauding in the background. She is nothing short of terrific and I am honored that I had the pleasure of interviewing her for this. 

iSPICE -GINGER with Melissa Clark

And the recipe -- donuts with ginger. You GOTTA check it out!!!

 

iSPICE: Allspice, Washington Post online

 

It is found in rum and in ketchup! iSpice allspice this week is with the very talented Anissa Helou. I adore her work and was so honored to be able to interview her. 

Click here to read more about the spice and how to use it in lamb and okra stew. 

Looking for me? I am here on Mondays!!

Photo by wasabimon 

I am the weekly food blogger for AARP.ORG. Have burning food questions? Send them to me and I will try to find the answers for you!

You can check out the previous questions here -- http://www.aarpmagazine.org/goodfood/ask_us.html

iSPICE: Sesame Seeds, Washington Post online

 

Cheryl Sternman Rule has one of the most amazing blogs I have ever seen and add her wonderful recipes and food writing to that mix and you have a must read! I interviewed her about her love of sesame seeds. 

Read more here and be sure to try her amazing pancake recipe.