Kroger Ancho Chile Pepper

I didn't know ancho chili pepper existed until I the recipe I'm going to do next called for it.


It blows my mind that it's dried poblano peppers ground up. How is it red? What is happening? Oh, I get it, the poblanos are ripened first.


Kroger ancho chile pepper, available in the spice section of the baking aisle at Ralph's for $1.99 a 2-oz container. I'm gonna guess there are 20 teaspoons in the can, making each one about $0.10.

Trade Winds Whole Allspice

Back in December I bought this, thinking "I'm going to bake every pumpkin recipe in the world soon so I might as well get some more allspice."


And I picked up an industrial size of allspice, one that will probably last my entire life. It'll be on the shelf next to the lifetime supply of kitchen twine.


Look at them. Aren't they sort of cute and barky looking all at the same time?


They should last a loooong time since I'll have to grind the whole allspice berries by hand in the mortar and pestle.


That's okay though, it smells so good!


According to Larousse Gastronomique:

Allspice, aka piment de la jamaique is

A spice, also known as Jamaican pepper that is ground from the unripe berries of Pimenta officinalis, a tree which grows in the Caribbean, Honduras, and Mexico. Allspice has a strong odour of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves, which is why it is sometimes mistaken for a mixture of different spices. It is used to season sausages, salt beef and pork, pickles, sauces, soused herrings, stuffings, and even Christmas cake.

Let's not forget turkey brine and anything calling for pumpkin pie spice.

Trade Winds Whole Allspice, available in the spice section of Smart & Final for $4.79/6 ounces.

Maldon Sea Salt Flakes

The salted caramel recipe calls for sea salt.


I didn't want to use the sea salt I have, the Mediterranean sea salt from Costco. The granules are huge. Caramels shouldn't have salt boulders on them.


Maldon flakes were recommended by every sales person in the store.


I mean, RAVE reviews.


I hope I am in love with these flakes as those ladies at the store. They cost a mint.


Maldon Sea Salt Flakes, available at Williams Sonoma in the seasonings/salt section for $10.98/8.5 oz. Yeah, that's more than $22 a pound. For salt.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

How many times do you make a little batch of pumpkin pie spice before you say "screw this shit" and make a big one? It looks like it takes me about 4 times.

Using the same ratios (4:2:1:1) as before, I combined cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice.

Pumpkin Pie Spice
from Scuba Bear's comment on this pie
click to print

1 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ginger
3/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp allspice

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and transfer to a storage container.


My storage container of choice was a freshly emptied whole allspice container.

And then I made some more Pumpkin-Spiced Granola. It's so good; of all the granola I've ever made in life this recipe is the best.


And now I'm down to 45.5 cups of pumpkin puree.

Latin Spice Mix

I bought a copy of Bon Appetite back in December 1999 because I was enthralled with the cover photo. It's the magazine that had the insanely good pie recipe in it. There are a couple of menus in that magazine and wouldn't it be nice if I did a whole menu?

This mix is utilized in a few of the menu recipes. Realizing after I brought it home that the coriander seed I'd purchased was ground, I was forced to adapt.

Latin Spice Mix
adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2000 and found at Epicurious
click to print

1/4 c cumin seeds
3 tbsp whole black peppercorns
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp sea salt

Combine cumin and peppercorns in heavy medium skillet.


Stir over medium heat until beginning to toast, about 5 minutes. Add coriander and remove from heat once fragrant, about 3 minutes.


Cool slightly. Finely grind toasted spices in blender.


Transfer to small bowl. Mix in sugar and salt.


It smells awesome!! I have no idea how to price this.

Private Selection Ground Coriander Seed

You know coriander is cilantro, right? Does any recipe ever ask for dried cilantro or cilantro seeds? I don't think so. But when it's fresh cilantro is called for. Isn't that weird? It's like the grape/raisin of the spices.


Interestingly, the little description says it goes well with beef, chicken, and seafood. I'll be using it on pork. Is this foreshadowing?


I had assumed that since the ingredient statement just said "coriander seed" that the seeds would be whole. Imagine my surprise when I popped the sprinkler top off and removed the freshness/safety seal...


and found it was ground. Looking more closely, I see that it says so right there on the front of the label.


Looking it up in the Larousse, I found information including this tid-bit:

Coriander leaves, commonly known as Arab parsley or Chinese parsley in France and a Greek parsley in Britain, can be used like parsley: the leaves feature especially in the cuisine of China, Southeast Asia, South America, and Mexico.

Isn't it weird Larousse doesn't call it out as cilantro? Cilantro isn't even listed with a "see Coriander".

Private Selection ground Coriander Seeds available in the spice aisle of Ralph's for $2.99 a 1.25 oz jar.

Private Selection Whole Cumin

Whenever I see a cumin seed, I think of this one chicken recipe I tried and hated. My words: "As a matter of fact, I don't know if I'll buy cumin seeds ever again because of this experience." How times change.


Necessary for my fancy-pants Latin dinner, I picked some up.


Checking out Larousse for some background on these crazy little seeds, I found this:

An aromatic plant with long spindle-shaped seeds that are used as a condiment and a flavouring. They have a hot, piquant, and slightly bitter taste. Cumin is cultivated today in Mediterranean countries, and also in Germany, the Soviet Union*, and even as far north as Norway. There are biblical references to its use in soup and bread, and the Romans used it to flavour sauces and grilled (broiled) fish and to preserve meat. It was often included in the recipes of the Middle Ages (see cominee). Today it is a classic condiment for bread (especially in eastern Europe) and is also used in certain preparations of cold meat and cheeses, such as Munster cheese.

Say what? In preparation of cheese? I'd have never guessed. And isn't it trippy how we know what people ate in the middle ages? That's back in the days of crusades and barbarians.


I can't help but marvel at how cumin seeds look like fennel seeds but don't smell anything like them.


*Remember, my copy of the Larousse Gastronomique is circa 1984. And in case you don't recall, the Soviet Union went out with 1991.

Private Selection whole Cumin Seeds available in the spice aisle of Ralph's for $2.49 a 1.7 oz jar.