Spice Road Spices
Spice Merchants
The Art of Flavour Sunday e-magazine
On this day around 2000 years ago a "Caravan" loaded with Turmeric and Ginger, the spice "gold" at the time, left Southern India bound for Rome.
The "Caravan" travelled by primitive boat to the North Indian port of.......then travelling across.... braving and defending bandit attacks they arrived in.......and departed on a further sea voyage the Persian Gulf and the markets of Alexandria in........
Are we adding flavour in moderation with everything but Salt ?
Hi everyone. Several readers have questioned the heading - The Art of Flavour in each issue of the Epicurean Post.
Simply, the heading came from my observation that maybe we are much too timid when adding flavour to favourite recipes.
From this I don't suggest just bunging in handfuls of spices and herbs, any old way, without regard to proper flavour balance, That will not will not make things right.
You may have noticed that in most Epicurean Post recipes we invariably mention that a rich, Home Chef style stock be used in the recipe rather than the supermarket cardboard version with limited flavour, compensated with salt.
So we thought it might be useful to look at how Home Chef stocks can add a wonderful flavour foundation to a recipe and how easily they can be made . No doubt many of our subscribers are creating their own unique stocks or broths and we would love to share your comments and suggestions.
Chicken Stock and Health
When it comes to flavour, being born in Morocco gives you a solid head start.
And to be rated alongside the flavour of Palestinian Za'atar Spice Blend or the Berebere Spice Blend from Ethiopia places the exciting Moroccan Chermoula in very special company .
Our wine making friends will not like to read this but frying or grilling with grape seed oil is not a good move.
For home chefs there seems little point in working towards a full health diet to then stuff it all up by frying or grilling with grape seed oil.
Not wishing to start on too dramatic a note but Salt can sometimes cause health issues.
Extending this to our campaign for healthy and fresh ingredients, our view at Spice Road Spices and the Epicurean is that it would seem rather pointless to rattle on about the acknowledged health benefits of Farmers Markets and Grass Fed Beef, then stuff it all up with an overload of salt.
This is a special Blog covering unique Salt Free Recipes and News for an enjoyable Salt Free diet.
Plus a curated selection of premium Salt Free Spices to create your own special flavour in your recipe. Toasted and ground on the day of dispatch for your freshness
Salt Free - Spices - Flavour. Simple enough for all those looking for a Salt Free diet. So let's cut to the chase on this. You need to start with a recipe of course and there are plenty of excellent Salt Free recipes about, each with one common denominator. They rely on Spices to replace the salt flavour and then add their own flavour character to the recipe.
And this brings us to the problem. Many of the spices available in Australia are either diminished by age, well into their 3 month life span by sitting on store shelves or simply produced from inferior growers.
For Home Chefs there is no escape. Think of the stunning Greek style, lamb shoulder bake and you will find an essential. Citrus.
And Citrus continues. Look to your favourite Risotto or a Salad Dressing. Perhaps a prized sauce that you have developed in the privacy of your home kitchen. Or your favourite (very secret) BBQ marinade. Maybe a vegetable Capanata from Spain or Italy. Even a two hour Bolognaise stew from Italy and there it will be again. Citrus.