holiday

I Scream for Snow Cream!

Buried. That about sums it up for most of the country these past few weeks. What are you supposed to do when there is this much snow? You play in it!! Spinning the freestyle way (I tried to embed the video but all I can give you is the link. Sorry.) You cozy up by the [...]

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The 2011 Spice Forecast

It’s January–time for lists, predictions, forecasts, and resolutions. It’s going to be a busy year so let’s get to it. Here’s the big news. Spices, in general, are one of the trends. The US Department of Agriculture reports that the consumption of spices in the United States has grown three times as fast as the population over the past several [...]

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The Gingerbread Road Show: 8 With Serious Wow!

You knew it was coming. It’s basically mandatory that a publication dedicated to spices put up something related to gingerbread during the holidays. Last year it was the world’s most ultimate dark, sticky, chewy gingerbread. This year you deserve a break from the scurrying, baking, wrapping, shopping, and writing. Sit back and enjoy the show. Here [...]

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Cinnamon Spice-Scented Applesauce Ornaments

The holiday season smells awesome, doesn’t it? Baking spices, pine trees, crisp wintermint air–each scent layers on the memories and good vibes. Here’s another way to treat your holiday sense of smell: homemade spice-scented ornaments. These ornaments come with a story. Last week my 10 year old participated in a trade fair at school. He left [...]

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Gift Idea: What To Put in A Spice Starter Kit

The art of gift-giving. It’s got to be creative, unexpected, appreciated, and useful. Consider a homemade spice kit. A box full of spices is a package full of flavor and possibilities and an expression food, culture and friendship. There are hundreds of spices, countless blends and different price points. This doesn’t even take into account the choice between [...]

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The World’s 4 Most Luxurious Spices

Attention to anyone who loves guilty pleasures, the best of class, a lifestyle punctuated with the occasional top shelf luxuries and lusciousness of knowing you have the best. Here are 4 spices that are the Lamborghini’s, Dom Perignon, Prada, and 5 karat diamonds of the spice shelf; in other words, the world’s 4 most luxurious spices. [...]

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10 Uses for Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

Wouldn’t you say that pumpkins are the poster child for autumn? The cheerful pumpkin is just so agreeable. Oh, those warm autumn spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, ginger, chili peppers. Pumpkins love ‘em all. The grande finalé comes near the end of November when a pumpkin pie punctuates the end of nearly every Thanksgiving dinner. Which brings me [...]

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Happy Halloween from Spice Sherpa

Boo! I’m going to deviate from the typical spicy format to wish you Happy Halloween and autumn wishes. This time of year never fails to leave me speechless and completely fulfilled on the natural beauty and seasonal excitement. I’ve lived in Central, Southern and Northern California. Spent a year in Grenoble, France. Now I’m in Upstate [...]

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Candy Corn Cookies With Natural Coloring

About a week ago Food News Journal posted a link to the most adorable cookie recipe on the blog by Baked Bree. I knew immediately that I’d be making the recipe. But as I scrolled through the comments, one in particular caught my attention. We don’t do artificial colors in our house because they have a [...]

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Homemade Vanilla Extract

Vanilla is a such a staple of our spice cupboards we hardly give it a second thought. It’s time to change that. The best tasting desserts use top quality ingredients. When it comes to vanilla that’s an expensive statement. Did you realize that you can make your own vanilla extract? It’s beyond simple. You need a [...]