NEWSLETTER: Spring 2008

Spring has arrived and we look forward to the joys of picnics, al freso dining, and the approaching summer, enhanced by flavours from around the world. We are lucky to be part of an adventurous food culture where we’re willing to try anything. On our recent trip to Morocco, we ate – exclusively – Moroccan food. Delicious certainly, but seven days a week, 52 weeks a year … we don’t think so!

Whats in a Name?

A spice by any other name is … just confusing! Sometimes we have a customer who has been given a recipe by a friend or neighbour whose origins are based somewhere in Europe, Africa or Asia, and we have to work out the puzzle of what a particular spice might be when it is only identified by its colloquial name. In this respect, there is no end to the learning experience. Chatting with a spice vendor recently in Morocco, we discovered that what he calls “red pepper” is in fact what we call grains of paradise. There is some logic in the name, as the peppery-flavoured grains grow in a red pod something like a cardamom pod. At another spice souk, we were checking out the quality of the nutmegs when the vendor offered the information that he also carried “Saharan nutmeg”. We asked to look at it, and – voila! – more grains of paradise! This name is less logical, however the vendor was adamant that Saharan nutmeg was the only name that this particular spice carried.

Besides having fun with grains of paradise, we also found the saffron situation absolutely fascinating. We did find authentic saffron of intermediate quality in some stores, but we were amazed by the number of spice traders selling fake saffron. This happened even in quite remote country areas, where it is unlikely that the fake item is just for the tourist scam. In case you’ve purchased saffron in some exotic corner of the world, you should look closely at it to be sure that it is in fact shaped like a long trumpet, with a slight frilling at the open end. Having purchased a few samples of the so-called saffron in Morocco, we found that when infused, it coloured the water with abnormal speed, and within a couple of minutes, the pieces turned to a slimy paste that quickly dissolved when rubbed between the fingers. True saffron will not dissolve, no matter how long you leave it to infuse. Good quality saffron, if infused overnight, will give all of its colour to the liquid and become translucent, but it will still hold its natural shape.

Another angle to the saffron story in Morocco is the widespread use of artificial orange colouring. It comes folded into paper like the old Bex and Vincent’s headache powders, and is listed as an essential ingredient in local recipe books. One has to wonder why such an ingredient is considered necessary in tagines when it contributes nothing to the flavour.

Chicken Tagine

We have returned with increased confidence in our ras el hanout and super ras el hanout blends, and whilst still inspired by the Moroccan experience, we made this chicken tagine on our return.

1. In a large saucepan, place chicken frame, vegetables and salted water. Bring to boil and simmer gently whilst preparing tagine.
2. Heat oil in a tagine or heavy-based casserole dish, add chicken and sauté, turning once, for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add Super Ras el Hanout, preserved lemon, olives and water, then reduce heat, cover and simmer slowly for at least 40 minutes, until chicken falls from the bone. Check for salt, but the preserved lemons will have probably made it salty enough.
4. Place cous cous in saucepan or dish and add one cup of the simmering stock. Stir, cover, and set aside for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, transfer to a warmed serving bowl.
5. Using a slotted spoon, lift some of the vegetables from the stock and place on top of the couscous.
6. Serve some extra stock in a jug for diners to add as they wish to their couscous. Serve with the chicken
7. Strain remaining chicken stock and take to work, with any remaining vegies, for lunch the next day

Spice Storage Box

For all those customers looking for a practical storage solution for our spice packs, we have had a nifty wooden box, discreetly emblazoned with our Herbie’s logo, made to our design. It holds around 20 Herbie’s Spices pouches, depending on the thickness of the packs, of course. You will find the SPICE STORAGE BOX on our website, and it is just $25.00 plus packing and postage.

Panna Cotta with a Twist

One of our customers has passed on a great tip: as unlikely as it seems, Chinese Five Spice is an excellent spice to add to panna cotta – especially, she says, when served with a spiced winter fruit salad. (Quick, let’s all do it before the weather warms up too much!) She recommends 2 teaspoons five spice to 600 ml of cream. Another great spice to add to panna cotta is our fabulous Fragrant Sweet Spice, or either infuse or finely grate a tonka bean for something quite different and exotic.

Enjoy the springtime with fresh, seasonal and minimally-processed foods, nicely spiced, of course!

Herbie and Liz