HERBIE'S BLOG

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Cooking

What’s special about Mexican chillies?

Mexican chillies come in a range of varieties, from the mild to the spicy. Read on to find out more about the different types.

Australian Native Spices

Why did Herbie make a Balmain & Rozelle Spice?

Incorporating various spices and herbs from around the world, Herbie created Balmain & Rozelle Spice Blend in honour of this diverse suburb.

Cooking

10 Family Friendly Spice Blends

We’ve put together a list of 10 of our most popular spice blends that are family friendly, which of your favourites made the cut?

Cooking

Three New Spices from Herbie’s Spices to Try in 2017

PNG has a long history of growing chillies. We are proud to announce that two of these are now available, along with a very special ginger powder.

Behind the Scenes

Spice Classes & Conversations

Want to learn more about spices, their history and how to use them? View Upcoming Events on our website to see where Ian ‘Herbie’ Hemphill is giving a Spice Appreciation Class or engaging audiences in Spice Conversations. If you are looking for a hands-on experience, this special Spice Essentials with Ian and Kate at The Essential Ingredient should not be missed. Some of the aspects Ian will cover in

Book Tour

Index of Botanical and Common Names

Have you tried to find the botanical name of a herb or spice lately?   The Spice & Herb Bible 3rd Edition lists over 350 botanical names of various herbs and spices. To make it easy to find these, we have created a searchable PDF that shows: Every spice and herb in the Spice & Herb Bible 3rd Edition Botanical name/s as some plants

Behind the Scenes

What is Dagar Phool?

ALSO KNOWN AS DAGARFUL, IT IS THE MOST UNUSUAL FLAVOUR CONTRIBUTOR WE’VE SEEN IN YEARS! What would you think if we told you we’d come across a lichen traditionally used in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu in South India, and that we simply love it? What we are referring to is the lichen known as Dagar Phool, or Dagarful (Parmotrema perlatum) which has an

Behind the Scenes

Know Your Cardamoms

Cardamom is featured in many recipes, however are you using the right one? Cardamom Green Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) is the most common and we refer to it as your ‘default’ cardamom when a recipe simply calls for ‘cardamom’. Green cardamom is native to the mountain ranges of the south western Indian state of Kerala, known as the western ghats, (ghat being the name given to steep

Cooking

Curry Leaves Explained

In this video Herbie gets up close and personal to the Curry Leaf Tree, and shares his love of this wonderful plant that contributes its unique taste to South Indian Cooking: Curry Leaves South Indian Seafood Masala Flavours of India Spice Kit

Behind the Scenes

Hungarian Paprika Festival

In 2010 Herbie & Liz visited the Hungarian Paprika Festival, a feast for the senses.

Behind the Scenes

Herbie Makes His Saturday Curry

Herbie’s Saturday Curry is an easy way to get into the joys of curry making. In this video, Herbie shows the basic steps that can be used for a wide range of beef and lamb curries. Curry Powder Medium Madras Curry Mix with Whole Seeds & Spices Sri Lankan Curry

Behind the Scenes

Juniper is For More Than Gin!

Juniper Berries are famous as the primary flavour contributor to gin, however they have many culinary uses that are becoming more appreciated as cooks become aware of their special attributes. Gin, the alcoholic drink that derives its unique flavour from juniper berries, is named from an adaptation of the Dutch word for juniper, jenever. Juniper berries take 2 to 3 years to mature. Initially they are

Behind the Scenes

Simply Sumac

Sumac is one of the easiest to use and most agreeable of spices. Sumac trees (Rhus coriaria) grow wild in the Mediterranean region and are found in southern Italy and much of the Middle East, especially south-eastern Turkey and Iran. Sumac berries were used by the Romans, who referred to them as Syrian sumac. Lemons being unknown in Europe at that time, sumac was a

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Herbie’s Spices Inner Circle fills a need in the community of cooks and food lovers for early-access & upcoming events to all those hard-to-find herbs and spices.

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