Happy Valentine's Day from all of us at World Spice. We love spices every day, but for Valentine's Day, we really wanted to show it.
Everyone on our team has a favorite, and we’ve got the prose (and poetry!) to prove it.
💌 Spicy Love Letters
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Brining Poultry: Wet & Dry Methods
What is brining? Brining, whether using the wet or dry method, is a key technique to maintain meat's juiciness and freshness during cooking. The wet method involves immersing meat in a saltwater solution, enhanced with spices and herbs like our Northwest Forest Brine. In contrast, the dry method, a more recent approach, utilizes dry ingredients, primarily salt, to draw out surface moisture and enhance flavor and tenderness by reabsorbing both the moisture and seasoning. How to brine The Wet MethodYou’ll start by adding one 8oz package of salt (or our Northwest Forest Brine) to 2 quarts of water in a large pot and bring the solution to a rolling boil. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar, take off the heat, then let sit for 5-10 minutes. Add another 2 quarts of cold water and wait for the brine to return to room temperature (this is important to avoid accidentally cooking your turkey in the hot brine). Place the turkey and the brine into a large container or food grade plastic bag and keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking. The turkey will absorb the flavors, resulting in a deliciously seasoned and juicy bird when cooked. Dry MethodCarefully rub salt or the Northwest Forest Brine all over the turkey, including under the skin and inside the cavity. Then place the turkey in the refrigerator in a large container or food safe plastic bag for one hour per pound of turkey. Rinse off the brine and be sure to pat dry the turkey for crispy skin. Pro tip: Get a brining bag for your turkey online or at your local grocery store. It simplifies fridge storage. Once you incorporate brining into your holiday routine, it simply adds to the bustle and flavor of the season, along with a dose of stress reduction because your turkey will not be dry. Bonus! This favorite recipe of ours is perfect for a lightly sweet brine.
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How to Toast Spices
We have lots of tips and tricks for getting the most from your spices, but few techniques build flavor depth quite like toasting. The process is almost alchemical: a handful of seeds, pods, or barks meet a hot pan, and within seconds, the kitchen is filled with rich, nutty, deeply aromatic notes.Many of our favorite blends, like Kashmiri Garam Masala and Tabil, are crafted with ingredients we toast right here in our warehouse. Our Toast-Worthy Selects Clockwise from top right, Star Anise, Tellicherry Black Peppercorn, Fennel Seed, Pequin, Indian Coriander Seed, and Black Sesame Seed. How to Toast Spices at Home Start with a heavy-bottomed skillet like cast iron, making sure it's large enough to spread all your spices out in a single layer. Set it over medium heat — no oil needed — and warm the pan for a few minutes.Once it's warm, add in your whole spices, keeping them in a single layer.Keep your spices moving, stirring or tossing them frequently. You'll notice a shift in as little as 30-60 seconds as the kitchen fills with fragrance. On lighter spices you'll notice a color shift, but on darker ones you may not see a big difference. Smaller seeds like sesame and mustard might pop and jump around to announce they’re ready!Once toasted to perfection, transfer the spices immediately to a heatproof dish to avoid burning, and cool.From there, grind them into a fragrant powder, toss them whole into a simmering pot, or fold them into your favorite spice blend. Seeds, barks, pods, and roots all benefit from a gentle toasting.For inspiration, check out this list. Quick Tips The longer you toast, the deeper the flavor — but like toast, once they’re burnt, there’s no going back. If you see or smell smoke, the spices are on the edge and should come off the heat immediately. Toasting chiles? Go easy. Make sure your space is well-ventilated and toast lightly. The smoke from heavily toasted chiles can be surprisingly caustic. Mixing spices? Size matters. If you’re toasting a few different spices together, choose ones of similar size so they toast at the same rate. Toast whole — not ground — spices. Ground spices tend to toast very quickly and can burn easily. If you want to enhance ground spices, choose a technique called "blooming." When making a dish, add oil, butter, or ghee to your heated pan and then stir in your spices. Let them warm in the hot oil for 30 seconds to a minute before adding your other ingredients. This is a much gentler way to get those toasted flavors without burning the ground spices.
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Why We Only Carry Loose Leaf Tea
As the days get cooler, there's nothing better than wrapping your hands around a warm cup of tea. If you're about to stock up for cooler weather, know this: Once you try our teas, you'll taste the difference... Freshness and Quality We source minimally processed tea, ensuring that all of those wonderful natural oils, flavors, and aromas remain intact. Unlike tea bags, which often contain broken leaves or dust and are usually good for just one brew, loose leaf tea's whole leaves fully expand, allowing for multiple infusions. Plus, loose leaf tea is kinder to the planet—no individual bags, less waste🌿✨ Make it YOUR Cup of Tea With loose leaf tea, you’re in control. Want a strong cup? Just add a bit more tea. Prefer it lighter? Use less tea and steep it for a shorter time. Did you know? Whole leaves can be steeped several times, with each infusion releasing different layers of flavor. In fact, many tea lovers believe that the second or third steeping reveals the tea’s finest nuances. This means you're getting a great value for your money, as each pot offers a range of flavors and many cups of joy. Let’s make every cup count. Ready to brew? Check out our favorite brewing wares! 🛍️
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